Domain Expansion!

Yes.

Somebody on the SS Reddit theorized that the Winter Beast is Cronos.

Chapter 1637 - memories during and before third nightmare are “forbidden”. After the third nightmare is “less so” according to Sunny. This is a memory he is showing her after the third nightmare. With the spire messenger present, she can infer that Sunny has been to the forgotten shore. She can infer that he was there with her as she suspects. This inference is likely to be retained exactly because it is not a memory.

Not necessarily. Chapter 1636 “Someone who was there, with us, in the Tomb of Ariel…and maybe even earlier than that”. She knows that somebody was with them in the Tomb and MAYBE earlier. Like the OP said, now Cassie can infer that he was with them as early as Forgotten Shore.

Breaking out of the ice and onto the desolate shore could be in his sea serpent form on his hunt for the Winter Beast. I think it’ll show Cassie that he can be trusted in that he was in the first Antarctic campaign to defend humanity…and his rage at the legacy clans, which coincides with her/Nephis’ agenda.

The author is a master of the slow buildup. These chapters with Cassie have been mesmerizing.

These last two chapters were brilliant. How does the author do it?!

Where does it say this about Song Domain?

Omg! What a punch to the feels!! Mad respect to the author.

That’s not a “transformation”. And I don’t recall that being mentioned anywhere. Can you provide example or citation?

I really like the direction this is going. Originally, Sunny was focused on himself, but I dare say he found his conviction in Antarctica - to defend those who need help. Nephis’ conviction is to destroy the Spell because she hates it. Being free from the Shadow Bond to Nephis is not just freedom from “slavery” but also freedom to explore and pursue his own convictions and desires and not those of his “master”.

“Preparing for the moment the Death Zone turned into…” — I’m going to complete this sentence with “…my Domain”.

His Citadel is the Nameless Temple which is in “eternal darkness” and a “death zone”. My guess is the Hollow Mountains.

Wow, wow, wow!!! What an amazing, incredible achievement. Thank you so much for working so hard and producing such great work. It really is the highlight of my day to read it each day. Please take care of yourself and enjoy the laurels of your many literary accomplishments.

Future Sunny described himself as a “lost shadow”. Lost from light…lost from memory…lost from friends and love. Careful what you wish for indeed. Cassie’s pleas and future Sunny’s warnings now make more sense.

Chapter 1449 - Alethia said “My father was the only Supreme of our people…” Daeron was a Sovereign.

We sort of saw Cassie’s through her Torment Echo. Floats off the ground and has eyes that one shouldn’t look into for too long.

While the Spell represents a guidebook to Ascension, it also represents a power ceiling. You can’t get to the next level until you pass a test. Now Sunny no longer has the guidebook, and he no longer has that ceiling. He can incrementally grow in steps as opposed to large stages. Meaning he can go beyond Sovereign without challenging a nearly impossible exam. And it looks like his Transformation ability will allow him to Cultivate and grow to the extent that the “shortcuts” the Spell provided aren’t needed. I’m guessing he’ll be able to reach “Sovereign” and beyond in power scale while his cohort is capped at Saint for a while.

I think we just finished the “Regressor” arc and are heading into a “Cultivator” arc. I like how the author takes these tropes and puts his own unique and clever twists on them.