297: Chapter 291: Holiday begins, but ends quickly.

Zhang Mu's letters did not reach the new students and outer sect disciples quickly—it was the holidays.

Christmas in Ying Country was approaching, and the end of the year in China was also near; "students" on both sides had to return home to accompany their families.

Except for Wino, who had no family.

And Zhang Mu, he had no family either.

In a way, the two of them miraculously formed a consensus in a certain aspect.

Of course, the details were still somewhat different.

Wino and Lake's group took the train back to London, then immediately took Klaisi into their apartment, tinkering with the detailed steps for establishing the "organization," as well as predicting potential difficulties.

The other three each returned to their own homes.

For the five people's vacation this time, the Queen treated them with her usual courtesy.

She led her dedicated motorcade to Kings Cross Station to welcome them; royal journalists filled the inside and outside, and the camera flashes merged into a single sea of light.

However, the public reaction was conversely somewhat cold.

Actually, it was not hard to understand.

Magic, long considered a product of illusion, was certainly eye-catching enough, but if it could only cast fireballs or throw lightning, people would eventually find it boring and lose interest.

For ordinary people living peaceful lives, they didn't care about what profound impact novel things might have on the world, or whether they contained some truths.

What they looked forward to was "novelty" or "fun."

They had to have one of the two.

It was always the same few things over and over; boring, hurry up and do something, make it big.

This was roughly the epitome of the general public's attitude.

In contrast, on the China side, the journey home for Luo Xiling and the others caused quite a stir.

The matter was inseparable from the magic performance held by the Queen.

Compared to Ying Country, most people in China had come into contact with the "supernatural" earlier, but through the internet.

They heard of the "Immortal crossing the tribulation," and watched low-angle videos, staring in astonishment at the giant fish soaring over the city skyline from the same angle.

Everyone was immersed in the joy of witnessing supernatural events, until they learned that Ying Country had held a magic performance, and they suddenly realized: damn it, we haven't seen "Immortal magic and Immortals" with our own eyes?

This resentment grew not only among the public but also within the functional departments.

After a period of brewing, and with the high-level officials of the Special Investigation Bureau all at the Mountain Gate, unable to find time to respond, some troublemakers even spread rumors—that China had a poor relationship with the supernatural world, so they couldn't get support or help, and naturally couldn't put on any performance.

The Director, far away at the coastal mountain base, was furious after receiving the report.

A poor relationship with Immortal Xu?

Do you know how long I've known Immortal Xu?!

Do you understand Immortal Xu, or do I?!

Of course, this indignation in his heart could not be voiced, but letting the Director bottle it up made him feel aggrieved.

Depressed, he moved a folding chair to the corner of the laboratory and pondered for a long time, then decided to do something big.

According to China's consistent tradition—too advanced, inconvenient to display. Unless it was outdated technology that had already been upgraded and phased out, it wouldn't be made public.

Conversely, anything that could be brought out for display was something they were already tired of playing with.

The Director thought to himself, this time I'll do the opposite.

Doesn't everyone think that what the country shows is all old junk?

I'm going to show off the latest progress in contact with the Mountain Gate.

Hehe, by then, both domestically and abroad, they will surely speculate that we have even more powerful things hidden away.

How did that saying from the internet go, "strategic deception turning into strategic fear."

I really am a clever little guy.

The Director boasted to himself, slapped his thigh, and stood up, heading out of the base to the seaside, preparing to call Immortal Xu to help him open the door.

But just as he put his hands to his mouth like a megaphone, the light gate suddenly opened in the air by itself.

"Whoa, as expected of Immortal Xu, he knew what I was going to do without me even making a sound."

Five figures passed through the light gate one by one, seemingly supported by an invisible force, drifting down from the sky to stand before the Director.

It wasn't until the five stood in a row that he reacted a beat late; it turned out it wasn't to help him open the door.

"What's wrong with you all, were you kicked out?"

"Do I look like I've been kicked out?"

Luo Xiling was dressed in a simple ancient-style long dress, with the moon bright sword slung across her back, the hilt protruding diagonally from one shoulder. As she said this, she proudly puffed out her small chest.

The three men and one woman behind her were dressed in the same attire, except they were still wearing the modern clothes they had worn when they first entered the Mountain Gate.

The Director looked left and right: "Why is the clothing different?"

The only girl among the four said: "Senior Sister Luo is Immortal Xu's personal disciple, so she dresses differently."

A young man added: "Also, the title for Senior Sister is wrong, we should call her Martial Uncle, but Senior Sister Luo won't let us, saying 'Martial Uncle' sounds like a man."

"You little brat, Martial Uncle is a rank, what does that have to do with gender?"

"Whatever, anyway, Master hasn't said anything."

Hearing her say this, the Director let it go; since her master agreed, what else was there for him to say?

Having resolved this doubt, the Director asked about the previous topic: "Why did you come out?"

"Master said we have been diligent in our practice, so he gave us a holiday to go home for the New Year."

"Oh, did Immortal Xu send you out of the Mountain Gate?"

"Yes, and he reminded us not to slack off at home, as there is an important task when we return after the New Year."

The Director keenly caught the word "task" and immediately perked up: "What task? Is it convenient to disclose?"

The five looked at each other, hesitation in their brows: "Immortal Xu didn't say anything about that."

"There is nothing that cannot be said." Ye Ming's voice came from above.

Looking up, it was the Special Investigation Bureau personnel being sent out of the light gate, falling toward the ground.

Just as they steadied themselves, the Director hurriedly asked: "What is the task? Elaborate."

Ye Ming smiled: "It's nothing confidential.

Immortal Xu said the five of them have practiced well enough, and after returning from their holiday, they can go down the mountain for training.

Um... I don't know the reason, but Immortal Xu asked me to accompany them, and as for the rest, if you want to stay as guests at Yuzhang Mountain, feel free."

"I see..." The Director crossed his arms and pondered for a while, feeling he couldn't grasp the meaning, "Immortal Xu has his own intentions; in any case, he won't harm us, so just follow the instructions."

After speaking, he remembered his own plan: "You both say the practice is okay, but what exactly have you accomplished?"

"We can perceive Qi and use Qi to control the sword."

Sword flight?

The Director's eyes lit up; this is good, this is good!

"How long can you fly?"

Luo Xiling raised her hand to grip the sword hilt protruding from her shoulder, frowning as she estimated: "Master said the mundane world has no Qi, so we can only use what is stored in our bodies.

According to my current cultivation level, plus what's inside the moon bright sword... about ten hours."

The facts were indeed as she described, but one detail was hidden—of the ten hours, nine hours and fifty-five minutes were the "spiritual energy" of the moon bright sword.

The Director was even more excited after hearing this: "Good! You all will fly by sword directly when you go back, first to Su City, and then take the Special Investigation Bureau's private plane home."

"Uh..." the girl looked at Luo Xiling, "Senior Sister Luo, are ten hours enough to fly back to Su City?"

"It's not like you haven't tried it; flying by sword is very fast, it's plenty."

After giving her guarantee, Luo Xiling was about to form the sword hand seal, but the Director stopped her: "Don't be in a hurry; I need to contact headquarters to build momentum first, and apply for a flight path by the way. You leave after noon."

"But we only have three days of holiday, tomorrow will be..."

The Director, already in a state of ecstasy, completely ignored her complaints and took out his Mobile Phone, walking away.

Ye Ming and the others didn't need to participate, so after saying goodbye to Luo Xiling and the others, they went together to the base to catch a plane home.

The remaining five were helpless and sat down on the spot, gazing at the waves crashing against the shore.

After watching for a while, feeling the waves were just so-so, the girl asked: "Senior Sister Luo, does sword flight also require applying for a flight path?"

A young man nearby explained for her: "Actually, it's just to report it, so we aren't identified as an unidentified flying object by radar along the way and shot down by a missile."

"Ah?" The girl was very shocked, her mouth wide open, "Is sword flight that dangerous? Kunpeng Immortal flew several times and was fine."

As she spoke, she pointed to the sky.

Everyone looked up together.

The giant fish, its body vast like a floating island, hovered in the sky, occasionally flicking its tail as if looking down at the mortal world.

"Can Martial Uncle be compared to us?" Luo Xiling, sitting in a squat, hugged her legs, "He and Master can hide their bodies; modern technology can't detect them at all. Even if they reveal themselves and fly openly in the sky, missiles hitting them would be useless."

"That's true."

Feeling that this topic had reached its end, the girl cleverly opened a new one: "Why does the Director want us to fly home by sword?"

"I guess it's to show off," one of the three young men speculated.

Luo Xiling felt bored and didn't join the idle chat, instead keeping her feet together, slightly separating them, and then knocking them together hard, repeating the cycle, trying to use this as a pastime.

The group busied themselves with their own things, finally passing the insipid morning.

Just past twelve o'clock, the Director ran over: "Quick, go, I've already put identification codes on you, fly wherever you want!"

Hearing this, the five, who had long been bored to death, immediately stood up and formed the sword hand seal; the long swords on their backs automatically unsheathed and hovered at their feet.

They stepped onto the horizontal sword blades, changed the sword seal, and the five swords carried the five people straight into the high sky.

The Director stood with his hands on his hips, watching the five figures shrinking rapidly with satisfaction, thinking that his hard work over the past few days hadn't been in vain; the next generation had finally grown up.

"Damn it! I don't know the way!" Luo Xiling's exclamation drifted from afar.

His mouth twitched, and he turned to walk toward the base on the other side of the mountain: "If they circle around a few more times, the task will be completed, and then we'll call a plane to pick them up."

At the same time, Zhang Mu, who was watching the whole process while activating his Shadow Technique, felt very melancholy; his decision to take on apprentices back then had been too hasty.

They've been practicing for months, and their Mental Energy intensity is still not enough to manipulate the functional switches of magic items; they still need me to give them a push. What a disaster!

Zhang Mu sighed and wrung his hands, but it was too late to say anything now.

Taking advantage of the fact that she hadn't flown far, he mobilized his magic power to transmit a voice message: "Mobile Phone, navigation."

The five people's Mobile Phones were all specially equipped by the Special Investigation Bureau; as long as they were on the Blue Planet, they would have a signal.

Seeing Luo Xiling, who was about to shrink into a black dot, take out her Mobile Phone, Zhang Mu felt relieved and his body soared into the sky, heading toward London.

The five new students over there hadn't been notified yet; he had to go over and deliver the letters.

...

The Queen's Palace.

Toby, Lyon, and Misha, after returning home to report their safety to their parents, immediately rushed back to the palace to see the Queen.

The Queen received them in the reception hall.

By the long table, the Queen, already accustomed to her youthful state, smiled and exchanged pleasantries with the three: "Tomorrow is Christmas; you should be by your parents' side at this time."

Toby's face was solemn; he looked around the hall and said: "Your Majesty, Wino and Klaisi and the others... you need to pay some attention to them."

"Is it about the organization?"

Lyon and Toby were stunned: "You know?"

"Hehe." The Queen covered her lips with the back of her hand and chuckled softly, "Don't underestimate the sense of smell of us old folks."

Perhaps because the less one lacks something, the less one avoids talking about it, the Queen, who previously didn't like others mentioning her old age, was now joking about her own age.

"Then why... don't you stop them?"

"There is no need, Toby." The Queen placed her hands folded on her lap, "The most critical thing is that Mr. Dumbledore doesn't seem to care, so we don't need to pay too much attention either."

It wasn't that the Queen was naive and simple, easily trusting Hogwarts and Dumbledore.

But rather... in the face of an existence that could crush her with a single finger, speculating whether it harbored malice was truly superfluous.

If it wanted to destroy her, it could do so with a wave of a staff, and she would have no power to resist.

The three didn't quite understand the Queen's psychological journey, but since she knew about Wino's secret actions, they thought they didn't need to worry.

They stood up, bowed, and prepared to leave.

Just after taking two steps from the wooden chairs, three Owls suddenly flew into the hall from outside, carrying envelopes in their beaks.

The Queen stood up abruptly: "Has the recruitment for the second batch of new students begun?"

"I think, probably not." Toby extended his arm, and a snowy white Owl landed on it, its sharp talons tightening to steady itself.

He took off the envelope, used his fingers to extract the folded letter paper, and shook it open: "This is from the senior who delivered the letter to me when I enrolled, so it should have nothing to do with recruitment.

Let me see... sure enough, uh, a magical combat class is going to start?"

Lyon and Misha had also finished reading their letters by now; the former was somewhat surprised: "Your Majesty, the letter says that the magical combat course has a certain degree of danger, and new students can choose to give it up, but relatively speaking, they will be expelled from Hogwarts."

A certain degree of danger?

The Queen took the letter paper Misha handed to her and quickly browsed it: "I see..."

Soon, she looked up: "All members of the royal family, including myself, will not force you to participate in the course; you decide for yourselves."

The three looked at each other and read something in each other's firm eyes.

Lyon patted his chest: "The status of a Hogwarts new student is something many people desire but cannot reach; being able to become a Magic Apprentice is my honor. I have no reason to persuade myself to give up, Your Majesty."

Toby and Misha stood beside him, using their actions to demonstrate their identical will.

"The royal family will fully cooperate and support you."

"Then now..." Toby hugged his arms and pondered for a few seconds, "Lyon, Misha, it's a pity, but our holiday that just began is about to end.

We must return to school immediately and try our best to cram for the magical creatures class before the combat class starts."

The letter mentioned that after the new students return to school, there is a three-day magical creatures class, intended for mastering the basic habits of magical creatures, so that they won't be at a loss during the combat class.

And if the new students arrive at school early, the magical creatures class will start early accordingly.

For the sake of a little more hope of survival, Toby was naturally willing to give up his holiday and use all the saved time to enrich his almost completely blank knowledge of magical creatures.

Lyon and Misha agreed, immediately set off to go home, grabbed their unopened suitcases, and stepped onto the train back to school at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.