Chapter 80: Tree Form
"Everchanging Form—"
With the final word of the chant spoken in the Common Tongue of Wizards, Janna’s previously fair skin quickly transformed into brown tree bark, from her body to her face.
Her feet rooted into the ground, her body became a trunk, and her arms turned into branches.
In an instant, Janna, who had been standing in the center of the flower pot, rapidly transformed into an unfamiliar small tree about three meters tall—just touching the ceiling—with a trunk as thick as a water jar and lush green leaves.
"Master, can you hear me?"
Faithful to Janna’s task, the Celestial Finch began communicating telepathically the moment Janna started transforming, worried she might lose consciousness during the process.
"I can hear you. My consciousness is very clear right now."
Janna responded via the same telepathic method.
After confirming that she hadn’t experienced the same “dream-state” or “consciousness submersion” as in class today, she began focusing her attention inward, examining her current tree form.
"Magic was only consumed at the moment I cast the [Elementary Transfiguration Spell]. After completing the transformation, not only did the consumption cease, it even accelerated the recovery of my magic power..."
"Master, are you still there?"
"I'm still here, Aph... Ask me once every five minutes."
"Understood."
Picking up the thoughts previously interrupted by Aph’s dutiful inquiries, Janna, now in tree form, began observing her field of vision.
"Just like during the dream state, I have a full 360-degree panoramic view. It’s similar to scanning with spirit power, but it doesn’t consume any of it. It feels more like an innate plant ability..."
"If I were in a forest environment, this tree transformation would be an excellent way to hide. It doesn’t emit any magic fluctuations, allows for complete environmental awareness, and doesn’t hinder magic recovery. It’s a very effective method of concealment. The only pity is..."
She realized that her current form was indistinguishable from a regular tree. She couldn’t move and had lost her ability to cast spells.
It could be said that an ordinary woodcutter could easily chop her in half right now.
"Though there are risks, the chances are relatively low. After all, with my current field of vision, I can detect any approaching enemies immediately and cancel the transformation."
As she said this, the tree form faded, and Janna returned to her human appearance after deactivating the transfiguration spell.
"Clean and Fresh—"
"Everything Back to Place—"
Stepping out of the flower pot, Janna frowned at the dirt on her shoes and casually cast two cleaning spells. While cleaning herself, she also restored the room’s items to their original positions.
"Oh right, there’s also that Purple Wisteria Vine."
Looking at the Purple Wisteria Vine Tree in the corner, Janna cast [Wizard’s Hand] once again, cleared out the soil in the original flower pot, and replanted the vine.
"The roots aren’t damaged. No major issues."
She waved her wand, and a green light surged from her Mage's Hand.
As two large spectral hands pressed against the vine’s trunk, the previously wilted leaves visibly revived.
"Finally tidied up everything."
Unlike Vivian’s frost-imbued white [Mage's Hand], Janna’s green [Mage's Hand], enhanced by her plant-affinity magic, inherently carried a plant-based magical attribute.
Because of this, Janna’s version of [Mage's Hand] possessed a minor healing property.
For small surface wounds, a simple touch from it could nearly heal them.
"Aph, thank you. Go get some rest early."
"As you command, Master."
With Janna dispersing the power of the contract, the dutiful Celestial Finch was sent back to the Spirit Realm.
"By my will, I summon you—Thornflower Sprite."
No sooner had she sent the Celestial Finch back than Janna, still feeling well, summoned the Thornflower Sprite from the Spirit Realm.
"Hiss hiss—"
With a flash of green light, the Thornflower Sprite appeared within the Contract Array, looking excited though visibly unchanged from the last time.
"Aph seems to have grown a bit, but you don’t seem much different."
"Hiss hiss—"
Due to its limited intelligence, the Thornflower Sprite didn’t understand what Janna meant and only looked at her with wide, innocent eyes.
"I still have ten Source Energy Fragments. Once I officially advance, your level will no longer be restricted by mine. At that time, we’ll absorb the energy in the fragments together."
Unlike the Celestial Finch, who was summoned via contract, the Thornflower Sprite was bound to Janna through the Spirit Summoning Ritual.
Its rank advancement was directly tied to Janna’s.
Unless Janna advanced, the Thornflower Sprite’s level would never surpass hers.
Of course, once Janna did advance, the sprite would receive soul feedback, removing the advancement restriction and improving its aptitude as well.
"Hiss hiss—"
Sensing Janna’s warm tone, the Thornflower Sprite wrapped its vine around her arm affectionately and hissed softly in delight.
"Laura, just stand there and don’t move. Help me with an experiment."
With a simple mental command, the Thornflower Sprite obeyed, staying perfectly still.
"Professor Mage said that [Elementary Transfiguration Spell], when used to mimic magical creatures with the same attribute, can be maintained in complete form for up to three minutes at my current level..."
With that in mind, Janna didn’t hesitate. She assumed a casting stance and began chanting rapidly.
"Everchanging Form—"
Butterfly wings spread, petals unfurled.
Already deeply familiar with the Thornflower Sprite’s anatomy, Janna completed the transformation in just a few breaths.
She successfully mimicked its compound eyes, antennae, butterfly wings, and pink flower-bud lower half.
"Hiss—"
Looking at her now dark green skin, Janna opened her mouth, but due to the sprite’s unique oral structure, she could only emit insect-like hissing sounds.
"Hiss hiss—"
"This is just an experiment. Don’t be scared."
Seeing the Thornflower Sprite look as if it had seen a ghost, Janna gently calmed it through telepathy.
"Too bad... the magic consumption is too fast..."
According to the principles of [Elementary Transfiguration Spell], Janna could currently perform short-term [Soul Conversion]. However, as Lilith Mage had explained, at the beginner level, this kind of [Soul Conversion] was merely an act of “deceiving” soul energy using the power of the mind.
While it did allow for brief complete transformations, the price—an alarmingly fast rate of magic consumption—left Janna uneasy.