Chapter 88: Discipline
"We are the same," Chen Zhen said, "We are all human, and so are you. Since you wish to proceed with this Q&A format, let's begin, Cao Bin?"
Cao Bin nodded and gestured for them to proceed, and from this, Jiang Hong guessed that Chen Zhen's personal visit today was indeed intended to resolve issues, at least to appease all the demon students.
Seeing Chen Zhen willing to respond, the students' raging anger momentarily subsided as they looked at each other in surprise. Cao Bin added, "Feel free to voice your concerns, but please be mindful of the time. This meeting can only last until ten o'clock."
"Chen Zhen," a female student stood up and directly addressed him, "What is the 'right attitude'? Why should the demon clan abide by the order set by humans?"
Chen Zhen replied, "Because this is the foundation upon which our world survives and maintains itself. It's an ancient covenant among all races, tracing back to the distant prehistoric era, established by my predecessors and theirs. The struggle is for gaining benefits, not for mutual destruction. With this covenant in place, we can coexist. Violating it would lead to the collapse of the inner world into the outer world, irrelevant of human will, but related to the survival and interests of all races."
Chen Zhen's candid talk of "struggle," "right to survive," and "interests," and his stark revelation of the underlying truth, left everyone momentarily unsure of how to question him.
But indeed, that was the logic.
"Next question," Chen Zhen continued.
"What did Lu Xiu do wrong?" a male student asked on the spot.
This question sparked whispered discussions among everyone.
"He is a suspect," Chen Zhen stated, "We hoped he would assist with the investigation, but he refused to cooperate, as you all saw."
"Would you dare do this if Xiang Cheng were here today?!" someone shouted, without standing up.
Cao Bin immediately turned towards the source of the voice, his eyes becoming incredibly sharp, as if trying to identify who had spoken.
"Such a question would sadden your Principal Cao," Chen Zhen said lightly, "I refuse to entertain hypothetical questions. Let's avoid conjecture and stick to the facts."
"What are your plans moving forward?" the same male student pressed, "Issue a warrant for his arrest? Hunt him down?"
"The Commission hasn't yet decided to enter the sacred land, nor have we issued a warrant, because we know his whereabouts," Chen Zhen explained. "But rest assured, we will resolve this issue, whether it's to clear his name or to get his explanation. We won't just let it go."
The students in the audience became noisy again, but Jiang Hong felt that, perhaps due to his own perspective, Chen Zhen's response was quite appropriate.
Strangely, Chen Zhen's words seemed to have a calming power. The students gradually quieted down, their fervor lessened, and the initial anger dissipated. Towards the end, even the heckling and noise felt half-hearted.
"Look, Principal!" Zhang Xiting nudged Jiang Hong and whispered, "Is he calling you?"
Jiang Hong noticed Cao Bin's expression. Cao Bin raised his eyebrows at him, as if asking if he had something to say.
Jiang Hong felt he indeed should say something, but in what capacity? It was strange, considering his relationship with Lu Xiu, perhaps he was the most entitled to question Chen Zhen.
Yet, he could also understand Chen Zhen, especially after seeing that video. He knew Chen Zhen was in a difficult position too.
"You need to stand up and say something," Zhang Xiting whispered, "At least I think that's what the Principal wants. It might help to ease the situation."
"I understand," Jiang Hong replied, "But what should I say?"
So, he tentatively raised his hand halfway, and Cao Bin immediately said, "Jiang Hong? Do you have something to say?"
The auditorium suddenly fell silent, as it seemed many were aware of, or at least had heard about, Lu Xiu's and Jiang Hong's "relationship." All eyes turned to Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong felt so embarrassed that he thought his head might fall off...
Chen Zhen also looked towards Jiang Hong, and for a moment, tens of thousands of eyes were focused on him.
"When will the inspectors in the school be withdrawn?" Jiang Hong didn't know why he asked such an unrelated question, "It's uncomfortable being watched all the time."
Chen Zhen didn't respond, clearly surprised as well. Before Chen Zhen could speak, An Jie took the initiative to answer Jiang Hong.
"They will be withdrawn soon," An Jie's voice was soft but firm.
"I have nothing else to ask," Jiang Hong quickly sat down after his reply.
With Jiang Hong's second intervention, the situation seemed to improve considerably.
Cao Bin glanced at his watch, signaled to Chen Zhen, then took the microphone and said, "Time is almost up. If anyone has further comments, you can write to the Commission's email. The Grand Exorcist promises that every letter will receive a response..."
The students became restless again, but this time, the intensity had clearly diminished. They started to leave in an orderly fashion, and Chen Zhen successfully resolved the crisis of trust once more.
Jiang Hong thought for a moment, took out his phone, and sent Lu Xiu a message: [Chen Zhen came today.]
Lu Xiu didn't reply, so Jiang Hong briefly summarized what had happened in the auditorium, including the students' questions. There was still silence from Lu Xiu's end.
The first afternoon class of the new semester was demon-hunting practice, still taught by Psyduck.
"This semester, we'll mainly learn to identify and exploit weaknesses," Psyduck, looking half asleep, stretched lazily next to the practice field, began the lesson. There was a record player borrowed from somewhere, playing Mocca's "Let me go," instructing students to observe their opponent and find their weaknesses within the duration of the song.
Back in the classroom, everything seemed to return to normal. The demon students were willing to greet the human students, though there was still a hint of caution between them. But at least in terms of attitude, humans appeared to be more open-minded than demons.
"How is Lu Xiu doing?"
After class, Psyduck called out to Jiang Hong and asked.
"I don't know," Jiang Hong replied somewhat gloomily, "He hasn't replied to my messages."
"Oh, are the lovebirds having a quarrel?" Psyduck teased with a wicked smile.
"Stop it," Jiang Hong wasn't in the mood to explain everything to Psyduck and said, "You should worry about yourselves first!"
Maybe it was due to Psyduck's personality, or perhaps from seeing Psyduck interact with Xiao Pi, Jiang Hong also unconsciously started to speak more informally with him. Psyduck indeed felt like a peer to him.
"Chen Zhen must be under a lot of pressure, right?" Jiang Hong actually sympathized with Chen Zhen, understanding his difficulties.
"The root of all problems," Psyduck said seriously, "is a matter of style. Four out of eight S-class exorcists are gay. This generation of the Commission is rotten to the core from the start! Absolutely rotten!"
Jiang Hong: "..."
Psyduck continued, "What can Chen Zhen even do? Wait to be criticized to death! Replace him! Air-drop someone else in charge, hurry up and switch him out. The higher-ups have been displeased with him for a long time."
Jiang Hong knew Psyduck was being sarcastic. He wanted to turn around and playfully hit Psyduck on the back, but Psyduck swiftly dodged, proving that the martial arts he learned from Cao Bin were still no match for him.
"If your master Cao Bin personally came, maybe he could get a ride on my back," Psyduck joked, "But Jiang Hong, your skills aren't there yet. Just a bit more to go."
Xiao Pi really liked riding on Psyduck's neck, and Psyduck didn't mind, often walking around the campus with him. But this time, Psyduck surprisingly let Jiang Hong ride on his back.
"What are you two arguing about?" Psyduck said again, "Cherish the time you have together..."
"Uh..." Jiang Hong tried to change the subject, asking, "What do you mean, 'four out of eight S-class exorcists are gay'?"
"Just what it sounds like," Psyduck replied.
Jiang Hong thought to himself: That's quite a lot, no wonder the higher-ups say there's a 'problem with your style.'
Psyduck: "Why are you two arguing?"
"Why are there so many gays?" Jiang Hong retorted, "Who are they?"
Psyduck: "I care about you so much, and this is how you treat me? I'm not playing with you anymore. Go to your master's class!"
Psyduck let Jiang Hong down. Jiang Hong checked the time and realized he indeed had a class to attend, so he said goodbye to Psyduck and ran towards the administrative building.
Inside the S-class activity room, Cao Bin was still making his hand-dripped coffee.
"Is everything really okay?" Xiao Pi asked worriedly.
Jiang Hong entered, put down his bag, and Cao Bin replied, "Don't worry, Si Gui is still in school." He finished speaking and glanced at Jiang Hong.
"Did I do something wrong today...?"
"No," Cao Bin said, "You did well. Besides, this was Chen Zhen's responsibility. Lu Xiu won't have any problems either. His prestige among the demons is even slightly higher than Xiang Cheng's. No one would dare to defy the young king."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong asked, "Why?"
Cao Bin said, "Because Xiang Cheng is a half-blood king, while Lu Xiu is a pure-blood king."
"Oh—" Xiao Pi immediately understood, but Jiang Hong was still confused and asked, "What does that mean?"
Cao Bin explained, "Xiang Cheng is the offspring of the Goddess Yao Ji and a human exorcist, with half human lineage, while Lu Xiu achieved his status through his own cultivation, transforming into a dragon. Therefore, he gains the utmost recognition from the demon race. I suggest we don't continue discussing this."
Finally, Jiang Hong had the chance to seriously discuss this matter with Cao Bin and asked directly, "So... how do we find the dark Lu Xiu?"
Xiao Pi, who obviously heard some inside information from his father, looked at Jiang Hong worriedly.
"This is what we will learn this semester," Cao Bin stood up, picked up a marker, and said, "an important part of our curriculum—setting a trap."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Jiang Hong thought to himself: I wanted to discuss Lu Xiu's situation!
"Setting an ambush," Cao Bin explained, "can also be understood as laying a trap. When facing an enemy, having absolute power to sweep away everything in one stroke is ideal, of course. But when the strength between us and our enemies is closely matched, laying an ambush becomes especially important. Most of the time, we encounter equally matched adversaries, or even need to overcome stronger ones. Laying an ambush is a sophisticated art..."
Xiao Pi chuckled: "So it's basically setting up a scheme to trick someone."
Cao Bin replied: "You could say that. But you must realize, setting an ambush is often a collective action, not just one-on-one. There's an aesthetic to it."
Jiang Hong: "Tricking people into falling into a trap."
Cao Bin: "Some high-level ambush setters not only deceive the enemy but also everyone involved in the scheme, leading them unknowingly to follow your plan. Sometimes, you even have to deceive yourself."
Jiang Hong suddenly wondered if Lu Xiu's current predicament was a result of an ambush coordinated with Cao Bin.
"...The highest realm of setting an ambush is making the enemy 'have to' fall into it," Cao Bin continued. "First, you need to clarify your motives and objectives. Of course, the objectives can be adjusted according to the situation..."
Jiang Hong had already forgotten his original purpose and, together with Xiao Pi, took out a notebook to start taking notes.
"...Besides, what's the most important element?"
"People," Jiang Hong replied.
"Correct, the participants," Cao Bin said. "List out all the participants initially, and you'll add more later. Each person is a variable, and when there are enough variables, chaos ensues... Then you need to plan the steps. For the steps in setting an ambush, we should have a detailed flowchart, guiding the situation towards the point you ultimately need. We'll talk about it in detail later, as we will study this for an entire semester. This is just an overview."
"But," Xiao Pi interjected, "I don't understand. Human behavior is unpredictable. A small deviation at one point can lead to a completely different outcome..."
Cao Bin nodded and replied: "It's precisely because of the unpredictability of human behavior that modern society, or the outer world, doesn't have a discipline of 'ambush setting.' Many believe that luck plays a big part. But don't forget, where are we?"
"Ah!" Jiang Hong immediately understood. Perhaps that's why he rarely saw "ambush setting" as a skill elsewhere... After all, setting up a scheme against an enemy involves too many uncertainties.
But not here!
They were in the inner world, where luck, the future, and to some extent, predictions could be made through divination!
"...Next is 'adjustment.' When an ambush deviates from the plan, you need to correct it immediately..."
Cao Bin started writing and drawing on the whiteboard, and soon Jiang Hong and Xiao Pi stopped to listen attentively, planning to take photos at the end.
Jiang Hong began to feel that Lu Xiu's current situation was to some extent a scheme orchestrated by Cao Bin and Lu Xiu together. If that was true, he needn't worry too much.
That evening, while Jiang Hong was studying the content taught by Cao Bin, Zhang Xiting glanced over and asked, "Hey, why are you studying this?"
"You know about this?" Jiang Hong asked.
"This is a very advanced subject," Zhang Xiting said, "Currently, it's forbidden for discussion in the Commission. Where did you get this material from?" Then he realized, "It's Principal Cao, right? He's quite skilled in the art of setting ambushes."
"You know about it too?" Jiang Hong asked in surprise.
"Ambush setting has its traces," Zhang Xiting explained, "My dad studied it too. It's like playing chess, each move leads to subsequent changes. But because this discipline is so complex and has practical applications, if it got out, it could lead to many uncontrollable factors."
Jiang Hong added, "It's also related to divination."
"Yes," Zhang Xiting pondered for a moment and said, "Divination, psychology, calculation."
Jiang Hong commented, "It seems so. If everyone learns and sets ambushes, it's like no one is setting any, right?"
Zhang Xiting: "Not necessarily. It's not like the saying 'everyone getting money means no one gets money'. It would be chaos, right? Think about it, it's like indirectly encouraging deceit and scheming. Those who learn ambush setting naturally have an advantage, and those who don't will have to learn, causing unnecessary competition..."
Throughout human history, it's like a history of the development of ambush setting.
"But since he's teaching you," Zhang Xiting said, "you might as well learn. It probably won't be mastered in ten or eight years."
Jiang Hong was still far from even entering the door of this discipline, but he was prepared to study it diligently, hoping it could be useful.
So was Lu Xiu really setting an ambush, or did he know nothing about it? Cao Bin said that motives and goals are absolutely hidden. The fewer people know, the higher the success rate of the ambush. Exposing even one of them might lead to complete failure.
But would Cao Bin keep it from Lu Xiu?
Jiang Hong missed Lu Xiu every day, but Lu Xiu rarely replied to him. Since that night, Lu Xiu had become distant. Was it because he was afraid of being too nice and causing misunderstandings? Jiang Hong thought. He used to be sleepless every night, reviewing his chat history with Lu Xiu countless times, but eventually decided he couldn't go on like this and had to focus on his studies.
Zhu Jinling continued to be their teacher for exploring the inner world. This semester, the main focus of inner world exploration was time.
"Time has three variables: past, present, and future," Zhu Jinling said. "Divination will be introduced in the second year, but not taught by me. Inner world exploration is closely related to the divination discipline. I hope you can apply some of the knowledge learned in divination to our subject..."
The course on magical artifacts began to diverge into two directions: artifact identification and artifact engineering. Jiang Hong chose the artifact creation class, taught by the same instructor, Huo Ran.
The study of demon-hunting history had concluded, replaced by the analysis of mysterious phenomena, which mainly involved discussing various bizarre stories. Additionally, this semester introduced three new courses: Chakra Studies, Introduction to Geomancy, and Divination.
In Chakra Studies, Jiang Hong couldn't devote much effort. Firstly, his own chakras were fragmented; secondly, he didn't expect to use higher-level spells through chakra cultivation. His main goal was just to stay alive.
But Geomancy was different.
The Introduction to Geomancy class was taught by a young male teacher named Li Youran, who seemed to have graduated not long ago and was still a graduate student. Jiang Hong took Geomancy very seriously as he was a descendant of a great geomancer, feeling an innate duty to excel in this subject.
Moreover, Geomancy didn't require extensive use of spells. The first lesson started with memorizing a plethora of modern and ancient place names and the points of geomantic currents across the land of Zhongzhou.
Like a subway map, most students were overwhelmed, but Jiang Hong was intrigued and performed well. He had already known quite a bit about it.
Next was creating one’s own compass, a task Jiang Hong enjoyed.
Li Youran was a gentle male teacher, wearing thick glasses, a plaid shirt, and jeans, resembling a programmer. His demeanor was pleasant, and he mostly engaged students in a discussion-based teaching style.
As for Divination, it was a course that intimidated all students.
The teacher, known simply as "Zhu," had no other name. She was the same old lady who ran the black market stall under the guise of a panda on the main road during the school anniversary.
Zhu's classroom was pitch dark, with curtains tightly drawn and no air conditioning. The closed room was filled with smoke and the animalistic scents of demon students – chicken, dog, and more, making Jiang Hong's scalp tingle.
Zhu wore a tattered cloak and held a lit cigarette between her bird-like fingers, smoking while holding divining yarrow stalks, muttering incantations as she taught them divination.
Jiang Hong had no choice but to hide in the back, fearing he might be called upon to do something bizarre.
"Fate, ah, it's something you can never escape in a lifetime," Zhu said with a mysterious smile, her wrinkled face revealing an inexplicable expression. "For the first lesson, let's divine and see how many points everyone will get at the end of this semester... Come on, do as I've taught you. Class leader, distribute the yarrow stalks to everyone..."
He Jian whispered very softly, "This is too weird, really too..."
"Shh," Jiang Hong quickly stopped He Jian's complaining and started divining for himself, his thoughts drifting to Yuan Shiyu, the boy who had replaced his fate. Was the fate divined his own, or Yuan Shiyu's?
"Jiang Hong." Someone whispered from behind.
"Ah," Jiang Hong, lost in thoughts about Yuan Shiyu, turned around and was startled to find Yuan Shiyu standing right behind him.
Recently, Yuan Shiyu had been active around their grade, but after the initial interest Jiang Hong had in him, he didn't pay much attention to Yuan, especially after the trip to Tibet with Lu Xiu.
Yuan didn't seem to attract much attention. The school had placed him in a four-person dormitory with two demon and one human student. He shared some classes with Jiang Hong, but Yuan often overslept and missed classes, so Jiang Hong rarely saw him.
Yuan was here today, and Jiang Hong had not noticed at all.
"Can you help me see what this means?" Yuan Shiyu asked softly. "They say you're good at this."
"Actually, my grades aren't that great," Jiang Hong said awkwardly, "But sure, let me help you. This result... well, it looks like a 'fail,' but no worries, we can correct it."
Yuan Shiyu then sat down next to Jiang Hong.
Chapter 88: Discipline
"We are the same," Chen Zhen said, "We are all human, and so are you. Since you wish to proceed with this Q&A format, let's begin, Cao Bin?"
Cao Bin nodded and gestured for them to proceed, and from this, Jiang Hong guessed that Chen Zhen's personal visit today was indeed intended to resolve issues, at least to appease all the demon students.
Seeing Chen Zhen willing to respond, the students' raging anger momentarily subsided as they looked at each other in surprise. Cao Bin added, "Feel free to voice your concerns, but please be mindful of the time. This meeting can only last until ten o'clock."
"Chen Zhen," a female student stood up and directly addressed him, "What is the 'right attitude'? Why should the demon clan abide by the order set by humans?"
Chen Zhen replied, "Because this is the foundation upon which our world survives and maintains itself. It's an ancient covenant among all races, tracing back to the distant prehistoric era, established by my predecessors and theirs. The struggle is for gaining benefits, not for mutual destruction. With this covenant in place, we can coexist. Violating it would lead to the collapse of the inner world into the outer world, irrelevant of human will, but related to the survival and interests of all races."
Chen Zhen's candid talk of "struggle," "right to survive," and "interests," and his stark revelation of the underlying truth, left everyone momentarily unsure of how to question him.
But indeed, that was the logic.
"Next question," Chen Zhen continued.
"What did Lu Xiu do wrong?" a male student asked on the spot.
This question sparked whispered discussions among everyone.
"He is a suspect," Chen Zhen stated, "We hoped he would assist with the investigation, but he refused to cooperate, as you all saw."
"Would you dare do this if Xiang Cheng were here today?!" someone shouted, without standing up.
Cao Bin immediately turned towards the source of the voice, his eyes becoming incredibly sharp, as if trying to identify who had spoken.
"Such a question would sadden your Principal Cao," Chen Zhen said lightly, "I refuse to entertain hypothetical questions. Let's avoid conjecture and stick to the facts."
"What are your plans moving forward?" the same male student pressed, "Issue a warrant for his arrest? Hunt him down?"
"The Commission hasn't yet decided to enter the sacred land, nor have we issued a warrant, because we know his whereabouts," Chen Zhen explained. "But rest assured, we will resolve this issue, whether it's to clear his name or to get his explanation. We won't just let it go."
The students in the audience became noisy again, but Jiang Hong felt that, perhaps due to his own perspective, Chen Zhen's response was quite appropriate.
Strangely, Chen Zhen's words seemed to have a calming power. The students gradually quieted down, their fervor lessened, and the initial anger dissipated. Towards the end, even the heckling and noise felt half-hearted.
"Look, Principal!" Zhang Xiting nudged Jiang Hong and whispered, "Is he calling you?"
Jiang Hong noticed Cao Bin's expression. Cao Bin raised his eyebrows at him, as if asking if he had something to say.
Jiang Hong felt he indeed should say something, but in what capacity? It was strange, considering his relationship with Lu Xiu, perhaps he was the most entitled to question Chen Zhen.
Yet, he could also understand Chen Zhen, especially after seeing that video. He knew Chen Zhen was in a difficult position too.
"You need to stand up and say something," Zhang Xiting whispered, "At least I think that's what the Principal wants. It might help to ease the situation."
"I understand," Jiang Hong replied, "But what should I say?"
So, he tentatively raised his hand halfway, and Cao Bin immediately said, "Jiang Hong? Do you have something to say?"
The auditorium suddenly fell silent, as it seemed many were aware of, or at least had heard about, Lu Xiu's and Jiang Hong's "relationship." All eyes turned to Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong felt so embarrassed that he thought his head might fall off...
Chen Zhen also looked towards Jiang Hong, and for a moment, tens of thousands of eyes were focused on him.
"When will the inspectors in the school be withdrawn?" Jiang Hong didn't know why he asked such an unrelated question, "It's uncomfortable being watched all the time."
Chen Zhen didn't respond, clearly surprised as well. Before Chen Zhen could speak, An Jie took the initiative to answer Jiang Hong.
"They will be withdrawn soon," An Jie's voice was soft but firm.
"I have nothing else to ask," Jiang Hong quickly sat down after his reply.
With Jiang Hong's second intervention, the situation seemed to improve considerably.
Cao Bin glanced at his watch, signaled to Chen Zhen, then took the microphone and said, "Time is almost up. If anyone has further comments, you can write to the Commission's email. The Grand Exorcist promises that every letter will receive a response..."
The students became restless again, but this time, the intensity had clearly diminished. They started to leave in an orderly fashion, and Chen Zhen successfully resolved the crisis of trust once more.
Jiang Hong thought for a moment, took out his phone, and sent Lu Xiu a message: [Chen Zhen came today.]
Lu Xiu didn't reply, so Jiang Hong briefly summarized what had happened in the auditorium, including the students' questions. There was still silence from Lu Xiu's end.
The first afternoon class of the new semester was demon-hunting practice, still taught by Psyduck.
"This semester, we'll mainly learn to identify and exploit weaknesses," Psyduck, looking half asleep, stretched lazily next to the practice field, began the lesson. There was a record player borrowed from somewhere, playing Mocca's "Let me go," instructing students to observe their opponent and find their weaknesses within the duration of the song.
Back in the classroom, everything seemed to return to normal. The demon students were willing to greet the human students, though there was still a hint of caution between them. But at least in terms of attitude, humans appeared to be more open-minded than demons.
"How is Lu Xiu doing?"
After class, Psyduck called out to Jiang Hong and asked.
"I don't know," Jiang Hong replied somewhat gloomily, "He hasn't replied to my messages."
"Oh, are the lovebirds having a quarrel?" Psyduck teased with a wicked smile.
"Stop it," Jiang Hong wasn't in the mood to explain everything to Psyduck and said, "You should worry about yourselves first!"
Maybe it was due to Psyduck's personality, or perhaps from seeing Psyduck interact with Xiao Pi, Jiang Hong also unconsciously started to speak more informally with him. Psyduck indeed felt like a peer to him.
"Chen Zhen must be under a lot of pressure, right?" Jiang Hong actually sympathized with Chen Zhen, understanding his difficulties.
"The root of all problems," Psyduck said seriously, "is a matter of style. Four out of eight S-class exorcists are gay. This generation of the Commission is rotten to the core from the start! Absolutely rotten!"
Jiang Hong: "..."
Psyduck continued, "What can Chen Zhen even do? Wait to be criticized to death! Replace him! Air-drop someone else in charge, hurry up and switch him out. The higher-ups have been displeased with him for a long time."
Jiang Hong knew Psyduck was being sarcastic. He wanted to turn around and playfully hit Psyduck on the back, but Psyduck swiftly dodged, proving that the martial arts he learned from Cao Bin were still no match for him.
"If your master Cao Bin personally came, maybe he could get a ride on my back," Psyduck joked, "But Jiang Hong, your skills aren't there yet. Just a bit more to go."
Xiao Pi really liked riding on Psyduck's neck, and Psyduck didn't mind, often walking around the campus with him. But this time, Psyduck surprisingly let Jiang Hong ride on his back.
"What are you two arguing about?" Psyduck said again, "Cherish the time you have together..."
"Uh..." Jiang Hong tried to change the subject, asking, "What do you mean, 'four out of eight S-class exorcists are gay'?"
"Just what it sounds like," Psyduck replied.
Jiang Hong thought to himself: That's quite a lot, no wonder the higher-ups say there's a 'problem with your style.'
Psyduck: "Why are you two arguing?"
"Why are there so many gays?" Jiang Hong retorted, "Who are they?"
Psyduck: "I care about you so much, and this is how you treat me? I'm not playing with you anymore. Go to your master's class!"
Psyduck let Jiang Hong down. Jiang Hong checked the time and realized he indeed had a class to attend, so he said goodbye to Psyduck and ran towards the administrative building.
Inside the S-class activity room, Cao Bin was still making his hand-dripped coffee.
"Is everything really okay?" Xiao Pi asked worriedly.
Jiang Hong entered, put down his bag, and Cao Bin replied, "Don't worry, Si Gui is still in school." He finished speaking and glanced at Jiang Hong.
"Did I do something wrong today...?"
"No," Cao Bin said, "You did well. Besides, this was Chen Zhen's responsibility. Lu Xiu won't have any problems either. His prestige among the demons is even slightly higher than Xiang Cheng's. No one would dare to defy the young king."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong asked, "Why?"
Cao Bin said, "Because Xiang Cheng is a half-blood king, while Lu Xiu is a pure-blood king."
"Oh—" Xiao Pi immediately understood, but Jiang Hong was still confused and asked, "What does that mean?"
Cao Bin explained, "Xiang Cheng is the offspring of the Goddess Yao Ji and a human exorcist, with half human lineage, while Lu Xiu achieved his status through his own cultivation, transforming into a dragon. Therefore, he gains the utmost recognition from the demon race. I suggest we don't continue discussing this."
Finally, Jiang Hong had the chance to seriously discuss this matter with Cao Bin and asked directly, "So... how do we find the dark Lu Xiu?"
Xiao Pi, who obviously heard some inside information from his father, looked at Jiang Hong worriedly.
"This is what we will learn this semester," Cao Bin stood up, picked up a marker, and said, "an important part of our curriculum—setting a trap."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Jiang Hong thought to himself: I wanted to discuss Lu Xiu's situation!
"Setting an ambush," Cao Bin explained, "can also be understood as laying a trap. When facing an enemy, having absolute power to sweep away everything in one stroke is ideal, of course. But when the strength between us and our enemies is closely matched, laying an ambush becomes especially important. Most of the time, we encounter equally matched adversaries, or even need to overcome stronger ones. Laying an ambush is a sophisticated art..."
Xiao Pi chuckled: "So it's basically setting up a scheme to trick someone."
Cao Bin replied: "You could say that. But you must realize, setting an ambush is often a collective action, not just one-on-one. There's an aesthetic to it."
Jiang Hong: "Tricking people into falling into a trap."
Cao Bin: "Some high-level ambush setters not only deceive the enemy but also everyone involved in the scheme, leading them unknowingly to follow your plan. Sometimes, you even have to deceive yourself."
Jiang Hong suddenly wondered if Lu Xiu's current predicament was a result of an ambush coordinated with Cao Bin.
"...The highest realm of setting an ambush is making the enemy 'have to' fall into it," Cao Bin continued. "First, you need to clarify your motives and objectives. Of course, the objectives can be adjusted according to the situation..."
Jiang Hong had already forgotten his original purpose and, together with Xiao Pi, took out a notebook to start taking notes.
"...Besides, what's the most important element?"
"People," Jiang Hong replied.
"Correct, the participants," Cao Bin said. "List out all the participants initially, and you'll add more later. Each person is a variable, and when there are enough variables, chaos ensues... Then you need to plan the steps. For the steps in setting an ambush, we should have a detailed flowchart, guiding the situation towards the point you ultimately need. We'll talk about it in detail later, as we will study this for an entire semester. This is just an overview."
"But," Xiao Pi interjected, "I don't understand. Human behavior is unpredictable. A small deviation at one point can lead to a completely different outcome..."
Cao Bin nodded and replied: "It's precisely because of the unpredictability of human behavior that modern society, or the outer world, doesn't have a discipline of 'ambush setting.' Many believe that luck plays a big part. But don't forget, where are we?"
"Ah!" Jiang Hong immediately understood. Perhaps that's why he rarely saw "ambush setting" as a skill elsewhere... After all, setting up a scheme against an enemy involves too many uncertainties.
But not here!
They were in the inner world, where luck, the future, and to some extent, predictions could be made through divination!
"...Next is 'adjustment.' When an ambush deviates from the plan, you need to correct it immediately..."
Cao Bin started writing and drawing on the whiteboard, and soon Jiang Hong and Xiao Pi stopped to listen attentively, planning to take photos at the end.
Jiang Hong began to feel that Lu Xiu's current situation was to some extent a scheme orchestrated by Cao Bin and Lu Xiu together. If that was true, he needn't worry too much.
That evening, while Jiang Hong was studying the content taught by Cao Bin, Zhang Xiting glanced over and asked, "Hey, why are you studying this?"
"You know about this?" Jiang Hong asked.
"This is a very advanced subject," Zhang Xiting said, "Currently, it's forbidden for discussion in the Commission. Where did you get this material from?" Then he realized, "It's Principal Cao, right? He's quite skilled in the art of setting ambushes."
"You know about it too?" Jiang Hong asked in surprise.
"Ambush setting has its traces," Zhang Xiting explained, "My dad studied it too. It's like playing chess, each move leads to subsequent changes. But because this discipline is so complex and has practical applications, if it got out, it could lead to many uncontrollable factors."
Jiang Hong added, "It's also related to divination."
"Yes," Zhang Xiting pondered for a moment and said, "Divination, psychology, calculation."
Jiang Hong commented, "It seems so. If everyone learns and sets ambushes, it's like no one is setting any, right?"
Zhang Xiting: "Not necessarily. It's not like the saying 'everyone getting money means no one gets money'. It would be chaos, right? Think about it, it's like indirectly encouraging deceit and scheming. Those who learn ambush setting naturally have an advantage, and those who don't will have to learn, causing unnecessary competition..."
Throughout human history, it's like a history of the development of ambush setting.
"But since he's teaching you," Zhang Xiting said, "you might as well learn. It probably won't be mastered in ten or eight years."
Jiang Hong was still far from even entering the door of this discipline, but he was prepared to study it diligently, hoping it could be useful.
So was Lu Xiu really setting an ambush, or did he know nothing about it? Cao Bin said that motives and goals are absolutely hidden. The fewer people know, the higher the success rate of the ambush. Exposing even one of them might lead to complete failure.
But would Cao Bin keep it from Lu Xiu?
Jiang Hong missed Lu Xiu every day, but Lu Xiu rarely replied to him. Since that night, Lu Xiu had become distant. Was it because he was afraid of being too nice and causing misunderstandings? Jiang Hong thought. He used to be sleepless every night, reviewing his chat history with Lu Xiu countless times, but eventually decided he couldn't go on like this and had to focus on his studies.
Zhu Jinling continued to be their teacher for exploring the inner world. This semester, the main focus of inner world exploration was time.
"Time has three variables: past, present, and future," Zhu Jinling said. "Divination will be introduced in the second year, but not taught by me. Inner world exploration is closely related to the divination discipline. I hope you can apply some of the knowledge learned in divination to our subject..."
The course on magical artifacts began to diverge into two directions: artifact identification and artifact engineering. Jiang Hong chose the artifact creation class, taught by the same instructor, Huo Ran.
The study of demon-hunting history had concluded, replaced by the analysis of mysterious phenomena, which mainly involved discussing various bizarre stories. Additionally, this semester introduced three new courses: Chakra Studies, Introduction to Geomancy, and Divination.
In Chakra Studies, Jiang Hong couldn't devote much effort. Firstly, his own chakras were fragmented; secondly, he didn't expect to use higher-level spells through chakra cultivation. His main goal was just to stay alive.
But Geomancy was different.
The Introduction to Geomancy class was taught by a young male teacher named Li Youran, who seemed to have graduated not long ago and was still a graduate student. Jiang Hong took Geomancy very seriously as he was a descendant of a great geomancer, feeling an innate duty to excel in this subject.
Moreover, Geomancy didn't require extensive use of spells. The first lesson started with memorizing a plethora of modern and ancient place names and the points of geomantic currents across the land of Zhongzhou.
Like a subway map, most students were overwhelmed, but Jiang Hong was intrigued and performed well. He had already known quite a bit about it.
Next was creating one’s own compass, a task Jiang Hong enjoyed.
Li Youran was a gentle male teacher, wearing thick glasses, a plaid shirt, and jeans, resembling a programmer. His demeanor was pleasant, and he mostly engaged students in a discussion-based teaching style.
As for Divination, it was a course that intimidated all students.
The teacher, known simply as "Zhu," had no other name. She was the same old lady who ran the black market stall under the guise of a panda on the main road during the school anniversary.
Zhu's classroom was pitch dark, with curtains tightly drawn and no air conditioning. The closed room was filled with smoke and the animalistic scents of demon students – chicken, dog, and more, making Jiang Hong's scalp tingle.
Zhu wore a tattered cloak and held a lit cigarette between her bird-like fingers, smoking while holding divining yarrow stalks, muttering incantations as she taught them divination.
Jiang Hong had no choice but to hide in the back, fearing he might be called upon to do something bizarre.
"Fate, ah, it's something you can never escape in a lifetime," Zhu said with a mysterious smile, her wrinkled face revealing an inexplicable expression. "For the first lesson, let's divine and see how many points everyone will get at the end of this semester... Come on, do as I've taught you. Class leader, distribute the yarrow stalks to everyone..."
He Jian whispered very softly, "This is too weird, really too..."
"Shh," Jiang Hong quickly stopped He Jian's complaining and started divining for himself, his thoughts drifting to Yuan Shiyu, the boy who had replaced his fate. Was the fate divined his own, or Yuan Shiyu's?
"Jiang Hong." Someone whispered from behind.
"Ah," Jiang Hong, lost in thoughts about Yuan Shiyu, turned around and was startled to find Yuan Shiyu standing right behind him.
Recently, Yuan Shiyu had been active around their grade, but after the initial interest Jiang Hong had in him, he didn't pay much attention to Yuan, especially after the trip to Tibet with Lu Xiu.
Yuan didn't seem to attract much attention. The school had placed him in a four-person dormitory with two demon and one human student. He shared some classes with Jiang Hong, but Yuan often overslept and missed classes, so Jiang Hong rarely saw him.
Yuan was here today, and Jiang Hong had not noticed at all.
"Can you help me see what this means?" Yuan Shiyu asked softly. "They say you're good at this."
"Actually, my grades aren't that great," Jiang Hong said awkwardly, "But sure, let me help you. This result... well, it looks like a 'fail,' but no worries, we can correct it."
Yuan Shiyu then sat down next to Jiang Hong.
