"Hey, girl," Zhong Shenxiu suddenly called out to Angelia, his voice sharp. "Find a rope and tie him up."

"What?" Angelia’s delicate mouth hung open, looking utterly startled.

"Find a rope and tie him up!" Zhong Shenxiu said testily, inwardly wondering why talking to this woman always felt like such a struggle.

Angelia stared blankly at Zhong Shenxiu, her expression clearly conveying: I won't do it. Don't ask me to do something like this again!

Of course, the girl had just been through a fright; who would want to repeat the experience so soon!

Zhong Shenxiu sighed internally. There was no choice; he'd have to do it himself. But before fetching the rope, he first sealed Gandalf's pressure points to prevent him from escaping once he woke up. Furthermore, he used a touch of dark sorcery on the man, severing his connection to the elemental magic.

In a matter of moments, Gandalf was thoroughly bound! Poor Grand Magus, to have his great undertaking foiled before it even truly began!

With all the safety precautions complete, Zhong Shenxiu clapped his hands, brought over a chair, and sat down to observe Gandalf.

Looking at the old man, he seemed well past fifty, yet his complexion showed no sign of decay; his slightly pointed head seemed like a vessel storing the crystallized essence of wisdom.

What Zhong Shenxiu was pondering now was the old man's motive for coming here. It couldn't just be that he was bored stiff, could it?

This small courtyard had only recently been acquired. The only people who knew about it were Old Danny and his family. So, who was this old man here for? Could it be for Angelia?

As he thought, Zhong Shenxiu glanced over at Angelia.

Seeing Zhong Shenxiu looking at her with an inscrutable gaze, Angelia was so frightened that she instinctively backed away several steps, convinced that Zhong Shenxiu was about to cook up some terrible new scheme!

"Hey, girl, are you absolutely sure you don't know this person?" Zhong Shenxiu asked again.

Angelia just shook her head, remaining silent.

Could this have something to do with Robin? Zhong Shenxiu couldn't help but wonder. It seemed necessary to wake the fellow up and question him!

Originally, Zhong Shenxiu had intended to ask Angelia to fetch a basin of cold water. But after a backward glance, he abandoned the idea.

Because Angelia's expression at that moment clearly stated: I am a good child, and I do not do bad things!

In the end, Zhong Shenxiu had to take action himself.

Cold water, at this juncture, performed a miraculously effective role, instantly jolting Gandalf back from his "deep slumber."

"W-where is this?" Gandalf opened his dazed eyes, surveying his surroundings. He only felt a throbbing in his head, an indescribable discomfort.

Zhong Shenxiu didn't speak immediately, instead observing carefully—a habit he had cultivated.

"Huh? I... I am..." Gandalf finally realized his predicament. Not only was he trussed up with ropes, but his body seemed to be under some kind of restraint, unable to move an inch.

After struggling for a long time to no avail, a look of sheer horror began to creep across Gandalf's face.

"You're awake?" Zhong Shenxiu finally broke the silence.

Gandalf looked up in astonishment and saw a child sitting not far away. Amidst his shock, a flicker of excitement appeared: "Friend, help me out, untie these ropes!"

He had mistaken Zhong Shenxiu for an ordinary child.

Zhong Shenxiu looked at him speechlessly, thinking to himself: I went to all this trouble to tie you up, and now you're asking me to untie you? Has your head been cracked?

Seeing that Zhong Shenxiu ignored him, Gandalf became slightly perplexed. Just as he was about to say something more, he spotted Angelia standing foolishly nearby.

Angelia jumped when Gandalf's gaze suddenly fell upon her. Feeling guilty, she quickly clarified: "It wasn't me, I didn't tie you up!"

Angelia’s agitation startled Gandalf, who didn't understand what she was talking about, and he quickly asked, "Miss, where is this place? Why am I tied up? And what about my things?"

As Gandalf peppered her with questions, Angelia kept stealing glances at Zhong Shenxiu, her expression clearly implying: This is all his doing. If you want to find someone, go to him!

"Girl, from now on, you are not allowed to utter a single word, understood?" Zhong Shenxiu genuinely feared her random chatter would derail his train of thought.

Angelia nodded; she didn't even want to speak right then!

Gandalf redirected his gaze back to Zhong Shenxiu, his expression of hesitation growing more pronounced.

Girl? He called that girl 'Girl'??? Did that mean the girl's name was actually 'Girl'???

If Angelia knew what he was thinking, what kind of expression would she have? It must have been quite something to see!

"Old man," Zhong Shenxiu suddenly called out, then continued, "Listen carefully, you have no right to remain silent now. Every word you speak will be used as evidence in court!"

Huh? Gandalf immediately looked utterly bewildered.

"Next, I ask, you answer!" Zhong Shenxiu stated again, adopting an expression that suggested, "Confess strictly and you will be treated leniently; resist and face harsher treatment."

"What?" Gandalf actually mimicked Angelia's earlier reaction.

"Name?" Zhong Shenxiu asked sternly.

"Um, is there, is there something..." Even Gandalf, seasoned as he was, felt a bit lost in the moment. In all his years, he had never been treated like this. Usually, any important figure meeting him would show him utmost respect. Yet today, not only was he bound, but he was being interrogated like a common criminal. Frustration, a profound and unfamiliar frustration!

"Don't try to get familiar with me. Just answer what I ask!" Zhong Shenxiu said with a warning tone.

However, his warning failed to intimidate Gandalf, simply because he was too young, and his voice carried the tone of a five-year-old. Gandalf was barely suppressing a laugh!

It seemed direct action was necessary!

With this thought, Zhong Shenxiu suddenly shouted at Angelia, "Girl, go and fetch the implements of torture!"

Implements of torture? Angelia looked at Zhong Shenxiu blankly and didn't move.

Zhong Shenxiu was speechless again. Talking to her was truly like hitting a wall; she wouldn't understand unless things were explained in the simplest, clearest terms!

"Go, get some sticks, clubs, or things like that!" Zhong Shenxiu commanded.

Although Angelia didn't know why Zhong Shenxiu wanted these things, she still went. In a short time, she returned.

Zhong Shenxiu selected a small wooden stick, about as thick as a thumb, and walked up to Gandalf.

Gandalf felt a vague sense of foreboding but still couldn't fathom what Zhong Shenxiu intended to do with that small stick.

"Name?" Zhong Shenxiu asked blandly.

Gandalf's gaze was fixed solely on the small stick in Zhong Shenxiu's hand; he completely missed the cunning glint in Zhong Shenxiu's eyes.

"There must be some misunderstanding, please untie me first..."

Thwack! A sound echoed, and Gandalf’s voice cut off abruptly.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Gandalf grimaced, his face twitching uncontrollably. It was easy to imagine that if he could move, he would be leaping three feet in the air! (If that world had a Senior Citizen Protection Act, Gandalf would surely be filing a lawsuit. But then again, Zhong Shenxiu seemed even younger than him!)

It turned out that Zhong Shenxiu had just tapped the top of Gandalf's head with the small wooden stick, perfectly gauging the force so that it would only raise a bump, not knock him unconscious!

"Name?" Zhong Shenxiu asked again, his expression seeming to say, If you won't cooperate, don't worry, I have plenty of ways to make you cooperate! He, this "genius," was an expert among experts when it came to tormenting people!

Gandalf tried to explain again, but another thwack sounded, and another lump appeared on his scalp.

After enduring five or six such bumps on his head, Gandalf finally learned his lesson.

"My name is Gandalf!"

"What?" Angelia cried out from the side, but when Zhong Shenxiu shot her a warning look, she quickly covered her mouth. Yet, her heart was churning violently, unable to settle for a long time.

H-he is Gandalf? Heavens, could there really be such a coincidence in this world?

But she still held a sliver of doubt, as having the same name wasn't unheard of!

However, the subsequent questioning utterly stunned her!

"Profession?" Zhong Shenxiu asked again.

"Magician, Grand Magus!" Gandalf replied with immense chagrin.

As Zhong Shenxiu continued his questioning, Angelia could now be quite certain that this old man was the special guest their academy had invited!

Angelia never imagined she would meet the legendary Grand Magus Gandalf in this place, under these circumstances. What bothered her even more was whether he had discovered her complicity in the recent events.

After a round of intense questioning, Zhong Shenxiu had a general understanding of Gandalf's background, origins, and the entire cause and effect of the situation!

He hadn't expected this to be merely a coincidence. What surprised Zhong Shenxiu even more was the sheer strangeness of that "Spatial Magic," capable of traversing dimensions.

Simultaneously, a question arose in his mind: Could this "Space Teleportation" of spatial magic be connected to the "Shattering of the Void" that cultivators experience during their ascension tribulation?

Unable to unravel it, Zhong Shenxiu decided to put the matter aside for now, though he had already resolved that he must study it thoroughly when the opportunity arose in the future!

Feeling momentarily bored, Zhong Shenxiu took out the magic ring he had taken from Gandalf, intending to see what treasures might be inside.

This action happened to catch Gandalf's eye.

"That... that's mine!" Gandalf cried out. It contained so many of his research results!

Zhong Shenxiu blinked, glanced at him, then pointed at the magic ring in his hand and asked faintly, "Are you talking about this one?"

Excitedly, Gandalf nodded vigorously!

However, Zhong Shenxiu gave a sinister smile and said something that nearly made Angelia collapse.

"It's not yours anymore!" Saying this, Zhong Shenxiu pointed towards Angelia, then added, "She has already given everything that was yours to me!"

In that instant, Angelia was utterly dumbfounded.