Chapter 244 Troubles That May Arise After the Exchange Competition
“Yang Yuelan… this little one is truly unexpected. It seems there was no success in creating a script for the m*rder this time?”
“Having fortune by one’s side is like this. The power of the script is strongest against those without fortune. Now that Yang Yuelan has gained fortune, the treatment of participants who enter the game is thus.”
At this moment, the group of witches began to chat after I left, with various topics arising, but the main focus remained on the topic of fortune. The biggest winner of this exchange competition, aside from the Witch Academy, seems to be only the Holy Angel Academy, along with the cute Cat Academy making up the numbers.
Although on the surface, the Cat Academy appears to be a small academy within the Beast Academy category, and the Holy Angel Academy was the first among the three top academies to be fully eliminated, which doesn’t seem impressive, all of this is just an appearance.
“Xi Lan… you have figured it out, right? Xiao Han has already begun trying to construct her field.” Lina was sitting beside Teacher Ji at this moment. Although the dean claimed to be quite busy, she was still present at the arena.
“I can see that; didn’t she fail?” Teacher Ji spoke up.
“An interesting little one. The level of fields is not something that non-extraordinary beings can touch upon. Clearly, as a new student who doesn’t even understand runes… is this the confidence that Floating World-level spirit vision gives her? And that Fire Rain Field Spellbook… must have cost you quite a bit, right? The value of field-type spellbooks… they’re not toys for new students.”
“You talk too much. You should go back to your work; I need to leave.”
“You should leave; this time Xiao Han has gotten into big trouble. The fortune of being first is counted on her head…”
“I will explain it to her. Also, don’t set your sights on Xiao Han.”
“That depends on whether you have the ability to keep her. Your Xiao Han has shone brightly in this exchange competition, attracting too many people… even from other academies. Innate Spirit Vision… do you know what that represents?”
What Lina said before leaving, Teacher Ji naturally knew what it meant.
Big trouble. If it weren’t for the struggle of fortune, the label of Innate Spirit Vision User would probably become the most dazzling focal point of this batch.
But fortune relates to many things, like the branches of fortune, the river of causality, the will of the world, and the further development of the main world… outsiders have never belonged to the main world, and they are well aware of this.
Logically speaking, a Child of Fortune controlled by the script should grow smoothly without any hindrance, and it should indeed be like this. However, with the interference of outsiders, the will of the world would also come to realize this. Although the abnormal development of this script couldn’t happen without the intervention of Abyss Demons, the will of the world is the core driver.
The will of the world would deliberately reject outsiders; non-extraordinary life forms descending into this world will be expelled. Even if they are forcibly retained, they will be cursed by the world—bad luck will follow, and the power they possess may be constantly diverted by the world. Prolonged stay could leave a mark of this world on them, shackling them and making it impossible to leave.
Therefore, outsiders who descend into this world are basically of extraordinary level or are inhabitants of this world; only then can they stay safely in this realm. This is why the teachers of the Extraordinary Academy are all of extraordinary level.
At this moment, I was dining with Sister Bai at a restaurant that was relatively empty. It was a private restaurant opened by another senior that Sister Bai knew in the academy, one of those places that you wouldn’t know existed even without an introduction.
This restaurant specializes in high-end cuisine. Originally, this senior didn’t plan to open it but was compelled to do so by Sister Bai.
This senior had already graduated and had no ambition to aspire to the extraordinary. She intended to spend her life in this private restaurant with the connections she had.
After all, everyone has their own aspirations; this can’t be forced.
However, when she heard it was for me, she quickly organized everything, seeming quite concerned about me.
“Xiao Han, you’ve benefited from my senior’s kindness this time, right? I have to call her senior as well.” Bai Yu smiled and said, “By the way, let me formally introduce her. This is Isha Yuan; just call her Sister Yuan.”
“Oh dear~ Bai Yu, why didn’t you mention that you knew Xiao Han earlier? Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had that misunderstanding just now. Don’t you think so, Xiao Han~”
“You should change your habit of falling in love with everyone you meet.” Bai Yu retorted.
Since Isha Yuan had already experienced “retirement” life ahead of time, to entertain herself, she pays extra attention to the hottest new students every year, to the point of falling in love with each.
Of course, this is also her investment in every genius new student.
At this moment, if it weren’t for Bai Yu believing that the culinary skills here were indeed excellent, she wouldn’t have brought Xiao Han to experience it. She felt it would be a pity not to try this place out.
“Sister Yuan, hello~” I said softly beside them.
“Ah~ Haha, Xiao Han, you’re so cute~ The contrast to how you were during the competition is so striking; I like it so much~”
“Get your cooking materials ready, you!” Bai Yu directly smacked Isha Yuan’s hand away.
“I know, geez, you two coming at this hour has thrown me off; did you know that?”
“Then bring out your best goods; I’m not refusing to pay.”
“Joke’s on you! I’m treating Xiao Han; do you think a freeloading person like you needs to pay? Just sit tight and watch my performance~”
Isha Yuan swiftly turned the tables, making Bai Yu the outsider.
But to put it bluntly, it’s still a case of free dining; only with my comfort did Sister Bai feel a little better. But there’s no denying that with only three chefs in such a restaurant serving customers, it feels really nice. Plus, Isha Yuan indeed brought out her best; it was a piece of beast meat preserved with a long-lasting solidifying spell, and obviously, this was not from an animal of this world.
“You all are in for a treat today~ This piece of meat is from the extraordinary level, which I got outside the world through connections. Although the texture isn’t particularly stunning, the flavor is absolutely beyond that of most ordinary meats within our world. The key is its rarity—the rarity alone is where its value lies.” Isha Yuan sighed as she wiped the long kn*fe in her hand, then carefully cut off a slice from the meat, and carefully placed the meat back.
“You’re only cutting off this much?”
“Rarity is the essence, you understand? I’ll be asking for Aoqin as the starting price for this piece of meat, understand?”
“I don’t understand, but I’m greatly shocked.” Bai Yu replied frankly, not even aware that Isha Yuan had such good stuff; it seems like we scored big this time.
“Let’s use this piece of meat as an appetizer sashimi. Just smile on the inside~ Come, Xiao Han, this is yours.” Isha Yuan bantered with Bai Yu, then turned to me with another attitude.
“Thank you, Sister Yuan.”
“It’s fine, as long as you like it. If you want to come eat in the future, feel free to contact me. By the way, let’s exchange contact information.”
“Sure.”
Bai Yu did not stop at this moment because she knew that Isha Yuan had extensive connections, and establishing such a relationship could save some trouble later.
“Here, take this sauce. It’s made through potion concocting methods and belongs to my exclusive recipe~”
“Potion concocting?” I was slightly stunned, as concocting potions is entirely different from preparing potions; just from the price perspective, the threshold for potion prices is much higher than that of ordinary potions.
“Yep, Sister Yuan used to be a master potion maker and even has a certificate. Later she switched to magical potions and obtained a certification for those as well.” Bai Yu explained to me from the side.
“That impressive?”
“Of course, your Sister Yuan has many merits. Try it quickly~ This dipping sauce is, in part, a magical potion, a kind of potion that makes food tastier~”
“Mmm…” I picked up my chopsticks and grabbed a beautifully plated piece of sashimi, dipping it in the sauce. Perhaps instinctively, I could see the energy flow within through spirit vision, faintly tinged with a ritualistic meaning.
“Ahh…”
As the sashimi entered my mouth, a texture akin to the usual raw meat lingered between my lips and teeth, the sauce spread at that moment, immediately stimulating my taste buds. A peculiar flavor flooded my mind, resembling a wonderful symphony where each taste danced on my tongue, harmonious and rich.
The taste buds were wrapped in intense fragrance, intoxicated.
The texture turned delicate and rich under the influence of the sauce, and the delicious taste spread in my mouth, as if it filled the entire world in an instant.
This is… high-end cuisine combined with extraordinary power? Indeed much more delicious than ordinary food!
And this was just an appetizer; that sauce must be the main feature, right?
The so-called sashimi from extraordinary creatures had instead become a supporting role.
“Xiao Han, your performance in this exchange competition was simply stunning! Did you know? Those academies looked like they were sitting on cold benches, all with gloomy faces during the entire audience segment; it was so hilarious.”
“Actually… it was alright…”
“Don’t be humble; excessive humility can be arrogance. By the way, how are you so amazing? The moment you ignited the forest fire in the exchange competition, the entire event fell into your rhythm!”
“Honestly, I just took it step by step…”
“And what about your ex-girlfriend? Do you not feel particularly annoyed with her?” Isha Yuan continued to ask, as this all stemmed from the fire incident, how could there not be a personal grudge?
“Uh… actually…”
“Xiao Han, if you don’t want to talk about her, you don’t have to. Sister Yuan, what kind of question is that?” Bai Yu spoke up at this moment.
“Well, it’s nothing much. It was just a peaceful split during the holidays. We just ran into each other again; that’s about it.” I sighed and explained briefly.
“I see… Long-distance relationships are indeed unreliable; breaking up is quite normal. But… may I ask a blunt question: Xiao Han used to be a boy, right?”
“Isha… Yuan!” Bai Yu reminded from the side.
“Oh, I was just asking. After all, Xiao Han’s performance in the exchange competition has truly been extraordinary, and her demeanor is very boyish. Of course, her skills in making desserts are also… alright, I won’t say anymore.” Under Bai Yu’s murderous glance, Isha Yuan finally kept her mouth shut.
“Xiao Han, after this exchange competition, you might encounter quite a bit of trouble. But it’s okay; if anyone gives you trouble, just call me.”
“Trouble me?” I looked at Sister Bai in confusion, not understanding what she meant. Did some senior from the Witch Academy not like me and would come to bother me?
“Since Bai Yu brought the topic here, I’ll speak too; Xiao Han, many academies are involved in this exchange competition, so the rewards are equally substantial, covering resources from various academies—very tempting.”
“If you encounter polite seniors, they may come to you to exchange, trade, or even purchase fairly. The impolite ones will just come and demand directly; I find those types the most annoying. Of course, if they don’t get what they want, they might challenge you. Don’t underestimate those guys in the Witch Academy.”
“Isn’t the academy going to do something about this?” I inquired curiously.
“Of course, they will. For a talented student like you, the teachers will definitely pay attention. But then what? They annoy you once, and you report to the teacher once? That’s overdrawing your value in the academy. You’d be seen as someone who retreats in character, confronting problems only by seeking the teacher’s help, lacking the ability to solve problems yourself; your abilities will be questioned.”
“Alright… I can already imagine the disgusting faces of those people!” I quickly said, realizing that the Witch Academy indeed seems to be a very pragmatic academy.
Indeed, once you become famous, troubles abound.
“Don’t worry; you can come to us. Although those people are quite annoying, a significant portion within the academy still makes sense. But mainly, it depends on how you handle things.”
This meal was filled with immersive experiences. Although it was just a meal, later on, it turned into Sister Bai and Sister Yuan giving me a lesson.
I also started taking seriously the various troubles I might face ahead.
Previously, it was just the beginning of the semester, and trouble hadn’t had a chance to approach since it was interrupted by the academy’s competitions, followed by so many academies participating in the exchange. However, these are not the norm for the Witch Academy. When it comes to understanding the Witch Academy, these two sisters obviously know more than I do.
Of course, besides those troubles, they also discussed many other matters, such as my current situation analysis, how to leverage my advantages to thrive in the academy, and so on.
However, I still wanted to spend my time in the academy in my own way.
After all, regarding other matters, if enemies come, I’ll face them; if water comes, I’ll block it—at most, I’ll go find a teacher. Their concern that I might diminish in value in the eyes of the academy is naturally not worth mentioning, and I did not refute this point.
Moreover, even with seniors, I’m not afraid. After all, if they have fallen to bully new students with such methods, can we expect them to be some strong seniors?
At that point, it’s not certain who will rob whom.
“Oh dear~ Why are we not chatting more? You’re leaving so soon? But next time, do visit me more often—remember to make a reservation in advance~ Anyway, let me escort you two to this point~”
“Okay, goodbye, Sister Yuan~”
After bidding farewell to Isha Yuan, I rubbed my stomach, feeling as if I had finally eaten all the delectable foods I had missed over the past few days.
At the same time, I gained a higher understanding of the techniques related to magical potions; if given the chance, I wouldn’t mind trying to learn some related knowledge.
“Sister Bai, that Sister Yuan is really an interesting person.”
“Um, she’s also a remarkable senior I know. When I met her, she hadn’t graduated yet. I thought she would become an Extraordinary Witch, but unexpectedly, she made such a choice in the end.”
Speaking of Isha Yuan, even Bai Yu expressed a bit of regret, but she only sighed, “Let’s not talk about her anymore; let’s discuss something else. Xiao Han, you mentioned earlier that researching your spellbook took up too much time during the exchange competition. Do you plan to continue studying it?”
“Researching the spellbook… no, it’s too metaphysical. I haven’t grasped the specific essentials yet. Moreover, I’ve found that researching spellbooks is best done during battles. Right now, I have something more important to compensate for.”
“Oh? Something more important? Would you mind sharing it with Sister Bai?”
“Of course not; the more important thing is… combat techniques…”
“Combat techniques?”
“Yes, I lack combat techniques that can maximize the power I wield.” I nodded.
This point was taught to me by Tan Han, certainly because Tan Han primarily focuses on transformation spells as the core of her combat system, which is why she emphasizes the significance of techniques in battle.
However, I cannot completely imitate Tan Han’s combat techniques; though I enjoy melee, I have few transformation spells, and they aren’t strong enough to serve as the core of my combat system.
But I need to learn these techniques. It’s a kind of thought cultivation, and also helps me have a sufficient understanding of opponents who center their strategies on techniques so I won’t be crushed by them.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
At the accommodation provided to various academies for exchange at the Witch Academy, many are grappling with difficult choices.
Achir from the Holy Angel Academy has brought disgrace to the entire academy with the price of his capriciousness. Even though the mentors haven’t punished him, the pointed fingers of other students are equally hard to ignore.
He is also engaged in self-reflection, continuously praying to the Holy Light and faith. Although it is termed prayer, it is actually a form of self-exploration and cultivation, akin to the Witch Academy’s Witch Meditation Method—just different in format and having different outcomes.
On the other side, the atmosphere in the Wizard Academy is even more oppressive.
As one of the three top academies, they have delivered such a poor performance in this exchange competition, having their own Wizard Tower split open!
Now, the outside world is mocking them as inferior to bird-men, completely becoming a laughingstock.
They can hardly imagine how they will be treated when they return. Will they be expelled from the Wizard Tower? That might be the best possible outcome.
The Wizard Tower represents honor for the Wizard Academy!
In the competition, there were a total of ten participants, and they even selected three to control the Wizard Tower, rather than just one person!
And yet they ended up having the Wizard Tower taken down!
Even the emblem of their Wizard Academy, which symbolizes supreme glory—the Wizard Tower—has been disgracefully split by a sword, and importantly, this was revealed by the Witch Academy, which speaks volumes about how humiliating their defeat was.
“Before you return to school, stay put and think carefully with that brain of yours, which you haven’t used for a long time, about why your performance in the exchange competition was so lackluster!”
“And you, Lusen, I had the highest hopes for you. You volunteered to be the team leader, so you should really reflect on this!”
Andrew snorted coldly, shifting his gaze away from Lusen. If it weren’t for the Fortune Seed he bore, he wouldn’t waste a moment of his time on this excessively mediocre individual.
With Andrew the Wizard’s departure, Lusen tightly grasped his clothing corner, feeling that everything was so ironic. As the team leader… he could not enjoy even an ounce of the leader’s treatment!
Is he going back like this?
No… he can’t just return like this; otherwise, his fate would be worse than d*ath. All his efforts in the exchange competition would become a joke…
He naively thought that putting forth his best effort might lessen the punishment, but facing the rational and profit-driven wizards, all of this was merely his self-comforting fantasy.
