My dear ones. It seems we can vote with Moon Tickets now. Eight, With a sudden "Bang," before he could even see what it was, Zhong Shenxiu had slammed it to the ground.
The event unfolded with blinding speed, almost in the flicker of an eyelid.
Yet, even Zhong Shenxiu was surprised to find that what he had pinned down was an old man, clad in a black magic Daoist robe, currently unconscious.
Perhaps you’ve already guessed—this old man was none other than the Archmage Gandalf!
Gandalf was truly down on his luck. He never imagined running into a situation like this. He had intended to teleport to the "Buzhadi Magic and Martial Academy" using spatial magic, but an unforeseen error sent him straight into Zhong Shenxiu’s small courtyard.
Pitiable for a Grand Magus, where could he not have landed but here? Before he could even process what was happening, Zhong Shenxiu had knocked him out with a single move.
Ah, bad luck can’t be blamed on society! Misfortune can’t be blamed on the government!
At this moment, Egillia also approached. Although she had heard of Gandalf’s great name, she had never seen him before, so her face was a mixture of curiosity and bewilderment.
“Do you know this man?” Zhong Shenxiu asked Angillia.
Angillia quickly shook her head, then took another look at Gandalf before stating, “This person should be a magician!”
However, Zhong Shenxiu seemed not to be listening. His focus wasn't on the man's identity, but on how he had arrived!
In the seconds before the old man appeared, Zhong Shenxiu had detected no anomaly in the surroundings—an unbelievable feat. Now that he had broken through the first layer of the Xuanwu Jue technique, his strength had greatly increased, and more importantly, he had mastered a new skill: Psychic Waves! Currently, he was acutely aware of every movement around him, so encountering such an unexpected arrival filled him with curiosity and astonishment.
Could it be that someone in this world could evade my senses?
For a moment, Zhong Shenxiu sank into deep thought, feeling the whole matter was too strange!
Little did he know, this was solely due to the effect of spatial magic (which, for the transmigrated Zhong Shenxiu, was an entirely foreign concept). Otherwise, with his monstrous strength, how could anyone possibly approach him unnoticed!
Zhong Shenxiu looked down at Gandalf, feeling slightly puzzled. Logically, someone who could infiltrate his vicinity so easily should be quite powerful. Why did this fellow pass out before he even exerted much force?
Was he feigning unconsciousness??
Zhong Shenxiu checked again and finally confirmed that the man was genuinely knocked out!
Suddenly, as if a thought had struck him, Zhong Shenxiu looked up and asked Angillia, “What did you say he might be?”
Angillia was momentarily stunned by the sudden question and quickly replied, “Probably a magician, because he’s still wearing a magic robe.”
Zhong Shenxiu glanced at the robe a few times. Besides his interest in magic rings, he rarely studied other magical paraphernalia.
“Do you know how he got here?” Zhong Shenxiu asked again.
He was beginning to develop an interest in the profession of magician. First, a Cheffie had caused his Skeleton Warriors to mutate, and now this old man had appeared mysteriously nearby. It seemed he needed to look into this magic.
Angillia, after all, was not majoring in magic, so after a moment of hesitant thought, she replied uncertainly, “I guess… spatial magic?”
Spatial magic was considered highly dangerous and extremely difficult to control! Most small- to medium-sized Magic and Martial Academies did not offer this course, partly because few students registered for it, and partly because they lacked specialized instructors.
In "Gulu City," not a single institution offered this curriculum yet!
To study spatial magic, one had to go to larger academies, such as the “Homebody Magic and Martial Academy.”
“Spatial magic?” Zhong Shenxiu’s expression faltered; it was the first time he had ever heard that term.
Seeing Zhong Shenxiu staring intently at her, Angillia became quite flustered.
She knew very little herself and had no idea how to explain it to him.
“I don’t know much either,” Angillia replied somewhat weakly, “but I think the academy library might have relevant materials.”
To her surprise, upon hearing this, Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but ask again, “You mean the academy library?”
From the name alone, he knew it was a place where many books were stored. Such a place was a treasure trove for Zhong Shenxiu, equivalent to the Golden Repository in the major sects of the cultivation world.
“Yes!” Angillia was startled by Zhong Shenxiu’s excitement. After a pause, she said again, “Every academy has its own library. As long as you get a library card, you can go in and borrow books!”
“Can anyone go? Are there restrictions on profession, age, or gender?” Zhong Shenxiu rattled off a series of questions.
Angillia twitched the corner of her mouth, wanting to laugh but daring not to let out a sound; only she knew how uncomfortable that feeling was.
“As long as you’re a student!” Angillia answered.
“And if not?” Zhong Shenxiu pressed.
“I’m afraid that won’t work!”
Damn it, so this world also had cliques and gatekeeping!
Zhong Shenxiu was momentarily dejected. His initial excitement felt like being doused with cold water.
“Um…” Seeing Zhong Shenxiu’s disappointed expression, Angillia spoke up again, “It’s very easy to enroll now. It doesn’t require complicated procedures, just paying the fee!”
“Oh?” Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes darted around, making it hard to guess his thoughts.
Actually, Angillia had intended to ask Zhong Shenxiu if he wanted to enroll in their academy, but seeing his silent expression, she swallowed the words she was about to say!
Angillia understood that if someone like Zhong Shenxiu attended their academy, they would almost certainly secure the championship. But at the same time, Angillia knew that a person like him was a double-edged sword; he might just throw their academy into chaos!
Just then, Zhong Shenxiu’s actions caught her attention!
Zhong Shenxiu began frisking Gandalf as if a police officer were searching a thief.
Seeing Angillia’s expression of confusion mixed with surprise, Zhong Shenxiu paused his movements slightly and said, “Do you know what this action of his is called?”
Angillia shook her head!
“He’s trespassing!” Zhong Shenxiu immediately asked, “Do you know what I’m doing now?”
Angillia still shook her head!!
“I’m checking if he’s hiding any weapons!” Zhong Shenxiu finished, then returned to his searching without waiting for Angillia’s reply.
His hand delved deep inside and felt something long. He pulled it out—it was a staff, almost a meter long, a magic staff.
This one is good, I’ll keep it!
His eyes then caught the magic rings Gandalf was wearing on his fingers. These, naturally, couldn’t be left behind either. He kept those too!
Angillia watched Zhong Shenxiu with the look one reserves for a bandit, utterly speechless!
“Hey, girl!” While Zhong Shenxiu was enjoying himself immensely, he suddenly looked up and called out to Angillia.
Angillia stared blankly, saying nothing.
“Don’t just stand there foolishly, hurry up and help!” Zhong Shenxiu urged, secretly thinking: Why does she have zero initiative? If Robin were here, he would have rushed to help already!
“What?” Angillia was still a bit dazed, but when she saw Zhong Shenxiu’s direct gaze, she finally caught on, letting out an “Oh,” and reluctantly walked over.
“Is this magic robe quite valuable?” Zhong Shenxiu asked Angillia, who was standing around awkwardly.
“Huh??” Angillia was nearly bewildered by Zhong Shenxiu.
“Stop dawdling, hurry and help me take it off,” Zhong Shenxiu ordered again, already starting the task himself.
Angillia had never done anything as morally questionable in her life, yet somehow, she found herself becoming an accomplice, though her hands trembled slightly!
Just as the magic robe was about to be pulled off, something happened that made Angillia’s blood run cold.
Gandalf woke up at that very moment, and his eyes met Angillia’s line of sight. (Because Angillia felt guilty, she kept stealing glances at Gandalf.)
“Ah!” Angillia let out the first shriek of her life as a woman. She jumped back several steps like a startled rabbit!
“N-no, it wasn’t me, it was… he told me to do it!” Angillia stammered in fright.
But Gandalf only stared at her blankly, saying nothing. This wasn't due to his composure; it was simply because his brain was still foggy, and he hadn't fully regained consciousness.
Zhong Shenxiu shot Angillia a look, thinking: No wonder people always say ‘a woman’s heart is as deep as the ocean’; it’s true. She sold me out in such a short time!
As Gandalf’s consciousness slowly returned, Zhong Shenxiu did something else that shattered Angillia’s composure.
Zhong Shenxiu extended his fair, slender hand, curled his fingers into a fist, and delivered a crisp punch right to Gandalf’s head.
And with that punch, Gandalf spectacularly passed out once more!
“Alright, everything’s clear now, hurry up and help!” Zhong Shenxiu said to Angillia with irritation.
But at this moment, Angillia was shaking her head like a rattle drum, refusing to come closer for anything!
Zhong Shenxiu had no choice but to do it himself.
Soon, virtually everything valuable on Gandalf’s person had been plundered by Zhong Shenxiu.
He looked at the still-unconscious Gandalf, then at the dumbstruck Angillia, before finally uttering another sentence that made Angillia’s heart tremble.