Chapter 557: Conflict and Testing
When I understood, I felt no excessive joy, only that everything was as it should be.
It felt like I casually reached out and grabbed the ethereal sand in front of me. To others, that action seemed impressive, but when I opened my hand, it was nothing more than ordinary sand, merely blown up by the wind, and I just happened to catch it. That’s all there was to it.
“Ha~ You’ve grown. With your newfound power, you even showed little emotional fluctuation.”
“Is this called growth? If I can’t even express my own emotions, I don’t think this is growth.” I looked at the Knowledge Shadow and spoke.
“Oh~ Good, that’s a valid point. But I just spoke out your inner evaluation; this is what you consider growth. It seems you don’t like it? You’ve clearly said you wanted to be the master of your emotions, and now you’ve achieved it. You’ve controlled your own joy…”
“Is that so?” I turned around, my back to the window, revealing an authentic joy and smile until the last ray of sunset completely faded, and the sky outside turned dim.
At that moment, my gaze caught a figure in the distance—it was Jiao Xiaoshuang. It seemed she hadn’t actually left.
That was just right; perhaps my earlier behavior made it seem like I had gone insane to her.
But so what? She didn’t dare say it in front of me, and that was enough. Besides, it was not something to be ashamed of.
“Let’s go; I’m a bit hungry,” I said, completely ignoring the possibility of sitting all night beforehand.
Studying is an exhausting endeavor, especially since it also relates to body cultivation, so I must not neglect my body.
Isn’t it said that plans can’t keep up with changes?
Initially, I just wanted to improve my learning efficiency, but I directly comprehended the Seventh Sense—Sense of Time. “As long as you seriously seek knowledge, time will find you!” This was my insight into the Seventh Sense.
The swift acquisition of power gave me a sense of unreality, but upon deepening my understanding, I felt that I deserved it.
Perhaps power isn’t something earned through arduous cultivation but rather something acquired by aligning with one’s thoughts; perhaps this is the manifestation of practicing life everywhere.
Just then, Jiao Xiaoshuang hurried forward. She had been focused on me the moment I left my seat. Although she didn’t understand the depth of my earlier behavior, she probably felt this was the gap between her and a genius.
We arrived at the dining area.
I had experienced the makeshift food area downstairs during lunchtime but wasn’t quite satisfied, so this time I headed directly to the buffet area. After presenting my number card, I entered without any hindrance.
Even though this was a self-service area, Jiao Xiaoshuang informed me that even in a buffet, the food here was far from perfunctory.
In fact, due to the ongoing auction activities, many rare delicacies, typically hard to taste, were specially provided here.
It was mealtime, and as soon as I stepped in, I noticed a considerable number of people here, many of whom seemed to be invited from other extraordinary academies. Even without identification techniques, their characteristics made that evident.
This was not surprising, as the pre-exhibition area was limited in size and could be explored in about half a day. Those invited guests who arrived early, like me, naturally wanted to fully enjoy the various services provided by the hotel after browsing around. It was undoubtedly a wise choice; at least I thought so and planned to proceed.
“Is this where you’re arranging my seat? The view here is quite nice.”
My seat was by the window, allowing me to see the bustling night scene of the Magic Capital outside.
“Yes, if you need anything, feel free to call me.”
“No need; after all, this is self-service, and enjoying the fun of doing it myself is part of the dining experience.” I politely declined her offer, then stood up and started to wander in the buffet area.
The variety of food here was abundant and dazzling, to the point that… I wanted to share it.
With that thought, I suddenly remembered I was going to mention that I would be live-streaming before I left. Although the live-streaming platform built on the Great Knowledge Tree wasn’t perfect or extensively promoted, some people, including Sister Bai, were aware of the ability currently being tested.
I attempted to activate the live-streaming feature; in a way, this could also be considered a form of eating show.
As the picture gradually became clear and the angle adjusted, the footage was captured using features supported by the Earth Vein System built on the academy’s network. Since I wasn’t very familiar with it, adjusting it took some effort.
During this time, witches had already started sending messages.
“Xiao Han actually decided to go live? Where is this?”
“First”
“?”
“It looks like a restaurant. I see barbecue. Is it dinnertime already?”
Watching the random messages float by, I softly responded.
“I’m currently at the hotel where the auction I mentioned earlier is being held. Since it’s mealtime, I’m taking this opportunity to have a bite while testing the live-streaming performance.”
“An eating show, yay!”
“Xiao Han, is there a tipping feature?”
“Same question.”
“Tips aren’t really a thing, but if this sister wants to play around, she could try to get you a free one.” I chuckled a bit at the witch who brought this up. This wasn’t one of those live-streaming platforms; this ability was more of a communication platform built around the Great Knowledge Seed. Besides, it’s still immature, relying mostly on the academy’s geomancy technology, rendering tips meaningless.
“However, sisters, just enjoy the show. I’m going to start eating, so just watch me like an eating show.” I said while casting an auditory barrier spell on myself so my speaking wouldn’t be picked up, but this sound would still be live-streamed. I derived this auditory barrier spell myself, which was now quite easy for me to do.
Soon, I filled both plates with various delicacies.
I intended to try every type, observing colors, commenting on scents, tasting flavors, feeling textures, and listening to my chewing… I would say tasting food allows for the practice of all five senses simultaneously. As for effectiveness, that’s secondary; integrating it into the bits and pieces of life defines the meaning of practice.
“This piece of meat has a nice texture; it’s a bit salty, but I prefer this seafood, with a fresh and spicy aftertaste. Adding a bit of sea urchin to see how it tastes… Hmm… it carries a hint of sweetness; that’s a decent combination.”
“Let’s set the seafood aside for now and check out this hot dish. I heard it’s a signature…”
At that moment, the witches watching my eating show suddenly felt that the food in their hands was less appealing. Although they could eat such delicacies, it was clear they didn’t have them every day. This display quickly convinced those preparing to order takeout or head to the cafeteria to indulge in a fine meal instead.
Before long, I felt a bit bloated from eating too much, but my digestion was quite fast; after all, body cultivation isn’t just about eating.
It was time to digest a little. I thought to ask Jiao Xiaoshuang if she had any recommended services.
……
Meanwhile, downstairs at the hotel.
In the luxurious lobby on the first floor, a young girl stood at the front desk with a furrowed brow.
At this moment, she was holding a number card stamped with “002.” From her eyes, filled with anger and impatience, it was clear that she was unhappy with this number.
“Do you not know who I am? I, Liliana Elvira, one of the top teaching assistants at the Witch Academy, accepted your invitation to participate in your auction out of courtesy!” The girl waved the card between her fingers in front of the staff. “Number 2—are you insulting me? Do you really think I haven’t inquired? Who among those you’ve invited is here? Who has the right to be ahead of me?”
Seeing this furious girl, even the onlookers dared not approach.
Although this girl was disrupting the hotel’s rules and order, the receptionists didn’t dare retort a single word.
No one dared to say she was uncouth.
Because of her status, no one dared to lecture her, no matter how arrogant she was.
At this moment, some senior students from the Witch Academy recognized her and chose to retreat.
It’s said that every year in extraordinary academies features its legendary characters, and this girl named Liliana is one of the standout figures, having become a teaching assistant.
Her change in status naturally created a boundary between her and the students, as her position as a teaching assistant allowed her to have her current standing, and she continually worked hard to match her identity with corresponding abilities.
Liliana’s current behavior could be seen as looking for trouble; she wasn’t affiliated with the All-purpose Association and had no relation to it.
In her view, she was merely obtaining something that matched her identity, nothing more.
For this reason, even though every word she spoke challenged the patience of the staff, no one dared to utter any rebuttal. Only the girl in front was facing the full brunt of her outburst.
“I don’t care what reasons you have, or how you do it. You either get this card back or bring over the person who took number 1!”
Her words carried an undeniable commanding tone, looking down on those present. After all, she had already been there for a few minutes, and not a single person in charge had come—this attitude displeased her greatly!
As a result, her presence felt overwhelming, making it hard for many to breathe.
“Miss Liliana… We understand your preference for the number 001 bidding card, but we’re truly sorry; that number has already been taken by a very important guest. Even according to the rules of first-come, first-served…”
“You think you have the qualifications to talk to me about first-come, first-served? Not a single actual decision-maker has come here. It seems you don’t value me at all…”
“We’re truly sorry, Miss Liliana. Please don’t be impulsive; let’s talk things out calmly. Why get so angry?” Just as Liliana was about to explode, a figure suddenly appeared, speaking with a soothing tone, and it was Xing Anlei.
“Hmph, I recognize you, Xing Anlei. I remember you personally sent me the invitation, right? Is this how your All-purpose Association welcomes me?”
“I’m truly sorry; I didn’t expect Miss Liliana to get upset over such a trivial matter. However, you’ve participated in our auctions multiple times, and you should know that these numbers are just for easy identification…”
“You think I’m going to believe that?” Liliana interrupted Xing Anlei’s explanation bluntly. “I’m your important guest! You should prioritize my needs. Or do you think I’m less important than that important guest?” Liliana coldly questioned.
“We certainly don’t think that.” Xing Anlei showed a troubled expression.
After all, she was just one of the vice presidents of the All-purpose Association, not a teaching assistant. However, the All-purpose Association also had teaching assistants, so they weren’t intimidated by her. They took this auction seriously.
Of course… there was a more crucial point…
“What do you mean by not thinking that? Just tell me who that person is who took it; I want to know if she’s really qualified!”
“Miss Liliana, the person who took the bidding number 001 is also a teaching assistant, so we hope you can understand. Please consider the face of our All-purpose Association and don’t make it too hard for her,” Xing Anlei still didn’t reveal any information. After all, this was a matter of principle, but she could guide the trouble a bit.
Eventually, after some persuasion, the farce seemed to be resolved, but the girl named Liliana was still dissatisfied.
Watching the figure that had entered, the girl beside Xing Anlei couldn’t help but voice her concern.
“Xing Anlei, won’t it be bad to let the two teaching assistants clash like this?”
After all, they believed this situation was entirely avoidable. They knew Liliana was invited to this auction and understood her temperament. So, when receiving the teacher Xiao Han, they could have used the inequality of information to avoid this trouble, considering that Xiao Han didn’t seem like someone who would care about such trivial matters.
“Shh, don’t discuss these things behind her back.” Xing Anlei chuckled lightly at the girl who spoke, “Just go about your own business. This is the only trouble; afterward, just follow the routine.”
After saying that, Xing Anlei left.
However, she was also thinking about other things. The newcomer named Yang Yuelan… their All-purpose Association had far too little information about her.
Currently, the information and intelligence the All-purpose Association had on her were already outdated, or rather, they had serious disparities with what they gathered from the Witch Mentor.
They were genuinely curious about this teaching assistant. The circle of teaching assistants in the Witch Academy was relatively small, and her sudden emergence as an exception piqued considerable interest from all the associations and groups within the academy. Did they really think inviting the hot-headed teaching assistant Liliana was a casual matter?
The Witch Secret Realm Association behind Liliana was also very curious about this teaching assistant named Yang Yuelan, as they had contacted her when she was still a student, and it was clear that she was an anomaly.
Naturally, the All-purpose Association was willing to cooperate with them to test this teaching assistant’s depth; after all, if something went wrong or caused trouble, it would fall on the Witch Secret Realm Association.
Moreover, did they really think Liliana was unaware of this matter?
She happened to be one of those who was most unconvinced by this new teaching assistant, so she was willing to be the one to step up.
However… speaking of this teaching assistant Liliana, she was a frequent scapegoat. Her temperament had already ruffled many people in the academy. If not for her formidable strength and the backing of the Witch Secret Realm Association, which helped her become a teaching assistant, this oddball would probably face targeting every day. Don’t underestimate the methods students in the Witch Academy might use to annoy others.
If something truly happened later, the All-purpose Association would just have to step in as the mediators. After all, it was merely an incidental matter; besides, that Liliana was no pushover. Even without this incident, she might seek trouble with them, so it was better to create a point of conflict for her to explode first. It would be much easier for them to mediate than to be the ones causing trouble.
