I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 447 The Virtual Realm

"Shangri-La?"

Zhang Xiaolin recognized the treasure at a glance—the prized possession of Kunlunxu Academy, and one of the ancient artifacts recognized by the Ming Dynasty's Ministry of Magic.

The three layers of the prayer wheel correspond to latitude, longitude, and altitude, respectively. As long as you input your location, it can take you anywhere in the world.

"No—this is a copy."

Come to think of it, if this were the real thing, those old guys from Kunlunxu would have torn the Federation apart.

"Whose work is this?" she asked Sirius with great curiosity.

However, the other party just rolled their eyes at him. How could Dog Dad possibly know whose work it was? He was already good enough at using it, so he had no interest in asking who made it.

"It should be a replica made by Nicholas Lemaître," Winston guessed from the side. "For nearly three hundred years, Kunlunxu has forbidden outsiders from studying that artifact. More than ten years ago, we wanted to apply for research, but we were told that the real Shangri-La had been sealed away for three hundred years."

"That's true," Zhang Xiaolin said. She wasn't interested in alchemy, but she asked out of curiosity because there was a replica of a work by Master Mozi at the Imperial Academy in Chang'an.

As the replica was securely nested into the giant ship, noticeable cracks suddenly began to appear all over the vessel.

But it's not the cracks in the ship itself, but the cracks in the surrounding space that makes up the material world.

The next moment, the cracked space burst forth with golden light.

The ship trembled slightly.

The surrounding seawater and whirlpools have all disappeared.

It was as if they had entered outer space.

Within the cylindrical space, stars shone brightly, embedded in the sky, twinkling with an eerie light.

It was dazzling and colorful, like the Milky Way.

Before me, at the edge of space, appeared a colossal planet, with blue oceans and white clouds. The clearly visible mountain ranges were unmistakably Earth.

The Earth was spinning wildly, and as the giant ship approached, it slowly came to a stop. At that moment, the continental surface of the Earth was the European continent.

People could even see the outline of the British Isles.

Next, their ship seemed to be stretched, becoming incredibly long, with the people on board appearing as if the pixels of a photograph were being pulled apart into thin lines. Within a few breaths, this stretching sensation transformed into a gravitational or propulsive force, causing the giant ship to accelerate instantly.

In the blink of an eye, they drove out of the cylindrical space.

A loud "bang!"

The giant ship sank into the sea.

It splashed up waves several feet high.

Everyone was panting heavily. The experience they had just had was too magical. For a moment, they really thought they had left Earth and were flying back to Britain in geosynchronous orbit. That space experience had made many people forget to breathe.

Crazy yet romantic.

"Oh—that was a great experience," Basil Pierre said happily.

Very few people in this world get to experience such a wonderful journey.

"It's nothing—" Zhang Xiaolin shrugged.

At this point, the dome of the giant ship had been removed.

The salty smell of the seawater wafted towards her as the girl leaned against the hull, gazing at the calm sea.

At the Imperial Academy, the use of Shangri-La was quite frequent, after all, such a useful magical item was rare in ancient times.

She herself had traveled to Europe several times using that replica, so among everyone, only she remained calm, without a single ripple stirring in her heart.

"Phew—the exploration failed."

On the deck, the other wizards weren't particularly enthusiastic.

After all, a failed expedition couldn't possibly bring them excitement. That vortex was indeed dangerous. If even the Camelot had such difficulty getting into it, then the wizards really couldn't think of any other way.

It seems that the expedition to Australia is destined to result in casualties. And that's not what Sirius Black wanted to see.

"We should find a merman or a mermaid," Zhang Xiaolin said. "The ocean has countless emotions; they can read those signs and thus predict the future, pointing the way, even in the midst of a raging storm."

"Oh—you know about magical creatures?" Winston said, quite surprised. "You've never had any knowledge of this before. I remember you didn't even recognize a chimera back in the Congo."

"I'm a professor now, you know—I was just not interested in anything other than spells before," Zhang Xiaolin argued. "Besides, I haven't even identified all the magical creatures in the Ming Dynasty yet, so how could I have the time or inclination to learn about anything else?"

You're still young.

"Ha—you're not that much older than me."

"Hey—if you have time to argue, why don't you come and take a look at this?" Mr. Basil shouted.

He was on the other side of the deck, facing the sun.

The girl walked over and joined Winston.

They looked out at the sea.

He immediately understood why Basil seemed somewhat flustered.

The rising sun painted the sea golden, creating a magnificent, shimmering path.

And within these ripples, countless red flowers float.

At the center of the five petals lies a bluish-white stamen. The stamen sways in the wind, scattering pale purple pollen.

The entire sea surface was covered with these flower petals, which was incredibly mysterious.

"Wait a minute—" Zhang Xiaolin suddenly noticed that the sun in the distance seemed a little strange.

"The light—it looks like it's coming from the seabed."

Upon hearing her voice, everyone looked up.

The golden gilding on the sea surface seems to have diminished.

With the sunlight no longer obstructing their view, they could see the red sun in the distance.

It clung to the surface of the sea, appearing both rising and falling.

The half in the sea clearly looks more real, while the exposed half looks more surreal.

The halo effect was very strange.

It was also because the surroundings were too dark. Perhaps it was the first rays of sunlight in the morning or the last rays of sunlight at dusk shining into the sea, which made the feeling that the light was shining from below the sea surface less obvious.

However, upon closer inspection, it is easy to see that it is indeed the ocean that is glowing.

"Where are we?"

Everyone was terrified, and the next moment they all began to try to cast the Apparition Spell.

Soon, the wizards discovered that although their Apparition spell had been successfully cast, they had only moved a few feet in place.

They didn't go to the place they wanted at all.

Zhang Xiaolin saw everything.

Then, her body began to twist, and the next second, she appeared on the surface of the sea.

"Can I only look where my eyes are?"

With a gentle wave of her folding fan, she remained steadily afloat on the sea.

He bent down, picked up a pink flower, and examined it closely.

"This thing... looks familiar."

Suddenly her pupils contracted, and she immediately recognized the flower in her hand.

"Blooming Spirit Flower".

"A Spirit Blossom?" Basil and Winston appeared beside her at the same time.

"The legendary magical plant." The girl's lips moved slightly as she explained, "Legend has it that a plant called the Spirit Blossom grows at the foot of Mount Tai. When it blooms, it connects to the spiritual world of a soul. The person who holds the flower, drinks the stamen, and opens their heart will be able to see their deceased relatives."

The Master said—all the sights we see are illusions projected from our own minds. The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits; cultivating oneself with a united heart is the right path. But most people in the world have experienced life and death, and thus can easily let go. Therefore—this plant quickly became extinct.

It has not appeared in the world for at least a thousand years.

"So now that it's here, what does that mean?" Winston asked, frowning.

Zhang Xiaolin smiled mysteriously: "This means either we've discovered a rare ancient plant, or—"

She pointed around and said, "Welcome—to the world of the dead."

"."

Mr. Basil took it as a joke—though the joke wasn't funny at all, and—the surroundings grew eerily dark. The sun seemed to truly sink into the sea.

"Now—we're trapped here," Zhang Xiaolin said. "These Spirit Blossoms on the sea are the only landmarks; perhaps we should follow their direction and move forward."

"That's not a good idea," Winston said.

"No, it doesn't count." The girl smiled slightly, gazing at the distant sea. "That's either the exit or hell."

The other two looked somber and remained silent.

The sea covered with pink flowers did not make them feel beautiful or amazed. Faced with the unknown, they only felt a sense of fear, which was a biological instinct.

Especially now, the light is about to fade away.

The three returned to the Camelot.

Sirius, who was watching from the deck, naturally heard their conversation.

He had no choice but to agree with Zhang's point of view, because there was simply no other option.

Just now, he had someone try out the pre-prepared door key.

The result is no different from Apparition.

They are really trapped here.

"Follow those petals," he could only say helplessly.

I couldn't help but feel worried.

In name, he was in command of the dozen or so people on the ship. He was willing to sacrifice his own life, but they—they were still young, especially those few, who were the backbone of the future magical world. If anything happened to them…

Sirius shook his head, his gaze growing increasingly profound.

On the sea—the Camelot smoothly glided through the water, encountering no resistance whatsoever.

The surroundings were as quiet as a lake in the deep mountains, with hardly any ripples.

On the deck, everyone looked around with solemn expressions.

The azure sea gradually stopped shining even a sliver of light, yet the surface of the sea still shimmered.

They are those blooming spirit flowers.

The pale purple glow emanating from the flower's stamens acts like a guiding signpost.

The sea is covered with these road signs.

The Camelot sailed by, smoothly pushing aside the flower buds, as if scissors were cutting through a canvas.

Zhang Xiaolin stood at the bow of the ship, staring at the distant sea.

She held a blooming spirit flower in her hands, and the purple smoke in her hand kept changing shape. In the dim light, she seemed to hear someone calling her name.

That gentle voice sounded like a mother's.

His stern words sounded like a father's.

Although she didn't drink the flower dew, she could already see her relatives emerging from the mist one after another, accompanying her.

On the ship, the other wizards quickly discovered it.

On the sea, every blooming spirit flower began to sway.

Pale purple smoke seeped into the sea, and then arms struggled to emerge from the water.

One—two!

Finally, there's more.

Countless people rose from the sea, holding the Blooming Spirit Flower, standing still and watching—silently observing the people on the ship.

The Camelot was like a train heading towards death, with the platform filled with the deceased relatives on board. Some were confused, some were struggling, and some wanted to get off the train.

"That's—that's my mother!" A wizard on the ship sighed, involuntarily moving closer to the ship's railing, his eyes reflecting the image of a deceased mother. He raised his right hand, his steps becoming larger, like a child longing to return home and rush into his mother's arms.

"Wait—" The person next to him quickly pulled him back.

But the person who pulled him back, in the instant he glanced at the sea, also saw his own loved ones.

He is their father.

She is their mother.

They are their brothers.

They are their sisters.

They are their lovers.

In the purple light, those who had already died seemed to be alive, smiling, agonizing, and looking at them with reluctance.

For a moment, everyone felt as if they had been stabbed in the heart.

"He's becoming more and more like a powerful wizard."

Just as the French wizard Winston Norme was about to comfort Zhang Xiaolin, he suddenly froze, then turned his head in disbelief, his gaze falling on a stunningly beautiful woman on the sea.

"Mother?"

In an instant, he was pulled back to the past by endless thoughts.

I remember when I was little, that 'mother' with silver hair, gray eyes, and a quirky personality would always secretly lead us away from the Saints' Hidden Castle behind Lady Rozier's back.

She loves the sea and the sun.

When I was a child, happiness was always intertwined with her, never separated from her.

Garona, Kent, Roy, Victor, and herself. A group of children, ranging from four or five years old to teenagers, followed behind their "mother," traveling throughout France, from the bustling metropolis of Paris to a cup of fresh tea in a suburban town—those were their happiest times.

Their childhood seemed to come to an abrupt end the moment "Mother" betrayed Ms. Wenda.

"Call me 'sister'—do I look that old?"

The woman smiled gently, her deep eyes revealing no reproach.

"Mother—" Winston stared blankly, his breathing becoming rapid.

His eyes were wet with tears, and the ripples made his vision a little blurry.

"Alright." The Blooming Spirit Flower shone brightly, and the woman stepped onto the light staircase and walked to him.

Gray eyes fell on Winston's left arm, a sharp tremor flashing across her cheek as her pale hand rested on his prosthetic arm. "Does it hurt?"

"."

Tears streamed down his cheeks.

It fell silently into the sea.

The flowers in the sea became even more vibrant.

"No—" He was overcome with emotion and couldn't utter a complete sentence.

"That was a very, very long time ago."

"I'm sorry." The woman wiped away his tears. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so selfish."

"We don't blame you, we don't blame you," he said hastily. "After you left, Ms. Wenda often fell silent. She shut herself off and spent countless years in seclusion. I know she was thinking of you."

"I've met that kid Owen. He's an amazing wizard, destined for unimaginable achievements. Oh—he even has a girlfriend."

Winston is like a dam with its floodgates open; the longing just won't stop.

Throughout his words, Irving's image was everywhere. He recounted every detail of Irving's growth, down to the smallest thing he knew.

The woman simply looked at him tenderly, smiling without saying a word.

Watching him dodge the question and listen to his story, I realized that he was completely himself, even though he seemed to be the only one in the story.

After a long while, Winston finally stopped. He realized that his words might have hurt the woman. After all, it was her son, and not being able to watch her child grow up was the cruelest punishment for a mother.

He lowered his head, unsure of what to say, and could only stammer, "I'm sorry, I may have said too much."

The woman gently shook her head, reached out and took his hand, and said softly, "No, I really enjoy hearing you say these things."

"But you should talk about yourself. You're a big kid now. I wish I could watch you all grow up."

Winston looked up abruptly, and the moment his eyes met those grey eyes, tears welled up in his own.

The suffocating boredom of the monotonous life in those research labs, the pain caused by forcibly using ancient magic to modify the body, and most importantly, the betrayal of loved ones, one killing the other.

These painful memories flowed out with the tears.

Crying—

The cries all around were like the heaviest symphony in the world.

Complex emotions, filled with parting and pain, are what humans are most unwilling to give up, and are the foundation upon which they are.

Even if they experience heartbreak and pain every single day, the feeling of forgetting is worse, and despite the pain, they refuse to forget.

Sirius Black watched everything with indifference.

The magic wand in his hand glowed red.

He knew perfectly well that these undead creatures couldn't possibly be the deceased; perhaps the flowers were simply exploiting people's memories.

It revealed the most precious thing in people's hearts.

Just as he raised his hand, ready to end it all.

Suddenly a figure appeared in front of me.

He was a tall, thin wizard with golden-brown eyes.

Wearing glasses.

Sirius's hand trembled slightly, and the magic he was about to cast vanished.

"James?"

"Bigfoot." James looked at him, his gaze behind his glasses so steady. "I'm leaving Harry in your care."

"Hoo." Sirius took a deep breath, nodded, and then his gaze became firm again.

Suddenly, a fierce crimson flame burst forth from the tip of his wand.

The light illuminated the entire sea surface.

It wasn't an ordinary flame, but a crimson inferno that seemed almost liquid, leaping and swirling in the air as if it were alive. The temperature was extremely high, distorting the surrounding air and emitting a sizzling sound.

With a flick of the wand, crimson flames began to expand rapidly, transforming into a gigantic hound that ran wildly across the sea, instantly igniting the entire ocean.

(End of this chapter)