A new semester had begun at Shuǐxiù University.
The recent appearance of a returnee from Dreamland, who kept showing up in various classes, had attracted some attention. Most people's impression of returnees was that they were missing for a period of time, then returned for some examinations before resuming their normal lives.
But this returnee was unlike that; she was entirely unfamiliar with Planet Blue's society.
Many people were curious about the attitude of these "cavemen" who had come from Dreamland's backward society towards modern society.
As the subject of this small wave of gossip, Mithra was currently in a miracle course.
Seated at the back of the tiered lecture hall, she listened to a middle-aged professor lecturing.
"The most common miracles, perhaps the ones most people will encounter, are 'Reinforce Body' and 'Stabilize'. Although basic, they represent the physical and mental aspects respectively, and can be considered the most fundamental miracles."
"Although there aren't many types of miracles, there are still advanced forms. Does anyone know which ones?"
A student immediately answered, showing initiative, " 'Form Will' and 'Single Focus'."
The professor nodded and wrote the student's name down.
Good initiative.
Mithra found this nostalgic, but she also added, "There's also 'Flesh Transmutation'."
The professor and some students looked at her in surprise, but the professor nodded. "Yes, there's 'Flesh Transmutation', but that's not the main topic for this class."
Mithra nodded.
The professor was about to ask Mithra's name when Mithra waved her hand dismissively. The professor seemed to remember her identity and didn't press further.
Then, the professor began discussing the main topics of the class: Form Will and Single Focus, explaining their respective applications.
[Form Will: A Self miracle. It mimics external objects, creating miracles with different characteristics, offering extensive versatility. It could be as powerful as an ox or as agile as a rabbit. It offers greater variation built upon Reinforce Body and requires it for activation.]
[—Taking humans as a foundation, absorbing countless influences.]
Mithra felt that this miracle was close to the essence of miracles themselves, borrowing external power.
It was just that the miracle types were broader. Form Will was more about learning than simply "stealing" like other miracles, resulting in a more stable process.
Beast miracles provided more direct access to beastly power, but Mithra had already experienced their side effects.
Mithra wasn't overly interested in Form Will, but the other miracle was intriguing.
[Single Focus: A Self miracle. It refines and strengthens the spirit, making the miracle visible. The spirit is the foundation; sense is its extension. Sense can be used as a medium. The spirit can also be used as a medium.]
[—Focus, then focus again, and ultimately, you'll see...]
Some miracles or entities were quite particular. They didn't necessarily respond to sense power. They required a spirit tempered by sense power, acting as a medium for activation.
Single Focus itself wasn't a miracle with tangible effects. It was like Stabilize, often used to accelerate sense recovery. It was a tool to better utilize miracles.
She decided she should learn them.
The professor announced the course assignment: mastering one of these advanced miracles by the end of the semester.
After class, Mithra stood up, ignoring those who wanted to talk to her, and approached the professor.
"Excuse me, Professor," she said, her voice polite despite her expressionless demeanor.
The professor stopped. "You're the returnee, the temporary student. I've heard about you. You seem to have put a lot of effort into studying miracles."
"Yes. I'm very interested in miracles."
"Including 'Flesh Transmutation'?" the professor asked with a smile.
"I'm only interested in the theoretical aspects," Mithra replied cautiously.
The professor didn't press the issue. "That's good. It's always a good thing to be curious. It's not a secret. Students who learn through unconventional methods often ask me, and I'm always happy to answer."
They both left the classroom.
After they left, the remaining students began to discuss.
"I was going to ask. We don't have anyone like that in our class, do we? Was that another professor auditing our class?"
"No, it's that 'caveman' from the university forum recently."
"A caveman? Seriously? Isn't it just a returnee?"
"Isn't a returnee who knows nothing about Planet Blue considered a 'caveman'? Maybe she'd call us 'people from the Enchanting Land', haha!"
A small group of students laughed.
"The Wuhǔ City news mentioned her, too. They said that the resettlement center is housing a special returnee," someone familiar with the news said.
"Resettlement center? What's that?"
...
Mithra didn't pay attention to the discussion about her. She continued her conversation with the professor.
"Form Will is actually more difficult than Single Focus because it's a miracle that affects both the body and the mind. Single Focus is about advancing the spirit, but based on the fundamentals, there should be an equivalent advancement for the body. I'm looking for resources on that."
"That's a good line of thinking. And it's accurate. 'Flesh Transmutation' is a purely physical advancement, but it's very dangerous. Even in Dreamland, which is more open-minded about miracles, it's not favored. On Planet Blue, it's practically banned,"
"Why is it banned? Is it because of the risks or negative effects?" Mithra asked.
"Exactly," the professor paused, then continued, "Flesh Transmutation, as the name suggests, alters the flesh. It directly alters the flesh, reshaping the body like clay or putty."
"Sounds interesting," Mithra commented. "But it's not."
"As I mentioned in class, miracles are rooted in human sense, whether physical or mental. Flesh Transmutation alters that fundamental self," the professor explained.
"It disrupts the self?"
"To put it simply, many emotions and feelings, while undeniably real, are largely influenced by hormones and other bodily processes," the professor answered.
Mithra nodded.
"The mind and body are inextricably linked. Altering one doesn't leave the other unaffected. It's like a domino effect. If you alter the body, and the mind can't adapt, you might initially experience discomfort, then subtle changes in thinking. Someone who dislikes vegetables might suddenly crave them. Someone who can't stand the thought of eating certain meats might suddenly feel a strong attraction."
The professor paused and looked at Mithra seriously. "As you said, it will cause a disruption."
"Why doesn't Single Focus cause problems with the body?"
"Because Single Focus isn't about changing but about awareness, making you conscious that your spirit can be seen, but it doesn't change anything. To put it simply, it's like unlocking a tradeable item,"
"I see, thank you for your explanation," Mithra said.
The professor nodded slightly. "Teaching is my job. It doesn't matter where I teach. I'm used to it. I'm Gao Jìng. I hope to see you in my class again. If you're interested, you might want to catch up with your classmates."
They exchanged names and parted ways at a crossroads.
On the way back to the resettlement center, Mithra pondered.
Spirit enveloping the body.
Awakened beast nature causing transformation.
Overwhelming emotions activating and enveloping the Stranger form.
She possessed a method to instantly envelop her body with her spirit. This was a prerequisite for miracles. Even though the source was the spirit, the initial spiritual changes were relatively intact.
However, altering the body would later affect the spirit, causing deviations.
Becoming a beast.
Becoming a raging, uncontrollable monster.
After experiencing the chaotic state and the wild surrender to her bestial nature in Gross Town, Mithra knew these forms weren't something to use casually.
There was no such thing as "Wouldn't it be easier to use the Stranger form from the beginning?"
The beast form's effects were comparatively milder.
In the future, she would either fully integrate these forms or completely separate them.
This was her primary goal in pursuing these courses.