First University Nine Provinces College Astronomy 08-1 Class (First-Year Freshmen):
Uniform: Two sets of plain red College robes (long and short styles), standard issue, overlapping collar, right lapel, made of cold silkworm silk;
One set of seven pairs of work gloves, made from Alchemy works or Yao Beast hide (Dragon hide, deer hide, or shark hide are all acceptable);
One black cloak (standard issue, can be paired with a silk belt)
Note: Student IDs are uniformly supervised and issued by the University.
Textbooks (Required): "Standard Spells: University First Year" by Yao Xiaomi
"Celestial Writings: University First Year" by Emma Knightley
"Basic Talisman: University First Year" by Zhang Huaigu and Sima Yangyun
"Standard Potions: University First Year" by Li Qi Huang
"Foundational Yi Studies: University First Year" by Yi Jiazi
"Grand History: Modern and Contemporary World History" by Wizard Education Press, Wizard Alliance Modern and Contemporary History Compiling Committee
"Philosophy of Magic" by First University Press, by Carl Strauss
Note: Other elective textbooks can be borrowed from Shushan Library at Nine Provinces College.
Equipment: Wizard Book (Rank 1 standard issue - must be able to hold at least five Spells)
Alchemy Cauldron (Rank 3 fire level or below is acceptable)
One set of jade utensils (standard issue · No. 3)
Note 1: Talisman paper, Talisman brushes, etc., can be self-prepared or applied for from the professors of corresponding subjects for relevant learning resources.
Note 2: Do not bring dangerous creatures with strong offensive capabilities. Do not bring creatures certified by international authoritative organizations as broadly dangerous. Do not bring Puppets refined by dark sorcery.
Note 3: Please bring a standard timer.
“What is this standard timer?”
“It refers to timers like mechanical watches, electronic clocks, and atomic clocks that can accurately measure time. The University means to prohibit you from bringing non-standard timers like hourglasses, sundials, or even roosters. On one hand, these timers are very ineffective in precise magic experiments; furthermore, for a period, students liked to wander around with a chicken on their shoulder, and chicken droppings were everywhere, which greatly displeased the School Affairs Committee. So now, standard timers are uniformly required.”
“But why must we bring a timer?”
“Because the mission of a Wizard is to precisely understand this world, and time is the most standard measure of everything. For greater precision, the University requires you to carry a standard timer.”
“The standard of everything?” Zheng Qing found it a bit difficult to understand.
“The standard of everything. From large to small, from distance to weight, from the degree of myopia in eyes to a Wizard’s professional Rank, time is the ultimate scale of all things. At the Fifth Wizard Standard Conference three hundred years ago, time scales replaced other artificial scales and became the basis for all standards.”
“While I can understand what you mean, why?”
“That is why you need to study at the University.”
“Is there a place in Pingyang that sells these things?” Zheng Qing stared at the clearly itemized paper, reading it slowly, then asked very strangely.
“Not here, but you can go to other places, some are far away… In fact, there isn't a real Wizard gathering place here, at most some small markets, where you can't buy standard equipment. You know, true Wizard gathering places are quite rare, only three or four in all of China.” As a qualified interviewer, Thomas patiently enlightened Zheng Qing.
“Where are they? Are they places ordinary people can't see?” Zheng Qing blinked.
“Yes.” Thomas answered very straightforwardly.
“Humph ha!” Zheng Qing let out a strange cry, “Then, what if ordinary people find out?”
“Hmm,” Thomas was stunned, then said helplessly: “But they shouldn't be able to see them. And there are special agencies to supervise these matters, so generally nothing goes wrong. Of course, even if something does happen, it’s not a big deal, after all, we can use Spells. Oh, by the way, are you an adult?”
“How old is an adult?” Zheng Qing asked cautiously.
“Eighteen.” Thomas’s eye twitched, and he answered softly.
“Hehe, I thought your method of calculation was different.” The cowlick on Zheng Qing’s head quickly burrowed into his other hair, and he muttered softly: “My birthday is in April, calculated by the lunar calendar, so it will probably be a few more days until my birthday.”
“Hmm?” Thomas frowned, then lowered his head and said very seriously: “Then, I want to use some quicker methods to directly reach our destination, but it requires you to be an adult, so…”
“Got it, got it!” Zheng Qing immediately became excited: “Is it ‘Apparition’ or ‘Side-Along Apparition’? Or some other kind of instant teleportation?”
“Cough!” Thomas coughed awkwardly, and chuckled: “Although I don't know what you're saying, I generally understand what you mean. Did your teacher teach you these things? But our common term is ‘Dao’. Get ready!”
With that, without waiting for Zheng Qing to respond, he reached out and grabbed him. Immediately, amidst a soft murmur, Zheng Qing felt as if all forty-eight thousand pores on his body simultaneously let out comfortable, trembling groans, and a blinding light fiercely pierced into his eyes. His vision went black, and he immediately lost consciousness.
By the time Zheng Qing’s consciousness returned, the comfortable feeling had not yet faded, and his body was still a little weak. But before his eyes was a pitch-black darkness, and only by the surrounding noisy sounds could he tell that he had arrived at an unfamiliar place.
“Is it always this dark here?” Not seeing Thomas, Zheng Qing was a little nervous and shouted at the top of his lungs.
The surroundings immediately quieted down.
“If I were you, my first reaction upon arriving in a strange place would definitely not be to yell.” Thomas’s relaxed voice sounded beside him, and the murmuring of Spells also began, but no matter what, Zheng Qing could not see him.
Accompanying the sound of the Spell, a sour stinging sensation wrapped around Zheng Qing’s eyeballs and fiercely rubbed them, forcing out a string of tears. Zheng Qing groaned in pain and comfort, covering his eyes with his hand, and blinking hard twice.
Gentle sunlight swept across Zheng Qing’s eyeballs through the gaps in his fingers. Zheng Qing quickly lowered his hand, just in time to see Thomas put away a brown notebook, while many people in various strange costumes around them were curiously looking at him.
“Very good, very good.” Thomas’s face was a little pale and he seemed very nervous, but seeing Zheng Qing open his eyes, he couldn't help but smile: “I have always believed that there are only unqualified Wizards, no unsafe Spells, and it seems this understanding is correct.”
“But you didn’t tell me to close my eyes.” Zheng Qing lowered his head, rubbing his eyes, and complained.
“I thought that way, you would have a deeper impression of casting safety. This will be very useful for you in the future.” Thomas patted his shoulder irresponsibly. It seemed that returning to this world made him less cautious, appearing very free and uninhibited. His well-tailored suit had also turned into a loose gray robe.
“This is the market you mentioned, right?” Zheng Qing awkwardly rubbed his nose, straightened his clothes, and turned his gaze to his surroundings, the cowlick on his head also bristling again.