The Age of the Spirit has begun anew, but the old territories remain unsettled.
The foremost academies hold power. Talisman arts, martial arts, and mechanical engineering stand side by side. Academies abound, and countless talents compete for supremacy.
Across the land, the mighty move their pieces in a game of strategy. Stars have fallen and maps have been sealed, yet a deadly trap remains hidden, its secret still unexposed.
Lin Wujiu is a nobody, the lowest-ranked student at South Academy: lazy, taciturn, and never one to claim credit.
With candied hawthorn in hand and talismans hidden in his sleeve, all anyone sees is him daydreaming. They don’t realize he’s making his move.
One small step across the arena, and his enemy falls.
One stroke of his brush in the formation, and everything changes.
An old case is reopened, secrets are sought, and even the foremost academy’s bloodline is far from pure.
He never speaks of his origins or shows off his talents. He only lowers his eyes in the wind.
Some try to control the game.
But he has never taken a seat at the chessboard. He is the board itself.
The star chart blazes anew, and an ancient power returns to its rightful place.
She is the successor to the foremost academy, arriving with sword in hand.
In the silence, he makes a single move, turning the course of the land.
The most terrifying person in this world isn’t the one making the moves, but the one who…
was never considered an opponent,
yet had long since covered the entire board.
