Chapter 137: New Spell, Spirit Cat Summoning Spell
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 137: New Spell, Spirit Cat Summoning Spell
"What? Afraid to take it?"
Seeing my hesitant expression, Ji Niang changed her tone to provoke me.
"No, it’s not that. It’s just..."
"What are you hesitating for? Worried about the value? If that's the case, I’ll laugh at you. You’re doing research, yet you’re shrinking back because of the value of the experimental subjects? When I give you an opportunity, you should seize it. Even if I only mention something in passing, you should pester me for something better."
Ji Niang stepped up to me and patted my cheek, her tone lecturing. "Be a bit thicker-skinned. Having such thin skin won't do. If Tan Han were in this situation, she’d even dare to ask me for a Million Divine Spell. That’s not a guess—she actually did make such a request to the academy."
"I understand..."
I looked at Ji Niang. She always compared me to Tan Han, and perhaps for the first time, I truly felt the weight of it.
But then I realized this wouldn't do. It would naturally make me view Tan Han as a target to chase rather than someone to surpass. I might dislike Ji Niang’s lecturing style right now, but it certainly taught me a lot.
For instance, this "thick-skinned" attitude, and that first spark of ambition.
Thinking about it, the two were somewhat similar in a way.
Occasionally setting aside one's reserve could lead to unexpected benefits.
"You understand? Understand what?" Ji Niang asked, maintaining her smiling expression.
"Is there anything or any method to quickly increase mental power?"
"Hmm? You’re not asking for a spellbook?" A look of surprise flashed across Ji Niang’s face. "Do I need to remind you? Tan Han’s most powerful spell consumes over a thousand mana. Even though she doesn't have that many mana sources yet, she can already normally use spells in the hundred-mana cost range."
"Teacher Ji Niang, I know the Freshman Competition is coming up, and I know why you’re giving me new spells. But since this has moved beyond the scope of research, I believe increasing my mental power is more important than owning a spell that costs ten mana."
"Fine. And after the competition? Are you planning to stop your research?" Seeing my reasoned rebuttal, Ji Niang crossed her arms and continued her questioning.
"Well, I still have you, Teacher Ji Niang. You wouldn't want our group's progress to stall, would you?" I met Ji Niang’s gaze with a squinting smile.
My meaning was clear: I wanted to increase my mental power, and I wanted stronger spells. I wanted it all!
Thick-skinned, right? Didn't she just teach me that?
"You little rascal... well, you have a point. Mental power is indeed important, and I don't want you spending all your time cooped up here in meditation." Ji Niang hadn't expected me to respond like that.
Previously, my interactions with Ji Niang had always been restrained, even humble. If I had trouble, I’d try to solve it myself first, and only then would I politely ask her for guidance. Being "thick-skinned" seemed entirely foreign to me. Was this a case of putting a lesson into practice immediately?
She was now down a mental power enhancement potion and a ten-mana cost spell. While this was standard procedure for counselors of other classes, this was Ji Niang’s first time being a counselor.
Though these things weren't much to a Transcendent Witch, it was still an expenditure. No—right now, Ji Niang likely viewed it as an investment. An investment that could yield returns at this stage, and one she might not be able to control in the future.
Thinking of this, Ji Niang even wondered if she was giving too little.
But since I hadn't opened my mouth to demand a king's ransom, she didn't offer more.
Without further hesitation, she pulled a potion bottle and a small case from her storage equipment.
"That’s enough progress for today. Take these and prepare well for the upcoming matches."
"Thank you, Teacher." I lowered my head as I accepted the two items. As expected, I still wasn't used to being so bold when asking for things.
"Then... I’ll be going now."
"Go on, get out of here," Ji Niang said, waving her hand as if shooing me away.
"Um... Teacher, are there any precautions for this potion? Do I just drink it?" As I was about to leave, I thought of something and turned back to ask.
"Just drink it. Honestly... it’s best to pair it with meditation. Good grief, if you can't even figure out how to drink a potion, what use are you?"
Ji Niang saw me off with a playful scolding.
Only after my footsteps faded did her expression return to its original, emotionless state.
She went to the lab bench and sorted through the previous experimental records and recordings. These were vital materials and the significant results of the research group Ji Niang had established.
While the current results were meaningful, they were, to put it bluntly, merely replicating the paths blazed by predecessors. Short-sighted individuals might even find them beneath notice, but the significance lay in the fact that someone had managed to do what those before them had done.
The paths walked by predecessors remain paths; it doesn't mean just anyone can tread them again. Someone who can walk those paths again represents the possibility of reaching the same heights as those predecessors.
Or even surpassing them.
The ten-mana spellbook she had given me was a summoning spell called "Spirit Cat Summoning."
Consuming ten mana, it could summon a "Spirit Cat" constructed from magic to assist the caster in battle. The Spirit Cat was roughly the size of a common house cat and wasn't particularly powerful, but its cost was ten times that of a Fireball Spell. This was naturally due to the special utility of summoning spells: combat assistance, flexibility, command, coordination...
These were things a thrown Fireball Spell... no, a normal Fireball Spell couldn't compare to.
At that thought, she recalled the modified Fireball Spell I had created earlier, which remained under the caster's control after being launched, and she corrected her internal monologue.
Honestly... Ji Niang tapped her forehead. Even she was letting the limitations of standard spellbooks restrict her thinking.
One had to realize that even with summoning spells, getting the little creature to assist in combat, coordinate, and follow commands with high flexibility was a very difficult technical skill.
She was already starting to look forward to what kind of sparks would fly when this Spirit Cat Summoning Spell met my "modding" tendencies.
Whatever... Ji Niang stopped indulging in unrealistic fantasies and began organizing the data to submit. She wondered where in the library the academy would place this information.
The Great Library had many divisions, which also represented the hierarchy of knowledge. Corresponding knowledge would be placed in corresponding areas. Those were things money couldn't buy; one needed permission!
In the Transcendent world, knowledge was far more valuable than resources. After all, the material resources in the Void outside the world were "infinite," but knowledge was "finite."
Though knowledge existed, one needed the qualification to touch it. The knowledge explored by life was ultimately limited, and some was even impossible to transmit.
Specifically, [Transcendent Knowledge] was a classic example of non-transmissible knowledge.
* * *
Meanwhile.
I opened the case Teacher Ji Niang had given me. Inside, unsurprisingly, was a spellbook. I wondered what the power of a spell with a double-digit mana cost would be like.
After using the spellbook, I confirmed that it didn't come with any convenient introduction or user manual. So, I opened my phone; the Ley Line Information on it would surely have a clear record.
[Name: Yang Yuehan]
[Gender: Female (Witch)]
[Race: Human (Beyonder Prospective Witch)]
[Talent: Spirit Vision (Floating World), Unparsed Transcendent Knowledge]
[Identity: Class 1145 Freshman of the Witch Academy]
[Mana Source: 56/56]
[Physical Data: (Expand to view)]
[Spell Slots: Cleaning Spell, Protection Spell · Energy Shield, Fireball Spell, Spirit Cat Summoning Spell]
[Skills: Witch Meditation Method, Basic Main World Common Language, Basic Spell Theory, Basic Elemental Theory, Basic Baking Arts, Basic Flying Broom Riding Technique, Spellbook Dismantling Technique, Basic Magic Ritual Theory...]
[Tasks: (Expand to view)]
"Spirit Cat Summoning Spell?" I read the name of the new spell from the description.
It looked like it wasn't in the same category as Evocation spells like Fireball Spell.
A summoning spell... it seemed interesting, but I couldn't glean much more information from the text.
Should I try it now?
This was a spell that cost ten mana. I wondered how strong the attack power of the summoned Spirit Cat would be.
Furthermore, I didn't know if this Spirit Cat was an actual living creature summoned from some unknown place or a physical effect created by the spell. There was a fundamental difference between the two.
I also didn't know if the Spirit Cat would obey me or if it could understand my language.
Just thinking about the potential issues made the spell seem like a hassle. However, since it had been made into a spellbook, it was likely a "plug-and-play" operation.
Besides, it cost ten mana. My total mana pool was only 56, so I could use it five times at most.
Oh... thinking about it that way, I didn't even know the duration of this summoning spell, whether it could tank damage, or what would happen if it died.
Yeah... this was something even more troublesome to research and analyze than the Fireball Spell.
But I wasn't really counting on it to be useful yet; after all, my trump cards were still the Fireball Spell and the Protection Spell.
Let's give it a shot.
Once that thought took hold, I checked the mana sources in my body. It seemed I had enough to cast Spirit Cat Summoning once.
Using the spell for the first time, even without a manual, I still understood some basic principles—such as the manifestation of the internal magic ritual. High in the sky, a spell array appeared in front of me. Because it was my first time, I was extremely careful, and the casting speed was very slow. Or perhaps summoning spells were just naturally this slow?
A black fluff-ball appeared before me.
I freed one hand and grabbed it, preventing it from falling after the summoning was complete.
Upon contact, I felt the silkiness of fur rubbing against my fingers. A soft, almost boneless little body was suddenly cradled in my arms.
The Spirit Cat I had summoned didn't resist. In fact, because of the spell, an indescribable connection had been established between us.
That was my first impression: the summoning spell seemed to be ongoing, slowly draining my mana. If I stopped the mana consumption, I felt the connection might break at any moment.
I met the little creature's gaze, but it responded with empty, hollow eyes.
In an instant, I understood several things.
This cute little cat wasn't a living biological entity; it seemed to be merely a "puppet" created by the spell.
"Oh well, having a little kitty is enough for me~" I didn't ask for too much. I simply controlled the little cat to climb onto my shoulder, letting the high-altitude wind ruffle its fur.