High School of Demon Hunting

"Alchemical life belongs to the ’customization’ category of life."

"This means that if the feed master does not actively conduct alchemical modifications, theoretically, their state will not change throughout their lifetime... In other words, the state at birth and at extinction is the most ordinary appearance of alchemical life."

"But you also know, magic is good at creating miracles."

"Miracles mean that under certain very special circumstances, for example, if alchemical life accidentally consumes some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, its life state may evolve; for example, external magic interference may cause certain magic circuits in the alchemical life to become misaligned, leading to differentiation in behavior patterns; or if the alchemical life’s daily working environment is in a ’special environment’, it may undergo mutations from the inadvertent ’influence’ of the feed master."

"Especially the last type of mutation, it is not necessarily a good thing. Most of the time, this type of mutation ends with the distortion of the alchemical life. A more common example is there..."

Doctor Du Zemu stretched out his index finger, pointing upwards.

The two young wizards raised their heads simultaneously, only to see a ceiling covered with many mildew stains.

But they were only confused for a moment; they then realized that the doctor was not pointing to this room, but to the wide, boundless starry sky outside the room.

The example he mentioned was also very clear now.

Unlike the big wizards in the Alliance, the great beings in the depths of the starry sky tread another path. They do not deliberately restrain their forms and aura, allowing those tiny existences to admire and worship, follow their path. Just as an ordinary wizard might experience a collapse in their worldview and magic power distortion from gazing directly at these beings, alchemical life that lingers near these colossal entities will also undergo inadvertent influence, leading to mutation.

’Undergo mutations from the inadvertent ’influence’ of the feed master.’

When Zheng Qing heard this statement from the doctor and looked up at the ceiling, what flashed through his mind was not Satoguya, the King in Yellow, or any other unfathomable existence, but rather himself.

He now understood his own situation quite well.

Without boasting, the fact that the sprites survived the difficult times after their former feed master’s death and were reborn, was due half to the magic potion concocted by Doctor Du Zemu with Sand Hour royal jelly, and half because of his existence.

Last year, when the Silent Black Tide swept into Beta Town, Zheng Qing assisted in resisting the Black Tide and was once taken to her office by Su Shijun.

That day, the Upper House Member from the Moon Council vaguely mentioned that the reason the sprites could live so long was that they were lucky to meet Zheng Qing. At the time, Su Shijun also said many strange things, such as ’seed’, ’aura’, ’not destiny but arrangement’, ’breaking the rules’, etc. Later, after Zheng Qing learned about the existence of the forbidden curse and its meaning, he gradually comprehended the implicit meanings behind the witch’s words.

Therefore.

Given that the sprites, close to death, could have their fate twisted by him away from death.

Then it also seems understandable that they followed ’the twisted path’, racing down that road again, undergoing mutation.

"...Zheng Qing? Zheng Qing!"

Jiang Yu grabbed his arm and shook it forcefully, awakening the warlock who was deep in thought, as he lowered his head, only then did he notice Doctor Du Zemu looking at him with interest.

"The doctor just asked if you could bring the sprites over tomorrow night? He will have time tomorrow night." The witch’s voice was low and her speaking speed was quick, repeating what Zheng Qing had just ignored.

"Ah? Ah!"

Zheng Qing responded in half a second, quickly apologizing as he looked at the doctor: "I’m sorry, very sorry, I was a bit distracted just now... No problem, tomorrow night is absolutely fine!"

Tomorrow is Sunday, a rare free day without classes, with only a class meeting in the evening, and Zheng Qing had no other plans, so tomorrow night is just perfect.

"It’s okay, don’t worry."

Doctor Du Zemu looked at him with a smile, not the least bit unhappy: "I’ll be at the laboratory over here for a period of time, if there’s any problem, feel free to visit... What were you just thinking about?"

He asked seemingly unintentionally.

Zheng Qing blinked.

He naturally couldn’t say that he thought the forbidden spell aura might be the cause of the sprites’ mutation, so he only said vaguely: "I was just wondering, those sprites usually stay in the dorm and rarely go out, how could they stumble upon Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures or meet the great beings in the depths of the starry sky, causing their lives to become twisted..."

Mentioning ’twisted’, another matter suddenly came to his mind.

"Doctor," the young cost student pondered, cautiously asked: "Recently, there has been an illegal wizard organization called ’Raven’ appearing at the school, I don’t know if you have any knowledge of it?"

From being attacked by Ravens during Winter Hunting, to having blood stolen by Ravens at the hunting party, to witnessing Ravens spreading seeds in the North District in a dream, those black birds have embedded deeper and deeper in Zheng Qing’s psyche like nails.

Even now, with the Alliance and school announcing that the Raven organization has been uprooted, he still harbors some resentment.

At the end of last semester, Zheng Qing and Xiao Xiao speculated that the Ravens might have used the ’Dushi Philosopher’s Stone’ to cleanse Demon flesh pollution, resist Demon mental invasion, and he had tried more than once to visit Doctor Du Zemu.

But perhaps the brilliance of Giant Zero Three’s power during the Battle of the Black Prison made Doctor Du Zemu, who returned to the view of the Alliance and the First University, overwhelmed; or perhaps because the Philosopher’s Stone he refined really flowed to illegal organizations like the Ravens.

In any case, since the latter half of last year, Doctor Du Zemu’s whereabouts became rather elusive, Zheng Qing visited many times, never meeting him, only that old servant named Constantin, who always guards the small courtyard.

Originally tonight, he didn’t have high expectations either—that’s why he didn’t even bring the sprites. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Ravens?"

Doctor Du Zemu lowered his eyelids, revealing a contemplative expression. After a while, he shook his head slightly: "I’ve vaguely heard the name, but I’m not very familiar. Why, do you think those Ravens affected your sprites?"

His response seemed extremely normal.

Zheng Qing froze for a moment, then quickly shook his head: "No, no, what I mean is..."

He felt his sleeve being gently tugged, and suddenly realized that he should use a more tactful way to indirectly inquire whether the ’Dushi Philosopher’s Stone’ fell into the Ravens’ hands, rather than foolishly asking directly.

"... What I mean is, if we wanted to purchase the crafting technique for the ’Dushi Philosopher’s Stone’, how much would it cost?" Zheng Qing showed a slightly naive smile on his face: "I have a friend who once heard in the Wandering Bar that those Ravens were selling this alchemical craft at a very cheap price, worried they had stolen it from your laboratory."