Chapter 373 Rewards

In the days that followed, the group of wizards settled down in the towering palace that housed the planes of existence.

More accurately, they mostly stayed in the magnificent hall where they first gathered.

The hall is extremely spacious, with a dome hundreds of meters high, and can accommodate thousands of people without feeling crowded.

The basic necessities for daily meals were provided by the well-trained servant races under Anton Buchanan's command.

For Jemin, apart from not being able to immediately conduct those complex experiments that require specific large instruments, his daily routine was not much different from his usual secluded studies in the laboratory—the only difference was that his research space had changed from a private laboratory to a corner of this public hall.

He remained immersed in the ocean of knowledge, holding the crystal of knowledge in his hands, his mind absorbed in it, oblivious to the noise of the outside world.

Not only Jemin, but almost none of the wizards present, regardless of seniority, were the type to waste time.

This rare gathering of fellow students provided them with an excellent platform for exchange and discussion.

The second-generation wizards sought out their familiar fellow disciples, engaging in either quiet conversations or heated debates, all concerning profound theories of law and cutting-edge alchemy and rune techniques.

When the mood struck, some people even took out their portable experimental equipment and started testing it on the spot in the open space of the hall, not caring at all about causing small-scale elemental tides or spatial distortions, which the high-level wizards present could easily smooth over.

Even the supreme wizard Norren often discussed various knowledge and technical issues with his seventh-level disciples.

Sometimes he would even step down from his seat and come among the second or even third generation disciples to offer guidance on promising ideas or difficult questions, which always excited the students.

Before we knew it, this place had even turned into an academic discussion.

Under the influence of this strong atmosphere of research and exchange, the young wizards who are third- or even fourth-generation disciples have also begun to compete with each other.

Initially, it might just be about showing each other new research models of witchcraft, or debating the optimal solution for a certain theoretical node.

But it quickly evolved into various forms of "friendly" competitions—from the exquisite manipulation of mental power to the instantaneous construction speed of micro runes, and the adaptation and utilization of specific energy environments... a wide variety of styles.

The high-ranking wizards were happy to see this happen and did not try to stop it in the slightest.

On the contrary, people would occasionally voice their opinions or exert pressure from the shadows, fueling the flames.

For them, healthy competition among younger generations is an important source of vitality for maintaining the school of thought.

Over time, through these battles, both overt and covert, a generally accepted ranking of strength has emerged between the two youngest generations of wizards.

Everyone knew who had more concentrated mental strength, higher level of knowledge, and stronger adaptability.

Only two people are outside this ranking.

One of them is Viola.

She has officially advanced to level six, stepping into the threshold of becoming a high-level wizard.

According to the default rules, it is not appropriate for high-level wizards to "spar" with mid-level or low-level wizards, as that would be beneath their dignity and could easily lead to unnecessary crushing defeats.

Despite being constantly told by her mentor Clark that "her skills are insufficient and she needs more practice," Viola is ultimately a gifted individual.

After years of accumulation, his strength has long surpassed that of an ordinary level six wizard, and he has begun to move towards the elite level. Naturally, no one would want to bother him.

Secondly, there is Jemin.

He was simply...too lazy to compete.

That day, Viola wandered over to the corner where Jemin was.

Seeing him still buried in his books, he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Junior, haven't you noticed that other people are looking at you weirder and weirder lately? They're practically treating you like some kind of reclusive master or... a coward who's too afraid to fight. I really admire you for being able to hold back from going out and stretching your muscles?"

Without even looking up, Jemin replied in a flat tone: "This kind of competition is meaningless, senior. How could a real killing move, involving laws or even mutual destruction, be used in this kind of situation? It's very unfair to those factions that focus on actual combat and killing."

"Similarly, for research wizards who are skilled in large-scale curses, genetic weapons, and dimensional environment modification, and who can exterminate an entire race at will, their strengths cannot be demonstrated at all."

He paused, then silently added in his mind, "Besides, in real combat, the team of black giant priests I have in my inner space would be enough to overwhelm all my peers, and even some of the elders, present. What's the point of this childish ranking competition?"

At this moment, Rex also finished his discussion with a peer, walked over with a smile, and joined their chat.

During their conversation, the three inevitably touched upon the recent buzz surrounding the "ranking tournament."

Viola jokingly teased Rex, saying that he was now recognized as the strongest of the three-level wizards, and his fame was unparalleled.

With his usual smile, Rex humbly said that everyone was too kind and that he was just lucky to have performed reasonably well in a few projects.

Then, he turned his gaze to Jemin, his eyes filled with genuine fighting spirit and curiosity: "Jemin, to be honest, I've always wanted to really spar with you. Many of your ideas and methods have piqued my curiosity."

Without even thinking, Jemin shook his head and refused: "No interest."

Is it worth exposing some of your trump cards and fighting style in front of everyone just for a hollow reputation?

In his view, this was a rather foolish and childish act.

"Instead of wasting time, I'd rather analyze one more rune structure."

However, just as he was preparing to continue his research into the spatial folding theory he had in hand...

The wizard Norren, who had been sitting high in the main seat, conversing quietly with Master Anton, suddenly raised his head. His gentle yet penetrating voice instantly drowned out all the noise in the hall, clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"It seems you youngsters are quite interested. Since the atmosphere is so lively, we old folks will also join in with a prize."

His gaze swept over the many young wizards below, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "This time, let's have a formal internal competition. Each person should rely on their own skill, and we'll stop when we've reached a point of no return. The ultimate winner will be..."

As he spoke, a flash of light appeared in the wizard Norren's hand, revealing a seemingly simple, small doll.

The doll exuded an obscure yet powerful aura of destiny and the laws of life.

"...You will receive this. You may not be very familiar with it; these things are called 'scapegoat dolls'."

Upon hearing this, Jemin suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on the small doll as if drawn by a magnet!

Substitute doll!

He had once experienced death in the "Justice" plane and only managed to escape thanks to this treasure!

It's no exaggeration to say that this is like having a second life, and its value is immeasurable for wizards like them who are constantly struggling on the brink of death!

"But then again..."

Jemin slowly put away the crystal in his hand, his eyes burning with unprecedented fighting spirit.

The previous meditative demeanor had vanished, replaced by a sharp, determined edge, making him a completely different person from before.

"I feel like I've been a bit bored these past few days, so it'll be good to get some exercise."

Viola and Rex both wore subtle expressions: "Is that so...?"

(End of this chapter)