Translator: AnubisTL
Time always seemed to slip away quickly for wizards immersed in research and work.
Before they knew it, fifty years had passed in a blink.
Having weathered the tumultuous planar war and the subsequent intricate development and reorganization, the initial phase of the Flamefrost Plane's exploitation had finally concluded.
Jieming was preparing to return.
Standing in the now bustling temporary air harbor of the Flamefrost Plane, Jieming gazed at the distant core of the plane—bound by countless rune-etched shackles yet still radiating a heart-stopping aura—and felt a pang of disorientation.
He never imagined that what began as a routine Planar Conquest Mission would lead him to spend such a long time in this otherworld.
This was largely due to the Living Flamefrost Plane itself.
Its unique life form and the shattered continents left after its defeat had created immense complications for the late-stage statistical work and resource consolidation, consuming countless hours and manpower from the wizards.
For the past fifty years, Jieming had been tirelessly occupied, either conducting ecological surveys on fragmented floating islands or analyzing data in makeshift laboratories.
The passage of time felt almost unreal, as if the decades had vanished in a mere blink.
However, his decision to return at this precise moment stemmed from a crucial reason: he was preparing to advance to second-tier wizard!
Throughout these years, Jieming had never interrupted his meditation and cultivation, even amidst his demanding work.
His mental power had long since completely filled the Ring of Truth, meeting the requirements for advancement.
He could initiate the advancement ritual at any time, should he choose.
Moreover, Augustine's living plane had acted as a massive "magnet," attracting an increasing number of wizards from various planes. Among them were high-level wizards who arrived with their students and assistants.
The Flamefrost Plane had become a bustling hub of activity, and Jieming had thus accumulated a considerable amount of Mortal Dust Qi.
Over the past decade or so, as the development of the Flamefrost Plane gradually stabilized, the planar conquest had effectively reached its conclusion.
Many wizards gradually transitioned out of "war mode" and returned to "normal life."
However, for the anomalous wizard civilization, this meant the wizards were reverting from "normal society" back to their "abnormal" state.
Consequently, the amount of Mortal Dust Qi Jieming could collect dwindled steadily.
Nevertheless, the accumulation from the past few decades had been sufficient for him to produce enough Red Dust Magic Potions to settle all his remaining debts.
This resolution eased a significant burden on his mind.
Before departing, Jieming made a special trip to the temporary research center, led by Mentor Clark, located in the core region of the Flamefrost Plane.
He intended to bid farewell to his mentor and Senior Viola before leaving.
Inside the temporary research center, strange runic instruments hummed and buzzed. The air was thick with the unique, acrid scent of the Flamefrost Plane's surface materials—a blend of icy coldness and scorching heat.
When Jieming found Mentor Clark, the latter was recording data from a pulsating, dark red mass of flesh.
His robe was stained with unidentifiable grime, maintaining his signature look of a "wizard" dressed like a "vagrant."
"Mentor," Jieming greeted.
Mentor Clark looked up, his cloudy eyes brightening slightly when he recognized Jieming. "Ah, Jieming. Leaving already?"
"Yes, the conflict here has concluded. We're preparing to return to Elosia for a period of rest and reorganization," Jieming replied respectfully.
A weak voice drifted from nearby. "Safe travels, junior... Remember to send me some magic potions when you get back to the academy. Preferably the kind that boosts energy, sharpens the mind, and fights fatigue. I feel like this damn data is about to drain me dry..."
Jieming turned to see Senior Viola practically embedded in the massive holographic screen, dark circles under her eyes and looking utterly drained.
Despite her prestigious title as a sixth-tier wizard, she radiated the unmistakable aura of an overworked "workhorse."
"Of course, Senior Sister. I'll definitely send some next time," Jieming replied, suppressing a chuckle.
Mentor Clark shot Viola a disdainful glance. "Pathetic! Complaining about this little workload? And your speed is far too slow. If you don't finish processing all this data today, don't even think about resting!"
"You might as well just tell me I can't rest for the entire week!" Viola retorted weakly, sounding like a deflated balloon.
Ignoring Viola, who now resembled a dried-up salted fish, Clark turned back to Jieming, his tone softening considerably. He clapped Jieming on the shoulder. "Alright, go back and get some rest. You're almost ready for advancement. I expect to see you promoted to second-tier by the time I return."
He paused, then added casually, "As for me, I'll probably be stuck here for the next few decades, maybe even a century. The mysteries of this living plane will keep me occupied for a long time. I won't be returning to the academy anytime soon."
"So," he glanced at Jieming, "don't worry about that debt you owe me. Take your time. The construction of that massive seventh-tier elemental pool won't be finished anytime soon anyway. Just settle the principal and interest in one lump sum when I finally finish my research and return to the academy. For now, focus on improving yourself. Everything else is just fluff."
Jieming's heart warmed at these words.
How could he not understand his mentor's unspoken meaning?
Mentor Clark was clearly worried that unexpected events during the planar war had prevented him from gathering enough "raw materials" to refine the Red Dust Magic Potion. Unable to voice his concerns directly, he had concocted a roundabout excuse to grant Jieming an exceptionally generous grace period.
This meant that if his harvest fell short, he could use this precious time to venture into other planes, accumulate the necessary resources, and return to "repay his debt" later.
Jieming silently etched this thoughtful consideration into his heart.
He didn't feign false sentimentality by pointing out the obvious. Instead, he suppressed all emotion, bowed deeply and solemnly to Mentor Clark.
"I'm leaving now. Please take care of yourselves, Mentor, and Senior Sister."
"Alright, alright, scram already! Don't keep me from my research!" Mentor Clark waved impatiently, turning back to tinker with the writhing mass of flesh.
Jieming straightened up and addressed Viola, who was still "struggling" within the light screen: "Senior Sister, I'm leaving now."
"Mmm... safe travels... don't forget my magic potion..." came a muffled reply from within the screen.
Jieming smiled, his hesitation gone. He turned and stepped onto the road leading to the teleportation formation, leaving behind the Flamefrost Plane that had held him for fifty years.
With a flash of light, Jieming first traveled through the Flamefrost Plane's established cross-dimensional spatial teleportation array, returning to the junction point—a strategic stronghold in the void jointly maintained by the Noren Workshop and two other wizard factions.
Without pausing, he headed straight for the junction point's administrative hall.
There, he sold off all the non-essential but abundant materials he had collected over the past fifty years on the Flamefrost Plane. These included high-purity ice and fire attribute energy crystals, various exotic biological materials, and even the body of the fourth-tier lava giant he had "found," minus its core. He exchanged everything for military merits, the common currency among wizard factions.
After tallying his earnings, Jieming calculated that without the lava giant's corpse, the resources he had painstakingly gathered over fifty years would have only fetched around 100,000 military merits.
Including the income from completing various missions during that time, his total earnings amounted to just over 200,000 military merits.
While this sum was already quite impressive for a first-tier wizard—even bordering on "sudden wealth"!
After a moment's thought, Jieming realized this sum was still less than what he'd earned by "scavenging" in the snow monster city while the high-tier snow monsters were away.
He reaffirmed a fundamental truth in his mind: in the wizard civilization, intelligence and knowledge were the most valuable assets.
Pure manual labor, even when risking one's life, yielded only limited rewards.
True wealth accumulation required mastering information asymmetry and core technologies.
Having finished his tasks, Jieming sat down on the teleportation formation at the junction point, ready to return to the Elosia Plane.
Brilliant light enveloped him, space began to distort, and the familiar sensation of weightlessness washed over him.
As he mentally mapped out his priorities upon returning to his laboratory, he silently planned:
First, he needed to organize the materials and knowledge required for his advancement to second-tier wizard.
Second, he would begin refining the Red Dust Magic Potion using the Mortal Dust Qi he had collected.
Finally, he would consolidate his gains from the Flamefrost Plane expedition, transforming valuable knowledge into his own foundational understanding.
However, just as he was immersed in these future plans, he suddenly noticed that the teleportation light surrounding him had become violently unstable!
The once-stable and brilliant light now flickered wildly, like a faulty lightbulb.
The spatial coordinates instantly became chaotic and unstable!
"What's happening?!" Jieming exclaimed inwardly, a sense of impending danger surging through him.
Before he could react, an overwhelming repulsive force erupted from the turbulent spatial currents!
In an instant, Jieming was flung out of the teleportation channel like a stone from a slingshot!
Darkness enveloped him, and a simultaneous sensation of weightlessness and tearing pain nearly caused him to lose consciousness.
After being violently ejected by the chaotic spatial forces, Jieming tumbled awkwardly through the air several times before stabilizing himself with his formidable physique and precise control over energy.
He hovered in mid-air, surrounded by an unfamiliar mountain forest. The air carried the faint, elemental fragrance unique to the Elosia Plane.
"Damn it! How could the main teleportation formation at the junction point malfunction to this extent?" Jieming frowned, a trace of annoyance rising within him.
A teleportation accident of this magnitude would be classified as a third-tier safety incident.
(End of the Chapter)
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