Chapter 1044: Opening a Brand New Battlefield in the Main World?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 1044: Opening a Brand New Battlefield in the Main World?
With the help of Reincarnation and Soul Depiction, the process of repairing soul essence went much more smoothly than I had initially anticipated.
In just a short while, the damage at the soul essence level was completely mended. This restoration would allow them to quickly adapt back to how their life essence should be. Issues like sluggish reactions, dazed states, and an inability to concentrate would essentially be resolved.
The only exception... was memory.
Memory is a mysterious thing; it isn't a continuous stream of images, nor is it as meticulously detailed as a video recording.
Even if a specific memory is lost, as long as there are associated memories remaining, a person will automatically fill in the blanks. As long as an event isn't completely erased, the mind will always find a way to form associations and complete the picture.
Unless one suffered a total collapse of life essence coupled with a complete loss of memory—like Shi Ruizhi back then—there usually wouldn't be any major issues.
After completing the soul essence repairs for this group in quick succession, I woke them up directly.
Upon waking, they reacted as if they were snapping out of a nightmare!
The memories that had been like nightmares in their minds transformed into mere fright and intense emotional fluctuations once their soul essence was fully restored. Under the soothing influence of my Emotion Body Cultivation, they quickly regained their composure.
Such intense emotional turbulence was also an excellent opportunity to perceive and practice Emotion Body Cultivation.
Of course, that was just a side benefit. The soul essence repair was unavoidable, so I had to find something to occupy myself with—like practicing Clear Body Cultivation or observing the relationship between life essence and consciousness during the repair process.
"Do you feel better now?" I helped the young girl in front of me sit up. I could understand her despair when facing such an ordeal and her lingering agitation afterward; they needed time to settle their minds.
However, as long as they had endured the soul essence damage, all they needed now was a certain degree of psychological counseling.
They were the most elite senior students in the club. Given their powerful life levels and the dangers they faced in combat, I didn't believe they would remain trapped by the shadow of a single death once their soul essence flaws and weaknesses were gone.
If such a person truly existed... well, that was the United Club's problem. My responsibility ended at soul essence repair.
I glanced at the remaining soul stones in my hand. Based on the current rate of consumption, the cost was still within my acceptable range.
As for cutting corners?
I wouldn't stoop to cutting corners just to save a few soul stones. I was doing this to ensure my thoughts remained unburdened; how could I achieve peace of mind if I cheated on the work?
After comforting the students, I waved my hand to open the infirmary door. Lumian, who had been waiting outside for a long time, entered immediately.
"Teaching Assistant Xiao Han, is there anything we can help with?" Lumian asked the moment she stepped in.
She then saw the students who had woken up and instantly realized what had happened. She asked tentatively, "This... does this mean they've recovered?"
"That's right. Their soul essence repair is complete," Mentor Belica said, playing her part to the end.
I followed up, "Yes, that's it. Have your people help them out. If possible, arrange some psychological counseling for them. After all, they've been through a lot."
"Understood!" Lumian immediately ordered the people behind her to step forward and support the students. These were the first batch to complete soul essence repair.
The club had an obligation to observe their post-recovery state. Even with an intact soul essence, certain mental aftereffects were inevitable, and this would influence the United Club's subsequent public relations strategy.
The awakened girls stood up cooperatively. A few looked at me as if they wanted to say something, but with my Heart Sense, I could roughly perceive their intent.
They wanted to say they probably didn't need counseling. From that perspective, soul essence repair was indeed very necessary for them.
"Hurry and arrange the next batch. Bring in more people this time; fill up all the diagnostic chairs here so we don't waste too much time," I said.
"Right away! I'll get on it."
Lumian and her subordinates were incredibly efficient, characterized by speed and absolute obedience.
The second batch of injured was arranged shortly after. What followed was a period of continuous, repetitive practice for me.
While I was busy, Lumian quickly arranged for professional personnel outside the treatment room to conduct psychological counseling, tests, and surveys on the first batch.
The condition of the first batch of recovered students was stable. Aside from some mental fatigue, the symptoms previously recorded had significantly vanished.
This was undoubtedly fantastic news!
Lumian immediately relayed the news back to the Jack-of-all-trades Club, as they were the ones who had organized this infirmary and these personnel.
Upon receiving the news, the Jack-of-all-trades Club quickly convened an emergency joint meeting to announce the results within the United Club.
This information needed to be publicized. It wasn't just a response to the injured; it was also for the members of the combat sequences who hadn't been subjected to the blood sacrifice.
The goal was to remove their lingering fears. Even if they faced death or soul essence damage, the Academy had a way to fix it!
Furthermore, the United Club would not allow a mistake like the blood sacrifice ritual to happen a second time!
This joint meeting was finally a source of good news. After drafting proposals regarding announcements on the Academy Network, the eight core guardian clubs took the opportunity to raise several issues they had encountered recently.
For instance, the frequent harassment from the Hundred Academy Alliance, and the frustrating matter of the "Blood Slave Peninsula" label being pinned on the Witch Academy by the outside world. All of these required concrete solutions.
Then there was the issue of the Blood Slave Academy. After the blood sacrifice ritual was thoroughly dismantled, the combat sequences led by the Baking House had remained behind to clear out potential dangers after rescuing the bodies. Now, the Blood Slave Academy had effectively fallen entirely into the hands of the Witch Academy.
This involved a series of follow-up tasks: amnesty for the local families, the expansion of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, the promotion of the power network, and addressing the societal survival model centered around blood donation. All of these needed to be resolved.
However, they would face immense resistance. This resistance came not only from the Blood Slave Peninsula itself but also from the influence of other Transcendent academies.
Cognitive concepts are deeply rooted. Most people prefer comfort over change; after all, revolution means countless opportunities, and the former power-holders could be overthrown in the blink of an eye if they weren't careful!
Therefore, changing the Blood Slave Peninsula wasn't something that could be done with just words. It required people on the ground to execute the plan with absolute determination!
Moreover, as the Witch Academy stirred up the Academy War, they faced another problem at the end of this semester.
That was the issue of the worldwide unified college entrance exams, recruitment, and the application system!
Although the exams were unified globally, the pool of applicants was still limited to regions within the academies' spheres of influence.
For example, the now-destroyed Sun Rock Elf Academy had immense control over the people in its territory. Children from ordinary families were born to be exchanged for the benefits, daily necessities, and food rations provided by the academy.
And that was just Sun Rock Elf Academy.
What about the others?
Most were the same. Remote, small regions faced high levels of control, while regions with more freedom were blinded by the prestige and titles of the Three Top Academies.
There was a reason why the Witch Academy fought so fiercely for students every year during the freshman recruitment period.
In a way, this aggressive recruitment also helped break down regional prejudices against Transcendent academies.
However, from a Transcendent perspective, failing to recruit students was a minor issue—at most, a temporary pang of growth for the Witch Academy.
The Main World was undergoing a revolution!
When the time came to drive out the other Transcendent races, the final direction of the Main World would be entirely up to the Witches.
As for the previous considerations of enriching the Main World's diversity—all of that had to be built on the premise of Witch dominance!
Once the Witches dominated the Main World, they wouldn't mind the presence of a few Wizard Academies, Holy Angel Academies, or Elf Academies. Their existence would merely serve to enrich the bloodline diversity of the Witch race.
But all of this was a pipe dream until the "Staff of World Destruction Plan" was dealt with.
In truth, the current situation in the Main World didn't necessarily require seizing the World Navel to be considered a success. As long as the Staff of World Destruction Plan was sabotaged and those Transcendent races were stripped of their power to destroy the Main World, the rest wouldn't be able to cause much trouble under the suppression of the Great Weakening Spell!
And this monumental task had, in another way, fallen onto the shoulders of the United Club.
It could be said that from this moment on, the Witch Academy was truly giving its full support to the United Club's actions. Since the Transcendent level could no longer make a move, the students... were the only free hand remaining!
Yet, there wasn't much this hand could do.
No matter what they were tasked with, they couldn't reach any of the critical stages of the Staff of World Destruction Plan.
But regardless, it was a glimmer of hope. What if?
Dean Mei was well aware of this situation, and she had contemplated many plans.
* * *
Currently, in Dean Mei's office.
My Life Clone remained here to discuss the upcoming plans with her.
Though it sounded a bit pathetic, aside from the Transcendent-level Witches, I was the only one Dean Mei could employ below that level whom she could absolutely trust.
The good news, however, was that I could create many versions of myself through Life Clones.
But I hadn't decided to do that just yet.
I wasn't the only one in the office; Sister Bai was there, along with a frequently eccentric Rebel Witch.
Since the fewer Witches who knew about the Staff of World Destruction Plan, the better, Dean Mei could only summon these few for the discussion.
"Sister Mei~ I have an idea," I began. "What do you think about... opening a brand new battlefield in the Main World?"
In the current Main World, it was foreseeable that the United Club would spend a long time in constant friction and conflict with the Hundred Academy Alliance.
The Three Top Academies couldn't declare war on them directly; the risk was too high.
"Opening a brand new battlefield? What do you mean?" Dean Mei asked curiously. "Are you suggesting we open the Expansion Realms? That's not advisable. The Expansion Realms are in a phase of rapid development; they aren't suitable for war."
"No, I mean the Game World," I said.
"The Game World... if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten it existed," Dean Mei sighed. Because they had signed the Transcendent Non-Interference Pact, their gaze rarely fell upon it anymore.
By now, the Game World's incursions into the Main World had almost vanished. The Vanguard Players were no longer capable of causing trouble; their primary role now was maintaining some level of contact with those few Transcendent races.
"Yes, the Game World! Sister Mei, do you remember when you scared me by saying that a collision between worlds would cause terrible consequences? Perhaps we can use the Game World to physically open a brand new battlefield."
"Is that even possible? The Game World currently lacks the conditions to collide with the Main World. Even if they are close, that would require Transcendent-level influence. Have you forgotten the Transcendent Non-Interference Pact?"
"The Game World is a Void Wandering type world. Their Terminal of Myriad Worlds likely shares a proxy relationship with the world's will. Therefore, the Supreme Senators who govern the order of the Terminal can decide the world's path through the Void," I explained.
"Xiao Han, don't tell me you've seized the authority of the Game World's Terminal!" the Dean said, surprised. But then, as if realizing something, she continued, "I'm overthinking it. The Game World's will likely knows the situation of the Main World. Even if a will isn't a conscious mind, the instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm cannot be bypassed. The Game World still won't collide with the Main World. Your idea of opening a new battlefield probably won't work."
"What if the collision involves only a subsidiary world of the Game World? The Game World is a medium-sized world in the process of transitioning into a large world community. This means the worlds harvested around the Game World aren't yet a part of it. A harvested small world should be enough to open a new battlefield in the Main World, right?"
"Isn't that operation a bit too complex?" Dean Mei frowned. she had other, more convenient plans in mind.
"I've already used my clones to infiltrate and usurp the authority of the Game World's Supreme Council. I've also made arrangements in what they call 'Game Dungeons.' In several of those worlds, I've already spread the summoning rituals for my reverse summoning spell."
"When my figure appears in their game, I have ten thousand ways to give them a reason to abandon that small world. Then, using the authority I control, I'll hurl that world toward the Main World. That should be enough, shouldn't it?"
"..." After hearing my explanation, Dean Mei looked at Sheryl, who was wearing a full-on amusement seeker grin, then at the serious Bai Yu, and finally back at me. "How certain are you?"
"A conservative estimate... sixty percent."
One percent more than half. This was my most humble way of expressing confidence when facing a challenge with significant uncertainty.