Chapter 777: The Cozy Little House Built with Sister Bai
Following Sister Bai’s advice, I continuously sought out new things and experienced the feelings they brought to me with my heart.
I expressed my intentions in the most straightforward way: do I like it or not? Rather than pondering whether it’s bitter or sweet, or if it’s delicious or not…
This is truly important in life.
Chasing after the curious and enjoying the unconventional seem to become quite normal in Sister Bai’s words. Such unique thoughts are actually not uncommon.
Just as there are always people who enjoy conforming, there are naturally also those who prefer to walk in the opposite direction of others.
“Ah~ it seems to be getting boring…” I held various milk teas in my left hand and a variety of snacks in my right.
The type I enjoy most is indeed one that is refreshingly slightly sweet with a hint of bitterness, where the bitterness fades away after mixing with the sweetness, leaving a trace of lingering sweetness.
As for food, I love the crispy outer skin that gradually softens when it gets moist, and takes a final bite with a last stubborn crunch, mixed with the texture of the wrapped ingredients…
I realized that I don’t actually like things that are overly bitter; occasionally, I need a hint of sweetness. It turns out that I don’t particularly enjoy that crunchy texture but sometimes need some moisture and the waiting of time.
I originally thought this joy and novelty could last a long time, but I discovered that my nature seems to be one of fleeting enthusiasm. It seems the only thing I can engage with for a long time without growing bored is to remain in my own world.
“I think I understand what this is,” Sister Bai suddenly spoke up.
“Huh? What is it?”
“An instinct derived from the body, or it might be a habit you’ve developed. Long-term self-consumption has led you to instinctively require less enthusiasm and passion for energy restoration. When your enthusiasm reaches a certain threshold…”
“It will instinctively protect itself…” I continued.
“Yes, the human body is indeed a wonderful existence. Cognitive instincts shape various behavioral instincts in a person, just like how you instinctively feel sleepy when it gets dark. But Xiao Han, you also know that your physical condition doesn’t actually require so much rest anymore.”
“So what should I do…” Sister Bai’s words left me feeling momentarily helpless. Even though I practice Self-Awakened Body Cultivation, I still can’t control this indescribable instinct.
“Now let me ask you, even when it’s very late and you feel sleepy, there are still many people who choose to stay up late with their phones, going against their instincts. What’s the reason for that?”
“Because… there’s a greater temptation?”
“Exactly. Xiao Han, what you lack right now is a stimulating means to allow you to invest your whole heart and soul into something. Do more things that go against your own instincts and tell yourself that your subjective consciousness is the master of your being.”
Perhaps for ordinary people, controlling the body with the mind is nothing more than a pipe dream, but for those who have embarked on an extraordinary path, after self-spiritual awakening, mastering oneself is definitely possible.
“So… what should I do?” I tried to open my heart, as if expecting Sister Bai to resonate with me and help answer the confusion before me.
“Xiao Han, don’t let the freedom before you blind your eyes. If you blindly pursue being able to do anything, in reality, you may end up being able to do nothing. So… we should focus on the present.” Sister Bai gently guided me, not saying that I had to rely on myself, but patiently letting me know how to think when lost.
“Is there anything you haven’t finished yet?”
“The experiment on self-generated magic?”
“But you already announced the holiday notice, so these days are your personal time. Let go of those responsibilities and reach out to the people and things closely related to you… Who is the first person that comes to your mind?” Sister Bai thoughtfully guided me.
“Sister Bai… it’s you!” I said firmly.
“That’s good~” Sister Bai hugged me from behind, “Now that I’m with you, what item do you think of? Don’t limit yourself with your thoughts, whether it’s the four-leaf clover accessory on your head or the clothes you’re wearing… or perhaps something bigger…”
“Um… the Box of Books?”
“Really? Your tone just now wasn’t as resolute as calling me Sister Bai~ If your own words carry a questioning tone, then let it go. It’s not important to you; it’s simply something that keeps appearing in front of you, occupying more of your vision.”
“Then… clothes? There are so many clothes at home, many of which you haven’t seen me wear…”
“Ahem… well, this is indeed a very tempting choice, but you know very well that if you wear them, I won’t be able to help myself. Today is not the night we agreed upon~” Sister Bai lightly coughed to mask her indiscretion and ultimately regretted denying that tempting suggestion.
But inadvertently, Bai Yu had already planned what Xiao Han would wear over the next few days.
“By the way! The Instance Realm! I’ve obtained that Instance Realm, and… and it was personally delivered by Principal Serena Palizel, but I forgot to share it with you!”
“Really? So soon?”
“Yeah, I encountered a little mishap, but I don’t want to talk about it.” After all, it was related to that Betrayer Witch, whom I felt wasn’t the type Sister Bai could handle, so I preferred not to bother her.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, then let’s not.”
“Let’s go home. The Instance Realm can’t be placed in Storage Equipment, so I carried it with me after obtaining it and left it on the study table when I got home.”
“Huh? You left such an important thing in the study?!”
“Because it’s too precious! Carrying it around wouldn’t seem too ostentatious, would it?” I tried to defend myself, as in Sister Bai’s villa, it was the safest place!
Ever since that time when the Betrayer Witch intruded uninvited into Sister Bai’s villa, she had reinforced the space around the villa. Although it wasn’t advanced enough to prevent anyone from intruding, if someone did enter, it would definitely trigger Sister Bai’s alarms.
Only Sister Bai and I could return without triggering that mechanism.
…
Arriving back at the study in the villa.
I pushed open the door, revealing several rows of bookshelves. Many of these books were collected by Sister Bai, and of course, part of it contained notes of her own insights.
After all, Sister Bai touches on everything, including Body Techniques, Magic, Rune Literature, Ritual Structures, Alchemy, Potion Studies, and even true editing techniques, among others.
Although I can’t say she’s proficient in each area, Sister Bai, as a witch, has a long lifespan, so there’s no rush for mastery; after all, these skills largely rely on accumulation.
There are also some notes that I’ve contributed, although these notes weren’t copied from the Great Knowledge Tree but were insights I obtained after reviewing the knowledge from it.
However, compared to Sister Bai, I have much less, as I typically spend more time at other places, whether in the laboratory or in the Expanding Realm, etc.
“This is it.”
I walked to the desk and took down the hanging pendant.
“Oh, so it’s this! I thought it was just some trinket you found somewhere!” Sister Bai stepped closer, a bit emotional.
She has often been in the study these days, either discussing innovations in Body Transformation Techniques with those sisters in the Body Cultivation Room or simply researching. She must have noticed this little item, though she hadn’t played with it.
“How could such exquisite little things be found at a street stall? This is the Instance Realm made from the materials of the world fragment by Principal Serena Palizel, the great Star Alchemist! Although I have yet to enter it since I got it… I wonder what it’s like inside.”
“Yes, indeed impressive in origin.” Sister Bai played along, “I remember you mentioning it before. Did you say it was filled with vast forests?”
“Yeah, although that’s true… I still don’t know how it is now.” I looked at the central pearl, which is the world fragment refined by Star Alchemy, as if a vast cosmos has been encapsulated in the tip of my fingers, quite miraculous.
“Can Xiao Han use it?”
“No… but it shouldn’t be easily damaged, right? Otherwise, they wouldn’t have made it into an accessory.” Moreover, I still don’t know if this accessory could be taken into the Instance Realm, but I think it’s unlikely…
I cautiously reached out with my mental power to touch it, and soon, I felt the information being transmitted from the Instance Realm.
It was a kind of identity authentication, meaning binding information!
“Is it that convenient?” I was a bit surprised, astonished at the identity binding mechanism of this item and its information synchronization function.
It resembled the information inscribed inside a spellbook; it was a quick overview of how to operate.
“You figured it out so quickly?”
“Yeah, it’s indeed fast. It seems that the crafting technique of the Instance Realm is quite mature.” After expressing my admiration, I secured it to my waist, “Let me see how to bring people inside.”
After understanding how to operate it, I knew what to do. “Come on—Sister Bai, hold my hand.”
“Okay.” Sister Bai nodded and reached out her hand to hold mine, unconsciously squeezing it.
The next moment, we completely vanished from the study.
Nothing was left behind, including the Instance Realm “body” made into an accessory.
Before I had opened my eyes, I felt the floor beneath my feet change to a slightly soft ground with tender grass.
Tender leaves brushed against the surface of my shoes, carrying a hint of barely perceptible dew.
“This is the Instance Realm?!”
“Yes, indeed it is! It feels… a bit different!” I opened my eyes to feel the breeze brushing against my face. Compared to the last time I entered, this Instance Realm felt more like a world! There was less sense of incongruity here.
“What feels different?”
“Um… a more friendly feeling, but still has a sense of dead silence.”
“After all, this isn’t genuinely a perfectly self-circulating world.” Sister Bai comforted.
At that moment, I suddenly noticed a shimmering light flashing on one side of my body, which caught my attention.
The pendant representing the Instance Realm was still at my waist!
But at this moment, the pearl emitted a gentle light, like a large sphere of light.
“What’s going on?”
“This… how did it come in with me?” I untied the pendant and brought it in front of Sister Bai, a bit incredulous.
Did it… successfully nested?
A world within a world?
“This… seems indeed interesting. I understand your thoughts now. You can’t comprehend why the world fragment itself came into the world fragment?” Sister Bai asked with a smile.
“You know, Sister Bai?”
“I don’t know, but I know that as long as something happens, there must be a principle behind it.”
“Indeed, your words reminded me.” At this moment, I also stared at the pendant. I realized that my understanding of concepts such as space and world is still too limited.
“Xiao Han, have you ever thought that what you’re holding may not be the world fragment itself from the very beginning but something akin to a key, or a core or essence of the world fragment? After all, even if it’s a fragment, it is still part of the world…”
“But the sealing magic used by wizards sealed this world fragment…”
“But you mentioned that the academy head used Star Alchemy to refine it—don’t fall into cognitive traps, okay?”
“Seems… that’s indeed the case?” I pondered, but looking at the pearl emitting a soft glow in my hand, perhaps it really is a kind of key… no!
It would be better to describe it as “authority”!
With it in hand, I felt a kind of “authority” I could manipulate freely.
For example, within this Instance Realm, the day and night are not controlled by the flow of time but by simulated lighting and the positioning of the sun and moon.
These authorities also generated the control of temperature within the Instance Realm.
I could also manipulate the airflow within this piece of world fragment. Unfortunately, this is merely a simulated world cycle and cannot truly achieve ecological circulation.
Everything here is quite fragile.
Including the earth veins here.
So it’s best not to cause extensive damage to this entire forest.
I held Sister Bai’s hand and gradually floated into the air—this was still a part of the Instance Realm’s “authority rules,” simulating gravity.
Of course, there’s also the authority for spatial passage. As long as permissions are set, space teleportation here would become much easier, while the costs and consumption of tearing space would be minimal. Conversely, space movement would become very difficult.
However, if these functions could be utilized, it was best not to rely on them because these behaviors going against the laws were achieved by “disturbing” the Instance Realm itself. It’s already a world fragment, and the more we disturb it, the more of a drain it will be on this world.
Though… Instance Realms and world fragments are inherently consumables, once the earth veins of the world are depleted, it would differ very little from ordinary storage space.
After a light experience of these permissions with Sister Bai, I started exploring this piece of Instance Realm with her.
It was indeed vast, far larger than we expected—mountains, flowing water, lakes, and forests…
The natural atmosphere here was quite rich. Eventually, Sister Bai and I arrived at the largest lake in this world, finding an island in the middle of the lake.
“Sister Bai… do you remember what you said before about looking for a beautiful environment to live a secluded life…”
“Huh? Why do you suddenly bring this up?”
“How about we build a little house of our own here? A cozy little house on the forest island—sounds warm, right? Let’s make it our secret base!”
Upon hearing my words, Sister Bai was slightly taken aback, then smiled and readily agreed.
“Sure~”
