High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1244: Chapter 306: The Witness (Part 2)

”I took the school’s admission test, and a black cat guided me to take the test... Were these two things real, or were they just a dream?”

”It was real, and it was a dream. There’s no conflict in that.”

”Which came first, and which followed? Did I guide myself to become a wizard, or did I become a wizard and then look back and ’guide’ myself?”

”Time is linear, but life is not.” The teacher’s answer to this question was somewhat vague, not providing Zheng Qing with the most direct answer: ”Life is always filled with divergences, cycles, and paradoxes. Observing this world beyond the constraints of dimensions, it’s hard to confirm which timeline’s history is the real one... because they are all equally real.”

Zheng Qing pondered the teacher’s words.

Then he asked the last and most important question to him, ”Is my life... planned out?”

”It depends on how you define ’planned’,” the teacher looked him in the eyes seriously and replied softly, ”A life without a plan can only be called existing, a life with a plan is living. As I just mentioned, life is full of crossroads, and without certain plans, to set foot on a diverging path would be a tragic matter for anyone.”

”You would be like walking in the endless desert, thirsty and hungry, stretching out your hands only to grasp the wind and sand.”

”If you are merely worried that your life is ’dominated’ or ’controlled’ by others, then you can rest easy. No, I do not mean to comfort you. I just want to tell you that 99.99% of the people in this world are dominated by others throughout their lives. That is not something to be afraid of.”

”What is frightening is to be dominated without knowing it... In this regard, you are already much stronger than most people.”

”If you truly master the power of forbidden curses, then you can do even better. Because by that time, you will understand what it means to dominate, and you will know how heavy a burden it is to control your own destiny.”

The conversation between Zheng Qing and the teacher came to a pause.

These words were enough for the young wizard to reflect upon for a long time. Of course, the primary reason the conversation stopped was that the Yellow Flowered Cat had returned from picking someone up at school, bringing Jiang Yu back to the bookstore through the school’s temporarily permitted ’Big Clock.’

”Things are a mess at the school now.” The Yellow Flowered Cat nimbly leaped over bookshelves and chairs, jumping onto the desk, skillfully picked up the teacher’s teacup, sipped a few mouthfuls of tea, and then complained, ”The ongoing conflict between Jiuyou and Alpha’s students is unending, and the School Works Committee is severely understaffed... To think that opening a temporary ’Big Clock’ made me wait a full half-hour!”

The teacher paid no attention to the Yellow Flowered Cat’s complaints.

He adjusted his glasses and his gaze fell on the witch following the Flower Cat into the bookstore, nodding very amicably, ”Student Jiang Yu? I appreciate you taking the trouble to come.”

As he spoke, the lights in the store suddenly became much brighter, and Zheng Qing finally saw his friend again.

Compared to the last meeting, Jiang Yu’s complexion had improved a lot.

But still appeared somewhat pale.

”It’s fine.” The witch nodded simply to the bookstore owner, then turned her gaze to the young cost student.

Zheng Qing also looked her over seriously at the same time.

She had a dark red fur-trimmed wide-brimmed hat on her head, wearing a beige trench coat, underneath was a white shirt and black wide-legged pants, with black witch shoes on her feet, carrying a handbag, and the previously depleted gemstones on her wrist’s multicolored silk ribbons were replenished, and she also had a new Jade Pendant hanging from her belt.

From parting to reunion, it had only been half a day, but for Zheng Qing, it was a long and arduous journey. This joy was indescribable in words.

He couldn’t help but step forward excitedly, extending his hand as if he wanted to embrace the witch, but then he quickly realized that his actions were somewhat ”out of line,” freezing on the spot. He didn’t know whether to lower his raised arm or keep it extended.

In contrast, Jiang Yu was much braver.

She took a quick few steps and embraced the outstretched arm of the warlock, gently patted his back, paused for a moment, and then took a step back, revealing a slightly flushed face:

”Long time no see.”

Her voice, however, was very calm, as if she had just greeted a classmate with a casual hello.

The witch’s subtle fragrance and the sensation of her stroke on his back rendered the young man stiff from head to toe.

”Long time no see,” he replied dryly, but his face didn’t feel intensely hot; instead, a warm feeling welled up from the bottom of his heart.

”Pfft,” a snorting sound came from the Yellow Flowered Cat nearby, followed by Zheng Qing hearing its soft muttering: ”From morning till now, it hasn’t even been twelve hours... What do you mean by ’long time no see’?”

This comment caused the young male and female wizards, who had just calmed down, to become instantly embarrassed.

”One day apart feels like three autumns, and half a day feels like a fall and a half; I guess that could count as a long time,” the Professor joked from the side, then skipping the subject, he turned to the witch:

”It’s impolite to keep guests waiting. Before that, I think Student Jiang Yu might be a bit puzzled about why she is here.”

Zheng Qing nodded for Jiang Yu with vigor.

Any topic would do as long as it could clear away the current awkward atmosphere.

”Before addressing that confusion, allow me to briefly describe the situation you are facing,” the Professor said, standing and walking between two tall bookshelves, bypassing the two young wizards.

His voice, coming from behind the bookshelves, was very clear:

”Earlier today, you conducted an illegal magic experiment in a newly-formed secret realm within the Silent Forest, erroneously invoking the descent of two Outer Gods.”

”Luckily, you are both alive.”

”Unfortunately, Ilyana Jones had to make a tremendous sacrifice. At the most critical moment of the battle, to stop Satoguya, Miss Jones sacrificed herself to a long-slumbering Moon God in the deeps of the starry sky.”

Jiang Yu bit her lip; her complexion grew even paler.

The joy that had just bloomed in Zheng Qing’s heart moments ago vanished completely under the Professor’s harsh description.

”...If you wish to rescue the trapped Ilyana Jones, it will require a collaborative effort from both of you.” By this point, the Professor had already circled back from behind the bookshelves, holding in his hands a brown leather scroll about a foot in length.

”What do we need to do?” Jiang Yu asked directly.

”Be witnesses.” The Professor smiled slightly, lifting the scroll in his hand, stepping between the young wizards: ”Ilyana is currently in a very delicate state, one between life and death. To pull her back from that state, we need to create a solid anchor point.”

”You are the witnesses to this anchor.”