Chapter 249: Understanding the Complex Dangers and Opportunities of the Witch Secret Realm
A new day.
After the fermentation of yesterday, the exchange competition has completely settled, and only this morning did I check my phone to find that quite a bit of news had occurred online regarding the academy yesterday.
Unfortunately, I went to bed early and missed it all.
The exchange competition did not have a formal award ceremony; instead, Teacher Lina, as the grade director, delivered a summary and closing speech, but this did not attract much attention.
What drew the most attention were the audacious actions taken by the Witch Academy. Just yesterday, many teachers from various academies caused quite a stir at the Witch Academy, even visiting the academy head, attracting a crowd of onlookers from senior students.
However, it’s unfortunate that this matter quickly fizzled out. According to reliable sources, several students from those academies got lost at the Witch Academy.
In response, the Witch Academy stated that the disappearing students were unrelated to their institution, urging the other academies to keep better watch over their students. They questioned whether the strict supervision of students or an issue with their educational methods had triggered the students’ rebellious mentality.
One could say that those watching the drama were treated to quite the spectacle.
Online discussions about this incident were so humorous that they even overshadowed the excitement of the exchange competition.
However, I actually think this is quite good; after all, a shift in focus can improve my life significantly. Not many people will pay attention to me, making things easier for me.
At this moment, there are also some seniors who have less regard for the situation, revealing that many classes in the new student year have seen students transferring in or out, further complicating matters for those academies.
After finishing the amusing discussion, I need to begin my daily practice and planning.
The tasks I need to accomplish can generally be divided into three categories. The first and most important one is meditation, which is the primary means of enhancing mental power and requires persistence.
Therefore, my plan includes meditation every morning, which doesn’t need to be very long—half an hour to an hour. After all, one cannot guarantee that monotonous meditation can be sustained for several hours; it could lead to adverse effects, and meditation cannot be rushed.
Of course, the most essential thing is that meditation cannot replace sleep.
Next is the theoretical foundation. I plan to focus on Rune Literature during the current phase, which will provide a theoretical basis for the third skill I will practice.
However, regarding skills, after guidance from Teacher Ji, I no longer limit myself to the skills I previously understood.
Skills can be divided into many types, such as combat skills, the art of using spellbooks, or body refinement techniques.
Additionally, there are non-combat skills, potion studies, alchemy, and so on.
These skills utilize extraordinary energy and rune ceremonies and are also a means of expression. How one uses them depends on one’s creativity.
For example, potion studies and alchemy can also be used in combat, so classifying skills into combat and non-combat is not entirely rigorous, but it is easy to understand.
Tan Han taught me not only the importance of combat techniques but also opened my mind to this perspective, which is what she truly imparted to me.
Otherwise, I would still be trapped in the realm of modified spellbooks, unable to escape; even Teacher Ji advised me to refocus.
I also feel that modifying the spellbooks has now become increasingly difficult; the more high-consumption spellbooks become, the harder they are to modify.
It’s time to start from other places.
Teacher Ji recommended the Witch Secret Realm to me not merely for honing combat skills; within the Witch Secret Realm, there are many essences of skills to learn. Unlike items that can be taken away, these will remain forever solidified within the realm, waiting to be discovered.
Otherwise, if a secret realm is filled only with prizes that can be taken, it would quickly become obsolete; once the rewards are claimed, the realm would serve no purpose. Unless the academy deems the trial valuable enough to regularly provide materials, that would not guarantee that such a secret realm will last long.
The morning is crucial for planning, and after completing my meditation, I am prepared to visit the Witch Secret Realm.
Previously, I had learned a lot about the Witch Secret Realm Association from the academy system.
After following the Witch Secret Realm Association, it appeared like a small program on my phone’s home screen, where one can queue or make reservations directly.
However, it seems that payments cannot be made online, as the fees charged by the association are real extraordinary materials like red copper and secret silver, which must be paid on-site. I didn’t think too much about it.
As I made my way there, I casually searched for information on various secret realms.
The secret realms I looked into were all of the red copper level since one must have self-awareness; choosing something too advanced would only lead to self-inflicted suffering.
Teacher Ji had already warned me to avoid being overly ambitious when selecting secret realms, and not to think that having thousands of magic sources and an excessive consumption spellbook makes one powerful.
However, without skills, strength is merely an empty shell. I deeply agree with this; power without skills is indeed like a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
You may think you are robust, but to others, you are just a plump target for plunder.
At the current stage, even before becoming extraordinary, the extraordinary power I possess has never been truly my own; magic sources and spellbooks can be seized!
But the skills I possess will always belong to me!
These cannot be taken away; every level has corresponding skills. Now I can access the use of spellbooks, body techniques, and even alchemical potions. Once I become stronger and my mental power can influence magic and magic sources, I will be able to master potion crafting techniques. When I achieve the extraordinary, I can learn real editing techniques and magic source shaping techniques, and so on…
This also tells us what we should truly learn in the Witch Academy; we need to focus on skills and theory, not just power.
Of course, gaining strength also requires a certain weight at this stage, as more magic sources lead to faster witch transformation and quicker advancement to the next level.
This creates a positive cycle, where those who understand this logic can first advance their theoretical knowledge to enhance themselves, and then refine their skills. Mastering skills will grant power, and power will yield more resources.
Conversely, the same logic applies. It can be predicted that the Witch Academy will also experience severe polarization, but the harmonious atmosphere presented within the academy reduces this sense of anxiety.
It also provides many the opportunity to relax, like Sister Bai introducing me to Senior Isa Yuan. She has graduated, and after normal graduation, there is no resource tilt from the academy; even if you remain at the Witch Academy, you will have to rely on your own methods to obtain resources.
The potion formulation techniques that Isa Yuan has mastered also represent skill; this shows that this skill is essential, as it requires magic to cooperate, and it is also a unique calling card for witches.
It can be said that I have already reserved skills related to potion studies.
For now, I need to build a foundation, possessing the most basic strength to protect myself from external disturbances and plundering.
I have learned from Sister Bai that there are indeed seniors who engage in bullying, all for the sake of the spellbooks in my possession.
At this stage, I have an excessive consumption spellbook on me.
One can imagine that when the exchange competition rewards are distributed, the real “war” will just be beginning.
Countless people will come, whether to trade positively or to seize forcefully; they will only bring me endless trouble.
And I soon arrived at the headquarters of the Witch Secret Realm Association. Along the way, I saw many secret realms in the academy system; although they were very attractive, I still hadn’t made a final choice.
Considering I knew nothing, it was best not to make a blind decision, so upon arriving at the association, I asked the senior members there.
Surely, once they learn my identity… they should be willing to spend some time explaining to me, right?
After all, I am somewhat of a celebrity now, but even so, I cannot demand anything.
However, as soon as I arrived, I found the headquarters of the association was surprisingly large. Even in the morning, a considerable number of seniors had already gathered, each equipped with their weapons, indicating they were well-prepared.
As for me, I was dressed in sportswear with leg rings, carrying only a magic wand, and my witch cloak concealed my figure while a witch hat obscured my appearance—seemingly not much else.
It appears many seniors are gearing up for long-term battles in the Witch Secret Realm.
Earlier on the way, I saw that explorations in various secret realms could be quick or very time-consuming; some secret realms had exclusive tags indicating long durations, with some notes stating that exploration could take at least one month to several months.
Well, that is indeed quite exaggerated, but these are suitable for upperclassmen. High investment brings high returns, as us lowerclassmen need to endure three years of scheduled learning and life, while upperclassmen do not have this concern.
At this moment, since I entered in disguise, my white hair did make me look somewhat unique, but in the Witch Academy, there were quite a few students with unusual hair colors. Perhaps some dyed their hair, while others seemed to have cultivated special skills or had other reasons for this, and under spirit vision, the essence of these transformations differed from mere dyeing.
To enter the Witch Secret Realm Association, one needs to present their student card or a linked phone to register.
Entering secret realms naturally requires real-name registration, and payment must be made.
It was apparent that members of the Witch Secret Realm Association were all dressed in the same uniform, and there seemed to be a considerable number of them, many of whom looked quite busy. I wondered if this association was still recruiting members and if there were any internal price discounts or other information.
I quickly understood why no one was present at Sister Shali’s bakery association: because such an association truly cannot provide any assistance to new students; it is simply a mess, or perhaps only seniors with special interests would stay.
For example, the laid-back Ying Shiqian senior and Tang Yihan, who enjoys experimenting with various new baking techniques and excels at creating dark cuisine.
I suspect new students lured in by the store manager will soon discover this essence, and within a while, there may be a wave of withdrawals from the baking association.
At this moment, coming back to my senses, I am also looking around, as this is my first time here. The busy members have not taken the initiative to introduce themselves to me, unlike when I was obtaining my flight license.
In fact, I had to inquire at the front desk myself.
Fortunately, there was a dedicated area for inquiries.
“Hello, student. Is there something you wish to ask?”
“Oh, yes. This is my first time at the Witch Secret Realm, could you give me a brief introduction to the realms?”
“First time?”
The senior looked curious, even incredulous, considering that the intensity of the magic source feedback from the other person was already several hundred or even over a thousand. How could this be their first visit?
If not for the fact that the other party wasn’t recording with their phone, she might have thought I was joking, yet due to her own disposition and possibly not being able to outmatch me, she quickly greeted me with a smile and began explaining.
“Our Witch Secret Realm Association is mainly responsible for overseeing, maintaining, and registering students’ entries and exits into the witch secret realms. The witch secret realms are created by graduates who have become extraordinary witches…”
“Oh, I understand that aspect already. please continue with the common knowledge about the realms,” I interrupted.
“Okay, then let me continue explaining the classifications of realms and the related fees. The witch secret realms are generally categorized into combat trials, puzzle-solving realms, task realms, narrative realms, and so on. Since you already know about the origins of the realms, you should understand that there are no clear restrictions on creating realms, so these classifications are just rough categories. A significant number of realms, due to their uniqueness, can only be classified as special realms, and many of these realms are composed of various overlapping tags, with complex internal conditions.”
“Graduated seniors may also give back to the Witch Academy by issuing quests related to certain secret realms; those realms may be ruins or hidden chambers obtained in unknown places, which are then simply thrown here as witch secret realms. Many of these realms are still hanging on the task panel in the academy system with available rewards.”
“Of course, from my personal viewpoint, I do not recommend venturing into those realms; some are one-time use, and if the corresponding tasks are not completed, damaging the realm might lead to a request for compensation. Generally, realms that require compensation will explicitly state so in the associated tasks, so you don’t need to worry about being scammed.”
“Oh, there’s even that? Today, I simply want to experience a realm; ideally, one with a short process or an option to exit at any time. Is that possible?” I asked.
“That’s certainly feasible; realms usually come with corresponding tags indicating approximate time requirements, but this may vary based on individual strength.”
“Additionally, the Witch Secret Realm Association reminds you that when exploring realms, personal safety comes first. Although we have specific resurrection spells and healing spells, the costs and damages associated with rescues need to be borne by yourself. Furthermore, we also provide loan services for those unable to pay for resurrection and other expenses; under the academy’s oversight, these are interest-free loans, and subsidies can also be applied for, among others.”
“Okay… thank you for that advice.” I hadn’t expected the Witch Academy to offer such services; it truly means that d*ath in the realms could result in needing resurrection spells.
“Now, let me explain the payment situation to you. You should be aware that we do not accept regular currency here; we only accept extraordinary materials, primarily red copper, secret silver, and aoqin, right?”
“Yes, I’ve heard that; it roughly breaks down to these?” I asked.
“That’s indeed the case; under normal circumstances, we use these three extraordinary materials as the primary forms of currency. If there are other extraordinary materials, we convert them to these three based on the current market prices in the academy for statistics.”
“Additionally, we support creating secret realm identity cards through student cards, which can be linked to phones, and allow storage of extraordinary materials. Online payments are also supported, and leftover extraordinary materials can be withdrawn at any time. However, please note that online payments do not support external transactions.”
“Alright…”
I hadn’t expected there would be online transactions too; I wonder how supervision is conducted. Since they seem to have maintained themselves quite well for a long time, it suggests their credibility is quite solid.
This is somewhat similar to the Witch Cat Café’s ability to store funds.
So to facilitate matters, I prepared to process this directly.
“Wait a moment; it shows here that you have already obtained our Witch Secret Realm identity card… Yang Yuelan… the student card information seems correct… Wait? Yang Yuelan?”
The senior abruptly looked up at me, then back to the student card I had handed her.
“Please keep your voice down.” At this moment, I lifted my disguise, and when she recognized me, I quickly donned it back, “I didn’t want to attract unnecessary attention; it’s just a disguise, so don’t mind it. I haven’t taken someone else’s student card.”
“Oh! Okay, understood!” The senior quickly gestured to convey her understanding, “Our records indicate that you have already obtained one; perhaps you didn’t notice that for talents like you, we’ve already prepared it for you. I didn’t expect you to come here so soon; it’s truly an honor. We’ve sent it to your address by letter. If you find it troublesome, I can help you bind your phone directly, and we also provide starter funds for you.”
“Uh, wow… you seem to know quite a bit…” I hadn’t expected the Witch Secret Realm to send this. The Witch Cat Café, the Witch Secret Realm…
Are they really trying to curry favor with me this much?
Nevertheless, this is akin to building connections and investing in advance; from their perspective, it’s a sure profit, and even the so-called starter funds should be insignificant to them.
I pulled out my storage equipment and found the letter sent by the Witch Secret Realm among a stack of unopened correspondence.
Looking at that pile of letters, I couldn’t help but lament that there are still many places in the Witch Academy I haven’t visited yet.
If I have a free day, perhaps I could try exploring it like a blind box experience?
No need for me to decide where to go play next.
“This should be it.” I opened the envelope and took out a card to hand over.
“Surprised that you would carry these with you. I’ll get this processed right away. Currently, your account still has a balance of one hundred aoqin. If you wish to withdraw it, you can do so at any time.”
At this moment, the senior’s tone became notably more respectful; it seems I underestimated my value.
This is essentially giving me a hundred aoqin for free!
Not just red copper or secret silver, but aoqin, which is precious.
Initially, I was planning to save a bit of secret silver to experience the red copper secret realm; now, I’m feeling quite extravagant.
“Also, I want to remind you; secret realms are not to be trifled with. Even though Xiao Han… your strength is very exceptional, please do not rush into challenges for aoqin, or even secret silver—it’s better to start with red copper realms for some good learning experience.”
“I understand that much, but thank you for the reminder.”
“It’s no trouble; it’s what I ought to do.”
After bidding farewell to the senior, I began selecting the secret realm I wanted to attempt.
Today’s goal is purely about experience; I don’t seek any rewards, since the entry fees are essentially free, my mood has improved significantly today.
