Three years ago, the strange green slime they had adopted had just started speaking.
He even claimed he would save their traditional witches—and his own slime race—from the evil witches' oppression.
The girls stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded, their eyes wide and cute mouths hanging open. These adorable young witches, who had secretly formed their little coven to fight the evil regime, had never witnessed such an extraordinary event.
This was their first encounter with an intelligent lifeform besides humans.
Merly, the cute blonde witch, opened her mouth into a perfect "O," exclaiming excitedly, "Wow! Could it be that you're the legendary, formless God of Wisdom, thrice-great Hermes?"
The girls stirred in excitement. Legend said the great Mercury, God of Wisdom, could descend in any form to communicate with mortals.
Elizabeth, the group's leader and most mature member, quickly knelt respectfully, asking softly, "Great Mercury, God of Wisdom, have you come from the heavens to save us humble humans?"
Li Shengjiang was just about to nod eagerly and pose as a god—it would certainly be useful—
But Elizabeth suddenly shook her head thoughtfully, dismissing the idea. "Impossible! How could the great God of Wisdom have nearly been violated by those witches, forced to play dead, and then rescued by us?"
Li Shengjiang instantly froze, deeply embarrassed.
This wasn't how the plot should go! Everyone who travels to another world gets to pose as a god right away. But why had he suffered such humiliating captivity from witches, having his slime species abused and degraded? He'd even been caught immediately upon attempting to fake being a god!
It wasn't fair!
So, he could only sigh helplessly, honestly explaining, "I really can help you."
Elizabeth smiled gently, shaking her head and picking him up tenderly, stroking him like a pet. "You're just a small slime. You haven't seen much of the world and don't understand how terrifying Medusa, the 'Empress who Holds Supreme Authority and Death,' truly is. She's already surpassed the legendary Three Witches. You want to defeat her?"
"Yes, exactly. I will defeat Empress Medusa!" Li Shengjiang—a middle-aged business tycoon at heart—spoke with unwavering confidence. "You have no idea of the hidden potential we slimes possess. I will lead my slime race to freedom from the oppression of the Rose Kingdom witches!"
"Pfft! How cute you are, little slime!"
"You look so cool when boasting! Your little head-tentacle even jumps when you're excited!"
The little witches laughed joyfully, eyes glittering as they watched the chubby, bouncing slime.
Merly giggled, picking up his soft, squishy, round slime body and playfully kneading it in her arms. "But your species is too weak, you know? You can't even beat the lowest beasts. Your only use is to assist witches in meditation. What potential could you possibly have?"
In the past three years, some witches had already tried integrating slime blood, barely surviving. The only result was a tiny tentacle growing on their heads—strong, yes, but entirely useless otherwise.
Slimes were simply too weak!
"You don't understand! My biological structure is incredibly powerful—especially this tentacle! It's the very core and strength of the slime species!" Li Shengjiang hastily explained, sensing the amused gazes around him. "It's the essence of my race."
"Oh, we know all about it! Your tentacle is your species' most powerful asset, your very foundation for survival," Merly responded with a flushed, teasing smile. "And yes, your precious essence."
Li Shengjiang: "…"
He instantly gave up explaining, holding his head in agony.
I didn't create this special body shape just to become some kind of dirty creature!!
Now, his main plan was clear: acquire some "Evil Eye's Blood," obtain the spirit-related genetic trait, and, as a slime, begin cultivating the witches' path. It wasn't just about becoming stronger; his lifespan was merely ten or so years. Having already spent over three years learning the local language and adapting, he couldn't afford further delays.
If he failed to cultivate and gain a second gene, he'd soon perish.
"Huh? A slime, practicing witchcraft?"
The little witches exchanged baffled glances, finding it unbelievable.
Elizabeth suddenly spoke softly, "It might be possible... Merly, how much money do we still have in our coven's treasury?"
Merly immediately protested, shouting anxiously, "No, sister! The money we've saved painstakingly for years was meant to help you break through to the third-level witch!"
Elizabeth shook her head firmly. "My talent is the best among us, but still too weak. Perhaps I'll only ever reach third-level witchcraft. It's better to let this slime practice. After all, he's also our coven's shared pet and responsibility."
The witches fell silent, exchanging conflicted glances.
Merly quietly murmured, "Our coven still has exactly 3,521 Rose Coins."
Elizabeth decisively said, "One vial of Evil Eye's Blood costs 300 Rose Coins, a Witch Compatibility Potion 800 Rose Coins, a Blood Compatibility Potion 1,300 Rose Coins, and finally a Blood Stabilization Potion 1,400 Rose Coins. We'll need a bit more money..."
"That's far too much! We can't afford it!" the girls exclaimed in alarm.
These potions were innovations from the Three Witches' era, later improved by generations to increase the survival rate of the Evil Eye's Blood integration ritual. Without these, the glorious Witch Era might never have come.
Yet, these young witches themselves hadn't enjoyed such treatment. Each had only been given a basic potion and survived by sheer luck.
Elizabeth sighed, "If we're doing this, we must do it right, using every possible potion to boost survival rates. Integrating Evil Eye's Blood is deadly enough for women, even worse for men. And a slime? Never attempted before—probably even lower chances. We must try our best."
"But if the slime dies, all our savings these years will be gone…" Merly hesitated anxiously.
Li Shengjiang felt their worry keenly, his heart tightening.
He had absolute confidence in his slime engine's unique potential, but without proper resources at the start, rising up would be impossible.
He quickly reassured them, "Don't worry! Trust me. I am the King of Slimes! I am destined to become the strongest being in this world, the next great Witch Emperor!"
Elizabeth gently lifted him, smiling tenderly. "Yes, yes, you're the Slime King. Of course you'll become a legendary Emperor one day. Hmm, what should we call you then...? Since you're so adorable, let's call you 'King Moe'."
Li Shengjiang fell silent.
Clearly, they still didn't believe him.
But he vowed silently that he'd prove it eventually.
Over the past three years, living as a beloved pet had forged bonds with these kind-hearted witches. To him, this truly felt like a genuine second life. He resolved to repay their kindness.
Ten days later, Li Shengjiang endured unimaginable pain, barely surviving the integration of Evil Eye's Blood. Miraculously, he succeeded, obtaining the second gene needed to cultivate witchcraft.
In just one month, he broke through from apprentice to a first-level wizard.
"Level one wizard already, in just a month!"
"Amazing!"
The girls were ecstatic.
From then on, the witches of Elizabeth's Coven no longer treated their secret base as a mere tea-party hideout. They rediscovered their original determination, devoting every effort and resource to help Li Shengjiang grow stronger.
The seven witches diligently hunted beasts, farmed slimes, and sacrificed their own cultivation resources entirely to support him.
Li Shengjiang happily accepted this "soft rice." As a cunning, seasoned businessman from the modern world, he shamelessly enjoyed their care, knowing that only idiots would recklessly court danger before properly growing stronger.
One year passed, and he reached the second-level wizard.
Seven years later, he became a third-level wizard.
After twenty years, he finally became a fourth-level wizard, a rank considered elite and highly respected in the entire wizard world.
Though fifth-level wizards—like those in the Rose Kingdom's elite—could easily crush large numbers of fourth-level wizards, Li Shengjiang was different. As a fourth-level slime wizard, with his modern mechanical knowledge and slime-engine technology, he possessed power far beyond his level.
He could even challenge a fifth-level witch!