Chapter 585: The Most Wonderful Late-Night Snack
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 585: The Most Wonderful Late-Night Snack
Click~
With the sound of a lock turning, the front door of a villa swung open. No one was inside, and not a single light was on.
Only a smart butler, looking much like a robot vacuum, came scurrying over.
This gadget was standard equipment for the residential villas at the Witch Academy—a very convenient little thing, after all.
"As I thought, Sister Bai isn't here."
The villa I had entered belonged to Sister Bai. Naturally, I had a key—given to me by her. Having a key meant that if I wanted to come over, I could just walk right in.
The layout of Sister Bai’s house was quite sparse. There weren't many belongings, and most of the furnishings were the original ones that came with the place, much like the setup in my own villa.
After a brief stroll around, I noticed the place didn't feel particularly "lived-in," though the smart butler kept every corner spotless.
"I wonder when Sister Bai will be back..."
Bored, I wandered aimlessly through the house, eventually finding my way into the bedroom.
"Mmm~"
I flopped onto the bed, burying my face directly into the pillow. A faint scent brushed against my nose, a fragrance so enticing it made me reluctant to let go.
"Mm... Sister Bai’s scent... It’s been so... so long since we did that..."
In that moment, I let instinct drive my body, rolling around and making a mess of the large bed in Sister Bai’s room.
I don’t know how much time passed before my rationality finally regained control. I lifted my head slightly from the bed, staring blankly for a few seconds.
"Is doing this... maybe a bit bad?"
I sat up and looked at the slightly disheveled sheets. Feeling a twinge of embarrassment, I quickly smoothed them out.
I just hope Sister Bai doesn't realize I was doing this to her bed...
Once I calmed down, I began to think about other things.
I had no idea when Sister Bai would return, but asking her directly would ruin the surprise.
So... what should I do with this spare time?
I’m the type who can’t stay idle. If I don’t find something to do, I’ll die of boredom. I couldn't exactly spend the whole time scrolling through posts and short videos on the Academy Network, could I?
I admit that stuff is addictive, and I know it’s a great way to kill time, but that’s exactly why I try to avoid it.
The old me understood phone addiction all too well. Living in an era of information overload, the brain becomes accustomed to constantly receiving external stimuli. The moment you put the phone down, anxiety sets in—as if something happening somewhere in the world is being missed the second you look away.
That sense of FOMO, that curiosity, urged me to pick up the phone and keep exploring unknown information.
But when I actually picked it up and looked, it was all just trivial nonsense.
Yet, because I knew I was just a "nobody" and that the world didn't revolve around me, I felt I had to revolve around events just to stay informed. It was the only way to feel a shred of participation in this world within my miserable life.
But I am different now. The world has changed because of me. With my shift in status, I no longer spend precious time focusing on insignificant trifles.
Because I have the power and the level of perception required, I won't miss anything truly important. Without information anxiety, those distractions naturally lost their charm.
Having seen through how ugly manufactured public opinion can be, I subconsciously refuse to let it insult my eyes.
It’s better to do something meaningful to change the world—to let others spend their time watching the beauty I bring to them. That seemed much better.
It was a shift in identity—the metamorphosis from a spectator to a performer on the stage.
Initially, I wasn't quite used to it. But previously, when rumors, doubts, and even insults were hurled at me, I was forced onto that stage.
Now, as I demonstrated my strength, the Academy Network was filled with nothing but praise and flattery.
But whether it was criticism or praise, I could see the heart-stirring interests lurking behind the surface.
So... researching the Transcendent was far more interesting.
I left Sister Bai’s bedroom, gently closing the door, and walked down to the living room.
I plopped down on the sofa and began to fiddle with a seed in my hand.
Previously, the germination of a [Transcendent Knowledge] Fragment required it to be planted within the Sea of Consciousness. But now...
The seed in my hand began to take root and sprout right there in the space before me. It seemed to anchor itself to the air, revealing a translucent, illusory form.
A previous [Transcendent Knowledge] Fragment could never have done this. Even if forced to sprout outside the body, it would have required that crystal manufactured by the Witch Sister.
That crystal was no small feat. In terms of technical complexity, it could simulate the medium of the consciousness space. Its uses went far beyond just cultivating Great Knowledge Seeds outside the body.
That said, a massive crystal of that sort was currently embedded in the core of the Qi Observation Instrument in Dean Mei’s office, used for cultivating Great Knowledge Seeds.
Right now.
The Great Knowledge Seed before me had become more stable in nature, and its adaptability had increased.
Modern Great Knowledge Seeds could take root in the Sea of Consciousness. With the power of the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art, they could use the Dual Tree Structure to root in the Dream Sea of the Fool's Dream. I had utilized this trait, along with the recent perfecting of the Tree of Great Knowledge, to complete the preliminary experiment of rooting it in the material world.
However, the sprouted seed soon withered.
Without a supply of my extra power, it was like a tree planted in a desert; it wouldn't last long before dying.
Unless... I expanded my own domain.
As I unfolded my Heart State Domain, the power of Order spread out like an oasis. The Great Knowledge Seed instantly regained its vitality.
Was this technique useful?
Naturally. It could serve as the most basic carrier of Order within a domain. Its success was far more important than the significance of its own existence.
Of course, I wasn't planning to frantically plant Great Knowledge Seeds to assist me in battle whenever I opened my domain. That would be pointless.
I had many other options. After all... the derivations of the Tree of Great Knowledge didn't have to be limited to Great Knowledge Seeds.
The success of this attempt meant that derivative spells in the same sequence as the Great Knowledge Seed could basically all utilize this technique.
But those ideas were a bit far-off for the current me. What I wanted to do now needed to be more practical.
I watched the Great Knowledge Seed before me as it gradually grew into a Tree of Great Knowledge.
I wasn't doing this for no reason.
I was testing whether a Tree of Knowledge grown from a Great Knowledge Seed could continue to condense its own seeds.
In essence, a Great Knowledge Seed was just a spell effect, not the spell itself like the Tree of Knowledge.
However, since the spell effects of the Great Spellbook were permanent, if I could find the casting pattern and understand the principles, it wasn't necessarily impossible.
If I had to use an analogy, it was as whimsical as wondering if a creature summoned by a summoning spell could break the summon limit by giving birth to offspring.
But... who says it can't be done?
Even if the summoned creature lacked reproductive functions, couldn't I derive that summoning spell to summon a creature that did have them?
Theoretically, it was feasible.
To use another analogy: could I derive a summon that could use a Clone Technique?
That was definitely possible.
If that could work, then even more abstract ideas could be realized, eventually leading to a summon that could reproduce. It was just that such a derivation would be very troublesome.
But was "troublesome" an issue?
Not at all!
As long as the goal could be reached, that was enough.
I was certain that a Tree of Knowledge grown from a current Great Knowledge Seed could not condense seeds, but as long as I broke through the limitations of my thinking to make it happen, that would be enough.
The current capabilities of the Great Knowledge Seed were too heaven-defying. This was mainly seen in its comprehensive ability and its subsidiary power framework. In other words, its ceiling was terrifying. Abilities like Qi Observation Art, Knowledge Shadow, and Ley Line Identification Art had to be restricted.
But restrictions could be broken.
So, I needed a different approach.
For example... if the ceiling couldn't reach that level from the very beginning, then breaking the restriction would be meaningless.
This was the concept I came up with based on "Information Grading," combined with the idea of seed condensation.
Could a Tree of Knowledge grown from a Great Knowledge Seed condense its own Great Knowledge Seeds?
Could those Great Knowledge Seeds then be used in a "Matryoshka" fashion to generate a Secondary Tree of Knowledge?
And then condense Secondary Knowledge Seeds?
Even though I hadn't verified it yet, I had already picked out their names.
I knew this was likely possible. If it wasn't, it was simply because my current ability was insufficient.
This attempt lasted for quite a while.
Even with the acceleration of my Time Sense, I still didn't have many leads. The only gain was... proving that the idea was viable.
"It's almost dark..." I stood up, looking through the window to see the sunlight slanting westward.
"Sister Bai is really taking her time... Sigh..." I sighed softly, standing up and tossing my long hair behind me.
"In that case, I’ll have to use some methods~"
Since Sister Bai hadn't returned, I decided to use the Qi Observation Art to simulate and predict her movements.
However, Sister Bai was already a Transcendent Witch. The Qi Observation Art likely couldn't predict her movements directly. But she was still within the Main World. While the threads of Luck couldn't entangle her, the stirring of Luck was inevitable. Therefore, I would use the Qi Observation Art in reverse to observe and deduce the possibility of myself being interfered with by "uncontrollable" factors.
Treating Sister Bai as an uncontrollable factor and performing a reverse deduction... I really am a little genius!
"Ooh~ it actually works... This is an observation result I’ve never seen before... Hmm... very worth recording. The restrictive conditions have been locked down by me, so this Luck I’ve interfered with... like this... which means she’s almost here?"
Looking at the results of the Qi Observation Art, I realized I had never performed such a localized Luck deduction before. It was a brand-new experience. I felt like I was about to turn this Qi Observation Art into a form of divination.
"In that case... should I go take a shower now?" Seeing the result, another thought popped into my head, intending to trigger a slight variation in the outcome.
When I stepped into the bathroom of Sister Bai’s house, the results of the Qi Observation Art seemed to shift slightly again...
In the bathroom, I gently brushed over my clothes. Fine spell runes flashed, and my original attire gradually dissolved.
The shower turned on. The slightly cold water became warm in just a moment. Steam rose, blurring the bathroom mirror and reflecting a hazy, white figure moving gracefully through the stream.
Fair feet stepped lightly on the wet tiles, making soft splashing sounds. Droplets of water followed the length of my hair, cresting over the "peaks" before sliding off the tips.
Warm water rinsed my body as soap suds danced across my skin like delicate snowflakes.
A faint fragrance filled the air—a combination of a young girl's scent and water vapor, composing a delicate watercolor painting.
As the warm water washed away my worries, relaxation became the main theme. The smile blooming from within was the most genuine expression of my feelings.
At this moment, I felt like I was waiting for a blind box prepared for me by the Qi Observation Art, looking forward to the wonderful encounter that was about to follow.
When the villa’s front door was opened by its key, the shower valve was also turned off.
I used a bath towel to wipe the moisture from my body and walked out of the bathroom amidst a faint mist of steam, wearing a thin, translucent nightgown.
Despite how faint the sound and the familiar scent were, Bai Yu identified them instantly. Her expression, which had been slightly grim upon realizing someone had entered her home, gradually relaxed.
"Welcome back~ Sister Bai. You must be tired after studying all day~"
"Xiao Han?"
A flash of surprise and joy crossed Bai Yu’s face when she saw the figure that had suddenly appeared. As the girl approached her, carrying the scent of steam and her own unique fragrance, the exhaustion from a full day of study vanished instantly!
"Why are you here?"
"What? Does Sister Bai not like it? It’s rare for me to come over on my own initiative. If you’re going to be like that... then I’ll just leave~"
"How could I! Of course I like it!"
"Hehe~" I leaned into Sister Bai’s reaching arms, letting her hand wrap around my waist. "You’ve been bringing me handmade bentos for the past few days. Today, it’s my turn to deliver one to you~"
"Deliver a bento? Where is it?" Bai Yu asked in surprise. Even though she had already eaten dinner, if Xiao Han had truly prepared something extra for her, she would finish every bite!
"Hmm? You don't see it? Isn't it right here, all washed clean and held in your arms~? I’ve delivered myself right to your door... Sister Bai, aren't you going to eat~?"
"Huh?"
Sister Bai instinctively let out a sound of confusion.
It took a moment for it to click!
She hadn't expected Xiao Han to pull a stunt like this tonight. But...
Thinking carefully, it really had been a while...
At that thought, Bai Yu felt a long-absent physical heat. A surge of primal impulse was ignited, and she let herself break her usual restraint as a Body Cultivator.
Looking at the adorable, seemingly "insatiable" figure in her arms, she scooped her up and strode toward her bedroom.
I took the opportunity to tug at my nightgown, my fair, slender legs resting against Sister Bai’s forearms.
As the bedroom door gently closed, the handle clicked into a locked position.
The setting sun was casting its final rays, but with a casual wave of a hand, the thick curtains were violently pulled shut. Not even the last sliver of twilight could disturb their time together.
In the darkened bedroom, the intermittent sounds of a girl’s playful, coquettish laughter were eventually replaced by heavy breathing...
They used the most primitive physical movements to test the depth of their affection for one another.
They used the softest moans to achieve a communion of the soul.
They used the most flexible limbs to express the solace of body and mind.
This was Bai Yu’s conquest of her loved one on the level of life itself, and it was the most wonderful late-night snack she had ever enjoyed.
And I finally understood what kind of result the information observed by the Qi Observation Art corresponded to.