High School of Demon Hunting

"Raise your hand?"

Not only Jiang Yu, but even Zheng Qing looked at the Black Gem Cat in surprise, unsure of what it was talking about.

The Black Gem Cat responded to the boy’s gaze with disdain—Zheng Qing immediately felt a subtle emotion, as if he were looking in a funhouse mirror—his ears picked up the sound of the Black Gem Cat explaining to Jiang Yu: "I meant when Professor Li asked about the weakness and secretion effects of the Earworm... I thought you should know... After all, Li Meng often attracts bugs, so you must be familiar with them. But why didn’t you raise your hand?"

"Oh, that."

The Witch fiddled with her long hair falling beside her ear, pinched the Black Gem Cat’s neck, and put it back on Zheng Qing’s shoulder, smiling at the boy and the cat: "—I said I didn’t pay attention to what the professor was saying just now, do you believe it?"

The Black Cat twitched its ear.

Zheng Qing obediently nodded.

Although this explanation sounded unreasonable, it was indeed the most reasonable explanation. As for what the Witch was pondering instead of listening to the lesson, seeing her smiling face, Zheng Qing didn’t have the courage to inquire further.

The distance between the teaching building and the Hundred Herb Gardens often visited by the students wasn’t far.

Soon, the low two-story building appeared in the young wizards’ view.

The flimsy, worn arch garden entrance, the blackened sign, the hollowed runes on the stone wall, and the gray peeling paint at the corner, all of this seemed frozen in time, unchanged from the first impression Zheng Qing had when he first visited the Hundred Herb Gardens.

"Everyone, make the most of your time."

Professor Li had already changed into a dragon skin protective suit, his gaze swept over the small cat on the shoulders of Zheng Qing and Jiang Yu, then turned to the others: "Still remember the rules of the Hundred Herb Gardens?"

"Obey the teacher’s instructions!"

"Don’t touch anything!"

"Obey the teacher’s instructions and don’t touch anything!"

The scattered answers of the young wizards certainly didn’t satisfy the professor. After a pause, when quietness returned, he added: "Besides these, remember, do not bring any magic items not related to the garden inside without permission!"

This reminder was quite clear.

Jiang Yu immediately terminated the Art of Body Transformation, putting the White Jade into her pocket.

The Black Gem Cat sprinted over to the big oak tree at the garden entrance right before Zheng Qing acted, yelling: "You go to class, I’ll help you chase away the squirrels!"

The scream attracted many students below the tree to look over.

The squirrels originally leisurely on the oak tree were also chased into a frenzy by the sudden appearance of the Black Cat.

Zheng Qing hesitated slightly, but ultimately didn’t terminate the Art of Body Transformation and turned to take the incense stick Xiao Xiao handed over, inserted it into the incense burner in the shrine by the Hundred Herb Gardens entrance, said a silent prayer, pinched a cluster of incense ashes, and tossed it over his left shoulder.

Then he followed everyone into the garden in order.

The Shatang Tree requires calcium-based soil formed after limestone is wind-worn, loves wind and sun, fears cold, hence it was planted by Uncle Sistanda outside the Hundred Herb Gardens.

"—This kind of tree looks like a pear tree, the flowers are yellow, the fruit is red, the taste of Shaotang Fruit is a bit like a plum, but without the pit, consuming it can give wizards the temporary ability to breathe underwater, similar to Gill Pouch Grass, but much better tasting than Gill Pouch Grass... Of course, everyone must be mindful of the risk of suffocation, so don’t eat it casually because it tastes good."

The professor gave Xin Fat Man a warned look when he spoke the last sentence.

This made the Fat Wizard quite displeased.

"Do I look like someone who eats things casually?" he grumbled quietly to the Ph.D.

"Not look like." Zhang Ji Xin, walking on his other side, unexpectedly piped up with three words.

The Fat Wizard was furious.

Yet unable to act against the red-faced male wizard.

Because at the head of the line, Professor Li had just finished the handover with Uncle Sistanda of the Hundred Herb Gardens, and the old school worker was standing before a snowy forest, leaning on a Crane’s Beak Hoe.

When the young wizards quieted down, he spoke slowly.

"—Today’s insects are called Date Scale Bugs, scientifically ’Yingzhou Wax Scale’, ’Date Shell Scale’, a very annoying bug."

The old man Sistanda loudly introduced today’s task: "Their nymphs attach to the Shatang leaves, suck the sap, then excrete a waxy substance, forming hard scale shells, fixed on leaves and branches. If there were just one or two, it wouldn’t matter, but these bugs have strong reproduction capabilities, each female can lay fifteen hundred to two thousand eggs at a time, in April and May, this season, they start to hatch, densely clinging to the branches, looking from afar like snow accumulated on trees..."

Having said that, he pointed to the gray and white forest behind him.

It was then that Zheng Qing realized that what he thought was accumulated snow were actually animal shells. It seemed the ’white snow’ suddenly trembled at being watched, and soon one after another, pitch-black insect heads appeared, against the white scale shells, like clusters of eyes, a dense fear emerged making Zheng Qing shiver involuntarily.

He wasn’t the only one reacting this way.

Almost immediately after the old school worker finished introducing, the witches in the group took a step back in unison, simultaneously making tiny, disgusted sounds. The other warlocks didn’t fare better; some lifted their heads back, others lowered their eyelids, as if not seeing it would prevent the bother.

Perhaps noticing the young wizards’ aversion.

Uncle Sistanda’s gaze lingered on Zheng Qing before suddenly shifting topics: "—everyone saw these bugs. Professor Qi Huang will soon teach you how to concoct insect-repellent medicine. His recipe is fierce. If used, it will make all the Shatang leaves fall off, not a single fruit can be borne this year. Some oppose spraying the medicine. But everyone knows, if this medicine is not sprayed, the bugs will continue gnawing into the tree root, and lay their eggs in the soil. Next year, these Shatang trees won’t even grow leaves. Therefore, everyone should not develop a fear mentality. The medicine must be sprayed... because saving the roots ensures next year... the fruit trees can bear new fruit. If the roots rot, there will be no new fruit ever again."

While saying this, the Potion Class Professor frowned, but said nothing more. Just folded his arms and stood silently beside, seemingly oblivious to the confused gazes all around.

Including Zheng Qing.

He was no longer the fresh-faced freshman at university.

"Why do I feel as though there’s more to what the old man Sistanda says?" he whispered quietly to the Ph.D.

Xiao Xiao adjusted his glasses.

Not directly answering Zheng Qing’s question, but recited a proverb: "Appearance arises from the heart, environment shifts with the mood, fate shapes from the heart, fortune summons itself... you are watching scenery from the bridge, the scenery watchers are watching you from the building, that’s how it goes."

Zheng Qing dislikes diviners.