Time slipped by like a fleeting steed, and thirty years passed quietly amidst the conquests of planes.
The Void Plane had now been thoroughly imprinted with the mark of the Wizard Civilization.
Yet, the anticipated resource depletion never came. The fervor of exploitation, far from subsiding, had morphed into a distorted, almost frenzied prosperity.
Thanks to the near-infinite abundance of wind elements, this plane exhibited all manner of astonishing traits.
The vast, boundless space was freed from the shackles of gravity, with all things floating, adding an extra dimension to the explorable regions of the plane.
Even more astounding were the spatial distortion zones, scattered like scars across the plane, continuously birthing new pocket dimensions within.
Each nascent pocket dimension was like an independent ecological bubble, harboring unique resource spectrums and bizarre biological communities, as if they were treasure chests randomly strewn across the cosmos.
It was this near-“regenerative” phenomenon that allowed the wizards, despite thirty years of relentless exploitation, to still not fully unravel the plane’s mysteries.
The floating city of the wizard encampment was no longer what it once was.
It had expanded several times over, resembling a metallic behemoth perched in the void.At the pinnacle of the floating city, the atmosphere churned violently, forming a massive, slowly rotating energy vortex that emitted heart-stopping spatial fluctuations—the World Teleportation Array, on the verge of connection!
This was a project meant to be completed years later, but under the direct intervention of the seventh-level wizard Dionysius Spencer, its progress had been forcibly accelerated.
Such urgency stemmed from the plane’s “wealth” far exceeding expectations, with mountains of accumulated harvests nearly overwhelming the frontline base.
The central plaza, expanded countless times, now resembled a chaotic, sprawling resource distribution hub.
Countless creatures of varied forms—some docile and curled up, others ferociously slamming against their cages—filled the space.
Piles of colorful minerals with diverse energy signatures towered like mountains, alongside indescribable rare resources that shimmered with strange glows or pulsations.
At the plaza’s edge, thick metal chains extended outward, anchoring massive iron cages that floated in the mist beyond the city, packed with living creatures.
Beyond the plane’s rifts, one could even see the opposite Ship Plane, where cages stacked like newborn mountain ranges stretched endlessly.
To sustain the vitality of these precious live specimens, millions of construct puppets shuttled like worker ants through temporary spatial gates daily, carrying valuable spatial artifacts and transporting vast quantities of nutrients from rear bases in what might be the most extravagant “feeding” operation in this world.
The early activation of the World Teleportation Array was like opening a floodgate for a clogged river, allowing a steady stream of resources to be efficiently transported back to the core of the Wizard Civilization, slightly alleviating the storage pressure at the front.
Yet, the wizards plunged into an even more frenzied busyness.
Every wizard moved like a wound-up machine, relentlessly chasing merits and resources.
In this plane, devoid of sixth-level beings to organize resistance, the native forces could only helplessly watch as these “extraterrestrial demons” plundered without restraint.
On this day, a streak of light pierced the thin clouds, approaching the floating city.
It was Jie Ming.
Trailing behind him was a string of massive cages linked by thick iron chains, filled with exotic creatures captured in his latest expedition: some resembled floating jellyfish gleaming with metallic sheen, others appeared as birds formed of pure energy, their cries causing subtle spatial ripples.
Thanks to the gravity-free environment of the Void Plane, he could so “crudely” drag this enormous haul back in one go.
Handing the long string of “spoils” to the alchemy puppets that greeted him, Jie Ming didn’t even bother searching for buyers in the market.
He kept enough research specimens to send to his long-leased warehouse, then sold the rest directly through the magic network terminal to the camp’s officials at a slightly below-market price but with unmatched speed.
It had to be said, Lord Dionysius Spencer’s arrangements were profoundly strategic.
This official reclamation system, though not highly profitable, greatly enhanced the wizards’ operational efficiency, forming a streamlined closed loop that allowed them to dive into the next round of plundering tasks.
Walking through the now-crowded streets of the floating city, Jie Ming slowed his pace, silently observing his surroundings.
The clamor filled his ears, with wizards of all forms hurrying about, their energy fluctuations intertwining.
At the bulletin boards, wizards constantly accepted tasks, some loudly recruiting temporary teammates on the spot.
After brief negotiations, they signed soul contracts, formed squads, and shot out as streaks of light through the floating city’s protective barrier, vanishing into the vibrant depths of the plane.
The unrestrained plundering of these thirty years had yielded undeniable results.
The Wizard Civilization’s terrifying resource digestion and conversion capabilities, akin to those of an insect swarm, were on full display.
Jie Ming clearly remembered that in the early days of the expedition, over 98% of the team consisted of first- and second-level wizards, with third-level wizards being exceedingly rare.
Now, strolling through the streets, the presence of third-level wizards was almost commonplace, their proportion likely approaching a third of the total!
At this point, Jie Ming also understood why the Wizard Civilization divided wizard training into logistics and combat systems.
The logistics system boasted greater strength but required higher aptitude and progressed more steadily—or rather, slowly.
The combat system, while less powerful at the same level, had a unique training method that allowed for rapid resource absorption and conversion, enabling swift advancement and immediate combat prowess with sufficient resources.
The logistics system was indeed the elite force, but the combat system was far from mere cannon fodder.
Of course, behind the glory lay brutal elimination.
Over these thirty years, more than one in ten wizards had perished for various reasons—spatial traps, frenzied creatures, or even betrayal by companions—forever lost in this alien land.
Though most of these newly promoted third-level wizards lacked sufficient knowledge to fully wield their power, the sheer numbers and influx of new blood ensured the expeditionary force’s overall strength not only held but grew.
Gazing at this bustling, vibrant, and greed-filled scene, a lingering doubt gnawed at Jie Ming’s heart.
Such reckless plundering inflicted fundamental harm on the Void Plane.
Without exaggeration, even if Wizard Dionysius Spencer intended to release the acquired creatures back after the war, the plane’s ecosystem would take centuries, if not millennia, to recover.
For a Wizard Civilization known for “sustainable overexploitation,” such near-destructive behavior seemed shockingly wasteful and out of character.
“The only explanation…” Jie Ming’s gaze drifted to the increasingly distinct vortex of the World Teleportation Array at the floating city’s peak, his mind whispering, “Lord Spencer’s true goal for this expedition holds value far beyond a single plane.”
Recalling Spencer’s cryptic remark from years ago about a “pre-dinner dessert,” Jie Ming could grasp the implication.
Yet, he still couldn’t fathom what kind of existence or object could outweigh the long-term gains of an entire prosperous plane.
“Even if it’s another, more valuable plane, it makes no sense to completely abandon this one, which is already under preliminary control… unless the ‘target’ isn’t another plane but something that, once obtained, renders these ‘ordinary’ resources irrelevant?” Jie Ming’s thoughts churned but were quickly suppressed.
He knew well that the schemes and vision of a seventh-level wizard were far beyond his current level to question or comprehend.
Idle speculation was futile.
After browsing the temporary stall area in the plaza, purchasing a few rare crystalline minerals with unique energy structures and biological specimens with suspected special abilities, Jie Ming returned to his temporary residence for a brief day of rest, organizing his recent gains and insights.
Then, he reopened the magic network terminal, skillfully browsing the task list.
Soon, a task titled “Investigate the anomalous energy source in the newly discovered large spatial fold ‘Eye of the Storm’” caught his attention.
The task carried a high risk rating but offered substantial merit rewards, with hints of potential unrecorded rare species or unique rule phenomena.
Without much hesitation, Jie Ming accepted the task.
Moments later, a streak of light shot out from the floating city, plunging fearlessly into the vast expanse of the plane.