“Excuse me, what is the crystallization of wisdom?” Xia De asked softly, resisting immense pressure, feeling his head becoming increasingly numb.
The deity of the lake said softly, “The fruits of your wisdom. Perhaps a sentence, perhaps an essay, perhaps a book, perhaps an invention. Bring your crystallization of wisdom to prove your wisdom.”
“Does it have to be original?” Xia De asked again. The deity shook his head slightly.
“In the third era, I once posed this challenge to mortals, and an alchemist immediately refined a philosopher's stone. Yes, a philosopher's stone.” He looked at Xia De.
“Oh~” Xia De heard Miss Teresa sigh softly.
“Miss Violet, can you make a philosopher's stone?” Xia De then asked the Great Witch beside him. She gave him a sidelong glance and did not answer.
So he asked Miss Teresa, who replied tremblingly before he even opened his mouth, “If I could make a philosopher's stone, would I still be worried about my graduation thesis?”
What she said made sense, but it also meant that, in addition to unique innovation, a more difficult Miracle also counted as a “crystallization of wisdom.”
Since none of the three had the ability to create a philosopher's stone by hand, this visit could only temporarily end. They would return to the camp to think of a solution and then come back to respond to the deity's test.
Xia De explained to the deity that the three of them would return soon, and the deity smiled, signaling that they could leave.
Miss Teresa was still helped up by Xia De. Miss Violet, though pale, could still walk on her own. The Great Witch, who was almost at her limit, quickly led Xia De out of the calm lake on the first floor of the tower.
Once the door closed automatically, Miss Violet gasped and grabbed Xia De’s other arm, taking a long time to recover.
When she looked up again, she felt the wisps of hair on her forehead sticking to her skin with sweat. She intended to check on her companion beside her but found that Xia De looked perfectly fine, except for the bloodstains on his face that he hadn't wiped clean.
“Are you really human?” The Witch Emperor prided herself on her extensive Knowledge, but the experience of just half an hour still greatly astonished her.
Xia De calculated the time; he was about to leave. “Just now you were only doubting my Gender, and now you're doubting my race?”
“The Night Watchman at your feet can only confirm that you are not an evil entity; it cannot assume your race,” the Witch, who had recovered somewhat, said.
Xia De did not want to say too much on this topic; he truly had no time. “What about the deity's test?”
“We'll go back to the camp first and see what we have. It's terrible; before coming to Lost Lake, I didn't expect to encounter such a situation. I thought the deity's test would be a riddle or a duel or something…” Miss Violet said.
Miss Teresa also nodded and said to Xia De, “Sir, I won't say too many words of thanks. Your… performance just now was truly astonishing. Please tell us your thoughts.”
“If I am to display personal wisdom, and it must be a crystallization of wisdom, I think writing a thesis or creating an unprecedented invention would be at least simpler than us making a philosopher's stone by hand,” Xia De said.
Miss Teresa agreed, “I think so too, but this kind of invention or creation must be innovative. Even if it overlaps with previous work, it must have its own innovative points.”
Miss Violet thought for a moment. “The luggage we have on us probably doesn't count as the crystallization of our own wisdom, so let's each make some attempts. I plan to improve potions. The basic potion ‘Fire Resistance Potion’ has already had at least seven revisions. I will try to see if there can be an eighth direction for improvement.”
“I happen to be writing my graduation thesis, so I'll just finish the third chapter here,” Miss Teresa said after a moment of hesitation.
“Why the third chapter?” Xia De asked curiously.
Miss Teresa released Xia De's arm and explained to him with some annoyance, “The first chapter is the introduction, the second chapter is theoretical research results, and the third chapter truly involves valuable content.”
After what had just happened, her attitude towards Xia De was noticeably better. “I originally thought I could leave the Academy and adventure outside, having ample reason to postpone writing. I didn't expect to end up writing my thesis in such a terrible environment without a desk. If I had known this would happen, I would have stayed in the Academy, in my single dorm room, writing my thesis while looking at the sea view outside the window. After this trip, my mentor will definitely mock me.”
Miss Violet seemed amused. She looked at Xia De again. “You seem to have your own ideas too?”
“Yes, I plan to write a thesis on advanced mathematics, but the specific content still needs some thought.”
“Advanced mathematics? I didn't expect you to be a scholar,” the Great Witch became increasingly surprised by Xia De.
“However, I'd like to understand your past story first. You mentioned earlier that you've visited deities multiple times, so it wasn't a lie. After leaving Lost Lake, are you interested in being my guest? I can guarantee you a life of wealth and honor.” She was thoroughly interested in Xia De.
“This story is very long; I think I can tell it next time. Also, I'd like to understand the current situation of the material world from you,” Xia De said, looking at the dense fog outside the tower.
“I'll probably… I don't know when I'll be back, but next time I return, I'll bring my thesis.” He waved his hand.
Miss Teresa looked at him in confusion, while Miss Violet frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”
“I think I have to leave,” Xia De turned to look at the tower again. “I can't stay in this place for too long. Now, I'm going back.”
As he spoke, both ladies saw the surrounding white mist surging towards the young, handsome man, enveloping him like a giant cocoon.
“Leaving?” Miss Teresa was startled and reached out to grab his arm, only to find her hand passing through his body, as if through an illusion.
“Indeed, you are not the same as us,” Miss Violet snorted.
Although the Witch Emperor did not know exactly what Xia De was, she at least understood his stance. “Next time you come, remember to bring red wine. We've consumed too much of our wine.”
“No problem. I hope we can ultimately complete the deity's three tests. By the way, Miss Violet, don't forget to pick up your hat.”
He waved goodbye to the Witches. The white mist completely enveloped him, and winds from an unknown source made the fog swirl around Xia De.
Miss Teresa still wanted to say something, but when the swirling mist subsided and dispersed evenly in all directions, Xia De, who had been standing in front of the tower, was gone.
The young Witch blinked. “Your Majesty, that wasn't an illusion, was it?”
Miss Violet hesitated before nodding. “I believe it wasn't.”
As she spoke, she did not immediately pick up her hat but instead pulled the Night Watchman from the ground. Holding the hilt, she suddenly froze, taking a full three seconds to recover.
“What's wrong?” Miss Teresa was startled, but then saw the Witch Emperor looking at the longsword in her hand with hesitation. “I once told you that this sword can inherit the combat memories of past heroes.”
“Yes.”
“I've used this sword many times, but just now, when I touched it, an additional memory of fighting the undead appeared. Yes, overwhelming undead, coming from all directions. I saw someone using this ritual sword, sweeping through the undead army with Sunlight Ray. Although the power wasn't strong, the skill was indeed commendable.”
“Aren't there a bit too many strange things happening today?” Miss Teresa murmured softly.
Miss Violet thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Do you still remember the stories that have been passed down for generations among the students of the Three Great Arcane Academies?”
“You mean, those absurd Academy legends?” Miss Teresa nodded. She hadn't graduated yet and knew many of these stories. “There are many stories, for example, that some ancient Witches haven't died but are in Sleep somewhere.”
“Pure lies. Witches are also mortals, and mortals eventually die.”
“Violating curfew at night means being caught by the Academy Disciplinary Office and taken to the basement… for punishment.”
“Young girls always like to let their imaginations run wild. In reality, they are just taken to the observatory to endure a night of cold wind.”
“Among the Three Great Arcane Academies, a deity's secret is hidden.”
“Partially true, but those are just some forbidden Knowledge.”
“Cheating on exams is always discovered; no one has ever escaped.”
“Of course, some have succeeded. I… continue.” The Witch Emperor's face flushed, and she skipped this topic.
“When a young Witch encounters danger, a kind, brave, upright, beautiful, and well-built lady will be sent by a deity to rescue those kind-hearted girls,” Miss Teresa said.
Miss Violet sighed. “Yes, that's it.”
The former hesitated, her eyes filled with doubt. “Isn't this just young girls' adolescent fantasies? I admit, when I first enrolled, I also thought similar things.”
“This is, of course, a fantasy, similar to those unclean storybooks circulating in the Academy. But there is also some truth, it's just that the original rumor was truly shocking. I only heard this story when I visited Saint Byron's. The original saying was not about a well-built lady, but that when a Witch encounters a deity and faces difficulties, a strange man will appear from the fog and offer assistance.”
Miss Violet paused, her eyes looking at the longsword in her hand. “Men, in our eyes, are similar to excrement, so the original legend was quickly distorted, and no one ever thought it was true…”
“Are we experiencing a real legend?” the tenth-grade Witch asked in disbelief. “If I write this experience into a thesis, maybe…”
“After leaving Lost Lake, you won't be able to retain too many memories, and most of your records will be lost. But even if you still remember him, do not leave any records, yes, any records,” Miss Violet said with a serious expression.
Miss Teresa was startled, then nodded somewhat unwillingly. “Yes, aunt.” They were distant relatives.
“Let's go back. The path back to the camp isn't easy. However, I'm truly curious what kind of surprise that gentleman will bring when he returns.” Saying this, she beckoned to the hat on the ground, and the hat automatically flew into her hand.
Suddenly, she frowned again and asked Miss Teresa with confusion, “Speaking of which, why didn't we ask for his name?”
