Chapter 1147: I’m About to Promote to Transcendent
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 1147: I’m About to Promote to Transcendent
Dean Mei Lind didn’t do much after she arrived; she only did one thing.
She took me away.
"I’m not trying to nag, Xiao Han, but what kind of stunt are you pulling this time?"
"I just came to the Frontline World to see how things were going, and then everything just... developed into that."
"You should learn how to say no. If you look like you have nothing to do, those witches can sweet-talk you into a schedule that’s packed for the next several months," Dean Mei said, sounding somewhat helpless.
"Is it really that exaggerated?" Awakened by Dean Mei’s reminder, I realized she was right.
In truth, even without Dean Mei saying so, I wouldn't have wasted months playing around here. I still had plenty to do. While I admitted that spending time with those witches was pleasant, I felt that after a day at most, I wouldn't be able to stay idle.
"Of course it’s not an exaggeration. You haven't traveled far from the Main World, so you don't know how deep the schemes in the Void can be. You didn't accept any random gifts, did you?" Dean Mei asked with concern, clearly worried that these witches from outside the Main World might lead Xiao Han astray.
"Uh... I received quite a few business cards. Does that count?" I asked.
"Business cards... of course those don't count. Unless it’s a dire emergency, take it from my experience... try not to ask them for help. Favors are the hardest debts to repay." As a veteran witch, Mei Lind continued, "Aside from business cards, you didn't accept any other gifts, right?"
Before I could respond, Mei Lind spoke again. "Actually, even if you did, it’s not a huge deal... they wouldn't dare to openly scheme against you. Just treat them as 'meeting gifts' given by Transcendent Witches to a Little Witch. If you run into them again later, just smile more. Showing goodwill is the cheapest and most effective way to pay them back."
"Sister Mei, you seem to know so much about this..." I remarked. I had to admit, I really did lack the social flexibility to handle these situations. "I didn't accept many gifts, and they didn't force me to. However... a witch sister from the Rust Blade Pavilion gave me a rusty blade. If I hadn't sensed that she wasn't asking for anything in return, I really would have rejected it like the other gifts."
"You accepted a blade from the Rust Blade Pavilion?" Mei Lind’s tone carried a hint of surprise.
"Is there a big problem with that?" I asked tentatively.
"Not a big problem. If they gave it to you, just keep it. The value of Transcendent items like those rusty blades fluctuates wildly. It’s just their way of showing goodwill to a genius they’ve taken a liking to." Dean Mei waved it off, indicating it wasn't an issue.
However, what Mei Lind didn't say was just how high the threshold for being called a "genius" actually was. She let those two words slide by as if they were nothing.
"Speaking of which, what exactly is the Rust Blade Pavilion’s position among the witch race?" I took the opportunity to ask.
At the same time, I pulled out the blade. The sheathed weapon didn't look much different from an ordinary longsword. Only when the blade was drawn did one discover the layer of rust covering the edge.
"You can think of them as a group of witches with too much time on their hands who formed an organization to give themselves something to do. They recruit members, spar, and support weak holders of rusty blades."
"But don't look down on the Rust Blade Pavilion because of that. Let’s put it this way... rumors say a Truth Witch also holds a rusty blade and has never publicly denied her affiliation with the organization. While there might be some clout-chasing involved, the upper limit of the Rust Blade Pavilion is terrifyingly high."
"Uh... so the lower limit is actually very low?" I interjected.
"Those who know, know. There’s no need to say it out loud. Let’s move on to serious business." Mei Lind proactively ended the topic before asking, "You’re the Main Body, right? If I remember correctly, wasn't your Main Body supposed to take over the Great Ordinary Spell and iterate the preparation techniques for Dream State Soul Essence? Is all that finished?"
"The technique iteration is mostly done, and the Great Ordinary Spell isn't something that can be rushed. The reason I came here was because during the Awakening Body Cultivation Experiment, I met a Transcendent Witch who called herself Luomeo. She... seemed to have snuck out from the Frontline World?"
"Luomeo?"
"Do you know her, Sister Mei?"
"I recall the name," Dean Mei nodded.
"She’s a Born Transcendent witch, right?" I asked.
"That’s right—why, are you envious?"
"Why would I be envious of her?" Once I promote to Transcendent, I can create Born Transcendent witches just like Sister Bai.
"I’m just curious. Besides, I don't think I’ve seen many Transcendent Witches like her in the academy. The Witch Academy has been established for a thousand years; hasn't there ever been a witch on maternity leave?"
"You’re actually curious about that?" Hearing my question, Dean Mei laughed instinctively.
"It’s a perfectly normal thing to wonder about, okay?"
"It’s very difficult for witches to conceive the next generation. Or rather, it’s difficult for any Transcendent race to conceive a life that is Born Transcendent. If a witch who has never touched the Breeding Project before wants to give birth to an heir, it might take years, or even decades. Such a long time span covers several semesters in the Main World, so naturally, they wouldn't do that here."
"Uh... huh?"
"What’s the confusion?"
"It takes that much time? I’m very innocent, Sister Mei, don't lie to me..."
After all, I had discussed the Great Breeding Subject with Sister Bai and even put it into practice.
Although it was impossible for anything to come of it between a Transcendent Witch and a Little Witch, I was hardly a "zero experience" fledgling.
"Innocent? You don't need to say that to me, do you?" Dean Mei said with a smile, not calling me out. "The witch race starts at the Transcendent level, and is the birth of a Transcendent life ever easy? Not only is gestation difficult, but the mortality rate for witch eggs after they are laid is also horrifying. Otherwise, why do you think the witch race is so keen on opening Witch Academies?"
"That makes sense."
On the way back, Dean Mei and I chatted idly, the conversation shifting from these random topics to the development of the Frontline World.
I had to admit, the changes here were staggering.
Finally, I followed Dean Mei to a place that looked like the absolute core of the entire Frontline World before stopping.
This was where the massive structure forming the Void Portal was located. Countless worlds, acting like sentry stars, guarded this gargantuan creation.
"Behind the Void Portal opened by this massive structure... is the Witch World Great Library?" I asked, pointing at the currently closed structure.
"Correct. Do you want to go see it, Xiao Han?"
"Can I go?"
"If you want to go right now, no. The Void Portal structure is still being calibrated. The main issue is the energy charge; it likely won't be able to perform a second teleportation for a while. Currently, not many witches need to return, so sending just you to the Witch World Great Library would be a bit extravagant."
After all, while this massive structure was called a Void Portal, it wasn't a two-way door. In essence, it was still a one-way teleportation.
"Alright... actually, I think it would be nice to wait until I promote to Transcendent and have a Primal Witch personally pick me up."
"That certainly is a nice thought," Dean Mei agreed with a chuckle.
She then led me into a world that resembled a fortress planet.
This was the primary base for the Void Portal and the first landing point after teleportation. It could be called the absolute hub of the entire Frontline World.
The level of development here was beyond imagination. Clearly, without the burden of the Main World’s native inhabitants, Transcendent Witches truly possessed the great power to reshape heaven and earth!
"Wait... a Witch Cat Café? There’s a Witch Cat Café here too?!"
Looking closely at the place Dean Mei had brought me, my eyes widened!
"Wherever witches are stationed, a Witch Cat Café will basically manifest automatically. You can treat that as common knowledge." Dean Mei was quite casual about it. However, this Witch Cat Café was quite different from the ones in the Core World.
First, you could tell from the employees.
The staff here were all cat-girls—genuine cat-girls. From the very obvious contract aura on them, I could tell they were part of the Servant Forces.
Furthermore, the cats inside were different from the ordinary cats in the Main World. These cats... seemed to be "Alien Beast Cats" born with extraordinary power!
However, inside the café, these cats had been tamed enough to serve customers normally.
Entering a private, undisturbed cat room, I casually picked up a black cat, placed it on my lap, and began to pet it.
"Did you bring me here because you have something to say, Sister Mei?"
"It’s about the three branches of the Transcendent races in the Core World."
"That? Hasn't the World Navel of the Main World already been seized by the witches? They shouldn't be a concern anymore..."
"Yes, they are no longer a threat. They have completely lost the means to deter the witch race. But have you thought about... how those Transcendent experts are to be settled?"
"Settled? Why not just turn them all into witches?" I suggested half-jokingly.
"The cost for a Transcendent expert to undergo Witchification is not small, and it requires the cooperation of their own will. We can't arrange it that way for everyone," Dean Mei said, shaking her head.
"Then kill them all? That feels like such a waste... so you’re struggling with this, Sister Mei?"
"More than that... they are branches of the Void Transcendent races stationed in the Main World. If we kill them all, those Transcendent races will come to the Main World to cause trouble."
"Are you afraid of them causing trouble, Sister Mei?"
"I’m not."
"Then there you go~"
"But don't forget the Coming-of-Age Ceremony held in the Main World. They will send young elites to snipe you or the geniuses of the witch race. Since we want to establish a new order in the Main World, we can't shoot ourselves in the foot. They will definitely try to trip us up within the Void order we are building."
"So... you want to compromise on this, Sister Mei? Give them some face?"
"I’ve considered it, but haven't implemented anything yet. Mainly... I wanted to hear your opinion, Xiao Han."
Hearing Dean Mei say this, I roughly understood what she meant. I made a slicing motion across my neck. "My opinion is... those who are not of our kin are sure to have a different heart. Kill them!"
"Well said! Since even you aren't afraid, Xiao Han... then I have nothing to worry about."
"That’s true... but as far as I know, haven't you already reached a contract with the angels and elves, Sister Mei?"
"That still leaves the Wizards."
"The Wizards... oh!" Hearing that, I immediately reacted.
Currently, the script progress of the Main World was stuck at the Wizard Academy. I had wondered why the United Club was having such a hard time in the Wizard Territory; it turned out they weren't as "sensible" as the Holy Angel Academy.
"Did things not work out with the Wizards? Even though they have no leverage left... are they going to bet everything on one throw? If we’re this far ahead and still lose some witch sisters to the Wizards, it really wouldn't be worth it."
"That’s roughly the gist of it."
"Since they’ve chosen to go all-in, they must have proposed conditions, right? What do they want?"
"The Wizards want to withdraw from the Main World entirely... they really are dreaming."
"The Wizards actually have such firm convictions? To go this far without abandoning or giving up?" I asked in disbelief.
Aren't Wizards all ruthless people who would use their own companions as bait for their own gain?
They’re not just ruthless to others, but to themselves as well. For Wizards like that to have such a strong collective spirit... logically speaking, Wizards should be the easiest to divide and conquer.
"Because the Wizard Academy only has one Dean: Tuskage. Wizards aren't without faith; otherwise, the Wizards in the Void would be a pile of loose sand. They collectively uphold a Great Wizard Will. But having said that, this whole thing reeks of strangeness... it’s as if they are dead set on sacrificing this group of Wizards."
"Their choice really goes against common sense... doesn't that mean the Wizard Academy is no longer a place the United Club can conquer? That would interrupt the development of the Core World script."
"That’s why I mentioned this to you. Xiao Han, are you confident you can resolve this?"
"Ha? Sister Mei, you think too highly of me!"
"I’m just asking if you’re confident." Facing my exaggerated reaction, Dean Mei remained unmoved and asked again.
"Maybe... about sixty percent?"
"Sixty percent? How did you arrive at that probability?" This time, it was Dean Mei’s turn to be confused.
"Fifty percent is respect for the unknown, and ten percent is confidence in myself. That makes sixty."
"...Fine, fine, fine. So that’s how you calculate probability?"
"How else would I do it?" I spread my hands and asked back.
"Alright... I shouldn't try to understand your train of thought. But I am curious—where exactly does your confidence to deal with the Wizard Academy come from? Don't forget, you’re still a Little Witch, and that old fossil Tuskage has no shortage of tricks."
"I’m about to promote to Transcendent."