On how to nurture Krisha.
On how to nurture a witch.
Xu Xi had pondered this countless times in his heart and had already devised a corresponding plan.
First, there was magic. After Xu Xi broke through to the rank of Grand Magus, the level of magic he had mastered had risen to the 9th tier. Beyond that lay the forbidden spells used by Sanctuary Magus. Xu Xi intended to impart all the elemental magic he had mastered, from tiers 1 to 9, as well as the forbidden spells he had yet to learn, to the witch for her to study.
Balancing body and spirit, balancing bloodline and elements.
Krisha's talent had become terrifyingly formidable, allowing her to attempt to master more elements rather than being confined to earth, wind, water, and fire.
Additionally, there was one more critical aspect of her training.
Xu Xi wanted to try, before the end of this simulation, to cure the witch's emotional deficiency.
"Click—"
The door to the meditation chamber was pushed open.
Walking through the corridor where light and shadow intertwined, his footsteps were slow but powerful, like the steady beat of a small drum echoing in the cavity of a heart.
Startling the seabirds on the eaves into flight and sending tiny insects scurrying away.
"Krisha?"
As Xu Xi turned the corner, he saw the silver-haired girl who had been waiting for him.
She stood by the wall, her posture upright, her face hidden in the shadows cast by the wall, but a few strands of her hair caught the sunlight, gleaming with a pearly luster.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Mentor," the witch said in a flat, emotionless tone, her words as bland as plain water, devoid of any emotional nuance, so much so that one might doubt if they had heard correctly.
But Xu Xi knew.
This was the best Krisha could do.
She had once tried to greet Xu Xi with a smile, but the stiff, crooked corners of her mouth only made her appear more eerie, like a corpse frozen in place.
At the time, Xu Xi had remained silent.
He didn't criticize or scold her.
Instead, he gently suggested that Krisha abandon the idea of smiling to welcome him.
Krisha was obedient; she complied.
Thus, she reverted to her expressionless state, her tone as flat as ever, like a series of indifferent "mm-hm"s and "oh"s.
Whenever Xu Xi broke through to a new realm or delved into new magical research, the witch would dutifully wait not far from the meditation chamber, patiently anticipating his return.
"You've worked hard, Krisha, waiting here for me all this time."
"It's my duty, Mentor."
Xu Xi stepped forward.
Meeting the witch.
The two walked side by side toward the main hall, chatting about trivial daily matters or sharing knowledge and techniques related to magic along the way.
"Krisha, did anything happen outside while I was meditating and breaking through?"
"Rest assured, everything was normal."
"Is that so? That's good. How has your magical training been recently? Any issues?"
"Yes, regarding the derivative ice magic of the water element, I..."
Krisha's tone remained as calm as a machine.
She explained her doubts to Xu Xi.
Xu Xi, in turn, patiently instructed her, pointing out her mistakes and areas for improvement. This was the dynamic between them—a mundane and ordinary daily routine.
Upon returning to the main hall, the witch stopped to prepare a revitalizing hot drink for Xu Xi.
She busied herself alone, doing what she believed was best for Xu Xi, her expression serious as she washed the porcelain cup spotlessly clean and dried it meticulously with a white cloth.
Only then did she pour a cup of steaming hot liquid.
The drink was a pale green, infused with spirit-soothing herbs.
It tasted slightly bitter, but for a mage who had just undergone a breakthrough, it had the effect of alleviating fatigue.
"Thank you, Krisha," Xu Xi said as he took the cup, his words of gratitude coinciding with his gaze meeting her striking black-and-gold eyes.
He paused for a moment.
Not because the witch's eyes were particularly unusual.
Over the years, he had seen them countless times and was no longer surprised by their uniqueness.
What made Xu Xi pause was that, once again, he saw his own clear reflection in Krisha's lifeless eyes. Compared to the time they had left Alenson, his reflection had noticeably changed.
Changes in appearance, posture, and habits.
No, perhaps it wasn't so obvious.
But through Krisha's eyes, Xu Xi realized that his time was inevitably beginning to count down.
This year, Xu Xi was 29 years old.
The peak of his life.
But soon, in not too many years, this body would, without notice, transform into an aged version of himself that he wouldn't even recognize.
Such is the nature of life—fleeting and transient.
"Is there something wrong, Mentor?"
Seeing Xu Xi pause, the girl thought there might be an issue with the drink and asked.
"No, it's nothing."
"Just... I suddenly remembered something."
Xu Xi shook his head and took a sip of the hot drink, feeling the bitter liquid roll over his tongue.
There was no sweetness after the bitterness, no lingering aftertaste. The spirit-soothing herbal brew was purely bitter, with a numbing astringency that left his tongue tingling.
Xu Xi drank slowly, his gaze drifting to the outside.
Unlike the courtyard of their previous residence, which was overshadowed by city buildings and offered little scenery, their home in Apogu City afforded a view of the vast blue sea.
It was the height of summer.
The sun was scorching, its rays piercing and painful, distorting the air with its heat.
"Boom! Boom!"
The central steam engine of Apogu City roared to life.
Towering plumes of steam shot straight into the sky, only to be scattered by the sea breeze, forming a humid and stifling mist.
Countless people playing by the sea fled in all directions.
Unwilling to endure the oppressive fog.
Time was of the essence; those who ran too slowly would find themselves enveloped in the hot mist. While not fatal, it would leave them drenched in sweat and thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Time is running out..."
In the witch's puzzled gaze, Xu Xi spoke these words, his voice distant.
It was unclear whether he was referring to the people outside.
Or something else entirely.
The witch didn't understand. She tilted her head, took the empty cup from Xu Xi's hand, and poured him another serving of the spirit-soothing herbal brew.
"...So bitter."
Xu Xi finally couldn't help but comment.
[You have successfully broken through to the rank of Grand Magus. Your strength has grown, and your spiritual power has reached unprecedented heights.]
[You feel a sense of pride.]
[Your pride vanishes.]
[Feeling the blockade and suppression of the gods, your plan to ascend to godhood has collapsed before it could truly begin. Yet, you feel no sorrow.]
[In your view, achieving the status of a Sanctuary Magus would be more than enough.]
[After leaving the meditation chamber, you encountered Krisha waiting at the door.]
[In Krisha's eyes, you once again saw your reflection. You were suddenly struck by how much your appearance had changed since your time in Alenson.]
[You heard the echoes of mortality.]
[You were dazed, you were lost, and then you smiled and accepted it with grace.]
[You decided to accelerate your plan to nurture the witch, for you were uncertain when the limits of your mortal lifespan would bring the curtain down.]