Do you want to spar with me?

The half-setting sun half-hidden in the clouds coated the city's iron forest with a layer of golden sheen, and the wind blew the clouds until they looked like ripples on a water surface. As the sun gradually set, the evening glow became the most brilliant splash of color at the boundary between day and night.

On the rooftop, the terrace.

The glass table, rattan chairs, and lounge chairs that Cheng Yun had envisioned were all in place, and the remaining two pavilion umbrellas that could block the sun and rain would arrive at the latest by tomorrow.

Yet the terrace environment remained a barren wasteland.

The washing machine had run for the whole day, washing probably about half of the youth hostel's bed sheets and duvet covers. They hung on steel wires strung across the terrace, fluttering slightly with the evening breeze in a scene somewhat reminiscent of footage from certain old-fashioned movies.

Cheng Yun stood right in the middle of the numerous sheets and duvet covers, continually performing punching motions, sometimes fast and sometimes slow.

Heroine Yin sat in a rattan chair, her elbows resting on the glass table and supporting her chin, staring listlessly at his punches like a parent supervising a child's homework.

After a long while—

"Hoo!"

Cheng Yun let out a long breath, stopped, and said, "I always feel like punching like this has no soul."

"What's wrong?"

"Hitting out is just air! It doesn't land on anything solid!"

"Buy a punching bag then," Heroine Yin said. "Don't tell me you actually want to spar with me?"

"No, no, no!" Cheng Yun hurriedly denied, "I actually thought about buying a punching bag, but I figured I'll have to get a gym membership in the future anyway, so why spend my own money to buy one! Besides, the rooftop is so spacious, buying a punching bag would mean putting up a stand!"

"I can't tell that you're quite thrifty!"

"Uh..." Cheng Yun felt a bit awkward, then asked, "How am I doing? Coach Yin."

"From Teacher Yin to Coach Yin, huh..." Heroine Yin muttered to herself, then said, "Putting aside your limp punching force, you're actually doing quite well! Given that the people in your world are all this weak, I think you can already be considered very good! If things go on like this, in a few days I can consider letting you transition from simple punching to refining offensive techniques, and after a few more days, perhaps I can teach you defensive postures and evasive footwork."

"Really?" Cheng Yun suddenly grew somewhat excited, as if becoming a martial arts master was just around the corner.

From seven in the evening until ten, Cheng Yun almost didn't rest. He kept practicing his punches, throwing them continuously, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, constantly searching for the feel and correcting his posture!

That black man named Andy made him not want to have any physical conflicts with him at first sight, yet Heroine Yin had easily and casually taken care of him, which Cheng Yun found extremely shocking! Driven by his yearning to become a martial arts master, he didn't feel bored at all! And this set of rune programs, already discarded by the military of the Old Mage's world, seemed a bit overkill for him, meaning that as long as he kept replenishing his stamina, he wouldn't feel fatigued at all!

It was only ten, hardly Cinguang's nightlife, and even young people out strolling and window-shopping hadn't gone home yet!

Cheng Yun specially ordered some barbecue, saved a few skewers for Yu Dian on duty, and took a few cans of Sprite and beer upstairs. He called the Old Mage over, and the three of them sat on the rooftop with Heroine Yin, eating while the breeze blew.

The Old Mage drank his beer, recounting how an old man in a German park had handed him a dark beer, and while eating meat skewers, he was reminded of Niger where he ate roasted meat every day... His storytelling method was very interesting, his voice steady and gentle, carrying an inexplicable magic that made vivid imagery leap to the surface! In a daze, it made one feel as if they had walked alongside him and experienced those things together.

Until eleven o'clock, after cleaning up all the barbecue skewers, empty cans, and other items, Cheng Yun was just about to head downstairs to rest when the Old Mage called out to him again.

"Station Master, I still have something to tell you."

Cheng Yun immediately stopped in his tracks, looked at him in bewilderment, and asked, "What is it?"

"I have to leave once more the day after tomorrow, and this time it might take a longer time," the Old Mage said. "Having witnessed the local customs and practices of your world the past few days, I find it extremely charming, and it has also broadened my knowledge. This time I've decided to go and experience your nature and biosphere. I imagine the biological forms and peculiar landforms evolved over hundreds of millions of years might give me more inspiration."

"So you're actually a biogeologist?"

"A qualified mage must have an understanding of every discipline and various industries," the Old Mage pursed his lips and added, "After all, we live longer than ordinary people, so we always have to find something to do in such a long life."

"Makes sense." Cheng Yun nodded, then asked, "So where are you going this time?"

"The peak of a snowy mountain, the depths of a rainforest, the bottom of the abyssal ocean, the vast grasslands," the Old Mage listed them one by one. "I might collect some specimens. Do you want me to bring you any gifts?"

"No need to bring any gifts, how could bringing gifts be such a trouble! Besides, Mage, your trip is to the deep mountains and old forests, and what gifts could there possibly be to bring from deep mountains and old forests!" Cheng Yun waved his hand without even thinking and said, "If you really must bring something, just bring some casual local specialties... pluck a few millennium-old ginsengs!"

"I'd be more than happy to, if I happen to run into the millennium-old ginseng you mentioned."

"Right! Since you're also a biologist..." Cheng Yun suddenly looked at the Old Mage with burning eyes. "I wonder if you have any research in the discipline of botany? Are you interested in exotic flowers and rare herbs?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean, if you're interested in Earth's plants and need an experimental site, I can provide one for you... except it might be a bit narrow."

The Old Mage paused briefly, then suddenly looked past him toward the barren flower beds on the rooftop. Just as darkness could not block his eyes, Cheng Yun's little thoughts naturally could not escape him either.

"You want me to grow flowers for you for free, don't you?"

"Uh... Do you charge a fee?"

Hearing this, the Old Mage was taken aback, then smiled and said, "You really are a slippery one! Fine, fine, it looks unsightly being so barren here anyway, and since you're going to decorate it anyway, it won't hurt for me to lend a hand."

Cheng Yun was immediately overjoyed: "That's fantastic!"

"I remember I should have some seeds of flowers and plants from our world, I just don't know if they've expired. I'll go back and look for them," the Old Mage said. "Or you can buy the flowers you like from your world, and I will cultivate, urge, and transform them for you. By then, leaving other things aside, the effect of them blooming all four seasons can at least be achieved."

"No, no, no!" Cheng Yun shook his head repeatedly, his eyes full of brilliant light. "Compared to cultivation and transformation, I'd rather see what flowers and plants from the magical world look like!"

"Oh, you..." The Old Mage shook his head and walked slowly downstairs.

"Wait!"

How could Cheng Yun easily let this mighty figure leave?

"Mage, there's still a fish pond up here!"

The implication was: look, if your magical world has any other good-looking and fun aquatic life, bring them all over!

"..." The Old Mage was speechless. His pace didn't stop, but he said leisurely, "I don't have the habit of collecting animals, otherwise my lifelong reputation would have long been ruined by the descendants of those animal protection associations!"

"Alright."

Cheng Yun felt extremely regretful.

The Old Mage actually took this small matter quite to heart, waking up early in the morning and pulling Cheng Yun up to the rooftop.

As the Old Mage waved his hand and spots of light scattered across, a low plant grew out from the flower bed, bearing a red, bowl-sized flower on its branch.

"What do you think of this kind of flower?"

"Is it really this fast!?"

"Fake, deceptive, don't believe it."

"Oh." Cheng Yun nodded, putting away his bumpkin-like expression. "This flower is not bad though, quite regal. I reckon my mom would like it."

The Old Mage nodded to show he understood, waved his hand and the large peony turned into spots of light and disappeared, and then another plant grew from the ground: "Then how about this one!"

"This one is quite fresh and refined, delicate and pretty." Cheng Yun nodded. "Can we choose a few more kinds?"

"Having just one kind of flower is indeed too monotonous."

"How many kinds of seeds do you have?"

"If we planted one of each, it would probably be enough to cover the sports field you went to the night before yesterday. Take your time choosing, I'm not in a rush," the Old Mage said lightly, adding, "Actually, just flowers aren't very good-looking either. It's best to add other highly ornamental plants, fruit-bearing plants, and so on. Besides the flower beds, you can plant some better-spreading vine-style flowers along the surrounding railing. Well, you decide the specifics."

"Wonderful, exactly what I had in mind," Cheng Yun nodded with a straight face and said, "Let's do it this way!"

About twenty minutes later—

"This plant?"

"Uh... feels better-looking than the last one." Cheng Yun rubbed his eyes. Having looked for so long, not only did he have some aesthetic fatigue, but his eyes were also extremely tired.

"How about this one?"

"This one is good!"

"What about this one?"

"Uh..."

Another ten minutes passed, and Cheng Yun finally couldn't take it anymore. He waved his hand and said, "Let's pick up to here for now. We've already chosen a few dozen varieties, so could I trouble you to keep a record of these first?"

"No problem."

"Then at noon, wait for me to take a breather before filtering through these. As for the other ornamental plants, vines, and small fruit trees, let's leave them for tonight." Cheng Yun rubbed his eyes and walked downstairs. "I should go down and open the door, or that girl Cheng Yan will nag at me again!"

"Alright!" The Old Mage smiled. "I'll stay up here for a while and give you some suggestions at noon and tonight."

"Many thanks."