High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 335: Chapter 4 Theory of Silence_1

Philosophy of Magic is a liberal arts course. Of course, since some academies do not enforce the knowledge of this field as a must-learn, this course is categorized as a university-wide elective course.

Even so, due to the limited number of professors in the university who have the competence to teach this course, Philosophy of Magic course is often arranged as a large course by the Ministry of Education, mixing students from different academies for instruction.

After all, only those experienced and knowledgeable veteran professors can explain this obscure course that investigates the source of magic to the young wizards with ease.

Like the head of Jiuyou Academy, Yao Xiaomi.

It may be because of his fearsome title, or maybe it’s because he really teaches well.

Old Yao’s philosophy class had always been overcrowded.

Apart from the students of Jiuyou Academy, students from Alpha Academy, Starry Sky Academy, and even some sophomores and juniors who had to retake the course after failing, all chose Old Yao’s course as a priority.

But due to limited places, not everyone has the chance to grab a slot.

As far as Zheng Qing knows, nearly half of the Astronomy Class 08-1 can only choose philosophy classes of other professors. This includes Elena.

That’s also why the young state-funded students dare to stay in their seats before class despite the somehow embarrassing atmosphere.

The Philosophy course class is located in West 302 of the main teaching building.

As always.

Almost half an hour before the start of the class, the spacious classroom is already fully occupied.

No one was making noise or causing a commotion.

Zheng Qing notices a very interesting phenomenon.

Whenever students from different academies have a class in one room, they always carry out some silent comparison: it might be the number of answers provided, the homework completion status, or it might be the class or pre-class discipline.

The winner naturally gains some psychological advantage, where they can look at the students from other academies with their perceived superiority.

The losers will lick their wounds in silence, in order to win the next competition.

For example, now.

In classroom 302, not a sound can be heard. Everyone is devoutly reviewing the lecture notes copied in the last class at their seats, trying to demonstrate something with their serious studying attitude to the students from other academies.

The semi-transparent curtains are wide open, blocking the harsh sunlight outside the window; the elves hanging on the light balls under the ceiling, carefully recharging them, maintaining the brightness of the classroom at the right level.

In front of the wall, on that broad blackboard, an elegant piece of text is left by someone:

”When you enter university and walk deeper into the wizard’s hall, you need to find a lamp.”

”This lamp can help you go further in the darkness, can help you find direction when you are lost, can help you strengthen your belief when you are confused.”

”Of course, it can also help you find the exit of the Book Mountain Library.”

”This lamp is the Philosophy of Magic.”

”Although it is dry and mundane, without dazzling magic effects, it will become the most solid foundation in your magic journey.”

Zheng Qing was chewing on these fragmented and disjointed maxims while flipping open his textbook.

”This passage looks familiar,” he mumbled, nudging Xiao Xiao next to him with his elbow: ”Who wrote it?”

”Karl Strauss.” Xiao Xiao, deserving his title of Ph.D. indeed, readily provided a name.

Zheng Qing lowered his head, looked at the author’s name of ’Philosophy of Magic’ next to his hand, his tone sounded a little empty: ”I’m not asking for the source of this passage... I just want to ask, who wrote it on the blackboard?”

”Of course it’s the chalk!” Xiao Xiao looked at him in surprise: ”Besides chalk, who else would write on the blackboard?”

Zheng Qing finally gave up and stopped fussing about this issue.

...

Old Yao is accustomed to coming to the lecture podium a few minutes earlier.

Because he always blabbers before the class starts.

Like ’The weather is great today, quite nice’; or ’You are the worst class I have ever taught’.

But today on the lecturer stage, he didn’t chat about the weather or about students.

He complained about other teachers instead.

”Professor Si Ma is a very dedicated teacher, there’s no doubt about it.”

”But also quite an expert in giving me trouble.”

He swayed that black pipe, letting the green smoke coil around him, obscuring his face. He kept complaining:

”Starting from last week, um, I forgot after which history lesson... Anyway, she involved some profound knowledge of magic philosophy in the process of interpreting history for you.”

”And now.”

”You little rascals seized every opportunity to come up to me and asked what the ’Silence Theory’ was all about.”

”At first, I was puzzled... This practical theoretical course is something you can only come across in your senior year, so how did all of you manage to study it in advance!”

The classroom burst into a cheerful chuckle, Zheng Qing couldn’t help but laugh himself, looking at the smiling faces around him.

A sense of satisfying pride filled the air.

Of course, some students from other academies were looking confused, evidently not understanding what the professor was talking about on stage.

Old Yao soon noticed these signs:

”Some of you may not know.” He knocked on the lectern with his pipe and added: ”During Professor Si Ma’s history lesson, she interpreted a part of actual history, which get involved with the Silence Theory... I remember there were some students from Jiuyou Academy and a few students from Alpha Academy in that lesson?”

”Yes!” There were scattered responses in the large classroom.

”Did anyone look up this information in the library?”

After Zheng Qing raised his hand, he was surprised to find out that only over a dozen people in class raised their hands.

”Did anyone understand it?”

The raised hands simultaneously fell back down.

Old Yao nodded in satisfaction:

”That’s right.”

”’Silence Theory’ is one of the greatest achievements in the development of modern magic philosophy and forms the basis for the conduct of contemporary wizards. This theory is the result of the joint efforts of several great wizards, and in the derivation process, they used complex magical skills and many profound theories.”

”Today I will take a while to explain ’Silence Theory’ to you all. I don’t expect you to understand it, but it would be fine if you can get the general idea.”

Old Yao put the law book on the lectern, rolled up his sleeves, and began to pace back and forth on the platform.

”First we need to define... I need to give you a definition.”

”What is Silence Theory?”

”The main argument of the theory of silence can be simply summarized in one sentence: In a certain space-time range, the strength of active individuals is inversely proportional to the lifespan of this space-time.”

Old Yao spoke very slowly, almost word by word.

After he finished saying, everyone indeed looked confused.