Free Web NovelChapter 822: The True Goal of the Anti-Witch Cheryl
To conduct the Soul Depiction experiments more conveniently and efficiently, I selected an open area within the Dungeon World to solidify specific rituals and outline the ritual nodes and structures.
The materials consumed were basically prepared in advance, so it didn't waste much of my time.
With the assistance of these solidified rituals, using Soul Depiction became much more convenient.
Initially, I thought Soul Depiction would be very simple.
But after conducting life experiments, I realized there were simply too many things that needed to be considered.
In fact, if it weren't necessary, I wouldn't even want to use a technique like Soul Depiction on other people.
Because there were simply too many variables to consider during the process of soul sublimation through Soul Depiction, and it wasn't as simple as just the variable of memory.
However… the Fool's Dreams themselves held very few concepts, so there weren't many concerns.
The Fool's Dreams only possessed their own “consciousness,” the “memories” I had stripped from the Primal Dream State for them using the Seed of Great Knowledge, plus the “wisdom” I was about to bestow upon them.
Supported by Soul Depiction, this would give birth to a soul essence.
Thus, the conceptual composition of a Fool's Dream consisted only of “consciousness,” “memory,” “wisdom,” and “soul.”
Humans always selfishly endow themselves with incomprehensible complexity, believing their own infinity cannot be described by concrete, finite concepts.
When a person is defined, life instinctively retaliates; this stems from life's pursuit of an infinitely complex essence.
But objectively speaking, is a person really that complex?
Actually, that's not the case.
Take the Fool's Dream for example.
She wasn't complex to me either, yet I wanted to give her the best.
As the white mice for my experiments grew in number, I fenced off a small additional area to serve as their enclosure.
I also used the consciousness communication spell to perform simple communication with these white mice.
Although they lacked language, they possessed instincts.
So… after completing the Soul Depiction, I could compare the differences before and after.
All of this was indeed as I had previously guessed: the essence of life itself is a very complex concept.
It contains too many things, including but not limited to wisdom, memory, racial concepts, bloodlines, and physical information.
There were too many things within it that could not be depicted because I could not define them.
But life can complete these missing parts on its own.
This was a concept I realized back when I was perfecting Wisdom's Enlightenment in the Expansion Realm.
Wisdom is not limited to “consciousness” and “memory,” but these two constitute the vast majority of the concept of wisdom, and life will naturally self-complete those missing parts.
This is the plasticity and regenerativity of life.
Currently, the data that could be collected from the white mice had almost reached its limit, and the Great Tree of Knowledge was analyzing the meaning represented by this data with all its strength.
“There are still so many white mice left… as expected, the quantity is still too large.”
I shook the Beast-Trapping Box; there were still over a hundred white mice inside.
“Maybe I should try performing a collective Soul Depiction on the white mice…”
Once this thought arose, I immediately thought of many things.
Collective Soul Depiction…
This should have originally been a convenient method aimed at a group.
But I thought of another possibility, which was “Soul Linking” between the group.
This didn't seem very hard to achieve; it would be sufficient as long as I grafted a “medium” as a bridge onto the souls of the individual independent units during the Soul Depiction.
As for the medium for this bridge… I could refer to the spell structure and theoretical foundation of the consciousness communication spell.
Then this could create… a collective consciousness, right?
This seemed a bit terrifying.
Unless necessary, I generally wouldn't use this kind of technique on anyone.
After all, with the consciousness communication spell, everything seemed to be enough.
But if it were used on these white mice, it would be acceptable.
After all, they themselves were the consumables of the experiment.
After a series of experiments, I also performed “waste utilization” on the remaining white mice.
However, at this stage, I prepared to keep them in the enclosure for a while to see what further changes would occur in the white mice that had sublimated into soul essence over a scale of time.
“Speaking of which, is it almost evening?”
I looked up at the sky.
After the time difference adjustment, the day-night cycle of the Dungeon World was now consistent with the outside world.
I didn't expect the process of life experiments to consume so much time.
“Let's stop here for today. Fool’s Blue you get some good rest today. I'm going to find Big Sis Bai first.”
“Mhm Take care, Big Sis Xiao Han.”
***
The villa.
“Let's play a game, shall we?”
Cheryl spoke, her gaze fixed on Bai Yu, even carrying a hint of teasing.
“What game?”
Bai Yu asked with a frown.
This conversation, where the rhythm was completely controlled by the other party, made her feel very displeased, but she had to proceed this way.
“I will reveal to you my purpose for coming to the Main World, and you cannot tell anyone. These are the game rules. Sign the contract, the game begins. And you… can freely decide whether to participate in this game.”
“Purpose… What is your purpose in telling me this? Why choose me?”
Bai Yu emphasized this question very directly.
She really wanted to know the answer.
“Sign this contract, and I will tell you.”
Cheryl picked up a contract.
The content on it was very simple; it was exactly what she had just said.
The other party would reveal her purpose, and she would abide by the rule of not disclosing it directly or indirectly by any means.
“What is the point of this?”
“Because that person Mei is too boring, so… I sought you out.”
“This reason of yours has not even a hint of credibility.”
“So… will you sign? If you don't sign, then no one in the Main World will know my true purpose. If you sign, then you will be the only witch who can attempt to stop me.”
“……”
Bai Yu took the Witch's Contract.
The contractual binding force on this was more terrifying than any she had seen before.
Thus, the Anti-Witch before her must be a witch with deep accomplishments in the project of Witch's Contracts.
Cheryl watched Bai Yu without speaking.
She didn't rush her either, just looked at her with great interest.
Cheryl couldn't think of any reason for the other party to refuse, even if… even if she did refuse, it wouldn't be a big deal to her.
Or rather, even if the contract hadn't been signed yet, her purpose was actually long since ready to emerge.
The group of Anti-Witches was very sincere.
If a problem could be solved through communication, she would never use a method with a higher cost.
Because that was no different from seeking public attention… Although there were indeed some Anti-Witches with bad tastes who would do so, she wouldn't.
At least in treating this matter, she wouldn't.
“You seem to have already decided that I will sign.”
“You also seem to have the answer in your heart.”
Cheryl responded.
This was her first time dealing with a Heart Sense Body Cultivation witch.
Such witches trusted the truth they perceived more.
Precisely because they could easily sense sincerity and hypocrisy, they also lacked a bit of the enthusiasm for social play-acting with others.
Such a Body Cultivation witch and a sincere Anti-Witch were really a good match.
“I choose to sign, only to verify the guess in my heart.”
Bai Yu calmly picked up the quill handed over with the contract and signed her name.
In the next moment, the parchment turned into flames, and the contract divided into two parts, entering both of their bodies.
“This is why I really like dealing with a witch like you. Sincere to the point of being a bit cute. If it were that person Mei, and she guessed my purpose, she wouldn't even bother signing a contract with me to verify such a conjecture.”
Cheryl was very delighted to see Bai Yu so decisive.
“It's time for you to fulfill the contract.”
Bai Yu's words were still very concise.
“True, true. Then I'll be blunt. I came to the Main World for the sake of… Yang Yuehan.”
Once Cheryl finished that sentence, Bai Yu also understood why the other party had sought her out.
Because… She was the only witch truly close to Little Han.
Although Little Han seemed to play well with many witches and had good relationships, and even a good relationship with the Academy Head, there was a layer of estrangement between them.
A layer of… the kind of estrangement where they would use honorifics even when talking and communicating.
Cheryl had also seen this point, so she sought out Bai Yu.
Because in her view, Bai Yu was the only “unstable factor” for Little Han.
“It seems you aren't surprised at all. Do you know? That person, Mei, even now she thinks I came to the Main World to seize it. She's been constantly worried about whether I'll disrupt their plans or something. It's simply going to kill me with laughter.”
When Cheryl spoke of this, she herself couldn't help but laugh.
But Bai Yu did not empathize with the humor.
“Seizing the Main World is a small matter they could do; it's just a question of time. Only their attitude toward Little Han is not something time can solve.”
“So…”
“So, I want to correct them!”
“Why? What is actually wrong with the way they treat Little Han that requires you to personally intervene?”
Bai Yu asked in confusion.
“How should I explain it to you? Let's put it this way, take the attitude toward that whatever game world as an example. Mei's proposition is that she doesn't want Little Han to come into contact with it because it's too dangerous. But I feel exactly the opposite. Little Han should go and face these difficulties. Mei even gave a promise to let Little Han harvest the game world herself; she should be supporting Little Han even more!”
“A conflict in philosophy…”
Bai Yu summarized.
“Exactly, exactly! It's a conflict in philosophy! They still treat Little Han as a child! But in my view… lifespan and age aren't capital for them to pull rank as elders. They lounge upon Little Han's achievements, enjoying her innovations, and then restrict her to the Witch Academy in the name of protection…”
“You are misrepresenting the situation.”
“See you can still distinguish between what's important and what's not.”
“But do you really think protecting Little Han so well is an act beneficial to her?”
Cheryl didn't feel at all that being refuted just now was bad.
“Think about those days you accompanied Little Han in leaving the academy. Wasn't Little Han very happy? Very free? Weren't there many harvests? After that, according to your words, Little Han's advancement to Transcendent is a sure thing, and she even had a leap-like improvement in the Self-generating Magic Power project…”
“What about the risks? Blindly taking risks without discussing the possibility of danger will only harm Little Han!”
Bai Yu had always been brooding over the word 'risks'.
“Fine I admit this is a hurdle that cannot be escaped. Risk… but if even risk cannot be endured…”
At this point, Cheryl reined in her previous playfulness, her expression becoming serious and intensely pressuring.
“Then I will represent the Anti-Witch group later… and be the first to not acknowledge that Yang Yuehan is qualified for the title of the Witch's Highest Glory!”
“……”
“The Witch's Highest Glory title—Truth Witch. Bai Yu, you also don't want to ruin Yang Yuehan's path here, right? Perhaps the Truth Offering to become a Truth Witch doesn't require the acknowledgment of the Anti-Witches, but if it's the non-acknowledgment of the Anti-Witch group… that would also be a massive blow.”
“Are you threatening me?”
Bai Yu pursed her lips and questioned.
“No, I am making you accept. The reason I said earlier you had made no progress… is because you never learned to look far ahead. To achieve something isn't something that can be done with effort after reaching a certain stage. This is a long-term plan.”
“If Little Han obtains my acknowledgment during her Lesser Witch stage, then I will spread her deeds among the Anti-Witch group, and she will also obtain the acknowledgment of the Anti-Witch group. You only need to do this to handle the hardest group to deal with in the witch race—the Anti-Witches. You win, and Little Han wins as well, don't you?”
“……”
“My patience is limited. Emotional persuasion, rational analysis… Perhaps this is a bit hard for you to accept. But what I am expressing is only what I believe to be right. So when you don't know how to choose… why not ask your Little Han?”
“Just like… back during Little Han's Newcomer Competition when she just enrolled, and you asked Little Han if she was willing to step into the struggle for Destiny. Perhaps Little Han's answer will be the same as that time, catching you by surprise.”
“Have you even researched that matter as well?”
“Naturally because regarding this matter involving Little Han… I am serious.”
Cheryl spoke very seriously at this moment.
Actually, Cheryl knew very well that this was just an inspection.
With the Anti-Witch group backing this incident, how could an irreversible situation possibly occur?
But clearly, Bai Yu, who had not been a Transcendent Witch for long, did not know the ropes of this, and Cheryl didn't mind facilitating such a situation.
It was just like when the Witch Academy originally scared the freshmen, telling them people would die in the Newcomer Competition, while pointedly not saying that the Resurrection Spell was already very common in the Transcendent world.
“It looks like you still need… wait, ah what a bad time…”
When Cheryl still wanted to say something else, she suddenly seemed to sense something.
In the next moment, her figure disappeared from across from Bai Yu.
Before Bai Yu could figure out what the situation was, what happened in the next moment answered her confusion.
Because a spatial rift suddenly split open in the villa, and the white figure that walked out was the Little Han she was familiar with!
“Big Sis Bai! A-he You really are at the villa!”
At this moment, I returned from the Dungeon World.
I appeared at the villa immediately because I guessed Big Sis Bai was likely here.
“Little Han? Why did you return so suddenly?!”
“What's wrong? I had nothing to do, of course. The Self-generating Magic Power experiment doesn't need me anymore, so I came back.”
I lunged into Big Sis Bai's embrace, recharging my Big Sis Bai energy.
But in the next moment, I suddenly raised my head as if I had discovered something.
“Sniff sniff There's the scent of another woman!”
“Little Han, your nose…”
“It's the scent of that Anti-Witch!”
I identified it all at once.
“And it's very fresh! Did that fellow intrude into our villa privately again!”
“Sorry, Little Han…”
“No need to apologize… That fellow's strength is a bit exaggerated, so as long as you don't act impulsively, Big Sis Bai, it's fine. Let's go to the Dungeon World. She can't get in there.”
I immediately interrupted Big Sis Bai's words.
“……Alright, let's go.”
Bai Yu was slightly stunned, then she quickly nodded.
