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017 - Struggling in the Dark

First- Previous- NextEthan's eyes narrowed as he tried to keep his whole body from shaking. His heart thumped, almost threatening to leap out of his chest as the adrenaline coursed through his veins, numbing the pain of his injured cheek. Still, he could clearly feel the warm blood slowly dripping from the wound.�...

016 - Blood

First- Previous- NextDarkness had yet to fade as countless lights began to rise in the distance, slowly advancing toward the forest's border, away from the Academy's grounds. Ethan had doubled back, choosing to leave the cover of this leafy canopy from the opposite direction before circling back undiscovered.He...

015 - Facing the Empire's Sun

First- Previous- NextLoud footsteps echoed between imposing stone columns, rising to a high vaulted ceiling. A middle-aged man in a beautifully decorated robe paced down a massive corridor, ignoring the salutes of the various fully armoured guards he passed along the way.His beard was well-trimmed, as was his hair, coi...

014 - Playing With Unknown Forces

First- Previous- NextElizabeth turned to face him. Her eyes showed only a slight surprise before returning to their usual indifference, except that the usual frost wasn't as prominent. A little white doll floated before her, its dress of snow slowly scattering into the breeze, becoming a frigid wind that spread ove...

013 - Reunited in the Night

First- Previous- NextEthan recoiled as if a spring being unleashed, rising to his feet in a single leap, only to be stunned by the sight before him. He had built this bed with his own hands over time by slowly bringing various materials into this isolated space.When he first uncovered this black tome, the world within ...

012 - The Two that Became One

First- Previous- NextEthan found himself in a dark corridor, surrounded by darkness, with only a dim light in the distance to guide his path. He didn't remember much of how he ended up here, except that he had rushed to the black tome, only to pass out soon after.Is this a dream?Feeling strangely calm, Ethan advanc...

011 - An Unexpected Gift

First- Previous- Next“Artificial spirits?” the man said, slightly taken aback. “Where did that come from?”“Do not play dumb with me," Ethan replied, seriousness dripping from his words. "Surely, you must have heard something. I don't doubt your family was involved in that research. Forgive me for ...

010 - On the Cusp of Enlightment

First- Previous- NextEthan had been cooped up within the black tome for a few days now, only leaving to eat or do his work as a librarian. The rest of the time, he would be engrossed in his reading, seeking a way to harness the power of mana without the aid of spirits. Needless to say, he had only been met with failure...

009 - Finding Hope in the Midst of Despair

First- Previous- NextThe sun had only just begun to rise upon the city when Ethan emerged from the forest, only for his footsteps to echo upon the hard wooden floor of the Academy. The halls were mostly deserted; only a few people—primarily researchers—were awake at this hour, yet Ethan's stomping still caused ...

129 - Under a Curtain of Blackness

First- Previous- NextFor days, Qin Yun had travelled alongside the young man. Their destination: an isolated oasis far from the main tribe ruling this desolate landscape. They travelled along the dunes on the backs of giant sandworms, anchors plunged deep into their sides, prompting them to keep rising to the surface. ...

008 - Embrace of Winter

First- Previous- NextEthan remained silent, holding his breath. Despite the shock, he soon relaxed, letting all the tension slowly drain away, but his gaze remained locked onto the woman down below, his vigilance at an all-time high, only to feel a cold front on the back of his head.As if on instinct, he spun, unsheath...

007 - Dwelling in the Dark

First- Previous- Next“Are you kidding me?! What am I supposed to do with this?” Ethan said, his closed fist crashing upon a nearby tree.Frustration and anger dripped from his words as the impact of this strike propagated upwards, prompting detached leaves to fall from the branches. A calm wind blew, creating a slig...

006 - His First Summoning

First- Previous- NextEthan emerged from the library when the sun had already long set and night enveloped the world. Despite it all, the Academy was far from quiet. Many students still walked the halls. Although exhausted from a long day of learning, their zeal toward mastering the uses of their contracted spirit shone...

005 - In Search of Knowledge

First- Previous- NextWhere should I start? MaybeHistorical Records of Tectonic Shifts, or how about Psychology of Nascent Earth Elemental?Isn't there something more broad? Why does everything have to be so specific? Why can't this place just have some sort of search function?Ethan sighed, putting a leather-boun...

004 - Troubles Afoot

First- Previous- NextEthan watched the two of them leave, feeling slightly bewildered by the flow of events. Still, he quickly regained his composure as he gazed upon the wonders now open to his eyes. For so long, he had dreamed of the moment mana would be within reach. He could barely stop himself from grasping it all...

003 - The Source of their Fears

First- Previous- NextEthan's eyes were narrowed, and his knees were slightly bent as his hand rested on the handle of a knife hidden in his overcoat. He eyed the woman before him, seeking any indication of malice, fully intent on responding in kind should she further act on it.“Aster! What are you doing? Why won�...

002 - Exposed to a Wonderful Sight

First- Previous- NextEthan jolted awake as if rising from the dead. His eyes snapped open, heart thumping in his chest, sending echoes up to his skull, causing him a massive headache. His lungs burned, his breath cut short, desperately seeking air.Then, as if the floodgates opened, air finally funnelled down his windpi...

001 - The Graveyard of the End

First - Previous - NextSynopsys:In a world where spirits are the very manifestation of all phenomena in the realm—be it the rain falling from the sky or the magma smouldering beneath the earth—Ethan was born to a Magister—one of the few high authorities in the pursuit of magic.His life should have been idyllic, f...

128 - To Peer Through the Veil

First- Previous- NextOnly a soft, arid wind blew as the two men stared at each other. Both remained silent, yet the tension was palpable. Qin Yun could see the young man's nails dig into his palm, almost drawing blood, if not for the fact that they couldn't penetrate his bronze skin.The man finally relented onl...

127 - Fuel for the Blaze

First- Previous- NextThe bronze-skinned man's muscles bulged as he prepared to strike Qin Yun. Yet, unlike his wide and sturdy frame, his facial features betrayed his youthfulness, almost as if he had just reached adulthood.He charged forward, fists clenched, leaving a trail of airborne sand behind him with each de...

126 - Hidden in the Depths

First- Previous- NextQin Yun felt the world shift as he passed through the boundary. Darkness lay beyond, blocking all his senses as if he stood in outer space. No sounds reached his ears, and he couldn't feel the wet touch of water on his skin, yet his instincts screamed at him that it remained. He, therefore, hel...

125 - Reaching Past the Darkness

First- Previous- NextQin Yun stood on top of a sand dune, slightly taken aback by the sight before him, which wasn't what he was expecting.Nestled beyond the reach of the storms was a small oasis, hidden behind giant sand dunes that acted as barriers against the corrosive winds. A large pool of crystal clear water ...

124 - Journey Through the Western Desolate

First- Previous- NextThe storm raged on either side, merely offering a lonely path, only wide enough to provide passage. The path wound and bent around the ever-changing dunes sculpted by the never-ending winds. The path would fork from time to time, sometimes in multiple other directions, yet only a single one led to ...

123 - Seeking a Path Through the Storm

First- Previous- NextWithin the halls of this tavern, a jolly atmosphere uplifted all who stood between these walls. The wine flew aplenty, drenching its customers' weary hearts, allowing them to sail over this sea of bitterness with only temporary bliss on their minds.No waves occurred as Qin Yun entered the inn; ...

122 - The Return of Bronze and Silver

First- Previous- Next“She... owes you?”Zou Lan had a hard time wrapping her mind around this revelation. To her, Feng Yanmei was a bright flame shining high into the sky, forever out of reach. Ever since she had embarked on the path of cultivation, she had heard stories of this rising star of the Immortal Phoenix S...

121 - Banking on an Unpaid Debt

First- Previous- NextThe sun slowly faded behind the dunes as Zou Lan stood within the Moonlight Sword Palace's branch. Dusk blanketed the land, yet a sudden cacophony of sound disturbed its peacefulness. Although muffled by the distance, the distinct noises of countless footsteps of people rushing around echoed cl...

120 - Watching From the Darkness

First- Previous- NextStone ruptured as they flew through the air, shattering as they collided with the opposite wall. The sound was deafening, reverberating throughout the compound like a small centralized quake shaking through its foundations.A cloud of dust lingered, obscuring the view of the unfortunate bystanders r...

119 - Being Cruel to Oneself for Future Rewards

First- Previous- NextA dark mist filled the entire room, burning Qin Yun's eyes as it seeped into his pores. It filled his flesh with destructive substances and corrupted his body at the cellular level. Fortunately, he managed to resist most of the encroachment on his core, relying on the golden characters spread o...

118 - Accounting for Contingencies

First- Previous- NextThe man remained silent, his expression fixed in place. Whether the shock of this inquiry left him stunned or he had long given up, Qin Yun couldn't tell either way. He could only press further, hoping to elicit the reaction he had hoped for."Any toxin has a cure," he said, gauging the ...

036 - Patterns Within Chaos

Ning Shan's surroundings were disconcerting, to say the least. When speaking of the Shaft, he had imagined a mystical world located in sub-dimension where danger and opportunity commingled, creating the perfect environment for Ning Shan to hone his craft and rise again before tackling this new world he found himsel...