Chapter 366 : Chapter 366

Chapter 366: Attempts with Fool's Dream Drink

"It's truly... quite magical."

I knelt down, looking at the sprouted plants.

Inside, transcendent energy surged.

Sofili seemed to have added some elemental polymers to the soil, allowing the seeds to quickly absorb transcendent energy and sprout under its guidance.

Rather than natural growth, transcendent plants' internal structures guide transcendent energy.

Their growth direction relies on the flow, dissipation, and circulation of this energy.

No wonder transcendent plants grow so strangely, and precisely because of this, many grow counter-intuitively.

After observing for a while, I didn't spend any more time.

My knowledge of planting was limited to the important notes I had exchanged with her earlier; otherwise, I knew nothing, like a beginner.

However, Sofili quietly explained beside me, seemingly to Dongli Yiren.

After standing up, I didn't interrupt their teaching, but it seemed Sofili quite enjoyed explaining and teaching others.

Of course, what was more important seemed to be Dongli Yiren's humble attitude in listening and her diligent note-taking.

Which teacher wouldn't be captivated by such earnestness?

It was incredibly fulfilling, right?

"Are you done looking?"

Sofili noticed I was standing up with nothing to do, so she took the opportunity to stop explaining and looked at me.

"Yes, I just came to check on the progress. I don't know much about this, so if possible, please tell Yiren more about it. She has quite an ambition in this area."

"Yiren is indeed very eager to learn about this, and I'm happy to teach her these things. After all, besides discussing professional knowledge with my mentor, I don't have any other friends normally..."

"I understand."

I naturally knew what she meant.

Communicating professional knowledge with a mentor was indeed very stressful for introverted people.

Now, having a humble first-year girl to teach, who wouldn't refute anything she said, how comforting was that?

"By the way... just curious, is it convenient for you to... cultivate these plants on a large scale? Or do you have channels for large-scale cultivation?"

"Uh... I don't quite understand what you mean. Are you trying to... sell these fruits? Although these are transcendent fruits, theoretically, their utilization rate of transcendent energy is similar to ordinary transcendent fruits. There are already many similar fruits on the market, so selling them would be a thankless task."

Sofili advised tactfully.

"Oh, do you remember these fruits were from that Secret Realm? These fruits are actually ingredients for a mixed juice called Fool's Dream Drink."

"Fool's Dream Drink... Fool's Dream? Wait a minute..."

"You know about Fool's Dream?"

I was a bit surprised.

I remembered Fool's Dream had just arrived at Witch Academy not long ago, right?

"Of course, I know! I saw the cute cat-girls newly arrived at the Witch Cat Cafe on my feeds! Eh? Wait! Wait... let me think this through..."

"Mm-hm."

I nodded, letting her figure it out herself.

"The seeds are from the Secret Realm, and they're the ingredients for Fool's Dream Drink, so this Fool's Dream Drink... and Fool's Dream aren't a coincidence, are they?"

"No."

I shook my head with a smile.

"So, you broke that Secret Realm, and that's why these Fool's Dreams came to Witch Academy to work?"

"Uh... that does seem to be the logic..."

Although Sofili's words sounded a bit strange, it did seem to be the case.

And what do you mean, I broke the Secret Realm?

Did you forget all my previous explanations?

"But that's not right... the Secret Realm was destroyed some time ago... why are they only appearing at the Witch Cat Cafe now?"

"How should I put it, actually, when that Secret Realm collapsed, those Fool's Dreams... weren't exactly dead, but they almost all lost their original bodies. I heard that the Academy Head recreated their bodies for them. You know that when the Secret Realm collapsed, the Academy Head also appeared, right?"

"That's true. I heard the Academy Head also attached great importance to that matter."

"Actually, that Secret Realm was set up by the Academy Head, so the Academy Head valued these little ones greatly. It's not surprising that she recreated their bodies. As for why they're only returning now, I think it might be related to the Sleeping Curse. Because these little ones were rescued by me from Ninglan New City, which was under the Sleeping Curse, that's why they're only appearing now."

"Eh? Those Fool's Dreams were also affected by the Sleeping Curse?!"

"I don't know, how would I know such a thing? I only know that I rescued them from there, so I have some connections with those Fool's Dreams."

"Indeed... thank you for telling me all this. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known there were so many connections."

She said, looking satisfied with the gossip.

"Don't spread rumors. It's best not to spread such things around, especially since it involves so many unexpected incidents at Witch Academy. Better to avoid trouble than to stir it up."

"Don't worry, honestly, I don't have many friends to tell anyway, and I'm very tight-lipped."

Sofili promised.

"So... you actually want to cooperate with Witch Cat Cafe to launch a Fool's Dream Drink made by Fool's Dream?"

"That's pretty much it... so I wanted to ask if there are any channels for large-scale cultivation."

"Channels... actually, in this entire planting area, if you just find any plantation, they should be very happy to cooperate, or... or you could also cooperate with me! My plantation here is quite large..."

Sofili bravely spoke.

She could naturally see how much profit was involved.

To maintain the plantation she inherited from her mentor, she had to learn to make money herself.

Instead of cultivating some small-scale rare plants and looking for acquisition channels, a stable, high-volume channel like this was better.

Moreover, these plants were not rare transcendent items and were easy to care for.

At most, harvesting would be busy, but she could recruit temporary workers to help.

The only concern was the risk: whether Fool's Dream Drink could become popular.

After all... the Witch Cat Cafe already offered many delicious drinks.

If it failed, she would incur losses.

Furthermore, Fool's Dream only recently gained popularity, like an internet celebrity.

By the time they cultivated from seeds to mass production of Fool's Dream Drink, the hype would have long passed.

So... Sofili was also worried.

She had never experienced such a collaboration and naturally worried about many things.

"But aren't you also growing many other plants you've collected here?"

"I can specifically clear a spot. You've seen that I still have a large area empty here, and I don't know what to plant... Perhaps, I can give it a try? After all, I participated in the entire breeding process. After the seeds are condensed, I'll have accumulated a round of planting experience, and... if you really want to promote Fool's Dream Drink, you'll probably need small-scale testing, right? If the market reaction isn't good, we can cut losses in time."

"That's true."

I nodded, agreeing with her reasoning.

After all, I wasn't just squandering money.

If I asked Sofili to plant and harvest, I couldn't just take them without paying, could I?

What would that make me?

A freeloading monster?

I wouldn't be that kind of person.

"Then... when you're ready to condense the seeds, can you leave some fruits? I'll treat you to a taste of Fool's Dream Drink then."

I said.

Personally, I thought Fool's Dream Drink tasted great.

It was nutritionally balanced, had a good texture, provided a brief boost to transcendent affinity, and some other effects, and even offered a special vision that allowed one to see energy flows.

Why did it feel like this drink was perfect for sipping while researching something?

And the effect of boosting transcendent affinity was indeed quite good.

After all, the higher one's affinity with elements, the more pleasure this affinity could bring, not to mention that increased transcendent affinity could also enhance the power of corresponding evocation spells.

"That's certainly possible. I'm also looking forward to its taste."

"Oh, by the way, since you've already planted all these seeds, those seeds I kept are no longer useful to me. Why don't you plant them all too? Or maybe try using a growth acceleration spell for a control group?"

I recalled the spare seeds I had kept just in case, fearing breeding failure.

Now, thinking about it, they were just taking up space with me, so I might as well give them away.

"Eh? That's a good idea. I also want to study these plants. After all, the more I understand them, the better I can plant them."

Sofili took the seeds, her joyful expression evident.

Of course, she also had her own little ideas.

For a professional planter, simply growing transcendent plants no longer satisfied her needs.

Only by improving and mutating native plants could they truly pursue their craft.

Because of the transcendent power within them, ordinary grafting and induction were no longer the primary methods for transcendent plants.

The main focus was on "balancing" and countering the transcendent power within the plants.

Later, I chatted with Sofili for a while longer, and she also learned from me some interesting things about the Sleeping Curse and Ninglan New City.

During this time, Sofili also hand-taught Dongli Yiren how to plant transcendent plants; it wasn't as simple as just burying the seeds in the soil.

I just watched Dongli Yiren show off her skills.

I don't know if it was because I was there, but she was so nervous that her movements were a bit unnatural.

"Yes, based on the seed's state just now and the corresponding constants of the elemental crystals in the soil, the optimal ratio of water elements in the water you need to pour is... precise cultivation is very troublesome like this. Take your time, seeds won't sprout as soon as they're in the soil. Only changes in the environment's elements will trigger the energy resonance within the seeds..."

Sofili taught Dongli Yiren patiently.

Just to plant one seed, I saw Dongli Yiren flip through countless pages in her small notebook.

It truly was precise cultivation...

But this also showed me the difficulty ordinary students faced in learning the transcendent.

They had to rely on constantly summarized rules and formulas to deduce things that I could see with just a glance.

Just because they couldn't see, they had to expend countless times their effort and the experience of their predecessors to barely achieve what I could...

Was this the true transcendent in the eyes of ordinary people?

Thinking this, I got goosebumps, and I also felt the gap between me and them—a gap in effort, a gap in perseverance when faced with tediousness and difficulty.

And I was just an incredibly lucky person.

Finally, I shook my head, casting off that thought.

I shouldn't dwell on thoughts that were unfavorable to me.

I didn't need to discard my advantages and pit my weaknesses against others' strengths.

"What heaven bestows, if not taken, will be blamed," that was probably the meaning.

"Um... Little Han, it seems like you don't have anything else to do. Why don't you and Yiren go back together? There's not much left here, and I can handle it myself."

Sofili had almost finished planting all the seeds by this point.

The most time-consuming part was teaching Dongli Yiren how to operate and explaining why things needed to be done that way.

"I can stay and help."

Dongli Yiren said at this moment.

"Yiren, you first-year students will have your monthly exam soon. If you hadn't mentioned it just now, I wouldn't have even noticed. Go back and review properly. Your theoretical courses from the past few years are quite important and shouldn't be neglected because of this. Basic things are crucial; don't get your priorities mixed up."

Sofili put her hands on her hips, speaking in a lecturing tone.

"Oh..."

Dongli Yiren lowered her head, only saying "oh," seemingly a bit reluctant.

"That seems right. I've disturbed you for so long, it's indeed time to leave."

I checked the time; quite some time had passed.

Then my gaze shifted to Dongli Yiren.

"Alright..."

Dongli Yiren finally nodded, preparing to head back.

After bidding farewell to Sofili, we also walked out of her plantation.

"Go ahead and laugh..."

At this moment, Dongli Yiren suddenly spoke.

"Laugh about what?"

I looked at her suspiciously.

What kind of hot and cold fantasy had she concocted now?

Did I look like someone who enjoyed her misfortune?

"About me coming here..."

"Is there anything funny about this? Pursuing knowledge and loving to learn aren't things to be ridiculed. I only ridicule those who ridicule you, because they are the real fools."

"I, I'm not talking about that, do I have to..."

"Then don't say it. So you don't need to make yourself uncomfortable. By the way, with your attitude, did you suddenly start taking on a part-time job because you're short on money?"

"I earn enough for my expenses..."

Dongli Yiren said stubbornly.

"Alright, I won't ask anymore. By the way, in these past few days when I wasn't around... did anything happen with those people in the dorm?"

"What else could happen? Life has been uneventful every day."

"Indeed, it's good that nothing happened. Let's go back, shall we? Take a car or ride a broom?"

"Take a car, I'm taking a car back anyway."

The car was free, Dongli Yiren thought to herself, and she could review today's gains during the ride back.

More importantly, she didn't have a Flying License or a Flying Broom, and she couldn't bring herself to be flown by Little Han.

"I can fly you back."

"I'm used to taking the car. I know the way back very well, quickly... hurry, the car is about to arrive."

Dongli Yiren's voice suddenly became urgent.

She looked at her phone and started running towards the nearby station.

When we arrived at the station, the car had just pulled in.

There weren't many senior students on board.

Dongli Yiren immediately avoided the crowded spots and sat in a window seat at the very back.

It seemed the trauma from when she first enrolled was still there.

As soon as she sat down, she opened her notebook and began reviewing.

The radiant glow of her hard work was so blinding I could barely keep my eyes open.

Well, well, well, now the tables have turned, and it's Dongli Yiren's turn to aggressively outcompete me face-to-face?