Chapter 254: Skills and Cross-Connections
Many of the things recorded in Sofiry’s notes are still very important to me at this moment. This is a skill, a technique for guiding elemental energy using mental power.
Mental power is the first extraordinary ability we come into contact with. Like spirit vision, many people had already mastered it before enrolling at the Extraordinary Academy.
The Witch Academy’s Witch Meditation Method is a faster practice method for exercising mental power and is also a technique for condensing strands of mental power. This technique greatly enhances the efficiency of mental power in interfering with extraordinary energy and lays a solid foundation for mastering magic power.
During this period, we can also access spellbooks and use them to cast spells.
Before that, our mental power could already interfere with extraordinary energy.
For example, the elements that are omnipresent in our surroundings.
Previously, I tried to stir the elements in the air with my mental power, much like stirring water with chopsticks, which was quite magical.
Sofiry’s notes describe how to use mental power to guide elements in cultivating specific extraordinary plants.
Perhaps Sofiry hadn’t noticed, or maybe she noticed but didn’t care. If this technique could be applied to spells, setting aside the framework of the spellbook, it seems I could achieve “handcrafted fireballs”!
Of course, this is based on my complete understanding of the fireball spell in the spellbook. Only with knowledge of the spellbook and the spell ceremony can one handcraft fireballs.
At this moment, I am copying all these key points onto the Memory Shelf, essentially going through them again in my mind.
After recording this section, I began to attempt handcrafting the fireball spell. The difference between handcrafting fireballs and casting fireballs from the spellbook lies in the extraordinary energy issue.
The spellbook’s fireball spell transforms magic power into fire elements to form the fireball spell, but handcrafting is different; it directly mobilizes the fire elements in the air.
It’s like this…
I extended my hand, structured the fireball spell ceremony with mental power, drawing in the “thin” fire elements from the air.
Then, a spark appeared and quickly extinguished…
“Hmph… is that all?”
I frowned, somewhat confused. Even if the fire elements in the air are thin, it shouldn’t be like this, right?
Or does the fireball spell require a lot of fire elements? Or perhaps the magic power’s extraordinary energy level is very high, and the transformed fire elements are substantial, which is what allows normal fireball spells to achieve their power?
I tried repeatedly and got the same result, and the best I could achieve was just a tiny flicker of flame…
I seemed to understand why the Witch Academy wants to use spellbooks. If everyone started using spells this way, it might greatly diminish their interest in learning, right?
Furthermore, I believed I understood the fireball spell well enough. Maybe when my mental power can interfere with magic power, it might be different.
But my intuition told me that things wouldn’t be that simple. If mental power could interfere with magic power, many issues would no longer be so troublesome. Then the value of the spellbook would greatly decrease, at least for the senior students. They wouldn’t crave spellbooks as much.
I also clearly understood what the spellbook represents—it is a platform for spells, the final result of connecting to actual editing techniques, transforming basic spells into derived spells…
Wait, this logic doesn’t hold. Even if I can’t edit in reality, I can still derive spells. Without the framework of the spellbook, I should still be able to use them.
So, the spellbook must have other aspects that I don’t understand, or even aren’t qualified to access.
Speaking of concepts I’m not qualified to engage with… I thought of the domainization of spells—the true domains—not the spellbooks like “Rain of Fire” which are merely inspired derivative spells.
Teacher Ji once said that the Rain of Fire isn’t a true [domain] but a spell derived from the concept of a domain.
Thinking of this, I shook my head and dismissed unrealistic thoughts. These belong to useless daydreaming and can’t help me derive spells, so they are naturally no use.
After giving myself a concentration suggestion using the unity of knowledge and action, I began to organize the notes I had just produced again.
This notebook is no longer simply about cultivating extraordinary plants; it is also a technique for utilizing extraordinary energy. It seems to resonate in some way with my “resonance” technique. Mine is just more straightforward and crude. Perhaps I can use this technique to completely refine my resonance derivation skills.
Only by mastering tangible so-called skills can one understand how rudimentary the magical modifications created by previous clever tricks truly are.
I can imagine that Teacher Ji at the time probably felt the same way. No wonder she reminded me to focus and not play around…
At this moment, I also became interested in other techniques within the secret realms.
Initially, I felt some disdain for those seemingly unnecessary techniques. For example, before I encountered cultivation techniques, I hadn’t realized the guiding skills for extraordinary energy hidden within.
Perhaps this is what cross-connections are?
Maybe it’s also a manifestation of practical application.
By the time evening came, I had finally recorded all the key points.
Of course, I couldn’t write it all down—I’m not superhuman. I just took the essence of it.
The rest is up to fate.
During this period, I also realized the shortcomings of the Memory Shelf. If I had to write it myself… it would still feel a bit un-magical.
Spells are meant to reduce trouble, right? Whether solving physically or magically, I dislike spending time writing everything out.
It’s time-consuming, labor-intensive, and tiring on my hands. If I want to learn many things quickly and in bulk, the current capacity of the Memory Shelf is starting to fall behind my thoughts.
If only this Memory Shelf could record everything I see and remain controllable, it would be perfect.
After a brief moment of thought, I temporarily divided the Memory Shelf spellbook into three developmental stages. I am currently in the first phase, requiring manual transcription for the spells to be memorized.
Next comes a two-step plan based on my own situation—what I see is what I learn, eliminating the need for manual work, using sight as a medium to record knowledge and content.
The third step would be to perceive as I learn, as reading also takes time. Each sentence requires reading and understanding, so directly using mental power to perceive content for recording seems a possibility.
Although the third step seems somewhat fanciful, it’s not impossible. As for why I chose to develop this in three stages instead of one go…
That’s naturally because I have self-awareness. If I asked Teacher Ji about the second step, perhaps it would be achievable, but the third step serves as a caution; I’ll probably struggle to realize it. I’ll not be able to do everything.
And just the second step is already enough for me for a long time.
Indeed, what pushes a person to improve is often laziness.
After a busy day, I finally allowed myself some much-needed rest. I should indeed correct my impatient habits. Entering the Witch Academy, no one is forcing me to progress; the only one pushing me is probably myself.
There are many other factors too, since I should be among the top new students. Not progressing means regressing, being surpassed by others. The more early on this happens, the more apparent it is.
Only through later consolidation does one become less anxious.
However, my impatience could not be held back at this moment.
I longed to communicate with those guys in the dorm and also hoped not to detach from the group. I wanted to see what normal students were currently studying and what they had learned…
At this moment, the academy’s online forum was bustling with discussions about the upcoming exchange competition.
With the excitement and climax past, it had now entered a phase of secondary fermentation, perhaps because the excitement from the exchange competition hadn’t faded yet.
There were still countless seniors discussing related information.
Additionally, many seniors were creating edited videos, compiling various exciting snippets, of course, including me and Tan Han as the main focus of the videos.
All the memorable quotes from our performance in the exchange competition have become popular memes, various exciting images, or questionable pictures turning into emojis.
I was already somewhat accustomed to this; such behavior was quite normal in my previous life, wasn’t it?
Or rather, this external world is the same, but the emojis that stimulate my emotions the most were the famous painting “Xiao Han is Sleeping.jpg”!
They edited my expressions from the competitions and created new memes…
And there were also extended versions like “Waking Up Grumpily.jpg” and “Still Half-Asleep.jpg,” which were quite annoying.
But once the emotions passed, the memes worth collecting still had to be gathered. Can’t I use my own memes?
Let them play as they wish. I don’t mind it and even feel it’s quite nice.
As long as my thoughts elevate to a higher level, they won’t be able to see my jokes.
Of course, there were plenty of envious comments regarding the rewards from this exchange competition, as not every year offers such treatment. Some even provoke conflicts within the new student community.
Looking at these comments on my phone, I could clearly see what they were aiming for.
Unexpectedly, quite a few were stirred up emotionally.
After experiencing major ups and downs and understanding many things, I refrained from voicing my opinions. After all, I am the biggest beneficiary of this exchange competition, and my words naturally hold little persuasive power for them.
Moreover… being swayed by such comments to fight for benefits that aren’t rightfully theirs speaks volumes about their character.
Even wasting a little time on them would be disrespectful to myself.
“Xiao Han!”
Just then, a sudden knock on the door pulled me back to reality, and I realized I had been so absorbed in the internet…
“Hmm? Dongli Yiren, is there something? Just open the door.” I said casually while tucking away my phone.
Then Dongli Yiren nervously pushed the door open, her gaze unconsciously scanning my room, finally landing on the open notebook on my desk.
“Um, I’ve thought it over…”
“What have you thought over?” I asked.
“I’ve decided… I want to take this path!” Dongli Yiren told me.
“Since you’ve made up your mind, there’s no need to come over and tell me. But since you’re here, I’d like to ask why? Don’t you yearn for extraordinary power, strength… violent things?” After all, isn’t that something boys tend to like?
Has Dongli Yiren completely *fallen* from thought to body?
“I… actually, it’s not that I can’t talk about this.” Dongli Yiren leaned against my door, closing it with a glance to ensure no one outside could hear.
“The truth is, I don’t particularly like them. You know… I was once injured by fireworks when I was little and had to be sent to the hospital. It left a deep impression on me, so I’m still a bit scared of those spells. Plus, I’ve gotten this far without even having a spellbook. Guan Qiuling has one; she got hers through her own abilities, while Yu Yatian doesn’t care about spellbooks at all. Her enthusiasm for learning is just like yours… perhaps I really should switch tracks…”
“Really?”
However, Dongli Yiren’s words surprised me. I didn’t expect two people in our dormitory to already have spellbooks. No wonder Hong Chanyi begged me to take her into the secret realm. Though she might not fully understand the dangers of the secret realm, she knows that if she can do what I do, even if her self-awareness doesn’t reach my level, her achievements would at least be among the top in her class.
“Yeah, just like that, and I… I’m also in dire need of money.”
“I didn’t expect you to be so straightforward, but perhaps making potions will cost more money? Have you thought about that?”
“I’ve contemplated it, but this is a long-term process. I am aware that upcoming courses involve potion-making. I will complete my knowledge accumulation about potions before those classes and seize learning opportunities. I might not impress the teachers much, but at least it will leave an impression when selecting my teacher later.”
“You’ve thought so much?”
“Yeah, after all, this isn’t a joke. I only have one life, and I can’t afford regrets. Although I see that potion-making relies heavily on talent, I also entered this top academy through my own strength, and even in the Witch Academy, I have that confidence.”
“As long as you have confidence, then I won’t say much more.” I organized the notebook on my desk and handed it to her.
“This…”
“Of course it’s for you. I got it from that senior and reviewed the useful parts, but it should be enough for you to study for a long time.”
“Looked… looked through?”
Dongli Yiren’s eyes widened, and she took the several notebooks from me. Just flipping through them would take quite a while, right?
“It’s just that I remembered the key points; the rest is up to fate, so don’t learn from me.”
“Hmm, thank you.”
“Aren’t you being polite? That sounds like you’re being distant~ Anyway, I’m counting on you for those extraordinary plants upstairs, right? Speaking of plants… I also have many seeds, seedlings, and side shoots. You can take them away. It’s taking up space. These have been specially treated, so don’t open them carelessly, or they might wilt.”
“W-What’s all this?” Dongli Yiren stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it.
“Yeah, it’s from this morning’s harvest.”
And most of it was gotten from Sofiry and the others. I only took a little of each kind, so you can imagine how much they have. However, I also gained Sofiry’s notes and experienced exploration processes in the secret realm, things that money can’t buy.
“Oh, right. This includes dangerous seedlings like the Giant Devouring Thorn and the Dark Thorn Grass. Be cautious when planting them; don’t get caught up in it yourself. Go read more books in the library.” At this moment, I felt like a mother endlessly reminding her child, making it hard for me to keep composed.
“In short, that’s all. I won’t micromanage you.”
“Thank you. You’ve helped me so much. I don’t know how to repay you…” Dongli Yiren said, somewhat overwhelmed as she held so many things that it was hard for her to manage.
“Why are you worried about that? I’ll teach you how to handle situations like this; just focus on working hard. At most, regularly tell me about your progress so I can have a sense of achievement in guiding you. It won’t just be me; it will be the same with anyone in the future. If you become a potion master or something, I’ll be the roommate of a potion master.”
“Thank you for saying that…”
“Not at all. Let’s go. I don’t like others coming into my room. Remember to close the door on your way out. But… can you reach?”
“I can reach, definitely! Don’t worry about it.” Dongli Yiren quickly replied. Even holding so many things, she insisted on helping me. It seems my earlier words spurred her on.
