High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1154: Chapter 216: The First Exploration

April 18th, Saturday, 23rd day of the third lunar month.

Auspicious: Initiating light, Excavation, Seeking medical attention, Curing diseases;

Taboo: Opening the market, Burial.

Zheng Qing always had his doubts about whether initiating light counted as opening the market, after all, when high-energy virtuous help with initiating light, believers always offer some incense money. Objectively speaking, there indeed is a hint of commerce in this process.

Of course, for people who grew up in the Wizard World, they don’t pay much attention to the almanac when they go out. No matter how exquisitely the calendar is crafted at birth, after the test of time, it will have one flaw or another. Applying such ancient imperfections to modern life is not a wise man’s approach.

Therefore, as long as the outcome is not too terrible—for example, burying someone on a day taboo for burial—most people tend to just get by and not be as concerned as the elder wizards from five hundred years ago, who always had to check the almanac before doing anything.

This is especially true for the students of First University, who, when concerning matters as elusive as luck, would rather believe in the line drawings they sketched the night before, or glance at a crystal ball upon waking in the morning.

Due to the incident at Hundred Herb Gardens on Friday afternoon, Zheng Qing thoroughly examined his line drawing that evening.

According to records since his enrollment, his overall fortune has been lingering in the low end. Although he occasionally suffers injuries, they were not serious, and he could generally achieve what he wanted to do— this meant a solid bottom.

According to divination books, a solid bottom is an important foundation for fortune to rebound. And fortune that builds a base over a long period will accumulate massive energy. If the energy is sufficient, it could even support a Registered wizard to advance to a Big Wizard.

But using another common divination skill—the principle of inertia—one could analyze this as ’what moves continues to move, what is still continues still.’ In other words, without external forces interfering, it’s difficult to break free from the destiny of being an ’idle fish.’

In short, like what the North District Mages do, the results of divination can always be fully interpreted from different aspects. The only difference depends on what kind of outcome the person being divined hopes to obtain.

Zheng Qing was hopeful that his fortune would improve slightly during this exploration of the new Secret Realm with Korma.

On Saturday morning, as the sky began to brighten, he stealthily slipped out of bed.

Before going to sleep last night, he had stirred transformation potion into milk and, through a night of digestion, allowed the medicinal effects to be fully absorbed and transformed. He hoped that today his Black Cat form would perform a bit better.

Black Cat stopped in front of Dylan’s dressing mirror, lifted its paws, and was pleased to find that the pad colors were normal. This meant that the negative effects of using magic potion to wash its hands the previous day had vanished.

Next to the fat man’s bed, the cat Tuan Tuan drooped its ears and barely lifted an eyelid, glancing at the lively Black Cat, then twitched its whiskers as a form of greeting.

Black Cat didn’t bring its grey cloth bag, simply wore the jade talisman given by Su Shijun around its neck, and then breezily left the dorm. Since the charm gun had been taken away, if this jade talisman couldn’t fend off an accident, Zheng Qing didn’t think there was anything else in his bag that could save his life.

Might as well be a bit more open-minded.

But not long after leaving, it scurried back, tucking its tail, flipped open its grey cloth bag, and took out two stacks of talismans to hang around its neck.

Korma clad in a set of dark red tight-fitting hunting clothes, draped in a black cloak, stood quietly under a Return Soul Poplar, his gaze coldly looking into the distance.

The long-planned scheme was finally about to truly take effect.

Although there had been a slight deviation from her initial predictions, it was not important.

What mattered was that she would not let anyone, anything, or any obstacle stand in her way—neither the corrupt traditions of the Wizard World, nor the threat note from Anonymous, nor even the Red Vest Mouse.

Even if her relationship with the Rat Immortal was good, the last time in the forest, when faced with a Red Vest Mouse that might leak her plan, she did not hesitate to kill it and feed it to the ants of the Silent Forest.

Of course, part of the reason might be that in her eyes, mice were just mice. No matter what vest they wore or what dialect they spoke, they were still mice and could not compare with wizards.

This was starkly different from the Rat Immortal, the octopus in the library, or a certain Black Cat.

Apart from Korma, under the Return Soul Poplar, there was the figure of another witch. Elena had stayed at Sakura Pub last night to avoid the morning curfew.

Similar to Korma, Elena also wore hunting clothes for easy movement today, except hers were black, and the Gypsy witch also wore a white mask on her face.

Apart from two glimmering eyes, not a trace of her features was exposed. To strengthen the disguise, she even tied up her usually free-flowing hair, winding it into a bun concealed under a hat.

The two witches stood silently in the morning mist like two stone statues.

Silent River murmured quietly behind a nearby thicket, emitting a low, gurgling hum. The trees of the Silent Forest stretched out slowly amidst the fog, rustling gently.

The Black Cat quietly arrived above the two witches, taking advantage of the dim light of dawn as cover amid the rustling and gurgling.

After looking down for a good while and catching his breath, he greeted them in a hoarse voice:

”Good morning, ladies.”

The two witches abruptly looked up, their gazes simultaneously turning towards the Black Cat perched among the tree branches.

”It’s not good at all, Black Cat,” Korma replied very bluntly. ”It’s not gentlemanly to have a lady wait in the cold forest.”

In my context, gentleman isn’t exactly a compliment, the Black Cat muttered to himself.

”I hope you didn’t wait long,” the Black Cat said gracefully, flicking his whiskers in apology. ”To show my apologies, I can spend the entire day wandering the forest with you today.”

Korma’s mouth twitched.

”That’s the least sincere apology I’ve ever heard.” Her fingers brushed the law book at her waist, and it took a lot of effort to suppress the urge to pull out the book and smack the Black Cat on the forehead.

”A sincere gesture would be to bring two gifts when meeting with witches.” The Black Cat smiled and flicked his paw, and two stacks of talisman papers fell from the sky, fluttering in front of the two witches: ”This is my compensation for being late.”

As a Black Cat, using talisman papers always came with certain inconveniences. Zheng Qing thought it would be more effective to leave them in the hands of the two witches. As for himself, armed with the Big Wizard’s Jade Talisman, all he needed to do was run a bit faster.

Korma caught the stack of talisman paper in front of her and weighed it. A stack of twelve standard talisman papers, each infused and exquisitely crafted, radiated energy that could be felt just by holding them in her hand.

”This is indeed very sincere,” the witch said, her face revealing a satisfied smile.