Chapter 628: The Problem of Soul Mimicry

Witch Academy.

Research Lab.

“Hi Witch Sisters, I'm back temporarily.”

Returning here and seeing the familiar Witch Sisters, I couldn't help but say hello.

“It's Xiaohan. Why did you suddenly come back from the Expansion Realm?”

“That's right, you caused a huge stir a few days ago. How could you bear to come back now?”

The lab immediately became lively as many Witch Sisters saw me return.

After all, during my absence, they had also been busy with great enthusiasm.

Some witches had left the team, and new witches had joined.

And the most crucial research project, the technique of the Tree of Knowledge condensing the Seed of Knowledge, was basically perfected!

The Tree of Knowledge, conceived by the Seed of Great Knowledge, could now independently condense seeds!

“So you've succeeded? And... have you conducted the experiment?”

I inquired curiously.

“The simulation experiment in the Memory Crystal has succeeded. We just need to conduct practical simulations, gather data, and make some adjustments, and it will basically be ready.”

“Practical simulation?”

“Yes, we will issue a mission. Volunteer students will come over to cooperate with the experiment. If the experiment succeeds, we will start making adjustments, followed by mass production.”

“Is that so? You can issue missions for this?”

I asked with some surprise.

“Of course. Missions and corresponding rewards are issued based on the level of danger. With mentors backing us up, even if the experiment fails, the Resurrection Spell can be used to revive them. If there are any unexpected accidents, there will be mental compensation and the like.”

A Witch Sister told me very casually. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Judging by her demeanor, she must have often done this before joining my lab...

I hadn't realized there was such a group in the Witch Academy, using themselves as test subjects for mentors' research?

Just how desperately short of money were they?

“Alright, another person has signed up, a total of 23. That should be enough, right? I'll take down the mission.”

“How many? 23? That many people for the experiment?”

I asked in surprise.

“Of course, we need to conduct multiple sets of control experiments. We are very confident in success, so we recruited more all at once for the next comparative experiments.”

“Originally, we were planning to find 100 to round it up, but since the Expansion Realm opened during this time, fewer people signed up.”

“I see...”

I nodded and didn't pry further.

Since they had their own ideas, there was no need for me to interfere.

Moreover, I had my own experiment to conduct upon my return.

I had already notified Fool's Dream before even arriving at the lab, so when I got to the designated independent laboratory, I saw them there.

“Big Sis Xiaohan! It's Big Sis Xiaohan.”

“Big Sis Xiaohan, why did you wait so long after that last time? I haven't heard anything from Big Sis Xiaohan.”

“See, didn't I tell you? I found a new breakthrough point in the Soul Mimicry technique and needed to conduct more in-depth research, didn't I?”

I bent down and reached out to stroke Fool's Blue's little head, and incidentally caressed their cat ears.

They were fuzzy and very cute.

Although telling them that earlier was a lie, I had managed to justify the lie with my own ability and luck.

“So Big Sis Xiaohan, were you successful this time?”

“More or less. The Soul Mimicry technique is mostly complete, but this technique alone is not enough to turn you into a true life form.”

I sighed.

“It's okay, it's okay. Big Sis Xiaohan is amazing, and you will definitely succeed in the future!”

I nodded and began the experiment amidst the continuous "Big Sis Xiaohan" calls from the three Fool's Dream girls.

Of course, rather than an experiment, it was more like a simple spell-casting.

Currently, I had only tried Soul Mimicry on myself; I had never tried it on Fool's Dream.

Only after trying it on Fool's Dream did I discover the problem.

Using Soul Mimicry on Fool's Dream required an important spell-casting material!

Soul-substance.

When I used it on myself, I was the essence of the soul itself, so Soul Mimicry already included both the spell-casting subject and the spell-casting "material."

But Fool's Dream couldn't do that.

They were the essence of the Dream State, without a foundation of life.

How could they mimic a soul from nothing?

“Wait a moment, wait a moment, I think I've found the problem.”

I quickly appeased Fool's Dream and immediately used the Great Tree of Knowledge to derive the corresponding spell-casting ritual needed after adding the spell-casting material.

It didn't take long for me to derive the ritual.

I then took out several Soul Crystals.

These were all highly concentrated crystallized Soul-substance I had collected in the Expansion Realm.

They were very precious, but now they became spell-casting material that I could freely squander.

Then I took out several Arcanite Gold pieces to be transmuted as auxiliary spell-casting materials.

Then, using these materials as a medium, I outlined the Ritual Formation.

The golden color of the Arcanite Gold outlined a Rune Ritual on the ground that shimmered with the light of money.

Actually, the tradition of drawing this kind of spell-casting Ritual Formation directly on the ground exists because drawing it on the ground allows for better contact with the Earth Vein, relying on the carrying capacity of the Earth Vein Energy to ensure that the drawn ritual does not "dissipate."

In reality, this was a custom formed when spell-casting techniques were not sufficiently developed.

Generally, modern Spell Rituals use special Transcendent materials as a ritual array plate if one's own technical prowess is insufficient, and borrowing Earth Vein Energy is considered a very primitive method.

As for those with strong technical prowess, they can draw wherever they like, and doing it on the ground is just for convenience.

Since I had severed the Earth Vein Chains, completely cut off my affinity with the Earth Vein, and could not communicate with Earth Vein Energy, coupled with my significant research in Rune Rituals, I belonged to the second category.

After completing the outline of the ritual, I placed several Soul Crystals on the Ritual Formation as ritual nodes, and finally communicated with the ritual to cast the Soul Mimicry technique.

The three little Fool's Dream girls simultaneously felt a change.

It was as if their consciousness had separated from their bodies.

Originally, their Dream State essence could not appear in reality.

But here, where there was no Dream State Overlap phenomenon, their consciousness detached from their bodies and appeared before me!

“Success!”

I watched their consciousness appear in reality, trembling with excitement... this was the joy brought by success!

I had completely crossed the empty Dream State, pulling the meaningless Dream State essence across the boundaries of reality, into reality!

I looked at the three Fool's Dream girls.

At this moment, they manifested an essence similar to Soul-substance, but higher than Soul-substance, close to a soul but not quite a soul.

They seemed unfamiliar with this form, looking a bit lost.

It was a good while before they finally adapted.

At this moment, they had left their bodies and appeared in reality in the form of mimicked souls.

They tried to speak but found themselves unable to utter a sound.

After all, their state at this moment was similar to death.

When the soul leaves the body, the deceased cannot make a sound anymore.

Only by mastering special soul vocalization techniques can a person in reality hear the sound.

However, I still had Spirit Vision.

With the continuous acquisition and perfection of the Earth Vein Appraisal Spell, coupled with the interpretation and presentation of Earth Vein Information, my mastery of Spirit Vision was becoming increasingly formidable.

The two "dilemmas" that Spirit Vision initially presented me were:

One was granting me the sight of information that transcended my own cognition, originating from True Time; I couldn't understand it.

The other was granting me the sight of a massive amount of information from True Time; the information volume was too high for my consciousness to bear.

As my acceptance of Spirit Vision continually integrated into all aspects of life, my capacity to accept massive amounts of information was continuously increasing, and the subconscious effort to shield this information was also continuously improving.

The perfection of the Earth Vein Appraisal Spell further granted me the ability to understand the information acquired by Spirit Vision.

Therefore, for me, the Earth Vein Appraisal Spell also had another way of acquiring information, which was True Time.

So, Spirit Vision was no longer a burden to me but a benefit.

It granted me an additional "channel" for acquiring information and gave me "cognition" of more information.

So, even though Fool's Dream wanted to speak but couldn't, I could "see" what they wanted to say.

What they wanted to say had been expressed, only presented in the form of information, so I could understand it.

If I mastered the language of other worlds, and a person from that world spoke in this state, I could also understand what they were trying to express.

“It's alright, take your time and get used to this state. This is Soul Mimicry; you succeeded! You're wonderful!”

I spoke to comfort them.

“Big Sis Xiaohan...”

“It feels strange... I feel dizzy... I want to go back...”

I "watched" the Fool's Dream girls speak.

Although they looked happy, their state was not very good at the moment.

“Then quickly return to your bodies. Remaining in the mimicked soul state for too long without a carrier is indeed strange.”

I also nodded quickly, having experienced it myself.

However, just when I thought the matter was resolved, an accident occurred.

“Big Sis Xiaohan, it's strange, I can't go back...”

“I can't go back, the body can't form a connection...”

“What's wrong?”

I quickly checked the situation.

“Can't go back? How can that be... did you not master the method? Then feel your body, and return, slowly regaining the feeling of controlling the body.”

“Ugh... it's still not working...”

“How is that possible?”

I frowned and asked.

I had already mastered the method of soul detachment when I experienced the boundary between the Dream State and reality.

Many techniques were used, such as the Dream Magic Spell, Resurrection Spell, and self-awakened Body Cultivation closing off perception, etc.

Of course, the primary technique was the derivation based on the Resurrection Spell, as the Resurrection Spell mainly involves rebuilding a complete body and guiding the Soul-substance or soul to return to the body.

Thinking that Fool's Dream lacked experience in this area, I immediately used the Resurrection Spell's Soul Guiding derivation, forcefully inserting their mimicked souls into their bodies.

But... I failed.

“How is that possible?!”

This was my first reaction.

How could the body be unable to carry the mimicked soul?

The body could carry even Soul-substance and a soul.

Why could the mimicked soul, which was in between, not be carried?

I subconsciously swallowed.

A kind of nervousness that hadn't appeared in a long time began to spread in my heart.

I forcefully suppressed this emotion, because I knew I couldn't be nervous now.

So I needed to calm down and analyze the reason.

Could it be that... the body was incompatible with the mimicked soul?

This was similar to how a Prospective Witch's body would undergo a transformation after advancing to Transcendent Witch, and gain body talents like Self-generating Magic Power...

But thinking too much wouldn't yield any results.

Fool's Dream's body was created by Academy Head Mei, so... since a problem arose, I could go and ask Academy Head Mei.

Right!

This seemed to be the best solution.

After all, the current problem could not be delayed, and I didn't have much time for slow research.

I had to go ask Academy Head Mei!

After realizing this, I picked up the bodies of the three Fool's Dream girls on the Ritual Formation and immediately stood up.

“Fool's Blue, Fool's Luck, Fool's Fruit, come with me, we are going to find the Academy Head.”

I turned and spoke to their mimicked soul bodies.

Then I opened the door and left the independent laboratory.

And the three Fool's Dream girls followed behind me, floating in the air in their semi-transparent mimicked soul form.

“Eh? What is Xiaohan going to do... walking so fast?”

“Were those three following Xiaohan the Fool's Dream girls? Did I see correctly?”

“Wait a minute, aren't the Fool's Dream girls Dream State creatures? How come I saw their Dream State consciousness body in reality... Huh? What did Xiaohan do?”

Only having exchanged a quick greeting, the Witches who were still busy at the moment just caught a glimpse and realized something was wrong.

Realizing the anomaly, the Witches looked up at the disappearing figure, remaining stunned for a long time.

“Um... was that Big Sis Xiaohan who just ran past?”

The students waiting for their arrangements here couldn't help but ask curiously, looking at the greatly surprised teachers.

“Yes, that was Xiaohan. Please sit down and wait here for a moment. Once everyone arrives, the experiment will begin.”

“Yes, consider yourselves lucky for being quick to sign up for this mission. You'll get to experience the experimental item in advance. Please sign this Witch's Contract first.”

At this moment, a Witch walked over, handing a stack of Witch's Contracts.

***

Expansion Realm.

Seed Bank Second Large Shelter.

Not long after I left, many students immediately gathered here.

These people came here to visit Teaching Assistant Xiaohan, and they even brought many generous gifts.

But they soon found that they had come up empty-handed.

Teaching Assistant Xiaohan was nowhere to be found here.

They asked the Aboriginals, including the eighteen people in charge of the Shelter's construction, but they didn't know what was going on either.

The group, who had originally intended to seek help and request her to dispel the Dream State Overlap phenomenon, now fully felt the "malice" from the other party.

Some immediately went back to transmit this information, explaining the situation, while others, who were likely under strict orders, remained here, waiting for her return.

After learning the news, everyone sighed with emotion.

As expected, that Teaching Assistant Xiaohan was free-spirited... no one knew what was going on in that person's mind.

Labeling her as an unstable factor was truly not unfair to her at all.

But even if they couldn't find her, they absolutely had to look.

Their Ninglan New City would soon be affected by the nearest Dream State Overlap area.

According to the conditions of the Dream Magic Spell they learned, they had to be responsible for all residents of Ninglan New City.

So, for the residents of Ninglan New City and for themselves, they had to find her and solve the problem.