Recaps

After studying the Tree of Life Innovation Compendium, Lancelot received a Legend-quality Heavenly Sunflower Star bloodline potion but decided to let his gene chain settle before taking it. He attended combat class, where he met Rongside and Stephanie, and the class fell silent when three red-haired youths arrived.

• Lancelot finished studying the Tree of Life Innovation Compendium and reflected on the value of the knowledge he had purchased.
• Christine told Lancelot that the exchange office had delivered his bloodline potion, and he examined the Heavenly Sunflower Star vial and its instructions.
• Lancelot decided to wait before absorbing the potion, stored it in the safe with Christine, and headed to combat class.
• Lancelot met Rongside and Stephanie in the classroom, where Rongside joked about being a healer who fought at the front.
• Three red-haired youths entered, and Rongside identified them as the Fax People.

Zyra began teaching Lancelot’s combat class, then selected him and Peidasi to spar. Peidasi prepared to challenge the joint entrance exam champion with the Morgan Family’s combat techniques.

• Students criticized the Fax People’s admission privileges, and Peidasi grew angry until Huaxi stopped him from confronting them.
• Zyra arrived to teach the combat class, and Lancelot sensed that she might be watching him.
• Zyra taught basic combat movements and later chose Lancelot, Peidasi, and two other students to spar.
• After the first pair finished, Lancelot and Peidasi entered the fighting area, where Peidasi prepared to use the Morgan Family’s combat techniques against him.

Lancelot defeated Peidasi after Peidasi escalated their sparring match by using his bloodline power, while Zyra punished him and dismissed the class. Zyra then questioned Lancelot about coexistence between humans and the Blood Clan and revealed that she and Minister Mona were a couple.

• At Zyra's command, Peidasi attacked Lancelot with lethal claws, but Lancelot calmly blocked him.
• Peidasi activated his bloodline power and unleashed the Wheel of the Blood Moon, stirring fear and rejection among the students as Huaxi worried about racial tensions.
• Lancelot suppressed the bloodline ability's effects with Absolute Control, then struck Peidasi with a lightning-covered punch that sent him crashing into a wall.
• Zyra stopped the spar, forced Peidasi to answer for using his bloodline talent, and deducted 100 credits from him.
• After the class dispersed, Zyra asked Lancelot whether humans and the Blood Clan could coexist peacefully, then told him that she and Minister Mona were a couple.

After Zyra warned Lancelot about the Blood Clan and gave him Mona’s investment, he realized the Alliance might be headed toward conflict. Meanwhile, Mona continued her dangerous seclusion, Peidasi plotted against Lancelot, and Lancelot set out to explore the Domain of Spirit Thought.

• Zyra gave Lancelot 5,000 credits, explained that Mona would be secluded for about two years, and sent him a friend request under the username “King of Martial Arts.”
• Lancelot concluded that Zyra had deliberately steered him into a clash with the Blood Clan and worried that the Alliance might soon fall into chaos.
• Urta told Zyra that the Second Blood Ancestor’s power had grown and warned her against manipulating Lancelot, while explaining that the Alliance could not withstand conflict with the Blood Clan.
• After his humiliation, Peidasi ordered an investigation into Lancelot and Zyra, learned that Zyra’s records were restricted, and decided to target Lancelot first.
• Lancelot bought a [Life Drain] bloodline potion and headed to the academy’s northern secret cultivation grounds to experience the Domain of Spirit Thought.

Lancelot visited the Domain of Spirit Thought to test how it could help him create an Innovation Skill. He discovered that its music accelerated his thinking, especially on the fourth level, and planned to return often.

• Lancelot entered the underground secret cultivation grounds and headed for the Domain of Spirit Thought.
• Lancelot found that the first level stimulated his thoughts and that activating the Flow Method's Heightened Focus increased the effect by more than seventy percent.
• Lancelot rode through the second and third levels, where increasingly clear music made his thoughts and inspiration faster.
• Lancelot met Boxi in the elevator and clarified that he had clearance to enter the fourth level.
• Lancelot experienced a brief sense of unity with the world on the fourth level as the music helped resolve questions from his accumulated knowledge.
• Lancelot realized the sudden insight came from applying his existing foundation and decided to visit the fourth level often.

Lancelot tested the Domain of Spirit Thought and planned how to use its levels for cultivation before visiting the Totem World. He then headed for the Holy Sword Stairway, where the Holy Sword Ranking displayed the academy’s top students.

• Lancelot compared the six levels of the Domain of Spirit Thought and found that Heightened Focus helped most on the first three levels, while Absolute Focus added little at the fourth and above.
• Lancelot decided to use the first level with Heightened Focus for regular cultivation and the fourth level for breakthroughs.
• Lancelot learned that the Totem World used a six-star Evolution Totem to stabilize genetic chains and reduce risks when Transcendents awakened abilities.
• Lancelot tried the Totem World’s first zone, then left to visit the Holy Sword Stairway.
• The Holy Sword Ranking showed Milton in first place at step 925, followed by Simoni and Xunnier.

Lancelot tested the Holy Sword Stairway, assessed its rewards and limits, and surveyed the academy’s training grounds. He planned his studies and training for the coming months before returning to his villa for the night.

• Lancelot studied the Holy Sword Ranking and considered Lujin Hancock’s strength and reputation.
• Lancelot entered the Holy Sword Stairway and defeated its first guardian, a Tier Three projection, with ease.
• Lancelot reached the 143rd step in an hour and decided to postpone another attempt until he could earn the credit reward.
• Lancelot inspected the academy’s training grounds and recognized how valuable and well-protected its resources were.
• Lancelot planned to attend his courses, advance his abilities and genetic engineering, awaken a third ability later, and keep his private credit exchange running.
• Lancelot returned to his villa, ate a late-night meal, and went to sleep.

Lancelot attended his first gene engineering class and quickly absorbed Professor Sugela’s difficult lecture. He impressed Sugela with his understanding and insight, leaving the professor convinced that Lancelot was a genius.

• Lancelot enrolled in gene engineering class, hoping to become a genius in genetics and strengthen his path in the Innovation School.
• Lancelot chatted with an admiring girl before Professor Sugela arrived to teach the class.
• Lancelot compared Sugela’s lecture with Logo’s memories and an Aslant Civilization textbook, rapidly grasping the material.
• When Sugela invited questions, Lancelot explained his understanding of gene editing in plain language.
• Sugela asked whether Lancelot had studied gene engineering before, and Lancelot said he had not.
• Sugela recognized Lancelot’s remarkable talent and regarded him as an unpolished genius.

After impressing Professor Sugela in class, Lancelot suspected Director Steel Tiger had arranged for the level-thirteen scientist to teach him. That evening, Raquel reported that the Student Council’s Inspection Office had raided their credit-exchange business, leaving Lancelot to investigate why the Innovation Department had targeted them.

• Professor Sugela praised Lancelot’s aptitude, offered his contact information, and explained that he had been reassigned to teach first-year students.
• Lancelot concluded that Director Steel Tiger had likely arranged for Sugela to teach him, then returned home before heading back to his afternoon classes.
• After class, Lancelot relaxed at home with Christine when Raquel called to report trouble with their credit-exchange business.
• Raquel said the Student Council’s Inspection Office had caught a new subordinate and taken 212 credits, while the subordinate had revealed some details about Lancelot.
• Raquel identified Fanxite Feiluoni of the Innovation Department as the officer connected to the members who targeted the business, and Lancelot asked who ran the Inspection Office.

Lancelot suspected that Peidasi or jealous senior students had caused the Student Council Inspection Office to shut down Raquel’s distribution network, so he told Raquel to pause business while he investigated. He contacted the Student Council and obtained Vice President Beaufort’s private communicator number after learning Beaufort was away on a mission.

• The chapter explained that the Student Council held broad authority and that its Inspection Office had shut down Raquel’s distribution network.
• Lancelot suspected Peidasi or rival Innovation Department students had caused trouble, while Raquel could not identify who was behind it.
• Lancelot told Raquel to keep expanding the network but pause business until he resolved the matter.
• Lancelot called the Student Council to reach Vice President Beaufort and learned that Beaufort was away on a mission.
• The operator verified Lancelot’s identity and sent him Beaufort’s private communicator number.

Lancelot recruited Vice President Beaufort to intervene against Fanxite, who returned Xijie and the confiscated credits. Fanxite then concealed how little he had done from Peidasi, leaving their plot against Lancelot unresolved as he reflected that he was not his own master.

• Lancelot called Beaufort, praised him, and explained how Fanxite had targeted his business.
• Beaufort agreed to have Xijie released and the more than two hundred confiscated credits returned, and he offered Lancelot help against Fanxite.
• Fanxite ordered Gao Luo not to trouble Lancelot again without permission after the inspection department intervened on Beaufort's orders.
• Fanxite told Peidasi that Beaufort had thwarted the operation, letting Peidasi believe he had tried harder to harm Lancelot than he actually had.
• Peidasi apologized and discussed future plans against Lancelot with Fanxite, who later sighed that he was not his own master.

After expanding his credit exchange business, Lancelot learned that the Holy Sword Ranking controlled access to the student council and most of the market’s profits, giving him another reason to climb the ranks. At the freshman tournament, he easily defeated a Black Iron Tiger in the basic test and was matched against Peidasi for an arena bout.

• Raquel’s credit exchange business grew to eight recruits as Lancelot’s reputation and Beaufort’s support deterred rivals.
• Beaufort told Lancelot that students and the student council dominated private credit exchanges, and that ranking high on the Holy Sword Ranking brought monthly credits and a share of the profits.
• Lancelot mastered the 352nd movement of the Holy Sword Gene Training Method before entering the Virtual Universe for the freshman tournament.
• Lancelot killed the peak fourth-tier Black Iron Tiger in the basic test with an electric kick.
• Lancelot faced Peidasi in the arena, smiled, and asked whether he was ready for a beating.

Lancelot won the freshman competition and continued training while rumors spread about his fight with Peidasi. On Planet Pandora, Gustavo prepared to leave the Land of Falling Stars with three powerful puppets he had created.

• Peidasi saw a video of Lancelot beating him posted on the school's official website and grew furious over the fight and the rumors in the comments.
• Lancelot watched the video, joked with Stephanie about the rumors, and threatened to spar with her before she ended the call.
• Lancelot won first place in the freshman competition and spent the following days cultivating and studying genetic engineering with Professor Sugela.
• Gustavo prepared to venture out from the Land of Falling Stars and inspected three puppets in a cave near Caro Volcano.
• Gustavo's puppets included the Lennar support fairy, the April marksman with explosive abilities, and the heavily armored Elia tank and warrior.

Gustavo decided to leave his territory to temper himself and seek help gathering prey and materials, after finishing his three puppets. Before setting out, he visited Mora and Bradley, showed off the puppets, and gave each sibling a gift.

• Gustavo finished his three puppets but recognized they still could not carry out missions independently, then decided to go out and temper himself.
• Gustavo put the puppets in a bag, left his cave under Shadow Cloak, and headed to visit Spider Mom for a protective charm.
• Mora and Bradley relaxed in a magma pool in the Fallen Star Nest until Gustavo returned, much larger and more heavily armored than before.
• Gustavo introduced Lennar and the other two puppets as his subordinates, and Bradley praised them while Mora secretly admired them.
• Gustavo gave Bradley a rare sword and Mora a pale blue-white staff, delighting both siblings.

Gustavo asked Spider Mom for help locating the Crimson Treasure’s sealed demiplane and received protection for his travels. After obtaining Dark Nightmare Beast blood, he flew to the Jilong Highlands, where he planned to choose a faction.

• Gustavo showed Spider Mom the Crimson Treasure key, and she said she could locate its demiplane only when the tides of space and time shifted.
• Spider Mom gave Gustavo a spatial mark that could deter Demigods and summon her to rescue him from lesser foes.
• Gustavo asked for Dark Nightmare Beast blood, and Spider Mom cut off two of the beast’s front legs for him.
• Gustavo left the Fallen Star Nest and flew southwest toward the Jilong Highlands, escaping a sky-pirate fight with Shadow Cloak and his speed.
• Gustavo reached the Jilong Highlands and looked over its sprawling settlement as he prepared to randomly pick a faction.

Gustavo disguised himself and his puppets as the Black Spider Squad and entered the Jilong Highlands, where he witnessed the Steam Church guards enforce their rules. The guard captain Ricar killed an orc who protested his punishment, while Gustavo and his squad continued to observe the settlement’s dangers.

• Gustavo shrank his body, took control of his three puppets, and named their group the Black Spider Squad, with Lennar as captain.
• Gustavo led the squad toward the eastern entrance of the Jilong Highlands, guarded by Steam Church troops.
• An orc and a golden lionman fought in the entrance queue, and soldier Amir swiftly captured them.
• Captain Ricardo fined both troublemakers and sentenced them to a month in the mines for fighting.
• When the orc angrily protested, guard captain Ricar shot him through the forehead with a beam of dark blue light.

Gustavo and the Black Spider Squad entered the Jilong Highlands after paying the Steam Church’s fee and saw how wary and dangerous the settlement was. Gustavo hired a boy named Parker for information about the local factions, and Parker led them into the settlement while claiming his father belonged to the Steam Church.

• Ricar killed an orc who challenged his authority, then made the golden lionman pay 10,000 Ta Pounds and work at the mine.
• Ricar charged the Black Spider Squad four magic crystals for entry and gave them passes valid for one month.
• Gustavo surveyed the settlement and stopped Parker, a thin human boy, to ask about the factions and local conditions.
• Parker accepted Gustavo’s magic crystal and led the squad down a passage, claiming his father was a Steam Church member and warning them against trouble.
• Gustavo doubted Parker’s claim that his father was friends with the guards but chose not to challenge him.

Gustavo learned about the Jilong Highlands and its three major powers while sharing skewers with Parker. He left Parker a dagger despite knowing the boy was being watched, then the Black Spider Squad reached the Victoria Tavern.

• Parker explained that Victoria Coins were used for daily purchases and that the neutral Victoria Tavern handled commerce, storage, and intelligence.
• Parker and Gustavo ate skewers together, and Gustavo ordered twenty more after enjoying them.
• Gustavo gave Parker a one-star dagger as a tip, and Parker accepted it despite noticing people watching him.
• After Gustavo and the Black Spider Squad left, greedy onlookers followed Parker, who picked up the dagger and stood his ground.
• The Black Spider Squad reached the Victoria Tavern and entered after paying a magic crystal.

Gustavo sold most of his spoils at the Victoria Tavern and arranged for the tavern to gather the resources needed to prepare Hades, including four Legendary resources. After buying a brief report on the Jilong Highlands' forces, he led the Black Spider Squad toward Storm Claw.

• Gustavo entered the Victoria Tavern's trading area and asked its appraiser, Marco Encos, to evaluate the spoils in Elia's sack.
• Marco appraised the goods at 1,843,200 Ta Pounds, and Gustavo agreed to sell them while keeping his most valuable equipment.
• Gustavo gave Marco a list of resources needed to prepare Hades, and Marco confirmed the tavern could procure them for at least seven million Ta Pounds.
• Gustavo deposited the sale proceeds and asked the tavern to prioritize gathering the four Legendary resources.
• Gustavo purchased a brief report on the Jilong Highlands' forces for 1,000 Ta Pounds.
• The Black Spider Squad left the tavern and headed to Storm Claw, a lower-middle-tier force under the Steam Church.

The Black Spider Squad joined the Storm Claw after claiming they were fugitives from the Far North, and Raymon agreed to watch them while investigating their story. As they completed tasks and gained his trust, a string of bizarre accidents began plaguing the faction.

• Lennar told Raymon that the Black Spider Squad had fled north after Grand Duke Koslo killed their former family and they killed his son, and Raymon provisionally accepted them into the Storm Claw.
• Raymon ordered Harry to monitor the squad and contacted an intelligence organization, which said its investigation would take about a month and a half.
• The Black Spider Squad settled into a stone building, and Gustavo focused on training while the Elia and ratman puppets stayed with him and the fairy puppet went out to make friends.
• Over the following month, the squad carried out tasks diligently and gradually eased Raymon's suspicions.
• A series of strange accidents struck the Storm Claw, including Nelson's laboratory explosion and Bill accidentally stabbing a sparring partner.

Raymon decided Storm Claw would continue watching the Black Spider Squad while preparing an expedition to the Abyss of Black Mist, and Gustavo learned the squad would be joining it. The story left Gustavo considering the mission after Arthur withheld its details.

• Nelson blamed the Black Spider Squad for Storm Claw’s strange incidents, but Raymon and Harry argued there was no evidence against them and chose to keep watching.
• Raymon announced that Storm Claw would explore ancient ruins in the Abyss of Black Mist five days later and ordered the Black Spider Squad to join.
• Gustavo successfully mixed another batch of Prototype Hades after collecting ingredients bought with money deposited at the Victoria Tavern.
• Arthur visited Gustavo and told the Black Spider Squad to prepare for the expedition, but refused to explain its details.

Gustavo suspected the sudden end of Storm Claw’s strange incidents meant Raymon’s expedition would bring disaster, but Raymon led two hundred members into the Abyss of Black Mist as planned. The force reached the abyss and began exploring its soul-freezing mist with Fire Sleep Potions keeping the chill at bay.

• Gustavo studied a booklet about the factions in the Jilong Highlands while suspecting Raymon’s journey would end badly.
• Raymon led Storm Claw’s two-hundred-member elite force to the Abyss of Black Mist five days later.
• Raymon warned the group not to be bewitched by the mist, and the transcendents climbed down into the abyss.
• Gustavo realized the cold in the abyss could freeze souls as the group encountered worsening conditions.
• Raymon ordered everyone to drink Fire Sleep Potions, which restored warmth to their bodies and souls.

Raymon’s Storm Claw team reached an ancient ruin’s bronze gate in the Abyss of Black Mist, and Mage Nelson began repairing its magic array. Elsewhere, a cloaked young man found another gate to the same ruins and started working to open it.

• Raymon’s team used potions and equipment to survive the Abyss of Black Mist and reached the ruins after two days.
• Arthur questioned whether the damaged bronze gate was really an entrance, and Nelson explained that its magic array could be repaired.
• Raymon stopped Arthur and Nelson’s argument and ordered Nelson to restore the gate’s magic array.
• A cloaked figure with purple magic patterns found another damaged bronze gate and identified the ruins as the former domain of Grand Mage Hongdusi.
• The mysterious young man began repairing the gate’s magic array in hopes of finding Golden Maple Tree branches and leaves.

Raymon led Storm Claw into the ruins through the completed gateway, where traps and branching passages forced him to sacrifice puppets and his own members to find a way forward. Elsewhere, a mysterious figure tested another labyrinth with flesh-and-blood clones, weakening slightly each time he created one.

• Nelson completed the bronze door's magic array, and Raymon led most of Storm Claw through the gateway while Arthur and Will stayed outside with fifty men.
• Nelson used mechanical puppets to test a trapped corridor, and the group lost four before reaching a three-way junction; Raymon chose the left passage without splitting his forces.
• After more traps destroyed Nelson's last puppet, Raymon ordered a mid-rank transcendent to run ahead, but a summoned crocodile swallowed him.
• Raymon pointed out another Storm Claw member to test the passage as the others trembled under his gaze.
• Elsewhere, a mysterious figure sent clones made from his fingers through a trapped corridor; arrows killed one clone, while the figure's finger regrew and his aura weakened.

Gustavo awakened the Flame of Luck and used his luck to lead Raymon’s dwindling team through the maze. They reached a plaza with a Legendary magic book, where a hidden hydra attacked Raymon as he went for it.

• Raymon threw his subordinates into trapped passages, killing many while Gustavo’s Luck Deprivation raised his luck attribute to 31 and awakened the Flame of Luck.
• After the traps ended, Raymon grew furious when the team became lost in the maze, and Gustavo used Lennar to offer his spider’s supposed talent for finding a route.
• Gustavo led Raymon and the others through the maze while they held the three puppets hostage, then brought them to a vast plaza with a giant statue and a magic book.
• Nelson recognized the book as Legendary, and Raymon rushed toward it before a hundred-meter-tall hydra lunged at him from the shadows.