Chapter 442: Derivative Applications of the Reverse Summoning Spell
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 442: Derivative Applications of the Reverse Summoning Spell
I left the aromatherapy specialty shop.
This time, I’d restocked enough meditation incense to last me quite a while.
Seeing Senior Sister Gongxi Huanxin again, I found her innate talent as terrifying as ever. However, having experienced so much recently, I remained much calmer in her presence.
I looked at the message I’d just sent on my phone. The private chat window I had open was with Teacher Ji Niang.
Logically speaking, now that I had some free time, I should have gone to help her. Teacher Ji Niang had taught me so much useful knowledge, and then, due to a sudden accident, I had been out of contact for a long time.
Furthermore, the Reverse Summoning Spell was a technique derived and completed from the rubbings of Teacher Ji Niang’s [Transcendent Knowledge]. Theoretically, research into the Reverse Summoning Spell would significantly advance the study of [Transcendent Knowledge].
It had been a while since I’d seen her. Teacher Ji Niang was no longer working solo like she did on the frontline; she had assembled a small team of several witches to begin the systematic deconstruction of [Transcendent Knowledge].
After all... if one wanted to use [Transcendent Knowledge] to create a Great Spellbook, one had to understand its characteristics. That was the prerequisite for utilizing it.
However, Teacher Ji Niang suggested that I shouldn't come over for the time being. Perhaps the commotion I’d caused while using her name last time was more than she could handle. I could only say that it was an accident; I hadn't wanted things to turn out that way either.
If Teacher Ji Niang didn't want me to go, then I wouldn't. I didn't have much confidence that I could be of help anyway. Perhaps once I had accumulated a bit more depth, it would be about right.
That said, Teacher Ji Niang hadn't been idle during this time. Her team also possessed the ritual for the Reverse Summoning Spell and could produce a brand-new Reverse Summoning Spellbook at any time.
Consequently, Teacher Ji Niang and her small team were currently conducting a comprehensive deconstruction and testing of this spell.
She had even been thoughtful enough to send me a copy of the experimental data.
Since I also possessed this spellbook, I needed a deeper understanding of it if I wanted to use it more effectively.
Teacher Ji Niang’s actions moved me nearly to tears. Although she didn't have much natural talent for being a teacher, she was truly good to me.
I silently promised myself that if I ever had the ability in the future, I would definitely help her perfect her Great Spellbook.
The only pity was that Teacher Ji Niang’s persistence made her insist on being the lead creator of this Great Spellbook. Because of this obsession, there was no one in her team capable of shouldering the entire responsibility. This was indeed one of the major factors hindering her rapid progress. However, since she was a witch, she didn't need to worry too much about the limits of her lifespan; she truly had the time to grind it out slowly.
Since Teacher Ji Niang didn't need me for now, I naturally wouldn't force myself on her.
I found a nearby cafe, sat down, and began to review the research records she had sent me.
I was very curious about this spellbook and had many questions of my own. I wanted to see if these experiments could help resolve my confusion. If not, I could provide feedback to Teacher Ji Niang; after all, my ideas might be paths they hadn't yet explored.
Opening the experimental records, I found the information meticulously organized and clearly structured. It gave me the illusion that I was reading an experimental thesis, though the information here was much more concise.
As I read through, I saw many things I had already figured out myself, but they had recorded every single detail with painstaking care.
Toward the end, I quickly found a section that piqued my interest: the summoning ritual portion of the spellbook.
For example, with a spell like this, if many identical spellbooks or spells existed, there would inevitably be issues regarding the correspondence between the Reverse Summoning Spell and the summoning ritual.
Could identical Reverse Summoning Spellbooks share a single summoning ritual? Could one summoning ritual summon two people who held or mastered the Reverse Summoning Spell?
The answer was yes. Or rather, most of the hypotheses were achievable. After all, is magic such an inconvenient thing?
However, actual testing revealed that, under normal circumstances, one Reverse Summoning Spell corresponded to a specific summoning ritual—specifically, the ritual that came bundled with the mastery of the first Reverse Summoning Spell. A second Reverse Summoning Spell could not be summoned by it.
This fell under the concept of "correspondence uniqueness" within spells. Uniqueness wasn't a concept exclusive to Unique Spells; in fact, this characteristic manifested in many spells. The concept of a Unique Spell referred to the uniqueness of the spell as a whole entity.
Of course, once the Reverse Summoning Spell was fully mastered, it could also be linked. Between multiple linked Reverse Summoning Spells, one could achieve cross-summoning, collective summoning, selective summoning, and so on. The convenience of these abilities depended on the user’s own judgment based on the actual situation.
This meant that all these ideas were possible, provided the user had the ability.
Under normal circumstances, a summoning ritual like the one I had spread around couldn't be used to summon other people who possessed the Reverse Summoning Spell. However, after understanding my summoning ritual, another person could modify their own Reverse Summoning Spell to create a temporary link with that ritual, allowing them to be summoned normally.
The "Summoning Ritual Encryption" technology derived from this ensured that rituals sent out wouldn't be privately linked by others...
Looking at this research, it felt as if a door to a new world had suddenly swung open. I had never realized there were so many tricks, loopholes, and techniques within a single spell—even encryption technology...
It was truly an eye-opener. What struck me even more was that phrase: "Is magic such an inconvenient thing?" For Transcendent Witches, they relied on their own complete mastery of a spellbook. Their use of a spellbook was no longer like using a tool; it was a mastery and command of an ability that belonged to them!
And now, having broken free from the restrictions of the Main World Ley Line Shackles, I had used the trick the Academy Dean taught me to master the "Spellbook Shelf Spellbook," which I then used to carry my other spellbooks.
One could say my method was very clever, but it proved one thing: my ability to command spellbooks already exceeded the vast majority—nearly all—of the students currently in school. As for why I didn't say "all," that was just a bit of self-effacing modesty, knowing there is always someone better.
If I were even slightly more arrogant, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to claim I had the strongest command over spellbooks, because there was a fundamental difference between being carried by the Ley Line Shackles and carrying them oneself.
Continuing further, the data began to enter realms I didn't quite understand. In particular, the prospects for the derivative fields of this spell were already beyond my current cognition.
Nevertheless, I read everything and recorded it all within the Tree of Knowledge. Even the things I couldn't understand now, I believed I would grasp once I had the corresponding knowledge and perception.
But just as I was about to simply record the information, I suddenly discovered many more small details about the Reverse Summoning Spell.
For instance... the provided summoning ritual could allow for a corresponding perception once the other party activated it.
Unlike now. Currently, if someone activated my summoning ritual, I could only determine specific, limited information.
For example... whether they were in the Witch Academy, the Main World, a Small World, or an unknown world. I knew nothing else. But now, with ritual information attachment technology, as long as I pre-defined the categories, I could know exactly which person or which category of person was summoning me.
This little trick was absolutely brilliant!
Of course, there was another derivative ability that followed which truly made my eyes light up.
The Reverse Summoning Spell no longer had to target me. The transmitted object could be a piece of information, an item, or even... a pre-charged spell attack!
Seeing this, I subconsciously swallowed.
If I categorized a certain summoning ritual as "Extermination" and spread it around, then as soon as someone activated the ritual, I could toss over a strategic nuke—no, no, if I mastered a powerful spell later, I could just hurl that through... wouldn't that wipe out an entire civilization?
Wait... why am I thinking about destroying civilizations again?
Then again, this kind of ability is probably more suited for giving surprises to strangers... but looking at it another way, who could refuse a strategic nuke that brings "nuclear peace" to the recipient?
At the thought, a pleasant smile couldn't help but spread across my lips. Any passerby who didn't know better would think I’d just thought of something wonderful.
I absolutely had to learn these derivative applications of the spell!
Excited, I packed up the materials. This wasn't the best place to continue reading.
Just then, a figure suddenly appeared beside me.
"Hey! Sister, are you in the Xiao Han Fan Club too?"
"Hmm?" I let out a soft sound. Although I’d felt someone approaching, I hadn't expected their target to actually be me.
I turned my head toward the owner of the voice, a girl who looked somewhat unfamiliar.
But with just one look, my eyes went wide!
Because the beautiful girl in front of me actually had white hair! And red eyes—though upon closer inspection, I could tell they were colored contacts...
"You are..." I began, confused.
"I'm a member of the Xiao Han Fan Club! I saw your white hair... the dye job is amazing! Which shop did you go to? And those contacts look so natural!"
"Uh..." I was completely bewildered by this overly familiar girl. "The Xiao Han Fan Club?"
"Yeah! Don't tell me you aren't? You dyed your hair and put in contacts the moment you found out Xiao Han looked like that, and you're still not admitting it?"
"Uh, I guess I can't argue with that," I said. But girl... have you considered that I might actually be the Xiao Han you're talking about?
"By the way, is this hair-dyeing thing spontaneous? Don't you all think it's a bit strange? I mean, white hair isn't exactly... considered lucky?"
"What kind of talk is that? White hair will be led to its peak by Sister Xiao Han! White hair is going to be the next big aesthetic trend!"
"Well said! You really understand Xiao Han!"
Hearing her words, I got excited too! What could be more thrilling than having someone else understand the beauty of white hair?
"I knew it! A kindred spirit! Sister, are you in our fan club group chat? What's your name? I'm Luo Yun."
"Luo Yun? Hello, I'm called Moon." I introduced myself, though I didn't reveal my true identity. Since she hadn't realized it, I didn't want to go looking for trouble.
"Moon? Wow... your name is one of the characters in Sister Xiao Han's name! So lucky! So, which big shot are you in the group? I don't think I've seen you post much..."
"Oh, I don't really do the 'scene' right now. The academy is too chaotic, and I don't want to get too involved with too many people."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"It means I'm realizing my own ideas in my own way, rather than mindlessly following the crowd."
"But there's strength in numbers, Moon... you should still..."
"Is that so? Sister Xiao Han doesn't think there's strength in numbers, you know. She’s pretty much carried the pressure alone all this way. Besides, have you thought about... why Sister Xiao Han doesn't respond to those so-called fan club cheers?"
"That... that actually makes a lot of sense! Um... can I take a picture with you? Meeting like this is fate, and I think what you said is so right! I want to use your words to make a post~"
"Hmm..." After thinking it over, I agreed to the girl's request. After all, this was the first time I’d met a stranger who was a supporter, and even more coincidentally, she hadn't recognized me.
I had a feeling that if she ever discovered the truth, she might get kicked out of the fan club... but that wasn't my concern.
The girl named Luo Yun picked up her phone and looked at the screen. With a click, the image was captured.
"Alright, thanks! Um... how about we exchange contact info? Since meeting is fate and all."
"If meeting once is fate, then I have fate with everyone on the street. Let's save the contact info for next time. If we meet again, that will be fate. I have things to do. Goodbye." I said simply and left without lingering.
This wasn't a place to stay. Luo Yun’s appearance made me realize just how dangerous it was to be out in public with this face.
After all... Mentor Dinah had briefly mentioned the things happening on the Academy Network. I hadn't looked at those boring flame wars yet, unless I got truly bored and wanted to watch them for a laugh.
But that girl had also brought me a piece of good news: the acceptance of the white hair aesthetic in the Witch Academy. If the day ever came when white hair became a trend in the academy, it would be a beautiful sight. This world needs the salvation of white hair! This world lacks the aesthetic gene for "white hair and youthful face" deep in its bones, but that's okay—I can try to inject it into them now.
Not long after, a post appeared on the Academy Network under the daily life section, featuring a short caption and a photo.
"Went out today and dyed my hair the same color as Sister Xiao Han, put in contacts, and met a kindred spirit on the street! This girl looks so much like Sister Xiao Han, and what she said made so much sense!"
Sister Xiao Han x2.jpg
Before long, the post was flooded with likes and comments.
"Sister, your execution is incredible!"
"Sister, I'm begging you, ask that other girl where she got her hair dyed. Why can't I get that translucent silver-white look?"
"Wait... Sister, are you sure you didn't just meet Sister Xiao Han herself?"
"She's so pretty! Leave your contact info! And the girl next to you too! I want to be a two-timer! I want one on each arm!"
"Yes, yes, exactly! You guys hurry up and date each other so no one competes with me for Sister Xiao Han!"
"What is the person above thinking? Isn't Sister Xiao Han already in my bed?"