Go, Go, Go! Hurry Up and Go!
Dumbledore's deep blue eyes, hidden behind his Half-moon Spectacles and as profound as the deepest lake, were now gazing gently at the little girl before him who looked exceptionally "well-behaved"—Chu Yao.
She stood straight, her hands folded in front of her, with a perfectly measured, slightly shy smile on her lips. She looked like a model example straight out of the "Code of Conduct for Sect Disciples."
(Chu Yao's inner thoughts: Well-behaved.jpg. I'm a professional! I honed this skill over the years by fooling Master, Martial Uncles, and those other old foxes!)
Yet the intuition Dumbledore had developed over many years as a headmaster, along with a certain special radar for "potential troublemakers," was quietly sounding an alarm.
Almost subconsciously, he discreetly channeled his magic and tried to use Legilimency to glimpse the girl's true thoughts beneath her calm exterior.
Then—
His consciousness seemed to slam into an invisible, intangible, yet incredibly resilient wall!
No, it was more like a spreading fog, so thick it could not be dispersed. No matter how he channeled his magic, his vision remained a hazy blur of chaos, and he could not catch even a vague fragment.
Dumbledore: "..."
It felt rather like trying to see through a stone wrapped in eighteen layers of cotton candy.
Just as Dumbledore was feeling slightly surprised, a large hand landed heavily on his shoulder, hard enough to make his deep crimson robes shake.
"Hahaha!" Chu Kuangren let out a booming laugh loud enough to shake dust loose, his face wearing a smug "I knew this would happen" look. "Old friend, don't waste your effort! Your Legilimency won't work on us Eastern cultivators!"
He pointed to his temple, his voice carrying a touch of a cultivator's distinctive pride. "What we cultivate is spiritual consciousness, and what we temper is the soul! Occlumency is a basic skill for us. It's protected airtight, harder to crack than a vault at Gringotts! How could we let you see our memories so easily?"
A trace of understanding flashed in Dumbledore's eyes. He promptly withdrew his magic and gave him a perfectly measured, apologetic smile. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Albus was being rude."
He gently stroked his long beard, his tone still mild. "It's just that, as the headmaster of Hogwarts, it's a professional habit. I always hope to get to know my future students as soon as possible, to make sure they can adapt to their new environment..."
(Dumbledore's inner thoughts: Mainly, I wanted to see whether this child was another potential "troublemaker." After all, the roof of Hogwarts can't withstand any more trials.)
"No harm done! No harm done!" Chu Kuangren waved a large hand, looking utterly magnanimous.
He turned to Chu Yao, and his previously bold and hearty tone did an instant one-eighty, filling with deep "reluctance to part" and "distress." "Alas, my little disciple may sometimes be a bit naughty, a little mischievous, and just a tiny bit wild... but! When it comes to important matters of right and wrong, she's absolutely clear-headed! She's never made a mistake! For this Eastern and Western magic (cultivation) cultural exchange, if Minister Li of the Ministry of Education hadn't specifically insisted on naming Yao'er to go study abroad and see the world... She's still so young, and her cultivation is shallow. I really can't bear to part with her!"
As he reached the emotional part, Chu Kuangren even raised his sleeve and vigorously wiped the corners of his eyes, which were completely dry, without a trace of moisture.
(Chu Kuangren's inner thoughts: Hurry up and go, little ancestor! If you stay any longer, the sect cafeteria's budget will be blown! Junior Brother Zhang is almost in tears from how much you eat! Minister Li's move to "divert the trouble westward" is exactly to my liking!)
Author's note: Thank you, my dear readers, for the bookmarks, likes, check-ins, comments, flowers, gold coins, and memberships. Love you all, heart hands ♥