High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2402: Chapter 623: Sneaky

Old-school wizards often say that there are two types of wizards in the world: those whose souls dominate their bodies, and those whose bodies are dominated by their souls. The former exhibit self-awareness and self-discipline, while the latter display ignorance and loss of control.

But Zheng Qing believes there is a third type of wizard.

Self-aware yet out of control.

Like those vast beings who self-exile into the starry sky; like those liches slowly falling under the corruption of demonic aura; or like the black wizard Walter who actively accepts the raven’s transformation or Varis from the North District. They know that they might lose control at some point in the future, but they won’t change because of it.

Zheng Qing doesn’t want to become a third-type wizard.

He just wants to live peacefully.

But most of the time, life tends to develop against people’s wishes. Like now. That original forbidden curse seed has already exhausted Zheng Qing, and now there’s another bloodline seed in his body, causing an odd emotion to arise in his heart sometimes, feeling like his body is fertile soil, eager to accept any seed to see if it could sprout.

Thinking of sprouting, he couldn’t help but turn and look out the window.

The late-winter, early spring sunlight has grown several degrees warmer, with golden sunlight, blue skies, white clouds, complemented by yellow fences, green vines, and a riot of colorful flowers, collectively forming a pretty little garden.

The young cost student couldn’t resist stretching out his hand, spreading his palm to catch a ray of sunlight, as if in the next moment a green sprout would appear in his palm, shooting branches and leaves, then blooming into a fleshy, blood-red, demonic flower.

”...I work on bloodline research, usually from the angle of mutations and evolution. Sometimes inevitably narrow-sighted, missing other necessary clues. Plus, the world of magic is vast, and personal capacity and vision are very limited, so in this matter, you should consult opinions from other professional professors and therapists, or perhaps gain insights from external sources... Please, stay... no need to be polite, we’re colleagues, it’s just a small favor...”

A farewell message from Professor Montreya rang in his ears.

Perhaps due to today’s examination finding something significant about Zheng Qing, or because he hasn’t completely controlled the big wizard’s true form yet, the professor’s energy was fluctuating and more excited than before, causing his speech to be somewhat verbose.

”What are you looking at?” Jiang Yu’s curious voice came from beside him.

Zheng Qing snapped back to reality, immediately noticing the other two big wizards staring at him, seemingly worried about any issues from the recent examination, making him feel embarrassed—while others were concerned about his health, he was zoning out on the side.

Truly inappropriate.

”Sorry,” he promptly apologized, but didn’t mention his idle thoughts, vaguely saying, ”I just suddenly thought the ’year’ is about to end... a bit nostalgic about time flying by.”

While speaking, he closed his spread palm.

As if wanting to grasp that ray of sunlight in his palm.

”Time flies.”

Su Shijun repeated those words with a light laugh, surprisingly not minding the nearby outsiders, subtly shifted the topic: ”Do you know what the New Year means? It’s not about winter holidays, snow, braised carp, or the Nian beast. New Year means spring is coming. The holiday is the Spring Festival. Like Venus at the end of the night, when you see it, the sun is about to rise.”

While speaking, the group of four had already reached the entrance of Greenhill Mansion.

Unintentionally spoken, yet intentionally heard.

Professor Montreya stopped in front of the shallow brook outside the fence, lowering his head, looking at the clear water flowing underneath, his hard expression softened, and the aura around him suddenly stabilized significantly.

He slightly nodded, softly agreeing: ”Yeah, after the holiday, can spring be far behind?”

Similarly.

Zheng Qing also thought of the little witch he saw this morning in North Beta Town, with enchantment marks dyed on her forehead with floral mud, silently pondering. Perhaps for her, the day Korma becomes the big wizard is the real New Year for Northern District wizards.

After Professor Montreya left, Su Shijun didn’t return to the mansion.

”I’m going to the lab to re-verify some data.” As she spoke, she glanced at Zheng Qing and Jiang Yu standing beside her, her eyes shifted, with a smile at the corner of her mouth: ”If you want to do something naughty, you can go to the second floor, find an empty room... avoid Dang Dang, she’s still young.”

Zheng Qing nearly stumbled into the shallow brook beside him.

But before the two could react, the witch finished speaking, waved her sleeve, and disappeared in a fragrant breeze. A few dead leaves fluttered leisurely before Zheng Qing’s eyes, chillingly, just like the warlock’s current mood.

”What... what in the world!”

The young cost student laughed dryly, glanced uncertainly at the witch beside him, emphasizing like an announcement: ”I don’t know what she’s talking about! I don’t know!”

Contrary to his imagination of the witch blushing and steaming, Jiang Yu showed a calm expression, turned directly towards the mansion, leaving only a word behind: ”I’m going to study.”

The warlock secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Then recalled a question that had troubled him for a long time.

He quickened his steps, caught up with the witch crossing the small garden, and quietly asked: ”What have you been studying recently? You seem very busy... is there anything I can help with... I mean, if necessary, I can study together!”

”Aren’t you worried about displeasing Su Councilor?” Jiang Yu glanced at him.

”What does my studying have to do with her!” Anyway, the big fox isn’t in the mansion, the warlock was unusually assertive once, but cautiously lowered his voice.

Jiang Yu snorted lightly, slowing her pace slightly.

Until the two were about to enter the flower hall, she explained calmly: ”I’m not like you. If I want to accumulate enough credits to graduate early, I must work harder, double major in several specialized courses... so I must seize every minute and second.”

Early... graduate?!

Zheng Qing paused, somewhat dumbfounded, yet somewhat tempted.

Ever since Su Shijun and Old Yao mentioned this suggestion to him, he had been wavering, partly due to Jiang Yu. And now, the witch was using her way to dispel this part of his hesitation.

Of course, Jiang Yu wouldn’t stand there in a daze like Zheng Qing, her figure already disappearing deep into the flower hall.

A small furry tail was exposed in the nearby bushes, swaying in the corner of the warlock’s eye, dispelling the touch of emotion that had just risen in his heart.

His face darkened, he approached the bush, reached in, and grabbed the sneaky Su Ya.

The little fox lady’s mouth still bore traces of sauce from eating salted frog eyes.

”You two, sneaking around, are you up to something bad behind the lady’s back!” Su Ya ignored the embarrassment of having her tail droop while being held in mid-air, hands on hips, ears up, aggressively deflecting back at the warlock.

Zheng Qing rolled his eyes stupendously.

”It’s sneaky, not sneaking around!” He corrected Su Ya’s word misuse, and then realizing his mistake, his tone became a bit annoyed: ”We weren’t sneaking around!! You... eating my snacks while thinking of tattling, where’s the conscience?”

”What’s conscience? Is it tasty?” The little fox lady was either genuinely foolish or pretending to be.

”Where’s Dong Dong?”

”Doing math problems...”

”Since everyone is studying, you don’t need to mop the floor,” Zheng Qing looked at the little fox lady calmly, carrying her towards the study: ”...today’s task, write ’sneaky’ a hundred times.”