When Jiang Yang and the others entered the center of the Central Research Hall, they saw Li Xiaowa standing before a massive screen of light covered in densely packed component designs.
At the very end was an image of an exquisitely beautiful "gate."
Behind her, several Divine Clan Researchers in white lab coats wore serious expressions, some with their heads lowered in calculation, others frowning in thought.
But Qing Fengxi was nowhere to be seen.
"Xiaowa, what are you thinking about?"
Jiang Yang looked at them as he spoke.
"The design for a gate-or rather, a bridge."
Li Xiaowa turned to look at Jiang Yang and continued with a faint smile.
"Jiang Yang, welcome back. Remember to record your experience breaking through to the Sixth Step and enter it into the Divine Clan Theory Database."
"You really don't forget to squeeze work out of me, even when I've only just returned."
Jiang Yang gave a helpless smile.
"By the way, where's Feng Xi?"
"Odin brought some Maya People back from the Mayi World. Feng Xi took them to settle on the continent across the Storm Sea. It's still a wilderness without intelligent life."
Li Xiaowa twirled her pen, bracing one hand on the laboratory table.
"Those Maya People chose this moment to call in that promise from back then? What a coincidence."
Jiang Yang sighed with feeling.
He remembered that, back when Li Xiaowa created the Maya Race in Maya City in the Mayi World to restore the population and vitality of the People of Mayi, she had made a promise.
Once the forces of light in the Mayi World won, she would find a suitable time to give their race a new environment to live in, rather than have them serve as a tool for helping another race expand