Chapter 246 : Chapter 246

Chapter 246: Planning for Destiny and the Path Forward

"Don't just say 'ah'. I'm just giving an example. It's naturally outrageous, but you do indeed possess such an influence now, you understand?"

"But I advise you not to rush, because there are too many things that can be manipulated here. You can still gain more benefits from it. You need to plan it out properly, or would you rather leave it entirely to the academy to help you?"

Ji Niang said to me.

"I..."

Faced with such a choice, I didn't know what to do.

Actually, I don't really like trouble, but if getting rid of trouble requires going through trouble first, then in principle, I'd still prefer to keep things as they are.

Just let that so-called destiny stay with me.

Since others can always find a way to take it, then let them take it freely.

At worst, I can just lie flat and let it rot, right?

But it was obvious the academy naturally hoped to handle all of this.

After all, no matter how you put it, I was just a small figure, a newcomer who had just stepped into the transcendent world.

The most important thing for a person is to know their own limits.

But rather than wracking my brain over this, I would rather go and study the tedious Runology right now.

"Feeling very hesitant? But it's alright, you don't need to give me an answer right away. The academy won't force you. You have to trust the Witch Academy's style. As Transcendent Witches, all the teachers are extremely fond of good students."

At this moment, Teacher Ji Niang's words immediately put my anxious heart at ease.

But before I could respond, I felt a strange vision occupy my sight.

The effect of Spirit Vision was deepening frantically.

Strands of destiny, like golden threads, converged from all directions at this moment, gathering before me into a ball of blindingly strong light.

But it was clear that what the destiny emitted under the Spirit Vision perspective was not just light, but high-density, unanalyzed data and information that I couldn't comprehend.

"Has destiny already begun to gather?"

At this moment, Ji Niang also stood up, her gaze looking through the experimental building towards the sky above the entire Witch Academy.

It wasn't just here; the portion of destiny belonging to the Witch Academy was also starting to condense.

"It seems the exchange competition has completely ended at this very moment. Just in time, isn't it? What a coincidence."

"Yeah..."

I agreed in a small voice, but my eyes were completely filled with the destiny before me.

This was no longer the few strands of destiny I had on me before, but destiny that had condensed into a tangible substance!

I couldn't ignore its presence at all.

The continuous information it emitted was making my brain ache even with the limited reception of my Spirit Vision.

"Don't use Spirit Vision to look at things with too much dense information. At least for you, who isn't transcendent yet, your level of life is unable to comprehend, or even withstand, this level of information washing over you," Ji Niang stepped forward, covering my eyes with her hand to pull me away, speaking to me as she did.

"Okay."

I nodded without resisting, although I didn't tell Ji Niang that my Spirit Vision could still "see" even with my eyes closed, just like during the Witch Meditation Method back then.

"Ordinary people can't see destiny, but it's different for you. It might bring you a lot of trouble, so you should pay more attention to it."

Ji Niang sighed and ultimately advised me this way.

"I understand."

As I reached out and lightly touched this ball of destiny, following the principle that since the destiny belonged to me, seeing it was touching it, I easily held the ball of destiny in my hand.

It had no temperature, no collision, and it didn't even emit a single ray of light in reality.

It shone with unknown data and information, which became entangled with my perception of strong light, leading to this situation.

If, in my perception, the image of destiny was evil, then right now it might be a dark, disgusting, nauseating thing, maybe even emitting a dark light, although there's no such thing as black light in this world.

I stuffed it into my body.

Since it would follow me wherever it was, out of sight, out of mind.

I used my body as its temporary vessel.

"You're really brave, aren't you? Daring to stuff anything into your body? But this is not bad either. Destiny, destiny. Although we all talk about the power of destiny, it is not essentially energy, nor is it a type of transcendent energy, so it won't interfere too much with the Magic Power Source or the Spellbook. The existence of destiny is almost like an independent system, just like energy. Under normal circumstances, they do not interfere with each other. As for the rest, I'm not too clear either. After all, I'm not a witch who researches destiny."

"Then can the power of destiny be utilized?"

I asked curiously, "For example, as a driver for some special spells?"

"Destiny is not energy, so naturally, it cannot drive spells that are driven by transcendent energy. However, it can enhance spells in another way, but don't think too much about it. You can't do it."

"Alright then..."

Since Teacher Ji Niang said so bluntly that I couldn't do it, then I really couldn't.

Teacher Ji Niang's words were generally quite rigorous; at least up to now, she wouldn't deceive me.

It seemed I had just gained a blinding special effect that only the teachers and I could see.

"Since you haven't decided how to handle the destiny yet, then let's have the destiny stay with you for now. If any problems arise, contact me immediately, or you can contact Lina or any teacher at the Witch Academy."

"I know. I won't joke around with my life," I nodded.

"Good that you know. Don't think everything will return to peace after this exchange competition is over. You should understand that a script is like a novel; dullness is the biggest taboo. Next, the Witch Academy will start operating to distribute the destiny, so it won't be a small commotion."

"It's for Tan Han, right? I'll be obedient and won't interfere," I continued to nod.

"Not interfere? I never said that. You are now entangled with destiny, having entered the script, so we won't force you to do anything. Besides, when did I ever say that the Witch Academy's only Child of Destiny was Tan Han?"

"What? The Witch Academy has other Children of Destiny besides Tan Han? Isn't she the only one?"

I asked in shock.

"Originally, there was indeed only Tan Han. The reason we valued and nurtured her so much before, giving her resources, was because she was the only one. But now, Tan Han is not. However, she has the greatest chance. It's just that we can't possibly erase others' chances for Tan Han's sake. The biggest taboo in investing in a Child of Destiny is to bet on a single one, to go all in."

"I know that..."

I nodded.

After all, these plot points were common in novels.

Every protagonist grew in adversity, while the higher-ups only valued the one with the most hope, little knowing that the higher you prop up a stepping stone, the more worthy it is to be stepped on by the real protagonist.

It seemed that many witch teachers at the Witch Academy were quite experienced.

As expected of long-lived Transcendent Witches.

I wonder if they also liked to read novels to pass the time like I did in my past life.

"But... where did the academy get other Children of Destiny from? Any new discoveries?"

"Our Witch Academy indeed only has Tan Han, but didn't the other academies send us so many during this exchange competition? Aren't they ours for the picking?"

"Huh?"

I widened my eyes and looked at Teacher Ji Niang with an answer I myself couldn't believe.

"Isn't poaching people our Witch Academy's old trade? Who says that entering another academy means you can't become a witch? I think it's very suitable. Little Han, in the void outside this world, there are countless races, and countless types of witches. Don't be so narrow-minded."

"Uh... okay..."

Hearing Teacher Ji Niang's words, I suddenly felt my own ignorance.

Witches were indeed more terrifying than I had imagined... This was racial assimilation!

Back then, when Tan Han entered the Witch Academy, it was a done deal, and the Holy Angel Academy just went back home.

It looked like she couldn't become a Holy Angel, but I never expected that other races could become witches!

But when I thought about it... elf witches... beast-eared girl witches, blood clan witches... it seemed... pretty good?

"Wait, won't the other academies fight the Witch Academy to the death?"

"The premise of fighting to the death is being able to win. Don't underestimate our Witch Academy. What, their academy's students got lost in our Witch Academy, and they dared to search for them on our Witch Academy's turf?"

At this moment, when Teacher Ji Niang said this, her tone was full of disdain.

And I could only swallow my saliva secretly on the side.

Speaking of which, wasn't the Witch Academy being a bit too savage by doing this?

Poaching other people's Children of Destiny and all that.

Even if they weren't Children of Destiny, the ones who came this time were all the elites of their respective academies.

Wouldn't those academies go crazy?

Or could it be that they already anticipated that the Witch Academy would pull this stunt, so the ones who came were actually all fake elites, and the real ones were all well-protected back at their academies?

Recalling those guys I faced in the exchange competition... it seemed... not entirely impossible.

"Just kidding, Little Han. Don't take it seriously, and don't spread it around. Our Witch Academy wouldn't do such a thing."

Teacher Ji Niang made a hushing gesture at me, smiling as she emphasized it again.

"O... Okay, I get it. I won't speak carelessly."

"Alright, the serious topic should end now. Let's talk about something else."

After Teacher Ji Niang finished speaking, she canceled the spell's effect.

"Your performance in the exchange competition this time was very good, but I hope you won't show any overly conceited emotions. Conceit will make you lose your judgment, and you also need to recognize yourself. You are still just a newcomer who has just entered the academy."

"Yes, I understand."

"I don't care if you truly understand or not, just don't show it. I saw you rush out of the exchange competition looking like you were about to do something. What, you're already eager to start further research on the spellbook?"

"Uh... actually..."

"Don't bite off more than you can chew. I think you can put aside the spellbook aspect for a while. You should have felt it too, right? The more advanced the spellbook, the harder it is for you to easily mod it through trial and simple enumeration. You might even find yourself at a loss when facing a High Consumption Spellbook."

"This is one of the reasons I asked you to stop delving into the High Consumption Spellbook before, but I didn't expect you to create a derivative spell for me."

"That... actually, Teacher."

I interrupted Teacher Ji Niang again.

"What do you want to say? If you really want to keep hammering at the spellbook, I'll let you be. You still have plenty of time to squander, after all."

"Actually, I wanted to say that I also want to put aside the spellbook research for a while. At most, I'll read more about the ritual content related to runes in terms of theory."

"Oh? You've thought it through? Why?"

Ji Niang raised her eyebrows, a little surprised.

She thought the other party would still stubbornly stick to the spellbook.

However, she understood that children at this stage would explore the unknown, and she would even guide them to do so, but these things were essentially unnecessary.

"Uh... because of Tan Han, she taught me some very important things... also, one more thing, Teacher, I'd like to ask."

"What do you want to ask? Go ahead."

"The transcendent world... is it inseparable from conflict and slaughter at every moment?"

I looked at Ji Niang and asked sincerely.

This question was really important, because the society and environment I had been living in, including my perception of the Witch Academy, placed me in a relatively peaceful and safe world.

Combat and slaughter, in my perception, would only occur in arenas or other specific situations.

This involved the issue of my view of this world, and also the allocation of development priorities.

If it was peaceful, then I wouldn't need to care about so-called strength at all.

So-called skills would be of little use to me, because I wouldn't be the type to fight and kill people at any moment.

Give me a peaceful environment and time, and I would advance step by step, widening the gap between myself and those around me.

But if the environment I was currently in was special, inapplicable, or even temporary, then the weight of so-called combat power, strength, and the arts, techniques, and combat artistry to fully utilize my own power would be increased by me.

This would be the guarantee for my pursuit of the transcendent and truth.

Strength would no longer be a byproduct of transcendent research, but one of the necessary means.

"Your question is quite tricky... This might require you to witness and understand it for yourself. But power is an equally important thing, yet it cannot be the only important thing. Life cannot become a slave to power."

"Is that so..."

I nodded, but I also had an answer in my heart.

"By the way, if you plan to prepare now, then I don't mind telling you that the Void is a place where strength is supreme. Only with a strong fist do you have the right to speak, anywhere. But witches cannot and will not become such an existence, because we are witches, not slaves to power."

"Thank you, this is really important to me."

This time, I thanked Teacher Ji Niang very solemnly.

Teacher Ji Niang wouldn't lie to me about this, and from it, I came to know the balance of what I needed to pursue.

"This is nothing."

Ji Niang said with a smile, "Let me tell you about some more concepts, some of our witch philosophies. It might help you."

"Really?"

"Of course. I think the question you just asked me is a classic one. It's a very common trade-off, a ultimate dilemma concerning the pursuit of truth versus power."

"In the Void, countless lives are on these two paths, trying to prove the other wrong, but they also get lost on the paths they walk. In fact, difficult problems often have simple answers, because no problem is absolute."

"Are they becoming more extreme because they are so firm in their paths? Perhaps some are, but most use persistence and faith to fight against their own cognition. Denying oneself will make one confused, which makes people with great power or terrifying skills dangerous, so the vast majority are happy to see this polarization happen."

"But most of us witches don't get hung up on this, because we witches have such a foundation. We witches only walk two paths: principle and technique. Researching and excavating principles leads directly to eternal truth, while cultivating and honing techniques leads to comprehending great power."

"Do you feel like it's all the same, just phrased differently? In fact, they are fundamentally different. If you don't understand, it means you haven't reached that level. It's like how higher-year students are more likely to question why the Witch Academy uses spellbooks to limit the flexibility and application of spells."

"No one in the world is a fool. Existence must have its reasons. Little Han, before, did you think you were studying theory to obtain truth, or cultivating technique to obtain power?"

"I... want to study theory to obtain truth..."

"But your actions are actually cultivating techniques to obtain power. Modding spellbooks is also an exploration of technique. You need the support of theory, but you don't have that kind of foundation."

"You are very contradictory. You don't know what you are doing. This is your problem. Everything must be done step by step, accumulating bit by bit. I only let you be before, but now you should calm down and focus."

"Then... what should I do?"

At this moment, my eyes were filled with confusion.

Teacher Ji Niang's words had completely shattered my shallow understanding, and I suddenly didn't know what I was supposed to do.

"Didn't you say it? You want to read books related to Runology, and didn't you learn something from Tan Han? Don't be confused. Your studying of books related to Runology is laying a solid foundation for the pursuit of truth, and what you learned from Tan Han is probably related to technique, right? This isn't a conflict. You just lack a plan to arrange them reasonably."

"Thank you..."

"You're welcome. This is what a teacher should do," Teacher Ji Niang said with a smile.