Translator: AnubisTL
Jieming clutched the deceptively simple Substitute Death Puppet, fighting the urge to immediately begin examining it.
Wizard Noren stood right before him; he couldn't afford to be rude.
As Wizard Noren watched Jieming carefully tuck the puppet away, the look of approval in his eyes deepened.
He spoke slowly. "Everyone's chosen path is different. Sometimes, a seemingly obscure trail may hide unexpected scenery. Since you have chosen this path, commit to it and walk it without wavering. Even the 'Law of Fiction,' when studied to its absolute limit, possesses unfathomable potential."
His words were filled with both encouragement and expectation. A warmth spread through Jieming's chest as he bowed respectfully. "I will keep your teachings in mind, Excellency. I understand."
Wizard Noren said no more, turning to return to his seat of honor.
With his departure, the oppressive atmosphere in the hall lifted, and a low murmur of conversation broke out once again.
Yet, the gazes fixed on Jieming still held a lingering curiosity, sweeping over his position from time to time.
Just as Jieming was about to find a quiet corner to delve back into his spatial knowledge, a silver-gray figure zipped in front of him. It was Viola.
Her beautiful eyes sparkled with intense curiosity as she asked impatiently, "Jieming! Tell me, what are the specific properties of your 'Imaginary Element'? For example, its energy conduction efficiency? Elemental inertness? Affinity for living organisms? Or does it possess some unique phase attributes?"
Jieming was momentarily stunned by her barrage of technical questions. He instinctively asked, "Senior Sister, why are you asking all this?"
Viola wore an "Is that even a question?" expression and replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "To see if it can be used to craft new magic potions, of course! The characteristics of different Imaginary Elements are incredibly diverse. Some can drastically enhance the stability of a potion's effects, others can trigger unknown beneficial mutations, and some can even grant potions temporary Law-like properties! This is the kind of new material we potion masters have been dreaming of!"
As she spoke, she gestured with her eyes to the surrounding crowd. "And I'm not the only one thinking this. Look at them."
Jieming followed her gaze and saw that the wizards nearby, regardless of their seniority, were all stealing glances his way, even as they pretended to be engaged in conversation.
The shock and scrutiny in those gazes had vanished, replaced by a mixture of apprehension, anticipation, and even commercial calculation. There was none of the contempt or disdain Jieming had braced himself for.
He understood immediately.
For these wizards, who transformed knowledge into power, the value of a new "Imaginary Element" with unique properties lay first and foremost in its practicality as a "rare material."
They didn't care if the law was "fictional" or if its combat power was merely average. What mattered was what this new "substance" could be used for in experiments, what spell artifacts it could refine, and what magic potions it could brew!
To these research-crazed wizards, a "supplier" capable of stably producing a special Imaginary Element was potentially more valuable than a mere combat genius.
Realizing this, Jieming felt a wry smile tug at his lips, but he also relaxed considerably.
After a moment's thought, he turned to Viola and said, "Senior Sister, to be honest, my 'Law of Fiction' has only recently taken shape. The 'Imaginary Element' it produces... is still a bit unstable, and its properties are rather... plain. It might not be as miraculous as you're hoping."
He wasn't entirely deflecting.
Though spiritual energy was wondrous, its most basic properties—"nourishing all things" and "energy transformation"—would indeed seem "utterly ordinary" to the well-traveled and knowledgeable wizards. It lacked the raw impact of some of the more extreme Imaginary Elements.
Viola blinked, clearly not entirely convinced. Still, she insisted, "It's fine! Unstable or plain, we need a sample to study it properly! I'll reserve a portion. We can negotiate the price!"
Her words seemed to flip a switch. The other wizards, who had been hesitating on the sidelines, immediately swarmed forward, clamoring to make their own offers:
"Wizard Jieming, I'd like to purchase some for rune base testing..."
"I'm very interested in its energy compatibility. Please, you must sell some to me!"
"Judging by its previous performance, this stuff might have miraculous effects in alchemical catalysis. Count me in!"
Their reasons were all variations of the same theme: even if they didn't yet know its specific uses, a brand-new Imaginary Element "fictionalized" by a rising star was, in itself, of immense research value.
For wizards with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, being presented with an unknown new material and unable to study it was a torment worse than death.
From his high vantage point, Grandmentor Anton Buchanan watched the scene below instantly devolve into a "materials procurement fair." He couldn't help but stroke a non-existent beard—his physical form being that of a child.
He chuckled as he addressed Wizard Noren. "Mentor, I never expected to see someone still delving into the 'Law of Fiction' in this era, let alone cause such a commotion. If I recall, its peak popularity was during your own generation, wasn't it?"
The other high-rank wizards also turned to Wizard Noren, their expressions a mix of nostalgia and curiosity.
Wizard Noren slowly shook his head, correcting him in a calm voice. "Strictly speaking, it reached its zenith during my mentor's era. By my generation, the craze for researching the 'Law of Fiction' had already begun to wane, nearly falling into obsolescence."
Grandmentor Anton Buchanan looked down at Jieming, who was now surrounded by the crowd. A flash of regret crossed his eyes as he sighed.
"A pity. With his talent and temperament, if he had focused on an existing, powerful Law, his future potential would undoubtedly have been far higher. Choosing the path of the 'Law of Fiction' is ultimately... twice the effort for half the result."
The other high-rank wizards also nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with this point of view.
After all, the most brilliant controllers of the Law of Fiction in history seemed to have ultimately fallen short of the heights their innate talent should have allowed them to reach.
However, Wizard Noren merely smiled ambiguously.
His attitude immediately piqued everyone's curiosity. Wizard Augusta couldn't help but ask, "Lord Noren, do you perhaps believe... there is some hidden secret to the 'Law of Fiction'?"
Wizard Noren glanced down at Jieming, who, though surrounded, remained calm and had not been swept away by the flattery.
He then swept his gaze over the surrounding juniors, who were all listening intently, having even temporarily halted their "shopping." He couldn't help but chuckle.
"While it is true that no wizard has ever advanced to the ninth tier purely by relying on the 'Law of Fiction'—then again, those who can advance to the ninth tier are already as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. We cannot completely dismiss a path based on that alone. In fact, the upper limit of the 'Law of Fiction' might not be as low as you all think."
He paused, and under the focused gazes of the crowd, continued, "If one has sufficient ability and good fortune, walking this path to the end might yield even greater rewards, perhaps."
"Oh?" Grandmentor Anton Buchanan's interest was piqued. "Mentor, what makes you say that? Could the 'Law of Fiction' have potential beyond helping us discover unknown True Laws and producing special materials?"
"Naturally," Wizard Noren nodded affirmatively. "Beyond those laws that were ultimately proven to be 'True Discoveries,' history does indeed record some laws that were truly 'fictionalized' into existence. Because they were so useful and irreplaceable, they were passed down and even widely adopted."
His gaze swept across the room, meeting the astonished faces of his students. "In fact, it was precisely because of these successful, immensely valuable 'fictional laws' that the path of the 'Law of Fiction' was once so popular."
"Do such laws truly exist?" Dionysius Spencer couldn't help but ask. As a fate-type wizard, he was exceptionally sensitive to such matters.
Wizard Noren nodded, his tone tinged with a hint of profound meaning. "Not only do they exist, but many branches of the current wizard system are using, and even relying upon, them."
He didn't keep them in suspense, but revealed the answer directly:
"For example—Fate."
"What?!"
"Hiss—!"
The moment he spoke, not only the low- and mid-tier wizards below but even the several seventh-tier wizards present couldn't help but gasp.
Fate! It was actually Fate!
Everyone here knew how eerie, powerful, and unpredictable Fate-type wizards were. Their methods often involved karma, probability, and prophecy, making them impossible to defend against and incredibly treacherous. They were widely recognized as one of the most troublesome factions.
Who could have imagined that the origin of such a powerful and mysterious "Law of Fate" might have been "fictionalized" by some genius wizard or group of them?!
Thinking back carefully, Fate-related knowledge did indeed seem to fit some characteristics of the "Law of Fiction"—it wasn't an element that existed intuitively in the material world like fire, water, earth, or wind, but rather a conceptual law "set up" based on complex calculations, logical deduction, and a highly abstract understanding of the world's operational patterns!
Viola's eyes instantly lit up. She whipped her head around to look at Jieming, her gaze so intense it almost set him on fire. "Could your Imaginary Element also be related to Fate?!"
Jieming's scalp tingled under her intense gaze. He shook his head like a rattle, desperately trying to clarify, "Senior sister! Calm down! I think you're overestimating me! My Imaginary Element has absolutely nothing to do with fate! It's just... just a bit more 'versatile' than most!"
Although spiritual energy indeed had extensions into the realm of fate, Jieming couldn't reveal that so soon. After all, according to his "persona," he was still in the early stages of researching and designing the Law of Fiction.
Seeing his flat denial, the excitement on Viola's face instantly vanished. She let out a disappointed "Oh," and sullenly backed out of the circle.
However, Wizard Noren's earth-shattering explanation had only made the other wizards' gazes burn more fiercely.
Their desire to purchase the "Imaginary Element" Jieming held for research soared to its peak!
Yes!
Jieming is a genius who displayed such astonishing potential at the third-tier wizard stage!
What if... what if this "Imaginary Element" he's tinkering with is eventually proven to be the prototype of some other law with infinite potential, like "fate"?
Investing a little now for research would be a deal that returns a thousandfold!
Even if it turns out not to be, the research value of a new type of Imaginary Element alone would be enough to break even!
In an instant, the "shopping" atmosphere around Jieming became even more fervent.
(End of the Chapter)
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