Chapter 263: The Importance of Wisdom Enlightenment

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 263: The Importance of Wisdom Enlightenment

"Snap out of it. I won't say too much more, but to put it simply, it's like grinding skill proficiency in a game."

"Now... you should understand the current value of a Spellbook, right? Compared to ordinary spells, a Spellbook is a more systematic, finished form of spell advancement."

"I... I understand..." I nodded heavily.

"Don't overthink it. Those things are beyond your reach for now. How does it feel? You've realized that knowing too much isn't always pleasant, haven't you? Spellbooks have many other values, but for now... I won't reveal any more to you." Teacher Ji Niang shook her head and returned to her chair.

Although she had just given Xiao Han a bit of a lecture, Ji Niang felt it wasn't quite enough, yet she was also gratified by how quickly the girl was growing.

Is this what it's like to be blessed by the heavens? You really can't help but be envious.

"Um... then I won't disturb you any longer, Teacher..."

Having obtained the answer I wanted, I had no reason to stay. I had originally thought I’d discovered some incredible treasure, but it turned out to be something I couldn't even use at my current stage.

Aside from giving me a new perspective, it hadn't provided any immediate improvement. The sense of letdown was actually quite significant.

However, to say I gained nothing wouldn't be true. From the start of the term until now, I hadn't truly mastered any Transcendent power. Confirming this made me realize even more the importance of the knowledge and skills currently available in the Academy.

Perhaps this truth was trivial to others; they might feel that even if it wasn't theirs now, it would be once they became Transcendent Witches—it was only a matter of time.

That was why they wanted to accumulate a foundation at this stage, so that the moment they achieved the status of a Transcendent Witch, they could master power that truly belonged to them and undergo a complete transformation.

But in reality, at that point, whether it was a Spellbook or a Mana Source, they merely shifted from being tools to being their own methods.

And accumulating skills was what allowed those mastered methods to become possibilities for creation.

Although I was still curious about many details regarding the transition before and after a Spellbook's advancement, as Teacher Ji Niang said, knowing too much was truly stressful. It was as meaningless as being told in elementary school exactly how many days were left until the college entrance exams.

Of course, the main issue was that I hadn't mastered true power yet.

If I mastered true power...

I thought back to the Life Fruit I had snatched during the Dream Exchange Competition, that all-purpose miracle item.

I remembered someone mentioning that it could also enhance the Power of Nature. If I ate it, could I master the Power of Nature like an Elf?

But I wasn't an Elf, so maybe not... Their Power of Nature relied on their Elven Bloodline, while I was fundamentally a Witch.

"Are you leaving? What are your plans for later?"

Just as I turned to leave, Teacher Ji Niang called out to me again.

"Uh... I plan to stay low-key for a while. I intend to master a skill first," I answered after a moment of thought.

After all, the things I truly owned were few. Although I had started accumulating Spellbooks, once you understand one, you understand them all. After hitting a wall with the Fireball Spell, I knew I should pause. As for how long that pause would last, it would naturally be until my Witchification reached the point where my Mental Power could harness mana. That would be the true golden age for developing Spellbooks and acquiring stronger methods.

For now, while I had plenty of capital—namely, a lot of Orichalcum—I should master a skill to ensure I could keep making money later.

This behavior was somewhat similar to when I looked for a part-time job at the bakery; learning a craft to earn a living was my most basic thought when facing the unknown life ahead. I was truly staying true to my roots...

"Staying low-key again? Are you addicted to that?" Teacher Ji Niang teased.

"It's alright. I've found that I quite like a quiet life." Of course, I knew I didn't truly love a quiet life; rather, I was breaking my previous instinct to be anxious and restless about everything, smoothing over the traumas my past life had inflicted on me.

"Really? Why don't I believe you? Back when you... well, that's not what you said back then."

"Does Teacher Ji Niang have something for me to do? If you do, you can just say it. Didn't you say you were leaving soon? Why waste so much time talking to me?" Seeing her talk so much, I suspected she had something in mind.

"I wasted all this time for your sake, and here you are complaining. But I actually do have something for you to do."

"Really?"

"Would I joke with you? You should be secretly laughing for having such a responsible teacher. Enough of that, let's get to business. Open the Academy System on your phone, search for the keyword 'Wisdom Enlightenment,' and then look under the task category."

"Wisdom Enlightenment?"

I asked curiously but did as I was told. Sure enough, just as Teacher Ji Niang said, after a quick search, such a task appeared in the task column.

"This task... wait, how long has this been posted? Ones, tens, hundreds... over a century? Huh?"

I looked at the task and then at Teacher Ji Niang in disbelief, momentarily unsure who was the one with the problem.

"This task was posted during the era when Witch Secret Realms were in vogue. This particular Secret Realm is one of the few not provided by a graduated student, but by one of the Deans who originally founded the Witch Academy. At the time, this move sparked a craze to complete the realm."

"And it still hasn't been cracked?" I interjected.

"Yes, which is why this task exists. It's bound to that specific Secret Realm. Back then, the hype came and went quickly because the Dean had posted an impossible realm from the start. There are no substantial rewards; the trials within are the main point. The Dean's original intention was good... sigh..."

"So, Teacher Ji Niang, you saw I had nothing to do and found this for me?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to stay low-key for a while? This trial realm takes quite a bit of time, so it suits you perfectly. I was hesitating before, but now that you're free, you can go take a look. If you're not interested, just pretend I didn't say anything," Teacher Ji Niang said, shaking her head.

"Oh, so it's not mandatory?"

"Of course not."

"Alright, I'll check it out when I have time. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, Teacher." I silently made a note of it. However, before that, I still wanted to master a skill first, like... Alchemy.

I had been interested in it when I was looking at runes in the library. The most important part of Alchemy, the Alchemy Ritual, was a method composed of different Rune Rituals. Although runes only made up the foundational part of Alchemy, having understood almost all the basic runes, I undoubtedly had a significant advantage.

Furthermore, Alchemy was also a skill that trained Mental Power. My Mental Power couldn't just be increased through meditation without some practical application; it needed to be able to harness mana. Harnessing Alchemy in the meantime wouldn't be a problem.

Besides, I had some common-sense memories from the Ley Line memories I'd been infused with, which were detailed in my Skill Bookshelf. Plus, the professional equipment for a basic Alchemy Apprentice that I had pre-ordered at the library was supposed to arrive today.

"Go on, then. There's nothing left for you here."

Ji Niang watched my departing back and finally sighed. The Wisdom Enlightenment Witch Secret Realm was a wonderful place. Even she had gone there when she was a student at the Witch Academy. Unfortunately, she was already close to graduation then, but the benefits she gained were enough to serve her to this day.

It had even become part of the confidence she needed to attempt to glimpse the field of creating a Great Spellbook.

Some things can truly only be understood after reaching a certain realm; that is when the circle of education closes. It was a pity she hadn't met a great teacher back then, but that didn't stop her from becoming one herself.

Wisdom Enlightenment was truly crucial—the earlier, the better. If the Secret Realm could be made available to the whole school, the Deans would have loved to make it part of the compulsory education for all students.

But many people failed to see the importance of such things.

Potions, magic medicines... even many spell effects that boosted wisdom or spirit could show results faster, but those were facilitated by external forces, not achieved through one's own efforts.

There was a fundamental difference.

"Heh, why think so much? You can't force these things." Ji Niang spoke to herself self-mockingly, but she had no intention of going back. A joke—did a Transcendent Witch still need to go back to eat and sleep?

Not at all. Even eating was just for the pleasure of the palate, a mere craving. A Transcendent Witch had long since become a transcendent existence; it wasn't just about being powerful, but a leap in the level of life itself.

She still had many important things to do. The plan for the Great Spellbook was already on the agenda. She needed a lot of preliminary groundwork and would even have to leave the Main World to go to the Witch World Great Library to find what she needed.

Oh... and even though Ji Niang was prepared for a 99.99% failure rate in creating the Great Spellbook, she would still take out the best insurance for that 0.01% and sign a contract with the Primal Witch who guarded the Witch World Great Library.

* * *

Meanwhile, I had safely returned to my villa.

"Sister Xiao Han, you're finally back. Why are you even later than usual today? I signed for a package for you. It's covered in 'Handle with Care' warnings, so I didn't dare touch it..." Hong Chenyi said as soon as she saw me return.

"It's here already? Thanks. Where is it?" I asked.

"Right there by the door. I didn't move it. Is there glass inside? I heard things clinking when I took it."

"Pretty much. Anyway, thanks."

I gently lifted the large box. It was full of various instruments; the "glass" was likely test tubes and flasks. Since Alchemy involved so many things—even scientific experiments required so many instruments—Transcendent research like Alchemy would certainly be the same.

"Why are you thanking me? By the way, Sister Xiao Han, you've been so low-key lately. Changing your face is basically like you've vanished from the Witch Academy. I can't even find clips of you on short video apps anymore."

Hong Chenyi glanced at me. That head of white hair left them completely baffled, but they could still see that their Sister Xiao Han had changed slightly—maybe she had become even more of a grind-set student?

"Isn't that a good thing? Fame brings trouble. I came to the Witch Academy to learn Transcendent knowledge, not to get famous."

"You're right, Sister Xiao Han. Sigh... it's just a pity that what we're learning now is so boring."

"The more boring it is, the more you need to settle your mind..."

"Alright, alright, I'm not drinking any more of your 'chicken soup' for the soul. Oh, right, Sister Xiao Han, do you still plan to take me into a Secret Realm?"

"Sorry, I've been so busy with my own things that I forgot about you guys. But I might be getting busy again soon." I sighed and could only apologize. I had originally thought about taking Hong Chenyi to the Wisdom Enlightenment realm, but then I remembered Teacher Ji Niang saying it was a long-term realm. Hong Chenyi probably wouldn't be able to handle it.

"By the way, haven't you hooked up with Shi Huiyu? She's not bad in terms of strength, right? Ask her if she's willing to take you to a Secret Realm. I found a good one today where you can steadily obtain Mana Sources."

"Steadily obtain Mana Sources! Really?!" Hong Chenyi jumped up from the sofa the moment she heard that.

"Yeah, but the entry fee is one Orichalcum. You'll have to figure that out yourself."

"Or... Orichalcum?" Hong Chenyi's excitement instantly withered. She had made an effort to learn about these Transcendent materials and understood exactly how expensive a single Orichalcum was.

"I... sigh... at worst, I'll sign a loan contract with Shi Huiyu. Starting out is always hard. I'll pay her back later..."

"A loan? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠You're going to borrow from Shi Huiyu? Be careful not to get yourself so deep in debt that you have to sell yourself to her~" I warned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hong Chenyi, shaking my head.

"If I have to, then I have to. At worst, I'll use myself to pay the debt. If she wasn't going to lend it, she wouldn't have from the start. I know her."

"Eww~ I didn't think you were that kind of Hong Chenyi." I made a face of mock disgust. "Well... whatever you want. As long as you don't trouble me, I'll have some peace."

"Hey! Wait! Sister Xiao Han! You haven't told me which Secret Realm it is!"

"Trial Secret Realm No. 0. You can get up to five Mana Sources a week. But in my opinion, you guys probably won't be able to get the full amount. Shi Huiyu might, but you... not necessarily."

"I'm not that weak, am I? I've been attending the practical training classes properly..."

"Anyway, if you're going, do some research beforehand. There are so many Witch Secret Realms; there's bound to be one that suits you. Many with low entry requirements are perfect for you, though they might not give you the best stuff."

After a brief explanation to Hong Chenyi, I took my things back to my bedroom.

Actually, the villa was quite large. It had three floors of space, and there were many areas we hadn't utilized yet, such as the laboratory on the first floor specifically partitioned for students mastering professional skills.

Of course, it couldn't compare to the Academy's professional—and expensive—Alchemy rooms.

But it was perfect for an entry-level Alchemy Apprentice like me.

The Alchemy experiments an apprentice like me performed couldn't possibly blow up the villa, right?

How dangerous could it be?

If I could blow up the villa, then that would be something special. That wouldn't be a failure; that would be a success!

A single Fireball Spell wouldn't necessarily be able to collapse the villa.

If I could do that, it would immediately be upgraded to a standard combat method—a powerful attack with no casting time, right?

Just as I was organizing and wiping down the equipment, my phone suddenly rang.

"Eh? It's Sister Bai." I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠picked up my phone, saw the caller ID, and answered without hesitation. "Hello~ Sister Bai. Why are you calling so late? Shouldn't you be very busy lately?"

"Mm... my project has come to a temporary close. Now, I have plenty of time..."

"Eh? The project is finished? Then, Sister Bai, are you about to become a Transcendent Witch?" I asked excitedly.

If Sister Bai became a Transcendent Witch, wouldn't she be promoted directly to a teacher?

Maybe she would leave this world to explore the Void. I couldn't be so selfish as to keep her restricted to my side... though thinking about it did make me feel a bit reluctant.

"It's still early. But... soon, maybe? Who knows? I hear noise on your end. Are you busy with something?"

"Oh, just cleaning some equipment~ But Sister Bai, why did you call?"

"Can't I call if there's nothing specific?"

"...No, no, of course not! My phone is always open for Sister Bai's calls~"

I blanked for a moment before quickly reacting. I usually didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like making or receiving calls.

Because of my past life, a phone call was either a telemarketer or some kind of trouble. It had become a stress response for me.

Perhaps this was the true purpose of a mobile phone. it wasn't just for notifications of important matters, nor did there have to be a specific reason to call.

Wasn't the original intention of the telephone just to make it easier to talk when you weren't together?

But... even realizing this, it was hard for me to change... Still, I would try to change myself. For instance, right now, I needed to find a topic to keep the conversation going!

"Um... Sister Bai..."

"Go ahead. I haven't seen you in days. Do you need my help with something again?"

"Well, Sister Bai, are you free? I want to take on a long-term Secret Realm exploration task."