High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1934: Chapter 155: Avoidance

The usual professor, after pushing open the classroom door, strides in with a brisk pace, his black robe fluttering as he moves, sometimes with a pipe clenched between his teeth, trailing a continuous wisp of blue smoke.

But today, this ’Professor Yao’ entering the room steps lightly, almost silently, as if a ghost drifting in, with robes as motionless as a model cast in iron.

The sunlight from outside hits his wax-yellow face, identical to Professor Yao’s, revealing a translucent amber-like quality, yet his slicked-back hair remains as glossy as ever.

Therefore, Zheng Qing immediately confirmed that this ’Professor Yao’ in front of him was not the real Professor Yao.

He turned to look at Xiao Xiao.

The Absolution’s diviner adjusted his glasses and nodded slightly. Though the two exchanged no words, they silently confirmed and unified their opinions.

The figure on the podium was indeed not the real Professor Yao.

In the classroom, more and more young wizards began to raise their heads—initially those with eyes downcast but striving to look upward, then those fumbling anxiously with textbooks, and finally even those clutching amulets with eyes tightly shut, cautiously peeking through slitted eyelids, as if puzzled by the vaguely eerie atmosphere in the room.

Gradually, more students started to realize the strangeness of the ’Professor Yao’ at the podium.

There were none of the usual familiar greetings like ’Everyone, take your seats’ or ’Let’s quiet down’. No pipe with an engraved copper bowl hung from his mouth, just a slightly stiff smile as he silently surveyed the room, seemingly permitting a low murmur among the students.

”Is this a clone?” someone asked softly.

”Doesn’t seem like it,” immediately countered a classmate: ”How could a clone of a legendary existence be so stiff... it looks more like a projection or a thought.”

”Indeed, it seems more like a shadow,” came another supporting voice nearby: ”Look, under the sunlight, His face is translucent, I can even see the chalk dust on the blackboard behind His head!”

The whispered conversations sounded like mice stealing in the kitchen at midnight, cautious and slight, as if the tiniest noise would send them scurrying in all directions.

A few minutes later, the professor tapped the lectern with his finger.

Thump, thump, thump!

The classroom immediately fell silent.

”Good morning.” He greeted the students politely—Professor Yao’s voice clearly echoed throughout the room, making everyone feel as if the legendary magician stood right there before them.

The entire classroom seemed to shiver slightly.

”Good morning, Professor!” A unanimous and loud response immediately followed from below.

The professor on the podium looked at everyone with satisfaction, paused, and then began to explain briefly: ”...You all should already know, recently I’ve taken on the additional role of Deputy Dean of the school’s Institute of Applied Magic, overseeing a very important magic experiment. Not to boast, but at the First University, only I have the capability and time to oversee this experiment...”

From the left rear corner of the classroom came a few soft, flattering chuckles, lightening the mood considerably—many instinctively turned to see who dared to be so bold.

Zheng Qing returned a somewhat awkward yet polite smile.

”And so,”

The ’Professor Yao’ on the podium appeared not to notice this minor interaction below, continuing to summarize: ”my time has become rather constrained. As the saying goes, ’The fish is what I desire, and so is the bear’s paw’—to be able to oversee the magic experiment while also attending to your studies, the Professor Joint Meeting of the school has approved me to use this pre-prepared shadow to teach you during this period.”

Saying this, he gestured to himself with a finger.

This is truly a good solution.

Zheng Qing sat upright at his desk, his mind quickly spinning the thought above. With a shadow, Old Yao kept a sufficient ’safe distance’ between himself and the students, ensuring that even if a naïve student asked something inappropriate face to face, both sides would have ample cushion.

Additionally, time is the best magic potion to dilute all issues.

Just like last year when Zheng Qing first discovered Old Yao’s identity, he was initially anxious, but over time, their relationship seemingly restored to normal.

No need to wait long, just endure the last two weeks of September, and come October, with the help of the Silence Contract, no one would continue to care about rumors related to Nine Has Dean, by then the tense atmosphere of the school hunting party would become the only concern among students of the four colleges of the First University.

”Using a programmatic shadow to teach has its pros and cons. The good is, you don’t need to worry about being choked by smoke in class, as the shadow doesn’t need to smoke.”

At this, the professor on the podium paused, seemingly giving everyone time for a ’knowing smile’.

Unfortunately, besides Zheng Qing, Xiao Xiao, and a few others, no one found this cold joke amusing.

”... The downside is, this shadow lacks sufficient independence. Because I can’t divide my attention while overseeing the magic experiment, the teaching content of this shadow will be prepared in advance—which means our interaction during recent courses might be slightly less smooth—to not affect the positive cycle of ’questions and feedback’ that greatly benefits teaching, I will have the two monitors record students’ questions that haven’t been satisfactorily answered in class and submit them to the Dean’s Office for post-class one-on-one arrangements...”

Tang Dun and Jiang Yu stood in turn, bowing slightly to those around them.

”One-on-one explanations!” Xin Fat Man, sitting in front of Zheng Qing, inhaled sharply through his teeth as if he had a toothache: ”It was fine before... now who dares to go to your office!”

If the real Professor Yao were standing on the podium, the fat wizard certainly wouldn’t dare to be so impudent.

But now, standing on the podium was just a programmatic shadow—even its current content was prepared by the professor beforehand—this gave students below a certain degree of courage and freedom.

Sure enough, upon ’hearing’ the fat wizard’s muttering, the professor projection on the podium made no response, continuing leisurely with his opening remarks: ”...or if you have other opinions about the course, you can compile them into a document, hand them to the two monitors, and I will give formal replies during breaks in the form of paper cranes.”

”Now, please put away the law book.”

The ’Professor Yao’ on the podium instructed with a cheerful smile, simultaneously spreading the notes tucked under his arm across the lecture desk, giving a couple of fake coughs: ”In the coming lessons, theoretical study will be emphasized... this lesson, we’ll continue from the last session’s content, analyzing the meaning and application of the word ’evade’ in common spell formulas, as well as the ancient saying of ’evade taboos’, which has a very close connection between ’evade’ and ’taboo’...”