The Witch's Imaginary Land: Redemption Comes After Sticking Together

Page 12

Sure enough, when I opened my hand, I saw shriveled octopus tentacles covered in slime.

"Put it away. This is a second-stage spell material, a pretty valuable gift." Lü Xiangtong walked between the two and explained to Jiang Kehan. Ai Lier smiled and extended her hand to Jiang Kehan, then cast some kind of spell, making the sticky residue on Jiang Kehan's hand disappear completely.

"Now we really know each other, don't we?"

Jiang Kehan ​​looked helplessly at the other party's teasing expression. Judging from the other party's practiced manner, they probably had played many tricks on other witches.

A capricious yet tactful witch, she formed a rudimentary impression of Ariel.

Chapter 12 Spell: Mimicry Dragon

After a brief exchange, Jiang Kehan ​​found that the other person was not difficult to communicate with, only slightly mischievous, which reassured her a lot.

What she feared most was the kind of witch who was slightly withdrawn and defensive like a hedgehog, resisting anyone who tried to get close to her. In her past life, she had the misfortune of working with such a person, which was a disaster.

However, when Jiang Kehan ​​told the two that Li Hui would be coming, Lü Xiangtong and Ai Lier looked very surprised, as if they couldn't believe that rabbits could fly or birds could burrow underground.

"You mean Li Hui actually wants to participate in the hunt? She even canceled the opening ceremony of the Academy Witch Duel Selection Tournament!" Lu Xiangtong clutched her chest, looking like a ghost had seen a witch.

Ariel, on the other hand, was in a completely different state. She had already started taking out a mirror from somewhere and fixing her clothes, muttering "Hui'er, Hui'er" to herself.

Jiang Kehan ​​was speechless at their behavior. Could it be that bad?

However, they didn't have to wait long before Li Hui arrived.

She didn't arrive on a witch's broom, but rather strolled casually through the air, observing the three people's expressions with a hint of curiosity.

Ai Li'er was the first to rush over, and also the first to be casually pulled back by Li Hui by the collar. Li Hui seemed not to hear her silly laughter, and spoke to Jiang Kehan ​​and Lü Xiangtong with a slight apology.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. What is our target this time?"

Lu Xiangtong's suspicious gaze shifted between Jiang Kehan ​​and Li Hui, making Jiang Kehan ​​feel somewhat embarrassed.

"Oh, we're going to the public hunting grounds on Worry-Free Sky Island this time. The original plan for the two of us was to hunt a level 2 pseudo-dragon, the Frostwyrm, but with you here, you can hunt freely."

Li Hui raised an eyebrow slightly. The Frost Lizard was not something Jiang Kehan ​​and Ai Li'er could handle. Was she planning to guide Jiang Kehan ​​through the hunt step by step?

"Okay, I hope we'll have good memories." She put down Ariel from her hands and asked Jiang Kehan ​​with a smile, "Have you learned how to use Qiyu yet? Would you like me to teach you some more techniques?"

"Ah, I've already drunk the remaining potion, so there's no need to trouble you." Jiang Kehan ​​took out a cloth bag from her bosom and handed it to Li Hui, smiling as she looked at her slightly confused eyes. "This is a little trinket I came up with on a whim. I hope it can be a return gift."

While Jiang Kehan ​​was studying alchemy these past few days, she created a mini music box, just like the ones from her previous life, where shaking a lever would activate a plectrum inside the box to produce sound. Inside was the only song she knew—Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

The music, unique to her past life, was clearly made with care. She smiled at Li Hui, eagerly anticipating him opening the bag.

Li Hui hesitated for a moment, then put the cloth bag away without opening it, and instead changed the subject.

"Thank you, teacher. Shall we set off?"

Lü Xiangtong clapped her hands to attract everyone's attention, then nodded and said, "Everything is ready, so let's set off early and come back early. Everyone, step back."

Ariel, who habitually generates electricity, was somewhat curious about her boss's behavior. He didn't directly refuse? Interesting.

Although she may seem like a lovesick woman, it's only to show affection if the other person doesn't find her repulsive. She's a pure Western witch, with her admiration for strength and individualism shining through. In fact, being the second seat in the academy is proof of her ability and rationality.

After the three of them had retreated dozens of meters, Lü Xiangtong let out a roar, like a long-suppressed dragon suddenly breaking free of its restraints and flying into the sky.

Jiang Kehan ​​watched helplessly as her teacher transformed from human form into a Western ancient dragon covered in half-meter-long crimson scales, its body gradually twisting and unfolding.

"Level 4 spell, Mimicry Dragon, can transform a witch's body into the appearance of an ancient dragon, but it possesses all the characteristics of both a witch and an ancient dragon. It is a rare spell, even among witches." Li Hui explained the teacher's change to Jiang Kehan, looking at her astonished face.

"Come on up." Lu Xiangtong's voice suddenly reached their minds. Li Hui was the first to go up, but she didn't step on the dragon's back; instead, she floated in the air.

Ariel shrugged at Jiang Kehan ​​and said, "Teacher doesn't mind if we step directly on the scales, let's go up." Then she also climbed onto the dragon's back, sat down in the middle area, and waved for Jiang Kehan ​​to come over.

Jiang Kehan ​​carefully walked from the dragon's wing to its back. She couldn't help but touch the dragon's scales, which felt slightly burning and were very hard.

When Jiang Kehan ​​got to Ai Lier's side, she realized that this place was much more recessed than the surrounding area, which should be the gap of the dragon's spine. The scales in front of them stood up strangely, as if to shield them from the airflow.

Once Jiang Kehan ​​was seated, Lü Xiangtong exhaled smoke from her mouth, flapped her enormous dragon wings, and soared into the air.

The massive body, nearly a hundred meters long, seemed weightless, instantly exceeding the speed of sound. Jiang Kehan ​​looked at the surrounding objects that had turned into afterimages and suddenly felt that the witch's broom was no longer appealing.

Li Hui floated over and opened the terminal to explain the information to the two of them.

"Let's continue hunting according to the original plan the teacher gave you. Frostwyrm is a pseudo-dragon born from the hybridization of a special white dragon. It has the agility of a white dragon and two level 2 frost spells. It is cunning and likes to ambush. It will run away without hesitation if it encounters a tough opponent. It is a pseudo-dragon that is relatively difficult to hunt."

White dragons are mostly small dragons, characterized by their cunning and treachery, much like hyenas among dragon species. Contrary to their color, white dragons do not possess the talent for ice; instead, their talents are concentrated in their physical abilities and toxins. They are also quite repulsive among dragon species, feeding on the eggs of other pseudo-dragons.

"Then what about the division of labor?" Ailier looked at Li Hui with a serious expression, then looked at Jiang Kehan, "I wonder what Miss Jiang is good at."

Witches believe in rewarding those who contribute. Even when tasks are forcibly assigned to groups, they value their own performance and rarely try to slack off. They are happy to fight on the front lines, and this bloodlust in the face of strong enemies is in the nature of witches.

"I... I can act as bait, and positioning is more like a support role." Jiang Kehan ​​thought about the two spells she knew, her lips twitching as she answered Aieri's question helplessly.

"Airi, you continue as the turret for damage output. Jiang Kehan, you'll be the vanguard exploring. Don't worry, I'll take over your position once the enemy appears. After that, you can use Rain of Destruction to deal damage, Kehan." Li Hui simply assigned the tasks, and the other two had no objections.

Jiang Kehan ​​felt a mix of anticipation and longing. The thought of hunting a pseudo-dragon, a scene so bloody it was almost unbearable, stimulated her senses, making her involuntarily moisten her lips and stroke her heart, which was pounding with excitement. She was itching to get started.

Chapter 13 The Future

However, she didn't forget the important matter and started talking to Li Hui with a hint of curiosity.

"Why did Li Hui decide to participate in the hunt?"

At this moment, Li Hui was checking the spells on the terminal. When he heard Jiang Kehan's question, he turned around and answered without any pretense.

"I remember you only know two spells, so I thought I'd come and help you get used to the pace of the hunt. Besides, Ariel invited me too, so isn't this killing two birds with one stone?"

She smiled, as if she were talking about something trivial, while Ariel next to her had a black line on her face and was complaining in her heart.

Every time I've sent you a letter inviting you, why don't you come? I think you're just after her body.

However, given the number of spells, is Jiang Kehan ​​actually a transformation witch?

Non-alien-transformed witches are now very rare, and those who are qualified to be included in the witch race are either extremely powerful or have made significant contributions to witches. It's unclear which category she falls into. If she has exceptional talent, it would explain why she was able to skip directly to this class.

Thinking of this, Ariel had the idea of ​​making friends with them. Unlike the local witches, her family had their own social circles passed down through generations. However, since she had decided to settle down here, she had to start cultivating her own circle. So she coughed lightly and joined the conversation between the two.

"By the way, doesn't Jiang Kehan ​​have a systematic spell list yet? Is she struggling with which school of magic to learn, and trying to skip the time spent learning basic spells by using rare spells?"

For a transformation witch, learning basic spells step by step is a waste of time. When a witch reaches a certain stage, the effects of magic itself can achieve the effects that can only be achieved by casting these spells, and even be more sophisticated and powerful.

In addition, since transformation witches either cling to the coattails of other witches or are backed by witch organizations, they are not lacking in resources. Therefore, it is a common choice for them to directly learn rare spells and specialize in a certain aspect.

But this has nothing to do with Jiang Kehan; she's simply poor.

"Ah, no, I haven't decided which direction I want to take in the future yet. I'm saving up funds." She scratched her head, looking quite carefree.

Ariel was somewhat surprised: "Huh?! So Jiang Kehan ​​hasn't decided on her future direction yet? This is something to think about carefully. The competition among witches is very fierce. To gain fame and honor, one must devote oneself wholeheartedly. Being proficient in many areas will often leave one far behind the witches of the same period."

"I was originally going to recommend a few of our own copyrighted, rare, original spells for you to buy, but it seems we should wait until you've decided on your direction first."

Jiang Kehan ​​thanked Ai Lier, but she knew in her heart that the discount was mostly due to Li Hui's influence. An original spell that could be copyrighted must have its own unique features. Price was a minor issue; it was often in high demand but not readily available.

But Ariel actually touched on what had been troubling her these past few days: there are many possible future directions for witches, which can be broadly summarized as research witches, dueling witches, hunting witches, lord witches, and other types of witches who take civil service exams or work part-time.

Being a research witch isn't just about knowing alchemy; it's about understanding the underlying truths behind alchemy and other related fields. If the universe were a computer, they would be a group of hackers, directly using the source code to create incredible things. Jiang Kehan ​​felt she didn't have that talent; she'd been struggling with the Alchemist's Laws for the past few days, let alone the underlying truths.

What she was hesitant about was whether to become a dueling witch or a witch hunter.

The term "Dueling Witch" doesn't simply refer to a development path defined by participating in witch duels. Rather, it more accurately describes witches who continuously strive to improve their strength. Such witches are essentially destined to engage in duels within witch tournaments, hence the name.

Jiang Kehan ​​couldn't deny that, from the technologically advanced world of her previous life to this world where personal power could be realized, she yearned for power and higher horizons even more, especially after experiencing the treatment of being imprisoned, which left a deep impression on her.

Besides dueling witches, hunting witches is also a good choice. They specialize in hunting all races except witches and will travel to different universes to witness different scenery. However, in her case, Sonia is right, freedom is a false proposition for her.

"I want to become a Duel Witch. Does anyone have any suggestions?" She sighed, her gaze resolute as she made her decision.

The first lesson this world taught her was that without power, one will always be limited by others.

Both Li Hui and Ai Li'er were somewhat surprised, especially Li Hui, who frowned and reminded Jiang Kehan.

"Have you thought it through? Duel with a witch is no easy task. The spell list you need to learn alone far exceeds that of other areas. And you should know that for a witch, the most dangerous time is always when facing another hostile witch."

Jiang Kehan ​​was quite confident. She had been researching her terminal online for the past few days and finally discovered something was wrong.

A witch's magic develops in stages. From birth until the age of 16, a little witch's magic power does not increase. It is only around 16 or 17 that a turning point occurs, marking the beginning of her first transformation, or growth period. During this growth period, a witch's magic power multiplies, averaging around 3000, officially marking her entry into the witch stage.

But her magic power has increased from 234 to 280. Keep in mind that this body is not even 16 years old. After consulting a lot of information, she is almost certain that the characteristic of her magic power is that it can grow infinitely. What's even better is that the so-called infinite growth is just a byproduct of the magic power characteristic!

That night, Jiang Kehan ​​spent more than half an hour comparing the information repeatedly. In the end, she even gave up the time to study the Alchemist's Laws because she was worried. She stayed up all night in a state of anxiety and excitement. When she finally confirmed it, she felt as happy as a child trapped in a cotton candy, sleeping in a carefree dream, letting her imagination become a warm blanket.

I almost burst into tears.

How can one yearn for hope without experiencing despair? But when hope arrives, do those who have already despaired still have the courage to touch it?

However, Jiang Kehan ​​considers herself lucky. Although she knows that her lucky charm came a little late, she is far from regretting it.

She used this as her courage to challenge the world.

"Yes, I believe I'm no worse than anyone else." Jiang Kehan ​​answered with such certainty and brilliance, her smile so unwavering that it slightly stunned Li Hui.

Strange, how come she suddenly changed so much?

Curiosity spread through Li Hui's heart. She swallowed the words of persuasion she was about to say, and after hesitating, she turned to support them.

"Okay, I trust you. But if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me. I have some experience with duels."

"Me too!" Ariel raised her hand, joining in the fun. "Although I don't participate in witch duels much, I have experience as a manager and coach!"

Jiang Kehan ​​stroked her chest, feeling the warmth inside. Her heart was pumping her blood, making her feel warm all over.

"thank you all."

Chapter 14 The Hunting Ground

As they were talking, they suddenly felt a scorching vortex rise from between the dragon's scales, blowing through their hair.

"We're about to land, hold on tight!" Lu Xiangtong's voice suddenly appeared in their minds. Then came the huge thrust of the sudden stop that impacted Jiang Kehan ​​and Ai Lier. The two of them clung tightly to the scales that were half a meter high in front of them, which prevented them from being thrown off.

The dragon came to a sudden stop from the speed of sound, its hundred-meter-long wings slowly flapping downwards. Lü Xiangtong couldn't help but let out a roar, releasing the excitement brought by the thrill.

She had a great time, but the people sitting upstairs were in for a rough time.

Jiang Kehan ​​and Ai Li'er didn't look too optimistic. Their hair was already a mess from the airflow. The only survivor was Li Hui, who was wearing a witch's hat, but her expression wasn't good either. Although she was floating, the three of them were too close together, causing Jiang Kehan's mountain-like body to press down on her arm. Her face showed signs of getting hot.

After Lü Xiangtong landed steadily, Li Hui immediately used Flash to land first.

Jiang Kehan, who was dizzy and disoriented from the sudden stop, was unaware of all this; all she wanted to do was vomit.

After a short rest, Jiang Kehan ​​and Ai Lier came down one after another, but both of them had returned to normal.

Witches have a strong ability to adapt to their environment. It is said that if a witch is repeatedly killed by a certain method of death, she will soon become completely immune to that method of death. Although she doesn't know if it's true or not, Jiang Kehan ​​thinks that she probably won't feel nauseous next time she rides in Teacher Lü Xiangtong's car... maybe.

The crimson dragon gradually shrank and transformed into the appearance of Lü Xiangtong. Strangely, none of her clothes showed any signs of being torn. It was unknown where her clothes went when she transformed into a dragon.

"What's going on with you all?" she asked, looking at the group with curiosity.