The Thirteen Trials of the Deceptive Monk

Old Fa blew a loud whistle, and the sound of hooves echoed across the lake. Eight dark green steeds galloped across the water, trailing behind them gleaming bronze carriages. Their manes were damp and flowing, like water plants.

"Professor Ji, please go first... Come on, guys, be careful not to leave anything behind, those little devils don't know any better..."

The new students hurriedly grabbed their luggage, and after getting off the train, they boarded the horse-drawn carriages. Lü Wenjun and his group boarded the front carriage, where Mingxiao and Pershka were also. Once everyone was in place, the old Frenchman gave a shout, and the dark green horses trotted forward, moving smoothly across the lake as if on flat ground.

“Mr. Fa, you use a Calpai to pull your carriage?” Pershka asked. “They are not docile.”

“I don’t think the evil spirits that drown people have anything to do with the word ‘docile’…” Ling Gong said.

The Celtic are evil aquatic spirits in Scottish folklore. These horse-shaped evil spirits are said to transform into young women and lure men into the water to drown. They are considered evil creatures to be avoided in every sense of the word.

“They’re a bunch of bad apples, but they’re quite strong! We have an old druid here who’s good at disciplining these beasts, so you can rest assured,” Old Fa said cheerfully.

It pulled out a small megaphone and tapped it on its knee, its voice carrying throughout the carriage: "Alright, little ones, before we tour the campus, let me tell you some basic facts. In principle, these things should be discussed on the train, but you know, we should always ensure the surprise factor of the entrance exam."

"You must have been startled?" Lü Wenjun said.

Old Fa pretended not to hear: "First of all, the Tower of Babel spell is in effect in the academy and other areas that are considered part of the Great Mythic Realm, so no matter which Mythic Realm you come from or which country you come from, you can communicate freely and read and write without any problems—so you brats, don't think about using language barriers to excuse your failure."

The Tower of Babel is a structure featured in the Bible. Legend has it that there was once only one language on Earth, and the people attempted to build a tower to heaven. God, seeing this, confused their languages, creating a barrier to communication, and the tower was never completed because of this inability to communicate.

As Lü Wenjun pondered this story, he realized he had been communicating seamlessly with a group of demons and monsters from all over the world for quite some time. So many chaotic things had happened since he got on the bus that this was hardly anything new anymore.

He heard Vilsa ask, "I thought that tower was never built."

"The angels helped rebuild it later, and they admitted they went a bit too far," Old Fa said. "Secondly—this is especially for those who come from ancient, secluded realms—please be sure to respect the faculty and staff, as well as every classmate around you. Times have changed. There are no more battles between good and evil, battles for faith, or clashes of positive and negative. All races are equal. Learn to judge others based on morality and ability, not race, okay?"

No demon objected; this was clearly a consensus in the underworld. Lu Wenjun, recalling the scene when he first got into the carriage, couldn't help but ask, "What about the humans?"

“Some races are more equal than others!” Old Fa chuckled at his own joke. “It’s just a joke. You won’t encounter any humans here either, so it’s better for everyone to live their own lives.”

"Alright, enough of the nonsense. Now everyone can look out the window. The beautiful little lake we're crossing is called 'Frosty Mist Lake.' Summer isn't over yet, so you can't see any frost. In two months, this place will look completely different."

"You can come here to fish and tease the fairies when you have time, but don't be curious and follow the ghosts on the lakeshore. Every year, I fish out little fools frozen at the bottom of the lake, and I promise I'll hang this year's biggest fool on the waterfall. Don't litter, and don't mess around by the lake—the owner of Frosty Smoke Lake isn't very bright; if she catches you, you're on your own."

"Are the fish in the lake always swimming in groups like that?" a student asked from behind.

"No, not normally. These idiots are trying to ride on your good fortune today," Old Fa shouted, peeking out. "Hey! Get out of the way!"

He blew a long whistle, and the Celts quickened their pace, from a trot to a gallop. Ahead of the carriage were the colorful fish; startled, they scattered immediately, a few slower ones being kicked by the horses' hooves and becoming food for the water horses.

Lu Wenjun stared for a long time at the fish being devoured by Kyle. Ling Gong smiled upon seeing this, thinking to herself that Wenjun also had a melancholic side...

Little did they know that this genius felt the same way, believing himself to be the fish that had been swallowed by the horse.

Now that there's no way to escape, what else can we do? No matter how much we cry and make a scene, life goes on anyway. Going back to the outside world would just mean attending a cram school, but here we're at least a top magic student, so we might as well just enjoy academy life!

Lu Wenjun mentally shattered the broken pot, quickly adjusting to a relaxed travel mode: "Master Fa, how do you usually cook this fish?"

"The whole fish head should be chopped off and discarded. The meat should be sliced ​​and dipped in chili sauce for a delicious flavor."

Faris rubbed his hands together, "Let's catch a few on the way, for an extra meal tonight."

“I have a knife; I can do the work on the spot,” Virsa agreed.

Ling Gong wanted to cover her face; it turned out these guys were the wildest creatures furthest removed from the joys of life. The young masters, looking at the lake teeming with fish, lamented the hardship of survival of the fittest, while the wildlings only thought about how to eat, how delicious it would be, and when to eat.

Pershka looked towards the waterfall: "Gentlemen, please mind your manners. I think you'll change your minds later."

Lu Wenjun asked expectantly, "Could it be that the fish in the waterfall are fresher?"

Pershka couldn't hold back this time either: "Have you forgotten even the famous stories from your own hometown? Why do you stop thinking about eating me?"

At this moment, the powerful roar of the water drowned out the conversation of the crowd. The carriage sped up, weaving through the school of fish. The waterfall, a thousand meters wide, magnified before their eyes, then suddenly reversed direction.

The Celts leaped up, riding the waves, and began to climb the waterfall, pulling their long carriages. The view was instantly split in two: above, the sky gradually darkening; below, the endless flow of water.

"We're climbing the 'Water Column' of the Great Falls now!" Old Fa shouted at the top of his lungs. "Don't put your hands out, but keep your eyes wide open, you never know what surprises you might find!"

Lu Wenjun felt as if he were speeding across a white landscape, the water droplets like sand flowing in the wind. Scattered among the sand were tiny specks of color—the lake fish that accompanied the carriage. A few audacious fish escaped the trampling of the horses' hooves, taking advantage of the carriage's ascent of the waterfall to swim upstream, their eyes gleaming with determination.

Lu Wenjun recalled that familiar story: "It couldn't be..."

“As you expected.” Mingxiao stood up, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Look to your upper left! The one at the very front that’s blue!”

The fish tumbled down one after another; even with a carriage clearing the way, most couldn't withstand the impact of the waterfall. But one small blue fish stubbornly charged ahead, perhaps lucky enough, or perhaps incredibly strong. It leaped over the top of the waterfall with the carriage, its tail whipping through the air, creating a tiny rainbow.

The little fish swayed above the waterfall, the setting sun shining on this one in a million lucky fish, making its scales shimmer. It became slender yet strong, like a sapling growing wildly in the sunlight.

It transformed into a dragon! It grew long whiskers and sharp claws, and coral-like horns sprouted from its mutated head. It soared and circled above the waterfall, scattering golden raindrops that drifted through the car windows onto everyone inside, invigorating the new students.

Lu Wenjun was stunned. He had never imagined he would witness such a wondrous scene. It was as if a painter had seen an ancient masterpiece leap off the page; for a moment, he had no time for worries, only wishing that time would slow down so that he could remember it clearly.

"Carp leaping over the dragon gate?"

“That’s right! The Waterfall is so big that it only has the opportunity to challenge the waterfall under the cover of horse-drawn carriages on the day the new students enter the school. We only climb the Waterfall from the main gate when we welcome the new students.” Old Fa laughed. “You are a lucky class! I haven’t seen the ichthyosaurs for quite a while… almost 20 years.”

Mingxiao pinched a wisp of golden rain and put it into a small bottle.

"You can have as much fun as you want for the next six months without worrying about catching a cold. This is Yulong's way of expressing his gratitude," she explained.

Reiko's glasses reflected a cold light: "Some of you were just thinking about eating sashimi..."

"This isn't our fault..."

"Who would have thought it could turn into a dragon!"

"Why don't we ask the ichthyosaurs if they eat human life?" Pershka laughed.

Amidst the shouts of the idiots, the ichthyosaur soared into the sky and disappeared into the clouds. The water-cart drove towards the river in the forest, passing through the dense woods, and they could already see the crystal-clear mountain peaks in the distance, and hear bursts of cheers.

Welcome, new students!

"Thanks for your hard work!"

"Become a great magician!"

"Or perhaps I should become an interesting mage!"

The winding mountain road was teeming with demons and monsters, who offered baskets full of flowers and green leaves, which were then scattered from the sky by the flying upperclassmen. Numerous palm-sized fairies flew in from the forest, carrying musical instruments, toys, and nut shells, playing off-key songs. Many eyes were fixed on them—expectant, curious, pure, filled with so many blessings and celebrations.

Lu Wenjun realized he was grinning foolishly; his classmates' expressions weren't much more rational. Everything felt like a dream, as if innocent childhood fantasies had come true. He opened the window and caught a maple leaf, noticing colorful writing printed on it:

"A cave in a prime location halfway up the mountain is available for rent! 3000 magic coins per month, first come, first served!"

"..."

Lu Wenjun put down the leaf and then grabbed a peach blossom. From the flower's heart, phantom characters appeared:

"Cool, detached wooden cabins, only 12 minutes away from the teaching building, only 3 left, seize the opportunity!"

Lu Wenjun rubbed his eyes hard, then grabbed the colorful letter paper folded into the shape of a swan.

"Top-tier, private, single-occupancy luxury accommodation! Interested parties please contact us via the forum..."

"Why are all these people renting?!"

He felt his last vestige of fantasy shatter into pieces with a resounding crash, the sound as crisp as a dream breaking. Ling Gong's lips twitched: "I heard the school dorms are terrible..."

“You can remove ‘I heard’,” Mingxiao said. “And it’s not just bad, it’s extremely bad.”

"So this is all just spam?! What's with making advertising flyers look so dreamlike?!"

"I heard that almost 20 years ago they were honestly renting out the properties privately, but in recent years some unscrupulous person suggested combining it with the orientation activities to increase efficiency, and that's how it ended up like this." Mingxiao shook his head regretfully. "The school also disapproves, but after all, it doesn't violate school rules..."

"The Disney fairytale world in my heart has been tainted by the stench of money," Lu Wenjun said in despair.

Faris patted him on the shoulder and said with a heavy heart, "Dude, you're in college now, you should understand by now that Disneyland is the most money-grubbing place in the world. Look at why the upperclassmen are looking at you with such expectation, because they're looking for a sucker. They're waiting for you to get ripped off!"

"I suggest you keep some of these flowers and leaves. The senior students may be cheeky, but they won't hurt you..." Old Fa chuckled sinisterly. "Alright, students! Get ready, we're heading up Philosophy Peak soon!"

The water-drawn carriage arrived at the foot of the mountain and began its ascent of the second waterfall cascading down the mountainside. This section of the waterfall was much faster to climb than the Water Heaven Cascade, and they soon reached the top, arriving at an open platform near the summit. The carriage traveled along the mountain path for a while before finally stopping in front of the castle gate.

The new students got off the bus with some trepidation and were led towards the castle by the old man. They walked through a dark and narrow corridor and stepped into an incredibly spacious auditorium.

Clusters of crystal-like stars floated above the auditorium ceiling, casting a gentle, bright light. Ji Chuanjun pointed, and rows of seats appeared out of thin air behind the freshmen, who silently took their seats under some kind of force.

As they took their seats, the freshmen's attire changed in unison. Everyone changed into a dark black, stand-up collar uniform with the school emblem of three shining stars embroidered on the chest. Their original clothes were neatly folded and placed on their handbags or in their suitcases.

The auditorium went dark for a moment, then brightened again. On the main stage at the front, a dark figure sat with his back to the students.

"Now, let's welcome the principal to speak. Please give him a round of applause," said Ji Chuanjun.

The freshmen clapped nervously, then fell silent, not daring to say anything more. The dark figure remained seated with its back to the group, silent, gloomy, and mysterious, like a silent wall.

Everyone tensed up, wondering if this was another surprise test... another magical "education" session...

Ji Chuanjun waited with his hands behind his back for a moment, then coughed lightly.

“Principal, I think you forgot to turn on the sound,” she said.

Chapter 13: College Life is a Celebration of Youth

Lu Wenjun told himself not to laugh, but a few idiots couldn't help it. So one after another, everyone burst into laughter, and the auditorium was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The black humanoid figure jumped up from the chair, fiddled with something for a few seconds, and then quickly returned to its place. Judging from this series of actions, it seemed to be a projection from a distance.

"Can you hear me? Should I turn it up a bit?" He held up a protesting finger. "Don't be so strict with your principal! Haven't you ever made a mistake? It's only human nature!"

"Principal, you have no color either," Professor Ji added.

"I'm conducting research in the Land of Roots. Ever since the Great God of Creation Island threw down that broken stone, this godforsaken place has been devoid of light... Everything looks dark. So let's leave it at that and begin!"

Professor Ji coughed, and everyone fell silent. The principal jumped up from his chair, drifting across the stage like a shadow.

"Good afternoon, young people. I am Headmaster Trista, and I am very pleased to welcome you all to my magic school! Before I impart my old man's rigid wisdom to you, I would like to talk about our school."

Our school has a short history but a great influence. Although the income is not high, it can be considered a higher education institution. The regular study period is 4 years, and ambitious scholars are also welcome to stay and pursue further studies.

Many friends have asked me why I work in education. They think a great magician like me should be doing something more extraordinary. More...magical? More grand? More groundbreaking? In short, it's better than running a lousy university.

Trista scratched his chin: "But what counts as something great? Building a great nation? Changing society? Guiding global change? Using your extraordinary power to change people and the world?"

"Many people throughout history have held this view, attempting to achieve their goals directly through force, only to end up fighting tooth and nail with similar people. Many battles, wars, victories or defeats... in the end, nothing has changed, leaving only barren land."

"I've always been out of step with the mainstream and have a vivid imagination. In my opinion, if we want to make the world a better place, we need empathy to understand others, a little bit of a sense of justice, a fun imagination, and excellent hands-on skills."

People with these qualities are capable of truly creating something—even a small glass ornament—which is far better than violence disguised as an ideal.

Trista waved her fingers and said cheerfully, "I want the world to be a better place, and I want these lovely people to be the ones who know magic, so I founded this university. You can call me ambitious or naive, but a life without dreams is just too boring."

"Now, as a veteran on the path of idiocy, I'm going to give you little ones preparing for school some practical advice. After you officially enroll—"

Trista (the projection) took out a dark, parchment-like object and read it aloud in a melodious tone:

"Everyone should try having a relationship! Maybe a few!"

Amidst the stunned expressions of the crowd, he gestured wildly: "Learning is about communicating more and trying more. There's no subject more captivating than life and the soul, and romance can help you approach it effectively and quickly. Students confident in their charm might as well have a few more dates to escape the hellish scene of being torn apart on Valentine's Day!"

"Creativity and inspiration need a trigger, and art is a good choice. Why not form a band with your friends? Perhaps in the gaps between messing around with relationships, you can actually create one or two beautiful pieces amidst endless noise and garbage."

"Break the rules, be bold. Want amazing magical artifacts or even divine machines? Why not sneak into the faculty lounge and steal their treasures! If you can fool those annoying old fogies, you could become rich overnight."

"Do you often feel looked down upon? Are there endless conflicts that annoy you? Learn how ancient gentlemen resolved problems. Set a time, without the teacher seeing, and use your skills to teach him or her a lesson, personally breaking that annoying nose!"

Principal Trista raised his hands: "What do you think? You think this is incredibly stupid, right?"

The auditorium was completely silent.

He rested his hands on the chair and said earnestly, "But my young friends, if you don't do something foolish in the prime of your lives when you have the most energy and time, when will you ever be able to truly enjoy life? Besides, isn't the reason we study knowledge and learn magic precisely to make those incredibly stupid ideas come true?"

The silence was broken by excited shouts. Thunderous applause filled the hall, and the monsters laughed, cheered, whistled, and stomped their feet.

The principal seemed just as cheerful as they were: "Enjoy your youth! As long as it doesn't harm others or yourselves, do as many things as possible that make you happy. College life doesn't have to be extravagant, but it should be memorable and fun!"

"And for those students who value meaning more, for those friends who are more eager for knowledge and progress, we will continue to provide support and encouragement. This year's top scorer in the entrance exam... let me see..."

Principal Trista looked down and rummaged through the things for a while, then called out, "Which one is Lü Wenjun?"

When Lü Wenjun stood up, he felt his legs straighten out a bit.

"It's me, Principal."

“He seems like a smart young man,” Trista praised. “I like to give the first place a special mark; your lucky color this year is white!”

He raised his dark finger, and the school uniform that Lü Wenjun had just changed into instantly transformed. The black uniform became a pure white velvet color, which, paired with the shiny school badge, made him look particularly flamboyant.

The principal seemed quite pleased and said, "You got your prize, right? Hold it up so everyone can see!"

Lu Wenjun held up the original text of the urban legend, and he felt that all eyes in the room were on his hand.

“It’s yours!” Trista exclaimed. “It’s not ‘temporarily lent to you,’ nor ‘to be returned after graduation,’ but truly yours. Because you did a fantastic job! We encourage outstanding students in the most practical way!”

"Our school has no shortage of original texts and magical artifacts. Those who excel in exams, school activities, and festivals will receive relevant rewards. If you have the ability, show it openly and don't use the environment as an excuse!"

I have more good news for you. If any of you achieve the top score in the end-of-semester tests and become the school's 'Star of the College,' you can personally enter the library and choose any original text to take home—regardless of its level. This is a privilege reserved exclusively for first-semester freshmen.”