“Chapter 35: About Demons”

"Chapter 35: About Demons"

"In any case, as everyone became more familiar with the academy, the atmosphere of the second year was much more relaxed and joyous than the first."

"The class schedule was appropriately adjusted."

"Instead of only one class per day, they now had an hour-long class like a regular academy."

"Potion class went smoothly; it seemed Tutor Gaia had truly forgotten the incident, treating Feyi the same as before."

"One night, Feyi secretly placed the plump white axis flower she'd been nurturing on Gaia's desk, thoughtfully including an instruction manual and a guide to its effects."

"Gaia apparently couldn't find out who did it, so both matters were quietly overlooked. Feyi remained the best in potion studies among all students."

"Magic Manifestation class was even more straightforward. Feyi continued to hold the top rank in her year, even showing potential to surpass the upperclassmen. (Nana, a senior: ?)"

"The only problematic class was Familiar Summoning."

"During the holidays, everyone had somewhat improved their magic, and their levels rose rapidly."

"As familiars, they were expected to grow alongside their masters."

"But when it was Feyi's turn, things got absurd."

"The necromancer she summoned not only showed no changes, its numbers had even decreased."

"Before Tutor Sharp could turn around and see this, Feyi quickly withdrew the necromancer."

"'What's wrong, Ro?' Lunien, sitting nearby, asked upon hearing the commotion."

"Feyi: 'It's nothing, just a fluctuation in magical energy.'"

"Afterward, using unstable magic as an excuse, she voluntarily checked herself into the infirmary."

"Upon seeing her, the school medic Astrid made a fuss examining her, finally relaxing only after confirming there was nothing serious."

"'You're the most talented and promising student in your batch,' Astrid said, tossing her a bottle of healing potion, 'Take care of yourself; you need to live a long life.'"

"Feyi paused as she took the potion bottle, looking up with an innocent smile like a truly naive young girl, 'Then, Astrid, how long do you think I can live?'"

"The medic, clad in a black robe, had her back to Feyi. After a long silence, she slowly responded, 'You'll surely live a very long time.'"

"After drinking the potion, Feyi was allowed to rest for a while in the infirmary."

"Dinner was arranged by Hil: spicy butter pie, grilled double-headed beef, fruity red grass juice, and sweet lotus root ice cream."

"Feyi ate till she was stuffed."

"Indeed, in this other world, only the Witch Academy felt like home."

"'What are you planning for tonight?' Feyi, wiping her mouth clean, turned to ask her dear roommate."

"'Heading to the library,' Hil sighed, 'I still haven’t finished my potion homework for tomorrow, and there’s the black magic artifacts assignment too... Why do we have to write a paper on armor just after we started learning about it!'"

"Suddenly, she looked up hopefully, 'Dear Feyi, you haven’t finished yours either, right?'"

"'I’m terribly sorry,' Feyi hopped off her chair, giggling, 'I finished my black magic artifacts assignment while attending the potion class.'"

"And it was a massive three-page essay."

"'What?!' Hil couldn’t help but clutch her head, 'What about your potion homework then!'"

"Feyi: 'Ah, that one, I finished it just now during dinner.'"

"Hil: '...So you mean scribbling on the paper while eating was you finishing it?!'"

"Terrifying! Scary! She didn't want to stay with her anymore!"

"Watching her roommate flee in panic, Feyi burst into loud laughter."

"She hurried to complete her homework first to make time for other things."

"After helping Astrid tidy up the infirmary, Feyi returned to her dorm and teleported back to Ninihui Town via the portal above her door."

"Having been away for a while, the town remained as it was, except for a few new prayer rooms on the streets, with long queues of people waiting outside."

"Dirty orphans walked along the streets back to the orphanage, their eyes widening curiously as they passed Feyi."

"'What a pretty hat.'"

"'Such warm shoes.'"

"'Such a beautiful face.'"

"Feyi walked past without a glance, then casually waved her hand behind her."

"A faint wisp of dark mist immediately drifted over the orphans' heads."

"'Eh?' a child immediately exclaimed, 'Does anyone else feel it’s brighter now?'"

"'It does seem so! I was so scared walking in the dark just now. Let’s hurry back while it’s still bright.'"

"Feyi turned her head for a brief look, then continued on her way."

"She knew the orphanage had a new director. The previous one, under prolonged mental strain, was in poor health and had been taken back home by her family."

"The new director was a stern yet kind-hearted old woman whom Feyi had seen feeding a group of stray cats when she first arrived."

"She seemed like a good lady."

"Vinnas also occasionally donated something to the orphanage."

"Feyi hoped the children's lives would get better and better."

"She quickly arrived at the front of the potion shop."

"The small shop that used to be there had disappeared, replaced by a much larger three-section store."

"Dozens of workers were moving goods outside. Vinnas, inspired by the Witch, had boldly introduced [Pre-Order] and [Delivery] services. This not only increased revenue through delivery fees but also inadvertently provided jobs for many townspeople, addressing the employment issue of the town's youth."

"Even the mayor personally acknowledged her contribution, proactively connecting with nearby regions to pave the way for Vinnas to open chain stores."

"The first and second chain stores were even under construction, set to open by the end of the month if all went well."

"In the game, little Vinnas would surely have achieved a [Max Reputation] or [Max Town Contribution] title."

"Feyi, like a cat, slipped through the busy crowd into the back store, feeling at home among the various potion ingredients, picking and choosing."

"Little Vinnas was very busy, so Feyi didn’t want to disturb her and just quietly took what she needed."

"Before leaving, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Feyi left a small note indicating it was her, not some wicked thief."

"Having done all this, the petite figure turned into a puff of black mist, 'whooshing' over the high wall, and drifted towards the brightly lit magic goods street."

"Upon returning to the academy, she coincidentally met Hil, struggling with her thesis."

"They went to the potion lab together."

"'I need to practice potion making, what about you?' asked Hil."

"What followed was a masterclass in potion crafting."

"Her roommate, the top student in the potion class, was swiftly handling materials Feyi had never seen before with an uncanny technique."

"She was like a machine, not needing to think about the next step, immediately making the right choices."

"Of course, there were occasional mishaps."

"'Hey Feyi!' Hil suddenly exclaimed, 'The poison caterpillar has bitten itself in half!'"

"Tutor Gaia had once mentioned that if a poison caterpillar breaks, it's best not to use it anymore. The pus that oozes from its break contaminates the toxin, causing the potion to fail."

"Although Hil couldn't understand what Feyi was doing, the presence of pus would definitely be problematic."

"'It's fine,' Feyi responded without looking up, 'Even if it breaks, it can be used like this.'"

"She quickly picked up a thin flint knife, precisely and swiftly inserted the back of the knife under the caterpillar's skin, and nimbly flicked upward. The poison sac beneath the caterpillar's skin was extracted cleanly, untouched by the yellow pus."

"Hil was stunned."

"'How did you just do that...? Where did you learn that technique?'"

"Feyi finally looked up at her, a mysterious smile on her face, 'Practice makes perfect. If you also watch it thousands of times over five years, you could do it too.'"

"She was tricking her again..."

"Hil rolled her eyes. Five years ago, Feyi was just a three or four-year-old child!"

"'But what are you making all these for?'"

"Feyi winked at her, 'Just practicing.'"

"As the night deepened and her roommate succumbed to sleep, and everyone left yawning like a tide, Feyi stood up and casually adjusted her hat."

"The next moment, an automaton walked out of the potion lab."

"On her way, nobody noticed anything unusual about her, and she left the castle unhindered."

"The night in the Abyss was chillingly cold and dreadful, with dense, leaden clouds rolling in the sky."

"Feyi followed the Abyss map, first visiting the Death Marshes in the east before continuing along the marked path."

"Transforming into a skeletal crow, she flew over potential dangers, quickly reaching an area enveloped in thin mist."

"The air here was foul-smelling, permeated with a sour stench, like rotten food stuffed into a sauerkraut barrel."

"Upon quieting her mind, she could hear the sound of tides ebbing and flowing nearby."

"'This must be the place, right?'"

"Feyi perched on a withered basil branch, comparing the view before her with her memory."

"'This is it,' she confirmed a few seconds later."

"The Sea of Illusion — the only ocean within the Abyss, perpetually shrouded in mist. But with the naked eye, one could never see the sea."

"It was a sea that existed only in illusions."

"The shore connecting to the sea was a dark green mudflat. On it lay the corpses of many dark creatures and even some of the human race."

"Legend had it that the Sea of Illusion could devour anything. If one walked towards the sound of the water, their soul would be consumed by the illusion."

"Only their undissipating □□ remained, rotting atop the mudflats."

"Over time, this place had become the Abyss's 'suicide destination'."

"Dark creatures sensing the end of their lives would come to the Sea of Illusion, seeking a final resting place for their souls."

"Otherwise, if their souls were found after death and trapped to create something bizarre, that would be far worse."

"But in the 'Land of Gods and Demons' game, this mudflat served another purpose."

— Class Change.

This place is both a suicide hotspot and a site for witches to change their class.

The only uncertainty is whether the familiar class change NPC will appear at this time.

So, she plans to scout the area tonight, and if everything aligns with her memory, she can immediately undergo her class change right here.

In any case, completing the class change is a priority that must be accomplished as soon as possible.

Only after changing classes can she completely shed the title of a low-level witch, gain stronger panel stats, acquire more powerful skills, and embark on the journey from an intermediate to a high-level witch.

In the game world, above the high-level witches, there are witch nobility and hidden titles available after reaching the max level.

But in this world, Fei Yi has only encountered high-level witches.

Perhaps due to divine punishment, all the great witches above have perished.

Wasting no more time, the crow leaped from the branch and transformed into a girl, slowly opening her dark purple eyes as she landed on the ground.

“Gurgle.”

“Gurgle.”

Sensing something approaching, the mire bubbled as if boiling, suddenly erupting in bubbles.

The next moment, amidst swirling mist, a tall, green figure emerged not far away.

"Let's see, who has come here?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Fei Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

So it was here at this time.

"So it's a cute little witch," a long, scarlet tongue extended out, vigorously licking its lips. Two yellow beams of light emerged from the dark green face. "I can already smell the fragrance."

"Enough, Mr. Beelzebub," Fii rolled her eyes helplessly. She had always thought such a disgusting introduction was a game company's bad taste, but it turned out to be his own design!

"I am here to seek power from you," Fii stepped forward, staring straight at him, "About the greater powers of a witch, only you can bestow upon me, the most—great—demon on this continent."

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho—" Pleased by the last sentence, Beelzebub began to laugh with teeth bared and claws dancing.

Fii: "……."

"Not only sensible but also sweet-tongued, you truly are a lovely miss." The body covered in hard scales, arms opened like a gentleman, "Then, please do me a few favors."

"Lately, my body has been feeling quite unwell, requiring three bottles of high-quality Melting Potion to deal with the sludge on my body. You might not have heard of this potion, but no worries, you can first go to the Ripping Canyon in Bido City, and extract from the Scythe Ant King there..."

"Here." Fii twirled her bracelet, waved her arm, and three bottles of Melting Potion automatically floated in front of Beelzebub.

The demon's chattering voice abruptly stopped.

"?" Picking up the potion, its long nails scraping against the bottle, producing a grating sound.

"Is it really high-quality Melting Potion?" Beelzebub quickly composed his expression, "Then, lucky miss, next I need five portions of delicious Tide Lake Fish. As you know, being alone here, I hardly have anything good to eat. Have you not heard of Tide Lake Fish? No matter, you just need to go—"

"Here." Five Tide Lake Fish, stewed with grape wine and aromatic leaves, she had specially bought them at a high price from the market street, definitely a demon's favorite.

Beelzebub's lips twitched imperceptibly, "Heh heh, these are nothing, I still need the Mud Snake Skulls buried beneath the Death Swamp—"

"Here."

“！”

The demon gasped in surprise, exclaiming loudly, "And those nearby Tumble Ghost Fish! You must annihilate them! But I don't believe you know what they fear—"

"Extreme cold and ice."

Fie opened her palms, and her surging magical power exploded into the mudflat like cannonballs!

A storm wrapped in intense cold spread wildly in all directions, instantly freezing any Tumble Ghost Fish it touched into blocks of ice!

Frozen along with them was the demon's face.

Its nearly three-meter-tall massive body deflated like a punctured balloon, "whooshing" down and gradually morphing into the form of an adult man.

The demon's taste and aesthetics were quite refined; the man's face was handsome and noble.

"Miss," with strange lights flickering in his green pupils, Beelzebub asked in a deep voice, "You seem to know a lot about me."

Of course.

Fie secretly scoffed in her heart. When practicing in her era, she would encounter him every time she took a witch's assignment.

She knew even the number of scales on Beelzebub's tail in his demonic form—such trivial matters were etched firmly in her memory.

She was unilaterally too familiar with this guy, almost unable to restrain herself upon meeting him, her desire to tease the NPC flaring up like a flame, "flickering" higher.

"Of course, I know you," Fie said with a giggly smile, "I also know that when you're alone, you like to use your tail as a hat to shield against the mud splashed by the Tumble Ghost Fish. And at night, you like to cuddle with your tail as you sleep."

"Speaking of which, I've always wanted to ask, does the scales on your tail not prick?"

The demon's laughter stiffened.

"What? What?!" How could others know about his habit of sleeping with his tail? He had always hidden it so carefully!

He was a demon! The fiercest demon in the Sea of Illusions!

No, he absolutely couldn't let her remain!

The demon would never allow anyone who tarnished his reputation to live on this continent!

This witch, she had to die!

A flash of dark green light appeared, and just as Beelzebub was about to raise his hand, the girl opposite him suddenly spoke again.

"I wanted to tell you something, your demonic form is way cooler than your human one!"

The demon's raising hand paused mid-air.

Beelzebub, in disbelief, said, "Wait a moment, miss, what did you just say?"

"Hm?" Fie yawned lazily, having been up for most of the night. She was really tired but insisted on finishing her thought, "I said your demonic form looks way cooler than your human form."

After all, there are so many handsome men, but a three-meter-tall demon with shiny scales and a thick tail is unique in the 'Divine Demons Continent' game—only Beelzebub!

She was speaking the truth.

The demon felt as if his heart had been struck in an instant.

Beelzebub had always detested his demonic form, its giant claws, strange yellow vertical pupils, and rough skin; nothing about it was beautiful or attractive.

He was born in a terrifying form, ugly and dread-inducing, making any abyssal creature scream in terror at the sight of him.

Even those who escaped its grasp couldn't help but criticize it behind its back, calling it "ugly," "the strangest creature in the Abyss," or saying, "If I were reborn as a demon, I'd rather end myself first."

For a while, Beelzebub was deeply saddened. It couldn't resist transforming into an attractive human form, but over time, the facade slowly lost its charm.

No creature wished to be near it; even when it used its power to dominate the dark beings, they still didn't find it attractive.

That's why the demon spent so much time in the Sea of Illusions, where no creature dared to approach, surrounded by the prolific Tumble Ghost Fish.

These fish neither spoke nor ran away.

They always lived on this mudflat, and even if he killed a bunch in a bad mood, a new generation would quickly replace them.

Not a single Tumble Ghost Fish cared about the terrifying appearance of the demon.

They always leaped around, making "puff puff" sounds.

In this place, Beelzebub never felt lonely.

But now, green scales involuntarily sprouted on Beelzebub's prized human form.

As if offering a treasure.

Indeed, the girl let out a joyful sound.

"See! Such beautiful scales!"

The demon turned his face away, suddenly tossing something at her.

Fie caught it instinctively.

"You wanted power, right?" Beelzebub quickly waved his hand, "Boil this in warm water for a whole day, and drink it before the moon rises in the Abyss, and that should do it."

"Huh? That simple? Shouldn't there be a task to eliminate monsters in some mountain next?"

Fie glanced at the demon who had turned his back, then looked at the small parcel in her arms, and decided to quit while she was ahead.

Perhaps the timeline had changed, and the demon's preferences had shifted.

"Thank you!" she called out loudly, then adjusted her hat brim, transformed back into a withered crow, picked up the parcel, and flew away.

Only then did Beelzebub turn around, murmuring softly, "Should I have... turned that parcel pink?"

The withered crow returned to the dormitory to find her roommate asleep and a heart apple pie left on the table for her as a late-night snack.

After a long night, Fie ate and washed up, then fell straight into bed and slept.

The next day, before the abyss was bright, she groggily got up and slowly moved to the alchemy room.

She opened the small package to find a short, sharp tooth inside.

It was a demon's tooth, containing a powerful source of magical power, essential for a witch's class change.

But a demon's belongings could only be obtained if the demon willingly gave them.

Fie suddenly remembered a forum legend that said a demon's heart had unparalleled effects.

However, in the game, demons didn't have a favorability metric, so no one knew how to please them, and nobody had ever managed to make a demon offer its heart willingly, not even Fie in her time before crossing over.

Maybe it was just a legend, after all.

She placed the tooth in warm water, put it in the alchemy furnace to heat up, yawned several times, then rolled back to the dormitory to catch up on sleep.

As soon as the last class ended, Fie rushed back to the alchemy room and retrieved the tooth that had been boiling for a day.

The tooth had turned into a soft mass; Fie scooped it out with a spoon and, with a determined expression, drank it down.

A warm current rose from her belly, like soaking in a warm hot spring after a tiring day, soothing every limb and joint.

She contentedly squinted her eyes as her little world sent a notification.

[Congratulations! You have successfully met the conditions for class change! The transformation is in progress—]

[Estimated completion time: 3 hours.]

[You will feel extremely sleepy and tired; you can now go back to your room and take a nap. Don't worry, I'll keep a close watch for you.]

Leaning against the wall, Fie returned to her dormitory and lay down. Before closing her eyes, she asked, "Why do I feel sleepy in reality?" In the game, there would be no such feeling.

The little world paused before responding—

[Because demons are inherently bad.]

[They are born from darkness, true children of the dark. Even a small piece of a tooth will desperately run wild in your body until it's fully absorbed.]

[Only when completely subdued will they behave.]

[So, please don't get close to it again, Fie.]