On a barren stretch of rocky land, where the ground lies cracked and lifeless beneath a pale sky, Kaelan sits quietly atop a mountain peak, his figure still as if he has become part of the landscape itself.
From his body, a faint green light begins to emerge, subtle at first, then gradually expanding outward in a soft, flowing wave filled with vitality and quiet power.
The wave spreads across the mountain, moving like a breath of life over the dead stone, seeping into the cracks and crevices where nothing has grown for countless years.
Beneath the surface, hidden deep within the dry earth, seeds that had long been dormant begin to stir.
They awaken.
Tiny roots push forward.
Sprouts emerge.
As the green wave continues to expand, life follows in its wake.
Grass spreads across the rocky slopes, softening the harsh terrain.
Small plants take root, clinging to the once barren ground.
Vines begin to crawl along the stones, wrapping around them as if reclaiming forgotten territory.
The transformation does not stop there.
It continues outward.
From the mountain, the wave flows into the surrounding land, carrying life with it as greenery spreads further and further, turning what was once a dead, silent region into something vibrant and alive.
At the centre of it all, Kaelan slowly opens his eyes.
The green light fades.
The movement of life settles.
A faint smile appears on his face.
Ten years.
In a single decade, he has comprehended all the known paths of the Law of Life within this world.
Path of Vitality.
Path of Mutation.
Path of Life.
Path of Blood.
Path of Proliferation.
Path of Resonance.
Path of Form.
Path of Symbiosis.
Path of Memory.
Path of Adaptation.
Each one now exists clearly within his understanding, no longer fragmented knowledge, but complete and stable paths within his comprehension.
Yet he knows this is not the end. Kaelan doesn't start right away.
Comprehending the individual paths does not mean he has comprehended the Law of Life itself.
They are only parts.
Fragments.
The true difficulty begins now.
He must combine these paths.
Not simply align them, but fuse them into a unified whole.
And more importantly—
He must integrate them into his Ether Sea.
That is the true challenge.
That is where failure becomes possible.
Kaelan's smile lingers for a moment longer before his gaze steadies, his thoughts already shifting toward the next step on his path.
But before he begins to combine the paths into his physical form—the Ether Sea—another idea rises within him, clear and irresistible.
With his current comprehension of the Law of Life, he realises he now possesses the ability to evolve the crows, to elevate them until they match humans in wisdom and intelligence.
His gaze shifts.
Toward the prisoners lying in stasis.
They remain unchanged.
Yet in his eyes, they are no longer the same.
"Not different… but more," he murmurs inwardly.
In his vision, layers unfold.
Structures reveal themselves.
He sees not just flesh and blood, but the underlying information that defines life itself, patterns and imprints that he had never been able to perceive before.
A thought forms instantly.
Without hesitation, he sends an order to the federation.
Every species within the wizard world is to be brought to him.
From animals to plants.
Only those without cultivation.
Pure.
Unaltered.
He intends to trace life back to its origin.
Using the power of life, Kaelan begins deducing backwards, unravelling the structure of existence step by step.
He starts with humans.
Layer by layer, he deconstructs them.
Their bodies regress.
Muscle fibres simplify.
Organs reduce.
Complex systems unravel into more primitive forms.
Cells lose specialisation.
They become uniform.
Then divide further.
Tissues collapse into clusters.
Clusters into individual cells.
Cells into simpler units.
Structures break apart into the most basic components of life.
Until finally—
Only microorganisms remain.
At this level, life is simple.
Primitive.
Barely more than existence itself.
From here, he reverses the process.
He traces forward.
Microorganisms combine.
Differentiate.
Form complex structures.
Primitive organisms emerge.
Then evolve.
Adapt.
Grow more intricate.
Eventually, the path leads to apes.
Creatures with physical forms close to humans, yet lacking something essential.
Kaelan focuses.
He observes deeper.
Within the genetic structure of these apes, he sees it.
A change.
Not natural.
Not gradual.
An addition.
Something inserted.
The element that gives rise to wisdom.
Intelligence.
The capacity for thought beyond instinct.
He follows this thread.
And concludes.
Humans did not simply evolve.
The World Will intervened.
It orchestrated their birth.
It took the foundation of apes and added the necessary elements, shaping them into beings capable of higher understanding.
When the deduction completes, Kaelan slowly lifts his gaze.
At the foot of the mountain, a figure stands.
Dai Quan.
Behind him stretches a line of specially prepared trains, each carriage sealed carefully, containing various plants and animals collected from across the wizard world.
Kaelan's eyes rest on Dai Quan, and a trace of warmth appears within them.
Dai Quan is a hybrid of the Sound Dolphin Clan and the Giant Shark Clan, a life that should not have survived, yet one Kaelan had personally saved.
"Come up," Kaelan says calmly.
Dai Quan immediately begins his ascent, stepping up the mountain one step at a time with absolute respect.
Though he is a peak Shining Moon Wizard and capable of flight, he does not dare use it here.
Each step is deliberate.
Measured.
Respectful.
When he finally reaches the top and stands before Kaelan, he lowers himself to his knees, his posture humble and respectful, not daring to raise his head in the presence of the one before him.
"Lord," he says with a bowed head, "the first batch of plants and animals has been delivered."
Kaelan looks at him calmly, his expression unchanged, and asks, "First batch?"
Dai Quan's body stiffens slightly as he responds, his voice carrying a trace of unease.
"Lord, forgive us… We were not able to complete the mission."
Kaelan does not show anger.
He already understands the situation.
Without Wizards able to freely enter the Wizard World, gathering every species would take time, and many ordinary creatures dwell in regions dangerous even for Wizard Apprentices.
He asks instead, "Who is responsible for this task?"
Dai Quan answers immediately, "Lord, it is the Golden Flame Wizard."
Kaelan's eyes shift slightly as he recalls the title.
Golden Flame Wizard.
Soraya.
A faint thought passes through his mind.
The federation is clever.
They assigned the task to Soraya, knowing it was troublesome, knowing that even if mistakes occurred, he would not punish her.
And Soraya is just as clever.
She sent Dai Quan to deliver the results.
Kaelan nods lightly.
"Alright, you may stand."
Dai Quan rises, but keeps his head lowered, maintaining his respect.
Kaelan then says, "Dai Quan, I need your help."
Dai Quan responds without hesitation, his tone firm and sincere.
"It is my utmost joy to be of help to you, Lord."
Kaelan chuckles softly, a rare warmth appearing in his voice.
"Dai Quan, I remember when you were a child… You even wet yourself in my lap."
Dai Quan's expression tightens slightly, though he does not lift his head.
"Lord, forgive my transgression… I was young and unable to control myself."
Kaelan shakes his head lightly, dismissing it, and turns his gaze toward the other side of the mountain.
Below, the greenery continues to spread, thriving under the influence of his power, reclaiming land that had long been barren.
He raises his palm.
Earth elemental energy gathers within it.
Then sinks into the ground below.
The land begins to change.
Within a radius of a kilometre, the ground trembles, cracks spreading outward in jagged lines as the rocky surface fractures under an unseen force.
Moments later, the rocks collapse inward.
Pulverized.
Reduced to fine dust.
A vast hollow forms, resembling the basin of a dried lake.
The dust rises into the air.
Then the wind takes it.
It disperses, carried far beyond the horizon until nothing remains.
Without another word, Kaelan steps forward and leaps into the hollow.
As he descends, his form changes.
His true form emerges.
The Ether Sea unfolds.
Silver, radiant liquid fills the entire basin, waves shimmering with an inner light as they spread outward, forming what is now an Ether Lake.
The power within it is immense.
Yet controlled.
Contained.
Kaelan restrains it carefully, ensuring it does not overflow and affect the surrounding land.
His voice echoes from within the lake.
"Dai Quan, throw the plants and animals in, one by one. When one dissolves, throw the next."
Dai Quan nods immediately.
Using his mana, he opens one of the sealed coaches and draws out a dog, its body held firmly within his control.
Without hesitation, he throws it into the Ether Lake.
The moment it touches the surface, it sinks.
Kaelan begins his work.
Within the Ether Sea, the dog's body breaks apart, dissolving layer by layer under his control.
Flesh separates.
Structure unravels.
Information reveals itself.
Kaelan observes everything.
Every detail.
Every pattern.
He searches for the origin of wisdom.
For the source of life within the wizard world.