Miss Witch's Forbidden Book Secret

Ibn pulled up a trout with his fishing rod, threw it into the bucket, and said patiently, “Little Holly! I taught all my life, in the lands of the gods, in the mountain tribes, in the lands of the seven seas, and in the land of the irises.”

Holly looked up, puzzled, and asked, "Mr. Musa! Are you a teacher?"

"No, no, it shouldn't count."

"How could this be!"

“Not everyone who teaches others is a teacher. Just like you are teaching me now, I can only truly call myself your student if I learn how to fish from you. If I hadn’t learned anything, then the distinction between student and teacher wouldn’t hold true.”

"Because knowledge is something that exists in reality, teachers and students are naturally and truly born when it is successfully transferred from one party to another."

Holly couldn't understand, so she quickly went to ask the big dog.

Holly: What does this mean? It's so profound, I don't understand.

Big Dog: ??? I've never been to school, why are you asking me this?

Ibn didn't pay attention to the child's little actions, but couldn't help complaining, "As for me, I've taught many people, but in reality, no one has truly inherited my mantle. In the past, the knowledge of forging was not popular not only in Arabia, but also in Iris. I was just a preacher and a repeating puppet."

"Abdullah and his ilk preferred to indulge in the grand visions depicted by the prophets, always thinking they could control everything. As a result, they fell into the trap woven by the prophets and ultimately lost even the opportunity to forge themselves."

"And not only do they all adore the Prophet, but they also don't study diligently. Although I'm a blacksmith, I'm also of proper Celestial noble birth, and my classroom is full of books on the Prophet—yet they don't attend classes properly, nor do they read their books. As long as they can pass my exams, they don't read anything else. After the exams, they indulge in debauchery and debauchery, and yet they all have ambitions that are sky-high! As a result, after graduation, either they can't find jobs, or they sign those shady contracts with the Palace of Wisdom..."

"It's all my fault for having a shred of conscience back then. If I had just used psychological suggestion and mind manipulation to brainwash them, I probably wouldn't have had so many problems!"

Holly couldn't understand, but she sensed that the old man in front of her was very sad.

She asked, puzzled, "Why don't you want to study even though you have books to read...?"

Holly only remembered that the books were expensive and that she would have to go hungry if she wanted to read a few magazines.

The old man smiled helplessly and said, "I suppose this is the difference between people! Holly, would you like to become my student?"

Holly seemed a little flustered, then firmly shook her head: "I don't want to."

Iben brushed off the dust he'd picked up on his way to the lake, stood up, and glanced at the large observatory standing atop the hill above the densely packed villa area. He then looked kindly at Holly and asked, "Why? Do you have some doubts? Is it because you are the Unsheathed Blade?"

“A sheathless blade can also be transformed into a forging hammer. The two extraordinary realms have something in common: transformation, melting, and entropy increase are their connecting points. Moreover, the forging hammer itself has the power of forging and change, which can solve these problems.”

Holly paused for a moment, then said sincerely, "No, Mr. Musa, it's because I'm stupid and I can't read at all!"

Chapter 360 Tia and End-of-Life Care

To be honest, Ibn was taken aback when he heard this answer.

"Illiteracy" is a really lame excuse. For a master craftsman like him, forging memories is not much more difficult than shaping a lump of clay.

If Holly wanted, he could directly forge Holly's memory system, forcibly adding a false memory of "reading" to her childhood world.

Given enough time, he could even forge this memory into something real, turning it into a true memory, a true past.

This is somewhat counterintuitive, but it is indeed the truth of the extraordinary world—altering the past is not as difficult as imagined, and even 'adding to' or 'deleting' history is easier than 'fixing' history.

Take, for example, the grand unified destiny star map that the prophets longed for.

Ibn smiled and shook his head. His reason was clumsy but sincere—the child really didn't want to inherit his knowledge!

The old man patted Holly on the shoulder, let out a cheerful laugh, and even his tone of voice rose considerably: "I understand what you mean."

“But anyway—Holly, you really did teach me how to fish, so I should prepare some tuition fees for you. How about a complete Red Knight's legacy?”

The shadows behind Holly stirred, and Eben could almost hear the dog inside barking furiously, its eyes wide with shock, urging the child to pretend to agree.

Unfortunately, Holly is a problem child.

This isn't just simple naivety or a naive girl; Holly may be a bit childish, but she is, after all, from a respectable lower-class background.

For Holly, a windfall isn't always a good thing; it might even be poisonous. Everything has its price tag secretly set by fate; to get something for a hundred gold coins, she has to pay at least a hundred gold coins in return.

This conviction only grew stronger after she came into contact with the witch.

Equivalent exchange is also an ironclad rule of alchemy.

Holly completely ignored the big dog's rambling, looked up at Ibn, and said seriously, "Mr. Musa, I know you are a very powerful superhuman. But I think, at least when I first met you, I wanted to help you out of chivalry and because I saw you as a sufferer."

"That hasn't changed even after I discovered you're a very powerful superhuman today—because you really can't fish!"

"Ahem, there's no need to emphasize this repeatedly."

Holly, being straightforward, continued, "That's why I can't accept such an expensive gift. My elders taught me that equivalent exchange is the principle prescribed by the alchemy of the Seventh Holy Number."

"Yes, I understand. You have a very good elder. I've seen too many people along the way who want something for nothing, but where on the path of the extraordinary can you find so much that comes without effort?"

Iben's voice became calm and amiable again: "In that case, Holly, I will formally request a commission from you. You will help me find a student, and as for the reward... the complete legacy of the Red Knight, plus a set of extraordinary equipment compatible with the Sheathless Blade, how about that?"

Holly said, puzzled, "This seems difficult."

"Yes, it is very difficult."

Ibn smiled slowly: "Because what I need is not ordinary students, but students who can truly inherit my knowledge and soul, students who are so gifted that they must be able to master the extraordinary skills of both the artificial man and the philosopher's stone, the ability to melt history and forge the soul, students who have compassion and walk the path of virtue."

"This is definitely not an easy task, which is why it deserves such a generous reward. But similar souls are drawn to each other, and I have a feeling you will find her in the not-too-distant future."

"As for me, my physical body is nearing its end, and I must go to complete one last great task. But my soul will wander in this world for a long time, and I think I will have no shortage of time to teach a student."

For a long time after Eben finished speaking, Holly hesitated, the barking of the dogs in her ears making her even more uncertain.

—Artificial humans!

—The Philosopher's Stone!

—Forging the soul, melting away history!

I don't understand any of it! But it seems really impressive!

But to be fair, the compensation is indeed very attractive.

Moreover, Holly has never been one to shy away from challenges—neither the Silver Knight nor the Red Knight ever had a creed of cowardice or timidity!

The girl nodded emphatically and said, "I agree! Mr. Musa! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity!"

Upon hearing this, Ibn Na's aged body burst into hearty laughter.

"There's nothing to thank me for, Holly. I should be thanking you!"

"I have a grand hospice banquet to attend. If you want to come, come along and have a good meal, consider it tuition for teaching me how to fish."

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Avina Sulph!

Avina Sulph!

Avina Sulph!

Three times I called out Avina's name, but the hands of the silver watch continued to tick away, as usual, unremarkable.

In the living room, Maximilian tied Tia's hair to a white crystal and performed another pendulum divination. She held a silver watch in one hand and the white crystal in the other, making the pendulum swing, but her vision was still blurry.

Tia asked, "Have you found any clues?"

The little witch said dejectedly, "No! I can't see anything at all, it's like I've disappeared from this world!"

Anne blinked as she looked at the still-swaying white crystal.

Finding Avina's sister is proving to be incredibly difficult.

She didn't know much about prophets and divination.

But the witch before her was described by Minister Milk as a legitimate Sequence Four prophet, and she also possessed the ancient wisdom of the Palace of Wisdom, and was praised in the heavens as the "Witch Blessed by the Seven Winds" and the "Daughter of the Frostlands."

Anne thought for a moment and realized that the only people she had ever met who were so formidable were probably Ms. Bernice and Pope Peter.

Even a superhuman like them can't find any clues about Sister Avina?

Tia wasn't in a hurry. If Avina really was a Sequence Four, then even if she died, her soul would definitely turn into a spirit and come running back to beg for food.

Sigh, I need to beg for a favor.

She can just keep it; it's not more troublesome than raising a cat or dog.

Tia glanced at her pocket watch, then looked at Anne and said, "Since we can't find it, let's deal with the problem at the Sparrowtail Grand Theatre first. The Anti-Corruption Bureau's agents have already entered the theatre. The two of us will be there soon, and we'll be ready to locate Ibn Musa."

"I'll cover for you, Annie. Be careful."

Annie was eager to try when she heard that it was finally time to get started.

She practiced the Judgment Fire and a series of forging rituals countless times in her nightmares. Last time, when the Prophet's minions broke into Mercury's mansion, she hadn't had her fill of fun before the Guardian Knights came to her rescue.

This time I can finally show my skills in real life!

Of course, she wasn't foolish enough to rely entirely on her own strength—before she left Newport, Count Perricone had stuffed his ancestral amulet and various custom-made extraordinary ornaments into Anne's bag.

This sacred wood amulet, inlaid with star antimony, is engraved with Sequence 4 protective explosions, rapid healing, and soul barrier using a triple imprinting technique. It can effectively resist supernatural or physical attacks targeting the body and soul.

There is also a complete set of extraordinary jewelry, including ten rings, two bracelets, a pair of earrings, and three sets of skirts with fifty-four rubies. The value of these extraordinary jewelry pieces is probably no less than 60,000 gold pounds. They would allow Annie to quickly engage in a brief entanglement with a Sequence 5 at Sequence 7, and even if she encounters a Sequence 4, she would at least be able to escape.

There's not much to say; it's purely pay-to-win and purely about stats.

Whales are the answer in any world.

She also had a whole strip of twelve puncture-type "Siren's Song Church Enhanced" injections, which Peric used to guard against the Twin Serpent Cultists.

These injections are more potent than conventional oral medications. One injection is enough to dive to a depth of 1500m-2000m and reduce the pollution of the soul by water pressure. At the same time, while conscious, they also have a three-in-one effect of dispelling evil spirits, purifying curses, and rapid healing.

Seeing this, Anna exclaimed enviously, "So rich!"

"But it's still a little short. Let me help you out. Both of you, put your hands out. And get another bottle ready, it has to be clean."

Tia looked around, grabbed a vase next to the fish tank in the living room, and pulled out the flowers. "Is this okay?"

Anna looked at it and shook her head, saying, "It's too big. We don't need one this big."

Milke was sending a secret telegram to Jeremiah from upstairs.

Tia went upstairs to greet Milke and then switched to her "hero mode," grabbing a small beaker from the workshop.

This is just right.

Anna said, "You two, put your hands out."

As she finished speaking, her long, snow-white hair fluttered without wind. She grasped Tia's wrist with one hand and Annie's wrist with the other, and then a thin, sharp layer of ice formed on her fingernails.

She slashed their wrists, and a layer of white frost formed on the wounds. The witch chanted, "Daughter of curses, holy blood... Silence, end, all return here."

As the sound faded, the white frost melted away, and Tia felt a slight pain in her wrist—pure white, milk-like blood, carrying the scent of honey, slowly flowed into the beaker.

Annie also felt a stinging sensation, and in the blink of an eye she saw the blood of the two people in the beaker come together, but instead of mixing, they quickly clung together and congealed into a rhomboid tetrahedron.

The fragrance lingered and didn't dissipate, reminding Tia of things like little pudding.

The little witch said, "That's good. This is called the Holy Blood Pact. As long as one of you doesn't die and the ritual crystal isn't broken, the other won't die no matter how badly injured they are."

"But be aware that this can only last for a maximum of seven hours. After seven hours, the crystal breaking is equivalent to a Sequence 4 Rapid Heal, so you must hide the crystal well during these seven hours."

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Chapter 361 Murad's Determination

As soon as the pocket watch reached ten o'clock, Tia and Anne took each other's arms and boarded the carriage to the observatory area.

The exchange lecture was held in the Grand Theatre of the Grand Theatre. When the two got out of the car, there were already many carriages parked outside the marble arch of the Grand Theatre.

Entering through the archway, you'll find a hundred-meter-long gallery of mirrors. The white marble walls are adorned with tall floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and the walls between the mirrors are decorated with gilded reliefs of the founding knights, creating a magnificent and opulent atmosphere.

Passing through the Hall of Mirrors into the Horseshoe Theatre, the luxury is even greater. The domed ceiling is decorated with "The Path of Virtue," painted by the great iris artist Naraku sixty years ago, and it can accommodate thousands of spectators.

Along the way, many scholars with Ansu features stopped to marvel at the sight, while the proud Iris gentlemen and ladies enthusiastically introduced the history of the theater to the scholars.

Even Anne, who comes from the family of the founders of the nation, was dazzled when she first arrived at the Hall of Mirrors. The level of luxury there far surpasses that of the Silver Castle, which has been under renovation for several years and is still not finished!

Anne was completely absorbed in the art.

Seeing that the lecture hadn't started and the prophets weren't making any moves, Tia chatted with Ansu and the scholars from the Iris in the banquet hall.

She knew most of the experts at Ansu, and even those she didn't know well, she'd run into them all on the ship.

The scholars of the Alchemy Society were quite interesting.

Most of the scholars on the Iris side come from the Alchemy Society—which, after Jeremiah's reforms, is no longer a very professional alchemical and mystical organization; its members are quite diverse, though most of them have studied alchemy.