The sun had already vanished behind the academy's towering walls.
Only a faint glow remained in the sky.
The night breeze brushed across the lake, and ripples lazily spread over the water.
The Crimson Birds that had been resting on the lake began to stir. They pulled their necks out from beneath their wings, shook their heads, and slowly spread their enormous wings.
A breeze swept over the treetops, carrying down a few withered leaves.
The wind by the lake was somewhat chilly.
Zheng Qing was still wearing a short-sleeved summer shirt beneath his robe.
He shivered, pulled a towel from the Gray Cloth Bag, and draped it over the cardboard box in his arms.
The two groups of freshmen had yet to leave the lakeside.
Nicholas was carefully examining several freshmen. In his view, any freshman who had gotten too close to the mermen would be exposed to the evil radiation they emitted.
"This terrifying radiation will disrupt your magical power and affect your placement exams at the beginning of term," Nicholas warned solemnly. Then he handed each examined freshman a mint candy. "Mint can effectively dispel the mermen's evil radiation."
Although Zheng Qing was doubtful, he obediently accepted the examination.
Because Xiao Xiao, who was always fond of flaunting his knowledge, had not objected to Nicholas's thorough inspection.
Not far away, another senior guide was still endlessly criticizing Liu Feifei for being clumsy.
The girl holding the cobra stood there pitifully, her eyes red-rimmed.
"She isn't stupid. She just doesn't understand what's going on." Nicholas walked over and comforted her. "Freshmen don't know about these things. It'll be fine once they're properly explained."
The surrounding freshmen had already felt that the guide was making too much of a fuss, and they all chimed in at once.
Liu Feifei