Eldritch Horror Theatre

Just dropping by to check on the progress—his excellency Veron’s excuse was far too flimsy.

Indeed, Fu Qian never believed Veron’s reason for showing up here.

The reason was simple. One of his goals for this trip was to find him—or other esteemed figures from Linghui Courtyard.

It wasn’t an absolute certainty; as he had told Su Gao earlier, he just guessed it was a possibility.

Others might not be familiar with the mental disturbance that had swept through the Academy earlier, but for Fu Qian, even as faint as it was, it easily gave him a sense of déjà vu—Wen Li.

That was right, it was none other than Eldest Miss Wen’s ability.

He instantly linked it to the Emotional Ripples she used to create, but it felt very different from usual. The area of effect, for instance, had expanded exponentially. She had clearly gained new insights from her study tour.

Not to mention that Linghui Courtyard had a special barrier in place, and the disturbance had managed to penetrate even that.

...

It wasn’t strange for her to make gains. After all, every trade has its own specialization. Even when Wen Li initially consulted him for advice, he never belittled Linghui’s achievements in this field.At this point, supernatural research was essentially an empirical science at best, and Linghui’s years of accumulated knowledge were nothing to scoff at.

As a special genius whose strength was advancing by leaps and bounds, Wen Li would naturally benefit immensely from coming here to broaden her horizons.

Furthermore, given Linghui Courtyard’s somewhat awkward situation, they were desperate to revive their past prestige. Even though she wasn’t a student, she likely received extra attention.

For example, top mentors might gather to test her abilities and offer advice for further improvement.

This was also why he hadn’t interfered earlier.

However, the commotion just now had been a bit too big.

If he deliberately ignored it, he would appear unnatural. In that case, he might as well strike again to suppress Linghui’s arrogance and spur them on.

Returning to the initial question: why was he certain he could find the esteemed figures of Linghui here?

Very simple. There was a high probability they would come here to wait for him.

Before Wen Li caused a stir, he had been the one making a racket, and the source of his noise was much easier to pinpoint.

No matter how much those closeted schemers in Linghui tried to draw a clear line and act as if they minded their own business, how could they not keep an eye on a boorish fellow like him?

Add to that his unusual stance during the Meteor Shower Incident. He had been the first to arrive at such a massive event, yet acted completely indifferent afterward.

Then there was the continuous development of subsequent events, with Li Weixuan suddenly changing his attitude and quietly awaiting the Night Watchers’ opinion.

And finally, Su Gao arriving last night with a specially appointed consultant.

Li Weixuan might not broadcast this widely, but he would highly likely inform the heads of the various branches.

Putting all this together, it was enough to draw a conclusion: it wasn’t that he didn’t care about the Meteor Shower Incident; rather, he cared too much and was carefully handling and researching it.

Under these circumstances, Wen Li causing such a commotion might not have been intentional. But after it happened, wouldn’t a paranoid, boorish fellow like him misjudge the situation and assume there was a new development here, prompting him to come investigate?

Although it was only a chance occurrence, for Linghui—which had never gained any advantage from him—it was a rare opportunity to seize the psychological high ground.

If the timing was right, they could even take the initiative to clear up his confusion and apologize, putting on a perfect show of humility.

Of course, the fact that Veron had come in person showed just how much importance they attached to him.

What a pity. You’re on the First Layer, and I’m on the Second Layer. That sense of superiority from secretly reveling in one’s own cleverness would suffer a massive backlash the moment they realized the other party likely already knew their intentions and was actually on the Third Layer.

Especially for the proud Demigod Veron, who stood at the pinnacle of the Academy.

”You knew all this?”

As an administrative official, she was naturally well-informed.

Lanaya, who had just breathed a sigh of relief when one party took their leave despite the stiff atmosphere, was momentarily startled by this new development and couldn’t help but ask.

”Hmph. Although I haven’t made much academic progress over the years, I’ve always paid attention to the growth of the younger generation. How could I not know about such a thing?”

What she got in return, however, was Fu Qian’s look of absolute confidence.

...

I really can’t refute that. That assistant in your laboratory was forcibly ”cared” for right out of the Sword Comprehension Institute...

Even though she was used to Professor Fu’s highly respected and venerable facade, Lanaya still felt a bit suffocated in that moment.

So much so that, unable to squeeze out a single word, she subconsciously prayed this guy wouldn’t spout any more provocative lines.

Or that Madam Su beside him could take control of the situation and stop things from developing in an even weirder direction.

Unfortunately, from the corner of her eye, she saw Demigod Su merely standing there leisurely, looking entirely respectful of the consultant’s right to speak.

”An uncut jade requires careful carving; wouldn’t casting a pearl into darkness be a pity?”

Sure enough, in the next moment, under Professor Veron’s cold scrutiny, Fu Qian gave a slight nod and dropped another famous quote.

”...Very well. Then I shall first thank you for your concern on her behalf.”

Fortunately, a comforting turn of events finally occurred. Professor Veron was truly highly respected; his refinement was far beyond what those brutes from Apocalypse could compare to.

In that moment, he not only miraculously calmed down but also displayed a level of cultivation that was worlds apart.

”So I wonder when Professor Fu will be free? I shall bring that young lady over for a visit then.”

And that wasn’t even the end. Before flicking his sleeves to leave, Professor Veron took a step further, directly responding to Professor Fu’s earlier teasing words.

Is he that confident?

Faced with such a posture, even the interim spokesperson of Apocalypse, whose momentum was at its peak, narrowed his eyes slightly for a moment, as if experiencing this senior’s true caliber for the first time.

”Don’t worry. I’ll definitely be there when you arrive.”

It was a long while before he spoke again. Clearly unwilling to lose any momentum, Professor Fu actually accepted the challenge.

”Good.”

Without any further reaction, Professor Veron finally left cleanly, not even forgetting to greet Demigod Su of the Night Watchers, maintaining the stark contrast in manners.

”What young person?”

However, not everyone felt that way. Professor Rob, who had been watching the whole time, asked about the situation with a genuinely serious face once he confirmed the man had gone far away.

On one hand, having been at the bottom of the hierarchy for years, he clearly harbored no goodwill toward Linghui’s conduct.

At the same time, his recent series of encounters made him absolutely certain of Professor Fu’s desire to support the younger generation. He was actually somewhat worried about the person mentioned in the argument just now.

”Supposedly a very talented young person. I just hope her judgment matches her talent.”

Waving his hand dismissively, though he was always eager to teach, Professor Fu also possessed the carefree attitude of respecting others’ destinies. He didn’t dwell on the matter and looked at Lanaya the next moment.

”Is there any new activity here?”