Chapter 617

Gao Jie Ming acted exceptionally quickly.

After all, the matters of the Purgatory Sulfur plane had long been arranged properly.

After being promoted to Void Refinement perfection, he spent quite a bit of time stabilizing his realm, sorting out the cave heaven in his body, and optimizing the operation efficiency of the Incense God Dao.

All preparations that could be done in advance had been finished, and he could leave at any time.

Gao Jie Ming walked to the teleportation array and entered the plane identification code in the mission details.

Spatial fluctuations swallowed him instantly.

When the scene in front of him became clear again, Gao Jie Ming was stunned for a moment.

He stood on a huge teleportation platform, with a translucent glazed ground under his feet, inside which countless tiny light spots were flowing slowly, like a solidified galaxy.

The platform hovered in mid-air, without any support structure around it, yet it was as stable as a rock.

And the world outside the platform was so beautiful it didn't seem real.

This was a "miniature" plane.

Gao Jie Ming quickly realized the meaning of this word.

It was not that the plane itself was small, but that all things in this plane presented an extremely exquisite "miniaturized" feature.

The undulating terrain in the distance was like a carefully carved bonsai, the proportions of mountains and rivers were just right, and every tree and every flower seemed to have been sized by the Creator, presenting perfect visual balance.

The sky was a pale amber color, without a sun, yet there was soft light everywhere, illuminating the entire plane.

The air was filled with faint floral fragrance, the temperature was suitable, the humidity was just right, and even the speed of the wind seemed gentle.

Gao Jie Ming's spiritual sense spread out, perceiving the ecological structure of this plane, and the more he perceived, the more shocked he became.

Perfect closed loop.

This was an ecologically self-sufficient world.

Energy input, material circulation, life reproduction... all links were precise to the degree of a mathematical formula.

Not a trace of waste, not a place of redundancy, every element was in the position it should be, playing the role it should play.

This did not look like a naturally formed plane.

This was more like a work of art.

"Miniature Glazed Garden..." Gao Jie Ming remembered the name in the mission description and felt this term couldn't be more appropriate.

Light flickered on the teleportation platform one after another, and new figures appeared constantly.

Gao Jie Ming observed the surroundings calmly.

The first batch of wizards gathered in twos and threes, some talking in low voices, some closing their eyes to rest, and some observing this plane like him.

His gaze swept over the energy fluctuations on those wizards, and his heart sank slightly.

Level 6.

Level 6.

Still Level 6.

Looking at it, the wizards who could teleport here at this time were basically all high-tier existences above Level 6.

The energy fluctuations on them were so rich they almost condensed into substance; some people didn't even need to deliberately release pressure, just standing there, the surrounding elements would involuntarily lean toward them.

Gao Jie Ming looked down at himself.

Level 5.

In this circle, his rank appeared exceptionally glaring.

But thinking about it, he was relieved.

This time, grabbing the quota was about reaction speed; he relied on the information processing capability of the Fate system and the extreme reaction speed of the true body to stand out among many competitors.

With these two things superimposed, his nerve reflexes were not slower than Level 6 existences, and even faster in some aspects.

But other wizards didn't know these.

They only knew that a Level 5 wizard grabbed a quota and stood here.

Gao Jie Ming could feel that there was more scrutiny in the gazes cast around.

Those high-tier wizards looked at him very subtly, neither contempt nor hostility, but a cautious sizing up, as if evaluating an item of uncertain value.

Wizards are all smart people.

They knew very well that those who could come to this teleportation platform were all people who had grabbed the quota for real.

For a Level 5 wizard to kill his way out of so many Level 6 or even Level 7 competitors, it was either luck to the extreme or there were unknown trump cards.

And in this circle, "good luck" is often a manifestation of strength.

Gao Jie Ming's expression didn't change, standing quietly in place, letting those gazes sweep over him.

He didn't deliberately hide his level, nor did he take the initiative to release any pressure to prove anything.

On such an occasion, any extra action is a deduction item.

The flickering frequency of the light on the teleportation platform began to drop.

Most of the quota holders had arrived.

These people stood loosely, keeping a subtle distance from each other, forming social circles of various sizes.

He didn't join any of them, but chose a position close to the edge of the platform, which could see the entire platform without appearing isolated.

Just then, a figure appeared in the center of the platform.

There was no fluctuation, just as if that face and that body had always been there, just covered by some force before, and only now allowed to appear.

"Void Weaver" Auston.

Level 8 Great Wizard.

Gao Jie Ming's pupils shrank slightly, his spiritual sense instinctively converging to the extreme.

Facing an existence of this level, as the most basic courtesy, he didn't use spiritual sense to perceive the other party, just using the most basic five senses to observe.

Auston's appearance looked like a middle-aged man, slender, ordinary-looking, wearing a dark grey wizard robe without any decoration.

His hair was silver-grey, combed meticulously, and his eyes were a very pale blue, like diluted sky.

But what really made Gao Jie Ming care was that, unlike other Level 8 wizards he had seen, he couldn't perceive the existence of this person at all.

Auston was clearly standing on the platform, no more than tens of meters away from him, but Gao Jie Ming couldn't capture any information about this person.

No, it was more thorough than that.

"Power projection, or a clone?" Gao Jie Ming thought in his heart, "Looks like there's something he can't get away from for the time being."

The power level of a Level 8 wizard is there; unless there is a specialized concealment-type law or deliberate concealment, it is absolutely impossible for his presence to reach this effect.

Gao Jie Ming couldn't even confirm if Auston was looking at him.

That person's eyes were as flat as a cup of water, without any focus, yet as if watching everyone present at the same time.

"Gentlemen."

Auston spoke.

The voice was not loud, but it clearly entered the ears of every wizard present, just like he was standing by your ear speaking.

The platform quieted down instantly.

"Thank you all for responding to my bounty." Auston's tone was very flat, without politeness or greetings, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself, "Before explaining the mission, I need to confirm one thing..."

He paused, his pale blue eyes sweeping across the audience.

"You should all have noticed that my plane is relatively... exquisite. In the following mission, I hope you can keep this in mind."

This was said lightly, but Gao Jie Ming keenly captured the warning implied within.

Auston didn't say more, but a Level 8 Great Wizard standing there was the strongest deterrent in itself.

No one would be stupid enough to go wild in the private plane of a Level 8 existence.

"Now, talk about business."

Auston raised his hand and waved, and a huge three-dimensional projection appeared above the platform, showing the structure of a certain plane.

"A few years ago, when I was conquering a plane, an accident occurred."

He said it lightly, but Gao Jie Ming didn't feel it was really that easy for something that a Level 8 Great Wizard would describe as an "accident."

"That plane was pierced by me with a gap, which should have repaired itself quickly. But in the extremely short time the gap existed, several special rule phenomena penetrated over and infected my... back garden."

When Auston said the word "back garden," Gao Jie Ming clearly felt his tone change.

If he was stating the mission background in a business-like manner before, then when mentioning the "back garden," this Level 8 Great Wizard finally revealed a hint of... heartache.

"This is the plane we are currently in."

Auston's gaze swept across the crowd, his tone still flat, but what was hidden under that flatness made all the wizards present tighten their minds involuntarily.

"What I want you to do is to find those special rule phenomena that penetrated over and solve them, without damaging this plane and without affecting the normal survival of the creatures on the plane."

The projection screen switched, showing several twisted, weird forms that were difficult to describe in words.

Those things had no fixed shape, their colors constantly changing outside the visible spectrum; just looking at the projection, Gao Jie Ming felt his spiritual sense itching slightly.

"These special rule phenomena are specialties of the plane I am currently conquering. They have a deep connection with laws and can be viewed as 'activated pathological rules' to a certain extent."

"According to the naming of the local natives, this special phenomenon is called 'weirdness'."

Auston's explanation was concise and precise.

"They themselves have research value—this is one of your rewards. The weirdness you solve can be kept as war loot. Besides that, after the mission is completed, I will open the entrance to that weird plane, and you can go there to capture, process, and study those weirdnesses without destroying the overall structure of the plane."

Gao Jie Ming felt the air around him stirring slightly.

For wizards... especially high-tier wizards, the attraction of an unknown special existence that has a deep connection with laws is irresistible.

Wizards are researchers and seekers of knowledge in their bones; facing unknown law phenomena, the urge to solve the mystery is almost engraved in the soul of every wizard.

"However."

These two words from Auston were said very lightly, but they were like a basin of cold water poured on everyone's enthusiasm.

"I have three restrictive conditions."

He held up a finger.

"First, do not cause large-scale damage to my plane. The flowers, plants, trees, mountains, and rivers here were all carefully cultivated by me for a long time. Whoever blows a hole in my garden..."

He didn't say what the consequences were, just smiled faintly.

That smile made the wizards present collectively silent for a moment.

"Second, a large number of ordinary people live on this plane. In the process of solving the weirdness, you must preserve their survival as much as possible. I do not accept reports of large-scale civilian casualties."

Auston's tone became more serious here.

"I know that you present may have become accustomed to letting go on the battlefield, but this is not a battlefield; this is my home."

"Those ordinary people, although they have no power, are still citizens of wizard civilization. If a large number of civilians die because of your actions, you won't even need me to take action; the public contract will make you unable to eat and walk around."

This was said bluntly, but no wizard present raised an objection.

Public contracts are not a joke.

That is the bottom-line rule that wizard civilization has maintained for countless years, and any violator will face sanctions.

Even a Level 8 Great Wizard would not dare to challenge the authority of the public contract.

"Third." Auston held up his third finger, "Considering the first two restrictions, your output energy level in the mission will be significantly restricted."

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Gao Jie Ming immediately felt an invisible force envelop the entire plane.

That seemed to be a kind of... "constraint."

It was like putting up a "no noise" sign in a room; it wasn't pressing you to the ground and not letting you move, but letting you understand yourself that some things cannot be done here.

"Specifically, any single wizard spell output exceeding the Level 3 limit will be automatically intercepted by the rules I set." Auston explained, "Of course, I hope you understand that this is not targeting anyone, but to protect this plane."

A low discussion sounded on the platform.

Gao Jie Ming could understand the reactions of those high-tier wizards.

For existences accustomed to "law washing, evaporating continents," limiting the output to below Level 3 is like letting a pilot accustomed to driving a star-destroyer suddenly use tweezers to pick up ants.

Suffocating.

Very suffocating.

But looking at this unrealistically beautiful miniature glazed garden plane, and looking at the Level 8 Great Wizard standing there, no one dared to say a "no."

Gao Jie Ming didn't feel anything.

It could even be said that the output energy level being restricted was more favorable to him.

Those high-tier wizards accustomed to big movements, even if they used modified physical power, would be extremely uncomfortable and would be tied up.

And thanks to the cultivation system, Gao Jie Ming was better at controlling himself, which allowed him to exert his advantages.

Auston waited for a few seconds, letting the wizards digest this information, before continuing.

"If you have no objections, the mission starts now. I will send the detailed map of this plane to your private channels, and the suspected areas of weird phenomena have been marked. You can form teams freely or act alone. War loot belongs to the discoverer; I don't take a cut."

He paused, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, revealing the first "smile" that was close to a smile.

"Good luck to you all."

As soon as the voice fell, the wizards on the platform dispersed.

Some formed teams and left immediately, some turned into streamers and flew to the distance alone, and some stood in place unhurriedly studying the map.