High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 178: Chapter 102: The Dangerous Laboratory_1

Compared to theory-heavy courses like Curse and Philosophy of Magic, Potion Studies is a very practical course. According to the syllabus issued by the faculty meeting, more than half of the class time in Potion Studies is devoted to practical coursework.

Therefore, the Potion Studies classroom of Astronomy Class 08-1, like that of other classes, is located in a laboratory on the west side of the main building which contains many experimental tables.

Although from the outside, there is little height difference between the three major buildings: the lab building, the main building, and the office building, the interiors of each are vastly different.1

Unlike the main building, where floors occasionally disappear, the situation in the lab building is extremely complex.

This is because it is not only the lab building for Potion Alchemists, Herb Pharmacists, or Pill Pharmacists, but also Fu Masters, Array Masters, Magical Instrument Masters, and Alchemists.

Underground, the lab building has a large subterranean space. The warehouse on the first basement floor stores various commonly used experimental equipment and medicinal materials; the second basement floor houses a greenhouse that grows a massive amount of Yin herbs; the third to sixth basement floors provide hundreds of silence chambers for different needs, where students or professors can compound potions, sketch talismans, etch tools or integrate formations in a quiet environment; the seventh to ninth basement floors have experimental fields with different concentrations of magic power, facilitating professors to carry out more refined experiments; further down, it’s said there’s a large formation attracting Earth’s fire, using magma and underground Yin spring as supplementary means, and a huge pill furnace that can refine hundreds of pills in one furnace.

On the upper floors of the lab building, there are several tall towers protruding like chimneys into the air. Various models of different-sized astronomical instruments are installed at the tops of these towers, where the first university’s dedicated astronomical observatory responsible for campus climate regulation is located. The classrooms for the school’s star-class courses, stargazing divination, among others, are also located here.

As for the middle and lower floors of the lab building, there are many independent labs, club activity rooms, and dedicated classrooms.

When Zheng Qing first visited the first university campus, Nicholas told them that the lab building was a high-risk area in the campus. At that time, the freshmen, filled with excitement and curiosity, didn’t take the veterans’ warning seriously.

But only on their second class in this building, Zheng Qing had a clear understanding of this claim.

”Boom!”

The loud explosion and intense vibration interrupted Professor Li Qihuang’s lecture.

Zheng Qing felt as if the whole classroom was hit head-on by a fast-moving train, with every student inside being knocked over.

He straightened up, staring in horror at the classroom’s white walls, which twisted like wrinkled paper at terrifying angles, and the load-bearing walls and doors groaned in pain under this pressure.

”Don’t panic, hold onto the handles on the experimental table.” Professor Li shouted, his voice surprisingly overriding the loud rumble from outside the classroom.

Turns out he can raise his voice! Zheng Qing sneered inwardly while grabbing the handle of the experiment table.

Then, he looked up and looked around.

Jiang Yu in front of him had already opened his law book. Perhaps she had used that ’Ge Zhitianxi’ spell she learned recently, a large amount of writhing vines firmly tied the surrounding girls to the experiment table, very stably; not far behind Zheng Qing, the Gypsy witch held the handle on the experimental table with one hand, appearing relaxed, she even had the leisure to play around with her Tarot cards.

The boys around, perhaps due to negligence, were stumbled by the subsequent building vibration and looked a bit miserable.

When the noise outside the classroom gradually subsided, and the vibrations also gradually stopped, the classroom returned to calm, and everyone stabilized. Only then did Professor Li speak again:

”Don’t mind it too much, it’s probably just an explosion in the underground fire chamber, it’s not a big deal... Accidents like this often happen in the lab building, as long as you are not in the classroom where the accident happened, it doesn’t matter.” His light-hearted words reassured the startled freshmen, seemingly unaware of a few freshmen who had fallen and got bruised and swollen faces.

”Experiments come with such risks.” The Professor concluded.

”This is outrageous, outrageous.” Zheng Qing raged inwardly, rubbing his face, trying to smooth his twisted expression and shockedly looked at his classmates, ”How could the school allow such a dangerous classroom to exist!”

”We’re literally learning at the risk of our lives.” Xin Fat Man, still hugging the heavy experimental table, grumbled.

”It’s even scarier than the legends,” Xiao Xiao said, pale-faced as she adjusted her glasses.

”My brother always says,” Zhang Ji Xin cited her brother’s advice again, ”Don’t go to the lab building if it’s not necessary.”

”Your brother is right,” Zheng Qing said, sighing deeply. ”He’s always right.”

Professor Li clapped his hands for silence, indicating for the chatter in the classroom to quiet down. He then continued the topic from before the explosion:

”Besides the written homework from last class, I also asked all of you to be able to recite a prescription with ephedra in this class.”

Zheng Qing shook his head in confusion.

He seemed to hear the sound of his brain desperately flapping against his skull.

Startled as he was earlier, he had already forgotten large parts of the prescription, which he hadn’t been very familiar with in the first place.

And the professor’s next sentence was even more disheartening.

”As for checking the prescriptions,” Professor Li Qihuang paused, seriously scanning the students in the classroom, then suddenly laughed, ”Who recited a prescription other than ’Ephedra Almond Licorice Plaster Soup’? Raise your hand.”

The classroom was silent for a few seconds.

Jiang Yu, Xin, and Matthew raised their hands.

Zheng Qing tried to burrow his head deeper into the desk, pretending to be still in the dizziness from the explosion.

Almost everyone simply memorized the easiest prescription – there was nothing more embarrassing than this.

”I left in a hurry last class, so I didn’t make the homework assignment clear.” Professor Li smiled genially at everyone, continuing: ”So, let me add: each person needs to recite a prescription containing ephedra before the next class. You can’t just recite the basic prescriptions from the textbook, you need to find a prescription in the library that adequately reflects your level.”

Maybe because of the recent explosion, the students responded feebly, devoid of the enthusiasm they had a few minutes ago.

”Alright. Let’s get back to business.” Professor Li cleared his throat and, smiling, steered the conversation back on track.

”Pharmacology is a rich subject. It includes everything from the first humans to all modern pharmacological knowledge. Last class you got a brief overview of modern pharmacology theory and common sense.”

”Originally, for this class I planned to continue teaching some basic theory, but firstly, you didn’t complete my homework.”

Professor Li paused, looking at the students. Many of them silently lowered their heads.

”On the other hand,” the professor dropped his hand, pointing to the ground, ”The lab isn’t exactly quiet today... I expect there’ll be more explosions soon, so this isn’t a good place for class.”

”In that case, let me take you somewhere else this class, to experience another fascinating aspect of pharmacology.”

With that, he opened the classroom door, indicating for everyone to head out.