Two months passed like sand through fingers, slipping away as Jie Ming immersed himself in his research.
In the underground laboratory of his mansion, strange energy fluctuations never ceased. Each successful experiment refined his theoretical framework further.
During this time, the transformation of Golden Harbor’s ruins into the “Golden Garden” progressed steadily, taking shape beyond Jie Ming’s expectations.
The modified residents, driven by monetary incentives, toiled day and night, collecting morning Hundred Flower Dew and maintaining the garden’s vitality.
Their societal structure, as Jie Ming intended, began forming a rudimentary system centered on labor and trade.
Daily emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, desire for material goods, and yearning for a better life—flowed like trickling streams, coalescing into sparse yet pure mortal qi.
This was absorbed by special runic arrays Jie Ming had placed deep within the garden, channeling it into the seals within his dantian.
One day, as Jie Ming inspected the garden and planned its next phase, the wizard camp’s tranquility was broken by the arrival of Amy and Victor.
“Jie Ming! So this is where you’ve been hiding!” Amy’s voice was as lively and crisp as ever.
Victor, more reserved, stood tall, a faint trace of exhaustion in his eyes.
“You’re back?” Jie Ming smiled, genuinely pleased to see his long-absent companions.
“Yeah, after months of running around, we finally get a breather,” Amy grumbled. “Feels like my parents always have endless tasks. Even coming home didn’t give us much time together. And the academy—piles of exams and courses to catch up on… ugh! Why don’t you have to retake exams?”
“Because I’m the top rank,” Jie Ming replied with a grin. “Also, I finished those exams years ago.”
Amy’s face twisted in mock outrage. “Tch! Can’t stand talking to geniuses like you.”
Victor nodded. “But we’ve finally settled everything. Noren Workshop has mostly completed the initial integration of the Elosia plane cluster. We’ll likely stay here for a while.”
“That’s great! If the camp’s not to your liking, come to my place,” Jie Ming said, gesturing to his garden. “It’s got plenty of people, but there’s still lots of space. Pick wherever you want.”
“No thanks. Thanks to you, we’ve earned enough contribution points to claim a territory on this plane’s main world,” Victor said, shaking his head with a smile.
Jie Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You’re… planning to start a new family here?”
“Not a new family, just a branch,” Victor chuckled, glancing at Amy. “She’s the one planning a new family.”
Amy rolled her eyes. “My family’s just three wizards. What new family? Even if I get a territory here, it’s just me finally breaking free from my parents.”
Mid-sentence, she spotted elves and dark elves passing by, tending the garden, and flashed a mischievous grin. “Oh? Didn’t know you were into this. Makes sense, though—you’re a genius, but still young. Totally get it…”
“What?” Jie Ming blinked, confused.
Amy’s teasing smile widened. “Come on, I’m a girl! You expect me to spell that out?”
“What are you talking about?” Jie Ming’s head tilted.
Victor coughed. “Amy, I think you’re misunderstanding. Look at all these people—it’s probably not what you think. This is Jie Ming, after all!”
“Right, the research maniac Jie Ming!” Amy nodded vigorously, arms crossed.
Jie Ming’s eye twitched. He conjured a fireball in his hand. “Forget that weird nickname for a second. Keep talking in riddles, and I’ll thump you both!”
“Whoa, easy!” Amy leaned closer, lowering her voice with gossipy excitement. “You know, back at the academy, Elosia’s elves are super popular! Everyone’s buzzing about them.”
Victor coughed again, signaling Amy to watch her words, though a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes.
Unfazed, Amy continued, “Wizards chase knowledge and power. Mortal physical urges? We don’t outright reject them, but we’re not as easily swayed as regular folk.”
“But these captured elves? Their looks are too much! Elves are one of the few races that can match our wizards in appearance. And with so many young folks at the academy, those who can’t control their urges have made elves their new obsession.”
Jie Ming burst into laughter, finally understanding their earlier comments.
While many wizards pursued beauty as part of studying life, laws, or art, when the subjects themselves were aesthetically exceptional, younger apprentices—especially those barely past adulthood—couldn’t help but feel “special impulses.”
“So, with the new academy, tons of elves will be turned into ‘apprentices’ or ‘servants’ to serve wizards. The best-looking ones might even be kept by certain families as long-term research subjects or… ‘collectibles.’” Victor’s calm words carried the cold pragmatism of wizard civilization.
“The new Noren Academy?” Jie Ming caught the key detail.
“Yep, Noren Academy No. 147,” Amy explained. “The workshop’s announced that, for the Elosia plane cluster, they’re building a new Noren Academy here as an outpost for expansion and talent cultivation.”
“We’ll likely be the first mentors and administrators for this academy and plane, even though we’re just first-level wizards,” Amy said, spreading her hands.
Victor added, “Building an academy isn’t easy. Beyond reshaping the plane’s environment, we need to migrate enough people. It’ll take at least a century for significant results.”
“I see…” Jie Ming nodded thoughtfully.
Amy and Victor lingered briefly in the garden, marveling at the “city garden’s” grandeur and uniqueness.
“Well, we’ve got other places to check out, so we won’t disturb your research,” Amy said, waving. “Once the academy’s set up, we’ll have a proper catch-up.”
“See you, Jie Ming,” Victor said with a nod. They left via the camp’s teleportation device.
Shortly after, Jie Ming received a communication from Mentor Clark.
“Jie Ming, the final allocation for your trial contribution rewards has been decided,” Clark’s voice carried unusual gravity.
“Noren Workshop has fully cleared the Elosia plane cluster. Valuable intelligent life, including deities, has been taken as servants or test subjects. Non-intelligent life and less useful planes remain, left to reproduce naturally.”
“With your top contribution, you can claim any plane in the cluster, except the main plane, with priority selection. Golden Harbor’s ownership also remains yours as private territory.”
Jie Ming’s heart skipped a beat.
He’d anticipated this, but the reward’s weight still surpassed his imagination.
He fell into deep thought, his mind racing.
Noticing his hesitation, Clark offered advice. “Jie Ming, choose based on your needs. If you need energy, pick a minor elemental plane from the cluster—they have pure elemental cores for endless energy. For materials, a fairy plane offers unique biological resources, or an ‘demon plane’ as the Elosia natives call them.”
“Demon plane?” Jie Ming’s interest piqued.
“Yes,” Clark explained. “Some planes in the Elosia cluster, called demon planes, have harsh environments. Their brutal conditions breed ferocious creatures, shunned by other planes’ inhabitants.”
“Volcanic eruptions and geological activity are constant, with natural volcanoes and mineral veins rich in resources. Their unique environments also produce creatures and materials with special energy properties, invaluable for Alchemy Technique and sorcery material studies.”
Jie Ming’s eyes lit up.
Demon planes offered both high energy and abundant materials.
His expertise in Alchemy Technique and array knowledge gave him a natural edge in exploiting such planes.
Their harsh environments, a drawback for others, were a bonus for him.
After all… perilous conditions were ideal for generating the “baleful qi” concept.