Recaps

Li Lin decided to approach the small country with diplomacy and continued toward its royal capital, while Suoxiate disciplined Yi Aier for speaking out of turn. The country’s queen learned of the Magic Empire’s possible war with the Five-Nation Alliance and faced a decision about how her nation should respond.

• Yi Aier criticized the Red Armament commander, and Li Lin explained why their fallen empire had to treat outsiders with restraint.
• Li Lin ordered the magic ship to remain hidden and proceed toward the royal capital, then went to rest as Suoxiate punished Yi Aier.
• The next morning, Li Lin rejected Angela’s suggestion to enslave the king and said he would follow diplomatic principles with the small country.
• The Red Armament commander reported to his queen that Li Lin had controlled their weapons and planned to meet her the evening after tomorrow.
• A Black Mist official told the court about turmoil in the Five-Nation Alliance, the destruction of Casablanca City, and a declaration of war by an envoy of the Magic Empire.
• The queen ordered the information shared with her allies, then told her son that their country faced a crossroads and would have to choose a course.

Nisi awakened after the evocation test and learned from Nia what it meant to become an Arcane Mage, including their dependence on magic and their duty to prevent the God of Magic from forming. Nia began Nisi’s training in Magic Tattoos, while Kalin persuaded Anna to sneak away and explore.

• Nisi woke after the test, and Nia told her that the Core of Evocation had acknowledged her but that she was not yet a true Arcane Mage.
• Nia revealed her alias as the Eternal Library and showed Nisi the records of previous Arcane Mages, then explained how Arcane Mages drew power from magic and why they had to protect their lives.
• Nia explained that an Arcane Mage’s death could return their fused rule to the source of magic and help bring the God of Magic into being.
• Nia began Nisi’s practical training in Magic Tattoos and prepared to fight her, as Kalin and Anna watched nearby.
• Kalin invited Anna to sneak away and explore before Li Lin destroyed the Five-Nation Alliance, and Anna agreed.

Li Lin and Angela arrived at the North Ailanke State to meet Queen Xitalisi and investigate how the country acquired technology from the vanished Magic Empire. Xitalisi examined Li Lin’s offer of a complete magic beacon, and the chapter ended with her preparing to answer him as their future relationship remained uncertain.

• Li Lin and Angela played a cautious chess match while Suoxiate reported that Nisi had awakened and Nia was training her as an Arcane Mage.
• Li Lin’s airship arrived over the royal city, alarming its residents, and he introduced himself to Queen Xitalisi as an Arcane Mage of the Magic Empire.
• Angela reacted with interest to Xitalisi, but Li Lin stopped her from revealing what she had noticed as the queen led them into the palace.
• Li Lin declined the banquet and asked Xitalisi how her country had obtained Magic Empire technology, offering a complete magic beacon in exchange for a satisfactory answer.
• Xitalisi verified the beacon scroll and asked what Li Lin truly wanted, and he said their relationship would depend on her attitude.

Li Lin confronted the queen after confirming that she was a demon disguised as a human, and demanded to know how she had obtained the magic beacon. The queen revealed that she had come to the Prime Material Plane as a refugee because war had begun between the Lower Realms and the Upper Realm.

• Li Lin concluded that the queen's magic beacon could be linked to a suspicious source and left Angela behind to investigate.
• Li Lin entered the queen's bedroom and attacked her, then exposed her use of Abyss Language and Hellish magic.
• The queen dropped her disguise and revealed herself as a demon, while Li Lin recognized her as a notorious traveler between planes.
• Angela appeared to help Li Lin confront the queen, who remained calm despite his threats.
• The queen admitted that she had come to the Prime Material Plane seeking refuge from the war between the Lower Realms and the Upper Realm.

Li Lin heard a demon queen claim that angels and the King of the Nine Levels of Hell had allied against demons and were using a magic beacon, then summoned an angel to investigate. He found evidence that the God of Justice had granted the beacon to high-ranking angels and left Angela to deal with the captive messenger.

• The demon queen told Li Lin that the Upper Realm had begun encroaching on the Lower Realms and claimed angels had allied with the King of the Nine Levels of Hell.
• Li Lin dismissed the queen's story but reconsidered it after learning that the magic beacon had belonged to angels, then decided not to pursue his suspicions about the God of Justice through speculation.
• The next morning, Li Lin left the royal capital aboard his magic ship and prepared a Holy Summoning spell to question an angel.
• Li Lin transformed himself into a good-aligned being and summoned a divine messenger, whom Angela immediately captured.
• Li Lin searched the angel's memories and found that the God of Justice had awarded the magic beacon, called the Call of Justice, to high-ranking angels.
• Li Lin left Angela with the captive angel, and Angela began tormenting her.

Angela reflected that fate could not be resisted, though its uncertain path still resembled freedom, and wondered whether Li Lin could truly control his destiny. Aboard the ship, Li Lin spoke with Yi Aier about her doubts and jealousy, before Angela teased her into another outburst.

• Angela considered how fate and free will had shaped her bond with Li Lin and hoped he would not fail or become like the humans she despised.
• Yi Aier complained to Li Lin that she felt useless beside the other Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, despite her destructive power, and admitted she had been glad to see him again.
• Li Lin and Yi Aier discussed Angela’s cruel treatment of the angel whose corpse had been made into the ship’s figurehead.
• Yi Aier questioned Li Lin about his interest in other women and hinted that he might have a relationship with Nia, but Li Lin left the matter unanswered.
• Li Lin told Yi Aier he had seen her sniffing the sheets, and Angela then mocked her as sexually frustrated and provoked her until a pillar of white light appeared.

Li Lin arrived at Outer Sea Dragon Island and sought the Chromatic Dragons’ help in his war against those who destroyed the Magic Empire. After demonstrating his power and raising doubts about the missing Chromatic Dragon God, he challenged the dragons to a duel, with Angela stepping forward to fight.

• Li Lin reached Outer Sea Dragon Island, where Paris flew out to confront his airship.
• Paris recognized Suoxiate and then identified Li Lin as an Arcane Mage after his magical runes blocked the dragon’s probe.
• Li Lin asked the Chromatic Dragons to join his war, offering them half the wealth from every city destroyed, but Paris rejected the deal.
• Li Lin had Yi Aier unleash a devastating beam, then proposed that the dragons’ strongest fighter duel his familiar to decide whether they would assist him.
• Li Lin asked how long the dragons had gone without hearing from the Chromatic Dragon God, unsettling Paris, and promised not to send Yi Aier into the duel.
• Angela stepped forward and offered to fight the dragons, boasting that she could tame their disobedient fighters.

Angela fought the dragons sent to challenge her while Li Lin watched from the airship, confident in her strength. After the dragons’ coordinated attacks damaged her skirt, Angela unleashed her hidden power and prepared to take the fight seriously.

• The dragons challenged Angela together, and she accepted their attack despite Li Lin’s lack of concern.
• The red dragon attacked with fire and a tail strike, but Angela endured the flames and stopped the tail with her folding fan.
• The black dragon joined the red dragon, and Angela dodged its earth magic before the dragons coordinated further attacks.
• The green dragon’s corrosive venom damaged Angela’s skirt while the white dragon’s ice magic hindered her escape.
• Angela grew furious, released a blood-scented whirlwind, revealed black wings, and unsealed the power of death as she threatened the dragons.

Angela overwhelmed the five dragons with her soul magic, allowing Li Lin to secure their blood and make the black dragon Paris sign a contract. Li Lin then began a dangerous Flesh Reshaping experiment using the dragon blood and Spring of Life water, leaving Angela uneasy about what he was attempting.

• Angela unleashed a wave of souls that shattered the dragons’ protections and left them unable to move.
• Angela drained blood from the five dragons, and Li Lin stored it in an extradimensional space.
• Paris agreed to sign Li Lin’s contract on behalf of the dragons, while warning that Li Lin’s body seemed different.
• Li Lin returned to the airship with the dragon blood and asked Suoxiate whether the preparations were ready.
• Li Lin mixed the dragon blood with Spring of Life water and began the Flesh Reshaping experiment as Angela watched uneasily.

Li Lin began using Flesh Reshaping to replace his body with one more receptive to magic, enduring the dragon blood’s destruction while his magical runes protected his soul. As he examined his soul during the procedure, he discovered Angela’s scarlet Familiar Contract imprint, which suddenly erupted in light and swallowed his consciousness.

• Li Lin explained the dangers of Flesh Reshaping to Angela and Suoxiate, then entered the crystal tube filled with dragon blood.
• Suoxiate watched over the procedure as Angela insisted that her master could never fail.
• Dragon blood corroded Li Lin’s body, while magical runes activated to reduce his pain and stabilize his soul.
• Li Lin found a scarlet point in his soul and recognized it as Angela’s Familiar Contract imprint.
• As Li Lin approached the imprint, it flared with crimson light and engulfed his consciousness.

Li Lin witnessed Angela’s memories of her childhood, from her sheltered life before her sister’s wedding to the isolation and rejection she endured after an epidemic struck her family. The memory left her alone in her room, injuring herself as she practiced etiquette in hopes of winning back her parents’ affection.

• Angela’s mother found her tending the garden, warned her about the danger outside, and led her back to the castle.
• Angela’s father scolded her for leaving her room and insisted that her sister’s wedding go ahead despite the God of Death Curse spreading nearby.
• Angela practiced etiquette for her sister’s wedding and went to bed looking forward to the celebration.
• At the wedding, Angela’s sister collapsed, the crowd blamed the God of Death Curse, and Angela’s father accused her of causing what happened.
• Angela was confined to her room, while her parents and servants avoided her and the replacement maid recoiled from her as if she were a devil.
• Believing her poor etiquette had angered her father, Angela practiced her curtsy, twisted her ankle, and continued despite the pain.

Angela's mother hid her from her father, who believed she had caused a curse, and was fatally wounded while helping her escape. Trapped inside the plague-ravaged castle and driven to starvation, Angela was left on the verge of eating a corpse to survive.

• Angela's mother, Christie, hid her in a trunk and refused to reveal her whereabouts when Angela's father accused her of spreading a curse.
• Angela's father attacked Christie, who urged Angela to flee and promise to stay alive before sending her out of the room.
• Angela found the castle sealed off and its guards, servants, and maid Betty dead, then discovered her father hanging in his study.
• Angela stayed in the castle for months, surviving on dwindling rotten food and stagnant water until winter left her starving and cold.
• Angela approached a preserved maid's corpse and began to raise its arm to her mouth as Li Lin gently stroked her hair.

Li Lin witnessed Angela’s fragmented memories as she deteriorated in isolation, was captured and condemned as a plague messenger, and endured a brutal public execution. Just as an axe fell to end her life, the memory shattered and a familiar voice asked Li Lin how he had come to be there.

• Angela survived on rotten human flesh and snowmelt as illness and confusion steadily weakened her.
• Armed soldiers found Angela in the castle, captured her, and branded her in a dungeon.
• A tribunal condemned Angela to be beaten, exposed for three days, and beheaded for allegedly serving the devil and spreading plague.
• A crowd watched as an executioner struck Angela thirteen times, but she remained alive on the cross for three days.
• On the third day, Angela tasted her own blood before the executioner’s axe fell and her memories shattered.
• A familiar voice asked Li Lin how he had come to be there.

Li Lin spoke with the human Angela within her soul, then completed his plan to destroy his old body and reconstruct a new one entirely from magic. Just as his reshaped body was finished, Angela’s scarlet soul imprint erupted with light and washed over it.

• Li Lin questioned the human Angela about the scar on her chest, and she explained that she had removed the branded flesh and let it regenerate.
• As his body dissolved in dragon blood, Li Lin left Angela’s soul and prepared to build a body capable of fusing with magic.
• Li Lin arranged spells as the framework for his new body, checked them repeatedly, and released the power of his Magic Tattoo to activate them.
• Li Lin’s bones, organs, muscles, and skin formed around his heart, and he regained consciousness in a fully reshaped body.
• A violent tremor struck Li Lin, and Angela’s scarlet star blazed like a sun and flooded his new body with power.

After completing his new body, Li Lin investigated a mysterious surge of power and heard Angela’s belief that absolute strength was necessary to rule. He then turned to political plans, agreeing to help Catherine preserve her authority in Dideyasi in exchange for her accepting a dangerous new task.

• Li Lin examined his completed body after a strange surge of power, found no apparent changes or harm, and learned from Angela that he had spent three days in the crystal tube.
• Angela explained that her humiliating past had taught her to value absolute power, warned Li Lin she would not obey him if he became too weak, and tested his new strength with him.
• Li Lin decided to approach the Chromatic Dragons first and learned from Catherine that Grand Knight Commander Henderson seemed to be plotting against him.
• Catherine told Li Lin that losing her divine spells could expose her to the Temple and undermine her position as Dideyasi’s saintess.
• Li Lin offered Catherine a way to maintain her authority in exchange for accepting a task that might cost her parents their lives, then said he would visit Dideyasi’s royal capital in a few days as the man who saved her.

Li Lin traveled in disguise to Dideyasi to learn how the citizens viewed Catherine, then intervened when a thug attacked a dancer. After meeting Geligao Li and his companions, Li Lin left as dusk approached, hoping to meet them again.

• Suoxiate reported Li Lin's dangerous actions to Nia, while Nia continued training Nisi to use her Magic Tattoo instead of relying on advanced spell techniques.
• Li Lin listened to tavern patrons praise Catherine and considered how her influence might help his plans in Dideyasi.
• Li Lin stopped Mad Hand from assaulting a dancer and defeated Mad Hand's accomplices, forcing them to pay her and apologize.
• Geligao Li and his companions helped subdue the attackers, and Li Lin invited them to share a drink.
• Li Lin learned that Geligao Li was vice commander of the Snow Fox Mercenary Corps and that the priest in his party came from the Holy Autonomous Territory.
• As dusk neared, Geligao Li and his companions left to attend to important business, and Li Lin said he hoped they would meet again.

Li Lin arrived in Dideyasi and met Catherine, who was facing questions from Temple envoys. After learning that Geligao Li had been named a Temple hero, Li Lin gave Catherine a potion that could transform her into an angel and told her to grow closer to the Temple.

• Li Lin entered the royal city, where a guard escorted him to Catherine and explained that she had prepared for his arrival.
• Catherine privately welcomed Li Lin as her master, and he promised to help her evade the Temple’s detection.
• Catherine received Geligao Li and two other Temple envoys, then invited Li Lin to join their discussion as the wandering swordsman who had rescued her.
• After the envoys departed, Catherine explained that Geligao Li’s rare hero title and holy power could help the Temple build influence against Dideyasi.
• Li Lin gave Catherine a Seed of Holiness potion that would permanently turn her into an angel, and she accepted it and said she understood what to do during the Holy Light Feast.

Catherine publicly appeared at the Holy Light Festival after the scandal and drank holy water laced with Li Lin’s potion. She transformed before the crowd into a radiant, winged figure, leaving the people convinced that she remained the Holy Maiden.

• A priestess and Geligao Li worried that the Temple had lost the people’s trust, and Geligao Li voiced doubts about Catherine’s sacred aura.
• In her private prayer room, Catherine submitted to Li Lin and promised to carry out his task without betraying him.
• Catherine left with the potion Li Lin had given her and joined the king and queen at the festival.
• Catherine addressed the crowd, speaking of the continent’s suffering and saying her own ordeal would strengthen her faith.
• Catherine secretly poured the potion into the holy water and drank it before the assembled crowd.
• A sacred light surrounded Catherine, and white wings appeared behind her as the crowd praised the miracle.

As Catherine became an angel and the Temple accepted her, Li Lin planned to use Geligao Li against it and sent Angela to attack Dideyasi’s border. Angela transformed a pack of wolves and led a massacre in Telu Small Town, then withdrew when a priest and reinforcements arrived.

• The Temple congratulated Catherine and erased the paladins who had attacked her from its records, denying them prayers, blessings, and graves.
• Li Lin told Catherine to make Geligao Li oppose the Temple and ordered Suoxiate to tell Angela it was playtime.
• Angela turned hundreds of wolves into blood-eyed undead beasts and sent them to attack Telu Small Town.
• Telu’s defenders lit fires and sent up a green distress signal, but the wolves killed townspeople and overwhelmed the remaining soldiers.
• Angela appeared before the surviving defenders, and one wolf killed a warrior before a priest drove her into the darkness with holy light.
• As reinforcements approached, Angela withdrew with the wolves and promised to return.

Catherine used reports of an undead attack to persuade Dideyasi’s king and queen that a divine mission required them to prepare for war, while secretly advancing Li Lin’s plan. After agreeing that the Metallic Dragons would remain neutral in the coming war, Li Lin joined a meeting where Catherine asked Geligao Li to lead an investigation team and recommended that Li Lin accompany them.

• Catherine questioned an officer about the delayed report of an undead attack and learned that a little girl had led the attackers.
• Catherine privately linked the attack to a threat against Dideyasi and claimed the God of Justice had charged her with stopping an evil invasion; the king and queen agreed to support her.
• Catherine secretly visited Li Lin’s room, where he confirmed his agreement with the Chromatic Dragon Kind to a Silver Dragon and signed a contract for the Metallic Dragons to remain observers in the coming war.
• Catherine gathered Li Lin, Geligao Li, and the young priestess and described the undead attack as a crisis requiring investigation.
• Catherine asked Geligao Li to lead an elite team to uncover the truth and recommended that Li Lin accompany them.

Li Lin, Geligao Li, and the priestess confirmed that undead had attacked the town and followed their trail into the mountains. After Geligao Li revealed his suspicions about Li Lin, Li Lin and Angela decided to test the pair by setting the mission to the hardest difficulty.

• Geligao Li, the priestess, and Li Lin inspected the devastated town and debated how the attackers had struck.
• The three exhumed victims and identified beast-like wounds marked by dark power, confirming that undead were responsible.
• Li Lin, Geligao Li, and the priestess set out into the snowy mountains to track the undead.
• At camp, Geligao Li told the priestess he distrusted Li Lin, while she warned him not to question Catherine's transformation into a Holy Maiden.
• Angela and Li Lin revealed they had overheard the conversation, and Li Lin ordered Angela to make the mission as difficult as possible so they could assess Geligao Li and the priestess.

Li Lin, the priestess, and Geligao Li fought through repeated ambushes by undead wolves, and Li Lin studied his companions’ abilities while concealing his own strength. After Angela sent a more cunning pack against them, a huge black figure bounded out of the forest, leaving the group facing a new threat.

• Li Lin, the priestess, and Geligao Li fought off successive undead wolf attacks with holy magic and coordinated swordplay.
• Li Lin observed the priestess’s combat skill and Geligao Li’s greatsword technique while reflecting on his own unfamiliar iron sword and powerful weapons.
• The three rested and concluded that their enemy was likely not a necromancer, while Geligao Li noted that the hidden opponent had already discovered them.
• Angela summoned another attack, and Li Lin and Geligao Li fought off wolves that showed cunning and coordinated tactics.
• The remaining undead wolves retreated as the ground trembled, and a huge black figure bounded out of the forest.

Nia pushed Nisi’s Magic Tattoo training into a new stage while Li Lin, Geligao Li, and the priestess fought a pack of undead wolves and a black bear. The group retreated to a cave to recover, where Li Lin learned the priestess’s teacher was Walast and noticed old scars on her wrist.

• Nia repaired her defenses after Nisi damaged them and announced that their lessons would advance to the next stage.
• Geligao Li killed the undead black bear while the priestess’s holy light disrupted the wolves and Li Lin protected the group.
• When the wolves focused on the exhausted priestess, Li Lin held her in place and cut down dozens of wolves with one sword swing.
• Li Lin, Geligao Li, and the priestess escaped to a defensible cave, where they assessed their injuries and discussed the unfamiliar undead creatures.
• The priestess told Li Lin that her teacher was Walast, a traveling paladin responsible for the southern diocese.
• Li Lin seized the priestess’s wrist and saw old scars before she pulled away and refused to discuss her past.

After a nightmare, the priestess confided her feelings for Geligao Li, and Li Lin used a letter from Catherine to influence her. Li Lin planned to turn Geligao Li against the Temple, then left the cave to meet Angela and discuss the uncertain course ahead.

• The priestess woke from a disturbing dream, spoke with Li Lin about Geligao Li, and admitted she feared confessing her feelings to him.
• Angela and Yi Aier argued over Li Lin’s restraint until Suoxiate revealed that he had made his next move.
• Li Lin gave the priestess a letter from Catherine, while privately planning to make Geligao Li a leader against the Temple by turning his love into a source of hatred.
• The next morning, Geligao Li noticed the priestess acting more distant, while his injuries remained too serious for him to fight at full strength.
• Li Lin left the cave to scout, met Angela in the woods, and discussed how trust and its price could shape what happened next.

Li Lin led the priestess to a cave that she sensed was saturated with powerful evil, but she and Geligao Li argued over whether to withdraw or continue their mission. Geligao Li’s suspicions and jealousy boiled over after Li Lin provoked him, leaving him ready to attack.

• Li Lin revealed that he had found a suspicious cave, and the priestess chose to inspect it while Geligao Li stayed behind.
• Li Lin carried the priestess across the snow without leaving tracks, and she sensed overwhelming evil inside the cave before asking him to take her back.
• The priestess urged the group to seek help, but Geligao Li argued that they should continue investigating and gather information for Lady Catherine.
• Geligao Li questioned Li Lin’s background and motives, then argued with the priestess about Lady Catherine and the priestess’s duty to confront evil.
• The priestess rejected Geligao Li’s feelings and insisted she would continue alone if necessary, while Li Lin pulled her to his side and demanded that Geligao Li apologize.
• Geligao Li recognized the priestess’s scent on Li Lin, grew furious, and raised his fist toward him.