High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 90: Chapter 14 Foundation Exam_1

The published effective courses in the teaching plan of the First University numbered in the hundreds, with varying difficulty levels and intended student groups.

Some courses were specifically catered to certain races, such as ”Blood Clan Badge Studies” and ”Werewolf Totem Studies”; these types of courses, except for the respective races, only a few uniquely interested wizards would study.

Some courses were extremely specialized, such as ”Probability Theory and Divination Analysis” and ”Functional Analysis of Dimensional Shifts”; at the First University, only researchers at the registered wizard level and above had the opportunity to engage with these profound theories.

Some courses required no prior foundational knowledge, like ”Philosophy of Magic” and ”Magic Book Maintenance”; these courses could be easily understood by laymen for the most part, though the level of understanding may vary subtly.

Then there were courses that necessitated a certain foundation from the students.

Like ”Talisman Studies”.

Talisman Studies is a basic discipline with a wide range of applications.

If astronomy was the written language for wizards, then talisman studies would be the formulas they devised.

Wizards discovered early on that certain fixed magical patterns and designs would trigger special magic effects. After generations of tireless efforts and research, these combinations were repeatedly optimized, solidified, and handed down, eventually forming talismans.

Every talisman holds the wisdom of a wizard.

The advanced courses derived from talisman studies included a wide range of subjects such as astronomy, magic patterns, formations, alchemy, and even influenced different academic sects of wizards, such as Dimensionism and Flow of Thought.

It could be said that without a good foundation in talisman studies, one couldn’t be considered a qualified wizard.

Zheng Qing took out his own Four Treasures of the Study from the gray cloth bag: a turtle-back inkstone, Pine Script Ink, a purple brush, and Yellow Talisman Paper.

He gently brushed the little snake coiled on the turtle’s back with his brush, and the impatient snake opened its mouth and spat out a puddle of clear water.

The clear water seeped into the ink pool.

Zheng Qing picked up the inkstone, wet it with the snake’s saliva, and ground the ink in a steady clockwise direction, producing a halo of ink.

The ink was slightly volatile.

He paused, grabbed the purple brush, and began to take deep breaths.

For Zheng Qing, the word ’exam’ was not a foreign term.

From childhood to adulthood, monthly exams, annual exams, unified exams, middle school exams, high school exams, small exams every three days, and large exams every ten days, he didn’t know how many exams he had been through.

But he had never really faced a wizard’s exam.

The inexplicable exam in his dreams, too surreal, always gave him a sense of unreality.

From receiving the admission notice, to nervously lying on the six-pillar bed in dormitory 301, this feeling of unease remained constantly. It seemed that everything he saw and experienced lacked some necessary support, like flowers in a mirror, a dream of life.

It wasn’t until he heard the word ’exam’ just now that he had a moment of realization.

The unease in his heart came from the unknown.

Even though many people had given him adequate explanations, Zheng Qing still couldn’t understand why he was admitted, why the school admitted him, and he had no idea what he should do in the future.

Whether it was the interviewer, Thomas, or the veteran student, Nicolas; or even Xiao Xiao and Li Meng, Zheng Qing’s unease was always suppressed by novelty when he was in front of others.

The upcoming exam, however, unleashed his fear in a crude yet familiar manner.

Will he fail the exam?

Zheng Qing clutched the purple brush in his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Could he do it?

Was it really not a mistake by the school?

What if he was given the exam paper and didn’t recognize a single word and ended up handing in a blank sheet, would he be expelled by the school?

Would the school send him home by plane?

Would they throw him down from the sky again?

Messy thoughts raced in his head like a carousel, refusing to stop spinning.

The tense atmosphere pervaded the classroom.

A lot of people were frantically flipping through textbooks, moving their lips, trying to cram in some last-minute study before the papers were handed out.

”It’s all up to you now!”

”Please!”

Surrounding classmates pat Zheng Qing on his shoulder, with a look that deemed him as their last stand.

Zheng Qing kept a straight face, neatly arranged the paper and inkstone in front of him, and tried hard to hide his unease.

”Everyone, don’t be nervous, this is just a baseline test.”

Professor Zhang on the podium seemed to sense the palpable unease in the classroom and smiled:

”This test is a simple review of your current foundation in talisman studies, which will help me establish an appropriate syllabus and plan for subsequent courses.”

”Also, it is about class division. As students’ progress and levels are inconsistent, the content taught by professors will also vary. I have already applied to the school, your talisman studies will revert to the small class mode. Corresponding classes will be assigned to students of different levels.”

”This baseline test will not affect your final exams. Of course, students who perform exceptionally well will be awarded extra credit points within my authority.”

On the podium, Professor Zhang was extracting a stack of test papers from her Kun Bag while comforting the silent students.

Then she knocked the stack of papers with the spine of a Pink Blue Magic Book in her hand.

A gentle breeze blew, and the papers fluttered like white feathers, drifting towards the students’ desks.

”Before the official start of the exam, let me reiterate.”

”Cheating is strictly prohibited!”

”Those who violate exam rules will be expelled from the classroom.”

”Such actions will not benefit you in any way, so I hope everyone takes note.”

Zheng Qing looked around, taking a deep breath.

In the distance, Liu Fei Fei, Jiang Yu, Tang Dun, and others had already started writing vigorously with brushes and ink.

In front of him, Xin Fat Man was examining the exam paper with his head down, his right hand lifted to his ear, the short and thick fingers moving a pencil nimbly between them.

Zhang Ji Xin beside him was cracking his knuckles, muttering to himself, looking like he was on the verge of going crazy.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao finally put away his black hardcover notebook.

”Talisman studies is a subject that places great emphasis on the basics. You all have different levels of learning prior to university, which will result in differences in learning progress. Therefore, we need to see what level of teaching everyone can accept, so as to formulate a suitable study plan for everyone.”

On the podium, Professor Zhang was still giving her calm pre-exam instructions, and her soft voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet classroom.

Zheng Qing just noticed that this teacher’s voice was very pleasant to listen to.

He looked up, and a floating piece of paper blocked his view.

The papers had been passed to the last row.

He received the paper and took a deep breath.

In the distance, Professor Zhang’s soft Wu dialect seemed to become more and more distant to him:

”Exam scores will not be announced but will affect your class arrangement, so write as much as you can.”

”Keep in mind, talisman studies is the foundation of many disciplines. An excellent foundation in talisman studies will enable you to better grasp the essence of magic during your university years.”