Chapter 253: A Heart-to-Heart with Dongli Yiren
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 253: A Heart-to-Heart with Dongli Yiren
"Bury the Wind Leaf Grass seeds in the soil... need to maintain soil moisture... wait, how do I even measure soil moisture?"
"Just look it up on your phone. Do you really have to ask that out loud?"
"To test soil moisture, you need to dry the soil at 100°C to 105°C for seven hours... wait, if I dry it out, can I still plant the seeds?"
Having returned from the Secret Realm, I had picked up some flowerpots suitable for the terrace along with a variety of tools. These things weren't actually expensive for me anymore, so I’d bought quite a lot.
However, according to the notes Sofiri had given me, growing plants that contained Transcendent elements was a major hassle. It required mixed soil prepared with various Transcendent materials, specific fertilizers, and more.
I, along with my Illusion Clone, had been busy for quite a while, and the seeds hadn't even touched the dirt yet.
That wasn't even mentioning the specialized cultivation methods needed later to account for the plants' Transcendent properties.
Originally, I really just wanted to grow some rare specimens to cultivate my mind. After all, in my current plan, I couldn't just keep up this high-intensity studying forever; I’d burn myself out.
I needed something else to distract me from that anxiety, and this trip to the Secret Realm had given me the perfect inspiration.
I could try out the Planter profession. It would allow me to learn more about plants, and maybe later I could branch into Potionist skills. With a foundation in this field, if I ever wanted to become a Medicine Stone Alchemist or learn Magic Potion brewing in the future, I wouldn't be starting from zero.
The open-air terrace on the third floor of the villa was perfect. It was a great spot for planting these seeds—plenty of sunlight and a great view. I just hoped the other people in the villa wouldn't accidentally pull up my flowers thinking they were weeds.
"Xiao Han, what are you doing here?"
A voice suddenly sounded from behind me. I froze mid-motion and turned around.
"Dongli Yiren... I didn't expect you to come out here." I was genuinely surprised to see her. "I thought you’d just keep yourself locked in your bedroom."
"I got tired of being cooped up and wanted some fresh air." Dongli Yiren walked toward me and leaned lazily against the railing.
"How are you feeling? About life at the Witch Academy, I mean." I went back to my work while shifting into chat mode.
"It’s alright, I guess. This damn academy... all these academies are the same. I should have just gone to a factory to turn screws the moment I graduated."
"Is that so? Maybe you should try to find some joy in the Transcendent world. It’s much more interesting than turning screws."
I shook my head with a smile. Dongli Yiren hadn't changed a bit; she still hated the Witch Academy just as much as she did at the start. Though, after the Exchange Competition, she had changed quite a bit.
"Joy? There isn't a bit of joy..." At the mention of the word 'joy,' Dongli Yiren subconsciously blushed. She might not have even noticed it herself, but the 'joy' she was thinking of was likely very different from what I meant.
"How could that be? Didn't I say yesterday that I was going to a Secret Realm today? I harvested some seeds from some wonderful plants, and I'm planning to grow them. Planting and harvesting—doesn't that count as a kind of joy?"
"Seeds?"
"Yeah. It’s a shame none of you could come with me this morning. Though, it’s probably for the best that you didn't. I went to a low-level Secret Realm with a threshold of only one Red Copper, but even a place like that was full of danger," I told her.
"You're so strong, though. Would it really be dangerous for you?" Dongli Yiren had seen the exchange tournament; she wasn't a fool.
"It wasn't life-threatening for me, sure, but have you ever seen a seed pod that can swallow both me and my protection spell in one gulp?"
"A man-eater?"
"Pretty much. There were man-eating flowers there, some like Venus flytraps but much bigger and more terrifying. They could even prey on small animals; their teeth were sharp enough to snap human bone."
"Do things like that really exist?" Dongli Yiren found it hard to imagine. She had seen such things in movies, but she hadn't expected the stuff from movies to be real.
"Would I lie to you?"
"Impossible... that shouldn't be possible... how could plants like that exist in this world... even if they did..."
"Even if they did, what? Word would get out? This is the Transcendent world; all information is isolated from the outside. Besides, how can you be so sure that our world is the only world?"
"Really? There are really other worlds?" Dongli Yiren’s eyes slowly widened as she looked at me.
"Mm... there have to be." I nodded. Otherwise, was everything from my past life just a dream?
And where did these Transcendent academies that invaded this world come from?
It was self-evident.
"But don't think too much about it. We basically have no chance of leaving our world. Only those who graduate and become Transcendent Witches are likely qualified. Otherwise, where do you think all those senior sisters go after they graduate every year? They must have gone out to explore the world outside."
"I see..."
"Yeah. You look like you really want to leave this world?" I asked curiously. She had clearly shown a look of shock just now, and a flash of joy had crossed her face.
"I do... of course I do..." Dongli Yiren turned around and sighed. She reached up to adjust the slight swell of her chest. "Now that I've become like this, I don't want to stay in this world anymore. I want to go to a world where nobody knows me..."
"Still can't accept the fact that you've turned into a girl?"
"I can't... but haven't I already been forced to accept it? Xiao Han..."
"What is it?"
"How... how did you accept it so quickly? Was it because of... your terrible family?"
"Heh... you could say that. Mostly, I’ve just lived long enough that I wanted a change of pace... turning into a girl isn't exactly unacceptable. Oh, I forgot to mention—strictly speaking, we haven't turned into girls, but into Witches. From what I've learned, after becoming a Witch, we aren't affected by a normal girl's monthly cycle and all that... in fact, until we fully become Transcendent Witches, we don't even have the ability to reproduce."
"Is that so... I envy how open-minded you are... wait? No ability to reproduce?"
"What? Is there a problem? Don't tell me you actually want to experience what it's like to be pregnant?" I tilted my head and gave her a look of mock shock.
I knew that wasn't why she was asking, but it was fun to tease her. Chatting with my Illusion Clone was too straightforward; we knew each other so well we could skip the pleasantries and go straight to bickering.
"I do not! Why would I ever want that! I don't want to be pregnant, walking around with a huge stomach... ugh..." Dongli Yiren’s expression turned to one of pure disgust. "It’s... it’s just... since there’s no ability to get pregnant... why do Witches still have a full set of reproductive organs? Shouldn't useless things just not be there? And since I was originally a guy, there was no need for such a superfluous addition..."
"First, let me correct you: we are only Prospective Witches, not true Witches. Second, we just have reproductive isolation with everyone, including other Prospective Witches. It’s not that we can't give birth; if someone hits you with a Pregnancy Spell, you might still end up giving birth..."
"Wait... wait! Why is there such a thing as a Pregnancy Spell! Does such a wicked spell really exist!" Dongli Yiren immediately locked onto the keyword and interrupted my lecture.
"I'm not sure, but based on my understanding of magic, such a spell shouldn't exist—at least, the Academy shouldn't have a spell that actually makes you pregnant. And even if there was, if you got pregnant, it would be a spell effect. A spell effect and a real pregnancy are two different concepts. A spell effect is just an effect; it has a duration. You wouldn't be truly pregnant."
"I see... you scared me to death..." Dongli Yiren subconsciously patted her chest, looking like she’d just had a close brush with a nightmare.
"Wait, what's with that sigh of relief? You haven't been playing it pretty wild behind my back, have you?" I asked casually.
"I... No! How could I! I haven't!"
"Hmm?" I looked at Dongli Yiren’s face. She really needed to work on her expression management.
I chose not to call her out on it, though.
"Actually, it’s nothing. Just normal physiological needs. I understand. The pressure at a Transcendent academy is huge. Look at me, I'm even starting a garden to relieve stress," I said, waving my small trowel.
"I see... so you think it's normal too, Xiao Han..."
"Yeah, perfectly normal." I nodded.
"Normal... uh... then, Xiao Han, how often do you... do it?"
"Huh?"
I snapped my head up to look at Dongli Yiren. Did our conversation just take a sharp turn?
"This is hilarious! You're actually going 'huh'? Do you know how much damage that 'huh' just did to Dongli Yiren? She treats you like a confidant and asks a private question, and you're playing mind games with her?" My Illusion Clone immediately started mocking me, so I promptly dispelled it.
True, I had considered that Dongli Yiren might have those kinds of needs, but I hadn't expected her to be so blunt. Asking a question like that directly...
It did give me a moment of genuine shock.
"If you're talking about that, I haven't done it once yet."
"Huh?"
Now it was Dongli Yiren’s turn to be shocked. What kind of double standard was this? Telling others it was normal while never doing it herself?
"I think it depends on personal philosophy and mindset... but the act itself is still very normal."
"You..." Dongli Yiren looked like she wanted to point a finger at my nose and ask if I was lying.
"Look on the bright side. Since you've become a Prospective Witch and can't have children, isn't that part of you just there to help you relieve stress? Don't overthink it. Oh, by the way, you might find you have a lot in common with Guan Qiuling."
After all, Guan Qiuling didn't seem to have broken things off with that senior sister. Ever since I discovered them that time the senior sister visited, they hadn't come back to our villa.
In any case, I had no opinion on the matter; I only wished them well. Even if it was just that kind of relationship, I hoped they were enjoying themselves.
I was quite open-minded about it. As roommates, we needed to be a bit tolerant.
"Her? No thanks. We don't really... click. I don't feel like we're the same kind of person."
"I thought you two got along well. At least, I envy the kind of relationship you have."
"Envy... is there actually something you envy?"
"Why wouldn't there be? I didn't have any friends growing up. I was treated like an outcast. Aside from one older sister, I had nothing before I enrolled."
"Friends... that really is a luxury. If, in your eyes, a relationship like ours counts as being friends..."
"Are you two not getting along?"
"Once you spend enough time together, it just becomes... like this. Xiao Han... you, actually, if you... forget it. I guess even if I tried to convince you to stop being such a grind, you wouldn't agree, right? You're so obsessed with Transcendent power."
"I seem obsessed to you... is that so? I'm just... it's nothing..."
It was just that the mindset formed by my education in my previous life was hard to change. If I wasn't studying at the Academy, I felt like I was wasting my life...
Heh, that kind of thinking has really plagued me for two lifetimes now. Trying to get rid of it... was proving to be quite difficult.
"Actually, our group mostly revolves around Hong Chenyi. She's the most active one. I bet she's the only carefree idiot among us."
"A carefree idiot? Heh, have you ever heard the saying... the more active someone is on the surface, the more they're hiding an absolute loneliness they refuse to face? Do you think Hong Chenyi might be like that?"
"With how scatterbrained she is? Is that even possible?"
"Who knows? No one in this world lives a perfectly comfortable life. But it's precisely because of the Witch Academy that we can say goodbye to our pasts. Maybe Hong Chenyi is just showing her true self now that she's completely moved on?"
"Her? Please. Didn't she say she used to be a total simp? At least her self-awareness is clear now, but isn't she still all over that... Shi..."
"Shi Huiyu," I reminded her.
"Isn't she still joined at the hip with Shi Huiyu?"
"Well, at least she successfully simped her way into a relationship. Nature is hard to change, especially with the way her father raised her. Plus, now that she actually has Shi Huiyu, do you really expect her to have an epiphany? Honestly, this is probably great for her." I shook my head with a smile.
"Heh... every single one of you..."
"Alright, let's stop talking about them. It's not good to gossip behind people's backs, even if we've already finished venting." I picked up the watering can and poured water into the pot. This seed was officially planted.
"Yeah. So, are you done?" Dongli Yiren asked, looking at the watering can and the pot.
"Pretty much. Oh, by the way, Dongli Yiren, are you interested in planting some flowers and herbs?"
"I'll pass. It's a waste of time." Dongli Yiren shook her head in refusal.
"I recall... you're a bit short on money, aren't you?"
"What does that have to do with me being short on money?"
"You could try growing flowers to sell," I suggested.
"No thanks. The cycle is too long. I don't want to do that." Dongli Yiren shook her head again.
"These are Transcendent plants. Many of them have very short maturation cycles. Besides, classes have officially started now; you won't earn much from a part-time job. You'd be better off taking care of some Transcendent plants."
"I'll still pass. Planting is something that should be done in mass production. That's way more efficient than me doing it alone."
"See, that's where you're wrong. These are Transcendent plants. They can't... or rather, they generally can't be mass-produced mechanically. I teamed up with a Planter senior sister to go to the Secret Realm today. Being a Planter is a very formal profession. She cultivates Transcendent plants and even leases an entire plantation at the Witch Academy, but it's still not mechanical. Personal technique and the skills you master are the foundation."
"A Planter?"
"Right. And there's one more very important thing. The money you get from selling Transcendent plant products is Red Copper, Mithril, and Orichalcum. I told you before that the minimum threshold for entering a Secret Realm is Red Copper, right? These three Transcendent materials are the universal currency of the Witch Academy and the Transcendent world. The money you're earning now is only useful in the beginning. Later on, you might not even be able to spend it."
"Is... is that for real?" Clearly, Dongli Yiren was starting to feel tempted.
"I can't guarantee it, but while normal money can buy many things in the Academy, the stronger you get, the more you'll need resources—Mana Sources, Spellbooks, Potions... they all require these Transcendent materials. You have to plan for your future path eventually, right?"
"My future path? But I don't want to spend my whole life growing flowers and grass, even if they are Transcendent plants."
"Use your head! Does growing Transcendent plants mean you're farming for the rest of your life? You're growing Transcendent plants! While you're growing them, you'll gradually gain a basic understanding of their properties and characteristics. After that, you can become a Potionist! Potionists make a ton of money! If you have the talent, you could even move into Medicine Stone Alchemy! Once you master mana, you can even switch tracks to brewing Magic Potions! Why are you hesitating over such a great advancement path?"
"I... I..."
Hit with so much information at once, her brain was struggling to keep up. But the terms 'Potionist,' 'Medicine Stone Alchemy,' and 'Magic Potion' were swirling in her head, sounding incredibly high-end.
"Can... can you give me some time to think about it?" Dongli Yiren finally asked.
"Of course. If you had agreed instantly, I’d have doubted whether you were up for it. You should look into this stuff. After all, this is about planning your future. Besides, you're still a freshman. Both you and I have the time and the capital to start over, don't we?"
"Thank you... I... I'll head back first..."
"Wait."
"What is it?" Dongli Yiren turned back to me, confused.
"If you decide to do it, I'll leave these Transcendent plants to you. They're a gift. When they mature, the harvest is yours."
"Isn't... isn't that a bit much?" Dongli Yiren looked at the flowerpot, then back at me, feeling a bit uneasy about taking such an advantage.
"It's just the haul from one Secret Realm trip. Think of it as an investment in a future master alchemist, how about that?" Of course, the main reason was that I probably wouldn't have the time or energy to deal with so many seeds and seedlings. I was just putting them to good use.
It was a way for me to relax, and it wasn't like I couldn't grow them myself. I just needed to relax intermittently, but these plants couldn't be watered and nurtured intermittently. It was better to let them grow steadily.
Besides, these things wouldn't sell for that much money anyway, so I didn't mind giving them away. But for them, it might be a significant amount of income.
Thinking of this, I remembered that little rich girl Sofiri. She was willing to trade her notes for just over a hundred Red Copper coins. Sometimes knowledge is truly priceless, but it seemed she hadn't realized that yet.
If she couldn't realize that, she might spend her whole life wasting away in that plantation.
Unfortunately, I wasn't in a position to lecture anyone. I was just making a rough deduction based on my own understanding.
"Oh, right. I asked that Planter senior sister for some of her cultivation notes and insights. If you make up your mind, you can ask me for them." I said to Dongli Yiren. After all, I had already read some of those notes. This afternoon, I’d start by recording the parts I didn't know or might easily forget onto my Memory Bookshelf.
"Huh? Thank you."
This time, Dongli Yiren felt that her "thank you" was absolutely sincere.
After all, this was a very promising development path that the other had pointed out to her. She would definitely have to give it a try before she’d be willing to give up.
Brewing and compounding medicine... that sounded like a profession where one could make a fortune, even if it might cost a lot of money beforehand.
But before that, she could slowly save up... or... find that person?
No, no, no! Dongli Yiren shook her head, tossing that tempting thought aside. If she did that, how would she be any different from Guan Qiuling!
She... she was going to be a master alchemist in the future!
At least, that was her plan for now.