Chapter 1165: A Brief Interlude, On the Eve of Departure

Beyond the influence on the semi-plane's space-time state within the Ether Interlayer, Root Modification also alters the space-time relationship between the semi-plane and the Elemental Plane.

Take the 【Yellow Sand Semi-Plane】 for example; the Root Modification Xia Duo performed on it was to make its Plane Root possess Water Element affinity through elemental conversion.

This modification causes the space-time level of the semi-plane to become closer to the Water Elemental Plane, and its relative position to other Elemental Planes will also change.

This is merely a preliminary conclusion Xia Duo has reached over this period by recording the changes in the six-dimensional coordinates of fixed positions within the semi-plane.

The space-time of the magic world Universe is completely different from that of the Earth Universe; for instance, two planes might be very close in the Ether Interlayer, yet they could be extremely far apart in terms of their space-time level relative to the Elemental Planes.

Using Earth as an analogy, it is similar to how the Earth and the Moon are very close, but from another perspective, they become very far apart—it is extremely counter-intuitive.

Xia Duo still hasn't quite grasped the relationships within this!

It is more that he has been filling in the blanks himself through the analysis of relevant data; he is not even sure if his conjectures are correct, but as of now, the relationship between planes, the Ether Interlayer, and Elemental Planes is indeed very complex, and it is no big deal if he gets it wrong.

Of course, conjectures based on established facts are unlikely to be too outrageous even if wrong; Xia Duo only worries whether such conjectures might lead his research in the Plane Domain down a wrong path.

However, when the relevant field is nearly a blank slate, detours are almost inevitable. Furthermore, in the long run, detours may not necessarily be unimportant fields for the future.

……

In the Yellow Sand Semi-Plane.

Looking at the slightly moist sand on the ground, Xia Duo felt quite emotional; the effect of the Root Modification was quite good, and since the plane modification began, it has already caused the elemental affinity of the Yellow Sand Semi-Plane's Plane Root to trend toward balance.

Now, as long as the soil environment here is improved a bit more, it can be used for planting, though the results might not even compare to ordinary farmland in the Main Plane.

Xia Duo no longer has the slightest interest in subsequent modifications; even if this place were transformed into an Arcane Garden, what of it?

It is merely a piece of land the size of a basketball court; how high could the yield be?

It might take a hundred years of planting just to recover the cost of the modification.

No, it should be that as long as one proceeds with the Arcane Garden modification, it will be impossible to ever recover the costs, and if one does not modify it, such a small and barren piece of land might not recover the cost of Xia Duo's Root Modification even after a thousand years of planting.

One must know that when Xia Duo was modifying this place, he was using Arcane Energy for Spellcasting; over these twenty-plus days, he has consumed two Standard Arcane Crystals on average every three days.

And calculating by the current market price of nearly 5,000 Gold Coins per Arcane Crystal, these twenty-plus days have consumed a full 100,000 Gold Coins.

For such a small, barren piece of land, there would need to be at least 100 Gold Coins of income every year to recover the costs within a thousand years!

"It looks like it can only be used as a warehouse!"

However, Xia Duo still hesitated at this thought; although this semi-plane is no longer a pristine, original semi-plane, it at least held the title of being "naturally born."

In the future, whether as a research subject or experimental material, it is always better than being a warehouse.

If he really needs a semi-plane warehouse, once he learns how to Create Demiplane, he can have as many as he wants!

Thinking this, Xia Duo quickly exited the Yellow Sand Semi-Plane and closed the Portal. It is foreseeable that he might not come here again for quite some time.

……

After returning to the Tower of Time, Xia Duo did not immediately set about researching how to Create Demiplane, but instead found Niya and invited her to go to Seventon together to watch the Snow Melting Competition.

In the Study on the top floor of the Tower of Time, after hearing Xia Duo's invitation, Niya did not agree immediately, but instead asked with some hesitation:

"Is it okay for both of us to go?"

"Why wouldn't it be? Although the Princess has left, after the avatar incident, could anyone still think she is unable to interfere with the Mortal Plane? Besides, I am now a student of Lord Iolum and a Senior Arcanist myself; who would dare to make things difficult for me, or for us?"

Xia Duo gave Niya a reassuring look and continued: "This time it's not just us; if Uncle Aiboke and Depake want to go, they can come along too. Additionally, I plan to take a few New Mages with us."

"New Mages?" Niya was immediately somewhat puzzled.

The participants in the Snow Melting Competition are all Arcanists on the Netheril side, and all Elite Mages on the Elf side; if Aiboke and Depake were to go watch, that would be one thing.

One is an Arcanist and the other is a High Mage on the path to becoming an Arcanist; they might gain something from watching.

But for those below High Mage rank, it is mostly just watching the excitement; for the New Mages, it goes without saying—having stayed in the Tower of Time without ever going out, they might not even understand the excitement.

Moreover, what Niya cared about more was that she had originally thought Xia Duo had only invited her, but she hadn't expected there to be others, and more people at that, which made her somewhat agitated.

"Why take those New Mages?"

"Of course, it's to broaden their horizons, and it's also a reward for their past time as Apprentices!"

Of course, there is more to it than that; more importantly, it is to let these New Mages come into contact with mages from the outside and the world outside.

Let them have a comparison in their minds, so they know the benefits the Tower of Time provides them and the superiority of the Tower of Time's system, thereby strengthening their sense of belonging to the Tower of Time.

Although these New Mages all come from the Savile Territory, there have been no shortage of mages who left the Savile Territory in the past.

The outside world is not necessarily better, but the unknown is enough to be attractive.

Especially this batch of New Mages cultivated under the new model; they are still young, their minds are mostly not yet mature, and their yearning for the outside world is even stronger.

Without personal contact, without seeing it with their own eyes, and without making personal comparisons, no matter how much one preaches, they will still think there is something better outside.

Once people's hearts are scattered, the team is hard to lead.

Contracts are not omnipotent and can never block a heart that wants to pursue freedom; giving these New Mages appropriate opportunities to come into contact with the outside world is a good choice.

Whether from the perspective of relieving emotions or guiding people's hearts, it is a good choice.

Even if there are a few stubborn ones, it is difficult for them to have a major impact on the mindset of the current members of the Tower of Time. Furthermore, although the contract does not stipulate that one cannot leave, at least pay the breach of contract penalty first.

If they can't afford it, then there's nothing to be done.

Either get on the blacklist of the Lord of Radiance, or don't leave.

……

After listening to Xia Duo's explanation, Niya didn't say anything more, though her mood was still a bit off. Xia Duo didn't know the reason and just assumed Niya wasn't feeling well these past two days. After finishing the business, he left the Study to prepare for tomorrow's trip.