Chapter 464: New Observations of Luck
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 464: New Observations of Luck
"How interesting..."
I idly toyed with the ethereal threads before me. They remained unmoved by my touch, yet I continued to play with them, never tiring of the sensation.
The formation of the Tree of Great Knowledge had granted me a terrifying degree of control over my own abilities. I was currently contemplating whether to use the Myriad Methods Bookshelf as a structural prototype for the tree’s evolutionary path. After all, once I had severed the Ley Line Shackles, I found myself unable to bear a Mana Source or a Spellbook on my own.
I had solved the burden of the Mana Source through my innate talent for a body of Self-Generated Mana, and the Myriad Methods Bookshelf had served to contain all my spellbooks. However, that particular spellbook had been mastered through external help provided by the Academy Dean.
Compared to my current level of control, the Myriad Methods Bookshelf fell far short of the Tree of Great Knowledge. The tree had already transcended being a mere tool; it was now a part of my very being, falling into the category of a spellbook that had been thoroughly and completely mastered. If the Tree of Great Knowledge could adopt the bookshelf’s trait of internalizing other spellbooks as an evolutionary concept, my mastery over other spellbooks would increase exponentially.
Furthermore... the Myriad Methods Bookshelf was the "carrot" Sister Ji Niang had dangled in front of me back then. She told me its derived spells were immensely valuable. If that were the case, wouldn't using its characteristics as a framework for an even more powerful spellbook yield similar, if not better, results?
Regardless, I felt the possibility was worth a try.
The prerequisite, however, was to thoroughly understand the spellbook first. If I were to accidentally destroy it during the process, I had no idea if Sister Ji Niang had a spare.
But these matters weren't urgent; I simply added them to my long-term plan.
During these past two days of recuperation, aside from testing the effects of the Tree of Knowledge, I had also been experimenting with my Spirit Vision talent.
I could feel my mastery over this talent reaching a new height. Facing that onslaught of [Transcendent Knowledge] within the Sea of Consciousness—even with the Tree of Knowledge as my shield—the sheer impact of the information had been a profound stimulus.
I had a love-hate relationship with my Spirit Vision. I loved the convenience it provided, yet I hated the miserable childhood it had forced upon me. More than that, there was a sense of detachment; it was merely a bestowed talent. It would always be a tool, never a part of my core essence like a spellbook. It was even a tool that could, theoretically, be replaced.
Ever since I realized its value, my only thoughts had been how to exploit it, how to grip it tight, and how to use its convenience to elevate myself to a point where I could eventually ignore it entirely.
Yet, it had been part of my perception since birth. Spirit Vision permeated every aspect of my life. If I weren't a transmigrator, I might not even be able to distinguish between the world of Spirit Vision and the normal world.
After the forced baptism of [Transcendent Knowledge], my control over Spirit Vision had deepened. If the upper limit of my Spirit Vision was the Floating World level, then I had already crossed the mountain of "Foresight" and was now summiting the peak of "Imaging," drawing closer to the "Unknowable" level. Previously, my Floating World Spirit Vision felt like a castle in the air; now, it was the most formidable weapon in my arsenal. If I could conquer the "Unknowable" peak and cross the "Threshold of Madness," I would finally have a firm grasp on this Innate Spirit Vision, turning it into a true asset for peering into Real Time and ascending to the Transcendent Saint Realm.
That all seemed distant, yet somehow within reach. I understood that once I set a goal, the distance to achieving it was merely a matter of reaching out and taking it.
For instance, right now—and I wasn't sure if it was an illusion—if the Luck threads I saw before were specific "hands" manipulating a script on the surface of Real Time, then by looking deeper, I could see that the power of Luck was omnipresent. It wasn't necessarily threads; it could be invisible, subtle forces, exerting a silent influence on everything.
I now understood the deeper meaning of the phrase: Once you enter the script, you are no longer your own master.
I had once naively thought that by staying away from the vortex surrounding the Children of Destiny, I could remain unaffected. I was wrong. What I perceived as my own freedom, my own thoughts, and my own decisions were all, in fact, nudged along by Luck. I finally understood what the Academy Dean meant when she spoke of the unreasonable driving force of Luck.
Perhaps this was another interpretation of the saying, "When luck arrives, heaven and earth conspire to help." But the second half of that saying is, "When luck departs, even heroes lose their freedom." How similar was that to losing the status of a Child of Destiny and being cursed by the World Will?
No story ever describes the mundane details of a protagonist's life after the climax. If Tan Han becomes the ultimate protagonist, what happens next?
I didn't dwell on it. It wasn't my concern.
At that moment, I was using my Spirit Vision to observe and toy with the Luck surrounding me. If this were the shallow Luck I had seen before, my mental power might have been able to interfere with it. But now that I was seeing the deeper layers within Real Time, I couldn't touch it with my hands or my mind. I could only watch. Perhaps... after ascending to the Transcendent level, when my True Touch reached the same level as my Spirit Vision, I would be able to grasp it.
It was hard to imagine what that would be like. Perhaps that was the fundamental secret behind how powerful Transcendent Witches could manipulate the script.
For now, I was merely a bystander who could see but not touch—or rather, a player in the game, watching myself be swept along.
Fortunately, my Ley Line Shackles had been severed, and the driving force of Luck was not nearly as strong as it once was. Only through this comparison did I truly understand the meaning of freedom. Perhaps this was it: to clearly see the external forces trying to interfere with you, yet possess the will to make the decisions you truly want to make.
Just like now. I was following the flow of Luck to actively seek someone out, wondering if a chance encounter might occur. My main goal, of course, was to see if I could find some amusement.
Naturally, this wasn't a pointless exercise. Since I couldn't escape the script as long as I remained in the Main World—at least until I ascended to a Transcendent Witch and left—I would always be in this vortex. It was only natural to be interested in a concept I couldn't avoid.
This was a shift in my perspective: from a primal, instinctive loathing and fear of the unknown to an acceptance and curiosity born of understanding. One cannot fear the unknown forever, unless one is content to stand still for eternity.
Similarly, I was trying to find patterns. I was analyzing whether this omnipresent push of Luck represented a specific Child of Destiny within this script-heavy environment. Did the games played between Children of Destiny represent the games played between different forces of Luck? Were the actions of the Children of Destiny merely the outward manifestation of those games?
I thought it highly likely.
I had already reached my first conclusion.
The largest and most convoluted portion of the Luck surrounding me represented Tan Han. It mirrored her current situation and predicament. She was the most watched Child of Destiny in the Witch Academy, yet recently, she had been facing a backlash from her own supporters.
As the reflections of Luck correlated with Tan Han’s actual circumstances, I realized that, if I wanted to, I wouldn't even need to personally investigate the struggles of the Children of Destiny to know their loves, hates, and grievances.
Without realizing it, I seemed to have the potential to become... a divine fortune-teller?
It was a marvelous ability, yet it fell within the realm of what I could understand—the application of power, existing rules, and patterns.
I realized that the things I could do now were beyond the wildest dreams of my former self as an ordinary person. Yet, having achieved them, they felt like "nothing special." A shift in cognition truly changes a person. As for the role power played in this process, my evaluation was: "Mostly useless, yet absolutely indispensable."
True elevation comes from the expansion of cognition. And expanding cognition isn't just about learning new things and concepts, like the things Sister Ji Niang and the Academy Dean told me.
True growth is taking those things and, through your own understanding, making them your own. This kind of elevation often happens in an instant, like the closing of an educational loop, though the daily accumulation remains vital.
Before I knew it, I had arrived at a library.
Looking at this place, which was more familiar to me than almost anywhere else, I was surprised. I couldn't help but become curious about the "master" of this particular strand of Luck. According to my analysis, this person was currently accumulating power in secret—steady, cautious, and aided by a benefactor. It was quite unique. Compared to Tan Han, who was mired in a swamp, this person was like a breath of fresh air.
However... this strand of Luck was also caught in a vortex, and the source was that very same benefactor.
I was truly curious to see what kind of Child of Destiny would have such a Luck profile. Come to think of it, I should know most of the Children of Destiny in the Witch Academy.
But on second thought, there weren't that many. Among those I knew, there was Tan Han, little Lucianne who had been screwed over by the Wizard Academy, and Ninglan Qiuyue from Ninglan New City. I didn't have much of an impression of anyone else.
If even I didn't remember them, they were likely insignificant figures. But then again, the Witch Academy had so many Children of Destiny, and almost every one of them had "earned" their spot through their own strength—Tan Han included.
If Qiu Ruxin hadn't been in such a hurry to reach the Main World, she likely would have become a Child of Destiny as well. But who knew how long it would take for that small world to merge with the Main World? If she had insisted on becoming a Child of Destiny, her starting point would have been much later than everyone else's. I now fully understood and agreed with her choice.
I hadn't seen her since Sister Bai took her away. We hadn't even exchanged contact information. I was rarely in class and didn't participate in social gatherings with my peers, so she probably had no way of finding me.
No doubt, this was Sister Bai's doing, but I had no complaints.
Entering the library, I followed the guidance of Luck through the sea of books. As I passed shelves that piqued my interest, I picked up a few volumes to check out later. Since I was rarely at the library, I might as well take some books back with me.
Although I could use Ley Line Identification Art to record the contents of these books in an instant, I had discovered that the feeling of personally reading a book was entirely different from the cold, emotionless collection of knowledge.
Reading a book myself provided more emotional value and a sense of accomplishment. It also helped kill time, allowing my life—which tended to accelerate on its own—to slow down.
Moreover, reading was a way to cultivate one's temperament.
With so many benefits, why wouldn't I do it?
As I carried the stack of books through the shelves, I spotted a familiar figure in a distant reading area.
It was Lucianne.
Well... we weren't that familiar. My strongest memory of her was... her self-righteous lecture back in the Fool's Village Secret Realm?
I hadn't heard much from her since then. It seemed she had learned to be more reserved.
As I drew closer, I noticed a senior sister beside her. The Mana Source and Spellbook within the senior's body evidenced the massive gap between her and the freshmen.
I didn't know her, but it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. This... must be Lucianne's "benefactor." Seeing Lucianne acting so timid and submissive before this senior sister, looking like a humble, hardworking student, it was impossible to see any trace of the arrogant male wizard she once was.
As expected, Witchification really was a cure for any stubbornness.
Just as I was about to step forward and say hello—mostly out of a desire for some fun—the senior sister noticed me immediately.
She had initially just glanced up instinctively, intending to return her attention to Lucianne, but then she froze.
She looked up at me in shock. Even Lucianne, sensing something was wrong, looked up in confusion, following the senior sister's gaze.
When she saw me, she reflexively shuddered. She remembered this figure all too well!
This was the person who had utterly crushed her during the monthly exam. If it were just that, it might not have been so bad. But when she learned that this was the very same Yang Yuehan she had once looked down upon, her world had collapsed.
She had once believed that this rising star had burned out and fallen into depravity. Yet, time and again, Yang Yuehan’s actions had slapped her in the face. More importantly, the other girl had ignored her existence from beginning to end. To be ignored is the ultimate contempt; Lucianne knew this well, yet she was powerless to do anything about it...
At the thought, she instinctively shrank toward the senior sister. But the senior sister immediately deactivated the Soundproofing Spell between them and stood up, speaking in a warm, enthusiastic tone.
"Is this Miss Yang Yuehan? I am Daphne. It is a pleasure to run into you here."
"Senior Sister can just call me 'Junior.' I just happened to see a familiar face and thought I'd come over to say hello. I hope I'm not intruding," I said with a smile, cradling my books.
I hadn't expected this senior sister to recognize me, let alone... treat me with such deference. She had even addressed me with the formal "You."