Chapter 677: What is Still Lacking in the Prototype of the Field
When the bell for the college entrance examination rang, the most important moment of the year began.
At that moment, the entire examination site was encompassed within my field.
However, there was no phantom of the Great Knowledge Tree within this field, and even outside the field, a normal perspective could not perceive its existence.
Because if I altered the perspectives of those included, it would affect the examinees, so I naturally chose a method that would not have that effect.
Moreover, within my field, I simply reorganized it into a sensory order to facilitate the perception of the entire examination environment.
I hadn’t become very familiar with the act of merging the five senses into my field’s order; initially, I had simply managed to do it without taking the time to refine it.
And now… the act of monitoring the examination is a natural training opportunity.
A training session targeting the entire examination site’s examinees, primarily focusing on vision, with the other four senses as support, “supervising” every move of each examinee.
This is a significant test for me, particularly in terms of energy consumption, but I must say it is a very primitive yet effective training method.
Only… I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but the more I train like this, the more I feel that this “enhancement” method is lacking something, as it is incredibly exhausting and feels rather uneconomical.
When this feeling arises, it means either I lack patience, or the path I am taking is one of diminishing returns…
But I lean towards the latter.
After all… although I’m not someone who likes to take shortcuts, there’s no need to suffer unnecessarily.
As I ponder this, I focus my attention on the entire examination site to prevent cheating. However, having already checked all the examinees at the site, they do not possess any cheating materials, meaning that even if there were cheating, no one could produce any notes out of thin air; at most, they could only sneak a look at others.
But such behavior is practically suicidal, with two teachers watching over the examination room, who would dare?
Moreover, the teachers at this site are well aware that the highest supervisor here is not just an ordinary student from the Extraordinary Academy, but a teaching assistant!
They need to be more vigilant!
So this actually saves me a lot of trouble and allows me to free up some energy to think about field-related matters.
This is the first time I have considered the issue of enhancing my field, specifically the method of removing the “prototype” suffix from the field’s “prototype.”
If I wanted to, I could directly ask Sister Bai; currently, she only possesses heart sense.
Regarding the sense of time, after accompanying me on the earth vein timeline retracing, Sister Bai seemed to have gained quite a bit of enlightenment, and I believe it won’t be long before she makes some progress.
However, unfortunately, the sense of time cannot be taught; it relies solely on one’s own understanding. Based on the foundation of heart sense, for some powers, once you understand, it is almost equivalent to mastery.
But even though Sister Bai currently only has heart sense, her heart realm under the body cultivation power does not have the prototype suffix.
So neither the sense of time nor the spatial sense that I have not yet mastered is a necessary requirement for the body cultivation field to rid itself of the “prototype.”
So what else could it be?
Perhaps a bold hypothesis could be made and then eliminated, such as energy.
When I proposed the first hypothesis, I did not make more assumptions because I discovered… that the concept of energy… seems quite plausible!
It must be noted that even the field sequences derived from a fireball spellbook can elevate from a minimal consumption to a massive consumption.
What about the consumption of my heart realm?
What underpins its existence, namely extraordinary energy, is what exactly?
It is… the void rifts within the Great Spellbook!
To be more precise, it is the source of “endless energy” that maintains the “permanence” of the Great Spellbook!
However, it is evident that the void rifts within the Great Spellbook cannot serve as a source of infinite energy for my consumption.
Because they serve the Great Spellbook itself, not me.
Those void rifts are part of the internal cycle of the Great Spellbook, ensuring the permanence of its effects.
So… if my heart realm had combined not with two Great Spellbooks but with spellbooks like that of the fireball spell… perhaps I would not even have been able to expand the field at that time, as there would have been no energy to support its expansion.
So, energy may indeed be a domain that the field lacks…
That is, my own magic power.
And speaking of magic power, when I completed the Self-Awakened Body Cultivation and attempted the Witch Transformation Progress physical experiment with Principal Mei, I ultimately gained the body talent “Self-Generated Magic” of the Witch Race.
This talent is a “body instinct” that naturally accelerates the recovery of magic power, similar to a passive talent in a game that speeds up magic recovery.
It is also a way to condense the magic source and enhance oneself.
When I researched the Self-Generated Magic of the body together with Principal Mei, I learned about the construct techniques of the magic source. After all, at that time, I had to possess this body talent; otherwise, the severed earth vein shackles would not allow me to carry the magic source.
I attempted to use my over ten thousand magic sources to fill the “energy gap” in the field.
When I realized that my field lacked energy for support, looking at the field felt like observing a nearly dying giant tree; it could be expanded by me but was entirely structured upon the framework of the two Great Spellbooks’ permanent effects, rather than me providing the energy for it.
But I don’t know if it’s an illusion, as when I tried to “combine” the magic source with the field, I felt two unfavorable “sensations.”
One feeling was that my current fifteen thousand magic sources seemed almost like a drop in the bucket, meaning they were completely insufficient to realize the self-circulation of energy in the field. The other feeling seemed as if… the field was repelling the magic source, as if the magic source were an “external object.”
In fact, I experienced a similar feeling with the Grand Wisdom Enlightenment Spell; I hadn’t completely mastered it, making it very difficult to develop the characteristics of the spell within the knowledge power of my field order.
It was only during that attempt at resonating with the dream that I evolved a new piece of knowledge, leading me to understand that the enlightening characteristic of the Grand Wisdom Enlightenment Spell does exist, but is extremely difficult to develop.
However, the Great Knowledge Tree is different; it is completely under my control and has become a part of my ability—others can only take the portion of [Extraordinary Knowledge] and not the Great Knowledge Tree itself.
Therefore, my currently mastered field essentially has its framework and foundational structure built upon heart sense, but the energy source and characteristics derive from the Great Knowledge Tree. Otherwise, why would the order “knowledge power” in the field align so closely with the Great Knowledge Tree?
Even back then, I mistakenly regarded the knowledge power as the product of the combination of two Great Spellbooks.
So now… I roughly understand that my field, in order to replace its original energy source with my current magic sources, likely has to surpass two hurdles.
The first hurdle is the issue of the number of magic sources. Although I cannot be certain, I suspect that a complete field requires consuming magic sources on the order of tens of thousands—one or two thousand would be far from enough!
The second hurdle is the ownership issue of the magic sources. It’s as if they are like spellbooks; they have never been entirely under my control, becoming truly mine. Therefore, ultimately, they are merely external objects. The fact that magic sources can be traded is enough to prove that in some sense, they are indeed external objects, not quite aligned with the power of the field that I have mastery over…
This leads to another question.
Could it be that a witch’s magic sources are divided into two parts, one that has completely become part of her own power and another that can be freely traded as independent magic sources?
But… does that make sense?
With that thought, I shook my head, my gaze becoming clearer, as I suddenly realized that I was getting into an endless loop.
Clearly, I haven’t accomplished this task yet I was already contemplating its significance—that is inherently incorrect!
Since I want to refine my field, I need magic sources that are completely under my control. Regardless of whether it holds significance, taking action towards this task is itself meaningful.
Because… I am also quite curious whether non-tradable magic sources would produce different effects, just like non-tradable spellbooks.
After all, I do not like external objects, just like when I first came into contact with spellbooks—things that do not belong to me should not be included in my life plans.
They are more defined by me as: “tools” that provide me assistance.
Not as a power I can command.
After realizing all this, I set the matter aside for now. Once the college entrance examination is over, I will seek knowledge related to the techniques of condensing magic sources to see if I can find a method to adopt them as my own.
Currently, my Great Knowledge Tree does not contain much knowledge on this matter. Even though my Great Knowledge Seed has been largely disseminated among numerous extraordinary mentors, they do not share all types of knowledge in this context; overly simplistic, almost common-sense knowledge won’t be shared, nor will overly private information that is inappropriate to disclose.
And the knowledge I lack most is that which is nearly common sense.
At this moment, I am idly wandering within the examination site.
I must say, monitoring the exam is quite boring; I can’t do anything because, due to the constraints of the witch contract, I must ensure the efficiency of the supervision.
During this period, as long as it doesn’t hinder the examination, I can attempt to do things I enjoy. However, any more outrageous behavior will be restrained by the contract—no wonder it is said that monitoring is quite a tedious job.
But for me, I could fully utilize the sense of time to accelerate this tedious process, yet I don’t want to waste this time for nothing.
In fact… I am somewhat curious about how the ritual of luck surrounding the entire main world college entrance examination operates.
But I can only observe; I dare not disrupt it. After all, the luck techniques involved are far too intricate. Perhaps this is the handiwork of the Fortune Alchemist…
I can feel that the examination site I am in is gathering a significant amount of luck, which is the unclaimed luck of the main world. Through the observation technique, I can see more data.
The examination site I am in is also a node in this world-spanning ritual.
Moreover, this ritual is surprisingly conducted in different time zones.
“So much luck… if those players saw this, wouldn’t they be tempted?”
I look up at the gathering luck above the examination site, somewhat sentimental and expectant.
I wonder if there are players here, ignorant of the risks, trying to harvest luck or cause chaos.
This reminds me of that player clone; I have already used the Reincarnation Rebirth Spell to change her appearance, and no player can recognize her original self.
Due to her language still being in the learning phase, she currently maintains only the most minimal communication with those displayed as friends on her account.
In the short term, she cannot blend into the player community to gather more intelligence.
However, one thing can be confirmed: I, the “Catastrophe Witch,” am here—this information has already spread, and I suspect it was disseminated by the player whose body I took over.
But I have yet to find out whether they have chosen to stay away from this area for their safety or gather here to give me a “surprise.”
If given the choice, I would indeed prefer that the players choose the latter.
After all, the field I expanded does not merely cover one examination room; back in the Expanding Realm, I could cover even an entire Ninglan New City without issue.
However, to this day, I have not sensed a single player appearing within my field, which inevitably disappoints me.
Otherwise, I could have shown those players what it means to d*e without anyone knowing and that their characters would be utilized by me.
…
Time passes swiftly. As the first subject, Common Language, concludes, the first examinee who submitted their paper early appears, cheering as they walk out of the examination hall, shouting “Strengthen ××!” amidst the enthusiasm of reporters outside, their tone a mix of half embarrassment, half eagerness, one part fun, and eight parts passionate zeal.
Perhaps this is the age when most ordinary people in the main world are at their most intelligent, passionate, and full of bl**d.
However… the college entrance examination is not over. For students not aiming to enter the Extraordinary Academy, their examination is nearly complete.
Because the following exam content and scores are not closely related to general technical colleges; being a cog in the wheel of the main world operates with merely basic communication skills, and that is sufficient, which explains why the subjects of the college entrance examination are so distorted.
However, this situation probably won’t last long. Perhaps when the world order is reset and education is restructured, accompanied by the reform of the college entrance examination.
Ordinary people may only be able to look forward to a new world at that time.
Unfortunately… I will not have the opportunity to enjoy such a world, but… I might experience it as a participant and a promoter, and thinking of it this way brings a sense of satisfaction.
The following days of the college entrance examination proceeded smoothly without any unforeseen occurrences.
The players I was looking forward to did not show up. Initially, I thought they might be unaware of the close correlation between the college entrance examination and luck, and that once the second day of the examination commenced, they would swiftly react, but now it seems… I was overthinking it.
Not only did no issues arise here, but other examination sites were similar.
Moreover, the traces of players seem to be gradually diminishing in their impact on the main world, as various signs indicate that they appear to be gradually distancing themselves from the main world.
It can’t be that they had truly known nothing before, and merely because I revealed information to that girl, they started to retreat?
That seems highly unlikely.
There must be a deeper reason; after all, they surely aren’t trying to give me a break…
After quietly placing this suspicion in my heart, feeling the witch contract’s constraints from this college entrance examination wear off, I understand it is time for me to leave.
However, just as I am about to depart, a figure rushes into my line of sight somewhat flustered.
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“Um… no, just live your own life well. I will come to find you again on the day the results are released.” I gave Yang Yunhan a faint glance, and then my figure vanished from the spot, leaving no trace behind.
