Chapter 378: Teacher Ji Niang’s Call
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 378: Teacher Ji Niang’s Call
Time flew by. After a few days, my life had settled into the routine I’d mapped out.
I spent my mornings meditating and body tempering to improve my mental power and overall physical fitness. My afternoons were dedicated to reading and accumulating knowledge. If Betty was free, we would experiment with alchemy; after all, her mentor, Lola Lucy, was a Transcendent Witch with profound expertise in the field.
During one of those mornings, I was going through my usual body tempering routine at the Body Training Hall. Tao Ling was there, waiting as usual; by now, she had figured out exactly when I would show up.
She wasn't as over-the-top as she’d been during our first meeting. She had even started trying to learn the Primary Ritual War Dance from me. I knew well enough that the purpose of the Primary Ritual War Dance was to enhance physical fitness and that this enhancement had a limit—otherwise, there wouldn't be corresponding primary, intermediate, and advanced Body Tempering Rings and matching ritual dances.
As for Tao Ling… if she wanted to learn, I let her. Although it was a ritual for physical improvement, it was still a "war dance." In my view, if you stripped away the tedious ritualistic parts, the dance itself held significant practical combat value.
However, I personally felt these combat techniques were more suited for exhibition matches. They were a bit too flashy; using them in a real fight felt like you were just leaving yourself wide open.
Ever since I’d established my dominance that one time, the atmosphere at the Body Training Hall had become quite pleasant. There were no more people looking down on me or trying to flirt, and certainly no one looking for trouble.
Even senior sisters I didn't know would greet me warmly and proactively when they passed by. The change was honestly a bit surprising, but it made sense. Who could refuse a friendly greeting from a well-meaning stranger?
It was certainly better than having people pick fights.
While I was practicing the ritual war dance at the hall, my phone suddenly rang.
"Hmm?"
I was forced to break my rhythm and stop the ritual. Who would be calling me at this hour?
Was it Sister Bai? No, Sister Bai had a special ringtone. Maybe it was Betty? She had said she was free today, so I’d put aside my reading plans to go hitch a ride on her alchemy lessons. Had the plan changed?
When I saw the caller ID… well, it was Teacher Ji Niang.
I froze for a moment. It really had been a long time since I’d seen her.
From the beginning of the Nightmare Incident to its conclusion, and then until now, I’d almost completely forgotten that I belonged to a class… and that I had a counselor.
Sigh… Ji Niang was, in a sense, my first benefactor. She was the one who had pulled me into the Witch Academy, and she was the one who had led me to a deeper understanding of the Transcendent world, raising the level of my cognition.
As soon as I picked up, Ji Niang’s voice came through the speaker.
"You brat, how many days has it been since you last showed your face here? What have you been up to lately?"
"Uh… meditation, body tempering, alchemy?"
"Meditation and body tempering? Am I interrupting you right now?"
"It’s fine. I’m just body tempering, so it’s not much of an interruption. Did you call for a specific reason, Teacher Ji Niang?" I asked curiously.
Ji Niang wasn't the type to waste words. If it wasn't something important, she generally wouldn't contact me.
"The monthly exams ended days ago, and you still haven't come to collect your ranking rewards. Does that seem right to you? You’re the class monitor I appointed."
"There are rewards for the monthly exam?" I blinked. I suppose… there were?
I wasn't very clear on the details. Since I’d missed the first monthly exam, I didn't realize there was so much protocol involved.
"Of course. Monthly exams are a means of periodic testing and motivation; naturally, the rewards are generous. It’s not just the grade rankings; there are rewards for internal class rankings as well. So, I have two sets of rewards waiting for you here."
"Oh, then I’ll come by when I’m free. Is around noon okay?" I asked, trying to negotiate.
"Noon? That works. Oh, and if it’s noon, bring me some lunch. I’m not picky."
"Huh?" I pulled the phone away in confusion, double-checking that it was indeed Ji Niang. Teacher Ji Niang was actually asking me to bring her food?
"What’s with the 'huh'? If you’re taking up my lunch break, don't I need to eat? If you came over right now, you wouldn't have to help," she said bluntly.
"Uh… just picking up rewards shouldn't take that long, right? Is there something else, Teacher?" I asked tentatively.
"There is. It’s not convenient to discuss over the phone. Just come over. When are you coming?"
"Noon, then. Teacher Ji Niang, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. A lunch is the least I can do. It’s on me."
"Fine, I won't stand on ceremony then. See you at noon."
"Yeah, see you then." After a few brief pleasantries, Ji Niang hung up.
"Phew."
I sighed and set my phone aside. I hadn't expected Ji Niang to come looking for me. The so-called monthly exam rewards were secondary; what I cared more about was the matter she said was "inconvenient to discuss over the phone."
What could she want with me?
Maybe it was related to the Script. The concept of the Script had spread through the various Transcendent academies, though no academy had officially confirmed or clarified it yet.
So, that sort of thing was indeed inconvenient to discuss over a call.
Then there was… [Transcendent Knowledge].
Ji Niang’s ambition was the same as what the Academy Dean had recently achieved: creating a Great Spellbook!
I had promised to help her before. I wasn't sure if it was about that, but I had seen her making preliminary preparations for the Great Spellbook a while back.
But when I thought about how the Academy Dean had prepared for who-knows-how-many years for her Great Spellbook, Ji Niang’s current efforts felt a bit like… child's play?
Well… Ji Niang was the one providing the [Transcendent Knowledge], and she was the one leading the research environment and all the preparations. I was just a scheduled participant. Why was I worrying?
Speaking of [Transcendent Knowledge]… the portion I’d received during my Talent Awakening still hadn't been taken by the Academy Dean. Was she really that comfortable leaving it with me?
It felt like the Dean was treating me as a vessel to store [Transcendent Knowledge].
As long as I remained a member of the Witch Academy, I couldn't exactly run away, could I?
My attention shifted back to Tao Ling. Although I didn't pay her much mind, seeing her clumsily mimicking me right next to me… it really did make me want to give her a few pointers.
"Hold your posture a bit higher. You have the form, but not the spirit. Do you know why the movements I’m doing are so different from what’s taught?"
"Uh… I don't know. Is it because it’s more effective this way?" Tao Ling asked tentatively. She was clearly excited to suddenly receive my guidance.
"It makes it easier to express the essence of the ritual," I said, reaching into the four-leaf clover storage equipment on my forehead to pull out a book I’d borrowed from the library.
A few days had passed, so I’d swapped out my books. I had specifically chosen books with detailed rune explanations that corresponded to the runes in the ritual war dance; it helped me understand the meaning behind the symbols.
It was a perfect opportunity to test theory and practice together.
"Wh—you… you carry books with you?" Tao Ling stared in shock as I pulled the book out and began explaining things to her. She was stunned, but also deeply moved…
"Yes. I’ve been studying Runology for a while. Rune rituals involve many fields, and I’m certain that body cultivation is no exception. Whether it’s the ritual war dance or so-called body arts, they are essentially interpretations of rune rituals. The actions your body performs are a special language used to interpret the runes…"
As I explained, Tao Ling’s brow furrowed. Since she had never studied Runology, my teaching style sounded like gibberish to her.
In the end, she used her phone to take pictures of the pages, saying she would study them hard when she got back.
I let her be. A large part of why I explained these things was for my own benefit. During my time in Ninglan New City, I had learned a very efficient way to study: teaching others. Teaching also helped me practice my communication and expression skills.
It was essentially like using Tao Ling as a way to review my own knowledge and find gaps in my understanding.
After teaching her, I practiced the ritual war dance a few more times, stopping only once I’d exhausted a good amount of my excess energy and stamina.
"Phew."
I opened a bottle to hydrate. This bottle was a "membership gift" from Coach Liv. She’d seen me using disposable cups at the water station and gave it to me; it was quite convenient.
They had also recommended some potions for stamina recovery that could be diluted in the water bottle to effectively replenish energy while hydrating.
I hadn't bought any, though, because they reminded me of one thing: an "IQ tax."
They seemed to be just standard stamina recovery potions. Maybe the ingredients were tweaked, but the core was likely the same. As for the price… the less said, the better.
Once I got the formula, with my level of alchemy, I could probably brew them myself after a few tries. Not only would it give me alchemy experience, but I’d also feel safer using something I made myself.
In the locker room, I changed out of my sports vest and shorts. While the outfit was fine here, it would look a bit too provocative out on the streets.
Combined with my body cultivator’s physique and posture, I was genuinely afraid of running into some female hooligans. Even if I didn't need to fear those senior sisters given my strength, I hated dealing with the hassle.
Once changed, I checked the time. It was almost noon, so I headed straight for the cafeteria. After a hearty meal, I packed a portion for Ji Niang. I hoped she’d like it; she said she wasn't picky, so if she couldn't stomach it, she couldn't blame me.
I even specifically packed a side of "dark cuisine" that the Academy Dean had once mentioned to me. She said it was specially prepared for Transcendent Witches to train their True Taste perception, and it wasn't cheap.
Carrying the food, I felt like a campus delivery girl. Then again… now that I had a flying broom and landmark teleportation, working as a full-time delivery or courier service… seemed like it would be quite convenient?
Too bad it didn't pay much. For me, money was no longer a major obstacle—at least for now.
I arrived at the familiar teaching building and passed the laboratory I hadn't visited in a while. The lab looked different from my last visit; it was now filled with professional equipment and was kept very clean, as if someone cleaned it every day.
I only gave it a cursory glance. Since I was already here, Ji Niang had likely sensed my presence. If I dawdled, I didn't want to know what she’d say to me.
For all I knew, she was already striking a pose in her office, waiting for me.
Reaching the door, I was about to knock politely when I heard Ji Niang’s familiar voice from inside.
"Come in."
"Coming~"
I chuckled and pushed open the unlocked office door. Ji Niang looked significantly more… exhausted than the last time I’d seen her.
"Teacher Ji Niang… uh… what happened to you? You look like…"
"I just haven't slept in a few days." Seeing me, Ji Niang set down the work in her hands.
She closed her eyes for a moment to rest. "Oh, right. Your monthly exam rewards. One set for the grade ranking, one for the class motivation. I put them together in the storage equipment at the corner of the desk. Remember to give the storage equipment back to me."
"Got it."
I didn't bother arguing about her not letting me keep the storage equipment. Even if the internal space was tiny, storage equipment was still a pricey luxury. Most freshmen didn't have their own; they just bought bags, which were far more practical than storage equipment of the same capacity.
Just a bit more cumbersome.
I opened it to take a look. With my current perspective, the rewards could only be described as meager. A few dozen Mana Sources, some spellbooks—even some minor spellbooks—and some Red Copper coins.
For a moment, I couldn't even tell which were the grade rewards and which were the class rewards.
Not that it made much of a difference.
"Does it feel like too little?" Ji Niang asked.
"It’s alright."
"This is what a standard monthly exam reward looks like. Theoretically, there aren't many ways to obtain Mana Sources during the first three years of the curriculum."
"I know. That’s why I don't mind." As I spoke, I took the Mana Sources and absorbed them into my body. I felt the slight boost and feedback they provided; it was almost negligible now, but I wasn't going to turn them down.
"It seems you’ve grown quickly," Ji Niang remarked with a sigh. There was a time when I needed her help just to use a Mana Source; now I could do it myself.
It was indeed fast. But… it also meant I now had the ability to give Mana Sources to others. I wondered if some lucky soul would receive a Mana Source from me in the second year?
"Yeah, I didn't expect it either." I handed over her lunch. "Teacher Ji Niang, your lunch~ I’ll just leave it here~"
"Thanks." Ji Niang nodded and took the bag.
"I’m leaving the storage equipment here. By the way, Teacher, you mentioned something else on the phone. What exactly is it?" I asked after setting the equipment on the corner of the desk.
"It’s about the Great Spellbook project. It’s officially launched. I’ve applied to the academy, and they’ve granted us a better laboratory. Do you want to come with me to check it out this afternoon?"