Chapter 546: Research Materials for Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art Obtained
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 546: Research Materials for Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art Obtained
After completing the post-mortem analysis using the Qi Observation Art, the witches present began to busy themselves, but I was the exception.
There was no way I could personally handle the "delicate" operations required at the intersection where two worlds collided.
Through this review, Dean Mei Lind pointed out many previous deficiencies and flaws. Specifically, the grafting at the junction of the world’s ley lines and the fracture point near Ninglan New City would cause the city to face the most direct impact within the Expansion Realm. These were problems that needed to be solved.
Furthermore, there were many other minor issues, such as the mutant beasts roaming the ruins of the Expansion Realm, which could threaten the stability of the small world as it integrated.
Another point to note was that, aside from the Core World, the Main World was essentially a wasteland. Without the protection of the ley lines, the Main World would be ravaged by the energies of the outer void.
Back then, Ninglan New City suffered from periodic energy tides precisely because the outer Void Frontline World had fallen into ruin. This had also caused the mutant beasts in the Expansion Realm to become even more powerful and terrifying under the influence of those tides.
If such mutant beasts were to pass through the spatial rifts above the Horasso Swamp and enter the Main World, they would cause horrific destruction. The only reason things remained peaceful for now was... pure luck. The mutant beasts that had descended so far weren't particularly strong, and upon entering the Core World, they were weakened by another level due to the Great Weakening Spell. The senior sisters stationed there could basically handle them.
So, none of this required my concern. I had come along mainly to broaden my horizons and to provide backup in case the Qi Observation Art encountered a technical error. As it turned out, I wasn't needed in the end, which only served to prove the stability of the technique.
"What’s this? Is our little hero about to take her leave already?"
Just as I was preparing to slip away, Dean Mei’s voice suddenly called out to me.
"Hero... Sister Mei, you're overstating things. I didn't really do much..." I replied modestly.
"Excessive modesty is just another form of pride, you know~ But who would have thought that the technique Xiao Han tinkered with on a whim would be such a huge help at a time like this?" Mei Lind approached me, followed by several other witches. She looked at the young girl before her with nothing but satisfaction.
If not for the Qi Observation Art providing this post-mortem to correct errors and guide future actions, this attempt at merging a small world might have truly resulted in spatial rifts opening all across the Main World, just as previously predicted.
Though... it wasn't as if they cared all that much. Ordinary people who died would eventually enter the ley line cycle and be reborn into this Main World in a new form.
Seeing Dean Mei’s doting attitude toward me, the other witches—who usually had little interaction with me—also showed hints of goodwill. This was their acknowledgment of my ability.
Of course, many witches also displayed that wicked sense of humor common among those who enjoy teasing socially awkward people. And there were quite a few witches with that particular streak.
Just as I was being teased to the point of not knowing how to respond, Dean Mei spoke up again.
"Xiao Han, do you like collecting strange gemstones now? I noticed you've been fiddling with all sorts of odd crystals and gems lately." Dean Mei looked at the translucent gem in my hand and asked.
"Oh, this... this is a byproduct of a spell effect from the spellbook Dean Bev gave me. I've just been studying it for fun lately..." I quickly explained. These crystals were indeed quite beautiful.
Lately, I had been learning about the properties of crystallization. I could even use crystallization spells to create objects similar to polarizing filters to observe the beautiful reactions of crystals from a microscopic perspective. I was accumulating experience and insight to provide a knowledge base for future derivative developments.
I had been reading a lot of related scientific popularizations recently. After all, so-called scientific phenomena were often referred to as magic applicable to the material world.
As it stood, my efficiency in developing the "Crystallization Spellbook" was quite low. I was nowhere near the "miraculous" level that Dean Bev Alanna had described.
"I see. It's normal for girls to be unable to resist shiny things. Oh, right, I almost forgot. I've finished organizing the things you asked for earlier. It took quite a bit of effort, and I got so busy I nearly forgot. I might as well give it to you now." Mei Lind spoke dismissively, then, as if remembering something, she pulled out a piece of storage equipment and handed it over.
I took the storage equipment subconsciously, about to ask what it was, but then it clicked. This was the research material regarding the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art!
"Thank you, Dean!"
"It's nothing. It's rare for Xiao Han to ask me for a favor; of course I’d help. Keep it up~ I have high expectations for you."
"Mhm, mhm!" I nodded vigorously in agreement. I didn't even want the crystal in my hand anymore. What "trash" crystallization spell? I hereby declare that the research materials for the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art are now my one and only favorite!
Perhaps because I had finally obtained what I had been longing for, my mood remained excellent after bidding the Dean farewell. This good mood lasted right up until I used my mental power to peer into the storage equipment...
The space inside was even larger than I had imagined!
Terrifyingly large.
It was packed with various storage units. When I opened one, it wasn't filled with paper documents, but... external information storage devices for the ley line system!
And who knew how much terrifying data was integrated and compressed into a single, modest-looking storage device...
I silently closed the storage unit and swallowed hard. I tried opening other units; basically, every single one was packed to the brim and meticulously labeled with serial numbers.
My first reaction upon seeing this information was a headache. As expected of something the Dean had been busy with for centuries—she must have researched and tested [Transcendent Knowledge] until its very secrets were laid bare.
But after calming down, I quickly reflected on myself. The fact that this data made my heart race was a reflection of my own eagerness for quick results.
I thought I had been adjusting my mindset, and I thought I had been saying I could endure loneliness, but in the face of true, overwhelming scale, I was still subconsciously shocked.
At this moment, I truly realized the gap between myself and the Deans. My string of successes and the flattery from the surrounding witch sisters had almost made me lose my footing again. The Dean must have seen through me, which is why she took this opportunity to give me this stuff, right?
Whether the Dean intended it or not, I had learned my lesson.
Even using the Ley Line Identification Art to record all this information into the Tree of Great Knowledge would be a massive undertaking. I had no doubt that the amount of information in this storage equipment was probably no less than the total knowledge in the library open to students.
As expected, the truly good stuff isn't just opened to the public. If researching a single piece of [Transcendent Knowledge] could produce this much information and data... I recalled the research laboratory where so many academic witches were constantly studying [Transcendent Knowledge], some for even longer than the Dean...
It was simply terrifying!
However, I didn't let myself dwell on it further. Pointless fantasies would only increase my internal friction.
This was the path I had chosen. If I felt fear after just one glimpse of the truth, I might as well have remained a mediocre person from the start.
Still, with so many "Ley Line USBs," I had to find a way to quickly transfer them into my Tree of Great Knowledge to facilitate my learning.
Of course, "Ley Line USB" was just my own nickname for them. What I needed most now was to go back and ask Sister Qiong for help. After all, Sister Qiong was the witch the Dean had introduced to me as the most knowledgeable in ley line operating systems and the Academy Network. She was currently helping me build the firewall for the Tree of Great Knowledge and encryption algorithms for cognitive protection.
In short, this wasn't my area of expertise. My understanding of these fields was limited to the professional knowledge Sister Qiong had shared with me, which allowed me to communicate ideas and technical information with her without too many obstacles.
* * *
At this moment, Daphne was on her way to the library. Her goal was to find Lucianne. Although she guessed the other girl was likely at the library, as she had found her there the last few times.
Ever since Lucianne received that phone call from home, she had nearly collapsed. However, after that "hangover," she had been quiet for a day or two before undergoing a complete transformation.
She had become silent and began to study like a madwoman. Previously, when Daphne accompanied her, she had seen with her own eyes how learning those knowledge points seemed to cost Lucianne her life. But now, she had changed; she was actively and frantically studying. The intensity was enough to make Daphne worry.
While having the motivation to study was a good thing, Daphne couldn't bring herself to be happy right now.
Furthermore... she had come this time to tell Lucianne some very good news. She felt it was a massive opportunity for Lucianne!
No... two opportunities!
The Jack-of-all-trades Club had been very generous this time. It could be said that they were the earliest party to place their bets on this struggle for luck.
Originally, their target had been Tan Han, but after everything that had happened, they realized it was all the same.
What "Child of Destiny"? They were just ordinary people wearing a special title. Since luck could be fought over, the identity of the Child of Destiny was trivial; what mattered was how to play the game.
Although they weren't sure exactly what the struggle for luck would bring to the Jack-of-all-trades Club, the most basic guarantee was... as long as they tilted some resources her way, Lucianne, as a Child of Destiny, would surely be qualified to grow into a powerhouse and eventually promote to Transcendent.
As for the claims that the Child of Destiny would eventually conquer this world and become the strongest... the club elders, who knew this Main World best, knew that was a joke.
No matter how strong you are, can you be stronger than a Transcendent Mentor?
"The strongest"... a Mentor could slap your face into the dirt with one hand.
Therefore, the club needed such a student-level powerhouse to maintain a "star effect," constantly accumulating fame and exposure within the Witch Academy. A powerhouse of the same age was the most effective way to drive the young, infatuated girls wild. For the club to continue, a constant stream of fresh blood was vital.
Coupled with the fact that the Witch Academy was constantly isolated by other academies, most conflicts were internal struggles between clubs to keep the academy active.
Of course, there were also the "traditional programs," such as fighting over the new batch of freshmen, or conducting night raids on other academies to start a few fights when bored. After all, the other schools didn't want to play with the Witch Academy, but the witches had plenty of ways to "play" until everyone was one big, bruised family.
Recently, the Jack-of-all-trades Club had scouted another eye-catching special freshman in the first-year grade.
She had suddenly appeared at the Witch Academy just as the semester was about to end. The last freshman to appear so abruptly was Ninglan Qiuyue.
And that Ninglan Qiuyue was the new City Lord of Ninglan New City, the site of the Nightmare Incident. That had truly opened many people's eyes and made them realize there was such a place in the world.
This new student was also a heavyweight; she wasn't even from this world!
Furthermore, she claimed that her original world was about to collide with this one. Normally, this wouldn't be a huge deal, but the key was that this girl, named Qiu Ruxin, knew Yang Yuehan!
The name Yang Yuehan was now very familiar to any senior sister or even teaching assistant in the Witch Academy who had any connections or means.
Even the fact that she became a teaching assistant in her first year seemed to have become her most trivial achievement.
After multiple teaching assistants within the Jack-of-all-trades Club inquired about her from various sources... they had confirmed that she was someone who could not be provoked.
When they looked at the list of heart-stopping incidents and reasons, they broke out in a cold sweat.
In the Witch Academy, the strongest connection one could have was with a Transcendent Mentor, and being a teaching assistant was one of the peak identities within that hierarchy.
The status of a teaching assistant meant that at least one Transcendent Mentor genuinely favored her; otherwise, the position would have been revoked immediately.
But what about Yang Yuehan?
Just looking at the intricate map of her personal connections was enough to make them realize the gap. Especially the two Deans at the top of that map—they were enough to blind anyone.
Being noticed by two Deans simultaneously...
Untouchable. Truly untouchable!
They also discovered that even if they wanted to meet Yang Yuehan to establish a connection, it was extremely difficult.
Who could imagine knocking on the door of that villa, only to have a high-ranking Witch Mentor—someone usually far out of reach—open the door for you?
And then, behind the door, several pairs of equally curious witch eyes would be sizing you up, wondering who was dropping by for a visit...
To the person knocking... that would be a horror movie, wouldn't it?
Daphne was currently accompanied by another girl—none other than Qiu Ruxin.
A freshman who claimed to have been brought to the Witch Academy by Yang Yuehan was naturally worthy of the Jack-of-all-trades Club's attention. Even if she were just an ordinary girl Yang Yuehan had brought back out of pity, the club wouldn't mind doing her a favor.
Moreover, the fact that she knew Yang Yuehan was a significant value in itself. After all, many members of the Jack-of-all-trades Club couldn't even manage to get Yang Yuehan to recognize them.
"Is that student named Lucianne studying here?"
"Yes. I'll introduce you in a bit. Consider it making a friend. Besides, she knows Yang Yuehan too—or rather, she used to be in the same class as her. I hope you two get along well," Daphne said.