Chapter 737: The Secret Tome of Body Cultivation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 737: The Secret Tome of Body Cultivation
"Is there something else this time?"
I looked at the communication coming through the Tree of Great Knowledge; the person on the other end was Millian.
Lately, she had been the only person from the outside world who could consistently get in touch with me.
"It’s like this: recently, many people have approached me, hoping to establish contact with you. I have their contact information here, and some have even sent invitations involving..."
"No need. I can't be bothered with those people from the academy. Just turn them down directly next time," I said, waving my hand to dismiss the offers.
I had no time to deal with those currently trying to curry favor with me. This was especially true after word got out that I had received the prestigious title of 'Little Witch,' which had prompted even more people to try and get on my good side.
Actually, I had encountered this sort of thing before, but back then, the number of people trying to flatter me was roughly equal to those trying to boycott me. Consequently, most people had remained on the sidelines, watching to see which way the wind blew.
At most, they would privately send items to try and build rapport, but most of those things just ended up gathering dust in my mailbox.
Now, however, the cards were on the table. Even the Academy Dean had openly sided with me, standing firm against all the other Transcendent academies. The impact of this move was unprecedented in the history of the Witch Academy!
"Understood. I see where you stand," Millian nodded. Knowing Xiao Han’s attitude meant she knew exactly how to handle these matters going forward.
Ever since Xiao Han’s figure reappeared at the Witch Academy, her status within the Fan Club had soared to its absolute peak, far higher than ever before.
Millian knew exactly who was responsible for this.
More importantly, she understood the implications of so many Transcendent Mentors—and even the Academy Dean—siding with Xiao Han.
It made everyone realize that a presence had been born within the Witch Academy that no one dared to provoke.
Xiao Han’s "death" had directly dragged down several Transcendents to be buried with her; this was a level of consequence they hadn't dared to imagine before.
The most terrifying deterrent was the realization that... even Transcendents could die! If they dared to move against this Little Witch again, how would that be any different from seeking death?
They might as well save themselves the trouble and end it with some dignity.
Because Millian understood these truths better than anyone, she hadn't rushed to establish her own prestige within the Fan Club after climbing back up from her low point, nor had she purged the rebellious members.
There was no point.
Her prestige was derived from Teaching Assistant Xiao Han. If she acted too arrogantly, it would look like she was "brandishing a chicken feather as a command arrow," which would only earn her contempt.
By acting as if nothing had happened, everyone stayed comfortable and reassured, allowing them to continue creating value.
She knew exactly who she was following and what she needed to do.
Was her goal to develop a group absolutely loyal to Xiao Han?
No. In the beginning, she was merely a spokesperson to secure the maximum benefit for Xiao Han. Even now, her primary role remained the same.
Cooperation led to win-win results; one couldn't expect a merchant to offer blind loyalty.
The Xiao Han Fan Club was merely an interest group wearing the skin of a fan club.
She only needed to do two things now: create the greatest possible profit for Xiao Han, and ensure that whenever Xiao Han caused a stir, there would be plenty of voices speaking up in her favor.
A motley crew should be used in the way that best utilizes their value as a motley crew.
Profit and the right to speak were the things she needed to hold in her hands... combined with Xiao Han’s absolute strength, as well as her absolute background and connections within the Witch Academy.
Such a terrifying existence had far more influence than those external families had within the Transcendent academies!
Furthermore, the Witch Academy’s current crackdown on families and their teaching assistants was further shrinking family influence within the school. The Xiao Han Fan Club was also continuously absorbing talented students who lacked backgrounds.
The Fan Club was a loose organization, but under that title, they could accomplish many things that were previously impossible. Thus, the group was highly attractive to those without a patron.
"Then, Sister Xiao Han, do you currently require any Transcendent materials? I’m not entirely sure what experiments you are conducting, but generally speaking, experiments require a vast amount of resources. I can prepare them for you; my funds are very ample."
"Materials, huh..." Millian’s suggestion made me pause to think. Experiments did indeed require a lot of materials. Even though our current experiments hadn't reached a high consumption stage—approaching a near-zero waste level—the process was still demanding.
The process of Incubation Rebirth imposed a "wear and tear" on the experimenters themselves. Therefore, the casting materials typically used in Resurrection Spells would be essential for the upcoming experiments.
Moreover, undergoing Incubation Rebirth was a massive test for one's life essence, physical energy, and consciousness. It required potions for conditioning and recovery.
"I don't need them for now. Go find Yi Rui and the others. I’m currently collaborating with them on some projects. They know best what is needed most; just coordinate with them," I said.
"Go to Teaching Assistant Yi Rui?" Millian felt a bit disappointed that she couldn't serve Sister Xiao Han directly, but since Yi Rui was collaborating with her on research, helping Yi Rui was effectively sharing Sister Xiao Han’s burden. Naturally, she became very proactive.
"But I can't enter the Experimental Zone where Teaching Assistant Yi Rui and the others usually stay..."
"Oh, I almost forgot. Don't worry, I'll set up the permissions for you in a moment," I said simply, without adding too many requirements.
Millian was more "sensible" than I had expected. She was far more mature than me when it came to social graces and worldly wisdom; I didn't need to teach her how to do her job.
"Alright, thank you, Sister Xiao Han!"
Millian looked shocked. She had only mentioned it in passing; even if she couldn't enter, she had Teaching Assistant Yi Rui’s Great Knowledge Seed contact info to reach her directly. She hadn't expected Sister Xiao Han to give her direct access to that area!
Could you believe it?
To put it bluntly, the mentor she had chosen—who didn't pay much attention to her—didn't even have the authority to enter that place...
Although Xiao Han hadn't given any specific instructions, Millian wouldn't dare do anything out of line. She wasn't that short-sighted.
"Then, Sister Xiao Han, is there nothing you want for yourself? During this break, not just our Witch Academy, but other Transcendent academies are holding various auctions. Would you like me to compile the catalog data for those auctions for you?"
"I don't need anything, but if you see something good, you can bid on it and keep it. Just consider it building up our reserves," I instructed casually.
Thinking about building up reserves reminded me of the Shopkeeper's private stash.
"Understood." Millian nodded and said no more. Having a patron who granted her such a high degree of freedom was something she found difficult to adjust to at first.
But for someone with real ambition, this was the perfect stage. Did Millian lack ambition?
Of course not!
Otherwise, would she have dared to bet everything on Xiao Han back then?
This was her reward. It could only be said that she had chosen an excellent moment.
Sometimes, choice really is more important than effort.
But... she still lacked many things. After all, she had once been a minor character in a club, ordered around by others. There were things she simply didn't understand because she hadn't experienced them. She had grown a lot through trial and error, but she was still quite green compared to the veteran clubs in the academy.
However, it didn't matter. Her solid backing ensured she had many opportunities to make mistakes—as long as she could continue to prove her value.
"Is there anything else? If that's all, I'll hang up. I have a lot to do," I said.
I wasn't interested in those trying to flatter me, nor was I interested in the auctions. No matter how good those items were, could they possibly be better than what I had obtained from Dean Mei?
It would take me a long time just to digest and utilize those high-quality items. I wasn't going to drop a watermelon just to pick up a sesame seed.
Though, having someone pick up the seeds for me wasn't a bad idea.
"There is one last thing," Millian said quickly.
"What is it?"
"It’s about your broth—sister, Yang Yunhan. Regarding the arrangements for her..."
"Don't worry about her. You should be aware of the grievances between us, right? Just treat her as a stranger who happens to have a name similar to mine." I sighed upon hearing this and explained.
"Sister Xiao Han... are you sure? According to the intelligence I've gathered, she seems to have been tricked by a Senior Sister into getting involved with Pleasure Street... Although out of respect for you, the other party hasn't..."
"Pleasure Street..." Hearing that name, I couldn't help but sigh again. It truly was the most ruinous place in the Witch Academy. "That still has nothing to do with me. Even if she becomes the top star there, what does it matter to me? If she insists on debasing herself, that is her own choice."
Of course, the main thing was that everyone there was a girl, so no lives would be created. In fact, after becoming a Prospective Witch, one directly lost the ability to reproduce. What was there to worry about?
The curiosity and fantasies about sex that children have during their rebellious phase always need some practical experience to be shattered.
"I understand your meaning."
Millian was a bit surprised, but it was understandable. Ultimately, she chose to respect the decision. Since Sister Xiao Han had this attitude, she would collect less intelligence regarding that person in the future.
In passing... this information could also be leaked to certain people in the Fan Club, saving them from wasting their energy.
There were still some fools in the Fan Club fantasizing about sucking up to that person to get a connection to Sister Xiao Han.
* * *
After hanging up with Millian, I prepared to go about my business.
But before that, I contacted Yi Rui and the others. Since I was letting Millian in, I had to tell them in advance to avoid any accidents.
Millian’s role was to provide support; the experiments in the lab really did need various materials.
However... I seemed to prefer using my own methods for trial and error.
For example... when studying Runology, I would directly condense runes and use the Tree of Great Knowledge to research them.
Even before I had the Tree of Great Knowledge, I had overcome numerous difficulties to observe them directly.
It wasn't until later that I understood that studying Runology usually required Transcendent materials as carriers to stabilize the rune structure before deep research could be conducted with equipment...
So, you're telling me my previous research process was basically zero-cost?
Of course, that "zero-cost" didn't include the consumption of Transcendent energy.
But that was mainly due to other reasons. For instance, I didn't need to go through all that trouble because Floating World level Spirit Vision was my best observation tool. Furthermore, my study of Runology was mainly about broad theoretical accumulation; I hadn't reached the stage of deep research into every single rune yet.
Later, with the Tree of Great Knowledge to simulate and record, I began deeper rune research...
Looking back at my journey, calling me "self-taught" would be an understatement.
Not to mention that I now had Ley Line Identification Art and the ability to hand-craft equipment using Plant Technology.
I had to say, if the title "Paragon of Zero-Cost Transcendent Research" were pinned on me, I’d be the perfect spokesperson for it.
Now... since I had the resources, I naturally intended to be more extravagant. But barring any surprises, I would still continue my research at my own pace.
Many experimental rules and regulations were designed to improve research efficiency, but they didn't apply to me.
This was the confidence that came from results and strength.
Those regulations were as good as non-existent in my laboratory.
As for me... for the next period of time, I likely wouldn't be staying in the lab. Instead, I would be in the Body Cultivation room Sister Bai had specially opened for me.
Since I had decided to use Body Arts and Martial Runes as the breakthrough point for my tests, I naturally had to practice Body Arts. Body Arts didn't really fit in a laboratory, so Sister Bai had unhesitatingly used her privileges to open a Body Cultivation room for me.
It was a place dedicated to one-on-one private instruction and hands-on teaching of Body Cultivation.
"The power system of the Forest Elves also contains traces of Body Cultivation, and they have specific Elven Body Arts. Their techniques lean more toward physical flexibility, primarily training body control and ligaments, and they are a significant test of one's reaction speed..."
As Sister Bai spoke, she held something in her hand. It was a small wooden-textured plaque with irregular edges, carved with unique Elven magic and runes.
This was one of the items I had received from Dean Mei that belonged to the Afuhemi Academy. According to the information from the Ley Line Identification Art, this was a piece of bark shed from a sub-plant of the Afuhemi World Tree.
It was an extremely rare Transcendent material. Although it wasn't from the main body of the Forest Elf World Tree but a sub-plant in the Main World, it was still incredibly precious.
It contained a massive amount of World Tree essence energy. Wearing it could slowly promote physical enhancement and increase natural affinity.
The Elven runes engraved on it locked the energy from dissipating, ensuring only the wearer could perfectly enjoy the amplification it provided.
Furthermore, it was a consumable. However, even after the energy was depleted, the "bark" remained an excellent carrier for natural energy and was worth a fortune.
"I have to say, the other Transcendent academies really do have a lot of good stuff. However, we don't plan on teaching you Elven Body Arts today."
"Eh? Then what am I learning?" I took the plaque and wore it close to my body, then looked at Sister Bai with curiosity and a hint of anticipation.
"You told me you wanted to learn Body Arts to cultivate the Martial Runes to Great Perfection. In that case, I have a systematic set of Body Arts here that might be of great help to you. It’s called the Secret Tome of Body Cultivation. This tome is a collection of techniques—a complete set of Body Arts skills. This single collection alone encompasses nine different branches of Body Arts. Xiao Han, do you have the confidence to try it?"