Chapter 682: The Most Unique Final Joint Exam
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 682: The Most Unique Final Joint Exam
"Closely related to me... do you mean the Knowledge Seeds?" I asked curiously.
"Mhm, that’s only part of it. I’ll give you a rough description of the situation for this Final Joint Exam. As for the specifics, we’ll explain them in detail during the Teaching Assistant meeting."
"Alright, please go ahead, Sister Lina," I said with a nod. Since she had made a point of coming here to tell me, it meant there were certain things that didn't need to be shared with the other Teaching Assistants.
"For this Final Joint Exam, we’ve taken full consideration of the fact that the actual combat levels of lower-year students across the various academies are quite uneven. Therefore, the Transcendent power used in this exam won't be the students' own power."
"Then what will it be?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"The power of their Omni-Link Main Network Tree game accounts, of course," Lina said.
"Huh? Wait! The Omni-Link Main Network Tree... game accounts? Using those? How would that even work? There aren't even enough fruits to go around, right?" I asked, frowning.
"Correct, there aren't enough fruits. However, we have a sufficient number of Knowledge Seeds for general distribution. The laboratory has already completed the integration between the Knowledge Seeds and the Omni-Link Main Network Tree accounts. As long as they are within the coverage of the Main Network's Root Network, the accounts can be used," Teacher Lina explained with a smile.
In truth, the original concept for the Great Knowledge Seed included a built-in game platform. This time, they had simply transferred that platform from the Knowledge Seed to the regular Knowledge Seeds and linked it with the Omni-Link Main Network Tree. All these products shared the same origin.
At that moment, it clicked for me. After all, I still had a Clone stationed in that laboratory. Although that Clone didn't interact much, it was well aware of the various research breakthroughs.
Being told this now, I finally understood why there had been such a buzz after the integration of the Knowledge Seeds and the Omni-Link Main Network Tree was completed.
So, they’d had this idea even back then?
"It looks like Xiao Han has figured it out?" Lina wasn't in a hurry. As a participant in this plan who had frequent contact with the laboratory in the Expansion Realm, she naturally knew that one of Xiao Han's Clones was there.
"Yeah, I think I understand the cause and effect now. Oh—"
I nodded as a series of further realizations dawned on me. The Omni-Link Main Network Tree laboratory had produced far too many results recently. There was one particular development I hadn't paid much attention to before, but thinking about it now, it seemed it was also preparation for this Final Joint Exam.
For instance... Class Advancements.
Initially, I had wondered why the various Witch Sisters were designing classes based on the traits of different Transcendent Races, even creating corresponding equipment systems and skill trees... I never expected it was all being prepared for the students of the various academies!
This was equivalent to forcibly bringing all lower-year students to the same power level.
Their original strength wouldn't help them one bit. To win, they would need combat experience, practical techniques, and even local tactics, overall strategy, and intelligence gathering...
They might need all of it!
Furthermore, no student would have a foundation that allowed them to absolutely crush another. Such a competitive environment seemed... "fairer"?
At the very least, this mode allowed those who weren't as strong to have a sense of participation, while also making those obsessed with power that didn't truly belong to them realize their own deficiencies.
"For this Final Joint Exam, we are adopting a reform that has never been attempted before. By casting aside individual power and adopting a unified, equivalent power system, we aim to curb the mindless pursuit of raw strength. In the long run, such obsession is highly detrimental to every student."
"In the past, we didn't have the technology, and doing this was mostly a thankless task. But now that we have the foundation, I am willing to use a Final Joint Exam to experiment with this idea."
"That... is certainly bold..." I actually wanted to say it was quite reckless, but considering it was a Transcendent Witch who proposed it, there didn't seem to be a problem.
"It’s just an attempt. After all, so many Witches contributed to that laboratory; there have to be some results, right?"
"Mhm." I nodded, suppressing the urge to argue. Witches' academies were full of laboratories that hadn't produced results in centuries. For example, the research cycle for [Transcendent Knowledge] was measured in years.
"Right, that’s the gist of the exam format. Since the content is closely related to you, I naturally needed to make sure you understood. There’s one more matter I came here to ask you about."
"Mhm... what is it?" I asked, curious about what else there could be.
"It’s about the Variant Beasts in the Expansion Realm."
"Variant Beasts?! Uh... that... is there a problem with them?" I asked, feeling a bit guilty at the sudden mention of them.
After all, I had been conducting experiments on the Variant Beasts throughout the Expansion Realm. While I couldn't say I had covered every single group, I had certainly touched most of them.
And when I first entered the Expansion Realm... I don't think anyone said I couldn't do that...
"Xiao Han, aren't you even going to try and hide that guilty look on your face?"
"Is it that obvious?" My expression instantly turned calm, as if the guilty look from a moment ago had been an illusion.
"Fine, I’ll be direct. The mutations among the Variant Beasts in the Expansion Realm are related to you, right?"
"In what way, specifically?" I asked tentatively.
"Don't worry, Xiao Han. I’m not asking this to hold you accountable. I don't care about that, and no Witch is going to come after you for it," Lina said, rubbing her forehead.
"Oh! I see." With Teacher Lina's assurance, my guilt vanished instantly! "Yes! I did it. Most of the mutations among the Variant Beasts were my doing!"
"It really was you. We were wondering why the Variant Beasts were all mutating toward a unified direction of intelligence for no apparent reason." After receiving my "generous" admission, Lina had a moment of realization, followed immediately by curiosity. "Xiao Han, how did you do it? Of course, if it’s inconvenient, you don't have to say. We aren't asking to pry into your secrets."
"That... haha, it really is a bit hard to explain. It’s just a composite technique I derived. I didn't have a place to test it, so I used those Variant Beasts for experiments to gather some data."
At this point, I also learned through my many Variant Beast "Clones" that some had been hunted by Transcendent Witches. It seemed the situation with the Variant Beasts had caught their attention... Was it because the Variant Beasts were growing too strong too quickly?
After all, the Variant Beasts were beings that had mutated during the previous Void energy tide. Their lives were now inseparable from Transcendent energy, but this also meant that as long as there was sufficient Transcendent energy, their life forms could transform into something terrifying!
"Just an experiment... so, how did it go? Do those Variant Beasts still have value in continuing to exist?" Lina asked several questions in a row.
"Yes, it was just a trial experiment. As for the results... they were decent? Regarding their value... I personally feel that the Variant Beasts are a part of the Expansion Realm, or rather, an indispensable link in it."
"So that's what you think, Xiao Han."
Lina fell into thought upon hearing my answer. Whether the Variant Beasts were a link in the Expansion Realm wasn't actually that important, but since Xiao Han had stated his position, she naturally needed to take it into consideration.
"The format of this Final Joint Exam is, overall, somewhat similar to the hunting training the Elves do. Originally, we were thinking of using the Variant Beasts in the Expansion Realm as the hunting targets. Xiao Han, can you accept the Variant Beasts in the Ninglan Territory and its surrounding areas being purged? In the worst-case scenario, they might even be hunted to extinction. If that’s really not okay..."
"Hunting? That’s perfectly fine. I don't mind at all!" I agreed immediately once I understood what Sister Lina wanted to do.
First of all, this wasn't a total extinction event for the entire Expansion Realm. How long could a Final Joint Exam even last?
They might not even finish exploring the whole Expansion Realm.
But more importantly, I had the Reincarnation Rebirth Spell! Moreover, I had recorded the information of every Variant Beast bloodline race that I had subjected to the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art. I could completely use the Reincarnation Rebirth Spell to recreate those groups and let them repopulate.
"You don't mind? That’s good, that’s good..." Lina said with a smile.
If it really hadn't been okay, she could have asked the Witches in the academy who specialized in Biological Alchemy to use their Secret Realm spaces for raising special creatures and release some of them as hunting targets for the exam.
Furthermore, they weren't afraid of these monsters becoming invasive species in the Expansion Realm or destroying the environment.
They could simply strip the monsters of their ability to reproduce and shorten their lifespans to keep them in check.
Not to mention, besides the Biological Alchemists in the Witch Academy, there were plenty of Flesh and Blood Faction Wizards on the Wizard side. Getting them to provide some hunting targets would be no problem at all.
They didn't need to be too powerful. Such low-grade creatures weren't worth much, but they were perfect for this Final Joint Exam.
After all, the combat power of the current "game account" classes and skill trees wasn't that high. If the targets were too strong, the resulting power gap would defeat the purpose of the exam.
"Alright, I’ve pretty much finished what I came here for. Since there are no issues, there won't be any major adjustments to the upcoming Final Joint Exam. We’ll just execute it according to plan."
Having said this, Lina had completed her mission. Many of these things were difficult to explain clearly over the phone, and speaking in person didn't actually take much time.
"Since you’ve agreed to serve as an auxiliary Teaching Assistant for this exam, Xiao Han, remember to attend the Teaching Assistant meeting afterward. The specific procedures for the exam will be explained there. I’ll send you the time and location later." Lina stood up and lightly patted her slightly wrinkled sleeves. "Well then, I’ll be going. You two carry on."
"Mhm, goodbye, Sister Lina~"
"Goodbye. No need to see me out." Lina bid farewell to both me and Sister Bai, and then her figure vanished.
Once Lina was gone, I let out a small sigh of relief.
"What’s wrong? Why the sudden sigh? Is talking to Lina that stressful?" Sister Bai walked up behind me and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Mhm... a little, I guess. It was just a bit unexpected." I pressed my right hand to my chest, and my pajamas instantly swapped for a set of casual clothes. "Good thing I didn't come over in anything... inappropriate after my meditation... otherwise, that would have been embarrassing..."
"Are you only worried about your clothes? You really don't need to be so concerned, Xiao Han. Relationships between Witches are basically like sisters. Even if you’re a Little Witch, you don't need to be so stiff. Just relax. This is our home. Lina didn't mind dropping in unannounced, so you shouldn't mind either."
"Mhm..." I nodded, but I still noticed several messages from Teacher Lina on the Tree of Great Knowledge that I hadn't seen. No wonder she had come looking for me.
"It’s fine, Xiao Han. Let’s not talk about that. Look, with all this delay, it’s almost noon. Have you thought about what you want to eat? Or should we have something nice to nourish your body?" Sister Bai stood behind me, her hands on my shoulders as she pushed me toward the kitchen.
"Then... let’s just have whatever~" I let Sister Bai push me toward the kitchen's cold storage. Although it was called cold storage, a significant portion of it didn't actually require low temperatures; high-level Solidification and preservation spells were more than enough.
Sister Bai kept a vast array of ingredients at home. This was probably the "snack time" of a Body Cultivator.
"Speaking of which... Sister Bai, you’re the one who needs to nourish yourself~ You’re so weak~ You said I wouldn't be able to get out of bed for three days, but here I am the next day, lively as ever." I laughed as I rummaged through the storage room for lunch ingredients.
"I can't help it~ Who told you to become more and more resilient, Xiao Han?" Sister Bai said with a helpless smile. It was impossible to keep someone in bed for three days; the stronger a person was, the less time they needed to recover from even a near-death state to being perfectly fine. The Undying nature of their life level ensured that, not to mention she couldn't bring herself to actually do that to Xiao Han... right?
However, when it came to curing Xiao Han's big mouth—Bai Yu wasn't afraid in the slightest.
"If you don't know what to pick... then look here~" Sister Bai suddenly spoke, opening a somewhat special storage cabinet to reveal its contents.
"Huh? What are all these?" I looked over curiously, only to find things I didn't recognize at all!
"These are good things I scavenged from sisters I know~" Sister Bai introduced them with a slightly cryptic tone.
"Good things?" I raised an eyebrow and used Ley Line Identification Art to observe them.
Immediately, the information for these "ingredients" appeared.
They were exactly as Sister Bai had said—obtained from other Transcendent Witches. They were all laboratory products, but their effects...
Nourishing blood, tonifying Yin, strengthening the body, increasing desire... wait! Did something weird sneak in there?
"These are all excellent tonics~ Do you want to try them, Xiao Han? Of course, you can't eat too much; moderation is key. If you have too much... well, it won't actually harm us, but if it’s too nourishing, you might just need a proper release at night."
"This..." My eyes widened in disbelief.
"Surely you aren't scared, Xiao Han~ Who was just saying they were lively as ever today? Or are you afraid you won't be able to handle it tonight?" Sister Bai spoke provocatively as she pulled out an item and set it before me.
In truth, many of these medicinal herbs weren't harmful to the body. Many were actually tonics used by Body Cultivators to nourish and strengthen their physical frames. "That aspect" was merely a side effect. They were the primary ingredients for body-strengthening potions highly sought after in Body Cultivation circles, though they could also be used as ingredients in medicinal meals.
These were all medicinal meal ingredients she had prepared based on Xiao Han's current physical condition; there would absolutely be no uncontrollable accidents. Using a potion directly would be a bit too intense, so she preferred using medicinal meals to subtly help Xiao Han improve his physical foundation.
"I think you really need this to properly enhance your constitution, Xiao Han~" Sister Bai waved a peculiar plant root. This was the main ingredient for a body-strengthening potion, and while it could be used in a medicinal meal, it also had some... indescribable other effects. However, the Ley Line Identification Art would faithfully present all that information.