Chapter 48: Assistant
A warm flow started from his heart, traveling along the Triple Burner Meridian of the hand, not just flowing but blazing like a fire. The flames moved along the meridian, heading towards the ring finger of his left hand before bursting forth.
The moment a flame appeared at the tip of his ring finger, Jiang Hong was initially stunned, then let out a loud shout.
"I can do it—!!" Jiang Hong yelled with all his might, nothing could dampen his joy at that moment, "I can cast spells now—!!"
Lu Xiu extended his index finger to block his ears, and after Jiang Hong's burst of laughter, he suddenly opened the door and dashed out.
Everyone: "???"
Lu Xiu: "He's gone for a run, he'll be back soon. He might jump on you, Principal, so you might want to put down your coffee to avoid spilling it on yourself."
Jiang Hong ran back and forth three times in the Central Building, then rushed back in, pouncing towards Cao Bin, shouting, "Thank you! Thank you, Principal!" He then climbed onto him.
Cao Bin: "..."
Next, Jiang Hong lunged at Lu Xiu, who was about to stand up but got climbed on his shoulders by a leaping Jiang Hong.
"Thank you, senior!" Jiang Hong shouted excitedly again.
Then Jiang Hong pounced towards Xiang Sihui, who was shuffling cards. Caught off guard, the cards flew everywhere. Finally, after pouncing on Xiao Pi, Jiang Hong calmed down.
Xiao Pi laughed happily, delighted for Jiang Hong.
"You can now use some talismans and most magical treasures," said Cao Bin, "but since you are not yet skilled in creating and activating talismans, be careful. Lu Xiu can practice with you regularly."
"Ahahaha—" Jiang Hong said, "I can finally shine and radiate energy."
"It's fire," said Xiao Pi with envy, "so cool."
Jiang Hong: "Can light cigarettes, hello, do you smoke?"
Jiang Hong sparked a flame with his ring finger and moved it close to Lu Xiu, who immediately grabbed his wrist to keep him away, saying, "Get lost!"
Looking around, it seemed no one smoked there. Jiang Hong said, "Is fire that rare? Principal, you never taught us fire-based spells."
Cao Bin just smiled and did not answer.
Xiao Pi said, "The power of the heart chakra, able to activate pure natural energy, is rare. Is this the power given by the Principal? I'm so envious."
Xiang Sihui made a gesture, and the cards on the floor flew back into his hand, saying, "That's Samadhi True Fire, it can burn anything. Be careful not to play with fire and burn yourself."
"Oh, sorry." Jiang Hong extinguished it.
Xiao Pi said, "The fire of creation, the ice of the apocalypse, the power of flames is really cool."
"You're a divine beast," Xiang Sihui said casually while shuffling cards, "don't always envy this and that."
"What's your elemental power?" Jiang Hong suddenly remembered to ask Lu Xiu.
"Ice," Lu Xiu replied.
Jiang Hong then asked, "If I use it frequently, will it deplete the energy in my heart chakra?"
"No," Xiang Sihui casually and indifferently said, "but don't use it to light cigarettes for people."
"Oh okay," Jiang Hong said, "too frequent isn't good, right?"
"It's impolite," Xiang Sihui stated.
"Oh, impolite to people."
"It's impolite to the Samadhi True Fire!" Xiang Sihui's forehead began to vein with irritation.
Cao Bin timely interjected, "What did you want to ask me today?"
"Oh right!" Jiang Hong remembered. This matter had been delayed for a long time, originally to be asked at the end of last semester. With so many things happening in between, he had forgotten after being interrupted.
"Where's my bag? Ah, here it is... Could you help me look at this, what is it?"
Jiang Hong pulled out something resembling a ruler from his bag, dark and about thirty-three centimeters long, two centimeters wide, and half a centimeter thick.
"What is this?" Cao Bin looked at it and immediately showed a grave expression.
When Jiang Hong asked Cao Bin "What is this," Cao Bin instead asked Jiang Hong.
"Uh…" Jiang Hong looked helplessly at Lu Xiu, who also appeared puzzled and asked Jiang Hong, "What is this?"
"This…" Jiang Hong recounted the event in the Qilian Mountains, where he had inexplicably grabbed this ruler during the final confrontation between Lu Xiu and the mysterious figure with Yinghuo, and added, "Don’t you remember?"
"I don’t remember this thing," Lu Xiu said.
"This is no ordinary object," Cao Bin did not reach out to touch it, instead finding a cloth from behind the bar to wrap it, then spread it in his hand to avoid direct contact, and said, "Sihui, help me take a look."
Xiang Sihui lazily got up, looking irritated, but his expression suddenly changed when he saw the ruler.
"What is this?" Sihui also asked.
Jiang Hong: "..."
Xiao Pi said, "This looks like a ruler used for spanking, like the one my dad used to use on me…"
Jiang Hong chuckled awkwardly and said, "Is your family still that violent?"
However, Cao Bin, Lu Xiu, and Sihui all remained silent, carefully examining it, but none of them reached out to touch it.
Cao Bin asked, "Are you sure you snatched it from the other person?"
"Uh," Jiang Hong said, "I suppose so?"
He initially remembered it that way, but now questioned himself after being asked.
Sihui said, "I can't make out what this is."
If none of the three could recognize it, it might be something extraordinary. Jiang Hong began to feel a bit nervous, fearing he might have stumbled upon something dangerous rather than a treasure.
Cao Bin asked, "Has it ever glowed? Or spoken?"
Jiang Hong replied, "No, I usually just hold it like this, and haven't noticed anything unusual."
"You now possess magical powers," Sihui said, "You might consider channeling energy into it to see."
Lu Xiu: "No, what if it's dangerous?"
Sihui: "We three are here, and there are teachers all around. If anything goes wrong, we can handle it."
Cao Bin said, "Better not, just in case we can't control it."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong said, "Is it that... scary?"
"It's just a guess," Cao Bin said. "When encountering the unknown, one must always be cautious. Ji Xiaodu isn't here, so we'll have to consult Chen Lang. I'll take it to Beijing for appraisal; do you mind?"
"Of course not," Jiang Hong said. "You could donate it to the Commission or give it to the school."
Cao Bin said, "It might not necessarily be something bad. Since it came to you, it means there's a connection. You don’t need to be too afraid of it."
"Is it a magical treasure?" Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu said, "It looks like a part of a magical treasure."
Cao Bin wrapped it in cloth and placed it in the safe.
"Alright," Cao Bin said, "let's forget about it for now. Today's purpose was to organize a class activity. Since we've had coffee and cake, now let's..."
Jiang Hong initially thought Cao Bin would say "let's disband," but the respected principal instead said, "...let’s go play in Xi’an in a Rolls-Royce!"
"Yay—!" Jiang Hong and Xiao Pi cheered.
There was a gleaming Rolls-Royce parked in the parking area. Seeing it, Jiang Hong was astounded and said, "Principal, is this yours?"
"From Principal Xiang," Cao Bin said, "He's not here, so I'm using his car for now. Enjoy the ride."
"The Rolls-Royce even came with a chauffeur! The driver, donning white gloves and a suit, was quite handsome with a canine tooth showing when he smiled, albeit a bit mischievously, like a big wolfhound."
"Lang Quan," Cao Bin said, "Please take us to Xi'an's downtown area, and let's start with a massage."
"Alright," the driver named Lang Quan replied.
"A Rolls-Royce!" Jiang Hong exclaimed. "It's my first time in one!"
Lang Quan: "Are you driving or not?"
Jiang Hong: "Really? Can I?"
Lang Quan: "Sure! Although I'm not very skilled and can't tell what you are, you're among divine beasts, so you must be one too, right? We're all in the same boat."
Si Gui, Lu Xiu, & Xiao Pi: "..."
Xiao Pi: "Jiang Hong is a very steady driver. He drove us last time we went out."
Jiang Hong: "Then let me have a go. I've always dreamt of driving a Rolls-Royce!"
Lang Quan then gave the driver's seat to Jiang Hong, taking the passenger seat himself, guiding him on how to start the extended car, which had ample space even for so many passengers.
Jiang Hong's hands were trembling, so Lang Quan comforted him: "Don't be nervous. Just drive it as if it were your own car. It's very stable." He then turned on the car stereo, and "Good Luck Comes" echoed inside the Rolls-Royce.
"Good luck comes, our good luck comes..."
Once Jiang Hong got used to it, he drove it like his father's car, speeding out of the school gate, when he heard a "click" sound.
"Facing good fortune, prosperous and flourishing, reaching all corners of the world..."
Jiang Hong: "Ah! Did I scratch something?!"
Lang Quan: "No worries, I scrape it a dozen or twenty times every day. I'll just fix it with a spell later."
So, Jiang Hong drove the car full of divine beasts and the vice principal of Cangqiong University to Xi'an. That day, Cao Bin had arranged many activities before the start of the semester, taking them to a buffet and for a massage. Jiang Hong loved such class team-building activities. If possible, he wished they would never end, and that school would never start again...
"...But considering the wish I made last time at Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, I should be careful with my words."
On the eighth day of the lunar new year, Cangqiong University officially started its semester. That day, Qinling welcomed a heavy snowfall amidst a spring chill, with the first class being a demon exorcism practice.
Meeting their classmates again, everyone chatted endlessly. Jiang Hong, waiting in the cold for the exorcism practice class, was nearly frozen. His whole dormitory gathered around him, warming themselves with the flame from his heart chakra.
"Happy New Year, everyone! Did you get into any trouble over the winter break? Well, first, come get your red envelopes as a roll call!" Gegen Tuo Ru Lekda arrived, starting to hand out new year's red envelopes to the students. Seeing Jiang Hong's fire spell, he smiled mischievously at him.
"Jiang Hong, you're banned from using summoned beasts this semester," Keda reminded Jiang Hong. "First, you need to strengthen your basic skills and not rely solely on assistance; second, Lu Xiu has classes too."
"Alright, alright," Jiang Hong said, "I'll study seriously and rely on myself."
Keda then instructed everyone to use the first lesson to warm up their bodies, serving as a warm-up for the entire semester. He also set the semester's task: before the end of the semester, everyone must participate in at least one demon exorcist's demon-slaying mission and submit a practical report, supervised by a demon exorcist of at least second level.
"No way—" Everyone felt a headache upon hearing the task.
"Practice, practice," Keda said. "The most important thing is exorcism practice. You should use your free time to find a registered exorcist to accompany you!"
A student asked, "Where do we find them? Can it be a family member?"
Keda replied, "It doesn't matter, as long as you can find someone. You can even go to the exorcism commission's office and ask around."
Most human students had family members who were professional exorcists, but this was difficult for students of the demon race.
"Jiang Hong, where are you planning to do your social internship?" Xiao Pi, paired with Jiang Hong, asked.
"Huh?" Jiang Hong said, "What internship? You mean the practical class?"
Xiao Pi said, "Didn't you see the timetable? Starting in April, there's a six-week internship."
"Is it this competitive now? Internships in freshman year?" Jiang Hong quickly found the timetable and indeed, there was a six-week gap marked as "social internship."
Jiang Hong said, "But... where can I go? It's not going to be just a job, is it?"
At that moment, Keda came over to check on everyone, and their conversation was interrupted. Today's first demon exorcism practice class ended early, and Jiang Hong suspected Keda might have just been cold.
At noon, he had arranged to have lunch with Lu Xiu. Coincidentally, Lu Xiu was teaching a large class on "Demon Race's Inner Alchemy Cultivation". Jiang Hong went to the large classroom to wait for him. Lu Xiu was very focused during his lecture, wearing Google glasses similar to Chen Zhen's. The projection showed various demon race's meridian charts and spiritual energy cultivation paths.
"That's all for today’s lesson," Lu Xiu said. "Go back and do your homework. Mark the meridian diagram with different colors, clearly. We'll use it in the next class. Please complete it independently."
After the bell rang for the end of class, Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu about their social internship during lunch.
Lu Xiu replied, "Yes, it’s for six weeks. You’ll be given an internship form, and the instructor will grade it. Why, are you planning to skip it?"
"No, no," Jiang Hong said, "I was just curious where we’re going. Do we find it ourselves?"
Lu Xiu: "Of course not, the school arranges it. There are only two options to choose from: the Demon Association or the Exorcism Committee."
Jiang Hong uttered an "Oh" and then asked, "Who will take it over?"
Lu Xiu replied, "Hu Qingquan and I will."
Jiang Hong immediately said, "Where are you taking it?"
Jiang Hong was very curious about the Demon Association and wanted to see it, but Lu Xiu said, "I'll take it to the Exorcism Committee. Do you want to come?"
Jiang Hong had no choice but to say, "Then I'll go with you."
The atmosphere at the Exorcism Committee was a bit oppressive, but since Lu Xiu was going, Jiang Hong could only follow him. At dinner, Jiang Hong saw Yuan Shiyu sitting alone in a corner of the cafeteria.
Yuan Shiyu's house arrest had been lifted, and he started attending classes and eating with other students. However, he still lived in a single dormitory, seemed to have no friends, and didn’t appear to want any. Most of the time, he sat alone, looking somewhat gloomy.
Lu Xiu glanced at Yuan Shiyu but didn't bother with him.
Jiang Hong pondered for a moment, then approached Yuan Shiyu with a greeting, who he saw sitting in a corner of the classroom during the afternoon class.
Yuan Shiyu's eyes looked somewhat bewildered, but after recognizing Jiang Hong, whom he had seen before, he nodded in acknowledgment.
Jiang Hong then took a seat next to Yuan Shiyu, not quite sure why he felt compelled to do so.
"Good day, students," announced Professor Luo Peng of the Talisman class. "This term, we have a packed curriculum and you'll also have internships, resulting in six fewer weeks of classes. Let's start by assigning the final project for the term..."
"Our introductory Talisman topic this term is 'Seeking Heavenly and Earthly Treasures'. What these treasures are, and how to identify them, will be our focus in the upcoming lessons..."
Over several days, Jiang Hong, checking his schedule, found that after the initial adjustment period of the first semester, the spring term's courses had become much more intensive. Zhu Jinling's course, 'Exploration of Inner Worlds', involved finding a spatial or temporal rift. Besides the courses from the last semester, new ones like Talismanic Studies, which required independently designing and drawing a magical formation, and Demonology History with a focus on relic archaeology, were added.
Jiang Hong felt overwhelmed with learning during the first week.
In the S-class, Cao Bin started teaching Jiang Hong and Xiao Pi simple rhythmic spells.
"Rhythmic spellcasting is a branch of demonology," explained Cao Bin, "and although it doesn't have its dedicated course yet, we're incorporating it into our comprehensive studies as an educational experiment. Have any of you learned a musical instrument?"
"Uh, no," replied Xiao Pi.
Jiang Hong said, "I've learned a bit of piano."
Jiang Hong initially thought the piano, violin, saxophone, flute, and drums in the S-class lounge were for forming a band.
Lu Xiu couldn't attend today's class, so Cao Bin had Si Gui temporarily assist with teaching, saying, "Music is a very powerful medium for spellcasting, directly influencing nature. For example..."
Si Gui took down a flute hanging on the wall and covered it with a membrane.
Jiang Hong suddenly remembered how last year, Lu Xiu used a piano in Mai Qing's study to restore a destroyed bookshelf!
"It can be repaired!" Jiang Hong exclaimed.
"Correct," Cao Bin casually swept a coffee cup off the bar onto the floor, shattering it instantly.
Si Gui then played a few notes on the flute, emitting ethereal bird-like trills, light and melodious. The shattered porcelain pieces on the ground flew up as if time were reversing, reassembling themselves into the coffee cup on the bar.
"Wow," Jiang Hong applauded.
"Wow," Xiao Pi said admiringly, "that flute must be made of pure gold, right? Must be worth a lot."
Cao Bin said, "Thank you, Si Gui. Si Gui played a section from 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix', an important function of rhythmic spellcasting. Most exorcists consider this a 'reverse causality', but in fact, we have a more precise explanation. Let's see, Jiang Hong, what do you think about this?"
Jiang Hong said, "Uh, theoretically, it's really difficult because it directly uses music to cause entropy reduction."
"Exactly!" Cao Bin snapped his fingers, "You've grasped the essence of the problem. Rhythm directly affects entropy, causing it to change. In fact, music is one of only two actions in our universe that can cause a reduction in entropy, the other being mathematics."
"It looks like Si Gui just played a few bars and everything was restored, simple, right? But it's because Si Gui himself possesses strong spiritual energy. Do you want to try the flute?"
Jiang Hong glanced at the flute membrane, then at Si Gui, thinking: Is this like an indirect kiss?
Cao Bin gestured and played the flute first.
Jiang Hong thought: Ah, the principal and Si Gui have kissed...
The sound produced by Cao Bin was very soft, almost inaudible.
"My spiritual power isn't as strong as Si Gui's," Cao Bin said, "so the sound from the flute isn't as distinct. Pi Yunhao?"
Xiao Pi took it and tried to play, but couldn't produce any sound.
Jiang Hong thought: Uh, Xiao Pi, now you've indirectly kissed the principal and Si Gui...
Xiao Pi: "You want to give it a try?"
Jiang Hong: "..."
Eventually, Jiang Hong also tried, but no matter how hard he blew, there was no sound.
Cao Bin explained, "Si Gui can play the flute because he is a phoenix. This flute doesn't amplify spiritual power, so now we switch to a violin..."
So Si Gui is a phoenix.
Jiang Hong didn't know why, but today he found it especially easy to get distracted.
Si Gui asked, "What are you daydreaming about?"
Jiang Hong was caught daydreaming in class by Si Gui. Cao Bin just smiled, waved his hand, took down the violin hanging on the wall, and began to play gently. As the music flowed, many decorations in the S class classroom began to levitate and orbit around them like planets.
There was a knock on the door. Lu Xiu entered, nodding to indicate his lateness, avoiding the spinning teacups and decorations, and walked to the piano.
Cao Bin's violin did not stop. At that moment, Jiang Hong seemed to see spiritual power flowing with the music. Lu Xiu opened the grand piano lid, without hesitation touched a few keys, and began to accompany Cao Bin.
The spiritual power in the music suddenly became stronger. In the melody, Jiang Hong seemed to faintly see another world.
"This is..."
"The law of space," Lu Xiu said.
"Yes," Cao Bin elongated a steady note, returning all the floating items to their respective places, and explained, "This is the third effect of the Melodic Magic, dissolving and reconstructing the laws of space. This was one of the first functions discovered by exorcists. They used pianos to control the opening and closing of gates to other worlds, like placing a piano in a café and playing a specific melody to enter the exorcist’s world."
"Oh—" Xiao Pi and Jiang Hong expressed their sincere admiration.
"This semester, we are going to learn these three major skills," Cao Bin put down the violin and said, "The goal is for all of you to master the basic application of Melodic Magic by the end of the term... Of course, first, you need to learn an instrument."
"Apart from the golden flute, all instruments are engraved with amplification runes," Cao Bin said. "Choose one first. Jiang Hong, do you have some basic skills?"
Jiang Hong: "Yes, I've learned the piano... But I'd like to try something different."
Practicing the piano was really painful; if possible, Jiang Hong really didn't want to learn it again. Xiao Pi chose the relatively easier-to-learn piano, while after much thought, Jiang Hong finally asked Cao Bin, "Principal, you play the violin very well. Should I learn that?"
Cao Bin nodded, "Yes. Xiang Cheng's main study is the saxophone; I learned it with him and can teach you a bit of saxophone. Lu Xiu will teach piano, and Si Gui can teach you the flute, but I suggest not choosing the flute; he also knows the guqin."
"Then I'll choose the violin," Jiang Hong happily decided. The reason was simple: the piano was painful for him; the violin was painful for others. Between the two, Jiang Hong preferred the latter.
Thus, this term's main goal became learning an instrument first, then Melodic Magic. Each direction of Melodic Magic was quite challenging, and mastering one was an achievement. Jiang Hong gradually discovered that the courses for exorcists were far more extensive and profound than he had imagined, with each subject and its branches, even the branches of branches, being enough to study for a lifetime. He had to learn geomancy, talismans, inner world exploration, exorcism practice, magical treasures, and now music theory. Oh heavens, how could he ever finish learning all this?
Xiao Pi said, "This kind of reverse causality..."
"Entropy reduction," Cao Bin corrected.
Xiao Pi: "Apart from fixing cars, entropy reduction doesn't seem very useful."
Cao Bin said, "Then you are seriously underestimating it. Mastered to the extreme, entropy reduction possesses earth-shattering power, like, for example..."
Jiang Hong suddenly had a thought and said, "Bringing the dead back to life!"
Cao Bin nodded and added, "Or even restoring a destroyed world to its original state. Of course, such power might only be exerted by higher spirits. Now, please determine your own time for learning instruments, try not to affect your academic schedule, as this term is quite tight, and you also have internships."
With the arrival of the spring semester, Jiang Hong began to feel a severe lack of time, struggling to keep up with all the courses. Fortunately, Lu Xiu would inquire about his academic progress during lunch every day and help him solve some doubts. Thanks to these extra lessons during lunch breaks, Jiang Hong just managed to cope with his studies.
Only his roommates were driven crazy by Jiang Hong's violin practice, until finally Zhang Xiting created a soundproof barrier, temporarily blocking the sound attacks. Zhang Xiting had also learned for five years and occasionally gave Jiang Hong some tips.
"Are you interning at the Exorcism Committee?" Zhang Xiting asked. "Shall we go together?"
"Yes, I'll be with Lu Xiu," Jiang Hong put down his violin. The internship forms were distributed, and everyone needed to fill in their preferred location. Hu Qingquan was collecting the forms room by room, saying, "Actually, this choice is a one-time decision. Those who choose the Exorcism Committee this year will go to the Monster Association next year."
Jiang Hong completed and submitted his form. Unknowingly, it was already the end of March, with only a week left until the internship. Half the semester had flown by, and he felt like he hadn't accomplished much.
The students, however, were excited, preparing as if they were going on a trip. In the chilly spring breeze of March in the Qinling Mountains, many harbored budding emotions, especially in the dormitories where the monster race students liked to visit, filled with a mating season's animalistic scent.
"What should I bring for the Exorcism Committee internship?" Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu one evening.
"You don’t need to bring anything," Lu Xiu said. "The Exorcism Committee will arrange accommodation and meals, and they will assign you tasks. Just prepare a few changes of clothes."
Although Jiang Hong still had a pile of unfinished coursework, he was looking forward to the internship, asking, "Is the work difficult?"
"Do you want something difficult or easy?" Lu Xiu asked. "There are both."
At such times, Jiang Hong's go-with-the-flow and take-it-as-it-comes nature showed. He cheerfully said, "I'm fine with anything, let others choose first."
"Then I'll give you the hardest one," Lu Xiu glanced at the form on his phone, and Jiang Hong tried to peek but was blocked by Lu Xiu.
"How hard is the hardest?" Jiang Hong laughed. "Am I going to save the world?"
Lu Xiu seriously replied, "You'll find out when you report there."
Three days later, the six-week social internship officially began.
Jiang Hong noticed something interesting – all the human students unanimously chose the Exorcism Committee for their internship, while the monster race students, without any surprise, all chose the Monster Association.
"Goodbye then." Jiang Hong and Zhang Xiting happily bid farewell to their other two roommates.
Lian Jiang also arrived, walking shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Hong towards the departure point.
Hu Qingquan led over a hundred people, and Lu Xiu led another hundred. Hu Qingquan left first with the monsters, while Lu Xiu, holding a flag like a tour guide of a large travel group, waited with everyone at the school gate for the bus.
"Take this opportunity," Lu Xiu said, "to listen to a few words from me. You all know that I’m not very patient. I'll say the unpleasant things first..."
Lu Xiu used a sound transmission spell, and the noisy students instantly quieted down.
"I'm not human either," Lu Xiu said expressionlessly, "If you cause trouble, I probably won’t let it slide. Trying to use your family’s influence on me won't work either."
The students looked at Lu Xiu. Normally, each grade should have one human and one monster counselor, but their grade was unique, having two monster-born counselors.
"Follow orders when outside," Lu Xiu instructed, "If you have trouble, come ask immediately, don't wait until it's too late. Take this internship seriously. If you don’t meet the standards, you'll have to repeat it next year with the next batch, delaying all future internships for the remaining three years. You won't graduate if you don't complete your credits. Be wise. Get on the bus."
Clearly, everyone had heard of Lu Xiu's reputation and became significantly more subdued. But within five minutes, they began chatting excitedly again. The hundred-plus students were divided into two buses and taken to the Xi'an High-Speed Rail Station. There, Lu Xiu asked the class leaders to count the students before boarding the train to Beijing.
"Teacher Lu is really popular," Lian Jiang said, hooking his arm around Jiang Hong's neck, looking envious.
A group of girls surrounded Lu Xiu at the entrance, asking questions.
"Yeah," Jiang Hong said with a hint of jealousy. From the start of the trip, there were always people around Lu Xiu.
"Because he's a dragon, right?" Zhang Xiting commented. "Dragons really are handsome creatures."
"How are dragons handsome?" Jiang Hong’s jealousy intensified. "Just a dark, long creature."
Lian Jiang remarked, "Aren't dragons handsome? Their muscles exude a sense of power."
The build, arms and claws, and shimmering scales of a dragon indeed seemed to make them quite handsome creatures.
As the three of them were critically appraising dragons, Lu Xiu walked over to them.
Jiang Hong rarely spoke to Lu Xiu in front of so many people and didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Coffee?" Lu Xiu asked Jiang Hong.
"Ah, sure," Jiang Hong regained his composure and quickly said, "I'll go buy it."
Lu Xiu gestured with his hand and went to buy coffee, sharing it with Jiang Hong and others. He stood chatting with them, using it as a chance to escape the endless attention from the students. However, many students still watched him from a distance, blatantly taking photos of Lu Xiu.
"Stop taking photos!" Lu Xiu said. "Better spend your time thinking about your projects!"
Groups of students laughed. Lu Xiu was quite helpless, finding this job really unsuitable for him.
It was only when they boarded the bus that Lu Xiu's troubles seemed to pause. Managing one hundred and fourteen students was indeed a big task. He instructed the class leaders to count the students and added the eight class leaders into a group for immediate reporting of any issues. Zhang Xiting kindly offered, "Teacher Lu, let me help you manage them. I can also run errands for you."
"Thank you," Lu Xiu said expressionlessly. "I'll add 10 points to your internship score."
"I want to help too!" Jiang Hong and Lian Jiang immediately clamored.
Lu Xiu: "One is enough."
"Didn't Yuan Shiyu come?" Jiang Hong, sitting next to Lu Xiu, checked the list and thought of Yuan Shiyu. Since the start of the term, he had sat with Yuan Shiyu a few times but hardly ever spoke with him. Yuan Shiyu was a man of few words and often missed classes, as if he already knew what was happening.
As the high-speed train started, it was filled with chatting exorcists discussing supernatural events. Lu Xiu sat up and said loudly, "Keep the conversation appropriate! Don't make me intervene!"
The students then toned down a bit. Lu Xiu put on sunglasses and said to Jiang Hong, "He An arranged for Yuan Shiyu to go to the Monster Association, not wanting him at the Exorcism Committee."
That made sense, given Yuan Shiyu's mother and godfather were still detained at the Exorcism Committee.
"About that incident last time," Jiang Hong said, "was there any follow-up?"
Just as Jiang Hong quietly asked Lu Xiu, numerous heads popped up from the back seat.
"Senior, what's the star rating of the hotel we are staying at?"
"Senior, what are we eating tonight?"
"Senior, can you organize a trip to the Forbidden City for us?"
"Teacher Lu, sing a song for us!"
"Senior, how about a tug-of-war?"
"Senior, which dragon clan are you from?"
Finally unable to bear it any longer, Lu Xiu let out a low roar similar to a dragon's, instantly causing a buzzing sound in everyone's ears in the entire carriage.
It finally became quiet.
Lu Xiu resumed his indifferent expression and answered Jiang Hong, "I don't know, you can ask Chen Zhen yourself later."
Jiang Hong thought it better not to ask. Shortly after, the conductor came to Lu Xiu to confirm the lunch menu, and Lu Xiu had already pre-ordered lunch for everyone.
"Senior, I don’t eat spicy food. Can you help me change my order?"
Lu Xiu: "……"
Jiang Hong quickly said, "I’ll swap with you, I like spicy food!"
Lu Xiu shared one of his wireless earphones with Jiang Hong and leaned against the train window, while Lian Jiang hung a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on Lu Xiu's seat.
Jiang Hong: "Why are you carrying that sign around, so weird!"
Lian Jiang: "I just took it off our dormitory door, thought it might come in handy at the Exorcism Committee..."
Traveling with the whole grade, Jiang Hong didn't find it appropriate to chat much with Lu Xiu, but fortunately, they arrived in Beijing by three-thirty in the afternoon.
The welcome they received at the Exorcism Committee was unexpectedly grand. In front of their bus were two red flag sedans leading the way, making Jiang Hong feel like he was part of a leader's entourage.
Arriving at the Exorcism Committee's entrance, Jiang Hong half-expected to encounter something strange, like the time Cao Bin led them through a bookstore into a spiritual realm. However, the bus just drove along a narrow one-way street and then entered the premises, the scenery suddenly changing to reveal the Exorcism Committee's thirty-three-story building.
In April, catkins drifted through the air, and the temperature in Beijing was unexpectedly warmer than in the Qinling Mountains.
"Hello, juniors from Cangqiong University."
The person who came out to meet them was a very pretty girl, presumably their senior. After boarding the bus, she took the microphone and smiled, "My name is Yi Qing. I'm in charge of your accommodations and meals during this period. Class leaders, please add me on WeChat. You all must be tired from the trip. The Exorcism Committee has opened a special passage for you, but you must use our designated shuttle bus to enter and exit, so please remember this clearly."
Lu Xiu, wearing sunglasses, stood impatiently at the front of the group.
"Did you have a good trip, senior?" Yi Qing smiled at Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu just nodded briefly in response.
Yi Qing continued, "The department heads are in a meeting, probably finishing by five. Let's go inside. Here is the list for allocation to various departments."
Lu Xiu took the list from Yi Qing, glanced at it, and said, "Gather in front of the hall."
Thus, over a hundred people surged into the gates of the Exorcism Committee. Lu Xiu said, "Next, you'll be assigned to different departments..."
A few exorcists in suits came over and shook hands with Lu Xiu, who had to stop and politely greet them.
The students, initially noisy, quieted down as they entered the solemn hall of the Exorcism Committee, where statues of Acala and Dipankara Buddha stood, unlike at Cangqiong University, where Acala was the main figure and Dipankara was secondary; here, it was the other way around.
Jiang Hong visited the Exorcism Committee again, this time with more time to observe. He speculated that the placement of the statues symbolized the territorial division between the Grand Exorcist Chen Zhen and their principal Xiang Cheng, who inherited the Acala lineage.
Lu Xiu's voice remained cold as he said, "As you can see, the Exorcism Committee takes your internship very seriously. By coming here, you temporarily have the status of certified exorcists. Please respect the sacred lamp and yourselves."
A middle-aged man in a suit laughed, "The number of students increases every year. I remember six years ago, there were only about twenty."
Lu Xiu hummed in response. Six exorcists stood in different spots, and Lu Xiu said, "Now, I will call names. Those whose names are called, please follow the six teachers."
Lu Xiu began calling names, distributing students to the External Affairs Department, Exorcism Business Department, Internet and Information Exchange Department, Talismans and Media Business Group, Technology Research and Development Department, and the Earth and Heaven Pulse Development Department.
Each student called followed the representative exorcist of their assigned department. The one hundred and twelve students were quickly almost entirely allocated.
Zhang Xiting was assigned to the Exorcism Business Department and followed a tall, thin man.
Finally, only Jiang Hong was left. He thought to himself: Could they really assign me to some extremely difficult position?
"Jiang Hong," Lu Xiu finally put away the list and said, "Administration floor, come with me."
The Exorcism Committee, from the outside, didn't seem large, but internally it appeared to utilize the principle of spatial gaps, creating an immensely vast space. Just the corridors of the main hall, with their extensive depth, seemed almost endless. Over a hundred people entered and instantly scattered like into a vast sea, leaving Lu Xiu relieved.
"Here's your elevator card, Senior Lu," Yi Qing handed Lu Xiu a card, saying, "The intern's card isn’t ready yet, and fingerprints haven’t been verified. It'll take a few days, so during this time, he needs to be with you to have access."
Lu Xiu waved his hand, indicating it was fine, and Yi Qing added, "I bought you a coffee."
Lu Xiu resumed his cool expression, nodded in thanks, and led Jiang Hong to the furthest elevator. They entered and swiped the card.
Jiang Hong nervously asked, "Where are we going? What position have you arranged for me?"
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong but didn’t speak.
"Nineteenth floor," the elevator announced, "Central Department."
Jiang Hong had been here once before. Lu Xiu, familiar with the place, led him to Chen Zhen’s office.
As they entered the office, they coincidentally encountered Chen Zhen, as well as various department heads and directors leaving a meeting. Jiang Hong immediately bowed and greeted, "Hello, Boss!"
Chen Zhen smiled, pressed his fingerprint to open the door, and said, "You're here? I thought you would arrive a bit later."
Lu Xiu hummed in response. Chen Zhen then said, "Must have been tough on the road, leading so many students. Come, Jiang Hong..." Chen Zhen pointed to a desk nearby and said, "You can sit there. During your internship, you’ll be my assistant."
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
Jiang Hong was completely shocked. The position Lu Xiu had arranged for him was as Chen Zhen's assistant?!
Chapter 48: Assistant
A warm flow started from his heart, traveling along the Triple Burner Meridian of the hand, not just flowing but blazing like a fire. The flames moved along the meridian, heading towards the ring finger of his left hand before bursting forth.
The moment a flame appeared at the tip of his ring finger, Jiang Hong was initially stunned, then let out a loud shout.
"I can do it—!!" Jiang Hong yelled with all his might, nothing could dampen his joy at that moment, "I can cast spells now—!!"
Lu Xiu extended his index finger to block his ears, and after Jiang Hong's burst of laughter, he suddenly opened the door and dashed out.
Everyone: "???"
Lu Xiu: "He's gone for a run, he'll be back soon. He might jump on you, Principal, so you might want to put down your coffee to avoid spilling it on yourself."
Jiang Hong ran back and forth three times in the Central Building, then rushed back in, pouncing towards Cao Bin, shouting, "Thank you! Thank you, Principal!" He then climbed onto him.
Cao Bin: "..."
Next, Jiang Hong lunged at Lu Xiu, who was about to stand up but got climbed on his shoulders by a leaping Jiang Hong.
"Thank you, senior!" Jiang Hong shouted excitedly again.
Then Jiang Hong pounced towards Xiang Sihui, who was shuffling cards. Caught off guard, the cards flew everywhere. Finally, after pouncing on Xiao Pi, Jiang Hong calmed down.
Xiao Pi laughed happily, delighted for Jiang Hong.
"You can now use some talismans and most magical treasures," said Cao Bin, "but since you are not yet skilled in creating and activating talismans, be careful. Lu Xiu can practice with you regularly."
"Ahahaha—" Jiang Hong said, "I can finally shine and radiate energy."
"It's fire," said Xiao Pi with envy, "so cool."
Jiang Hong: "Can light cigarettes, hello, do you smoke?"
Jiang Hong sparked a flame with his ring finger and moved it close to Lu Xiu, who immediately grabbed his wrist to keep him away, saying, "Get lost!"
Looking around, it seemed no one smoked there. Jiang Hong said, "Is fire that rare? Principal, you never taught us fire-based spells."
Cao Bin just smiled and did not answer.
Xiao Pi said, "The power of the heart chakra, able to activate pure natural energy, is rare. Is this the power given by the Principal? I'm so envious."
Xiang Sihui made a gesture, and the cards on the floor flew back into his hand, saying, "That's Samadhi True Fire, it can burn anything. Be careful not to play with fire and burn yourself."
"Oh, sorry." Jiang Hong extinguished it.
Xiao Pi said, "The fire of creation, the ice of the apocalypse, the power of flames is really cool."
"You're a divine beast," Xiang Sihui said casually while shuffling cards, "don't always envy this and that."
"What's your elemental power?" Jiang Hong suddenly remembered to ask Lu Xiu.
"Ice," Lu Xiu replied.
Jiang Hong then asked, "If I use it frequently, will it deplete the energy in my heart chakra?"
"No," Xiang Sihui casually and indifferently said, "but don't use it to light cigarettes for people."
"Oh okay," Jiang Hong said, "too frequent isn't good, right?"
"It's impolite," Xiang Sihui stated.
"Oh, impolite to people."
"It's impolite to the Samadhi True Fire!" Xiang Sihui's forehead began to vein with irritation.
Cao Bin timely interjected, "What did you want to ask me today?"
"Oh right!" Jiang Hong remembered. This matter had been delayed for a long time, originally to be asked at the end of last semester. With so many things happening in between, he had forgotten after being interrupted.
"Where's my bag? Ah, here it is... Could you help me look at this, what is it?"
Jiang Hong pulled out something resembling a ruler from his bag, dark and about thirty-three centimeters long, two centimeters wide, and half a centimeter thick.
"What is this?" Cao Bin looked at it and immediately showed a grave expression.
When Jiang Hong asked Cao Bin "What is this," Cao Bin instead asked Jiang Hong.
"Uh…" Jiang Hong looked helplessly at Lu Xiu, who also appeared puzzled and asked Jiang Hong, "What is this?"
"This…" Jiang Hong recounted the event in the Qilian Mountains, where he had inexplicably grabbed this ruler during the final confrontation between Lu Xiu and the mysterious figure with Yinghuo, and added, "Don’t you remember?"
"I don’t remember this thing," Lu Xiu said.
"This is no ordinary object," Cao Bin did not reach out to touch it, instead finding a cloth from behind the bar to wrap it, then spread it in his hand to avoid direct contact, and said, "Sihui, help me take a look."
Xiang Sihui lazily got up, looking irritated, but his expression suddenly changed when he saw the ruler.
"What is this?" Sihui also asked.
Jiang Hong: "..."
Xiao Pi said, "This looks like a ruler used for spanking, like the one my dad used to use on me…"
Jiang Hong chuckled awkwardly and said, "Is your family still that violent?"
However, Cao Bin, Lu Xiu, and Sihui all remained silent, carefully examining it, but none of them reached out to touch it.
Cao Bin asked, "Are you sure you snatched it from the other person?"
"Uh," Jiang Hong said, "I suppose so?"
He initially remembered it that way, but now questioned himself after being asked.
Sihui said, "I can't make out what this is."
If none of the three could recognize it, it might be something extraordinary. Jiang Hong began to feel a bit nervous, fearing he might have stumbled upon something dangerous rather than a treasure.
Cao Bin asked, "Has it ever glowed? Or spoken?"
Jiang Hong replied, "No, I usually just hold it like this, and haven't noticed anything unusual."
"You now possess magical powers," Sihui said, "You might consider channeling energy into it to see."
Lu Xiu: "No, what if it's dangerous?"
Sihui: "We three are here, and there are teachers all around. If anything goes wrong, we can handle it."
Cao Bin said, "Better not, just in case we can't control it."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong said, "Is it that... scary?"
"It's just a guess," Cao Bin said. "When encountering the unknown, one must always be cautious. Ji Xiaodu isn't here, so we'll have to consult Chen Lang. I'll take it to Beijing for appraisal; do you mind?"
"Of course not," Jiang Hong said. "You could donate it to the Commission or give it to the school."
Cao Bin said, "It might not necessarily be something bad. Since it came to you, it means there's a connection. You don’t need to be too afraid of it."
"Is it a magical treasure?" Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu said, "It looks like a part of a magical treasure."
Cao Bin wrapped it in cloth and placed it in the safe.
"Alright," Cao Bin said, "let's forget about it for now. Today's purpose was to organize a class activity. Since we've had coffee and cake, now let's..."
Jiang Hong initially thought Cao Bin would say "let's disband," but the respected principal instead said, "...let’s go play in Xi’an in a Rolls-Royce!"
"Yay—!" Jiang Hong and Xiao Pi cheered.
There was a gleaming Rolls-Royce parked in the parking area. Seeing it, Jiang Hong was astounded and said, "Principal, is this yours?"
"From Principal Xiang," Cao Bin said, "He's not here, so I'm using his car for now. Enjoy the ride."
"The Rolls-Royce even came with a chauffeur! The driver, donning white gloves and a suit, was quite handsome with a canine tooth showing when he smiled, albeit a bit mischievously, like a big wolfhound."
"Lang Quan," Cao Bin said, "Please take us to Xi'an's downtown area, and let's start with a massage."
"Alright," the driver named Lang Quan replied.
"A Rolls-Royce!" Jiang Hong exclaimed. "It's my first time in one!"
Lang Quan: "Are you driving or not?"
Jiang Hong: "Really? Can I?"
Lang Quan: "Sure! Although I'm not very skilled and can't tell what you are, you're among divine beasts, so you must be one too, right? We're all in the same boat."
Si Gui, Lu Xiu, & Xiao Pi: "..."
Xiao Pi: "Jiang Hong is a very steady driver. He drove us last time we went out."
Jiang Hong: "Then let me have a go. I've always dreamt of driving a Rolls-Royce!"
Lang Quan then gave the driver's seat to Jiang Hong, taking the passenger seat himself, guiding him on how to start the extended car, which had ample space even for so many passengers.
Jiang Hong's hands were trembling, so Lang Quan comforted him: "Don't be nervous. Just drive it as if it were your own car. It's very stable." He then turned on the car stereo, and "Good Luck Comes" echoed inside the Rolls-Royce.
"Good luck comes, our good luck comes..."
Once Jiang Hong got used to it, he drove it like his father's car, speeding out of the school gate, when he heard a "click" sound.
"Facing good fortune, prosperous and flourishing, reaching all corners of the world..."
Jiang Hong: "Ah! Did I scratch something?!"
Lang Quan: "No worries, I scrape it a dozen or twenty times every day. I'll just fix it with a spell later."
So, Jiang Hong drove the car full of divine beasts and the vice principal of Cangqiong University to Xi'an. That day, Cao Bin had arranged many activities before the start of the semester, taking them to a buffet and for a massage. Jiang Hong loved such class team-building activities. If possible, he wished they would never end, and that school would never start again...
"...But considering the wish I made last time at Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, I should be careful with my words."
On the eighth day of the lunar new year, Cangqiong University officially started its semester. That day, Qinling welcomed a heavy snowfall amidst a spring chill, with the first class being a demon exorcism practice.
Meeting their classmates again, everyone chatted endlessly. Jiang Hong, waiting in the cold for the exorcism practice class, was nearly frozen. His whole dormitory gathered around him, warming themselves with the flame from his heart chakra.
"Happy New Year, everyone! Did you get into any trouble over the winter break? Well, first, come get your red envelopes as a roll call!" Gegen Tuo Ru Lekda arrived, starting to hand out new year's red envelopes to the students. Seeing Jiang Hong's fire spell, he smiled mischievously at him.
"Jiang Hong, you're banned from using summoned beasts this semester," Keda reminded Jiang Hong. "First, you need to strengthen your basic skills and not rely solely on assistance; second, Lu Xiu has classes too."
"Alright, alright," Jiang Hong said, "I'll study seriously and rely on myself."
Keda then instructed everyone to use the first lesson to warm up their bodies, serving as a warm-up for the entire semester. He also set the semester's task: before the end of the semester, everyone must participate in at least one demon exorcist's demon-slaying mission and submit a practical report, supervised by a demon exorcist of at least second level.
"No way—" Everyone felt a headache upon hearing the task.
"Practice, practice," Keda said. "The most important thing is exorcism practice. You should use your free time to find a registered exorcist to accompany you!"
A student asked, "Where do we find them? Can it be a family member?"
Keda replied, "It doesn't matter, as long as you can find someone. You can even go to the exorcism commission's office and ask around."
Most human students had family members who were professional exorcists, but this was difficult for students of the demon race.
"Jiang Hong, where are you planning to do your social internship?" Xiao Pi, paired with Jiang Hong, asked.
"Huh?" Jiang Hong said, "What internship? You mean the practical class?"
Xiao Pi said, "Didn't you see the timetable? Starting in April, there's a six-week internship."
"Is it this competitive now? Internships in freshman year?" Jiang Hong quickly found the timetable and indeed, there was a six-week gap marked as "social internship."
Jiang Hong said, "But... where can I go? It's not going to be just a job, is it?"
At that moment, Keda came over to check on everyone, and their conversation was interrupted. Today's first demon exorcism practice class ended early, and Jiang Hong suspected Keda might have just been cold.
At noon, he had arranged to have lunch with Lu Xiu. Coincidentally, Lu Xiu was teaching a large class on "Demon Race's Inner Alchemy Cultivation". Jiang Hong went to the large classroom to wait for him. Lu Xiu was very focused during his lecture, wearing Google glasses similar to Chen Zhen's. The projection showed various demon race's meridian charts and spiritual energy cultivation paths.
"That's all for today’s lesson," Lu Xiu said. "Go back and do your homework. Mark the meridian diagram with different colors, clearly. We'll use it in the next class. Please complete it independently."
After the bell rang for the end of class, Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu about their social internship during lunch.
Lu Xiu replied, "Yes, it’s for six weeks. You’ll be given an internship form, and the instructor will grade it. Why, are you planning to skip it?"
"No, no," Jiang Hong said, "I was just curious where we’re going. Do we find it ourselves?"
Lu Xiu: "Of course not, the school arranges it. There are only two options to choose from: the Demon Association or the Exorcism Committee."
Jiang Hong uttered an "Oh" and then asked, "Who will take it over?"
Lu Xiu replied, "Hu Qingquan and I will."
Jiang Hong immediately said, "Where are you taking it?"
Jiang Hong was very curious about the Demon Association and wanted to see it, but Lu Xiu said, "I'll take it to the Exorcism Committee. Do you want to come?"
Jiang Hong had no choice but to say, "Then I'll go with you."
The atmosphere at the Exorcism Committee was a bit oppressive, but since Lu Xiu was going, Jiang Hong could only follow him. At dinner, Jiang Hong saw Yuan Shiyu sitting alone in a corner of the cafeteria.
Yuan Shiyu's house arrest had been lifted, and he started attending classes and eating with other students. However, he still lived in a single dormitory, seemed to have no friends, and didn’t appear to want any. Most of the time, he sat alone, looking somewhat gloomy.
Lu Xiu glanced at Yuan Shiyu but didn't bother with him.
Jiang Hong pondered for a moment, then approached Yuan Shiyu with a greeting, who he saw sitting in a corner of the classroom during the afternoon class.
Yuan Shiyu's eyes looked somewhat bewildered, but after recognizing Jiang Hong, whom he had seen before, he nodded in acknowledgment.
Jiang Hong then took a seat next to Yuan Shiyu, not quite sure why he felt compelled to do so.
"Good day, students," announced Professor Luo Peng of the Talisman class. "This term, we have a packed curriculum and you'll also have internships, resulting in six fewer weeks of classes. Let's start by assigning the final project for the term..."
"Our introductory Talisman topic this term is 'Seeking Heavenly and Earthly Treasures'. What these treasures are, and how to identify them, will be our focus in the upcoming lessons..."
Over several days, Jiang Hong, checking his schedule, found that after the initial adjustment period of the first semester, the spring term's courses had become much more intensive. Zhu Jinling's course, 'Exploration of Inner Worlds', involved finding a spatial or temporal rift. Besides the courses from the last semester, new ones like Talismanic Studies, which required independently designing and drawing a magical formation, and Demonology History with a focus on relic archaeology, were added.
Jiang Hong felt overwhelmed with learning during the first week.
In the S-class, Cao Bin started teaching Jiang Hong and Xiao Pi simple rhythmic spells.
"Rhythmic spellcasting is a branch of demonology," explained Cao Bin, "and although it doesn't have its dedicated course yet, we're incorporating it into our comprehensive studies as an educational experiment. Have any of you learned a musical instrument?"
"Uh, no," replied Xiao Pi.
Jiang Hong said, "I've learned a bit of piano."
Jiang Hong initially thought the piano, violin, saxophone, flute, and drums in the S-class lounge were for forming a band.
Lu Xiu couldn't attend today's class, so Cao Bin had Si Gui temporarily assist with teaching, saying, "Music is a very powerful medium for spellcasting, directly influencing nature. For example..."
Si Gui took down a flute hanging on the wall and covered it with a membrane.
Jiang Hong suddenly remembered how last year, Lu Xiu used a piano in Mai Qing's study to restore a destroyed bookshelf!
"It can be repaired!" Jiang Hong exclaimed.
"Correct," Cao Bin casually swept a coffee cup off the bar onto the floor, shattering it instantly.
Si Gui then played a few notes on the flute, emitting ethereal bird-like trills, light and melodious. The shattered porcelain pieces on the ground flew up as if time were reversing, reassembling themselves into the coffee cup on the bar.
"Wow," Jiang Hong applauded.
"Wow," Xiao Pi said admiringly, "that flute must be made of pure gold, right? Must be worth a lot."
Cao Bin said, "Thank you, Si Gui. Si Gui played a section from 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix', an important function of rhythmic spellcasting. Most exorcists consider this a 'reverse causality', but in fact, we have a more precise explanation. Let's see, Jiang Hong, what do you think about this?"
Jiang Hong said, "Uh, theoretically, it's really difficult because it directly uses music to cause entropy reduction."
"Exactly!" Cao Bin snapped his fingers, "You've grasped the essence of the problem. Rhythm directly affects entropy, causing it to change. In fact, music is one of only two actions in our universe that can cause a reduction in entropy, the other being mathematics."
"It looks like Si Gui just played a few bars and everything was restored, simple, right? But it's because Si Gui himself possesses strong spiritual energy. Do you want to try the flute?"
Jiang Hong glanced at the flute membrane, then at Si Gui, thinking: Is this like an indirect kiss?
Cao Bin gestured and played the flute first.
Jiang Hong thought: Ah, the principal and Si Gui have kissed...
The sound produced by Cao Bin was very soft, almost inaudible.
"My spiritual power isn't as strong as Si Gui's," Cao Bin said, "so the sound from the flute isn't as distinct. Pi Yunhao?"
Xiao Pi took it and tried to play, but couldn't produce any sound.
Jiang Hong thought: Uh, Xiao Pi, now you've indirectly kissed the principal and Si Gui...
Xiao Pi: "You want to give it a try?"
Jiang Hong: "..."
Eventually, Jiang Hong also tried, but no matter how hard he blew, there was no sound.
Cao Bin explained, "Si Gui can play the flute because he is a phoenix. This flute doesn't amplify spiritual power, so now we switch to a violin..."
So Si Gui is a phoenix.
Jiang Hong didn't know why, but today he found it especially easy to get distracted.
Si Gui asked, "What are you daydreaming about?"
Jiang Hong was caught daydreaming in class by Si Gui. Cao Bin just smiled, waved his hand, took down the violin hanging on the wall, and began to play gently. As the music flowed, many decorations in the S class classroom began to levitate and orbit around them like planets.
There was a knock on the door. Lu Xiu entered, nodding to indicate his lateness, avoiding the spinning teacups and decorations, and walked to the piano.
Cao Bin's violin did not stop. At that moment, Jiang Hong seemed to see spiritual power flowing with the music. Lu Xiu opened the grand piano lid, without hesitation touched a few keys, and began to accompany Cao Bin.
The spiritual power in the music suddenly became stronger. In the melody, Jiang Hong seemed to faintly see another world.
"This is..."
"The law of space," Lu Xiu said.
"Yes," Cao Bin elongated a steady note, returning all the floating items to their respective places, and explained, "This is the third effect of the Melodic Magic, dissolving and reconstructing the laws of space. This was one of the first functions discovered by exorcists. They used pianos to control the opening and closing of gates to other worlds, like placing a piano in a café and playing a specific melody to enter the exorcist’s world."
"Oh—" Xiao Pi and Jiang Hong expressed their sincere admiration.
"This semester, we are going to learn these three major skills," Cao Bin put down the violin and said, "The goal is for all of you to master the basic application of Melodic Magic by the end of the term... Of course, first, you need to learn an instrument."
"Apart from the golden flute, all instruments are engraved with amplification runes," Cao Bin said. "Choose one first. Jiang Hong, do you have some basic skills?"
Jiang Hong: "Yes, I've learned the piano... But I'd like to try something different."
Practicing the piano was really painful; if possible, Jiang Hong really didn't want to learn it again. Xiao Pi chose the relatively easier-to-learn piano, while after much thought, Jiang Hong finally asked Cao Bin, "Principal, you play the violin very well. Should I learn that?"
Cao Bin nodded, "Yes. Xiang Cheng's main study is the saxophone; I learned it with him and can teach you a bit of saxophone. Lu Xiu will teach piano, and Si Gui can teach you the flute, but I suggest not choosing the flute; he also knows the guqin."
"Then I'll choose the violin," Jiang Hong happily decided. The reason was simple: the piano was painful for him; the violin was painful for others. Between the two, Jiang Hong preferred the latter.
Thus, this term's main goal became learning an instrument first, then Melodic Magic. Each direction of Melodic Magic was quite challenging, and mastering one was an achievement. Jiang Hong gradually discovered that the courses for exorcists were far more extensive and profound than he had imagined, with each subject and its branches, even the branches of branches, being enough to study for a lifetime. He had to learn geomancy, talismans, inner world exploration, exorcism practice, magical treasures, and now music theory. Oh heavens, how could he ever finish learning all this?
Xiao Pi said, "This kind of reverse causality..."
"Entropy reduction," Cao Bin corrected.
Xiao Pi: "Apart from fixing cars, entropy reduction doesn't seem very useful."
Cao Bin said, "Then you are seriously underestimating it. Mastered to the extreme, entropy reduction possesses earth-shattering power, like, for example..."
Jiang Hong suddenly had a thought and said, "Bringing the dead back to life!"
Cao Bin nodded and added, "Or even restoring a destroyed world to its original state. Of course, such power might only be exerted by higher spirits. Now, please determine your own time for learning instruments, try not to affect your academic schedule, as this term is quite tight, and you also have internships."
With the arrival of the spring semester, Jiang Hong began to feel a severe lack of time, struggling to keep up with all the courses. Fortunately, Lu Xiu would inquire about his academic progress during lunch every day and help him solve some doubts. Thanks to these extra lessons during lunch breaks, Jiang Hong just managed to cope with his studies.
Only his roommates were driven crazy by Jiang Hong's violin practice, until finally Zhang Xiting created a soundproof barrier, temporarily blocking the sound attacks. Zhang Xiting had also learned for five years and occasionally gave Jiang Hong some tips.
"Are you interning at the Exorcism Committee?" Zhang Xiting asked. "Shall we go together?"
"Yes, I'll be with Lu Xiu," Jiang Hong put down his violin. The internship forms were distributed, and everyone needed to fill in their preferred location. Hu Qingquan was collecting the forms room by room, saying, "Actually, this choice is a one-time decision. Those who choose the Exorcism Committee this year will go to the Monster Association next year."
Jiang Hong completed and submitted his form. Unknowingly, it was already the end of March, with only a week left until the internship. Half the semester had flown by, and he felt like he hadn't accomplished much.
The students, however, were excited, preparing as if they were going on a trip. In the chilly spring breeze of March in the Qinling Mountains, many harbored budding emotions, especially in the dormitories where the monster race students liked to visit, filled with a mating season's animalistic scent.
"What should I bring for the Exorcism Committee internship?" Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu one evening.
"You don’t need to bring anything," Lu Xiu said. "The Exorcism Committee will arrange accommodation and meals, and they will assign you tasks. Just prepare a few changes of clothes."
Although Jiang Hong still had a pile of unfinished coursework, he was looking forward to the internship, asking, "Is the work difficult?"
"Do you want something difficult or easy?" Lu Xiu asked. "There are both."
At such times, Jiang Hong's go-with-the-flow and take-it-as-it-comes nature showed. He cheerfully said, "I'm fine with anything, let others choose first."
"Then I'll give you the hardest one," Lu Xiu glanced at the form on his phone, and Jiang Hong tried to peek but was blocked by Lu Xiu.
"How hard is the hardest?" Jiang Hong laughed. "Am I going to save the world?"
Lu Xiu seriously replied, "You'll find out when you report there."
Three days later, the six-week social internship officially began.
Jiang Hong noticed something interesting – all the human students unanimously chose the Exorcism Committee for their internship, while the monster race students, without any surprise, all chose the Monster Association.
"Goodbye then." Jiang Hong and Zhang Xiting happily bid farewell to their other two roommates.
Lian Jiang also arrived, walking shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Hong towards the departure point.
Hu Qingquan led over a hundred people, and Lu Xiu led another hundred. Hu Qingquan left first with the monsters, while Lu Xiu, holding a flag like a tour guide of a large travel group, waited with everyone at the school gate for the bus.
"Take this opportunity," Lu Xiu said, "to listen to a few words from me. You all know that I’m not very patient. I'll say the unpleasant things first..."
Lu Xiu used a sound transmission spell, and the noisy students instantly quieted down.
"I'm not human either," Lu Xiu said expressionlessly, "If you cause trouble, I probably won’t let it slide. Trying to use your family’s influence on me won't work either."
The students looked at Lu Xiu. Normally, each grade should have one human and one monster counselor, but their grade was unique, having two monster-born counselors.
"Follow orders when outside," Lu Xiu instructed, "If you have trouble, come ask immediately, don't wait until it's too late. Take this internship seriously. If you don’t meet the standards, you'll have to repeat it next year with the next batch, delaying all future internships for the remaining three years. You won't graduate if you don't complete your credits. Be wise. Get on the bus."
Clearly, everyone had heard of Lu Xiu's reputation and became significantly more subdued. But within five minutes, they began chatting excitedly again. The hundred-plus students were divided into two buses and taken to the Xi'an High-Speed Rail Station. There, Lu Xiu asked the class leaders to count the students before boarding the train to Beijing.
"Teacher Lu is really popular," Lian Jiang said, hooking his arm around Jiang Hong's neck, looking envious.
A group of girls surrounded Lu Xiu at the entrance, asking questions.
"Yeah," Jiang Hong said with a hint of jealousy. From the start of the trip, there were always people around Lu Xiu.
"Because he's a dragon, right?" Zhang Xiting commented. "Dragons really are handsome creatures."
"How are dragons handsome?" Jiang Hong’s jealousy intensified. "Just a dark, long creature."
Lian Jiang remarked, "Aren't dragons handsome? Their muscles exude a sense of power."
The build, arms and claws, and shimmering scales of a dragon indeed seemed to make them quite handsome creatures.
As the three of them were critically appraising dragons, Lu Xiu walked over to them.
Jiang Hong rarely spoke to Lu Xiu in front of so many people and didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Coffee?" Lu Xiu asked Jiang Hong.
"Ah, sure," Jiang Hong regained his composure and quickly said, "I'll go buy it."
Lu Xiu gestured with his hand and went to buy coffee, sharing it with Jiang Hong and others. He stood chatting with them, using it as a chance to escape the endless attention from the students. However, many students still watched him from a distance, blatantly taking photos of Lu Xiu.
"Stop taking photos!" Lu Xiu said. "Better spend your time thinking about your projects!"
Groups of students laughed. Lu Xiu was quite helpless, finding this job really unsuitable for him.
It was only when they boarded the bus that Lu Xiu's troubles seemed to pause. Managing one hundred and fourteen students was indeed a big task. He instructed the class leaders to count the students and added the eight class leaders into a group for immediate reporting of any issues. Zhang Xiting kindly offered, "Teacher Lu, let me help you manage them. I can also run errands for you."
"Thank you," Lu Xiu said expressionlessly. "I'll add 10 points to your internship score."
"I want to help too!" Jiang Hong and Lian Jiang immediately clamored.
Lu Xiu: "One is enough."
"Didn't Yuan Shiyu come?" Jiang Hong, sitting next to Lu Xiu, checked the list and thought of Yuan Shiyu. Since the start of the term, he had sat with Yuan Shiyu a few times but hardly ever spoke with him. Yuan Shiyu was a man of few words and often missed classes, as if he already knew what was happening.
As the high-speed train started, it was filled with chatting exorcists discussing supernatural events. Lu Xiu sat up and said loudly, "Keep the conversation appropriate! Don't make me intervene!"
The students then toned down a bit. Lu Xiu put on sunglasses and said to Jiang Hong, "He An arranged for Yuan Shiyu to go to the Monster Association, not wanting him at the Exorcism Committee."
That made sense, given Yuan Shiyu's mother and godfather were still detained at the Exorcism Committee.
"About that incident last time," Jiang Hong said, "was there any follow-up?"
Just as Jiang Hong quietly asked Lu Xiu, numerous heads popped up from the back seat.
"Senior, what's the star rating of the hotel we are staying at?"
"Senior, what are we eating tonight?"
"Senior, can you organize a trip to the Forbidden City for us?"
"Teacher Lu, sing a song for us!"
"Senior, how about a tug-of-war?"
"Senior, which dragon clan are you from?"
Finally unable to bear it any longer, Lu Xiu let out a low roar similar to a dragon's, instantly causing a buzzing sound in everyone's ears in the entire carriage.
It finally became quiet.
Lu Xiu resumed his indifferent expression and answered Jiang Hong, "I don't know, you can ask Chen Zhen yourself later."
Jiang Hong thought it better not to ask. Shortly after, the conductor came to Lu Xiu to confirm the lunch menu, and Lu Xiu had already pre-ordered lunch for everyone.
"Senior, I don’t eat spicy food. Can you help me change my order?"
Lu Xiu: "……"
Jiang Hong quickly said, "I’ll swap with you, I like spicy food!"
Lu Xiu shared one of his wireless earphones with Jiang Hong and leaned against the train window, while Lian Jiang hung a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on Lu Xiu's seat.
Jiang Hong: "Why are you carrying that sign around, so weird!"
Lian Jiang: "I just took it off our dormitory door, thought it might come in handy at the Exorcism Committee..."
Traveling with the whole grade, Jiang Hong didn't find it appropriate to chat much with Lu Xiu, but fortunately, they arrived in Beijing by three-thirty in the afternoon.
The welcome they received at the Exorcism Committee was unexpectedly grand. In front of their bus were two red flag sedans leading the way, making Jiang Hong feel like he was part of a leader's entourage.
Arriving at the Exorcism Committee's entrance, Jiang Hong half-expected to encounter something strange, like the time Cao Bin led them through a bookstore into a spiritual realm. However, the bus just drove along a narrow one-way street and then entered the premises, the scenery suddenly changing to reveal the Exorcism Committee's thirty-three-story building.
In April, catkins drifted through the air, and the temperature in Beijing was unexpectedly warmer than in the Qinling Mountains.
"Hello, juniors from Cangqiong University."
The person who came out to meet them was a very pretty girl, presumably their senior. After boarding the bus, she took the microphone and smiled, "My name is Yi Qing. I'm in charge of your accommodations and meals during this period. Class leaders, please add me on WeChat. You all must be tired from the trip. The Exorcism Committee has opened a special passage for you, but you must use our designated shuttle bus to enter and exit, so please remember this clearly."
Lu Xiu, wearing sunglasses, stood impatiently at the front of the group.
"Did you have a good trip, senior?" Yi Qing smiled at Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu just nodded briefly in response.
Yi Qing continued, "The department heads are in a meeting, probably finishing by five. Let's go inside. Here is the list for allocation to various departments."
Lu Xiu took the list from Yi Qing, glanced at it, and said, "Gather in front of the hall."
Thus, over a hundred people surged into the gates of the Exorcism Committee. Lu Xiu said, "Next, you'll be assigned to different departments..."
A few exorcists in suits came over and shook hands with Lu Xiu, who had to stop and politely greet them.
The students, initially noisy, quieted down as they entered the solemn hall of the Exorcism Committee, where statues of Acala and Dipankara Buddha stood, unlike at Cangqiong University, where Acala was the main figure and Dipankara was secondary; here, it was the other way around.
Jiang Hong visited the Exorcism Committee again, this time with more time to observe. He speculated that the placement of the statues symbolized the territorial division between the Grand Exorcist Chen Zhen and their principal Xiang Cheng, who inherited the Acala lineage.
Lu Xiu's voice remained cold as he said, "As you can see, the Exorcism Committee takes your internship very seriously. By coming here, you temporarily have the status of certified exorcists. Please respect the sacred lamp and yourselves."
A middle-aged man in a suit laughed, "The number of students increases every year. I remember six years ago, there were only about twenty."
Lu Xiu hummed in response. Six exorcists stood in different spots, and Lu Xiu said, "Now, I will call names. Those whose names are called, please follow the six teachers."
Lu Xiu began calling names, distributing students to the External Affairs Department, Exorcism Business Department, Internet and Information Exchange Department, Talismans and Media Business Group, Technology Research and Development Department, and the Earth and Heaven Pulse Development Department.
Each student called followed the representative exorcist of their assigned department. The one hundred and twelve students were quickly almost entirely allocated.
Zhang Xiting was assigned to the Exorcism Business Department and followed a tall, thin man.
Finally, only Jiang Hong was left. He thought to himself: Could they really assign me to some extremely difficult position?
"Jiang Hong," Lu Xiu finally put away the list and said, "Administration floor, come with me."
The Exorcism Committee, from the outside, didn't seem large, but internally it appeared to utilize the principle of spatial gaps, creating an immensely vast space. Just the corridors of the main hall, with their extensive depth, seemed almost endless. Over a hundred people entered and instantly scattered like into a vast sea, leaving Lu Xiu relieved.
"Here's your elevator card, Senior Lu," Yi Qing handed Lu Xiu a card, saying, "The intern's card isn’t ready yet, and fingerprints haven’t been verified. It'll take a few days, so during this time, he needs to be with you to have access."
Lu Xiu waved his hand, indicating it was fine, and Yi Qing added, "I bought you a coffee."
Lu Xiu resumed his cool expression, nodded in thanks, and led Jiang Hong to the furthest elevator. They entered and swiped the card.
Jiang Hong nervously asked, "Where are we going? What position have you arranged for me?"
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong but didn’t speak.
"Nineteenth floor," the elevator announced, "Central Department."
Jiang Hong had been here once before. Lu Xiu, familiar with the place, led him to Chen Zhen’s office.
As they entered the office, they coincidentally encountered Chen Zhen, as well as various department heads and directors leaving a meeting. Jiang Hong immediately bowed and greeted, "Hello, Boss!"
Chen Zhen smiled, pressed his fingerprint to open the door, and said, "You're here? I thought you would arrive a bit later."
Lu Xiu hummed in response. Chen Zhen then said, "Must have been tough on the road, leading so many students. Come, Jiang Hong..." Chen Zhen pointed to a desk nearby and said, "You can sit there. During your internship, you’ll be my assistant."
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
Jiang Hong was completely shocked. The position Lu Xiu had arranged for him was as Chen Zhen's assistant?!
