The faint light of teleportation dissipated in the personal laboratory, and Jie Ming stepped out, his figure appearing within the room.

He did not dare delay, quickly opening the maginet terminal that had been flashing on his person and connecting the communication.

A light screen unfolded in the air, revealing the familiar figure of Mentor Clark.

He wore the same impeccably neat dark wizard robe as always, his signature slightly receding hairline reflecting the cold laboratory lights with a sheen of wisdom. His expression remained the usual calm and focused one.

“Mentor.” Jie Ming greeted respectfully.

Mentor Clark’s personality was unchanged as ever—no small talk, straight to the point, his tone as concise as stating experimental parameters: “Jie Ming, clear your schedule from one month from now until about a year later. There’s something I need to take you to see.”

“What is it?” Jie Ming asked curiously, though he felt no resistance in his heart.

After all, things were different now. He had a large team of highly efficient black giant priests as his “workhorses.” All research projects were advancing methodically, and the construction of the Incense Fire Divine Dao had dedicated personnel overseeing it.

Being away for a year or so would not greatly impact his core research. In fact, it was a good opportunity to change environments and spark some new inspiration.

“It’s not just you,” Clark added. “Viola and Ang will come too. I’m taking the three of you to meet my mentor.”

Meet the grand-mentor?

Jie Ming was slightly taken aback.

Mentor Clark’s mentor—that would be at least a seventh-level great wizard.

He asked with some curiosity: “Has something happened? Why do we all need to go?”

Clark’s expression remained unchanged, but the content of his words caused Jie Ming’s pupils to contract instantly: “Your grand-mentor is attempting to advance to eighth-level wizard.”

Eighth-level wizard!

Jie Ming’s heart shook violently, as if struck by a silent thunderbolt.

In the wizard world, ninth level was the pinnacle—supreme existences capable of creating and twisting rules.

Eighth level was infinitely close to the top of the pyramid!

Though it seemed insignificant in the shadow of ninth level, one must remember that before this, the entire Noren Workshop had only one eighth-level being: the workshop master himself.

Seeing the shock on Jie Ming’s face, Clark continued his calm explanation: “Taking you there is mainly to broaden your horizons. Observing the insights from a seventh-level advancing to eighth-level will bring inestimable benefits to your future paths. Incidentally, it will also let you meet the other disciples in our lineage.”

“I understand! Mentor, I’ll arrange my time and be there on schedule!” Jie Ming reacted immediately, his tone laced with irrepressible excitement.

An opportunity like this, rare in a thousand years, would be worth it even if it took ten!

As the light screen closed, Jie Ming immediately summoned his black giant priests and efficiently arranged the upcoming matters.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Through the academy’s internal directional teleportation array, Jie Ming precisely arrived at Noren Academy No. 13, entering Mentor Clark’s office filled with stacks of books, instruments, and unidentified biological specimens.

As the white light faded, Jie Ming discovered he was the last to arrive.

Senior Sister Viola and Junior Brother Ang were already waiting there.

What caught Jie Ming’s attention more was a young man in his early twenties standing beside Ang.

The youth bore some resemblance to Ang, his eyes holding curiosity about the unfamiliar environment mixed with a hint of restraint.

Jie Ming’s keen perception swept over him, immediately detecting a familiar imprint in the other’s soul aura—it was the very embryo he had personally enhanced all those years ago!

In other words, this youth was Ang’s child.

Sensing his energy fluctuations further, he had shockingly already reached the level of a first-level wizard.

A strange emotion welled up in Jie Ming’s heart.

In his own perception, he had merely buried himself in study and research for a few decades, as if only a snap of the fingers.

Yet in the outside world, even his junior brother’s offspring had grown up and stepped onto the formal path of wizardry.

This dislocation in the sense of time gave him a deeper appreciation for the temporal perspective of high-level wizards.

“Junior Brother Jie Ming, you sure arrived ‘early’.” Viola flicked her beautiful silver-gray long hair; she seemed to have specially styled it today, deliberately exuding an elegance rare for her in her demeanor.

Ang hurriedly brought the youth beside him forward, bowing respectfully to Jie Ming: “Senior Brother Jie Ming, this is my child, Coles…”

“Junior Brother Ang, and this… little one, no need for formalities.” Jie Ming smiled as he returned the courtesy to Ang and his descendant.

Turning his gaze to Viola, however, his face revealed unabashed shock: “Senior Sister, are you sick or something? Why are you acting like this today?”

A vein instantly popped on Viola’s forehead, her forcibly maintained elegant posture crumbling instantly.

“What do you mean?!” She gritted her teeth, lifting her foot and viciously kicking Jie Ming’s shin with her hard shoe tip.

A dull “bang” sounded.

Jie Ming did not budge an inch, his expression unchanging.

His body, tempered thousands of times by the Body Forging Method, had hardness comparable to high-tier magical alloy.

Viola, on the other hand, felt as if she had kicked a solid steel pillar.

Even with a sixth-level wizard’s physical constitution far above average, the pain still made her yelp “Ow!” as she hopped on one leg, holding her foot, tears nearly coming out.

Seeing the smug curl at the corner of Jie Ming’s mouth, a fierce glint flashed in Viola’s eyes.

The next second, Jie Ming felt a clear pain in his own shin!

“Hm?” Jie Ming was genuinely surprised, looking at Viola who was baring her teeth but finally recovering. “Senior Sister, you’ve mastered your law… to this extent?”

From Viola’s expression, this was not mere “empathy” but directly transferring the pain she endured unchanged to the inflictor!

“Hmph! You guy, your body’s like a beast!” Viola rubbed her still-aching foot while grumbling irritably, but pride soon appeared on her face. “But well, your senior sister is just that much of a genius!”

As she spoke, seemingly to show off, she waved her hand through the air.

Jie Ming immediately felt the pain in his leg vanish without a trace, as if it had never existed.

Viola lifted her chin like a proud peacock: “See that? I can even ‘store’ the pain and ‘gift’ it to anyone when needed.”

She said this while glancing at Jie Ming with a hint of threat.

Jie Ming immediately understood, clapping vigorously with exaggerated tone: “Impressive! Senior Sister is awesome! This law application is truly masterful, impossible to guard against!”

Ang and his son watched dumbfounded, both faces filled with bewilderment.

They truly could not comprehend why these two predecessors—who appeared profound and powerful—when together, had such a… peculiar dynamic?