Chapter 566 ·The Spirit Realm

“Hu, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍hu—”

Along ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍with the intense rise and fall of her chest, Janna’s body, still somewhat stiff, slowly regained awareness amidst a series of hurried breaths.

“Who ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was it—who did she see at the end—”

After ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍forcibly suppressing the tremors running through her body, Janna still felt lingering fear toward the unknown presence hidden within the darkness.

Even ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍though that existence had only appeared within Tifa’s memories—and Janna herself had never seen the other party with her own eyes—the instinctive reaction from her [Danger Perception] talent still gave her the illusion of standing face-to-face with danger itself.

Moreover, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that feeling of peril… even when facing Yoya–Bauhinia, a Third-Tier Witch, she had never reacted this strongly. It was as if a mortal stood before a god, unable even to summon the will to resist—

“A god… could it be that, in the end, the one Tifa faced was an Outer God whose strength already surpassed that of a Third-Tier Witch?”

At that thought, Janna couldn’t help but cast her gaze toward the [Cage of the Thought-Weaver] on the workbench.

Yet, her reason quickly told her that such a guess wasn’t realistic.

After all, why would a being whose power far exceeded that of a Third-Tier Witch bother to curse a mere First-Tier Witch?

Aside from holding the somewhat uncommon identity of being from the [Spirit Realm], Tifa herself seemed to have nothing that could possibly attract the greed of such an existence.

“Although that being possessed power far beyond a Third-Tier Witch, it didn’t exterminate Tifa completely—it merely cursed her. And matching that description… it seems there’s only one being from the [Spirit Realm] who fits—”

Realizing the implication of her thought, Janna immediately stopped herself.

Whether it was true or not, as someone who relied on the [Lord of the Spirit Realm] to earn her living through summoning, Janna dared not speculate recklessly about such an existence.

Besides, from the few encounters she’d had with the [Lord of the Spirit Realm] over the years, the other party appeared to be rather benevolent.

If nothing else, the fact that her wrist wounds from ritual bloodletting were always healed afterward—and that Tifa had not been utterly destroyed—was proof enough that the [Lord of the Spirit Realm] was no wanton killer.

“Forget it. Whatever Tifa’s final obsession was, as long as the knowledge in her memory is correct, that’s all that matters.”

As a Summoning-type Apprentice Witch possessing an A-rank [Spirit Traverse] talent, what truly concerned Janna was the new understanding she had gained regarding the [Law of Contracts].

From Tifa’s memories, it appeared that for a non-native of the [Spirit Realm] to qualify for comprehension of the [Law of Contracts], one prerequisite was to first establish an Anchor within the [Spirit Realm], then sign a mysterious pact with the [Lord of the Spirit Realm] to obtain an official [Spirit Realm] identity.

Of course, that was only the first step.

According to Tifa’s method, if Janna wished to truly comprehend the [Law of Contracts], she would not only need to become a Messenger of the Spirit Realm, but also transform her Anchor into a transit hub that could host other Spirit Messengers passing through.

The purpose of doing so was to completely fuse her [Fallen Star] projection—anchored within the [Spirit Realm]—into the realm itself.

After that, Janna would be able to use the authority of the [Lord of the Spirit Realm] to create a new Spirit Realm Race on Zoe Star.

Through dispatching this race she created to other planes, Janna could then guide intelligent beings possessing summoning talents in those worlds to form contracts with her Spirit Realm Race, thereby obtaining what Tifa had once described as the [Contract Fragments]—

As for the truth of this knowledge, Janna remained only half convinced.

It wasn’t just due to her naturally cautious personality, but also because Tifa’s fate within her own memories hadn’t exactly ended well.

Although Janna couldn’t yet determine whether Tifa’s curse had been linked to her comprehension of the [Law of Contracts], she decided it was safer to verify the matter indirectly first.

Naturally, during this process of verification, Janna would never reveal that she already knew about Tifa’s memories.

Even if the [Witch Sect] didn’t explicitly require its members to keep the contents of the [Threads of Desire] secret, for her own safety—and to avoid angering others—Janna believed keeping her mouth shut was the wisest choice.

“It’s getting late.”

Glancing out the dormitory window at the pitch-black night, Janna felt fatigue washing over her. The strain from using [Mind’s Eye] to explore the memories within the [Threads of Desire] had consumed much of her mental power.

“Thankfully, time in the [Land of Desire] flows faster than in the [Material World]. Otherwise, I’d have even less time to rest.”

With coursework, academy missions, opera performances, and [Fallen Star] cultivation alone already dividing most of her time, this new task of collecting [Threads of Desire] would only squeeze her schedule even further.

“But after joining the [Witch Sect], such things are inevitable. After all, acquiring these materials also helps me learn potion-making from the sect more quickly—”

Compared to her income from opera performances, selling potions labeled under the [Witch Sect] name would bring in far more profit.

And that income would give Janna more confidence when exchanging new resources at the White Tower.

So far, Janna had already nearly exhausted her savings just exchanging various [Sources of Power] at the [Resource Exchange Hall] of the White Tower.

Thus, to maintain the progress of cultivating Zoe Star, with no room left for frugality, she had to focus on generating more income by opening new financial channels.

“Besides that, I need to start preparing in advance for the contract signing with the [Lord of the Spirit Realm], to obtain qualification for comprehending the [Law of Contracts].”

Now that she had already comprehended fragments of the [Law of Purification], [Law of Growth], [Law of Withering], and [Law of Beauty], Janna wasn’t content to stop there—she sought to further expand her authority.

It wasn’t out of greed. Rather, the downfall of Ivrecia–Twilight, coupled with the warnings from the Nightmare Witch Yoya–Bauhinia, constantly reminded her of the blade hanging over her head.

The threat of Extra-Dimensional Evil Gods, the watchful gaze of the Bloodred Archduke from the Shadow World—either of them was enough to spell death for Janna—

—

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