Gentle Wind Village endures even as gathering threats endanger its peace, and Kai must learn what it truly means to stand between the mortal and the divine.

In the uneasy calm after the Narrow Stone Peak incident, Kai Liu and his companions work to rebuild what remains of their home, Gentle Wind Village. Yet even as the village grows stronger, the land itself begins to wither. Rivers recede, crops fail, and whispers speak of unseen forces stirring beyond the tree line . . .

Now, with the help of his spirit beast companions—butterfly Tianyi, now in human form, and wind serpent Windy, just coming into his own power—and the support of the Verdant Lotus, he is determined to protect the places and friends he loves so much. But dangers are not only looming in the shadows; they are also stalking the town.

When Windy sets out in search of his own dao, what he finds in the forest is the impetus of a shadowy new revelation. Famine turns to fear, and the air grows thick with omens Kai can no longer ignore. Bound once more by the will of the Heavenly Interface, he faces a series of trials that seem less like guidance and more like judgment.

Nurturing the radiant Golden Bamboo earned from his past trials offers hope while simultaneously raising questions about the true nature of growth and sacrifice. As threats gather unseen and alliances shift in unexpected ways, Kai must contend with the divide between the mortal and the divine—and determine whether the path he walks still belongs to him at all.

The fourth volume of the hit LitRPG fantasy series—with more than a million views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!