Everyone responded and turned their gaze, only to find Ye Lai Xiang standing there. The discussion came to a sudden halt. It was only then that they noticed Shi Liuli and Cang Yu standing behind Ye Lai Xiang.

"Hey, boss, who's that girl?"

"She's probably a friend of that Cang Yu person."

"That woman has friends? Are you kidding me?"

The last sentence made Cang Yu's face twitch, feeling somewhat embarrassed and angry.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed, old man?"

"Ahem!"

Ye Lai Xiang coughed again, signaling for silence.

"This is our Mage Association's new member, Shi Liuli. Everyone, get to know her."

Shi Liuli was about to introduce herself when she realized something was off with the atmosphere.

Too quiet!

The silence was almost deafening. The previously lively crowd became silent, all staring at Shi Liuli, unable to take their eyes off her.

Shi Liuli thought there was something on her face, but when she touched it, there was nothing.

"Did I hear the boss say we have a new member?"

"Seems like it? Maybe?"

"No, no, no, you all misunderstood. The boss said 'zinc layer newt,' probably a new species. Let's get acquainted."

Ye Lai Xiang's face instantly turned black.

He had never seen anything so embarrassing! And even more embarrassing was that he was the leader of these bunch of idiots!

Idiot leader?

Thanks to their reaction, Shi Liuli finally remembered the important thing she had overlooked earlier.

It was the distant and respectful attitude people had towards the Mage Association!

Judging from their reactions and their advanced age, it seemed that no new members had arrived in a long time.

Damn it!

She fell for it!

Realizing this, Shi Liuli immediately regretted it and cursed herself for being so absent-minded as to forget such an important matter.

Cang Yu felt speechless, covering her face and turning away, as if she didn't want others to know that she knew these people.

Putting aside everything else, what part of Shi Liuli looks like a "newt"?

The person who said thatcome out! Lord Holy Spirit will give you a buff!

"Hisss... Shut up, all of you! Can you old folks stop embarrassing me? I was talking about a new member, a member of the Mage Association!"

Almost shouting it out, Ye Lai Xiang turned purple with anger, his mouth trembling.

—Silence fell once again.

"I don't think I misheard, a new member!"

"Your name is Shi Liuli, right? I'm Cao Xin, just call me Old Cao."

"Oh, a new recruit indeed! Hahaha, my apologies, my apologies."

For a moment, everyone crowded around Shi Liuli, making it hard for Ye Lai Xiang and Cang Yu to stay in the spotlight.

Looking at the sudden change in the crowd, Ye Lai Xiang and Cang Yu exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat speechless.

It seemed like they had forgotten their initial reaction when they saw Shi Liuli.

Selective amnesia?

The enthusiasm of everyone overwhelmed Shi Liuli.

—How long has it been since she experienced such a scene?

Thinking about it, since the outbreak of the War of the Gods, she had only interacted with subordinates and friends. Afterward, she had been sitting alone in the Heavenly Abode, seemingly never experiencing such a situation.

This was different from the relationship between friends or subordinates. They saw themselves as communicative individuals, like-minded friends. It felt more like the relationship between friends and family, something Shi Liuli couldn't quite articulate.

Perhaps, the Mage Association served this purpose, gathering people from all over the world with common interests. Regardless of their personalities and habits, they could feel a sense of belonging, like a family.

Ah, a sense of belonging.

Shi Liuli found a word to describe this situation.

Each person considered themselves a part of the collective, sharing in its triumphs and losses. Perhaps this was why the Mage Association stood out among many gatherings.

Seems quite good, doesn't it?

Shi Liuli's mindset quietly underwent a transformation, unbeknownst even to herself.