[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-524":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257528,4404,"Chapter 524: One Circle Complete: Northwest Big Wheat No. 2 Variety","above-the-mage-chapter-524",524,"\u003Cp>Before consuming the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus, Gao De had one important task to complete:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remove the spores from the tail of the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus to use as seeds for future cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Gao De, this was a trivial matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a First-Rank Rune Constructing Artisan, his hands were “Master’s Hands”; plucking spores, though seemingly delicate, paled in comparison to rune drawing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After swiftly removing the spores, Gao De used the classic double-cast technique—canceling then re-casting—to “pull” Flora from Varal Bay and handed the spores to her for safekeeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other matters were uncertain, but cultivation tasks? Entrusting them to Flora required no worry whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this field, she was even more steady than Senior Brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All tasks completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the aid of his Law-Enduring Body, Gao De swiftly purged all distractions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any further matters would wait until he reached the late stage of the First Circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus, its surface covered in silver veins, and shoved it straight into his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a precious magical plant, the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus not only possessed extraordinary effects but also had a major advantage: extreme purity, nearly devoid of impurities, allowing direct ingestion without pain or special preparation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Gao De was immune to drug toxins; even if impurities existed, they made no difference to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment it entered his mouth, the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus melted like ice on his tongue, tasting vaguely like ice cream from his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sweet, refreshing flavor spread through his mouth, sliding smoothly down his throat with no obstruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the fungus entered his belly, a surge of heat instantly erupted within him, flowing through his entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the effect of the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus activating—enhancing physical constitution and extending lifespan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De clearly felt every inch of his skin and every bone rejoicing under the heat, like seeds parched by drought greedily absorbing its energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he absorbed the energy, his blood qi slowly rose, bringing a satisfying sense of fullness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mysterious piece of information surged into his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De sensed his lifespan had increased from 335 to 340.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Clerk York, a thirty-year-old Dragon Bird Blood Fungus typically extended lifespan by three to five years, depending on the user’s absorption rate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant his absorption had reached its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was worth his self-proclaimed title as the Pill-Swallowing Saint Body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, whether magical plants or potions, the first ingestion always yielded the best results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even if he obtained a higher-aged Dragon Bird Blood Fungus later, it would never match this potency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heat gradually faded, replaced by an intense outburst of mana within Gao De’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus’s most vital function for him: aiding mana condensation and elevating his mage rank!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Bird Blood Fungus directly supplied vast amounts of mana to the user.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De sat cross-legged in the meditation chamber, focusing intensely as he activated the Green Wood Eternal Life Scripture, fully refining and absorbing the mana released by the fungus to increase his own mana reserves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the endless mana from the fungus had formed a massive funnel, drawing toward the lower dantian where liquid mana was stored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time the funnel rotated over a hundred times, a single crystal-clear, exceptionally pure drop of liquid mana dripped into his already fully saturated “Mana Pool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>54 drops. 55 drops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the fungus’s power aiding him, Gao De’s total mana increased steadily toward the late First Circle’s target of 60 drops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his mana accumulated, he felt his spiritual power stirring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>58 drops. 59 drops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 60th drop of liquid mana quietly fell into the Mana Pool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus’s potency still had much left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao De’s Mana Pool was saturated; he could no longer refine or absorb new liquid mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dense mana funnel spun another dozen times by inertia before slowly dissipating, settling into quiet stillness across every corner of his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a powerful force exploded violently within Gao De’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the sign of spiritual power enhancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The condensation of the 60th drop of liquid mana meant Gao De had advanced from the mid-stage to the late stage of the First Circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each minor rank advancement brought a boost in spiritual power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s spiritual power, long since broken through its limit thanks to Yggdrasil’s feedback, no longer got stuck as before, so the increase came naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because his spiritual power had broken through early and was already immense, the gains were relatively limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A normal First Circle mage typically gained up to 33 points in spiritual power when advancing from mid- to late-stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in Gao De’s perception, his spiritual power rose only from 200 to 211—just one-third of the maximum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he was quite satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One step ahead, and every step follows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary mages only surpassed the 199 threshold to reach 200 when ascending to the Second Circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant his current spiritual power already exceeded that of newly promoted Second Circle mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the rigid hierarchy of the mage transcendental power system, breaking limits was exceedingly difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De himself had been marked as a seed recruit by the Sea Sentinels precisely because he showed potential to break limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Bird Blood Fungus lived up to its reputation as a gift from a lord like Duke Drake—pushing Gao De effortlessly to First Circle completion with potency still remaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Gao De did not press his advantage to ascend circles; he immediately ceased the Green Wood Eternal Life Scripture and rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ascending circles was no ordinary cultivation; it demanded perfect preparation—both external conditions and internal state had to be optimized to his personal peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To attempt an ascent immediately after breaking through to late First Circle was recklessness, not bravery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De would never grow complacent just because he had top-tier ascending potions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his plan, he would first spend a full week adapting to the surge in mana, familiarizing himself with his new power, then rest thoroughly before attempting the ascent in peak condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only with reverence could one go further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening the meditation chamber door, Gao De glanced outside—the cultivation had not taken long; it was still before noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora was no longer in the room; she must have gone out to work again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Minister of the Nongye Force and someone “exceptionally capable,” Flora was undoubtedly among the busiest in all of Phoenix.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, Gao De, as Flora’s “master” and Phoenix’s “king,” remained a hands-off manager, effortlessly relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made him feel ashamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly shook his head, forcing himself to stop thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Nai must have received word of his return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao De knew Su Nai’s boundaries; before he left, she would never disturb him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a day-and-a-half journey and the recent cultivation, Gao De felt slightly weary. He decided to cast a [Comfortable Deep Sleep+] and went to bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he awoke refreshed, evening had fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De did not linger; he went out to find Su Nai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had returned with many tasks to do—even a hands-off manager had principles!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He entered City Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though dusk had stained the windows of City Hall, Su Nai had not yet “clocked out” and had already been “waiting” for Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Gao De stepped into his office, a knock sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened, and Su Nai entered with Aisha, who carried a large stack of neatly organized parchment scrolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, here are Phoenix’s Phase One construction report, the Jianshe Force’s organizational status, the Varal Tunnel construction report, the Varal Port development report, the shipping trade report, the Jin Hui Farm’s Phase Two reclamation summary, and Phoenix’s First Middle School’s educational report since the launch of Shadow Lessons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Nai spoke without pause, her voice flat and emotionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aisha neatly arranged the pile of scrolls on Gao De’s desk and immediately added: “And these: Phoenix’s next-quarter expansion plan, adult education initiative, City Hall recruitment proposal, Security Bureau expansion plan, and the Great Integration Plan for all tribes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please review, Your Highness,” Aisha said, gazing at Gao De with Su Nai’s cold, detached expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Su Nai’s tireless devotion, Aisha, as City Hall’s chief steward, clearly harbored some resentment toward Gao De’s hands-off approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De glanced at the dark circles under Aisha’s eyes—she was no Su Nai, a Fourth Circle mage with a highly developed brain; she needed rest, and such intense labor inevitably led to sleep deprivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked again at the towering stack on his desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was only one-and-a-half months’ worth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could imagine the workload Su Nai and Aisha had endured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it also revealed how rapidly Phoenix was developing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You decide on these plans. As for the reports, I’ll review them first,” Gao De said, gesturing to the documents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, the concept of “plans” was his own invention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before, whether in Phoenix or other kingdoms, major projects were decided by rulers impulsively—then gathering nobles for a meeting, often making life-altering decisions on a whim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no schedules, no anticipated problems, no contingency plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything relied on the ruler’s experience, with the attitude of “when you reach the bridge, you’ll figure it out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s “plan” concept was designed to prevent such amateurism, eliminate arbitrary decision-making, and require precise phase divisions with clear timelines and acceptance criteria.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, however, it felt like he had picked up a stone only to drop it on his own foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Present-day Phoenix was flying on multiple wings; new projects arose daily, and the pile of plans was endless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he thought, he lowered his head to scan the reports, learning Phoenix’s current state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being a hands-off manager didn’t mean Gao De did nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, all major decisions and overarching construction strategies still came from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make correct decisions, past experience and knowledge alone were insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes, “adapt to local conditions”; he had to understand Phoenix’s situation intimately to act pragmatically—otherwise, all his ideas would remain mere theoretical talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, even though the content was considerable, Gao De patiently flipped through each volume one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though carrying a hint of resentment, Amy still summarized as concisely and precisely as possible the past one and a half months of Phoenix’s development, so Gao De could grasp the current situation with minimal effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, by the time Gao De finished reading all the reports, nearly an hour had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two waited quietly beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De set down the final report, rubbed his slightly swollen temples, thought for a moment, and said to Amy: “Please ask Minister Flora to join us as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood, Your Highness. I’ll go fetch Minister Flora right away.” Amy rose swiftly and stepped out of Gao De’s office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your work pressure is truly heavy—you really should take a little rest,” Gao De said to Su Nai after Amy left. “Development isn’t something that happens in a few days. Besides, Phoenix currently has no urgent external threats. Slowing the pace isn’t a problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Nai blinked. “Your Majesty, this is precisely the critical period for Phoenix’s construction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no such thing as a ‘critical period’—every day is critical… Even if you’re a fourth-ring mage and don’t need sleep, your mind can’t remain tense forever. Besides, you may not need sleep, but others do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest,” Gao De sighed, seeing Su Nai’s hesitation—he knew the man had heard but chose to ignore him—“we simply don’t have enough capable talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De envisioned an administrative system that was complete and efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior leaders like Su Nai should focus primarily on strategic decision-making, macro-management, and resource coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their main duty should be formulating long-term development strategies and making overarching decisions on major issues—focusing on the big picture, letting go of minor details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But due to the lack of talent in the Northern Region, most departmental affairs were left entirely in the hands of their heads, then piled onto Su Nai alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be frank, Phoenix’s current administrative system is already far more scientific and efficient than those of many noble domains—but it still falls far short of what Gao De desires.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Su Nai is the strongest force in the Northern Region, possessing terrifying supernatural power sufficient to endure such intense workloads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hold on a little longer,” Gao De shook his head. “Once adult education is widely rolled out, we can select outstanding students to intern in various departments, learn through practice, and cultivate Phoenix’s first batch of practical civil servants. Then you’ll all have much lighter loads.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Amy entered the office with Flora, who had also not yet finished her day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting Flora’s inquisitive gaze, Gao De swiftly pulled a cloth bag filled with blood-crystal wheat from his robe, opened it, and upended its contents onto the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crimson grains, like blood, spilled out, and an unusual, fragrant aroma instantly spread through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a special wheat variety from the Holy Empire—blood-crystal wheat. It replenishes Qi and blood; long-term consumption strengthens the body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid Su Nai and Amy’s questioning looks, Gao De first introduced the blood-crystal wheat, then turned to Flora to clarify his intent: “My idea is to crossbreed blood-crystal wheat with cold-resistant wheat, combining their strengths to develop Northwest Wheat No. 2.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2234,"2026-06-19T14:28:50.414Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b1753ac27aad70287655908106c8d98404cea3b1a21970ed2c987a79c8d16aff","above-the-mage-chapter-525","above-the-mage-chapter-523",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]