High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2969: Chapter 1187: Warning

Zheng Qing felt his feet touch solid ground.

Everything around him was pitch black, nothing could be seen.

However, the rich fragrance of wood mixed with books rushed towards him, making him immediately realize where he was. However, he remembered clearly that earlier, the Sun of Buji Island had already returned to its position, so why was it still so dark now?

He couldn’t help but glance in the direction of the window.

”Because this isn’t Buji Island, but Hui Zi Ji. Of course, the Sun of Buji Island doesn’t shine on the shop of Hui Zi Ji — help me to the chair so I can rest.”

A slightly weak voice reached the boy’s ears. Along with this voice, a cluster of weak flames suddenly rose in the Small Red Clay Stove, the orange-red light spread through the cracks of the stove, eventually helping Zheng Qing to barely see the surrounding environment a bit more clearly.

It was indeed the San You Bookstore.

However, the boy no longer had the mind to ponder small matters like where the Sun had gone.

A few minutes ago, the mentor who had strongly suppressed many ancient beings was now half-leaning weakly against him, breath faint and seeming like a candle flame in a fierce wind, giving the impression that he might extinguish at any moment.

”Always so headstrong!”

The Yellow Flowered Cat’s voice rang from beside the stove, grumbling as it carefully lifted the lid of a small teapot with its paw, squinting as it contemplated whether to add a few more tea leaves.

It was midsummer.

The temperature outside was not low, and there was a stove burning indoors, but Zheng Qing felt cold all over.

He stiffly helped the mentor into a reclining chair.

He hadn’t decided how to start speaking.

The mentor sensed his unease, quietly chuckling: ”—In the high-dimensional world, didn’t you already know? The current me is just a ’shell’. To command those rebellious ones using this ’shell’ ultimately requires some cost. Fortunately, everyone was more reasonable than I expected... ended up saving a bit of mana.”

Zheng Qing tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Seemingly trying hard to force a smile.

But this effort somewhat failed, making his smile look somewhat awkward.

”They didn’t seem as reasonable as you said.”

The young wizard mumbled, images of Miss Bubble, the Demon Ancestor, and Abraham, among other ancient beings, flashed in his mind, and he suddenly recalled a small detail from before, his expression instantly stiffening: ”Mentor... just now in the First Hall, I thought of some things you said to me.”

The mentor lightly rocked the chair, softly responding: ”...So what?”

”Can they easily see through my thoughts?”

At this point, Zheng Qing’s voice came to a sudden halt, the stiffness on his face hadn’t completely faded, yet there was an added layer of confusion— if those ancient beings could easily see through his thoughts, then wouldn’t they know the mentor had already gone, and it was just a hollow shell that had forced them to sign in the First Hall just now?

But if they couldn’t see through his thoughts, that seems impossible! Whether looking at the old panda or others’ reactions, they clearly conveyed it.

”They can indeed easily see through your thoughts.”

The mentor used this simple fact to quell the storm brewing in the boy’s mind: ”—In the world, only a Legend can retain some secrecy in front of the ancients. But at the same time, they cannot see through all your thoughts. Because part of your experience is related to me, and they can’t see that... um, in terms of divination theory, it’s because my rank is much higher than theirs, and casually peering at a high-ranked existence will result in backlash at the rule level, thus attracting my attention.”

At this point, the mentor paused, giving a rather casual smile: ”Having had today’s experience, you probably also understand why they don’t want to attract my attention anymore... stepping back, even if they bypassed the rule restrictions through some secret techniques and saw something about our conversations hidden in your mind related to me, they would also doubt whether the ’facts’ you knew were false cognition implanted by me. Since in this world, the most reliable and unreliable thing is the human brain. And just coincidentally, the facts have shown them that my understanding or control of this world has reached a level they find inconceivable...”

”How did you do it?”

Zheng Qing couldn’t help but quietly ask— how did you manage to do so much with just a ’shell’ or a bit of mana, scaring so many powerful wizards?

Perhaps because the rest had been a while.

The mentor’s breathing was a bit steadier now.

He tilted his head back, pondering for a while, and eventually shook his head: ”It’s hard to explain to you clearly. But I can make an analogy. Using the example of the two-dimensional world and the three-dimensional world— for instance, a projection or a section of the three-dimensional world is a real and existent entity in the two-dimensional world, which can easily fill the entire two-dimensional world— in other words, even though I am just a shell right now, to you ’two-dimensional beings’, my shell is still very ’substantial’.”

Zheng Qing nodded half-understandingly.

But then heard the mentor’s tone shift: ”Do you feel relieved now, feeling that you can rest easy again?”

Embarrassment flickered across the boy’s face as he quickly shook his head.

The mentor was unconcerned, gently sighed: ”Feeling good about oneself is often when one stands at the peak of ignorance— ultimately, a shadow is just a shadow, without incarnation, it scarcely lasts long. As I told you before, I will leave. This is probably the last conversation between you and me. So, there are some things I want to remind you.

You are Order.

Order is a good concept.

But as the theory of Yin Yang elucidates, everything has its opposite. Dwelling too long in the world of Order may lead you to mistakenly think that the underlying rules of this world are orderly. You might unknowingly develop some ’arrogance’, believing that as long as you follow Order, you can do anything and everything within the limits of the rules...”

The mentor glanced at the Order Book in the boy’s arms, shaking his head ever so slightly:

”—That’s wrong. If you spend some time in the relevant departments, you should know, the world is both orderly and chaotic, and also chaotic. Order itself is a choice with minimal entropy increase, an exhibition of the concept of ’self-interest’ at the macro level. Most people don’t lack the capacity to break Order, but they choose to adhere to it after weighing pros and cons, as Order brings them more benefits. But humans can’t remain rational forever, the more variables there are, the more chaotic the situation, the easier the world leans towards chaos... and at that time, you’ll feel the world’s malice, accustomed to Order as you are.

Unlucky and yet lucky, you are now amidst an era of great change.”