Chapter 326 Old Friends

Jie Ming’s gaze swept over, and only then did he realize it wasn’t just David.

A short distance away stood several familiar yet somewhat estranged figures—Seraphina, Kaelern, Anya, Rex.

These four had once been on par with David, publicly recognized as the Noren Workshop’s “new generation” super geniuses with tenth-grade aptitude, basking in boundless glory.

Yet in that decisive elite trial, they were utterly eclipsed by Jie Ming’s sudden rise.

Only David had performed decently, salvaging some face for their “genius group.”

Counting carefully, it had been nearly a millennium since the trial’s end without seeing Seraphina and the others.

David, due to assisting with resettling the natives of Elosia (now Noren Plane No. 147), had maintained some contact with Jie Ming.

But in recent centuries, with their respective campaigns and research burdens, connections had grown sparse.

This was commonplace in the wizard world.

Plane wars measured in centuries, plus wizards losing track of time once immersed in research—old friends rarely gathered; it was the norm.

Jie Ming’s spiritual force stirred subtly, his perception quietly extending.

David, Seraphina, Kaelern, Anya, Rex—the five exuded condensed, majestic spiritual force fields, each bearing distinct inclinations.

Clearly, all had successfully grasped rules and stepped into the third-level wizard realm.

Fairly speaking, in this conference room gathering centuries of Noren Academy No. 147’s essence, third-level was hardly standout—even somewhat low.

Even excluding peers from their era, later graduating classes included many who had advanced to fourth or fifth level.

These five former super geniuses now appeared rather “unremarkable” in rank.

Yet when Seraphina and the others’ perceptions landed on Jie Ming, clearly detecting spiritual force fluctuations belonging solely to a second-level wizard, their reactions were anything but disdain.

Instead, eyes widened, faces filled with astonishment and… unabashed envy.

Whoosh…

Dark energy spread across her body.

Like shadow traversal, Seraphina’s figure vanished on the spot like a phantom, reappearing beside Jie Ming the next instant.

As if beholding an inconceivable marvel, she circled him meticulously, her lively eyes brimming with doubt. “Jie Ming?! You… you’re still second level?! How is this possible?!”

The remaining three crowded over. Kaelern, who always maintained elegant poise, lost his composure—his hand adjusting glasses trembled slightly as he murmured, “Second level… truly still second level… what kind of monster are you?!”

Even the usually bubbly Anya revealed complex emotions in her eyes.

David, though mentally prepared, couldn’t help sighing upon confirmation.

He shook his head, tone laced with genuine envy. “We thought we’d caught up to you, but… the gap between us hasn’t narrowed—it’s grown wider.”

Kaelern finally steadied his trembling hand, took a deep breath, and looked at Jie Ming as if at a walking paradox. “Incomprehensible… just how much have you accumulated to remain ‘stuck’ at second level?”

Their words and reactions stemmed from the wizard world’s unique perspective on rank advancement.

For ordinary wizards, faster promotion naturally indicated greater talent, opportunity, and wisdom.

But for true apex geniuses, the criterion often inverted—the slower the ascent, the more terrifying the potential.

This complete reversal arose because wizards were essentially pursuers of knowledge.

Rank advancement and power growth, to truly wise wizards, were mere “byproducts” that came naturally in the quest for truth.

What ordinary wizards struggled to achieve in rank was never difficult for top geniuses.

They delayed promotion because vast knowledge awaited excavation at their current level, countless ideas demanded verification, and deep foundations needed solidifying.

Only when they truly reached the “end” of their current stage, with no further progress possible, would they step into the next.

For someone like Jie Ming, possessing world-shaking talent yet remaining “stagnant” at second level for a millennium, it could only mean one thing: at second level, he still had endless inspiration and bottomless knowledge to learn and integrate!

This was a state any wizard aspiring to scale the peaks of truth would envy—even jealousy.

Jie Ming smiled at his old acquaintances’ mix of shock, confusion, and envy. “I just feel there’s still much I haven’t figured out—no rush to advance. Long time no see, everyone.”

David first shook off his complicated emotions. His robust frame stepped forward, laughing as he clapped Jie Ming’s shoulder hard.

The force was enough for Jie Ming to suspect he wanted to kill him. “Let’s not talk about that—comparisons only lead to frustration. Jie Ming, with these elite combat units forming, we’ll likely be assigned to the same or adjacent second-line battlefields. When the time comes, we might need your guidance.”

Jie Ming naturally nodded. “You’re too polite. On the battlefield, sharing intelligence and watching each other’s backs is only right. Who knows—we might even collaborate.”

Yet his words found no echo.

Nearby, Rex—covered in mechanical constructs with faint blue energy arcs at his joints—suddenly recalled some traumatic memory, shuddering. His voice from beneath the metal mask carried lingering fear. “Exchanging intel is fine! Collaboration… let’s skip that! Jie Ming, teaming up with you—who knows what earth-shattering ‘calamity’ you’ll cause next? Wasn’t the trial enough of a pit?”

His words prompted Seraphina, Kaelern, and even Anya to nod unconsciously in unison, faces showing lingering dread.

Clearly recalling certain “terror” dominated by Jie Ming’s “methods.”

Jie Ming watched these overreactive former “genius” teammates, several black lines dropping on his forehead.

“…Just say whether my methods worked or not!” he tried to defend.

“Yes, yes, yes—stuffing shit in the gods’ mouths in front of them. If the higher-ups hadn’t been watching, we’d have been dead long ago.” Seraphina rolled her eyes, retorting irritably.

The group exchanged glances and couldn’t help bursting into laughter.