Indeed, Gandalf finally saw Zhong Shenxiu, saw the smile that he could never forget for the rest of his life.

He... how could he be here?

His already bewildered mind was now even more confused!

Gandalf held complex feelings for Zhong Shenxiu. Though he was still quite afraid of him, he no longer disliked him. The reason was simple: the gift Zhong Shenxiu had given him had given Gandalf an entirely new perspective on him, even shaking his core worldview and values!

He had always thought Zhong Shenxiu was a selfish, domineering, and unreasonable little devil, but after receiving that gift, he realized that aside from playing pranks, Zhong Shenxiu was actually quite generous—at least the gift he received could be considered a priceless treasure!

Perhaps some readers are wondering: what exactly was this gift?

In truth, the gift had no special name. It was something Zhong Shenxiu had specifically refined for Gandalf. It was a palm-sized disc containing five formations, all of which were Tier Ten or higher.

These five formations served five distinct purposes: Defense, Restriction, Cultivation, Healing, and Offense!

As the purposes of "Defense," "Offense," and "Healing" are self-explanatory from their names, we will not dwell on them. We will briefly introduce the other two functions.

First, let's discuss "Restriction." This can be seen as a type of barrier, whose function is to limit an enemy's movements, trapping them within the formation.

As for the "Cultivation" function, it is also easy to understand. Deploying this formation doubles the effects of "Meditation" and can rapidly replenish Mana. It was modified by Zhong Shenxiu based on the "Spirit Gathering Formation"!

Of course, the true marvel of this disc wasn't limited to these functions; otherwise, Gandalf wouldn't have been so agitated back then!

Its true brilliance lay in the speed with which the formations could be released—requiring only a single thought to activate—and the fact that the mental energy consumed was not limited by magical attributes, making it an absolute treasure for any mage!

With this magical artifact, even if Gandalf faced a Saint Magus, he could secure an easy victory. That is why he named it the "Sai Sheng"!

After standing stunned for about two minutes, Gandalf suddenly flinched. The reason was simple: he saw Zhong Shenxiu wave at him!

A habit long ingrained suddenly resurfaced. Gandalf dared not delay, scurrying over with a quick trot, and positioned himself respectfully before Zhong Shenxiu.

"You... you're here," Gandalf offered, struggling slightly for conversation. To be honest, his heart was conflicted; he was both afraid to see Zhong Shenxiu and eager to see him.

He had pondered more than once that the artifact Zhong Shenxiu gave him must have been compensation for some loss inflicted upon him. Although Zhong Shenxiu hadn't explicitly stated it, Gandalf could sense it!

However, the artifact was too valuable. Even if Gandalf were extorted and bullied by Zhong Shenxiu a hundred more times, it wouldn't cover the artifact's worth!

It was precisely because of this that Gandalf’s assessment of Zhong Shenxiu had changed. He felt that staying near this little devil wasn't so bad after all. One could witness miracles happening constantly and even have the fortune to obtain such an incredible artifact. Tell me, what better deal existed in this world?

This thought occurred to Gandalf only after returning to the "City of Dream's Eve." He had been hesitating about whether he should go back to find Zhong Shenxiu and the others.

In truth, Gandalf harbored another idea. After obtaining the "Sai Sheng" artifact, he felt he had gained a massive advantage and owed Zhong Shenxiu a great deal, always wishing for an opportunity to repay him, if only to ease his conscience.

Man proposes, but heaven disposes. He never expected to meet Zhong Shenxiu here again. Despite Gandalf's vast experience, he found it almost unbelievable—it felt like fate had orchestrated this encounter!

Zhong Shenxiu didn't speak immediately. He first took Gandalf in with a long look before asking, "What are you doing here?"

Gandalf hid nothing, explaining why he had come to this place and his curiosity about those two potions.

However, he didn't expect that as soon as he finished speaking, a smile once again curved the corner of Zhong Shenxiu's mouth.

"Those two potions you mentioned? I made them!" Zhong Shenxiu seemed to be teasing Gandalf, or perhaps there was some deeper meaning.

"What?" Gandalf's eyes widened upon hearing this.

Zhong Shenxiu offered no explanation but followed up with words that would startle Gandalf even more: "Hey, old man, interested in working for me?"

This sentence struck Gandalf dumb, leaving him momentarily unable to process the meaning of Zhong Shenxiu's words!

Seeing that he didn't answer, Zhong Shenxiu didn't rush him. Instead, he said lightly, "You can think this over carefully. Tell me your answer when you've decided." Then, Zhong Shenxiu recited the address where he was currently staying.

Having concluded his business, Zhong Shenxiu lingered no longer, leaving with Kaynee and Robin.

Gandalf remained foolishly rooted to the spot, only snapping out of it when Zhong Shenxiu’s words echoed in his ears.

Time slipped by, and two more days passed.

Today, Norwin and his classmates embarked on their journey back to school.

As for the "Stay-at-Home Magic and Martial Arts Academy," its official opening was only five or six days away. Lis and Angelia, considering that Zhong Shenxiu would be teaching there, had already completed their enrollment procedures. Their request was simple: they only hoped Zhong Shenxiu would be their assigned instructor!

Let's look at the sales performance of the potions Zhong Shenxiu had refined. Although it had only been two days, they had already brought Zhong Shenxiu tens of millions of Diamond Coins in revenue—an undeniably huge sum! Of course, such excellent income was partly due to the miraculous nature of the potions, and partly due to the strong operational abilities of Faraday and his partner!

However, Zhong Shenxiu used all this money to construct the "Dark Guild." He was certain that the current investment would yield even greater returns for him!

Stanley and Faraday were now incredibly busy. They weren't just selling potions and devising marketing strategies; they were also overseeing the construction of the "Dark Guild." They barely had time to rest, let alone attend to matters concerning the "Undead Association"!

But they harbored no complaints; in fact, they seemed quite pleased, knowing that their efforts would be rewarded, and Zhong Shenxiu would never treat them unfairly!

Compared to their frantic pace, Zhong Shenxiu appeared much more relaxed. For the past two days, he had confined himself to his room, studying "Spatial Magic." His primary focus was the "Teleportation Array" within spatial magic!

His curiosity about the "Teleportation Array" stemmed from his desire to establish one between his "Pharmaceutical Factory" and the soon-to-be-completed "Dark Guild." This would save countless hassles!

While spatial magic is complex and profound, Zhong Shenxiu had gained some insight after these two days of study. He was currently optimizing the design in his mind. Once this stage of refinement was complete, he could begin testing, and then put it into practical use!

It should be noted that setting up a "Teleportation Array" using conventional methods required consuming large amounts of Magic Crystals and had numerous restrictions, which was not what Zhong Shenxiu wanted. His true objective was to enable his "Skeleton Warriors" to utilize the "Teleportation Array" as well. This way, the finished potions could be transported directly, leaving him only to wait for the money to roll in!

As for Gandalf, who had parted ways with Zhong Shenxiu that day, he had been tirelessly contemplating Zhong Shenxiu's proposal, reaching a state where he neither ate nor slept well.

He was now facing a crucial decision. If he said "Yes," he would face many unknowns. If he said "No," he would lose an opportunity that could change his entire life. Which choice to make truly stumped him.

Finally, his gaze settled upon the "Sai Sheng" artifact. He just stared at it quietly. Suddenly, he felt the blood in his chest begin to surge, as if something was calling to him.

One thought surfaced in his mind at that very moment: How many times in life does one get a real chance to gamble? What harm is there in betting on himself for once?

The problem that had troubled him for two days was finally resolved at this instant. He had made his decision!

Fearing any change of heart, Gandalf immediately sought out the address Zhong Shenxiu had given him.

At that moment, Angelia and Lis were sparring. When she inadvertently glanced toward the entrance, she lost focus and was nearly struck by Lis's sword.

"Senior Sister!" Lis cried out in alarm. If he hadn't retracted his blade so quickly...

Angelia broke out in a cold sweat, but she ignored Lis and walked toward the door.

Following her gaze, they saw Gandalf standing there, looking utterly lost.

Angelia's expression clearly froze. She hadn't expected to see Gandalf, with whom she had spent so much time, in this location, and she couldn't help but wonder about the purpose of his visit.

While Lis and Shalo stood there stunned, Angelia approached and exchanged a few words with Gandalf.

Subsequently, Gandalf was seen offering a look of gratitude before Angelia walked toward Zhong Shenxiu's room.

She knocked lightly on the door and announced, "Grand Magus Gandalf has arrived."

The door opened, and Robin peered out. She glanced at Angelia standing by the door, then called out to Gandalf, "The Master wants to see you!"

When Gandalf entered the room, he appeared excessively fearful and uncertain of what to say.

"Have you decided?" Zhong Shenxiu cut straight to the point.

"Yes, I accept your proposal." Gandalf forced himself to remain calm.

Zhong Shenxiu smiled, then turned to Robin, "Robin, take him to find those two old men. Tell them I've found them an assistant."

Robin nodded enthusiastically; she loved it when Zhong Shenxiu gave her tasks!

Gandalf, however, looked completely bewildered, wondering internally: Are there other old men besides me?