High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1484: Chapter 228: Conversation Before the Gyroscope

”What did you all see?”

Elder Atar’s weathered voice echoed in the hall, he lifted his head, his clear gaze landed on the young wizards, devoid of any aggressive intent, yet it gave one the feeling of being thoroughly seen through.

”A spinning top.” Zheng Qing was the first to answer the old man’s question, then he felt his response was too simple and hastily added, ”A spinning top.”

Adding a measure word and an adjective made his answer seem a bit more complete, and the young cost student judged that his answer was definitely correct.

”A standard correct answer,” Elder Atar smiled lightly, without further comment, only nodding his head and then shifting his gaze to Jiang Yu next to him.

The witch pondered for a moment.

”Balance.” She stared at the rapidly spinning top, expanding on her explanation: ”Balance is built on mutual trust, it’s a dynamic process.”

The elder slightly raised his eyebrows.

”A very interesting interpretation,” he showed a hint of interest on his face, ”But I can hear that you have not voiced all your thoughts.”

Jiang Yu reached to touch a jade pendant on her chest, closing her eyes.

A green light flashed across the jade pendant.

When she opened her eyes again, there was no longer respect but a sense of calm and indifference, her voice also turned a bit hollow.

However, this change was very subtle, hard for others to notice.

Pausing for a moment, the witch continued speaking, ”Zu Ge and cats, reality and falsehood, yin and yang, wizards and demons, everything in the world exists in a dynamic balance...”

The old cat leading Zheng Qing and others to meet Elder Atar sneezed loudly, as though unhappy with the witch equating it with those sneaky Zu Ge.

Yet, everyone present ignored its discontent.

Xiao Xiao and Elder Atar listened especially attentively.

Jiang Yu’s cold and hollow voice continued, ”Cats believe that Zu Ge cannot turn over their claws, Zu Ge believe they cannot resist the cats’ rule, and thus they have reached a balance. First University believes in the wisdom of the various races in Dreamland, and Dreamland also trusts the power of First University, thus this world has always maintained balance.”

”But if the wizards find their trust betrayed, and Dreamland becomes a playground for demons, what happens after imbalance, no one knows. No one wants to see that.”

The hall fell silent for a few seconds.

The witch’s bold and nearly straightforward accusation left Zheng Qing a bit bewildered; he originally thought their visit to this temple to meet the elder was a very ’friendly’ affair.

But things seemed to be slightly beyond his expectation.

Elder Atar quietly watched the witch, and after a long while, he laughed softly, ”This is not the stance of First University.”

”This is the stance of the wizards,” the witch replied.

”When did First University allow the Mage Alliance to interfere in its affairs?”

”First University is part of the Mage Alliance, and the Mage Alliance has the responsibility to protect the interests of First University.”

Hearing this, Zheng Qing vaguely understood that Jiang Yu might be representing the Mage Alliance to warn certain entities in Dreamland? This conjecture made him even more bewildered.

Logically, Furry Bean finding traces of the Faceless Demon, his own decision to come to Dreamland, the hastily assembled five-member Hunting team, none had been planned beforehand, they were impromptu decisions.

But Jiang Yu’s current response was clearly prepared in advance.

This gave him a sense of frustration at being kept in the dark, but even more so a sense of helplessness when manipulated by fate.

Elder Atar seemed to sense the fluctuations in the heart of the young sponsored student, gave him an extra glance, and then vaguely mentioned to the Witch, ”Dreamland is a world of fantasy, dreams, and mirrors; it does not belong to wizards, nor will it yield before demons... You can rest assured on that count, in the name of Wusa Temple.”

’Jiang Yu’ nodded in satisfaction and closed her eyes again.

The Jade Pendant flashed a streak of blue light once more.

When the Witch reopened her eyes, her gaze carried the same blankness as Zheng Qing, but unlike Zheng Qing’s complete ignorance, she faintly knew something had happened.

”Sorry, I was a bit rude just then.” She apologized to Elder Atar using the ancient wizarding etiquette.

The old man smiled gently.

”It’s alright,” he said unconcernedly, waving his hand and pointing to the blurry statues behind him: ”The gods will not notice such trivial discourtesies; they sit in the heavens, their eyes only on the brilliant starry sky.”

The Witch performed a ritual gesture again, then stepped back to stand beside Zheng Qing.

”Was I just really rude?” she asked the Warlock quietly, her cat ears drooping listlessly.

Zheng Qing pondered before responding: ”Indeed... that wasn’t quite like the usual you.”

”I knew it.” the Witch pinched the Jade Pendant, her voice sounding a bit irritated, yet also somewhat helpless: ”Elderly Ancestor never considers our feelings when doing things. Once she used my cousin’s body to challenge an old lady in Qingqiu to a fight, and in the end, both families’ younger generations ended up bruised and battered, while the two of them happily went home.”

Hearing this, Zheng Qing somehow felt much better.

”Let the adults handle adult matters; we just need to obediently listen on the side.” The Warlock’s tail emerged from under his robe, patting the Witch’s back comfortingly: ”When my husband messes around, he never gives me a heads-up either.”

The Witch’s cat ears perked up again, revitalized.

Elsewhere.

Elder Atar was looking at Xiao Xiao, waiting for his reply.

”What did you see?” The old man’s gaze wandered between the Doctor’s notebook, feather pen, and glasses as he asked again.

Xiao Xiao scratched his head and sighed.

”Life.” The short-statured Warlock answered with a lazy tone: ”We are like tops, whipped by life’s lash over and over, busily spinning fast all day long but never moving from the spot.”

”An exquisite metaphor.” The old man praised: ”I only understood this truth when I lived past a hundred years. We are indeed tops spinning in place.”

”But I don’t want to be a top.” Xiao Xiao spread his hands.

”Then what do you want to be?”

”Not sure yet. But... how about a bamboo dragonfly? Also busy, also spinning fast... but a bamboo dragonfly can fly higher and farther.”

”Even if it might end up hanging on a treetop, beaten by wind and rain?”

”At least it has reached heights a top has never reached, seen views a top has never seen.”

The conversation came to a pause at this point.

Elder Atar extended a withered finger, placing it on the perpetually spinning top, stopping its motion. Zheng Qing heard a sound akin to glass shattering and hitting the floor in his ears.

Clatter. Clatter.

He felt the world swaying, his vision somewhat blurry.

A sense of dizziness surged in from all directions.