Spellbook

Zheng Qing dejectedly lowered his head, but quickly raised it again, his eyes flashing as he said, "Then can I exchange money from the outside for money here?"

"Of course," Thomas's face flushed slightly. "Currency exchange has a dedicated chapter in the admissions guide, you can look it up later. However, it's always a bad deal to buy wizarding items with Muggle money, just like that bat."

He pointed a finger at a dark, shapeless mass hanging from the top edge of the display window. "That bat doesn't have any special abilities, it's not a high-level pet, but its price in outside currency would be around a hundred thousand, plus a 10% handling fee."

Zheng Qing immediately turned his head away, abandoning his idea.

"Don't you have a pet?" Thomas looked at him in confusion. "One pet is enough. They are all very spiritual. If you keep several different pets, conflicts can easily arise between them."

"I have a pet?" Zheng Qing was greatly surprised.

There were indeed two small animals at home.

A hamster, and a small dog.

The hamster had arrived at his home at some point and built a small nest out of sawdust and cotton on the balcony. This little fellow was quite intelligent; it would clean up its own droppings and other waste. When the balcony window was open, it would throw the dirt outside. Professor Zheng was very surprised when he discovered this. The old man had his own particular habits and concerns, and under his strict orders, the hamster was allowed to live openly on the balcony, occasionally even enjoying some of the food offered during the Zheng family's ancestral rites.

The puppy was the offspring of a pregnant stray dog that Zheng Qing had found by the roadside some time ago. After giving birth, the mother dog had vanished without a trace. Zheng Qing worried that she had been taken to be cooked for meat, but after searching for several days, he found no results.

Although there were two little creatures at home, Zheng Qing hadn't thought of them when Thomas mentioned pets.

It was like how some people like to start businesses; they don't truly enjoy the chaos and pressure, but rather the financial freedom that comes with a successful venture.

His mentor had once said, "Seek substance, not just appearance."

The pets in Zheng Qing's heart were wizarding pets.

As someone who had only truly encountered this strange world after becoming an adult, Zheng Qing always felt a faint sense of distance from Thomas and the Four Seasons Market.

Even as he walked among robes and cloaks, he was still just a high school graduate.

He didn't need a pet for the sake of having one; he needed the sense of reality that a pet could bring him, a tangible connection to the wizarding world.

"Your little fox," Thomas said casually, looking around the shops and occasionally down at the phone in his hand. "Although it's not a powerful spirit beast, as a member of the fox demon tribe, it's a very good pet... This is the Shangyuan Bookstore, a designated authorized dealer of the Wizard Alliance."

"You mean Poseidon? Isn't that a puppy?"

"Poseidon? A very powerful name. Of course, I'm quite sure it's a fox demon. I don't know how you got it, but it's clear it has become your pet." Thomas pointed to a quaint and solemn shop in front of them and said to Zheng Qing, "Now, you go and buy your own spellbook. As the most important tool for a wizard's spellcasting, you need to decide which one to buy yourself. The only advice I can give you is 'intuition'."

"Do I need a spellbook for everything?" Zheng Qing looked up at the wooden carving of an open hardcover book on the sign by the entrance, feeling a bit nervous.

"Yes, yes," Thomas's face suddenly showed a hint of impatience, which lent a heavy pressure to his normally stern demeanor. "I should have expected you to ask that. Yes, always trust the power of your own hand seals, just like those ninjas in Japan who only trust the speed of their hand seals. Can't you imagine a casting method that has both power and speed? Why do you always doubt authority?"

"I'm just a little curious," Zheng Qing felt Thomas's agitation was rather inexplicable.

"Go on in, I'll wait for you outside." Thomas's voice was somewhat low.

Spellbooks were the wizarding books on the list.

According to Thomas's explanation, spellbooks were the primary means by which wizards cast spells.

Wizards analyzed and copied spells into spellbooks during their daily study and experiments. When used, the spells could truly unleash their power after being activated through chanting or other means.

In simpler terms, a wizard without a spellbook was like a tiger without teeth.

The entrance of the Shangyuan Bookstore was decorated with ancient solemnity. Intricate runes were carved into the dark green steps and floor. The dark red, heavy wooden door, however, was exceptionally simple, with only a plaque bearing the words "Shangyuan" hanging above the lintel.

Behind the entrance counter stood a large cabinet filled with various certificates.

"Special Permit for Spellbook Production and Sales by the Wizard Alliance"

"Moonlit Council—Designated Dealer for Bolognese Spellbooks"

"Luofu—Designated Dealer for Song Dynasty Spellbooks"

"First University Spellbook Research Institute Partner"

Rows of honors and special permits hung there, showcasing the store's credibility.

"Good afternoon!" The bookstore clerk was tall and thin, wearing a blue robe and small round glasses, greeting Zheng Qing with a smile. "I am the business manager of Shangyuan Bookstore, you can call me Xiao Yuan. Are you a new student enrolling in the fall? What kind of spellbook are you looking for?"

Zheng Qing didn't answer immediately.

The bookstore was filled with many wooden cabinets covered with thick, transparent glass. Through the glass display cases, one could see spellbooks neatly arranged on shelves.

"I'd like to look around and get some information first," Zheng Qing said vaguely.

Thomas had repeatedly emphasized the importance of spellbooks for wizards and said that choosing a spellbook required relying on a wizard's intuition.

What was intuition?

Zheng Qing was a little bewildered.

He walked around a few cabinets twice, staring at the elaborately formatted books for a long time, but felt no sudden inspiration or sense of connection.

"These are Western-style hardcover editions," the business manager, Xiao Yuan, said as he saw Zheng Qing pause in front of a cabinet. "If you'd like to take a closer look, we can take one out for you."

Zheng Qing hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Xiao Yuan put on a pair of clean white soft leather gloves, took out a thick spellbook from the cabinet, and carefully flipped through it.

"This is a 17th-century Venetian binding. The style continues Venice's characteristic opulence. Baden-Württemberg calfskin, inlaid with silver runes; gilded edges, with a 'Calm Mind and Focus Spell' book edge illustration. Of course, if you need it, the store also has Venetian bindings with a 'Kiss of the Bridge of Sighs' book edge illustration—young people prefer that style. As you can see, the corners of this spellbook are silver-plated, and the front flyleaf has a masterfully drawn 'Five Aggregates Exorcism Spell.' Even if you don't record spells, you could smash a few fierce spirits with this book alone."

"How much is it?"

"Eighteen Jade Coins," the store clerk said with a smile, handing Zheng Qing a pair of gloves.

"It's a bit heavy," Zheng Qing put on the gloves, hefted the book, and shook his head.