Outside Jiela Square, the rows of streetlights flickered on one after another, like a flowing river of light. In the distance, the iconic skyline of Ikerite could be seen, the towering buildings appearing even more magnificent against the night sky.
Yet standing upon this road—
“Damn it, why did it have to be opened by a human?”
Talia clenched her fist, inwardly seething with resentment.
This shadow world of the demon realm, from an unknown history, was bound to contain knowledge of great value to her.
But this shadow world only played in fragments, rolling across the public magical screens on campus, never showing the whole picture.
The full and detailed information would only be preserved inside the challenger’s 【Shadow World Recording Program】.
It seemed today, she could only watch as much as possible from here.
Just as Talia was thinking this, her brows furrowed.
Because she realized—the challenger in this shadow world… was that damned student of hers!“This brat…”
Though Talia couldn’t figure out why something so gloomy, once transformed into demon form, would turn into a Radiant Demon instead of an Abyssal Demon—
—right now, she only felt immense delight.
Lan Qi was like a mysterious shop, once again about to bring her new goods.
And anything in Lan Qi’s hands could become something she might trade for!
For example, everything within Lan Qi’s 【Shadow World Recording Program】.
At this moment, Talia truly felt—each time, Lan Qi could bring her exactly what she desired, almost like a lucky star.
If not for her constant suspicion that this brat harbored certain damned thoughts in his heart, perhaps she would even treat him a little more kindly in daily life.
But in the very next instant—
When Talia saw on the screen that great poet whose face was identical to her own, her eyelids instantly drooped, an expression forming as though she wanted to kill Lan Qi.
She turned at once, striding swiftly away. Lowering her head, she bit fiercely into a piece of cheesecake, as though afraid the students of Ikerite Academy here might notice her resemblance to that accursed summoned creature.
That guy truly was damned.
…
The corridors of the Demon Academy were at once classical and magnificent, dimly lit, filled with the fragrance of ancient wood, as though imbued with a magic from the depths of time. The end of every distant hallway seemed forever swallowed by darkness, carrying an unfathomable air of mystery.
The floor was paved with dark marble traced with golden patterns, covered in carpets embroidered with demonic flowers. Along the walls, every few steps, hung bizarre portraits and mirrors—staring at the students as they passed.
In this corridor, several demon students—faces showing fear or grim determination—hurried by, their footsteps echoing sharply through the empty space, shattering the silence like the overture of a chase or escape.
In the dim light, their panicked figures seemed all the more terrified, as though they had just fled from some unspeakable nightmare.
For now, it was unclear where they were running, but judging by their frantic state, they only wished to get as far from that insane examination hall as possible!
And yet—among these fleeing figures at the rear, mixed in two demons whose expressions were far less panicked. The others failed entirely to notice their presence.
Since Lan Qi and Huperion were not yet certain of the rules of this Demon Academy, neither dared act rashly and attack other demon students. They both agreed—using brute force to capture students and interrogate them carried significant risk.
Here, under the constant gaze of portraits and mirrors, one could never tell if some hidden mechanism might be triggered.
Thus, the best strategy was simply to follow these relatively capable students, finding the most optimal path for survival, and waiting for the right moment to act—convincing with virtue, rather than force.
“…”
Huperion turned her head, glancing at Lan Qi.
She merely reached out, handing him several heavy coins she had just taken from a corpse. She trusted that letting the scheming Lan Qi manage their spoils was the safest choice—and besides, these trophies had been earned through his efforts.
Lan Qi said nothing, only nodded and pocketed the mysterious coins.
Though following Lan Qi gave Huperion a strange sense of reassurance—as though the safest place in this academy was at his side—
—her heart at this moment was tangled with unease. She wanted to ask him something, but hesitated.
Originally, she had only feared that once Lan Qi learned of her demonic bloodline, their friendship would end.
But now, she had begun to dread—if Lan Qi discovered she truly was a demon, would he become a demon hunter, and torment her as he did the demon students and examiners in this test?
“…Lan Qi, what do you think of demons?”
Running alongside him, Huperion finally lowered her voice, testing him with the question.
Lan Qi was slightly taken aback.
“They can live for ages. Even hundreds of years old, they still look like young girls.”
Lan Qi gave a snort of laughter as he replied. If Huperion wanted to ask about this, then he certainly wasn’t sleepy anymore.
He’d always wanted to voice his thoughts—yet no one had ever brought up the subject before.
So, Huperion was interested in demons too!
“…”
Huperion felt somewhat offended.
Yes, she was truly only in her teens—but as a half-demon, her lifespan would surely outlast humans. A century from now, Lan Qi’s words would cut at her heart.
Wait—why was his focus so bizarre?
“Then… if you encountered a demon in the real world, would you treat them the same way as before?”
She pressed further, her tone still tinged with nervousness.
Lan Qi only looked at her, saying nothing.
Yet in this silence, more was spoken than words.
“…Do you think I’m some old fool looking to court death?”
“…”
“Whether provoking demons is dangerous or not, who can say? But perhaps there are good ones among them too. Huperion, you shouldn’t discriminate against demons.”
Lan Qi’s tone was solemn, almost like a lecture.
“…I see.”
Huperion froze for a moment, then lowered her head, softly replying.
For some reason, the heavy stone weighing on her heart seemed to crumble away, dispersed by Lan Qi’s earnest words.
Never had she imagined that one day, someone would tell her—“Don’t discriminate against demons.”
Though Lan Qi’s words carried a saintly air—
—she truly believed he was not some hypocritical “saint.”
But a genuine one.
Because he truly was fair—whether demon or human, he tormented both with equal cruelty.
…
In just a few dozen seconds, among the fleeing demon students in the corridor, some still ran aimlessly as if searching, while others dove recklessly into classrooms despite the risks.
From this, it seemed clear—the corridor was no less dangerous than the classrooms. Otherwise, why would they be so eager to attend class?
“It’s about time we made a move.”
If possible, Lan Qi had no intention of blindly entering random classrooms, triggering mechanisms, and wasting time.
The most urgent task was to gather intel about this Demon Academy.
Only by understanding the rules could he act boldly—or even speedrun his way through, and hopefully find that ancient demonic magic for altering hairstyles he so desired.
Huperion naturally understood his meaning.
Up ahead, only one student remained—it seemed the perfect opportunity to “exchange words.”
Quickening her pace, she silently surged forward and seized the shoulder of the unlucky student.
“You—!”
The demon, his neck covered in green scales, spun around furiously, raising his hand to shove her away.
However—
In the next instant, when his pupils focused, and he saw the invigilator Lan Qi standing just behind Huperion—
—a terror from the depths of his soul surged forth like a tidal wave, flooding his heart. His raised hand froze in mid-air, trembling, unable to move, as though it had no place to rest.
“Ah…”
Even Lan Qi himself was slightly surprised at the demon’s reaction, his lips parting in mild astonishment.
So it turned out the one they had caught was none other than the very demon student whom Lan Qi had earlier subjected to 【Basic Etiquette】—terrified by both the dragon demon and the owl for several dozen seconds, only to miraculously survive under their noses.
What fate, what coincidence—Lan Qi couldn’t help but smile faintly at him.
Even before Lan Qi spoke—
—the green-scaled demon was already trembling violently all over.
Lan Qi: “Hello.”
Just a simple greeting.
Yet to the demon, it sounded like a call from hell itself—as though his ancestors were beckoning him to join them.
“Classmate, how should I address you?”
Hands clasped behind his back, Lan Qi still exuded the bearing of an examiner as he walked toward the demon student, smiling gently as he asked.
“B-Bacher…”
The snake-eyed, green-scaled demon stammered out, obeying pure survival instinct. His skin paled, drained of blood, his legs weak, as if about to collapse at any moment.