The light violin lody is accompanied by tinkling piano sounds, with the distant gentle crooning of sea demons and nearby nymphs holding fruit plates, draped in light gauze, standing on a faint white mist, surrounded by wizards and witches in beautiful robes.
Everyone wore a reserved yet polite smile on their faces, holding a wine glass filled with golden amber light in their hands.
Zheng Qing listened intently to the distant and epheral chant. The songs of the sea demons are famous even in the ordinary world, but that was not the main reason for his daze. At this mont, his distraction was more due to the song giving him a strangely familiar feeling.
It seed like he’d heard it sowhere before.
Gentle, smooth, then turning into a high pitch, the lody seed full of indescribable hope, yet also contained infinite sorrow, making one feel an overwhelming urge to weep upon hearing it.
Clink!
The crisp sound of glasses clinking pulled Zheng Qing from his reverie. A pale-faced witch smiled at the young warlock and said, "Lapuda’s music is as captivating as Atlantis’ painting; it always draws you in... although this piece is beautiful, I must admit, it’s not quite suitable for today’s occasion."
"Lapuda?" Zheng Qing mumbled, repeating the word.
"The legendary ’Sky City,’" the witch glanced at him curiously, "a silent paradise, the holy land of alchemists, a ho for magical plants and ancient creatures."
In Zheng Qing’s mind suddenly erged an image of a giant island like a chestnut floating amidst white clouds and blue skies. At the sa ti, he finally realized where the strange sense of familiarity ca from.
The song sung by the sea demons was the the song of the Sky City.
But why did the witch say this song was not suitable for this occasion? What kind of occasion was this? Just as this thought flashed through Zheng Qing’s mind, the surrounding scene smoothly transitioned to another setting.
Wizards and witches holding wine glasses ca from all directions, gathering around Zheng Qing, clinking glasses with him, each wearing a look of proud joy.
There seed to be many people praising his achievents around him, but vaguely, he couldn’t hear a single word clearly. Zheng Qing could only continue to shake hands with them, thank them, patting each other’s shoulders and arms, and imrse himself in the joyous atmosphere along with everyone:
"Thank you."
"Thank you very much."
"That was my duty, thank you."
"No, no, I only made a minor contribution... thank you."
"Nice to see you... thank you, thank you."
The clinking of glasses accompanied by guests’ blessings engulfed the warlock, pushing him toward the podium. Around the podium were colorful speaker flowers, gently vibrating to release soothing piano music.
The backdrop of the podium was a red curtain, the color of Jiuyou Academy, with many emblems faintly visible on it, including the First University’s crest, Jiuyou Academy’s badge, the rlin dal, Great Arcana Emblem, and the Absolution Hunting Team’s insignia, all dazzling with gold and silver on the podium.
A witch in a long, trailing red gown stood on the podium, clapping along with everyone, smiling at the young warlock who had been ushered onto the stage, who seed a bit at a loss. She walked forward two steps, opened her arms, and gave a simple cheek kiss.
Zheng Qing, feeling a bit dazed, stood upright and fixed his gaze before noticing that the host was Su Shijun.
At this mont, an Upper House mber of the Moon Council had his shoulder with him, standing side by side, facing the dense crowd of guests below. They resembled a group of goslings with craned necks, watching the young warlock onstage with fascination yet maintaining polite composure.
"Ladies and gentlen, welco to the Victory Day award ceremony."
"Standing next to , this young wizard is no stranger to you all—he is a scholarship student at First University, a recipient of the rlin dal, the holder of the Great Arcana ’World’ title, and the captain of the Absolution Hunting Team, Zheng Qing."
"Today, he has gained an additional new honor: Enemy of the Dark Council!"
"When I signed the contract with Zheng Qing in the Two-Dinsional Evolution Lab, cutting off his shadow, I never imagined that his shadow would grow to such an extent."
"In the Black Prison, Zheng Qing and his shadow together defeated a mber of the Dark Council, the senior wizard Sekbo from the ancient druid organization, striking a powerful blow for the Mage Alliance’s prestige!"
"This victory belongs to Zheng Qing!"
"And this is also the glory of First University!"
Imdiately, the audience broke into a thunderous applause.
Occasionally interspersed with witches’ screams and warlocks’ whistles.
Zheng Qing, with a hint of panic in his eyes and a rigid smile on his face, waved his arms vigorously, trying to dismiss this honor: "No, no, it had nothing to do with . It was all that shadow’s doing... it’s the cat of the relevant departnt, you can ask it!"
As he spoke, he stomped his foot hard, urging his shadow to co out and confess.
But the shadow underfoot, like a pool of thick ink, spread silently at his feet, showing none of its usual clamorous and lively nature.
Su Shijun raised her arm and pressed it downward.
The applause and cheers imdiately quieted significantly.
She wrapped an arm around Zheng Qing’s shoulders, and the rich fragrance instantly made the young wizard forget his recent denials, and a silly smile reappeared on his face.
At the sa ti, the witch’s light voice spread through the colorful speaker flowers to all directions once more. Perhaps because of the flaws in the speaker flowers’ quality, the witch’s voice appeared strangely distorted in transmission:
"...When I represented the ’Beta Town Post’ to interview Zheng Qing, I saw through his eyes a soul filled with ambition and power, cold, exceptional, and extraordinary."
"As his achievents in the Black Prison battlefield spread, it proved the conclusion I reached during that interview: the rigid educational thod of Jiuyou Academy, the dangerous content of its teachings, the cruel examination chanisms, not only suppress the students’ freedom and nature but also cultivate a host of wizards who are indifferent to life!"
"It’s just that these dangers are deliberately ignored by the public, like shadows under the sun, hidden beneath flamboyant achievents..."
The cheers from the audience gradually diminished as wizards and witches exchanged whispers and cast peculiar glances at the stage.
The more Zheng Qing listened, the more sothing felt wrong. Turning his head, Su Shijun had unknowingly transford into Ms. Pulitzer— the journalist from the Beta Town Post who once interviewed him in Beta Town.
At this mont, her gaunt cheeks were flushed with excitent, and her thin lips seed like two blades, wantonly slicing through the halo surrounding Zheng Qing.
Her hand, like an eagle’s claw, firmly clasped the young warlock’s shoulder blade, rendering him immobile.
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