Janice

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Life in Maple Forest Town

Janice settled in Maple Forest Town before marrying Howard. Both Howard and his childhood friend Matthews pursued her, but she chose Howard. Matthews subsequently left town for nearly ten years. Janice recognized his malicious character early and warned Howard, who refused to believe her 3 6.

Janice and Howard raised Andrew and Ling’er in a small courtyard home. She supplemented the household’s income by making magical implements that could be exchanged for supplies. When Andrew asked to learn magic, she tested his aptitude, discovered his fire and lightning affinities, and began teaching him fire magic using a spellbook inherited from her teacher 1 2.

Her earlier family background remains undisclosed. Her knowledge of the Yulan River and the empire’s city rankings led Andrew to wonder whether she came from a noble family in a large city, but he did not question her about it 21.

Matthews’s Threat and Flight

When Andrew warned her that Matthews and his six companions threatened the family, Janice believed him. She persuaded Howard to remain home and cultivate with a battle-qi manual Andrew had obtained. Although horrified by Andrew’s decision to kill Matthews’s companions, she remained at home while he carried out his preemptive attack 6 7.

The family subsequently fled toward the Keli Tribe. During the journey, Janice overcame her initial panic and helped Howard and Andrew repel a pack of Wind Wolves with fifth-level magic 8.

Life with the Keli Tribe

The Keli Tribe welcomed the family and provided a stone house. After Ling’er rejected its crude condition, Janice directed Howard and Andrew in renovating it into a courtyard home with flowers, grass, and fences. Other residents sought her advice and remodeled their own homes, transforming the tribe’s appearance within a month. Her magical implements also became popular among the tribe 8.

Despite integrating into the community, Janice welcomed Andrew’s later proposal to move to a city. She valued refinement and art and found aspects of life on the prairie difficult. Before leaving for the imperial capital, she asked to revisit Maple Forest Town, where she had married Howard and raised their children. Seeing their former home reduced to weeds nearly brought her to tears. Andrew killed Matthews after he again threatened the family 19 20.

Settlement in the Imperial Capital

During the journey west, Janice was delighted when Bandeni identified Andrew’s exceptional magical talent and predicted that he could become a Saint-level magus. Her hopes helped persuade Andrew to continue studying magic alongside martial arts 26.

After escaping the danger in Lefen City, Janice took in Milly and her mother, Aida. They accompanied the family to the imperial capital and moved into the courtyard residence Andrew purchased near Divine Grace Academy. Janice and Aida devoted much of their time to gardening, nearly doubling the estate’s back garden 31 32 33 34.

Howard’s departure as a mercenary distressed Janice, though Golden Tiger’s presence as his protector reassured her. When Howard later sent news that his squad had been ambushed, she brought the letter to Andrew and warned him that a ninth-level warrior was among the pursuers. She wept with joy when husband and son returned safely 35 43 47.

Life in the Lance Duchy

Janice left the imperial capital with the family when Andrew chose the Chaotic Territory as his fief and established the foundations of the Lance Duchy. On arriving at their new home, she strongly disliked the desolate surroundings. Andrew proposed ordering residents to plant trees, while Howard suggested that they begin by planting flowers and grass in their own courtyard 59.

After Andrew and Han Yue had been married for years without having a child, Janice reproached Andrew for devoting himself to cultivation instead of spending time with his wife. She later joyfully welcomed their son, Herbert Lance, rushing into Han Yue’s room after hearing the newborn cry 68 71.

Her own cultivation remained slow. She was still a fifth-level fire mage after the move to the duchy and eventually reached the sixth rank only after Andrew directed most of the residence’s cultivation resources toward her 60 77.

When Howard revealed that he had trained in the Dark Forest, Andrew warned him, Janice, and Han Yue that Beirut was the continent’s true strongest being and should not be provoked 68.

Divine Advancement

Before leaving for the Infernal Realm, Andrew asked Beirut to help his parents reach the Saint-level so that their limited lifespans would no longer threaten the family’s future. Beirut prepared two special Divine Sparks, and Andrew gave Janice the Fire Element Divine Spark while Howard received the Earth Element one 81.

By the time Janice and Howard were nearly ninety, both retained their youthful appearances thanks to Beirut’s Divine Sparks. Howard had already become a deity before Andrew departed; Janice’s attainment of deityhood is confirmed during Andrew’s subsequent decades in the Infernal Realm 83 87.

Life in the Infernal Realm

Janice later traveled to the Infernal Realm with the family. At Mirrormoon Cliff, Andrew reunited with Han Yue and the others after hundreds of years apart, merged with the Water Element Divine Clone he had left behind to protect them, and gathered Janice, Howard, Ling’er, Herbert, and the rest of the family aboard his Golden Dragon-shaped Metallic Lifeform. They departed for Emperor Wing City as Andrew sought a secure home for the family 110.

The Lance Clan subsequently settled in Bloodflame City. While other members explored the city or trained, Janice and Howard refined Highgod Divine Sparks 136.

Appearance

Janice is introduced as a beautiful woman who appears to be in her twenties or thirties 1.

• Hair: Blonde 1.
• Clothing: Owns a mage’s robe, which gives Andrew a reference for recognizing another mage’s attire during their travels 25.
• Preserved youth: Still looks as she did when young at nearly ninety years old, owing to Beirut’s special Divine Spark 83.

Personality

Janice places family happiness above the pursuit of strength. She initially hesitates to teach Andrew magic because she does not want him to suffer, worries about his dangerous journeys, and objects to Howard risking his life as a mercenary. Once their lives in the capital become busier, she feels lonely with Howard away, Ling’er at the academy, and Andrew absorbed in cultivation 2 3 8 34 35.

Her protectiveness does not prevent her from recognizing Andrew’s maturity or taking his warnings seriously. Unlike Howard, she accepts his assessment of Matthews. She also reluctantly allows Andrew to join the Keli Tribe’s hunt, acknowledging that he understands his own choices 6 8.

She takes pride in her children’s achievements but has little interest in cultivating herself. Gardening, beautiful surroundings, and a peaceful home appeal to her more than advancement. She also enthusiastically supports Andrew’s developing affection for Han Yue, teasing him while hoping to see him marry and establish a family 24 26 34 43 50.

Her love of flowers and plants persists after the family’s rise to prominence. Even with extensive resources available in the duke’s residence, she treats cultivation as optional rather than a central pursuit 59 77.

Her protectiveness extends to Herbert. She blames Andrew’s influence when her grandson wishes to train in the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts and opposes the trip out of fear for his safety. Andrew addresses the family’s concerns by arranging for him to be guarded 81.

Abilities & Skills

Fire Magic

• Can cast fifth-level spells and uses them to help drive off Wind Wolves 8.
• Can gather surrounding fire elements to make them easier for a beginner to sense during an aptitude test 2.
• Knows fire magic but cannot teach lightning magic 2.
• Initially describes her magical aptitude as insufficient to advance beyond the fifth rank. Andrew estimates that adequate resources could bring her to the sixth rank, which she eventually reaches with extensive support from the duke’s residence 2 16 77.

Divine Cultivation

• Becomes a deity after receiving a special Fire Element Divine Spark obtained by Andrew from Beirut 81 87.
• Benefits from the Divine Spark’s preservation of her youthful appearance, remaining outwardly young at nearly ninety 83.
• Later refines a Highgod Divine Spark in Bloodflame City; no completed Highgod breakthrough is documented in that account 136.

Magical Instruction

• Explains complex magical theory clearly despite her own limited cultivation talent 2.
• Teaches Andrew the Meditation Technique, elemental absorption, and the foundations of fire magic; he learns the initial material in half a day 2.
• Identifies Andrew’s fire and lightning affinities from his description of the elements he senses 2.

Magical-Implement Crafting

• Makes implements for spells including Spear of Flame, Spark Spell, and Illumination Spell 2.
• Exchanges her work for household supplies in Maple Forest Town; her implements later become popular with the Keli Tribe 2 8.

Gardening and Home Design

• Directs the renovation of the family’s Keli Tribe home, inspiring similar improvements throughout the settlement 8.
• Maintains the imperial-capital residence’s garden with Aida and Milly, planting flowers and expanding its grounds 34 50.
• Her dislike of the Chaotic Territory’s barren landscape prompts discussion of tree planting and improving the family’s new courtyard with flowers and grass 59.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Teacher’s fire spellbook — Contains spells from the first through sixth ranks, ranging from Fireball Spell to Flame Serpent. Janice treasures it as a keepsake of her teacher before giving it to Andrew 2.
• Mage’s robe — Seen by Andrew before the family encounters Bandeni 25.
• Fire-element cultivation array — Built for her by Andrew using five seventh-level fire-element magic cores. It raises the concentration of fire elements at its center to one hundred times that of the surrounding environment 34.
• Special Fire Element Divine Spark — Prepared by Beirut and given to her by Andrew to refine, as part of his effort to overcome his parents’ lifespan limitations 81.
• Highgod Divine Spark — Being refined by Janice after the Lance Clan settles in Bloodflame City 136.

Relationships

• Howard Lance — Husband. She chose him over Matthews and repeatedly worries about his trusting nature and dangerous ambitions as a warrior. They later retain their youthful appearances through Beirut’s special Divine Sparks and refine Highgod Divine Sparks while living in Bloodflame City 3 6 34 35 83 136.
• Andrew — Son and first documented magic pupil. She is proud of his talent but struggles with his frequent absences and increasing independence. Andrew devotes substantial resources to her cultivation and obtains a special Divine Spark from Beirut for her 2 13 35 36 77 81.
• Ling’er — Daughter. Janice comforts her during Andrew’s absences and shields her from the violence at the Frey estate by covering her ears and eyes 3 23.
• Aida and Milly — Mother and daughter whom Janice takes in after the Lefen City incident. They become part of the household and share her gardening activities 32 34 50.
• Han Yue — Andrew’s romantic interest and later wife. Janice welcomes their growing affection and teases Andrew about his interest in her. After their marriage, she urges Andrew to spend more time with Han Yue and have a child 42 43 50 68.
• Herbert Lance — Grandson, born to Andrew and Han Yue. Janice is overjoyed at his birth and later opposes his proposed training journey to the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts out of concern for his safety 71 81.
• Beirut — Provides the special Divine Spark Andrew gives her, enabling her eventual divine advancement and preserving her youth 81 83 87.
• Unnamed teacher — Former magic instructor who passed down Janice’s fire spellbook. Remembering the teacher evokes a prolonged, complicated emotional response from her 2.

Notable Quotes

“Ten years ago, I already knew what kind of man Matthews was. I warned your father, too, but he wouldn’t believe me.” 6

“All right. You’ve always been sensible, even when you were little. You know what you should do.” 8

“Looks like spring is coming.”
— On noticing Andrew’s feelings for Han Yue 43

“Andrew, you and Han Yue have been married for years. Why don’t you have a child yet?” 68

“That cry is much louder than Andrew’s was when he was born!”
— On hearing her newborn grandson, Herbert 71

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