Chapter 525: Bai Yu’s Love Course Studies
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 525: Bai Yu’s Love Course Studies
“Witches are extraordinary beings. A witch in a romantic relationship is very difficult to change—unless she feels loved. Therefore... I propose here that you should never attempt to change your partner, no matter how good your intentions are. In the end, she will not change for you, and your self-righteousness will only make your relationship worse...”
Listening to the witch’s lecture on stage, Bai Yu was studying just as diligently from her seat below.
This course on witch relationship concepts wasn't just for students; it was also open to Transcendent Witches. Even during the holidays, many informal courses like this continued to be held. After all, as long as there was demand, there would be witches to meet it, and the element of "romance" was quite popular even among Transcendent Witches.
For witches with eternal lifespans, their views on love tended to diverge into two main schools of thought. The most mainstream concept was "The Only One," centered on fidelity, while the other was "Hedonism," centered on seeking excitement.
These two groups tended to despise each other, yet both were simply choices made in response to the reality of an eternal life.
Some witches held a steadfast belief in fidelity, causing the value of love to soar in their eyes. Their eternal lifespans meant their requirements for a partner would also continuously escalate.
Other witches felt that life was for pleasure. They believed it was inevitable to grow tired of a single partner; parting on good terms was the norm, and chasing freedom was their right. Their only requirement for a partner was a spark of mutual attraction, and the other person’s existence was merely to provide fleeting joy.
They viewed this as a form of universal love, a part of life’s experience rather than the whole, and believed that witches who stayed with only one person for their entire lives didn't know how to enjoy themselves.
These two different perceptions were destined to be irreconcilable. And what of witches, whose thinking was primarily driven by emotion?
Of course, if one set aside this particular ideological conflict, the way witches got along was generally quite harmonious.
Because of this diversity in thought, the Witch Academy offered vastly different categories of relationship courses.
Perhaps shortly after this class ended, another class would begin, teaching you step-by-step how to flirt with innocent witches and lure them into bed.
Thus, most "unusual" relationships between witches were likely rooted in some unforgettable emotional debt.
Clearly, the course Bai Yu was attending was not the latter. She viewed Xiao Han as her "Only One."
Bai Yu was trying to use this course to confront the things her emotions couldn't handle. She needed to be the one who provided tolerance within the relationship. This "downwardly compatible" dynamic meant she had to use more logic to understand the why behind things.
It was said that in love, there must always be a smart one and a fool for the relationship to last. Bai Yu had made her choice.
“In a relationship, when you try to offer rational advice—no matter how good the starting point—it is difficult to escape the other party’s subjective definition. That is to say, your advice will be perceived by the emotional party as criticism. Don't find this strange; after all, love requires you to throw away your brain. What is the act of giving advice? It is an act of correction. You are telling the other person they are wrong. In love, there is no room for error-correction, only for tolerance.”
“Of course, if you encounter this situation, you must have your own internal judgment. If you truly cannot accept the other person’s values, I suggest not staying together—unless you have a reason to continue, or... you are tolerant enough...”
The witch on stage continued, pouring out her concepts and viewpoints like a relationship guru, while also attempting to rationally analyze certain issues.
Bai Yu recorded everything seriously. Regardless of whether she agreed, she needed to understand and recognize these perspectives. Only after personal understanding could she form her own judgment.
“In a romantic relationship, do not have too many 'taken-for-granted' assumptions. Ideally, do not be disturbed by outside gossip and criticism. For example, take one of the mainstream views: must the pursuing party be the one to give gifts? Is gift-giving a given? No, how could it be? Treating it as a given only makes the sentiment cheap.”
“You must realize that you are in this relationship for yourself, not for others. Do not let your love be invaded by the toxic habit of 'involution.' Of course, what I am saying now is the normal cognition required for a person in a relationship. I believe this is a concept and personal quality that a witch with a healthy outlook on love should possess, but it does not apply to all witches.”
“Next, let’s talk about a typical group: the 'scum witches.' Their existence taints the witch race’s construction of romantic concepts, making a sacred process of interaction cheap, and letting pleasure rule the brain...”
As the stage shifted toward criticizing another category of witches, many in the audience began to listen intently. Some witches who were cuddled together looked at the mentor with a hint of gossip in their eyes.
A witch sitting next to Bai Yu took the initiative to strike up a conversation.
Initially, Bai Yu didn't want to pay her any mind, until the stranger called out her name.
“Sister, why aren't you answering me? By the way, are you that... Bai Yu?” The other party asked with a hint of testing.
“I am. Is there something I can help you with?” Bai Yu turned her head slightly in surprise. The fact that this stranger knew her name while she knew nothing of them was a red flag. Subconsciously, she used the Ley Line Identification Art to check the other party’s status.
However... the other party was also a Transcendent Witch. The Ley Line records on her were sparse, but basic information like her name was quickly retrieved.
“I heard you and Xiao Han are in that kind of relationship. I wanted to ask if it’s true?”
“Hmm? Yes, is there a problem?” Bai Yu responded without hesitation. But seeing the other witch’s gossipy expression, she felt the woman was thinking about something strange.
“It really is true! Then, can we be friends?” After her initial surprise, the witch quickly tried to establish a connection. “I’ve admired Xiao Han for a long time too, hehe...”
“You could try sounding a bit less fake.”
“Fine, fine~ Don't be so biased against me. It’s just that getting to see one of the witches at the center of all the gossip... I’m genuinely excited to meet you, so I couldn't help but come over. But... for you to actually come to this class~ Is it because Xiao Han is so outstanding now that you’re feeling a bit lost in the relationship?”
“Perhaps...”
“I understand~ Honestly, Xiao Han has burst onto the scene with such momentum. But I didn't expect it—you actually struck first? I have to say, sister, you have great eyes. I heard you returned to the Main World not long after graduating. You must have started your 'conquest' back in your student days~”
“You know quite a lot. Are you all this bored?” Bai Yu asked helplessly.
“Aiya~ It’s mostly because I am bored, otherwise I wouldn't be here auditing a class~ I still don't have a girlfriend. I think I really should broaden my horizons. Do you think I should look for a student...”
“The Witch Academy does not encourage teacher-student romances.”
“Eh? But you and Xiao Han... oh, Xiao Han is a teaching assistant now. Wait! I think I’ve discovered something incredible... No wonder Xiao Han was so desperate to become a teaching assistant!” She spoke excitedly, as if she had uncovered some grand truth, but ultimately didn't elaborate. “Forget it, I probably don't have that kind of luck. Besides, those little ones aren't my type. I still prefer mature Grand Witches. Ideally the... 'bursting forth' kind~”
“Then I wish you luck.”
“I’ll take your word for it~”
She spoke with a smile, but her gaze lingered pointedly on Bai Yu. Most witches here had a standard of choosing other witches as partners, so the sudden appearance of an "outlier" like Bai Yu naturally piqued her interest to tease.
It was like being in a group of couples where everyone’s partner was roughly the same age, and then someone suddenly mentions their partner is in primary school... that was the general vibe.
It was hard for the witches not to notice. However, since Xiao Han had become a Little Witch under the witness of so many, it wasn't entirely unacceptable. For witches with eternal lifespans, age was not an issue.
“By the way, I also wanted to ask about that Great Knowledge Seed. As Xiao Han’s girlfriend, you must have one, right? Can you let me see it?”
* * *
“Xiao Han~ The yield of your Great Knowledge Seeds is a bit concerning. Is there really no way to speed it up?”
“Yeah, at this rate, who knows how long it’ll take to promote it among the entire student body.”
“I’m still working on it. But why do I feel like you guys are more anxious about the promotion of the Great Knowledge Seeds than I am?” I asked suspiciously.
After all, I was the primary beneficiary of the promotion. They didn't have any direct gains, so why the urgency?
Furthermore, they knew that the promotion of the Great Knowledge Seed’s derivatives was essentially them working for me in disguise, yet they didn't seem to care at all.
Coupled with the recent surge in demand, I had been spending these past few days cultivating Great Knowledge Seeds at full speed.
As the base of the Great Knowledge Seed’s spread increased, it became much easier for me to acquire useless knowledge and information. This data turned into nourishment, becoming the best consumable material for gestating the Seeds.
This greatly improved the efficiency of condensing the seeds. Since the raw material supply problem was solved, many things naturally fell into place. To further increase efficiency, I could only rely on two methods: shortening the gestation time or increasing the gestation limit.
However, shortening the condensation time wasn't something that happened overnight. Unless there was a major breakthrough, it could only be achieved through practice. The process of condensing a seed was essentially the process of casting a spell. Since the Great Knowledge Seed was the spell effect of the Knowledge Seed’s derived spell, the casting time could be compressed through familiarity, but this improvement was limited. Unless I found a specific technique for casting, it was mostly up to fate.
However... as the main body of the Tree of Great Knowledge grew, the number of Great Knowledge Seeds that could be gestated at once was also increasing. I could foresee a future where I could gestate tens of thousands of seeds with a wave of my hand. That would be a sight to behold.
But these things couldn't be rushed. While I was researching the Tree of Great Knowledge, I discovered a very peculiar "application."
I had accidentally touched upon the "interconnectivity" of dreams!
The instance of the Primal Dream proved that dreams could connect the consciousness of individuals, which in turn proved the interconnectivity of dreams.
This discovery was an accident.
As I learned more concepts and information, I realized what I had accidentally touched upon within the Dream Sea.
This accident involved the Fool's Dream clan. It happened at night; the Fool's Dream clan didn't have a reduced need for sleep like I did. Their bodies dictated that they had to rest periodically like normal organisms.
While the Fool's Dream clan was resting, I happened to be exploring the stability of the Dual Tree Structure within the Sea of Consciousness and the Dream Sea.
Following my instincts and a sliver of connection with the Dual Tree Structure, I actually observed a member of the Fool's Dream clan within a "dream" in the Dream Sea!
To be precise, it was Yu Yun. Her consciousness was within a dream.
Perhaps because the Fool's Dream clan themselves carried the spell effects of two Great Spellbooks, it subconsciously created a connection with me. That was how she came under my observation!
This discovery immediately opened a brand-new door for me. I then took the initiative to look up materials related to dreams, eventually narrowing it down to information regarding dream interconnectivity.
I planned to find the three Fool's Dream girls immediately to cooperate with my experiment. If this attempt succeeded, it would mean using dreams to achieve consciousness communication. At this stage, I had already achieved the observation of external consciousness. As long as I could observe, I could interfere. If I could interfere, I could transmit information. What that implied... was self-evident.
If I could reach that level... then the Fool's Dream clan could truly become my "proxies"!
Of course, if it were just simple message passing, it wouldn't be a shocking discovery. There are many ways to transmit information without going through all this trouble. The important part was... this relationship actually had the potential for an interconnected consciousness to enter my Dream Sea!
The essence of the Fool's Dream clan was that of dream creatures. Their so-called sleep was actually their consciousness returning to the dream—more accurately, the individual returning to the dream. Therefore, by utilizing dream interconnectivity, it meant that if a Fool's Dream member returned to the dream in a special way, their physical body could appear within my Dream Sea.
And since my Dream Sea and Sea of Consciousness had been unified, this meant... my Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art and spells related to the Tree of Great Knowledge could be applied to the individual Fool's Dream members. If the spell effects remained after the Fool's Dream member returned to their physical body... then the Fool's Dream clan would become carriers for me to release spells across extreme distances!
All of this just needed a test... If it failed, I’d just consider it me being too idealistic. If it succeeded... hehe, in the future, it would be: "Open up! The Fool's Dream is here to bring you some warmth!"
Thinking of this, I no longer hesitated. I directly proposed my idea to the witches who were still busy.
“I’ve discovered a new line of thought that requires cooperation with the Fool's Dream clan. I might have to temporarily set aside some of our other research collaborations.”
“Did you find something new?”
My sudden announcement immediately piqued the interest of many witches. For most of them, when it came to research related to Great Spellbooks, inspiration and discovery always came first. It represented the opening of a brand-new path. As long as a start was made, they had the confidence to follow that road to the end.
Therefore, the most critical part was always finding the path. This was equivalent to the role of a "Navigator." Such a role was far more precious than even a knowledgeable senior witch.
At this moment, the group of witches seemed to realize a terrifying fact about Xiao Han: in the future, she was very likely to become a super academic witch who was both a "Navigator" and "Knowledgeable"!
At the very least, they could see the shadow of such a person in her now.