Chapter 273: Wisdom Enlightenment, The Belated Guest
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 273: Wisdom Enlightenment, The Belated Guest
The first monthly exam of the semester had arrived at the Witch Academy.
As usual, it was a theory-based exam. For the first three years of the standard curriculum at the Witch Academy, the focus remained primarily on theoretical studies. Practical combat exercises generally served only as reference scores, with rankings within the class used as a means of motivation.
After all, combat was difficult to grade fairly. If the entire grade were to be ranked based on combat performance, it would result in a tournament many times larger and more complex than the Freshman Competition.
Naturally, the focus of this theoretical monthly exam fell upon the high-profile freshmen. Perhaps the intensity of the Freshman Competition and the Exchange Competition had shifted their mindsets; many students had come to accept that they simply couldn't beat the top-tier fighters in a real match.
If I can't beat them in combat, there's no way I'll lose in theory.
This mindset spurred a large number of students to pour their energy into their studies. After all, no one is an all-rounder. Being a master of both the pen and the sword—excelling in both theory and combat—seemed unrealistic to most.
However, Tan Han delivered a crushing blow to that notion. One mustn't forget that Tan Han had entered the Witch Academy with a perfect score on her College Entrance Exam. How could her theoretical knowledge be anything less than stellar?
The freshmen, dazed by this realization, finally experienced the total domination of a true Academic God.
In this environment, the freshmen also discovered that Yang Yuehan, the champion of the recent Exchange Competition, had not participated in the monthly exam. This became a convenient outlet for those who were frustrated and looking for someone to lash out at.
Unfortunately for them, the Academy offered no explanations or comfort, and Yang Yuehan herself was far beyond the reach of their insults and mockery.
By the time they grew tired of venting on the Academy Network, they realized the person they were attacking had seemingly vanished into thin air. It felt like punching a cloud of cotton—unsatisfying and futile.
Some maliciously speculated that the Witch Academy had expelled her. After all, her performance in the Exchange Competition was public knowledge; she had supposedly tarnished the Academy's reputation, offended other schools, and provoked all Three Top Academies. For all they knew, her body was rotting in a ditch somewhere.
Of course, such malicious thoughts belonged mostly to the freshmen. The senior sisters knew better. Even the most jaded upperclassmen understood the unique character of the Witch Academy. The teachers would sooner fight over a student like Yang Yuehan than expel her. Kick her out? The Academy was more likely to expel the freshmen for being "brain-dead" than to let go of Xiao Han.
After being sternly lectured by several senior sisters using their real names on the forums, the freshmen finally settled down.
The seniors taught the newcomers a valuable lesson: strength is the best way to make the weak shut up.
If your own brain isn't working, don't assume everyone else is as slow as you. People might play along with your stupidity if it serves their interests, but if no one is joining in, then you're just plain stupid.
* * *
"Tan Han, how have you been lately? I see you've been practically living in the library. The monthly exam is over; do you still feel like there are gaps in your knowledge?" Lina asked, looking at the girl before her.
Even though Lina was Tan Han's counselor and the Grade Dean, it was still difficult for her to find a moment to sit down and talk with her.
Tan Han was a well-known workaholic at the school. Since her narrow defeat to Yang Yuehan in the Exchange Competition, many felt she had become much more reserved. With Lina's guidance helping her clear her head, Tan Han had found a new goal at the Academy.
Whether that goal was something she found herself or something the Academy had subtly nudged her toward via a "Script," no one could say for sure.
Regardless, her need to possess power that could suppress everything remained unchanged.
Of course, as the number of Children of Destiny in the Academy increased, Tan Han could clearly feel that the school's focus on her wasn't as intense as before. She hadn't been able to find out why.
Even without asking, she had her own suspicions. Perhaps her performance had been too disappointing for the Academy?
"Yes. I still have a long way to go, and not just regarding what's in the textbooks," Tan Han nodded, her tone indifferent. The old Tan Han would have spoken with a hint of arrogance.
"Don't be so cold with me. I liked the old you better—the one who was full of mettle and dared to challenge the teachers. What's wrong? Are you still reeling from that shock?"
"It wasn't a shock."
"Then aren't you curious why Yang Yuehan has been missing in action lately? Given your relationship, surely she told you?"
"She didn't. Her phone has no signal..." Tan Han said, shaking her head.
"Well, I thought you two were friends by now. I'm surprised she didn't tell you. I suppose there's no harm in me saying it: she took a mission to enter a secret realm. Are you interested?"
"A Witch Secret Realm? Which one?" Tan Han asked, curious. Any realm that would make someone give up the rewards of a monthly exam had to be significant.
"The Fool's Village Secret Realm. The associated task is Wisdom Enlightenment."
"Thank you. I'll go check it out when I have time."
"Hey, hey, hey! Wait! Why are you in such a rush? Won't you listen to what I have to say?" Lina called out, rubbing her temples in frustration.
"I believe I can find more detailed information by looking up the records than by listening to you. Is there some intelligence that isn't recorded in the library?" Tan Han asked, turning back.
"No, not exactly. I just wanted to say that quite a few people seem to have their eyes on that secret realm right now. Sigh... it's my fault for being too impatient."
"Aren't all secret realms like that? It's just a matter of how many people go." Tan Han didn't seem to care. She hadn't been afraid during her previous Witch Secret Realm trial, and though many had competed against her then, none had been her match.
"Confidence is good. Fine, I have no reason to keep you. Go on. Just remember my warning: you can't conquer a Witch Secret Realm with raw strength alone."
* * *
Meanwhile, inside the secret realm.
Sister Bai and I had completely adapted to life here. Our basic needs were well-covered, and our daily routine consisted of practicing meditation, helping the Fool's Dream clan, and organizing various games for them.
We were having a blast—or at least, the Fool's Dream spirits were.
I was also steadily collecting rune rubbings from them. I had originally thought that gathering the rubbings and obtaining the revelations would be the most time-consuming of my three steps, but it had actually become the first part to be completed.
Instead, practicing the meditation technique was what was holding us back.
I had helped Sister Bai upgrade her meditation to the level of Advanced Meditation, and I had done the same for myself. However, mastering Advanced Meditation required at least half a month of dedicated time.
The benefits of constantly quieting the mind to meditate were already becoming apparent.
Increased mental activity and improved memory were the basics. The most direct sensation was that, even without any spell buffs, my current state was roughly equivalent to when I used the Practical Learning Spell in the past.
It was hard to imagine what kind of existence I would become once I actually cast that spell again.
At the moment, Sister Bai and I were playing in the water. The Fool's Village Secret Realm encompassed a rainforest with plenty of water. The natural drops in elevation created beautiful waterfalls, and the water was clean and unpolluted. It was very refreshing.
After all, a monotonous life of meditation needed some spice. This was a secret realm; unless the Academy intervened, there was no chance of getting an internet connection.
I had a few single-player games on my phone to pass the time, but you eventually get bored of those. Sometimes, going for a walk makes you realize there are many things in the world more interesting than a phone.
"Hehe~ Sister Bai, look out! Water bullet!"
"Ah! Wait, you hit my clothes..."
"Isn't that perfect? You look quite alluring when you're soaking wet, Sister Bai."
"Alright, Xiao Han, you've got some nerve making lewd jokes at your big sister's expense!" Bai Yu didn't hold back. With a wave of her hand, a surge of water splashed toward me.
"Waaah!" The sudden impact knocked me right into the water.
"Xiao Han? Are you okay? Xiao Han?" Bai Yu watched me disappear beneath the surface, a flash of panic crossing her face. She rushed forward, only to be met with a face full of water as I splashed her.
"Hehe, I was faking it."
"You scared me! Don't do that again, okay?" Bai Yu lectured me with genuine concern.
"I know, I know. Sister Bai, why do you fall for it every time?" I stood up, shaking my head to fling the excess water away. I instinctively tugged at my collar, which was clinging to my skin. The feeling of wet clothes was honestly quite annoying.
"Alright, alright. We've bathed and played. It's time to head back."
"There's nothing fun to do back there anyway," I said, shrugging as I stepped out of the water. "By the way, Sister Bai, how is your meditation coming along?"
"Probably ten more days. I should be finished with the Advanced Meditation by then," Bai Yu replied thoughtfully as she stepped onto the bank.
"Eh? Ten days? I feel like I need another half-month. You're so fast, Sister Bai!"
"No matter how fast I am, I still need you to do the research, don't I? Sometimes, talent in cultivation isn't everything. Unfortunately, I realized that a bit late."
"It's never too late to realize it, right?" I picked up my change of clothes and prepared to put them on.
"Wait, dry yourself off first," Bai Yu reminded me, tossing me a towel.
Actually, Sister Bai could have used a spell to dry us instantly. Losing a spellbook didn't mean one couldn't use magic. Even I could still cast spells, like the Fireball Spell I had fully mastered, or the little water orbs I'd figured out while playing in the water.
Most senior students had experimented with casting without a spellbook. It wasn't impossible; the power was just significantly reduced.
For example, a water orb cast with a spellbook could seriously injure someone, but without it, it was only good for a water fight.
After changing into fresh clothes, I took the opportunity to wash my wet ones in the stream so I could hang them up to dry back at the village.
"Let's go. We really should head back."
Happy times are always short-lived. Was the water fight really just for fun? Not entirely. Watching Sister Bai's clothes slowly become translucent as they soaked through, clinging to her body in a suggestive way... that was the real highlight.
The water fight was just a way to speed up that process while playing with her.
Thinking back on it now, I still felt a bit unsatisfied.
But it was time to stop for now.
When we returned to the village, almost every Fool's Dream spirit we passed was someone I had interacted with. They had grown used to my presence and didn't find it strange at all.
"Huh? Why is the village so lively today?" I looked around curiously. The Fool's Dream spirits seemed busy again. I stopped one who was wandering down the path.
"Oh! I heard more guests have arrived at the village today! I'm going to pick the freshest Quexi Fruits before the sun goes down!"
"Me too! I'm going to get mountain spring water; it's the sweetest water there is."
The spirits I met greeted me and explained the reason for the commotion.
I was surprised. More guests?
I hadn't expected this long-forgotten secret realm to receive new visitors so soon. I was genuinely curious. If someone had managed to dig this place out from the massive pile of available Witch Secret Realms and spent an Orichalcum coin to get in, I didn't believe they were just a "sucker."
Perhaps they were recommended by a teacher, or maybe they were a senior sister from the Witch Secret Realm Club responsible for maintenance.
This realm was special and surely had dedicated seniors looking after it. The fact that it had survived this long was likely thanks to their hard work.
"It seems new people have arrived. We'll inevitably have to deal with them. Xiao Han, how do you plan to handle it?" Bai Yu asked immediately.
"Me? I'll just go with the flow. If they approach me and ask questions, I'll tell them what I know. If they have a good attitude, I don't mind sharing more info. If they're rude, we just won't play with them," I said.
I didn't mind sharing information about this place, but I certainly wouldn't let them get it for nothing. They would have to pay an equivalent price, and it would depend on my mood.
Some people do terrible things when they know too much.
So, I didn't plan on initiating contact, though I was grateful to them.
Because of their arrival, the Fool's Dream spirits would host another banquet tonight, which meant I could obtain more revelations.
Even though my meditation was already at the Advanced level, no one could be sure that "Advanced" was the absolute limit. Even if it was, once a spellbook reached completion, one still needed inspiration and revelations to derive new variations.
The Fool's Dream spirits longed to become true life forms. Their wishes, mixed with their rituals, always produced wonderful sparks.
Perhaps the secret of Wisdom Enlightenment was hidden right there.
Just as I was thinking this, the door to the Village Chief's house in the center of the village suddenly opened, and a figure stepped out.
As we looked over, the person saw us immediately.
After all, two normal-sized teenage girls standing among a crowd of tiny Fool's Dream spirits were hard to miss.
I looked at the newcomer. I didn't recognize her, but she felt... slightly familiar.
Judging by the number of mana sources in her body and her general aura, she felt like a freshman.
"Yang Yuehan..."
Upon recognizing me, the girl's pupils shrank instinctively, and she spat out my name.
"Hmm? You know me?" Since she had called my name, it would be rude not to respond.
"How could I not know you?" The girl spoke through gritted teeth, her voice dripping with resentment.
"Uh... do we have some kind of history?" I asked, scratching my head in confusion.
"I am a student in your class, my. dear. Class. Monitor!"
"Huh?"
Her words made my brain freeze for a second. I didn't remember having a girl like this in my class.
Wait... after the Exchange Competition, we did have a transfer student... her name was Lucianne.
The one from the Wizard Academy...
"Oh! You're Lucianne!" My gaze shifted as I looked at her, my eyes filled with a certain meaningful look.
"You! What's with that look!" Lucianne felt a chill under my gaze. She was already somewhat afraid of me to begin with.
"Nothing... just... curious why you're here."
"I... am I not allowed to be here?" Lucianne swallowed hard, glanced at Bai Yu beside me, then turned her head and walked away.
I didn't stop her. Meeting Lucianne here was quite interesting. She was in Class 14, so she was almost certainly sent here by Teacher Ji Niang. I was starting to wonder what Ji Niang was up to.
Ji Niang knew that Wisdom Enlightenment was a long-term task. Did she actually give Lucianne a leave of absence for this?
"Xiao Han, you know her?" Bai Yu leaned in and asked.
"Hehe~ Sister Bai, if you had watched the Exchange Competition, you'd recognize her too."
"She... oh..." Bai Yu quickly realized. "Lucianne... that name... the Wizard Academy?"
"Now that you know, there's no need to say it out loud!"