Chapter 25: A Meeting of Minds How could this not be considered a meeting of minds?

The purple sun shone through the lattice window, casting a warm glow on the youth’s clean, handsome sleeping face.

"Ah, another new day!"

Feeling refreshed, Lin Zhao glanced at both his coarse hemp clothes and the grey garment Ji Yaoguang had woven, then decisively chose the latter.

Inside the room stood a polished bronze mirror. Lin Zhao inspected himself and found that although the color of the garment given to him by the Old Tree was rather dated, the tailoring was excellent. The pleats and the cinched waist were crafted with such finesse that it was clearly not meant for an ordinary person.

*Did he copy it from his own old clothes?*

*Hmm, the sleeves are a bit long.*

He flicked his hands, humming a tune as he walked over to Ji Yaoguang, extending his arms—half-hidden by the sleeves—for him to see.

Ji Yaoguang paused for a second, then lightly brushed the fabric. In an instant, the sleeves adjusted to the perfect length.

"How virtuous!" Lin Zhao patted the Old Tree on the shoulder with satisfaction.

Downstairs in the inn’s lobby, a fine meal had already been prepared. The elderly couple who owned the inn stood by the table, looking so nervous they were practically twisting their fingers off. "Our humble inn usually only serves travelers from the villages outside the city. We have never seen a Wizard before and couldn't source high-quality spirit beast meat on such short notice. Please, do not take offense."

"Why would we be offended?" Ji Yaoguang’s tone remained gentle and polite. "Spirit beast meat is not typically sold to commoners. The fact that you were able to procure it shows you have put in a great deal of effort."

"As long as you are satisfied with the meal." The old couple dared not disturb them further and waited quietly to the side.

Once the two had nearly finished eating, the old woman gathered her courage. "My lords, there is a matter that puzzles us, and we seek your guidance. Do you have a moment?"

"Speak," Ji Yaoguang said, setting down his chopsticks gently.

"My grandson is about to begin his initiation ritual in preparation for the 'Grand Selection' of the Wizard Kingdom. We have over five hundred gold shells at home, and with the stipend from the school, we can afford a beast soul worth a thousand gold. But there are so many strange and varied souls; we don't know which one would be suitable," the old woman asked cautiously.

Ji Yaoguang casually produced a leaf. "In the ritual, the most important thing is the firmness of one's inner state. There is little difference between low and mid-grade beast souls. What matters more is the compatibility between the person’s soul and the beast soul. Take this leaf to test them; if the colors match, that is the most suitable soul for him."

The old couple thanked them profusely as they received the leaf.

However, Ji Yaoguang added seriously, "Remember, this leaf can only be used once. After that, it becomes useless. You cannot protect such an object, so do not let others know of it. Burn it immediately after use."

The two elders turned solemn at once, swearing to the Wizard God that they would burn it the moment it was used.

Ji Yaoguang nodded, then left with a satiated Lin Zhao, declining the couple's request to leave behind their names.

"They seem both respectful and afraid of Wizards," Lin Zhao remarked, puzzled.

"Many Wizards have volatile tempers," Ji Yaoguang sighed softly. "Beast souls of the exotic variety are the most commonly used in initiation rituals. They carry an inherent corruption that causes a Wizard’s mind to lean toward chaos and self-destruction. This is why Wizards must periodically cleanse their spirits, which is also a significant expense."

Lin Zhao didn't know how to respond to that.

"The Wizard Kingdom must expand to seize beast souls, ashes, and minerals; these resources are the source of human strength," Ji Yaoguang said, his gaze deep as he looked at the silhouette of the Great Wall in the distance. "But such actions disturb the corrosive, disastrous energy of the ruins, thereby alerting the terrifying Great Calamities hidden within. Thus, every so often, the Disaster of the Great Calamities becomes the greatest concern and precaution for every local state."

"Of the two sources of Great Calamities that cause the most disruption and loss to the Wizard Kingdom, one is the Lightless Sea bordering the East Sea in the East, and the other is the Demon Ruins of the Vast Sea, guarded by the Di State," Ji Yaoguang said helplessly. "Therefore, the Di State has a massive number of Wizards, which naturally leads to frequent conflicts. This is why the people here dream of nothing more than leaving the Di State for the Wizard Kingdom. In their eyes, it is the most wonderful place of all."

Lin Zhao sighed, "The human world is truly complicated!"

Ji Yaoguang chuckled. "Then, shall we return to the Demon Ruins of the Vast Sea to live in seclusion?"

Lin Zhao scoffed. "In your dreams. Is there water there? Is there meat? Is there a bathtub?"

There was nothing there. Was he supposed to find a tree and build a nest?

Ji Yaoguang looked thoughtful.

...

In the plaza, it was the final day of the Spring Festival. Ji Yaoguang was discussing with Lin Zhao whether they should sell fruit or find some other way to make a living.

"Fruit doesn't make much money. Since you know how to make totems, even the worst one would fetch five hundred gold, wouldn't it? That’s much faster than selling fruit!" Lin Zhao stood at the edge of the plaza, leaning against a slim, conch-shaped sculpture that resembled a street lamp, coaching the Old Tree. "Even if you don't make totems, those beads you gave me, and the leaf you gave the shopkeeper—those are clearly worth a fortune. We need to expand our horizons!"

Ji Yaoguang sighed in frustration. "Ah-Zhao, it is not that I do not wish to, but my cultivation is too high. Whether it is those beads, the leaf, or a totem, once tainted with my Wizard power, they become items that easily stir up storms of blood and carnage. I fear that before we even sell them, we would be killed for the treasures."

"Are they that powerful?" Lin Zhao looked at the string of beads on his wrist with hesitation. "What if people don't know the value of them?"

Ji Yaoguang whispered, "This is the front line of the Di State. Finding someone with your level of discernment is truly difficult."

"You're being sarcastic," Lin Zhao snorted, though he didn't dwell on it. He waved his hand. "Do you know what the 'Grand Selection' those old folks mentioned is?"

"It is the entrance exam for Wizard apprentices to join various schools," Ji Yaoguang said, though he wondered why Lin Zhao’s topic had jumped so far. He answered carefully, "Every March, the Wizard Kingdom and the local states gather the most outstanding apprentices under sixteen for a competition in various regions to determine rankings, known as the 'Lesser Selection.' After the 'Lesser Selection,' the top candidates are sent to the Royal Capital to participate in the 'Grand Selection.' At that time, whether it is the Great Mountain Tea school, the Four Courts and Eight Palaces of the Dynasty, the nine great clan academies, or even the 'Heaven'-tier miscellaneous schools, they all come to select apprentices to join their ranks."

Speaking of this, he sighed with emotion. "The Grand Selection is one of the three most important rituals of the Wizard Kingdom. Every year, in order to compete for the best apprentices, they treat each other like Great Calamities, pulling every trick in the book and losing all dignity. Whenever it is my turn to oversee it, they even try to scheme against me."

"So it really is the Gaokao of this world," Lin Zhao said, immediately confident. "Old… brother Yaoguang, you are very familiar with this Grand Selection, aren't you?"

"Naturally, I preside over it once every five years," Ji Yaoguang recalled the past. "An apprentice’s intellect, wizard patterns, wizard power, character, and even appearance are all criteria for selection. It is pitiful to see these young apprentices subjected to such rigorous trials."

"That’s perfect. Write a book detailing the selection criteria for these schools, their proficiency requirements for wizard patterns, the quality of their teaching, the difficulty of graduation, and their employment prospects," Lin Zhao commanded decisively.

"This…" Ji Yaoguang hesitated.

"Why, don't you know them?" Lin Zhao wasn't worried at all. Given the Old Tree's diligent nature, high moral standards, and self-discipline, he was certain he had studied these things thoroughly.

"But these are the confidential secrets of each school..." Ji Yaoguang frowned slightly. "Using this to make money... it doesn't seem right."

"How can you call this making money?" Lin Zhao smiled confidently. He stepped forward, took Ji Yaoguang’s hand, and said sincerely, "With natural disasters spreading, the path of life is already difficult. A young apprentice choosing a future school is like a lover entrusting their life to another. This is a critical life event, isn't it?"

Ji Yaoguang nodded. "Indeed."

"So, for such a life-defining event, how can they go in blind?" Lin Zhao said, sounding heartbroken. "Perhaps the apprentices know a little about the direction of the schools, but they are young and unaware of the gravity of the situation. Without guidance, they might be easily swindled into the wrong major—err, school—and spend a lifetime regretting it. How pitiful!"

Ji Yaoguang found this deeply convincing.

"Besides, do you think the powerful families in the Wizard Kingdom don't inquire about these schools? Is it fair to these apprentices from the local states who know nothing?"

Ji Yaoguang’s brow furrowed. "True, what you say makes sense. The apprentices of the local states already have it hard. Giving them this information is not leaking secrets, but rather ensuring they receive their due benefits."

"Exactly!" Lin Zhao clapped. "Education is the foundation of a ten-thousand-year plan. Besides, I don't intend to make money from this information."

"Oh?" Ji Yaoguang looked at him in surprise.

"Brother," Lin Zhao hooked his arm around his shoulders and whispered in his ear, "Since the Di State has a 'Lesser Selection,' does it have a Scholar Official in charge of these matters?"

"Naturally," Ji Yaoguang said. "Every year, the more apprentices a local state sends to the Grand Selection, the more funding the Wizard Kingdom provides in the following year. The Scholar Official is one of the three main administrators of a local state’s internal affairs, a position held only by the trusted confidants of the state ruler."

"That’s it then," Lin Zhao murmured like a devil in his ear. "Brother, think about it. Since he oversees the apprentices going to the Grand Selection, we can give him this information, asking only that he take us along when he sends them. With the help of someone like that, isn't that better than you selling fruit or finding people to swindle?"

Ji Yaoguang was completely swayed. "It is indeed a good plan. However, sending apprentices to the Grand Selection is a matter of great importance. The Di State’s Scholar Official may not be willing to let two people of unknown identity tag along."

"Why would we need to go with the apprentices?" Lin Zhao chuckled. "We are making a trade. He is a Scholar Official and surely has frequent contact with the Royal Capital. If he provides a certificate for us to help deliver the list and see the prosperity of the Wizard Kingdom—do you think a local Scholar Official can handle such a small favor?"

Ji Yaoguang took a deep breath and said seriously, "This is what you wanted."

He raised his hand, and a paper book appeared in his palm. Densely packed text began to generate on the pages—faster than a typewriter, appearing almost at the speed of a photocopy.

"Not bad, not bad," Lin Zhao was extremely satisfied. "But this book looks too new. Make it look aged, don't make the handwriting so clear, and it’s better if the paper edges are a bit curled. When the time comes, we’ll say it’s an heirloom of our family, and we only brought it out because we wanted to return to the Wizard Kingdom..."

Ji Yaoguang paused, looking at him with a complex expression.

"What is it?" Lin Zhao asked, puzzled.

Ji Yaoguang said in a low voice, "Ah-Zhao, didn't you just break out of your shell not long ago? How did the Wizards in that Ghost Realm teach you these... these deceptive things?"

Lin Zhao was indignant and slammed the book onto the ground. "How is it deceptive? Isn't what I said true? How is this not your family heirloom? Didn't you bring it out only because you wanted to return to the Wizard Kingdom? Where is the deception? Besides, who am I doing this for?"

*If I weren't doing this for you, you tree, I could have just gone to the Di State ruler, been escorted directly to the Wizard Kingdom, and lived a comfortable life!*