Chapter Summaries

Sorokin negotiated with Oathkeeper to remain under the Sanctum Organization’s control and potentially join, after revealing that he wanted the Soul Flame to strengthen himself against Black Star. Oathkeeper informed Han Xiao, who saw Sorokin’s confinement as a chance to secretly eliminate him.

• Sorokin offered to join the Sanctum Organization in exchange for keeping its secret and providing financial support, but Oathkeeper questioned his trustworthiness and motives.
• Sorokin explained that Black Star had exposed his identity and threatened his interests, and Oathkeeper insisted he resolve the risk before the Sanctum considered accepting him.
• Oathkeeper required Sorokin to remain under surveillance without being attacked, and Sorokin accepted on the condition that the Sanctum did not interfere with his possessed bodies or block his mental fluctuations.
• Oathkeeper contacted Han Xiao and recounted Sorokin’s arrival, negotiations, and conflict with Black Star.
• Han Xiao told Oathkeeper that Sorokin’s confinement created an opportunity to kill him secretly, then said Sorokin was finished.

Oathkeeper let Sorokin join Sanctum after confirming that Black Star was hunting him, then arranged a plan to use Sorokin as bait in a staged ambush. When Sorokin and three Sanctum members lured Han Xiao into a fight, Sorokin believed they were working together, while the hidden Sanctum forces prepared to turn against him.

• Oathkeeper tested whether Black Star was pursuing Sorokin by spreading false word that Sorokin had visited Planet Deer, and the Black Star Army sent a fleet to investigate.
• Sorokin refused to fake his death, so Oathkeeper agreed to join forces against Black Star and made Sorokin serve as bait in a trap.
• Oathkeeper outlined an ambush involving Sorokin, Baigel, and two other Beyond Grade As, while dozens of Sanctum members waited out of sight.
• Half a month later, Sorokin and the three others met Han Xiao in a remote universe belt, and Sorokin attacked him believing the plan was genuine.
• Han Xiao and the others fought while secretly coordinating with the hidden Sanctum members, who mocked Sorokin in their directors' group chat and waited to betray him.

Han Xiao and the Sanctum staged an ambush that destroyed Sorokin’s body, then used the Netherland mark to pull his soul into the Netherland. With Onicelu and Hila restraining him there, Han Xiao revealed that Sorokin could no longer contact his possessed bodies and that the Netherland was built as a prison.

• Han Xiao and Sorokin exchanged blows while both sides concealed their true plans and strength.
• Baigel and the other Beyond Grade As pretended to immobilize Han Xiao, then joined him in a coordinated barrage that annihilated Sorokin’s body.
• Sorokin emerged as a soul, but Han Xiao used the Netherland mark to draw him into the Netherland and teleported there with Oathkeeper and other allies.
• Onicelu suppressed and restrained Sorokin while Hila attacked him, and Han Xiao’s group arrived to confront him.
• Sorokin tried to contact his possessed bodies, but Han Xiao explained that the Netherland blocked his signals and had originally served as a prison.

Han Xiao brought the Sanctum members to Netherland, where they met the seven Heroic Spirit Kings and forced Sorokin to choose between death and becoming a Heroic Spirit. Sorokin joined Netherland and retained his combat strength, while Hila began questioning him; Han Xiao also arranged to conceal Sorokin’s disappearance and pressed Oathkeeper to find the Third Sanctum key.

• Han Xiao revealed that Hila had become Netherland’s new master, and the Sanctum members reunited with the seven Heroic Spirit Kings.
• Han Xiao offered Sorokin a choice between being destroyed and joining Netherland, and Sorokin agreed to become a Heroic Spirit.
• Onicelu transformed Sorokin, who retained his Beyond Grade A combat strength but became subject to Netherland’s control.
• Han Xiao sent Hila to question Sorokin and discussed the search for the Third Sanctum key and a cover story for Sorokin’s disappearance with Oathkeeper.
• Han Xiao returned to Hila and learned that Sorokin had just revealed something extraordinary.

Sorokin confessed to his past conspiracies and hidden wealth after Han Xiao brought him to Netherland, while the Crimson Dynasty exposed his crimes and the Infinite Financial Group collapsed. The Beyond Grade A Association revoked Sorokin’s membership, but Mabrus suspected that Black Star or another hidden force had orchestrated the events.

• Sorokin confessed that he had used numerous aliases, helped instigate the Tragedy of the Pinnacle, and accumulated secret resources, including eight Universal Treasures.
• Han Xiao left Sorokin in Hila’s care, and the Heroic Spirit Kings crowded around him while he angrily rejected their nickname for him.
• The Crimson Dynasty issued a universe-wide wanted notice for Sorokin, exposing his aliases and crimes as the Infinite Financial Group lost creditors, partners, businesses, and employees.
• The Germinal Financial Group and other stockholders seized parts of the failing Infinite Financial Group, while the Beyond Grade A Association voted to revoke Sorokin’s membership.
• Mabrus told Bekorodi that he doubted Sorokin had attacked Gaud and wondered whether Black Star or an undiscovered force had manipulated events.

After the Infinite Financial Group collapsed, the Germinal Financial Group absorbed its businesses and expanded, while Han Xiao assigned Sorokin’s children to be evaluated for management roles. Sylvia asked Han Xiao to train her to become a Beyond Grade A, and he agreed before Ames invited him over for wine and a private visit.

• The Germinal Financial Group absorbed much of the Infinite Financial Group’s legacy, and the Crimson Dynasty’s warrant for Sorokin brought calm after the Gaud incident.
• Han Xiao praised Sylvia and Enterprise for the acquisition, and Enterprise explained that Sorokin’s children would be evaluated and assigned limited management roles.
• Sylvia flirted with Han Xiao, then admitted she wanted a new position and asked him to teach her how to become a Beyond Grade A.
• Han Xiao agreed to train Sylvia after she handed over her work, and she left after kissing his cheek and repeating that she was serious about her earlier suggestion.
• Ames called Han Xiao and invited him to visit for Iso’s new wine, adding that she missed him, and Han Xiao immediately agreed to go.

Han Xiao visited Ames, gave her a Universal Treasure, and shared his unease about the nature of their reality before she comforted him. After years of peaceful development and Han Xiao’s retreat from public attention, the Beyond Grade A Association’s fiftieth anniversary arrived, bringing the end of his presidential term and a new election.

• Han Xiao visited Ames at Floating Dragon Island and gave her the Esper Ability Enhancement Sphere, explaining how it could gradually improve an Esper’s abilities.
• Ames noticed Han Xiao’s growing worries, and he wondered aloud whether their world was an illusion; she reassured him by telling him that their shared warmth and touch were real.
• Carrot was eliminated from the Crimson Dynasty’s training base after Gaud disappeared, and he boarded the transport ship while remaining optimistic about what he had learned.
• The Shattered World was fully incorporated into the Explored Universe, and the Black Star Army expanded as Han Xiao enjoyed a long period of peace and focused on research.
• In Galaxy Calendar Year 780, the Beyond Grade A Association reached its fiftieth anniversary, and Han Xiao’s fifty-year term as president ended as the association prepared to elect a successor.

Forty years after the Black Star Army’s expansion, Aurora became a Beyond Grade A and prepared to travel independently. As Han Xiao approached the Beyond Grade A Association’s presidential election, the Three Universal Civilizations worried about the association’s growing influence, while the First Ones prepared to emerge from seclusion.

• Aurora completed her transformation into a Beyond Grade A, gained new abilities, and demonstrated that she could combine her life energy with Hila’s death energy to create the power of resurrection.
• Aurora chose to travel alone and join the Beyond Grade A Association, while Han Xiao agreed and said he was highly likely to become its next president.
• Han Xiao reflected that the First Ones planned to reveal themselves after his election and that the upcoming change could bring the Super Calamity back to the center of galactic attention.
• Louis Roach and the Federation of Light’s council elders discussed the association’s growing power and the difficulty of limiting its members’ private exchanges of knowledge.
• The First Ones watched news of the coming presidential election and anticipated emerging from seclusion, while Oathkeeper hoped Han Xiao’s predictions were correct.

Han Xiao welcomed Aurora as the newest Beyond Grade A and announced the association’s presidential election, while Aurora’s life-restoring ability drew eager interest from its members. At the election, Manison stepped down without running, but Roles unexpectedly challenged Han Xiao for the presidency.

• Han Xiao introduced Aurora, Hila’s sister and a Black Star Army officer, to the Beyond Grade A Association, where members eagerly welcomed her and sought her life-extending ability.
• Aurora explained that Black Star had saved her during the Germinal days, while Han Xiao made clear that requests for her help would go through him.
• Han Xiao announced that the association’s presidential election would take place in two months, prompting Roles to decide he would run against him.
• At the election, Manison stepped down and declined to run, leaving Han Xiao as the expected winner.
• Roles announced his candidacy, surprising the gathered members, and Aurora whispered to Hila that he was a Pugilist.

Han Xiao won the Beyond Grade A Association presidency and took charge as its new leader, while Manison privately accepted the transition and prepared for a looming conflict with the Three Universal Civilizations. As news celebrated Black Star’s era, Han Xiao traveled to the Sanctum Organization with the keys to the Third Sanctum assembled.

• Roles ran against Han Xiao for president but received no votes, and he accepted the defeat after learning that members who had promised support had not taken him seriously.
• Han Xiao was elected president; Kasuyi and Seraon became vice presidents, and Hila joined the board of directors.
• Han Xiao delivered an inaugural speech promising to unite and protect Beyond Grade As, then warned that a major change might soon arrive.
• Manison told Kasuyi he had already planned to withdraw, believing Han Xiao was best placed to lead through a coming crisis and hoping to avoid blame while seeking a future opportunity.
• Interstellar society celebrated Han Xiao’s election as the beginning of Black Star’s era, while Han Xiao teleported to the Ancient Star Desert to meet the Sanctum Organization with the keys to the Third Sanctum assembled.

Han Xiao met Oathkeeper at the Sanctum Organization base and arranged for the revived First Ones and his allies to wait while he entered the Third Sanctum. After the organization opened the passage, Han Xiao flew inside, leaving the main universe with his return uncertain.

• Han Xiao met Oathkeeper and learned that the Sanctum Organization had gathered the keys to enter the Third Sanctum again.
• Han Xiao asked the revived First Ones to remain in seclusion for another year or two, and Baigel agreed while Pangon said he would leave on his own.
• Han Xiao received Oathkeeper's list of revival media and arranged for Kasuyi, Hila, Ames, and others to oversee affairs during his absence.
• Han Xiao spoke with the Three Universal Civilizations, confirmed they would avoid escalating tensions in the short term, and told Oathkeeper to prepare the Sanctum passage.
• Oathkeeper's forces opened the passage to the Third Sanctum, and Han Xiao entered through the gate.

Han Xiao explored the Third Sanctum, discovering that his Sanctuary fragments gave him authority to access stored information and search its orbs. He found empty records for civilizations from the current Galaxy iteration, leaving him to wonder whether they were reserved tombstones for a future Great Restart.

• Han Xiao entered the Third Sanctum, stabilized its gateway with a glowing mark on his palm, and found that he could not access his interface or communicate with the outside world.
• Han Xiao inferred that six Sanctuary fragments had activated the mark and let him exercise greater authority within the Sanctum.
• Han Xiao touched the orbs and learned that they contained partial records of past civilizations and espers, along with knowledge he could carry away.
• Han Xiao used the Sanctuary Revival Mark, but it did not list Jess among those he could revive.
• Han Xiao searched for civilizations from the Federation of All Stars' iteration and found their records, then searched for civilizations from the Galaxy's iteration and found only empty orbs.
• Han Xiao speculated that the Galaxy's records would be filled after a Great Restart and wondered whether the empty orbs were tombstones for the current iteration.

Han Xiao discovered a message board in the Third Sanctum that preserved accounts from the ultimate civilizations of past iterations, revealing the relay of knowledge across the Great Restart. He learned that the Federation of All Stars was at most four iterations before the Galaxy, then left the Sanctuary wondering how much time had passed outside.

• Han Xiao found that the Sanctuary erased stored information from both his memory and his storage device, preventing him from keeping more than its capacity allowed.
• Han Xiao questioned how the Oathkeeper had learned the Sanctuary’s history, prompting his authority mark to reveal a translated message board left by ultimate civilizations.
• Han Xiao realized the board preserved civilizations’ experiences and warnings across iterations, and that Sanctuary functions and revelations had developed through mutations.
• Han Xiao found the Federation of All Stars’ Civilization Restart Plan among messages near the present, placing it at most four iterations before the Galaxy, and read a fragment endorsing information-state conversion.
• Han Xiao failed to leave his own message, recorded how to open the other Sanctuaries, and departed through the passage wondering how much time had passed in the universe.

Han Xiao returned from the Sanctuary after less than four months, received the fourth-phase mission to inform advanced civilizations about the Sanctuaries, and chose to delay it until the Beyond Grade A association had secured Sanctuary Revival. He joined Oathkeeper and the First Ones to revive a new batch of Beyond Grade As, ending with one revived elf mistaking Han Xiao for the ruler of the underworld.

• Han Xiao emerged from the Sanctuary, saw that the third phase was complete, and gained Third Sanctum Access Lv6.
• Han Xiao read the fourth-phase mission requirements but decided not to reveal Sanctuary information to advanced civilizations yet.
• Han Xiao contacted Oathkeeper, requested the fleet and First Ones, and prepared to revive outsiders who had died unnatural deaths.
• Two days later, Oathkeeper and the First Ones arrived, and Han Xiao learned that Pangon and his companions had left the Sanctum three months earlier.
• Han Xiao activated the Sanctuary Revival Mark and brought back a group of Beyond Grade As.
• A revived long-eared elf mistook Han Xiao for the legendary ruler of the underworld.

Han Xiao and Oathkeeper explained Sanctuary Revival and the danger facing the Beyond Grade A community to the newly revived powerhouses, then presented them with a choice between joining the Association or remaining hidden with Sanctum. As many considered staying safe, an unnamed revived Beyond Grade A urged the group to fight their way out, and Han Xiao prepared to intervene.

• The revived Beyond Grade As panicked until Han Xiao and the Sanctum members overwhelmed them with their auras and forced them to listen.
• Han Xiao explained that they had been revived in Galaxy Calendar year 780, and Oathkeeper described Sanctum and Sanctuary Revival.
• Han Xiao introduced himself as Black Star, leader of the current Beyond Grade As, and explained the looming threat of another Tragedy of the Pinnacle.
• Han Xiao claimed Sanctuary Revival offered only one chance and argued that the revived powerhouses needed to choose between joining the Beyond Grade A Association and staying hidden with Sanctum.
• Dilron agreed that the revived had only those two options, but an unnamed member urged them to unite and fight their way out, prompting Han Xiao to threaten physical correction.

Han Xiao crushed Bagneta in a brief fight to establish his authority over the revived Beyond Grade As, then offered them the choice of staying in the Sanctum or joining the association. Nearly all chose to remain in the Sanctum, while Dilron joined the association and vowed to fight the Three Universal Civilizations.

• Bagneta rejected Han Xiao's terms and tried to rally the revived experts, but they refused to join him.
• Bagneta attacked Han Xiao, who countered with a brutal close-range assault and overwhelmed him with a barrage from his mechanical soldiers.
• Han Xiao had Oathkeeper's group treat Bagneta, then sealed him in Space-Time Amber for confinement.
• Han Xiao asked the revived experts to choose between staying in the Sanctum and joining the association, and nearly all chose to stay.
• Dilron chose to join the association and said he would fight the Three Universal Civilizations.

Han Xiao prepared the association for the revivalists’ return while the Three Universal Civilizations began laying the groundwork for action against the Beyond Grade A Association. The revivalists made their public debut when new member Mael arrived at Planet Fein and found dozens of resurrected First Ones waiting to welcome him.

• Han Xiao assigned the Sanctum members to help the second batch of revivalists adjust, gave Oathkeeper a list of keys to other Sanctuaries, and decided to keep the full truth of unlimited revival secret.
• Han Xiao resumed leadership of the Beyond Grade A Association, and the Three Universal Civilizations summoned him to demand that he stop members from privately sharing Ultimate Knowledge.
• After Han Xiao gave no firm promise to comply, the three leaders agreed to begin taking action against the association and planned to divide its members.
• Han Xiao decided the revivalists should reveal themselves through the arrival of a new association member.
• Mael arrived at Planet Fein for his welcome meeting and discovered dozens of resurrected First Ones waiting in the lounge.
• Baigel and the others revealed their Beyond Grade A auras and told Mael they had come back to life, leaving him stunned.

Han Xiao revealed that he had used Sanctuary Revival to bring back dozens of the historical Beyond Grade As known as The First Ones. After their return was proven, the association welcomed them as new members, leaving its existing members stunned and newly aware that Han Xiao could offer Beyond Grade As a second life.

• Association members discussed the Three Universal Civilizations’ warnings against the private spread of Ultimate Knowledge, and Han Xiao signaled that the regular Beyond Grade As would remain in charge of the association.
• Han Xiao began the welcome meeting by announcing that the newcomers were people everyone knew, then Mael entered, followed by dozens more.
• The members recognized the newcomers as The First Ones and doubted that they had truly returned from the dead.
• Han Xiao confirmed the First Ones were real and explained that Sanctuary Revival could restore deceased Beyond Grade As from their Information State records.
• The revived Beyond Grade As unleashed their energy, and emergency reports from Planet Fein confirmed their identities.
• Han Xiao rearranged the conference hall to make room for the newcomers and led the association in welcoming the old era’s return.

Han Xiao revealed Sanctuary Revival to the Beyond Grade A Association, bringing dozens of historical powerhouses back into its ranks and deterring the Three Universal Civilizations. As news of the revival spread across the universe, interstellar society erupted in shock and anticipated upheaval.

• Han Xiao welcomed Baigel, Dilron, and the other revived Beyond Grade As into the association, while Dilron insulted Sun Hunter and brushed off Austin’s attempt to speak with him.
• Han Xiao declined to explain Sanctuary Revival, leaving association members impressed and reassured; Manison recognized its value, while Kasuyi kept quiet about what he knew.
• The direct members of the Three Universal Civilizations worried that revival would make the association harder to suppress, as Han Xiao resolved to use its strength to contain the coming conflict and protect the class.
• Han Xiao ended the welcome party and announced that a future meeting would address resources and help the revived members establish forces, consolidating his authority within the association.
• News of Sanctuary Revival spread across the major star fields, and after association members confirmed it, interstellar society reacted with disbelief and alarm.

The Three Universal Civilizations learned that Han Xiao had revived historical Beyond Grade As and called off their planned purge, recognizing that Sanctuary Revival had shifted the balance of power. After Han Xiao refused to reveal its secrets or promise to restrain the association, the leaders planned to investigate the Sanctuaries together and considered suppressing the growth of new Supers.

• Mabrus, Louis, and the Arcane Pope met to assess how the revived Beyond Grade As threatened the Three Universal Civilizations and their planned purge.
• The three leaders invited Han Xiao to question him about Sanctuary Revival, but he claimed he knew little, refused to share the method, and said the revived Beyond Grade As would follow the association's rules.
• Mabrus asked Han Xiao to revive Gaud or other Empire-affiliated Beyond Grade As, but Han Xiao said he would consider it without making a commitment.
• After Han Xiao left, Mabrus proposed infiltrating his organization, recruiting revived people for information, and sharing classified records to research Sanctuary Revival; Louis and the Arcane Pope agreed to cooperate.
• The Arcane Pope proposed limiting the number of future Beyond Grade As by eliminating promising Calamity Grades and restricting access to Super knowledge, an idea that unsettled but tempted Mabrus and Louis.
• In his workshop, Han Xiao concluded that the Three Universal Civilizations would likely pause their purge, containing the Super Calamity for now, though he was unsure how the changed events would unfold.