Age of Adepts

According to the grade division of the adepts, the adepts could be divided into the First through Ninth Grade.

However, if one were to sort the adepts based on the power level that they commanded, they would find that low-grade adepts only had mastery over elementium powers. It wasn't until the adepts reached Fourth Grade, and their mastery over a certain force had reached its limit, that they could possess the power of laws.

From that day onwards, Fourth Grade adepts could change their title from 'Elementium Adept' to 'Principle Adept'!

The difference in power between elementium and principles was so significant that they couldn't even be compared on the same level.

At the very least, within a plane, the power of principles and laws was a powerful force that could compare with divine power.

If an adept had mastered elementium power, they would be able to gather wandering magical elementium around them through the use of Spirit when casting a spell. That would allow them to increase the might and effects of the spell. At this moment, the relationship between adepts and elementium particles was like the relationship between a suitor and the one being pursued. What mattered was the synergy and chemistry between the two parties. Harmony and co-existence were most crucial.

However, once they had mastered the power of the laws, an adept's relationship with the elementium particles would turn into that of master and servant. The elementium particles would move at every command, incapable of going against the will of their master.

Furthermore, above the power of laws, there was an even more fearsome power of domains!

Once an adept had achieved the utmost mastery over the power of laws, they would be able to use this power to weave a space of power around them that was completely subject to their control. The strength of such an area of power naturally had everything to do with the adept's mastery over their laws of choice, the depth of their understanding over these laws, and the number of laws that they understood.

Such adepts were often referred to as 'Great Adepts'!

The main reason Great Adepts had such immense trouble entering plane worlds was due to their own space of power experiencing irreconcilable clashes with the planar laws of the plane worlds. These conflicting differences caused the Great Adepts to be rejected by all plane worlds, leaving them with no choice but to create small plane worlds of their own to reside within.

Of course, above the power of domains, there seemed to exist a sort of higher, more mysterious power!

Greem had only heard adepts speak and gossip of such a power, but he had never been able to verify the truth of its existence.

Of what nature this power was, and how it functioned, Greem had absolutely no idea. Even though he had scoured all the magical tomes and ancient books he could find, he still had not managed to find even a mention of such power.

It was rumored that this power was something that only Great Adepts of the Ninth Grade could possess. Even among adepts, it was said that there were only three such individuals.

As a bright yellow flame blazed across his body, all remaining ashes vanished during the crackling of flames. Greem was still maintaining his fire person form when he emerged from the cave.

Outside the cave, the five-meter-tall magma body of the Flame Fiend was still as eye-catching as ever. A small pile of gemstones rested beside it upon the scorched, black earth.

Greem's eye had just swept toward the gemstones, and the colorful and brilliant magical auras immediately attracted him.

Though 99.99999% of the composition of substance in the Fire Elementium Plane was fire elementium of various states, this didn't mean that the plane was void of all other elementium particles.

It was just that all other substances would burn to cinders within this singular plane world where fire elementium held the absolute uncontested dominant position. The decomposed elementium particles would either be expelled from the plane world or be forced together and compressed by the harsh environments. This process caused them to turn into high-quality elementium crystals and magical gemstones.

Such treasures would have had all of their impurities burned away by the environment of the Fire Elementium Plane. The elementium particles within these crystals were hundreds of times denser than gemstones in ordinary plane worlds.

As such, elementium crystals and gemstones found in elementium planes were all of the highest-quality that could hardly be found in the world. Of course, their price in the World of Adepts was proportional to their rarity. These crystals were necessary materials for high-grade adepts who wished to construct powerful magical arrays.

Greem walked forward and searched through the pile of crystals, but he did not find another Essence of Fire. Instead, he discovered plenty of elementium crystals. Most of these were of earth elementium.

Greem did a simple assessment based on what he saw, and he estimated that this pile of treasure would be worth a minimum of two hundred thousand magical crystals if brought back to the World of Adepts. It also meant that he had successfully earned a small adept's tower after only a single month in the Fire Elementium Plane.

Thinking back to the past when he was still a First Grade adept, ten and twenty thousand magical crystals had been enough to drive him to join the ranks of the plane invaders with no concern for his own life. However, now that he had become a Second Grade adept, obtaining ten times the number of magical crystals than what he had once coveted seemed like no more than an inconsequential dream. He was as calm and composed as ever.

Greem quickly put the treasures into his pouch and recalled the beginner fire golems he had sent out. The only managed to retrieve forty of the one hundred fire golems he had sent out. The rest of them had all been lost upon this burning plain.

Once again, Greem had the impulse to establish a magical laboratory within this Fire Elementium Plane!

Perhaps it was only then that he could deal with the lack of adept resources here and convert the materials he had gathered into actual power that he could command.

When that happened, Greem would easily be able to turn the laboratory into his personal golem processing factory with the inexhaustible magical materials of the Fire Elementium Plane and the systemic knowledge and techniques of the World of Adepts. He could establish his golem army at a far quicker pace and with far more stability.

However, while the thought itself was a brilliant one, many difficult problems still had to be solved in the process of realizing this idea.

What stood before Greem's way currently was his immense lack of understanding of the Fire Elementium Plane. He wasn't familiar with the geography or the distribution of the fire natures here.

If his identity was exposed, the Fire Lords and Fire Kings here could probably wipe out all he had worked for with a wave of their hands, like crumbling a sand castle.

As such, before he could guarantee his own safety, Greem had best first figure out where to establish the small magical laboratory!

After wiping away all traces of himself here, Greem unsummoned the Flame Fiend and once again started on the journey of finding that Fire Lord.

…………

World of Adepts, Fire Throne.

Gargamel was extremely troubled.

Right now, he was anxiously pacing in front of the teleportation room. Anxiety, frustration, and anger were piled upon his wrinkled old face, making him appear even more elderly than he was.

"Alright, alright. Father; you've been managing this tower for dozen of years at the very least. Why can't you remain composed even after all these years? You've already clearly reflected the problem that the tower is facing to the higher-ups. Even if that irresponsible clan leader returns from the other world, he has no reason or excuse to blame or fault you. I really don't know what you are so frustrated over." His daughter, Emelia, who had already grown into a pretty teenage girl, stood by the side, her face full of disdain. Not a trace of urgency could be seen on her relaxed face.

"Different. This is different!"

Gargamel was still winding around the same spot irritatedly.

"The master has only been gone for a month, yet something so major has popped up over here at the tower. As the majordomo, I am fully responsible. Sadly, who knows where he's gone this time. I can't contact him at all. Cough. I have already sent news of the situation here to the Fate Witches and the White Tower. I just don't know whether they can send some powerful individuals to deal with the situation here. Cough..."

"Hmph! What does the terrible situation here have to do with us? The one stirring up trouble on the outside right now is a Third Grade vampire. Can we even deal with such a powerful adept with the strength of our adept's tower? If the master dares to say something bad about you when he comes back, I'll make sure he gets it." It might have been a few years since Emelia turned into a First Grade adept, and her appearance might be that of a teenage girl, but if one were to keep count, they would find that her true age was no more than seven years old.

Her exceptional talent and brilliant mind allowed her to master profound and mystic magical knowledge easily, but the complexities of interrelational dynamics between adepts was not something that she could so quickly understand with a bit of intelligence.

Thus, Gargamel could only sigh at her words of 'consolation.'

While the father and daughter pair remained silent, white light shimmered within the teleportation room. An overwhelming spatial flux gradually began to fill the room. The mysterious array hidden beneath the floorboards slowly appeared as powerful magical energy was injected into it. The room was illuminated a brilliant white, making it impossible to stare directly at the source of the light.

Someone was teleporting!

The father and daughter were initially surprised, but that quickly turned into joy. They rushed toward the entrance of the teleportation room and silently waited for the teleportation to end.

As the powerful spatial fluctuations clashed with each other within the teleportation room and vanished, a powerful white light flashed at the center of the array. One could vaguely see several towering figures emerge.

Once the white light had faded, Mary stepped out in her red crystal heels. Behind her were two blood knights in eye-catching armor and capes, along with two seductive and slender blood elves.

Behind the blood elves were the tall and ferocious Dragonborn Zacha and Goblin Mechanic Tigule, who was in skintight leather armor.

Seven Second Grades!

The reinforcements were actually seven Second Grades!

For the first time, Gargamel felt a sense of relief.

"I need to know the situation here immediately. You had best give me a detailed report now!" Mary solemnly said as she strode toward the magical hall.

"Yes, yes, of course. I'll give my report now." Gargamel immediately followed after Mary.

Emelia pouted disdainfully and had no choice but to follow after the group.