Is It Weird for a Guy to Apply to a Witch School?-Chapter 469 -

Chapter 469: I Will Intervene in the Joint Exam as a Teaching Assistant

“Hiss Pain… pain, pain, pain… it hurts so much!”

Inside the soundproofed Physical Arts Training Hall, I felt Big Sis Bai's slender fingers carefully applying a colorless, semi-solid ointment over every part of my body.

Where the ointment was spread, the skin absorbed it like evaporating water, leaving no trace, but it left a very stimulating sensation of pain on that area of skin.

“Little Han, this isn’t like you. Although it’s quite painful for the first attempt, it shouldn't be enough to make you cry out, should it?”

Big Sis Bai said this, but her hands didn't stop moving at all.

Her hand slid over my right arm, instantly perceiving the structure of my limbs and the direction of my muscles purely by touch.

Her eyes looked at my forearm as if admiring a piece of art.

“Mhm… since no one else is here, holding it in will only make things worse…”

I organized my thoughts and said, “Big Sis Bai, is this really an ointment for practicing the sense of touch? This level of widespread pain will only lead to a numbness toward pain, right?”

“Don't worry about that. Little Han, this ointment is refined using Alchemy. One of its characteristics is to suppress the body’s spontaneous pain numbness, but it won't impede the conscious suppression of numbness.”

“This… is this a form of torture for me?”

I immediately complained.

“In the initial stage of Body Cultivation, the individual cannot achieve complete control over their body. This requires external stimulation to forcibly make the personal will adapt to the senses. Adaptation is the first step toward body control. But! Little Han, you are a Self-awakened Body Cultivator. I already said this: this ointment is meant to bring pain, not for you to enjoy it. If it hurts, why don't you use your ability to control your body to shield yourself from the pain?”

“Eh?”

I paused, stunned by Big Sis Bai’s sudden shift in logic.

“I thought the pain was also part of the cultivation…”

“Pain is not the primary purpose of cultivation; it is a measuring standard. It is there to make you first recognize yourself, perceive the upper and lower limits of your perception, and then prevent perception from negatively affecting you. Perception is a tool held in your hand, but it can also harm the self. Therefore, perception cultivation requires learning not to be hurt or blinded by one’s own perception. You need a most basic cognition of it now.”

“This cognition is different for everyone, including gender, age, development status, and even race. You need to understand these differences, and you also need basic common sense, understanding the essence of general perception, and how the operating system, where sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch are integrated into one living body, works.”

“Mhm, mhm…”

I nodded quickly.

I naturally knew this part.

It belonged to the scope of basic human biology from my previous life.

For example, vision can only see the visible light spectrum, hearing can only pick up a certain range of frequencies, and ultrasound and infrasound cannot be detected.

The same goes for smell, taste, and touch.

And corresponding methods exist for these senses.

For example, the pain from touch is a subjective cognition produced when the tactile feedback reaches a certain threshold.

This cognition is often accompanied by other associated instincts, and these instincts can affect one’s behavior, emotions, thoughts, thinking, and so on.

However, the basic compulsory education in this world is not comprehensive in this regard.

The education in the Main World primarily focuses on selecting talent and cultivating the "cogs" needed to maintain the operation of the Main World.

This is both cruel and realistic.

Just like the plan to encourage childbirth is also about providing a larger base of potential students for the Transcendent Academies, as a change in quantity leads to a change in quality.

Soon, Big Sis Bai finished applying the ointment thoughtfully and helped me put my clothes back on.

However, the sustained effect of the ointment would last for a long time.

If I didn't want to be tortured by this not-too-painful but very persistent discomfort, I needed to continuously adapt my ability to control my sense of touch, transforming this instinct into an inherent physical talent that I could consciously control.

Just like the Self-generating Magic Power I developed with the Academy Head—this is a physical talent exclusive to Transcendent Witches.

And I had to be better at it than my instinctual control.

After all, if this ability was consciously mastered, but was not even as good as the instinctive control, then all the effort would be completely meaningless.

“Hiss.”

The moment I relaxed, I felt the pain.

Even the slightest friction between my clothes and skin sent back a terrifyingly stimulating feedback.

“Slow down. You'll adapt later.”

Big Sis Bai quickly comforted me.

“As your consciousness strengthens, you will realize the power of your spirit. But you need to understand that the 'spirit' concept in Body Cultivation is not the same thing as the Mental Power of Meditation. A strong spirit allows you to do more things, such as mental multitasking, multi-threaded control. These thoughts, separated from the main consciousness, can be fully utilized by you to control your senses.”

“It’s truly noticeable. Compared to when I was an ordinary person, I am quite formidable now… Hiss… Mmm Big Sis Bai, what are you doing?”

As I spoke, I suddenly felt a pang of pain in my thigh.

I looked down and saw that Big Sis Bai had suddenly tightened my Thigh Strap.

“Of course, I’m helping you create the most perfect 'flesh-constricting' look, aren’t I?”

Big Sis Bai stood up, clapped her hands, and seemed very satisfied with her masterpiece.

“Big Sis Bai, your peculiar tastes always manifest in strange ways. You look so proper, too.”

I gently touched the inside of my thigh.

That area was the most sensitive, and the thigh strap was constricting it painfully.

I was truly suffering for Big Sis Bai's preference.

“Is that so?”

Big Sis Bai seemed to find nothing wrong with my evaluation.

She took out a small notebook and handed it to me.

“This contains the finished ointment, refining formula, manuscript, and instructions for the Five Senses Enhancement practice that I recorded outside the Main World. You mentioned you're dabbling in Alchemy, right? You can try refining it yourself. After all, you can trust something you refine yourself.”

“Ooh.”

I took the more detailed notebook.

The graceful handwriting recorded the Alchemy content.

In fact, I had already checked it using the Earth Vein Information Appraisal Spell while Big Sis Bai was applying the ointment.

However, the Earth Vein had very little record of this ointment.

The displayed information was mostly what Big Sis Bai had already mentioned, and at most, it recorded the material and Transcendent energy composition of the ointment.

Now that I had the notebook from Big Sis Bai, my Appraisal Spell completed the information synchronization instantly.

“Hmm… it seems almost too simple.”

I commented, sighing after understanding the materials, refining techniques, and rituals involved in Alchemy.

Although I said it was simple, it was simple only in appearance.

The Main World Earth Vein truly had no trace of this information, indicating that this item did not exist in the Main World.

“Of course. This thing is just like the Aromatherapy used for meditation. Aromatherapy is also an Alchemical product. It's simple, at least the basic entry is simple.”

“Mhm, hearing you say that, I feel like I should just become self-sufficient.”

After all, who would refuse to use something at cost price?

I couldn't guarantee the final quality, of course.

It definitely wouldn't be comparable to Senior Gong Xihuanhin, who had been immersed in refining incense for who knows how long, as experience is generally directly proportional to time.

“But if you can avoid it, there's no need to do everything yourself.”

“But I feel that even if I can choose not to do it, I must know how. What if someone tries to leverage my needs against me?”

I said instinctively.

“Leverage you? Little Han, why do you have such strange ideas? Do you think you have prepared to be an enemy to everyone from the start? You need to know that even the Transcendent Witches with the worst reputation in the Void don't need to worry about this kind of thing. The Void is a very realistic place. If there is profit, even enemies will calmly discuss interests at the negotiation table.”

“Mhm… is that so?”

I showed a hint of embarrassment, realizing my thoughts were limited by my past life's framework.

But I wouldn't deny my viewpoint: the reason witches can do this is because they are powerful, isn't it?

However, that level of contention was already beyond my imagination.

Even if I worried, it would serve no purpose.

It was better to adapt to the present situation.

“Yes, you only need to demonstrate your value. Let's not talk about that anymore. Let’s talk about something else. The hottest topic on the Academy Network recently is the joint inter-academy exam. What's your take on it, Little Han?”

“What’s my take… I'll just stand and watch, I guess. What else can I do? Does it concern me?”

I spread my hands, acting indifferent.

One of the reasons I became a Teaching Assistant was to avoid wasting my time on those cyclical examinations and tests, even if it was just for a day or two, it was still a waste.

What I value is not the time wasted but the frequency of the interruptions.

As my research into the Transcendent world goes deeper, a single flash of inspiration for an attempt might take an entire day, or even several days.

Naturally, I prefer not to be disturbed.

“Stand and watch… Then, Little Han, do you want to see it more clearly?”

At this moment, Big Sis Bai smiled faintly and asked.

“More clearly…”

I turned to look at Big Sis Bai’s delicate face and the kind of smile I rarely saw on her.

“Yuck Big Sis Bai, you are looking at me with that smile… makes me feel like you're plotting against me.”

“Is that so? Well, I'll pay attention next time.”

“Eh? Was that the main point? Even if you are plotting against me, Big Sis Bai, I'll let you do whatever you want.”

I quickly said, seeing Big Sis Bai misunderstood me.

“Really?”

“Of course But what you were trying to say, Big Sis Bai… don't tell me you want me to participate in this joint inter-academy test again? I'm already a Teaching Assistant now. Wouldn't that be inappropriate?”

I asked, changing the subject.

“I was just curious. You can't take the rewards for this joint exam now that you're a Teaching Assistant. The rewards for this joint exam are said to be very generous.”

“Generous?”

The last time someone said the rewards were generous was for the Dream State Exchange Competition.

I didn't use any of those rewards, which are mostly gathering dust.

And the academy also gave me a batch of resources after I became a Teaching Assistant.

They are also quite generous, but I haven't really touched them.

Those things are nothing more than Spellbooks, Magic Power Sources, Alchemical Potions, and some other rare materials.

I faintly recall still having a few Custom Alchemy Item Vouchers that I hadn't used yet…

And… Store Manager Xia Li still owes me one self-pickup opportunity.

Unknowingly, I seemed to have many things I hadn't done yet, but I was constantly moving forward, leaving behind the things of my past.

“Yes, this time is different from the last Dream State Exchange Competition, where only those few people were fighting. This time, it's a clash between the newcomers of so many academies. So… you can imagine?”

“Mhm, that still doesn't concern me, does it?”

“You’re right. But… there are ways for a Teaching Assistant to get involved too. Don't you want to go in and see for yourself? If you don't seize this opportunity, you can only watch the live broadcast of this joint exam at the academy.”

“Ah, this… that's a lot of information.”

Being told this by Big Sis Bai, I hadn't even looked into the upcoming final exam yet.

The announcement on the Academy System only stated that the final exam would be a joint inter-academy exam, but it did not include a theoretical exam.

After all, the theoretical Transcendent Systems studied by the various Transcendent Academies are different, so a unified theoretical exam would be impossible.

I truly didn't know the content of the practical combat test.

“You don't possibly not know the content of the joint exam, do you?”

Big Sis Bai suddenly realized.

“Mhm, I haven't looked into it.”

I nodded honestly.

“Alright, alright. Then let me briefly tell you.”

Big Sis Bai sighed at this moment.

“In short, the location of this joint exam is an archipelago in the tropical region of the ocean in the Main World.”

“Archipelago? Doesn't that mean this is a dedicated field for the Sea Race?”

I asked.

“Perhaps. Instead of calling it a dedicated field, it’s more like a slight accommodation for the Sea Race. I heard there are temporary underwater volcanoes shaped by spells in the sea area. If you're not careful, you might be instantly defeated. So, they can't be too reckless either.”

“I see… that’s a clever idea.”

I chuckled.

I guessed the Sea Race Academy thought they had an advantage, but they were actually in for a miserable time.

“Since it's a joint exam, there's naturally a balance. The island is called the Bobapus Archipelago. It's a rather famous tourist destination. You must have heard of it, right?”

“Bobapus Archipelago? I haven’t… I'm not too familiar with it, actually…”

I scratched my head, sheepishly admitting it.

After all, I didn't know much about the Main World, or rather, I had never traveled since I was born into this world, let alone had the chance to learn about any tourist destinations.

“It's fine if you haven't heard of it. You just need to know that the place exists. All the academies will then gather there, with the Wizard Academy taking the lead, to set up some arrangements.”

“The main arrangement will be through a technique of the Wizard Academy called the Grand Sorcery of the False World Space. This sorcery replicates a false world from the real world and superimposes it onto the real world, forming overlapping spaces, similar to the way our Witch Academy is superimposed on the real city of Modu. This way, it won't interfere with the normal operation of the Bobapus Archipelago in the real world.”

“Wait? Grand Sorcery?”

“Is there a problem?”

Big Sis Bai looked at me suspiciously, then quickly realized.

“Grand Sorcery… Oh, are you thinking of the Grand Spellbook?” 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

“Mhm.”

I nodded lightly.

“Grand Spellbook is the name we witches use. The Wizards also continue the tradition of using 'Grand' at the beginning, but since this concept was introduced later, quite a few modified sorceries will have the prefix 'Grand' added simply on the creator's whim. So, this spell is not a means on the same level as a Grand Spellbook.”

“I see…”

“Of course, a Grand Spellbook is not something that is commonplace; it is very precious. Anyway, let's not dwell on that now. Let's talk about the format of this joint exam and the role of the Teaching Assistant and teacher in it. Maybe you can go there as a war correspondent? Hehe Just kidding.”