Chapter 254: Drawing Parallels Between Skills
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 254: Drawing Parallels Between Skills
Many of the things recorded in Sofiri’s notes still seem very important to me right now. It’s a form of technique—a skill for using mental power to guide elemental energy.
Mental power was the first form of transcendence we encountered. Like Spirit Vision, many people possessed it even before enrolling in a Transcendent Academy.
The Witch Meditation Method taught at the Witch Academy is a faster way to train mental power. It’s also a technique for condensing mana threads, which greatly increases the efficiency of mental power in interfering with transcendent energy. It also lays a solid foundation for using mental power to harness mana.
During this process, one can also use spellbooks to release spells.
But even before that, our mental power was already capable of interfering with transcendent energy.
For example, the elements that exist everywhere in our environment.
I had tried stirring the elements in the air with my mental power before; it felt as magical as stirring water with a chopstick.
Sofiri’s notes described the technique of using mental power to guide elements to cultivate specific transcendent plants.
Perhaps Sofiri hadn't noticed—or maybe she had but didn't care—but if this technique were applied to spells, stepping outside the framework of a spellbook, it seemed I could actually "hand-rub" a fireball!
Of course, this was based on the premise that I had a complete and thorough understanding of the Fireball Spellbook. Only by understanding the spellbook and the magic ritual could I cast it by hand.
Right now, I was transcribing these key points onto my Memory Bookshelf, essentially running through them in my mind one more time.
Once I finished recording that section, I began attempting to hand-rub a Fireball Spell. There is a major difference between hand-rubbing a fireball and releasing one through a spellbook: the source of transcendent energy.
A spellbook’s Fireball Spell works by converting mana into fire elements to form the ball. Hand-rubbing is different; it involves directly mobilizing the fire elements in the air.
Like this...
I extended my hand, my mental power structuring the Fireball Spell ritual, drawing in the "meager" fire elements from the air.
Then, a tiny spark popped out, only to quickly flicker out...
"Tch... that’s it?"
I frowned, somewhat puzzled. Even if the fire elements in the air were thin, it shouldn't be this pathetic, right?
Was it that the Fireball Spell required too many fire elements? Or was it that mana, as a transcendent energy, had such a high energy level that the fire elements it converted were massive in scale, which is what gave a normal fireball its power?
I tried several more times, but the result was always the same. The best I managed was a tiny, flickering flame...
I think I'm starting to understand why the Witch Academy uses spellbooks. If everyone started out using spells like this, their interest in learning would probably be crushed instantly.
And I consider myself very familiar with the Fireball Spell. Perhaps things will be different once my mental power can interfere with mana.
But my intuition told me it wouldn't be that simple. If mental power could easily interfere with mana, many things wouldn't be so troublesome, and the value of spellbooks would plummet—at least for the senior sisters. If that were the case, they wouldn't be so desperate for them.
I also clearly understood what a spellbook represented. It was a magic platform, the final product of interfacing with Real Editing Technology. It was the bridge from prototype spells to derived spells...
Wait, that logic doesn't hold. Even if I don't know Real Editing, I can still derive spells. If I didn't have the framework of a spellbook, I should still be able to use them.
Therefore, there must be something else about spellbooks that I don't understand—functions I might not even be qualified to access yet.
Speaking of things I'm not qualified for... I thought of the "Domain-ification" of spells. A true Domain, not just a spellbook with a domain-like effect like the Fire Rain Domain.
Teacher Ji Niang had said that the Fire Rain Domain wasn't a true 【Domain】; it was just a spell derivation inspired by one.
Thinking of this, I shook my head to clear out the unrealistic thoughts. These were useless fantasies that wouldn't even help me derive spells, so they were naturally pointless.
After using "Unity of Knowledge and Action" to give myself a suggestion for deep focus, I went back to organizing the rest of the notes.
This notebook wasn't just about cultivating transcendent plants anymore; it was also a technique for utilizing transcendent energy. It seemed to share some similarities with my "Resonance" technique, though my Resonance was more simple and crude. Perhaps I could use this technique to fully perfect my Resonance derivation skills.
Only after mastering a tangible, so-called "technique" can one realize how rudimentary those "modified spells" created with mere cleverness really are.
I imagine Teacher Ji felt the same way when she saw my work back then. No wonder she told me to settle down and stop playing around...
Now, I was becoming interested in the other techniques within the secret realm.
At first, I had looked down on the techniques I thought I wouldn't need. For instance, before I looked into cultivation, I never imagined these techniques would contain tricks for guiding transcendent energy.
Maybe this is what they mean by drawing parallels?
Or perhaps it's just a manifestation of practical learning.
By the time evening rolled around, I had finally finished recording all the key points.
Of course, it was impossible to record everything. I’m not a superhuman, so I simply took the essence.
The rest would depend on fate.
During this process, I also realized the shortcomings of the Memory Bookshelf. Having to write everything down myself... was a bit "un-magical."
Magic is supposed to reduce trouble. Whether it's a physical solution or a magical one, I don't like sitting there for hours transcribing with a pen.
It’s time-consuming, labor-intensive, and kills my hand. If I want to learn a vast amount of things quickly, the current state of the Memory Bookshelf can't keep up with my ideas.
It would be perfect if the Memory Bookshelf could record everything I see and be controllable.
After a brief moment of thought, I divided the development of the Memory Bookshelf spellbook into three stages. I’m currently in the first stage: I have to transcribe things myself for the spell to remember them.
The next part of my plan involves two steps based on my own situation. Step two: "What I see is what I learn." This would skip the manual labor and use sight as the medium to record knowledge and content.
Step three: "What I perceive is what I learn." After all, reading books takes time; you have to look at and understand every sentence. It would be better to directly perceive the content with mental power and record it.
While step three is a bit of a pipe dream, it’s not impossible. As for why I’m going through the trouble of a three-step plan instead of doing it all at once...
Well, it’s because I have self-awareness. If I ask Teacher Ji Niang, I might be able to achieve step two. But for step three, I should just save my breath. I can't do it; I can't do it at all.
Besides, step two alone would be enough to last me a long time.
As expected, laziness is the true driver of human progress.
After finishing the day's busy work, I finally gave myself some rare rest. I really should fix this habit of being so impatient. Now that I'm in the Witch Academy, no one is forcing me to move forward; the only one pushing me is probably myself.
There were other factors, too. I’m likely at the top of the freshman rankings. Not progressing means regressing and being overtaken. In the early stages, being leapfrogged by others is especially noticeable.
Only after reaching the accumulation of the later stages will this restlessness fade.
But right now, I couldn't stop my anxious heart.
I longed to interact with the people in my dorm, partly because I didn't want to drift away from the group, and partly to see what "normal" students were learning and how far they had come...
On the Academy Network, many people were still hotly debating the exchange competition.
As the initial hype and climax passed, it had entered a second wave of discussion. Perhaps the aftereffects of the competition hadn't worn off yet.
Countless senior sisters were still discussing related information.
There were also many senior sisters who were video editors, cutting together various highlights. Naturally, Tan Han and I were the main stars of these videos.
Our various famous quotes from the competition had turned into memes, and various cool or ridiculous photos had become emojis.
I was already used to this. Wasn't this kind of thing normal in my previous life?
Or rather, it was the same in the outside society of this world. But the emoji that stirred my emotions the most was none other than the "world-famous painting": Xiao Han is Sleeping.jpg!
They had taken my expressions from the confrontation match and the exchange competition and re-edited them...
There were also derivatives like Waking up with a temper.jpg and Not fully awake.jpg, which were quite annoying.
However, once the initial annoyance passed, I still collected the emojis. Why shouldn't I be allowed to use my own emojis?
They could play if they wanted to; I didn't care. In fact, it felt kind of good.
As long as my mental state is on a higher level, they can't make a fool out of me.
Of course, there were also many bitter comments, green with envy over the rewards from this exchange competition. After all, not every year received such treatment. Some were even trying to incite conflict among the freshmen.
Looking at these comments on my phone, I could see exactly what they were trying to do.
Unsurprisingly, quite a few people had their emotions stirred up.
Having weathered big storms and thought through many things, I didn't voice my opinion. Since I was the biggest beneficiary of the competition, my words would have no persuasive power for them anyway.
Besides... those who could be swayed by such rhetoric to fight for benefits that never belonged to them in the first place—it was obvious what kind of people they were.
Wasting even a second of my time on them would be a sign of disrespect to myself.
"Xiao Han!"
A sudden knock on the door pulled me back to reality, and I realized I had been completely absorbed in the internet...
"Hmm? Dongli Yiren, is something wrong? You can just come in," I said, discreetly putting away my phone.
Dongli Yiren pushed the door open, looking a bit constrained. Her eyes instinctively scanned my bedroom before finally settling on the open notebook on my desk.
"Um, I've made up my mind..."
"About what?" I asked.
"I've made up my mind... I want to take this path!" Dongli Yiren told me.
"If you've made up your mind, there was no need to come all the way here to tell me. But since you're here, I want to ask why. Don't you long for those transcendent powers? The strong... violent stuff?" After all, guys usually love that kind of thing, right?
Had Dongli Yiren completely succumbed to her new identity, both in mind and body?
"I... actually, it's not like I can't talk about it." Dongli Yiren leaned against my door and closed it. It seemed she didn't want the others outside to hear.
"Actually, I just don't really like it. Now... I'm not afraid of you laughing at me. When I was a kid, I got blown up by a firecracker and sent to the hospital. It left a deep impression, so I'm actually a bit afraid of those spells. Plus, I've made it this far and I don't even have a spellbook. Guan Qiuling has one; she got it through her own merit. Yu Yuetian doesn't care about spellbooks at all, but her drive for learning is just like yours... Maybe I really should switch tracks..."
"Is that so?"
Dongli Yiren's words surprised me. I hadn't realized two people in our dorm already had spellbooks. No wonder Hong Chenyi had begged me to take her to the secret realm. Although she might not have known how dangerous it was, she knew one thing: if she could do what I did, even if she wasn't as talented, her achievements would at least be at the top of the class.
"Yeah, that's it. And I... I'm also very short on money."
"I didn't expect you to tell me so bluntly. But preparing potions might be even more expensive, you know? Have you thought about that?"
"I have. But it's a long-term process. I know there are courses on potion brewing later. I'll complete my accumulation in potions before then and seize every learning opportunity. I can't say I'll blow the teachers away, but at least when it comes time to choose a mentor, I can make an impression."
"You've thought that far ahead?"
"Yeah. This isn't a joke, after all. I only have one life, and I can't afford to regret it. Although I've seen that brewing potions and concocting magic medicine relies heavily on talent, I'm someone who got into a top academy on my own strength. Even in the Witch Academy, I have that confidence."
"As long as you're confident. Then I won't say much more." I organized the notebooks on my desk and handed them over.
"This..."
"It's for you, of course. I got these from that senior sister. I've finished looking at the parts useful to me, but this should be enough for you to study for a long time."
"You... you're finished?"
Dongli Yiren's eyes widened as she took the several notebooks. Just flipping through these would take forever, wouldn't it?
"I've just memorized the key points for myself. The rest is up to fate. Just don't try to learn like I do."
"Okay, thank you."
"Thanking me? That's a bit formal, isn't it? Anyway, I'm leaving those transcendent plants upstairs in your care. Speaking of plants... I have a lot of seeds, seedlings, and cuttings here. Take them with you; they're just taking up space here. They've been treated with special methods, so don't open them carelessly, or they might wither."
"These... all of these?" Dongli Yiren stared, unable to believe her eyes.
"Yeah, my haul from this morning."
And the lion's share was with Sofiri and the others. I had just taken a bit of everything and still had this much. One could only imagine how much they had. But I had also gained Sofiri's notes and experience in exploring secret realms—things money couldn't buy.
"By the way, there are dangerous seedlings and cuttings in there, like the Giant Erosion Thorn Vine and Dark Thorn Vine Grass. Be careful if you plant them; don't get yourself killed. Go to the library and read more." I felt like a nagging mother constantly giving instructions, and I could barely keep a straight face.
"Anyway, that's all. I won't tell you how to live your life."
"Thank you. You've helped me so much, I don't even know how to repay you..." Dongli Yiren said, looking overwhelmed as she held the pile of items she could barely carry.
"You're worrying about that? Let me teach you how to handle this: just work hard. At most, tell me about your progress periodically so I can feel a sense of accomplishment for mentoring you. Not just with me, but with everyone else in the future. If you become a master potioneer or something, I'll be the master potioneer's roommate."
"Thank you for saying that..."
"It's fine. Go on. I don't like other people being in my bedroom. Remember to close the door on your way out. But... can you even reach it?"
"I can reach it, definitely. I won't trouble you." Dongli Yiren spoke quickly. Even while clutching all those things, she insisted on helping me. It seemed my words just now had struck a chord with her.