novelraw Chapter 61 – You heard the echo of life
Chapter 61 – You heard the echo of life
### On How to Cultivate Krisa
On how to cultivate a witch.
Xu Xi had contemplated this countless times and had devised a corresponding plan.
First, magic. After Xu Xi broke through to the Grand Archmage level, his mastery of magic had already reached level 9.
Beyond that lies the forbidden spells used by Saint Domain Archmages.
Xu Xi planned to teach the witch all the elemental magic he had mastered from levels 1 to 9, and even the forbidden spells he had yet to master.
Balancing body and mind, balancing bloodline and elements.
Krisa's talent became extraordinarily terrifying, allowing her to attempt mastering more elements, not just being confined to earth, wind, water, and fire.
Moreover, there was another crucial aspect of cultivation.
Xu Xi wanted to try to cure the witch's emotional deficiency before this simulation ended.
"Click—"
He pushed open the door to the Meditation Chamber.
Walking through the corridor where light and shadow intertwined.
His footsteps were slow but powerful, like a small drum beating, echoing in the chest that housed the heart.
Startling the seabirds on the eaves to take flight, and causing a few tiny insects to scurry away quickly.
"Krisa?"
As Xu Xi turned the corner, he saw the gray-silver-haired girl who had been waiting for a long time.
She stood by the wall, posture upright, her face hidden in the shadow cast by the wall, but a few strands of hair shone in the sunlight, glistening white.
"Congratulations on your promotion, Mentor," the witch said with a flat tone, devoid of any emotional color, so bland it made one doubt if they heard it wrong.
But Xu Xi knew.
This was already the best Krisa could do.
She had tried before to smile and welcome Xu Xi, but the stiff, crooked corners of her mouth only made her look more eerie, like a motionless corpse.
At that time, Xu Xi was particularly silent.
He didn't criticize or scold.
He merely suggested, in a roundabout way, that Krisa should abandon the idea of smiling to welcome him.
Krisa was obedient and did as told.
Thus, she returned to her expressionless state, her tone as bland as a series of "hmm" and "oh."
Whenever Xu Xi advanced to a new realm or explored new magic, the witch would obediently wait near the Meditation Chamber, patiently awaiting Xu Xi's return.
"Thank you, Krisa, for waiting here for me."
"It's what I should do, Mentor."
Xu Xi stepped forward.
Joining the witch.
The two walked side by side toward the main hall, chatting about scattered daily life or magical knowledge and techniques along the way.
"Krisa, while I was meditating and breaking through, nothing happened outside, right?"
"Rest assured, everything is normal."
"Is that so? That's good. How has your magic training been lately? Any issues?"
"Yes, regarding the derivative ice magic of the water element, I..."
Krisa's tone was as calm as a machine.
She explained her doubts to Xu Xi.
Xu Xi patiently guided her, pointing out where she went wrong and what needed strengthening. This was their way of interacting, a mundane yet ordinary daily life.
Back in the main hall, the witch stopped her inquiries and prepared a refreshing hot drink for Xu Xi.
She busied herself alone, in a way she thought useful to Xu Xi, meticulously washing the porcelain cup clean and drying it with a white cloth.
Finally, she poured a steaming hot drink.
The liquid was light green, with Clarity Herb added.
The taste was slightly astringent, but for a mage who had just broken through meditation, it had the effect of relieving fatigue.
"Thanks, Krisa," Xu Xi said, taking the cup and thanking Krisa while subconsciously meeting her striking black and gold eyes.
He paused.
Not because the witch's eyes were peculiar.
Over the years, he had seen them countless times and was no longer surprised.
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What made Xu Xi pause was that once again, he saw his clear reflection in Krisa's lifeless eyes, only this time, compared to when they left Allenson, his reflection had noticeably changed.
Changes in appearance, changes in posture, changes in living habits.
No, perhaps not so noticeable.
But indeed, through Krisa's eyes, Xu Xi realized that his time was inevitably counting down.
This year, Xu Xi was 29.
At the peak of his life.
But soon, it wouldn't take long for this body to unknowingly transform into an aging form that even Xu Xi himself wouldn't recognize.
Such is life, fleeting in an instant.
"Is there a problem, Mentor?"
Seeing Xu Xi pause, the girl thought there was an issue with the hot drink and inquired.
"No, it's nothing."
"Just... suddenly remembered something."
Xu Xi shook his head, taking a sip of the hot drink, feeling the bitter liquid roll over his tongue.
There was no sweetness after bitterness, no hint of sweetness at all; the magical drink of Clarity Herb was purely bitter, with a numbing astringency on the tongue.
Xu Xi drank slowly, his gaze drifting outside.
Unlike the courtyard he used to live in, where city buildings obstructed most of the view, this time in Apogu City, he could see the vast blue sea from home.
It was the height of scorching summer.
The sunlight was harsh, the light stinging, the sun burning the air into a distorted blur.
"Boom! Boom!"
The central steam unit of Apogu City began to operate.
Majestic steam, like the Tower of Babel, shot straight into the sky, swept away by the sea breeze, forming a hot and stifling mist.
Countless people playing by the sea scattered because of it.
Unwilling to endure the invasion of the hot mist.
Time was tight; if someone ran slowly, they would be trapped in the hot mist, not fatal, but leaving them drenched in sweat and quite uncomfortable.
"Time is running out..."
Xu Xi said in a haunting voice, under the witch's bewildered gaze.
Whether he was referring to the people outside.
Or something else.
The witch didn't understand; she tilted her head, took the empty cup from Xu Xi's hand, and refilled it with a new Clarity Herb drink.
"...So bitter."
Xu Xi finally couldn't help but comment.
[You successfully broke through to the Grand Archmage, your power becoming stronger, and your mental strength reaching unprecedented levels.]
[You feel somewhat inflated.]
[Your inflation disappears.]
[Feeling the deities' blockade and suppression, your plan to ascend to godhood hasn't even been implemented before it faces bankruptcy, yet you don't feel sad.]
[In your view, achieving the status of a Saint Domain Archmage in the future is already perfect enough.]
[After leaving the Meditation Chamber, you meet Krisa waiting at the door.]
[You see yourself again in Krisa's eyes, suddenly realizing that your appearance has changed significantly compared to when you were in Allenson City.]
[You hear the echo of your lifespan.]
[You are dazed, you lose focus, you smile and accept it calmly.]
[You plan to accelerate the witch's cultivation plan because you're unsure when your mortal lifespan will ultimately end.]