Several days had passed since Bai Luan received his reward from Herta, but he was still affected by it.
It wasn't because Herta's surprising move had exploited Bai Luan's weakness, causing him to be slow to recover.
He wasn't that useless; logically, he should have recovered long ago, but Herta didn't give him time to recover; she had been relentlessly pursuing him these past few days.
Herta's move was too cruel; it not only exploited Bai Luan's weakness but also temporarily lowered his resistance to Herta, which he had cultivated for so long.
To put it simply, Bai Luan was now in a weakened state.
He was now exactly like he was when he first realized his feelings for Herta and began interacting with her.
Then Herta discovered Bai Luan was in this state and began relentlessly pushing him.
After several consecutive days, he couldn't take it anymore.
Bai Luan had no choice but to ask Herta for a leave of absence; he needed to go out and recuperate.
Herta also agreed to the leave.
She realized she had been teasing him a bit too much recently and decided to give Bai Luan some time to recover.
To clear his mind, the first thing Bai Luan thought of was using the Anywhere Door to go out.
Perhaps bad luck was at play, but he opened the door over a hundred times without encountering a single planet with life.
Even for a planet with a relatively good environment, calculations showed that life wouldn't appear for several hundred more years.
Over a hundred attempts without even a guaranteed outcome broke Bai Luan's composure.
He came out to change his mood, but not to change it to *this* mood!
Alright, alright!
No life anywhere, huh?
I'll plant it myself, alright!?
With a disgruntled mind, Bai Luan returned to the original place, the Botanical Garden in Herta's home.
Following the old rules, he disinfected himself before entering the Botanical Garden.
It was still the same; although the plants had iterated many times, they still maintained similar habits to those of nine hundred years ago.
Bai Luan looked at the rose bushes and walked over.
Unlike before, he didn't come here often anymore.
Only occasionally, when he thought of this place, he would use the Anywhere Door to come here, loosen the soil for the plants, and treat their diseases.
So the plants here still recognized him, the gardener who didn't visit often.
The giant rose bushes sensed Bai Luan's arrival and bloomed towards him, welcoming his presence.
Bai Luan looked at the blooming roses, lost in thought for a moment.
Over nine hundred years ago, he had cared for a batch of plants just like them.
He had circled through the chaotic flow of time and returned to the Botanical Garden, thinking he had come back.
But then he suddenly realized that he could return, but time could not.
Bai Luan reached out and gently touched a bouquet of roses; he smiled.
"Your colors are still the same as they were over nine hundred years ago."
After briefly tending to the plants in the Botanical Garden, Bai Luan went to get their seeds.
This was Bai Luan's true purpose for coming here this time.
But obviously, these seeds couldn't be directly sent to that lifeless planet.
The plants in the Botanical Garden were very difficult to maintain, so to survive in that kind of environment, they needed some modification.
This involved some knowledge of genetic modification, which Bai Luan had already learned a lot about from Ruan Mei, so for the current Bai Luan, this was not a difficult task.
He would slightly modify the genes of these plants, enhance their vitality, and allow them to grow on that planet.
This could help that planet form an ecosystem and accelerate the evolution of species.
Hmm... does this mean I've become a gardener managing a super-large Botanical Garden?
It's a promotion and a raise, so to speak.
Bai Luan finished editing the genetic modifications and, while waiting for the plant seeds to be modified, idly pulled out his phone to check messages.
Then he discovered a message from Heimerdinger, which he had neglected for a long time.
The general meaning was to congratulate Bai Luan on becoming a member of the Genius Society and to ask if this could be used to promote First University of Truth.
He hadn't replied to him, but Heimerdinger showed astonishing persistence; ever since the company added the Genius Society certification to his account, he had messaged him every day.
Unbearable.
He hadn't expected the principal of a top university to be so shameless.
He should just brush him off; otherwise, it would be too strange for an old man to send him messages at fixed times every day.
Thinking this, Bai Luan began to compose a message.
Bai Luan: I am Professor Ratio's student. If Professor Ratio agrees, there's no problem.
After sending this message, Bai Luan put down his phone and began to focus on the genetic programming process of the seeds.
While everything was proceeding smoothly, Bai Luan's phone suddenly vibrated.
Generally speaking, a vibrating phone meant that someone he cared about had sent him a message.
Bai Luan picked up his phone.
Ratio: You've joined the Genius Society?
No, how long had it been since he sent the message to Heimerdinger? Had he already discussed this with Professor Ratio so quickly?
Could this old man be constantly monitoring his account?
Never mind, that wasn't the point.
Bai Luan thought for a moment and then smiled as he composed a message.
Bai Luan: Are you proud of me?
Bai Luan: My teacher?
Ratio: Heh.
Ratio: You're still the same as before.
Ratio: I am indeed a little pleased by this. A student I personally guided surpassing me—I believe this is what every teacher wants to see.
Bai Luan: I am honored.
Ratio: However, you wouldn't have used me as a shield before.
Ratio: Did you learn that from Herta?
Bai Luan: Professor, you are a teacher at First University of Truth, and also my teacher.
Bai Luan: I think no one has more say than you on whether this university is worth recommending.
Bai Luan: So, I leave the decision in your hands.
Bai Luan: If you believe this university is not qualified to be recommended by a genius, I will come forward and reject Heimerdinger's request.
Ratio: Do you think if you make 'passing the buck' sound more formal and justifiable, I won't see through it?
Bai Luan: As expected, I can't hide anything from you, Professor.
Bai Luan: Tee hee ;-)
Ratio: Never mind, consider it grading my student's homework.
Ratio: Perhaps soon, I will make a trip to the Space Station.
Bai Luan: And visit me along the way?
Ratio: I will come to find you.
Ratio: Perhaps this time, I can learn a lot from you.
Bai Luan: Professor, will you be disappointed if you come and find that I haven't changed at all?
Ratio: I would be very happy.
Ratio: Whatever you are now, it is a form of genius.
Ratio: This is exactly what you promised me back then—to become a genius in the way you desire.
Ratio: Congratulations, you have achieved it.
Bai Luan's lips curved into a smile.
Bai Luan: I look forward to our next meeting, Professor.
He put away his phone and looked at the instrument beside him; the genetic modification of the seeds had just been completed.
Bai Luan took these seeds and used the Anywhere Door to go to that planet where no life had yet been born.
He spent an entire day planting the seeds in various suitable locations.
Perhaps one day, this place would be covered in flowers.
It would surely be beautiful then, wouldn't it?
Now, his Botanical Garden notes would have another thing to record.
What should this planet be called?
Let's call it... Hippolyta.
Bai Luan entered the Little Black Room, took out the Botanical Garden notes, and wrote in it:
"Today, I planted life on a planet."