Viola’s smugness did not last long.

A faint, almost imperceptible ripple passed through the space in the office, and Mentor Clark’s figure materialized out of nowhere like a phantom.

The moment he appeared, he habitually shot a glare at Viola, who was still making faces.

She immediately shrank back like a cat grabbed by the scruff of its neck, snapping into a “well-behaved” posture in an instant.

Clark’s gaze swept over Jie Ming, Ang, and Ang’s son, giving a slight nod. “Everyone’s here. Let’s go.”

Without further ado, the group followed Clark into the academy’s dedicated long-distance teleportation array.

A strong sensation of spatial tugging assaulted them as the surrounding light and shadows twisted and shifted rapidly.

When their vision stabilized once more, they stood upon an enormously vast plaza.

Jie Ming recognized this place.

It was the headquarters of the Noren Workshop. He had caught a fleeting glimpse during the elite trials years ago, but back then, the schedule had been too rushed for any proper observation.

Compared to the thronging crowds of the trial event in his memory, the plaza now had far fewer people, yet it still bustled with activity.

More importantly, wherever he looked—whether at hurried passersby or figures paused in conversation—each radiated transcendental power fluctuations of varying intensity. Every single person on this plaza was a wizard!

“Tsk tsk…” Jie Ming marveled inwardly.

He had long heard that the top-ranked core planes of the Noren Workshop had achieved the grand goal of granting wizard aptitude to every human across the entire plane.

But hearsay was one thing; witnessing this scene where “wizards were as common as mortals” delivered an entirely different shock.

Though the vast majority were merely first- to third-level wizard apprentices, with such an immense base population, even a one-in-ten-thousand promotion rate would yield an astronomical number of formal wizards.

Their sudden appearance immediately drew numerous gazes from around them.

Especially the formal wizards, who, upon sensing the abyssal, profoundly obscure mental force fields emanating from Clark and Viola despite their restraint, revealed expressions of respect mixed with unconcealed awe.

Clearly, even in the Noren Workshop headquarters where all were wizards, high-level wizards remained lofty figures rarely seen, standing above the clouds.

Faced with the attention pouring in from all directions, the group’s reactions varied.

Mentor Clark remained expressionless, as if the surrounding scrutiny was no different from the air, striding forward directly.

Jie Ming likewise stayed calm; he was long accustomed to being gazed upon as a strong individual and to concealing himself when necessary. His mindset remained unruffled.

Viola, however, seemed to have finally found her stage.

She held her elegantly lined chin slightly high with restraint, her silver-gray long hair swaying behind her, her steps deliberately exuding a graceful and noble bearing.

Though she appeared composed on the surface, Jie Ming caught a trace of barely contained overflowing pride in the depths of her eyes.

He understood clearly: his senior sister had likely not only devised new applications for her “pain law” but had also made significant progress in expanding her law domain.

Jie Ming knew Viola well—she wasn’t one to flaunt.

So this display was clearly meant to gather other emotions from those around her.

Ang appeared somewhat ill at ease in the face of the attention but managed to maintain his composure.

His son Coles, however, visibly tensed, his body stiffening slightly as his eyes warily scanned the surroundings.

Jie Ming glanced at the youth and understood: the boy had likely just completed his first plane war not long ago and was still in a state of battlefield hypervigilance.

Clark checked the information on his wrist terminal and gestured in a direction to the group: “This way.”

They stepped onto a broad metal avenue at the plaza’s edge, wide enough for colossal beasts to pass.

There was no need for them to walk themselves; the moment they set foot on the surface, a gentle yet stable energy force field formed out of nowhere.

These force fields acted like invisible conveyor belts, enveloping them and gliding them smoothly and swiftly toward their destination.

Jie Ming took the opportunity to carefully observe this legendary Noren Plane No. 1.

It differed utterly from the traditional wizard tower style of Noren Plane No. 13 where he resided, and from the relatively primitive environment of Noren Plane No. 147.

Everywhere he looked was a scene straight out of futuristic science fiction.

Skyscrapers piercing the clouds, reflecting cold metallic sheen; endless streams of silent, hovering vehicles on designated tracks; autonomous mechanical constructs of varied forms efficiently shuttling between buildings.

And most eye-catching of all: a super-massive space station hanging in the sky like a second moon, its enormous structure clearly visible under the “sun’s” light.

Moreover, since every resident here was a transcendental being, the efficacy of many technological creations was pushed to the extreme.

For instance, the energy force field currently carrying them was accelerating without any lag!

The surrounding scenery began streaking backward in blurred color bands; sharp sonic booms were cleverly isolated outside the field, but the tangible sensation of breaking barriers was unmistakable.

In mere seconds, their speed had shattered the sound barrier—and it continued to rise!

Were it not for their formal wizard physiques, the sudden acceleration’s G-forces alone could have rendered ordinary people unconscious or even caused bodily disintegration.

And the speed kept increasing, soon reaching a point where even Jie Ming found it hard to capture details with his sight.

Thanks to this ultra-high-speed travel, just minutes later, the force field’s velocity began to steadily decrease.

Ahead, at the horizon’s end, an even more magnificent complex of buildings came into view.

Their destination this time—Noren Academy No. 1—had arrived.

At the academy entrance, as if already informed of their arrival, two wizards awaited them.

One was someone Jie Ming knew all too well—tall and imposing, with resolute features. It was Rex, the tenth-level talent genius exceptionally skilled in alchemy technique, whom he had encountered in the “Justice” plane!

Jie Ming froze for a moment upon seeing Rex, then realization dawned.

The man was a genius in alchemy, from the same lineage; meeting here was perfectly reasonable.

The other wizard wore deep blue starry robes. Judging from the abyssal, ocean-like mental fluctuations naturally emanating from him, he was unmistakably another sixth-level powerhouse!

This wizard bore an enthusiastic smile and seemed very outgoing.

“Clark! You finally made it!” The blue-robed wizard laughed as he approached, clapping Clark heartily on the shoulder. Though Clark’s expression remained unchanged, it was clear the two shared a close familiarity.

Clark nodded in response, then turned to his students and introduced: “This is Wizard Augusta.”

Jie Ming, Viola, along with Ang and his child, immediately composed themselves and bowed respectfully to Wizard Augusta: “Greetings, Lord Augusta.”