Chapter 291: A New Beginning
“Ying… did it already become morning?”
Stretching lazily, I glanced out the window to see it was still pitch black outside, clearly indicating that it wasn’t morning yet.
Looking at my phone, I saw it was just past midnight, around one or two in the morning.
Even though I went to bed early yesterday, I found myself full of energy at this moment. It seems I’m becoming one of those witches who need less sleep.
When Sister Bai told me that witches are nocturnal creatures, I finally believe it now.
After getting up, I didn’t know what to do. If it were before, I might have hesitated for a while, dazing off and thinking about what I wanted to do, wasting about ten minutes, but now I have a clear goal: to strengthen myself.
What did Teacher Ji say is the foundation of everything?
Naturally, it’s mental power. The spellbook and magic source are all illusory; the only extraordinary power I truly possess is mental power, and meditation is fundamental.
As I directly began to meditate, I realized that I had run out of incense for meditation. I seemed to have only bought it that one time, and I didn’t go back because it felt a bit expensive. After all, it was just meditation, so I didn’t pay much attention.
But at this moment, I understood the role of incense, which is the most direct means to assist meditation for an effective session.
The key is efficiency; while you shouldn’t rush into things, knowing there’s a more efficient method and not using it would make one seem rather foolish.
This is a matter of mindset. I started to feel grateful towards Teacher Deina; perhaps her actions were unintentional, or maybe it was something else, or perhaps the Academy Head ordered it. I wouldn’t be surprised; I don’t mind intentional arrangements as long as the outcome is good.
Perhaps even Deina herself doesn’t realize how her enigmatic actions have brought about such significant changes in me.
Oh no… it’s not just change; it’s about allowing me to be my true self. This is who I am. By dropping the mask, everything I’m doing is further promoting my own transformation. I understand that such gradual changes can’t happen all at once.
Others might think I’ve changed significantly, but that’s not true; that’s just their subjective perception. I know I’ve merely taken off the mask.
Meditation ended.
The time had come to morning. I took a shower, and according to my habit, I used to enjoy showering at night, just to wash away the dust and unhappiness from the day when I returned to a safe place, presenting my clean self to my only sanctuary—my bed. This may be one of the rare instances in my life where I’m treating myself kindly.
And now, I am making a change. Although some toxic positivity can’t be consumed in excess, sometimes listening to it can still bring significant benefits. Trying to do things that scare me, things I dislike, or things I haven’t done before—that’s change.
If a person wants to change but lacks the courage to change their original worldview, that’s just talk.
Taking a shower in the morning helps me organize my mood, allowing me to devote more energy to responding to external matters.
When I reduced my mental fatigue, I realized that I actually had so much energy to spare. Is this what it feels like to be a “fulfilled person”?
It truly fascinates and terrifies me…
I’m afraid of confronting the unknown, yet I’m mesmerized by the unknown I encounter. In the end, this situation stems from a lack of confidence, a lack of confidence in my own expressive abilities.
Maybe I should try taking some language courses to learn how to express myself.
Actually, I might not need to, because in every conversation I have with anyone at any time in my life, the other person is my teacher. The entire Witch Academy serves as my classroom; they constantly teach me something. The key lies in when I recognize this.
After tidying up my hair and clothing, I noticed that when I truly care about my outfit, the clothes Sister Bai chose for me seemed quite nice.
I also stopped using disguise magic. The original intention of using disguise magic was to avoid trouble.
But what if I’m just recognized? Is that really troublesome?
For my former self, it indeed seemed troublesome. When a person suffers from severe mental fatigue, their ability to cope is very weak, and any deviation from their plans can be overwhelming. Even minor issues feel like the sky is collapsing. I am well aware of this, having observed my past self from an outsider’s perspective, I can clearly see how fragile I was then.
The confidence I built is supported by the power I’ve mastered.
Facing Tan Han, I would feel anxious when she surpassed me, leading to a sense of despair.
Even now, I feel the same way, but I’m trying to make changes. Only with change will I receive feedback; with feedback, I’ll know if what I’m doing is right.
Today, I also arranged with Betty to prepare flesh healing potions in her instructor’s laboratory, not knowing if she has woken up yet.
So, I called her directly to ask. Although I hesitated for a moment, thinking whether it would be inconvenient for her or if she might still be asleep.
However, I forced myself to change this thinking; whether I might disturb her is her concern. If someone calls me, do they also consider whether they are disturbing me?
Regardless of how others think, once I answer the call, I have already disturbed them. That’s a certainty.
After finishing the call with Betty, we set a time and place. She was delighted that I agreed to help her with potion crafting, and she also straightforwardly teased me for waking up so early.
Well… ultimately, it was nothing serious, just a tease. I held the phone and felt like I was still missing something.
After pondering for a while, I finally realized!
I was supposed to tell Sister Bai that I would be going to the laboratory for alchemy with Betty!
“Hey~ Sister Bai, are you up?”
As soon as the call connected, I greeted her with a bit of a whining tone.
“Mm? Xiao Han, is there something urgent?” At this moment, Sister Bai didn’t expect me to call her in the morning, so her first reaction was that something was urgent.
“Eh heh~ Isn’t it okay to disturb you if there’s nothing going on? I want to return your words back to you!”
“Oh? Xiao Han, if there’s nothing going on, should I come find you instead?”
“I have something~ I mean, I have things to do, so I won’t be able to accompany you like the past few days.”
“You really have things… then tell me.”
“I arranged to try out some alchemy research with a senior today, just wanted to give you a heads up so you won’t feel jealous~”
“Jealous? Jealous of what? Wait, which senior are you going with? Is it a serious study?”
“Ugh~ still saying you’re not jealous~”
“Okay, okay… I just wanted to remind you to stay safe.”
“Don’t worry, it looks like I’m not in danger, so you don’t have to fret~ Just as long as you don’t think it’s troublesome for me to let you know.”
“How could it be trouble? Xiao Han, if you want to share your life plans with me, how could I possibly find it troublesome?”
“As long as it’s not troublesome, that’s good. After all, in that laboratory, it’ll just be the two of us—two lonely girls together. I’d be worried you’d misunderstand~ If you smell something later, it wouldn’t be easy to explain, right?”
“What… what? Are you calling just to tease me in the morning?”
“It’s nothing. I just saw you looking energetic in the morning, which made me feel at ease. Bye-bye~ I’m hanging up!”
“Hey… you! Xiao Han…”
I could only imagine how spectacular Sister Bai’s expression was on the other end of the line.
As for me?
I certainly wouldn’t change my plan; I’m doing serious things, and it’s not like I’m doing anything wrong, so what is there to be afraid of?
However, before that, I still have a long time. Even if that senior was woken up by my call, it would take her a while to get ready.
I still have plenty of time, and I plan to buy myself some incense, of course, I need to buy some of those permanent air fresheners to keep in my dorm. I can use them and benefit my roommates as well.
But I didn’t choose to fly there directly on a broom. Though I admit riding a broom is the most efficient choice, taking the bus is also a viable option. Meditation is chosen for lack of alternative, while choosing a location has many possibilities, along with the scenery along the way.
After obtaining my driver’s license, I have been looking down from the sky at the scenery below. Perhaps there should be a time where I can stop during a leisurely moment to change my perspective and appreciate every detail of the Witch Academy’s charm. Even if I get bored on the bus, I can still read a book; after all, I still have the alchemy book I borrowed from the library yesterday with me.
Upon arriving at my destination, I closed my book and stepped off the bus. Although it was bumpy compared to riding on a broom, it was still manageable to read.
That senior who sells incense—I’m not sure what time she opens in the morning. Speaking of that senior, her name… I think it’s Gong Xi Huanxin?
Anyway, I clearly remember her talent!
That kind of talent skewed towards females is truly frightening! She’s practically a walking *potion!
I already witnessed the low probability of talent awakening at the beginning of school. With such talent… she must be quite popular in the Witch Academy, right?
But it looks like she hasn’t yielded to reality and still runs her incense shop inconspicuously… Oh, right, it seems to be an essential oil specialty shop. Now that I think about it, if she didn’t have some strength, she wouldn’t be able to keep this shop running.
It wouldn’t be possible for it to be recommended as an incense specialty store by others. Speaking of which, I think I heard about this place from Senior Tang Yihan?
It seems I haven’t gone back to check on them at the bakery for a while…
And the store manager, she still owes me a chance.
Approaching this familiar store, the sign still proudly says it’s an incense specialty shop, and here, the focus is on selling incense for meditation, as if selling it was just an added bonus.
Just a short distance inside, I already smelled a faint fragrance; it was the scent of essential oil wafting in the air. Although it’s not as effective as burning incense, it’s long-lasting and evaporates slowly, such a bottle could last for many days.
“Mm… a new customer… looks a bit familiar,” a familiar voice came. At this moment, Gong Xi Huanxin was wearing a light-colored dress. When she saw someone enter her shop, she put down what she was working on and walked toward me.
Even though I was mentally prepared, the moment I caught her glance, my heart couldn’t help but race, beating faster like a frenzied deer. This unusual reaction is something I still can’t suppress in the moment.
But it’s already much better compared to the first time. Even though I know I need to be the master of my emotions, I still fell for it.
“Sister Gong Xi Huanxin, I came here before to buy incense.”
“You can still remember my name… oh, I remember! You bought a batch of incense here, didn’t you? Given your appearance, I can vaguely recall—Yang Yuelan. A while back, you were quite a legendary figure whose name echoed throughout the academy,” Gong Xi Huanxin responded quickly upon recognizing me.
“I didn’t expect you to remember me.”
“Of course, there aren’t many customers here; most of them are familiar faces. Plus, with an image like yours… But I’m curious, why did you disappear after the exchange competition? I thought it was a shame.”
“There’s nothing shameful about it. I didn’t come to the Witch Academy for fame; honor and reputation should belong to those who need them more than I do.” I smiled and prepared to get straight to the point, “Sister, do you still sell incense? The kind for meditation.”
“Oh, I see… since you’re here specifically for incense, let me get it for you.” Gong Xi Huanxin didn’t engage in small talk for long and quickly understood what I wanted.
She walked over to where the incense was stored, just like last time when she presented it to me.
“How much are you planning to buy this time?”
“Uh… I’m curious to ask, how long can these incenses last if stored properly? Will their effectiveness deteriorate significantly over time?”
“If stored properly, they can last for years without issues. If we’re being picky, it’s best within a month after production, but you know that I’ve had few customers lately. Given my stock, I haven’t made too much in the past month.”
“I see…” I nodded. However, when Sister Gong Xi Huanxin mentioned making the incense, I became even more interested. The newest incense has the best effect; if I can…
“Um… I want to ask, is the benchmark for making incense high?”
“Why? Are you interested in trying to make it yourself? The quality of incense varies hugely; different branches have distinct effects and aromas. The threshold is quite low, but the potential is high too.”
“I see… So, is alchemy the method used to craft it?”
“Yes, the entry barrier for alchemy is quite low. Incense is also a beginner-level alchemical product, especially since the raw materials are inexpensive. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so widely available.”
“Mm.”
I nodded along, considering that since it’s an alchemical product that can be bought for a few hundred coins, it’s truly quite cheap. Some higher-end alchemical products, like certain potions, require red copper coins to purchase. Even if money can be used, it doesn’t mean they’re cheap.
“Then… where can I find recipes for incense?” I continued asking.
“You really want to give it a try… well, there are many incense recipes available. Most incense formulas are public, so you can check them out at the library. Some precious incenses need to be purchased, and you might have to sign contracts and authorization, etc. Some recipes are developed by alchemists themselves and are not taught; they only sell the finished products.”
“Really?” Hearing that I could access it for free at the library gave me some assurance, but since this senior mentioned there are hidden secrets…
“Sister, you must have some of those special recipes, right? Do you have any?”
“Ugh? It’s not polite to inquire about someone else’s secrets like that, you know?”
“I’m not after your secret, Sister! But your reply just let out some hints about yourself~ I just want the finished product, is that okay? I feel like the usual incense isn’t very fragrant anymore~”
“Ugh? Alright, but I must tell you two bad news, I temporarily don’t have any in stock~ And besides, that kind of incense is quite expensive.”
