Chapter 655: The World Invests in You, It Has Nothing to Do With You

The Expansion Realm.

In the Calamity Tavern.

“A… Destiny Alchemist?”

I looked at the beautiful Witch Big Sis in front of me, letting out a slight sigh of relief.

“Um… Hello, Big Sis Trixie, my name is Yang Yuehan. Just call me Xiao Han, Big Sis Trixie.”

“Mm-hmm. A name I've heard of for a long time.”

“I wonder if Big Sis Trixie suddenly sought me out for something?”

Seeing that her tone was neither hurried nor slow, I wasn't sure what she was looking for, so I cautiously probed.

“Many things don't have too many reasons. It's like I suddenly became free, heard of an interesting little one, and decided to come and take a look.”

“Uh… well, Big Sis Trixie, won't the other Academies find out that you came to the Expansion Realm?”

After all, the Expansion Realm was currently the home field of the students.

Except for Mentor Elena, who served as the Resurrection mentor in Ninglan New City, the other mentors, including those from other Academies, all descended as powerless Clones.

“Why is Xiao Han starting to care about such trivial matters? As long as you're not discovered, you haven't been here. It's a very simple logic.”

Trixie said nonchalantly, while her fingertip played with that strand of Destiny Thread.

“Let's get back to the main topic. Xiao Han, what do you think this thing in my hand is?”

“Destiny… Thread?”

“Clever. It's a Destiny Thread, which is distinct from Destiny itself.”

Trixie smiled and praised me, as if coaxing a child.

“Do you know why Destiny condenses into a thread?”

“I… I don't know. I really haven't thought about that…”

I shook my head and said.

However, being prompted by Big Sis Trixie, my mind quickly became active.

Why did Destiny appear in the form of a thread?

After my dominance over the Spirit Vision talent deepened, I had already seen that the deeper level of Destiny was not a thread but an invisible "airflow."

That was how my Destiny Gazing Technique came about.

“If you don't know, you don't know. I like honest children. Since you don't know, then let me tell you. Destiny can be condensed into a Destiny Thread through a special technique, and the one who is most proficient in this technique… is the World Consciousness.”

“World Consciousness…”

Hearing this explanation, I instinctively thought of another question and asked it without hesitation.

“Then does the World Consciousness also master a technique that transforms World Primordial Soil?”

“Hmm?”

Hearing my question, even Trixie paused for a second, looking as if she couldn't keep up with my train of thought.

“This question… I don't really know much about it. I can only give some vague answers. Maybe, because it's outside my area of research.”

“Alright… sorry, I just suddenly thought of it.”

“It's fine. I've heard of the great name of World Primordial Soil, a stubborn material that only the world itself can transform and utilize. Perhaps it truly is an innate technique mastered by the World Consciousness? But you know, I am a Destiny Alchemist, so I am only very familiar with concepts and techniques related to Destiny. I heard Xiao Han also has some achievements in the field of Destiny, such as… the Destiny Gazing Technique.”

“That… the Destiny Gazing Technique probably doesn't count as much…”

“It is a very simple yet heaven-defying technique,” Trixie interrupted me and said.

“Such a humble child. Just relying on this technique, even if it's a clever trick based on the talent of Spirit Vision, it is a trick that only you can pull off. Xiao Han, are you interested in Destiny Alchemists?”

“Uh… not very interested…”

I shook my head and said.

After all, my initial impression of Destiny wasn't very good, so I followed my heart and expressed my indifference.

“What a pity… You seem to have once possessed a Seed of Destiny and even tried to personally destroy it… You should be the most suitable child to walk this path.”

Seeing my attitude, Trixie sighed slightly.

“But I can roughly tell that your first contact with the concept of Destiny left you with a less-than-positive impression, right? I have to admit that sometimes the World Consciousness can misjudge, after all, she has too many children.”

“Mm… perhaps…”

I nodded in agreement.

“Then Xiao Han, do you think you have already escaped the influence of Destiny?”

“Uh… there should still be some…”

I glanced at the Destiny Threads wrapped around me.

There weren't many, because I had cleaned myself up when I left for the journey, and now I had accumulated a few more.

“I'm not referring to the Destiny Threads.”

Trixie said with a smile.

“Do you remember what I just told you? You still have traces of the Seed of Destiny remaining on you.”

“But… didn't I destroy the Seed of Destiny? And I also cut the Earth Vein Chains…”

“Cutting the Earth Vein Chains… what does that have to do with Destiny?”

Trixie asked me back upon hearing my words.

“Uh… Big Sis Mei told me…”

“Mei… she really dares to teach people when she knows nothing. The Earth Vein Chains belong to the Earth Vein River, and Destiny belongs to the Destiny Tributary. How could two completely unrelated things affect each other?”

“Uh… Destiny Tributary?”

“Xiao Han doesn't know?”

“Should I know?”

“It seems you haven't heard of it… Then, Xiao Han, do you know the three great long rivers of the Void?”

“Uh… I think I have some impression. The Earth Vein River should be one of them.”

I thought back and finally found some records in the Great Tree of Knowledge.

“Yes, the Earth Vein River is the most conspicuous long river that spans the Void, and worlds are the fruits born from it.”

“Then is the Destiny River also one of them?”

“No. The other two are the Time River, flowing with time and light, closely related to True Time. The other is the Karma River, which is the one I am most familiar with and also least familiar with.”

“Ah? Why?”

“Because the Void cannot observe any traces of the Karma River's existence. We can only infer its possible presence in the Void through its tributaries, and these tributaries are the Destiny Tributaries, also called the Destiny River. I'm familiar because I constantly interact with this concept, and unfamiliar because we have never come into contact with its existence.”

“This is the first time I've heard this.”

“Well? Just chatting with me can also increase your knowledge quite a bit, right? This information is barely recorded in the Academy library.”

“Mm, thank you, Big Sis Trixie, for educating me on this knowledge…”

“Then, Xiao Han, haven't you realized yet? Perhaps you haven't escaped the influence of Destiny.”

Trixie said this, then looked at me expectantly to see what expression I would show.

“It seems so…”

“No sign of surprise at all. You're quite calm, or is it that Xiao Han is not good at expressing herself?”

“I should be not good at expressing myself…”

I said.

While unsure of my answer, I also couldn't guess why this Witch suddenly sought me out.

Or was she also someone who wasn't good at chatting and was easily led off track in social situations?

That… probably wasn't the case.

Just as I was thinking, this Witch Trixie reached out her hand, and a force, guided by a refined Mental Strength Thread, passed through my body.

The force was gentle and not very invasive.

The faint light spots, under my Spirit Vision, presented themselves as special Rune patterns.

Just as I was shocked by this method of loosely misting Magic Power, which made every gathered speck of Magic Power light condense into a Rune light glyph, Trixie seemed to extract something from inside my body.

“It was hidden quite deep. Do you remember what this is?”

Trixie's gaze was fixed on my face.

At this moment, she finally saw a look of shock on my face, which was usually somewhat lacking in emotional expression.

“Seed of Destiny?”

“Yes. Curious why it's still there?”

“Yes, I'm curious.” In my shock, I immediately nodded and said.

“Because the world invests in you, it has nothing to do with you.”

“…”

Hearing Big Sis Trixie state this truth so casually made me instantly think of Qiu Ruxin.

Wasn't she the same in that Small World?

The world choosing her had nothing to do with her.

The point was what benefits the world could gain.

“I can help you get rid of it for free, with no charge. How about that?”

Seeing me dazed, Trixie immediately changed her posture, turning to a look of discussion.

“Good…”

I nodded as if agreeing to a very ordinary transaction.

“However… I just heard a Witch Big Sis say a little while ago that Destiny is also a resource…”

“Alright… I'll reluctantly retract the word 'free.' Are you still willing to proceed?”

Trixie did not show a hint of embarrassment, as if she had done this sort of thing many times.

“Naturally, I'm willing…”

I smiled and said, “But I think Big Sis Trixie is more suited to be a Destiny Merchant than a Destiny Alchemist. I know a few friends who might need your patronage, like Tan Han…”

“Xiao Han, you are truly amusing with your words. As for the Tan Han you mentioned, that little sister… She is also one of my customers.”

“…”

At this moment, I admitted that I was too naive.

After this moment of shock, I looked at Big Sis Trixie again.

The higher the level I stood at, the more I felt that the Script was a clown for others to play with.

Some Witches took it very seriously, some disdained it, some Witches schemed and harvested it, and some… like the one in front of me, utilized it, treating Destiny as a resource for trade.

I have to say, Transcendent Witches were truly free…

“I get the feeling that Xiao Han is thinking about things you shouldn't worry about at all?”

Trixie rested her chin on her other hand, looking at me with interest.

“Are you worried that my playing with Destiny like this will cause bad consequences?”

“Perhaps…”

“Would you like to hear some of my ideas and thoughts on how I treat Destiny?”

Seeing me admit it, Trixie no longer concealed anything and prepared to explain to me.

“Of course, this only represents my own viewpoint. Listening to others' ideas, which are completely different from yours, can help you think about the right and wrong of a matter from more angles.”

“Of course, I would. I will be a qualified listener.”

“Then I'll begin.”

Trixie was very satisfied with my answer.

“Hmm… let's talk about it from a general perspective.”

“World Will, Destiny, Script, Child of Destiny—these concepts constitute a self-consistent and independently operating world system. They collectively maintain the balance and harmony of this world. In this system, every component is extremely important. They are interdependent and work together to ensure the stability and development of the order.”

“The Script, as a mechanism for the universe's self-salvation, exclusion of potential threats, and world advancement, is realized through the resource of Destiny.”

“And the Child of Destiny, as a key character in the Script, shoulders the heavy responsibility of driving world development and change. Their actions and choices often influence the direction of the entire world.”

“How is that? Everything is wonderful, right? The logic is also self-consistent.”

“Mm.”

I nodded, without expressing my own viewpoint.

“But to me, this is a kind of preconceived, inherent thinking, a useless, low-efficiency mode of operation left to its own devices.”

Trixie the Witch now completely changed her tone and began to criticize.

“Destiny could clearly achieve so many things, but the world merely uses it to weave Destiny Threads, endlessly cycling according to the Script like operating puppets, creating a Child of Destiny, and letting the Child of Destiny advance to the Child of Heaven's Mandate to give back to the world after completing the Script Ritual.”

“The Main World operates on this model, but in my view… since the Witches have come here, and we clearly possess much more efficient means, why should we still choose this model?”

“The World Consciousness could completely use Destiny as a resource to trade with us. We help her achieve self-salvation, just like what we are doing—repairing the Expansion Realm.”

“We can also help the world eliminate unstable factors, which is also what we have been doing all along—the strict quantity limit and review of Transcendent individuals entering the Main World.”

“And even later, when the Main World and the Void Front Line Realm are fully repaired, we can still help the Main World advance to a higher level…”

“Xiao Han, do you think this is a win-win situation?”

“Yes…”

I nodded, agreeing with this statement, while also holding back the desire to express my own views.

In fact, this was more like a matter of standing: a simple question of who was stronger was right.

The Witches' attitude toward the Main World was a "I'm doing this for your own good" from a higher perspective.

But the world might not need it…

Should I say the Witches were arrogant?

But they had the strength to be so.

They could clearly treat the world as a resource to be seized, yet they still treated it as an independent individual and reasoned with it.

Perhaps the contradiction stemmed from "benevolence."

If they had treated the other party as a resource not qualified for conversation from the start, this troublesome divergence and contemplation wouldn't have arisen.

Of course, the main reason I had this thought was because of Trixie's previous sentence: “Because the world invests in you, it has nothing to do with you,” which stimulated me.

“I knew Xiao Han wasn't a stubborn Lesser Witch.”

Seeing me agree with her statement, Trixie excitedly told me many things.

Many of these things were even things I hadn't known myself.

For instance, the upcoming College Entrance Examination was merely a ritual to harvest Destiny, dispersing the share of Destiny so that the World Consciousness couldn't generate a Seed of Destiny, thereby preventing the Script from frequently beginning.

And Tan Han, in my current batch, was an exception, because she achieved the feat of a perfect score top scholar, and the Destiny diversion ritual of the College Entrance Examination instead triggered the unfolding of the Script…

It could be said that many of the things I learned from Big Sis Trixie overturned the information.

I had previously acquired from Academy Head Mei, Grade Director Lina, and Mentor Ji Niang.

However, I also maintained a skeptical attitude toward the content Big Sis Trixie spoke of.

In short, I couldn't fully believe what a Witch said; I needed to maintain my own thinking.

“That was a thoroughly enjoyable talk. It's just that Xiao Han, you don't talk much. But you are indeed a qualified listener. Now, it's time to resolve the problem of your Seed of Destiny.”

“Do I need to cooperate in any way?”

“Of course Destiny is your anchor to this world. To completely give up the Seed of Destiny, besides what I will do with Destiny Alchemy, you also need to completely cut off your obsession with this world.”

“Obsession?”

“Mm Maybe it's unforgettable, maybe it's full of nostalgia, maybe it's hard to let go of, maybe it's too painful to look back on, maybe it's… what you dare not face. Xiao Han, you should have the answer, right?”

“…”

“I cannot take your Seed of Destiny before that, but I can use Destiny Alchemy to give you a little help.”

At this moment, Trixie smiled and grasped the Seed of Destiny.

When she opened her hand again, the seed had been replaced by… a coin.

“A small trick of Alchemy. It's called… Destiny's Choice. It can help you make one choice of destiny. I hope it helps you.”

Trixie tossed the weighty coin to me and said.