In the evening, the reception hall was brightly lit. Floating crystals beneath the dome radiated a golden glow. At the center of the hall, a dining table several hundred meters long was laden with specialty refreshments from various civilizations. Automata of varied shapes carried drinks through the crowd, and the air was tinged with a faint fruity fragrance.
Wizards of the sixth and seventh ranks gathered in small groups, raising glasses and conversing in hushed voices. Because most wizards exchanged information through mental force, the hall was unexpectedly quiet—yet to those present, it was clear that the space was alive with the bustling energy of colliding minds.
Finally released from the “little black room,” Jie Ming used alchemy to fashion a new black robe, patted his face to clear his head, and then walked slowly into the hall. The moment he entered, many nearby gazes turned toward him in unison. After all, because he and Savien had been researching together day after day, the names “Jie Ming” and the Self-Stabilizing Field Regulation Protocol had already spread throughout the exchange.
If it were merely a special stabilization technique meant to assist lower-ranked wizards, even if it had spread widely, many present would not have cared. To put it bluntly, quite a few attendees already had one or even several similar techniques to their names. But when Savien was added to the equation—especially the fact that this young man had been working alongside Savien—the significance was entirely different.
Many were deeply interested in him. It was only out of fear of Savien’s reputation that no one had dared disturb Jie Ming for the past month. This welcome reception, however, was officially meant for making acquaintances, so naturally people began to stir.
It was no exaggeration to say that the instant Jie Ming stepped into the hall, several rounds of silent maneuvering had already taken place, quickly selecting the order of approach. A rank-eight wizard from the Crimson Court—also specially invited—had just raised his glass and was about to walk over when, on the other side, an elder from the Anti-Entropy Alliance smiled and stepped forward. Several other rank-eight wizards also moved together, preparing to introduce themselves to Jie Ming.
Before they could get close, a familiar voice rang out first: “There you are, you brat!”
Savien, clad in a silver-gray robe, had somehow already appeared beside Jie Ming. Seeing this, the eager crowd around them lost their enthusiasm and obediently retreated. Savien swept his gaze across those around him, then, as if he had seen nothing, said directly to Jie Ming, “Come with me. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Jie Ming smiled and did not refuse. “All right.”
The two walked straight toward the depths of the hall.
Watching their retreating backs, one of those who had been about to approach sighed helplessly. “It looks like we won’t get to meet this rising star today.”
“No helping it. Wizard Savien is here—who would dare try to snatch someone from him?” Another person shook his head with a wry smile. “Forget it. Let’s find an opportunity later. The exchange still has a long way to go.”
With that, the crowd that had been gathered dispersed. Some watched Jie Ming’s departing figure with envy.
The atmosphere deep in the hall was completely different from outside. Only a few round tables stood there, and though the number of people was small, almost all were the most elite figures of this exchange.
As Savien led Jie Ming inside, two figures by a round table looked up simultaneously. One was a tall male wizard with graying hair and a posture as straight as a spear. He simply sat there quietly, yet the space around him seemed to exude an extraordinary sense of equilibrium—as if any unnatural spatial fluctuation that came near him would naturally settle into calm.
The other was a female wizard in a pure white robe. She wore a gentle expression, and dark green hair cascaded to her waist. Floating around her were transparent crystals of varying sizes, each seeming to hold an independent pocket of space.
Seeing these two, Savien wore a rare smile. “Let me introduce him—this is Jie Ming, the little fellow I told you about.” He then turned to Jie Ming. “That old geezer is Basian of the Anti-Entropy Alliance, and the other is Morna of the Void Architecture Academy.”
Hearing those two names, Jie Ming’s gaze sharpened slightly. Even though he had anticipated that the people Savien wanted to introduce would be highly distinguished, he still felt pressure at this moment—because these two were true legends in the field of spatial academia.
Especially Basian, one of the most senior rank-eight spatial wizards remaining in the Anti-Entropy Alliance. According to what Jie Ming knew, Basian had reached the pinnacle of the eighth rank tens of thousands of years ago but had never broken through to the ninth. A key reason was that he had dedicated most of his energy to perfecting the foundational theories of space. Today, more than thirty percent of the large-scale spatial transmission systems in the entire Wizard Civilization were built directly or indirectly upon his theories. In spatial studies, only a single ninth-rank wizard could surpass his accomplishments.
As for Morna, she was one of the current de facto academic leaders of the Void Architecture Academy. Many super-construction projects spanning multiple planes—including legendary structures such as Titan's Grasp—had been designed under her personal direction. If Savien was a master of spatial theory, Morna was the one who could turn those theories into reality.
Jie Ming had encountered both names countless times as cited references in textbooks and papers; he had never imagined he would meet them in person here today.
“Junior Jie Ming pays respects to Lord Basian and Lady Morn” Jie Ming promptly made a standard wizard’s salute.
Basian smiled and waved a hand at him, his voice warm and deep. “Sit down. No need for formality—there is no distinction between senior and junior here.” Morna also smiled and nodded. “Anyone Savien personally brings here has already earned the right to sit at our table, so do not be so constrained.”
Savien clapped a hand on Jie Ming’s shoulder. “You brat, you’re not this formal with me. Why are you so cautious around these two?”
Jie Ming looked a little helpless, but he obediently sat down.