Chapter 500: End of the Joint Exam
In the real world.
The Abyss Demons that descended upon the Bobapop Islands, after arriving in the Main World, did not rejoice for long before realizing a problem: the Abyss cannon fodder they brought had vanished.
What followed was an almost suffocating effect of a massive weakening spell, along with its derivative effects, comprehensively suppressing the powerful status of their Abyss Lord and Extraordinary Demons. They felt their strength plunging; the tremendous power that once could destroy an entire small world with a mere motion struggled to obliterate even a city in the Main World.
This sense of crisis accompanied by the loss of power made him instantly feel something was amiss; if someone were to act against him at this moment, he wouldn’t escape d*ath!
And reality indeed lay as he thought. He had initially believed that the Abyss channel he settled into the Main World was secretly opened, but he was already locked on by several streams of mental power.
Among those who “welcomed” them, they saw the last thing they wanted to encounter… a Witch!
“A bit insightful, those demon cannon fodders can be taken as your admission fee for entering the Main World this time.”
…
In fact, the Bobapop Islands were not the “official” main passageway through which the Abyss Demons entered, as they had no chance to grab a profit through the main passage.
The Main World had many privately opened passageways similar to the Bobapop Islands. It was not that the Extraordinary beings of the Main World could not discover them, but if they overlooked one of them, it would be a gain for the Abyss Demons.
However, this little scheme was clearly thwarted, yet the Abyss Demons faced no real loss. The lower-tier little demons among them were like the most resilient weeds; cut one batch and another would spring up.
The process of welcoming the Abyss Demons into the Main World was remarkably smooth, at least for the various Extraordinary Academies of the Main World, but for the Abyss Demons… if it could be considered smooth, it had to exclude those few Abyss Lords who were slaughtered.
This was the nature of Abyss Demons; even with fear of d*ath, they continually sought destruction. They constantly pushed the limits, learning only from pain that they could not continue, which was the only way to communicate with Abyss Demons.
But all of this was merely a minor issue for the Witch Academy; they were more focused on the joint examination.
This was one of the few opportunities for the Witch Academy to conduct joint exams with other academies, prompting the mobilization of all students from an entire grade to participate, which was sufficient proof of the Witch Academy’s attentiveness to this event.
As time passed, although the number of eliminations from the Witch Academy increased, it was clear to the discerning that the true main forces of the Witch Academy had not been eliminated.
The three most notable Children of Fortune performed exceptionally well.
As the joint exam progressed, the sudden involvement of the Abyss Demons, though muddling up the process, somewhat compensated for the awkwardness of the monsters being wiped out within the Bobapop Islands.
“By the way, who set up the restrictions on the Bobapop Islands?”
“A few hundred years ago, I think? It was intended to redevelop here, but with an active volcano present, isn’t it quite normal to set up some restrictions?” The Extraordinary Wizards from the Wizard Academy commented nonchalantly.
“Don’t say, the style is somewhat reminiscent of your Wizard Academy’s handiwork, with traces of refining Witch Weapons. Don’t tell me it was a blunder from your Academy?”
“This doesn’t concern your Witch Academy!” After being ridiculed, the Wizard Academy’s pride was slightly wounded. Who knew who’s methods from hundreds of years ago would end up hurting the students of the Wizard Academy now… it had to be said, it was a huge source of amusement.
However, discussions among Extraordinary Mentors inevitably led to the final scenes of this joint exam. The last segment of the joint exam could be considered the climax of this examination.
They naturally discerned the underhanded activities within this joint exam; if anyone were to be deemed the most irregular, it would have to be that student named Yang Yuelan.
If their memory served them right, she was still a participant in the dream communication competition last time. Though she had changed to the point of being unrecognizable, they could still tell that mischievous nature.
Especially that research related to Earth Veins; they could not fathom what means she had grasped. It couldn’t possibly be Earth Vein Magic, right?
Isn’t that a talent that only those with Earth Vein life could command?
Moreover, they heard an even more outrageous rumor: this student had severed the Earth Vein Shackles even before advancing to Extraordinary… theoretically, this should have made it even less likely for her to research the Earth Veins of the Main World, but the images she provided indeed validated that they were pieced together from Earth Vein information, and… the Witch Academy also confirmed that the reflective techniques of these images were worlds apart from the skills mastered by the Witch Academy.
It was known that the Witch Academy usually disregarded such levels of doubt.
And the fact that the Witch Academy was willing to clarify this point indicated that they truly lacked any means…
Of course… if we talk about curiosity regarding this matter, the Extraordinary Witches from the Witch Academy were even more interested.
They had heard of Xiao Han’s name, knew she had engaged in research related to [Extraordinary Knowledge], and even understood the special dream spells she created but did not expect that Xiao Han had also researched Earth Vein Energy.
However, recalling that Xiao Han once found her own Earth Vein Shackles in Ninglan New City and attempted to sever them, even though she ultimately succeeded with the help of the Academy Head, it did not negate her own efforts.
It was not surprising that she tried to understand Earth Vein-related information; everything was quite normal. The only abnormality was that she had truly researched something…
Without a vast system to support it, playing around with Earth Vein Energy was utterly inconceivable.
It was like wanting to play a game; at the very least, you would need a phone or a computer, right? A game console would suffice too; the application of Earth Vein information was akin to making those game applications, and what supported the software’s operation were the physical material foundations—like those phones and computers with established systems.
However, merely discussing these matters led to no conclusion. At this moment, more people were still discussing the rumors about the Witch Academy cheating. As one of the three Children of Fortune from the Witch Academy, if they hadn’t cheated, how could they find those resource points so quickly? How could they grasp the dynamics of the entire venue?
Throughout the joint exam, they seemed to be using x-ray vision.
Relying solely on the temporary group chat set up through that academy phone? They couldn’t believe that such a method could sustain such a level of information warfare; just the information processing issue was enough to cause them to pull their hair out. The group chat on those phones seemed more like a smokescreen to disguise their actual channels of obtaining information, though such a thing seemed incredibly fake to them, no one had exposed it during the joint exam…
Especially in the end, where it was nearly unabashedly directed, Xiao You merely using a transformation spell to dismantle the restrictions controlling the magma pressure between continental plates; the precision of that dismantling technique was akin to performing a surgical operation, methodically removing the restrictions… do you expect me to believe this is something a student who hasn’t even been enrolled for a year could accomplish? She spent the past six months researching only how to dismantle this restriction?
Isn’t that just nonsense…
…
At this moment.
I carried several young girls who were shouting to withdraw at the last moment, fulfilling their wishes.
As the clear sky remained azure, when they looked dazedly at the distant main island, there were no signs of a volcanic eruption. Glancing around at the surroundings, slowly, their little minds began to process that they were safe.
They felt like they had been pardoned, tears of joy streaming down their faces. Their previous experiences had practically driven them mad; even if they realized everything seemed fake, the events during the exam were very real.
After putting them down, I also scanned my surroundings. On this reality-affiliated island of the Witch Academy, the teleportation channels had gradually sent away the eliminated students; however, many did not leave immediately, choosing to enjoy a bit of the beautiful seaside time left on this island.
After all, not everyone had witnessed the real sea; just enjoying the seaside and playing in the water was wonderful—no sudden monsters, no ambushes from other academies, and no poison from the Wizard Academy’s folks…
After greeting the mentors staying behind, not long after, a figure was forcibly eliminated from the void world.
Upon seeing that figure, I couldn’t help but smile, but I did not approach.
Unaware of the setup of the illusory world, I suppose Xiao You still thought she had died, right?
I quietly watched her fall from an expression of resignation to d*ath, with the anticipated d*ath not arriving, but rather she tumbled and bumped her nose painfully.
Eventually, she slowly opened her eyes, looking at everything before her as if waking from a great dream…
What volcanic eruption? What calm acceptance of d*ath… nothing at all, only the hard ground, the slightly familiar island, and her classmates and teachers.
Seeing her reaction, I shook my head, and my figure disappeared from the spot. The joint exam had ended, but some matters had not yet concluded.
I was prepared to find Sister Bai; with this period passing, matters on her end should have also reached a conclusion, right?
I already started looking forward to the leisurely time with Sister Bai on the beach~. By then, I would need her to apply sunscreen for me!
The whole body kind!
Hmm… it’s also time to reserve a nice spot for a nice guesthouse; after all, the academy is paying, and I wonder if at this point in the joint exam, that so-called Easter egg, the free tour of the Bobapop Islands for the examinees, is still available.
It should be… not anymore, right? After all, all of them had been eliminated early.
Though I didn’t want to admit it, I wasn’t too keen on encountering too many familiar faces during my relaxing time.
Like… Tan Han; I felt she must have many questions to ask me at that moment. Just thinking of her made me feel somewhat helpless, but luckily, once they returned, it would be vacation time; it was time to give them a moment to calm down.
However… according to the information I gathered from Knowledge Shadow and my understanding of Tan Han, she seemed to be performing even more transparently than I had anticipated.
This time, Tan Han’s support team would probably undergo a complete overhaul; as for what Tan Han regarded as her debt to me, that was merely her perspective.
Did I care from beginning to end?
Those spellbooks only piqued my collecting desire, but I didn’t genuinely want them.
Or rather… Tan Han’s so-called one-sided sense of guilt towards me… isn’t it the link between her and me maintained by Fortune?
It’s just that no matter how, it can’t be severed!
But right now, I had calmed my mindset; since I was in the Main World, I would inevitably be affected by Fortune. This was unavoidable, so I would make use of it.
Now, I have been using the Fortune of the three Children to test the effects of my Knowledge Shadow spells, which greatly helped my research on Knowledge Seed.
Ultimately, in that moment when Xiao You saved Tan Han, the connection revealed by the Knowledge Shadow professor vaguely surpassed linguistic comprehension, which inspired me akin to the “Mind Communication Magic” book the Great Knowledge Tree and the Academy Head provided me.
I must say, the Driving Force of Fortune is indeed frightening, but now I want to utilize this power still somewhat… lacking in means.
At this moment, many people surged out from the island where the Witch Academy was located, all those examinees that could hardly escape d*ath beneath the final volcanic eruption.
Even Tan Han was among them.
Tan Han stood up; although she had long known that everything was developing this way, the moment she “died” felt incredibly real.
After regaining her composure, her gaze instinctively searched elsewhere, seeming to seek something but finding nothing.
Ultimately, her gaze rested on a figure.
Xiao You.
A girl… even though she understood all of this, was still somewhat at a loss on how to face it.
As soon as Tan Han’s figure appeared, Xiao You immediately noticed her. Both rationally and emotionally, she was urged to go forward, an instinctive thought born from her heart… she owed her…
Finally, with a thud, Xiao You knelt in front of Tan Han; she did not know how to humbly seek Tan Han’s forgiveness again or if it was impossible to be forgiven… but she needed this moment of repentance to be able to continue living in the Witch Academy in such a form.
She could foresee what predicament awaited her in the future, but… as someone who had once “died,” she suddenly discovered that she was deeply afraid of d*ath.
It turned out that d*ath was not relief; living was the last trace of humanity and instinct’s compassion, as well as the final chance she gave herself.
“Xiao You… can you tell me… why you did that?”
At that moment, everyone around became silent, until Tan Han’s voice suddenly came through. It was impossible to glean any emotion, yet it was expressed with utmost clarity, each word ringing true.
The girls from Tan Han’s support team, upon witnessing this scene, also stepped forward, as if subconsciously wanting to plead… but in the end, no one spoke a word, realizing they too had no right to plead, and that they should be the ones to apologize… to repent.
Because their selfishness and greed had disappointed Tan Han’s expectations, as well as… her trust.
