I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality Chapter 641: Lecture and Purpose

The Mist Capital Exhibition Center, a vast Baroque-style edifice, was situated on the western side of the city’s central axis.

Its exterior, clad in creamy white marble, featured four embedded Corinthian columns. The acanthus leaf carvings adorning the capitals of these columns had acquired a muted, grayish-yellow hue from the relentless smog. Dominating the area above the main entrance was the emblem of the Spirit Medium Association—an open eye cupped in a hand—staring impassively upon all who entered from beneath the overcast sky.

Following the stream of people, Jie Ming entered the exhibition center’s grand hall.

His attire today was markedly simple: a dark gray coat, faded from numerous washes, and leather boots with noticeably worn heels. This plainness stood in stark contrast to the sophisticated gentlemen and ladies surrounding him.

Public lectures hosted by the Official Spirit Medium Association were accessible to all and entirely free of charge, a seemingly beneficial arrangement for the less affluent.

However, the reality was that the exhibition center was located in an opulent district. The mere expense of public transport to this wealthy enclave was often a deterrent for ordinary citizens. The affluent, conversely, could arrive in their private vehicles or conveniently stroll over, perhaps under the guise of a leisurely walk.

Furthermore, these lectures were invariably scheduled on weekdays, a time when most civilians could ill afford to take time off work for fear of losing their employment for attending a basic informational session.

Consequently, the attendees were predominantly individuals possessing some level of financial means.

At the farthest end of the main hall, a pair of grand oak double doors led to a tiered lecture hall designed to accommodate hundreds.

The seating was upholstered in deep red velvet, complete with integrated foldable writing tablets on the armrests.

A broad stage occupied the front of the hall. Behind it, a large blackboard was mounted on the wall, designated for written notes and illustrative diagrams.

Jie Ming selected a seat near the edge of the third row from the back. While not offering the best vantage point, its proximity to an exit allowed for a swift departure if necessary.

The lecture hall gradually filled with attendees.

By the time the lecture commenced, the hall was nearly packed to capacity.

Jie Ming estimated the number of people present to be just over four hundred.

The audience comprised well-dressed individuals from the middle class, along with aspiring students equipped with notebooks. Notably, there wasn't a single person from the lower echelons dressed as plainly as he was.

A middle-aged man, attired in a dark blue uniform, ascended the stage. The Spirit Medium Association’s emblem was visible on the left breast of his uniform, and three golden bars adorned his collar, signifying a rank of “Senior Lecturer” based on Jie Ming’s recent research.

“Good morning, everyone,” the middle-aged man’s voice, though not exceptionally loud, resonated throughout the hall thanks to the robust amplification system. “Welcome to this public lecture on common Strange protection knowledge. I am Victor Raine, a specially appointed lecturer of the Association, and I will be your guide today.”

He turned towards the blackboard, the crisp sound of chalk marking the surface accompanying his movements.

“Basic Characteristics and Evolutionary Patterns of Stranges.”

Jie Ming settled back into his chair, adopting a relaxed posture.

His attendance at this lecture was largely driven by a casual inclination. However, the moment Victor Raine uttered his opening statement, Jie Ming straightened up.

“First, I wish to draw everyone’s attention to a particular phenomenon,” Victor stated, gesturing towards the first line written on the blackboard. “Stranges of the same category exhibit changes in their forms as time progresses.”

A hush fell over the lecture hall.

“Allow me to provide an example,” Victor said, turning to face the audience. “The Ghost Ship Strange. Has anyone here heard of it?”

Several hands tentatively rose from within the audience.

“The Ghost Ship Strange represents a very ancient classification. The earliest documented records date back twelve centuries. In those historical accounts, what did the Ghost Ship resemble? A wooden sailing vessel. Its hull was depicted as decayed, its sails tattered, and the ship itself overgrown with barnacles and seaweed. It was said to appear on the sea, luring nearby ships closer, ultimately dragging both vessels and their crews into the abyssal depths.”

Victor sketched a rudimentary outline of a sailing ship on the blackboard.

“Then, approximately three hundred years ago, the depiction of the Ghost Ship in recorded accounts began to shift. Wooden sailing ships became less common, supplanted by a newer form: steamships with metal hulls. Their hulls bore signs of rust, and black smoke emanated from their chimneys, though this smoke carried no discernible heat.” Beside the sailing ship, he drew a simplified representation of a steamship.

“And in contemporary times, based on records from the last fifty years, the image of the Ghost Ship has transformed once more. Steamships are also becoming infrequent, and what has begun to emerge…”

He paused, then inscribed several words onto the blackboard.

“Metal cruise ships. Large, modern luxury ocean liners. Brightly lit, but those lights do not flicker or change. They shine with a constant glow, as if imitating some kind of ‘living’ illusion.”

Low murmurs rose from the audience.

Jie Ming’s gaze rested on the blackboard. The simple lines outlining the different ship types connected in his mind into a clear evolutionary trajectory. The Ghost Ship Strange’s form was not fixed. It evolved in tandem with the development of human shipbuilding technology.

It was imitating.

Or rather, it was “learning.”

It seemed this lecturer had real substance.

Victor’s voice continued, “What does this phenomenon indicate? It indicates that Stranges are not unchanging dead things. They change their own forms as the times develop. More precisely, they ‘borrow’ the most representative symbols of human civilization to shape their own images.”

He wrote a word on the blackboard.

“Symbolism.”

“The images Stranges present are often not random, but carry certain symbolic meaning. They choose wooden sailing ships because they represent the ‘ancient ocean.’ They choose steamships because they represent the ‘industrial era’s conquest.’ They choose metal cruise ships because they represent ‘modern prosperity and luxury.’”

“Behind this symbolism lies a deeper question: Why do Stranges imitate? Where do the objects they imitate come from? How do they know that new types of ships have appeared in human society?”

Victor put down the chalk, turned around, and swept his gaze across the entire lecture hall.

“The answer may be complex, but today I want to share with everyone the currently most mainstream hypothesis in academia: Stranges have a considerable connection with intelligence and sentience.”

Jie Ming’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“Everyone should know that the “Night” does not affect animals. At night, the cats, dogs, and mice in your homes can move freely in the darkness without suffering any harm.”

“Similarly, in many records of Strange events, cases of surviving pets are common. An entire family dies, yet the household cat is still alive, walking around the corpses as if nothing happened.”

“Why?”

Victor paused, giving the audience time to think.

“Because animals lack intelligence. Or rather, the level of animal intelligence is far lower than that of humans. Stranges… at least most Stranges do not attack animals, do not attack plants, and do not attack living beings without self-awareness. Their targets are humans. More precisely, human intelligence.”

Jie Ming narrowed his eyes, becoming even more attentive.

“From this, academia has proposed a hypothesis: the birth of Stranges should also be related to intelligence. They are born from human intelligence, feed on human intelligence, or rather, use human intelligence as ‘soil.’”

“When large numbers of humans live together in one place for a long time, they form an invisible, unmeasurable ‘intelligence field.’ Once this field reaches a certain critical point, it will give birth to Stranges.”

“This is why there are far more Stranges in cities than in villages, and far more in villages than in the wilderness. It is not that Stranges prefer cities, but that cities have large populations gathered together, colliding thoughts, and intertwined desires… all of which provide the most fertile soil for the birth of Stranges.”

Jie Ming leaned back in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest.

He had already learned some basic knowledge about Stranges from the bandits’ memories, but that knowledge was fragmented and lacked a theoretical framework. What Victor explained today, while it might at most broaden ordinary people’s understanding and teach them what Stranges were, how to avoid them, and what to do when encountering danger, was extremely valuable research material to him.

These theoretical frameworks could directly accelerate his research progress on Stranges.

One could say this was the summary and induction of thousands of years of coexistence between the humans of this world and Stranges—a crystallization of experience tested by time and practice.

Jie Ming looked at the blackboard with the words “Symbolism” and “Intelligence,” especially at the enthusiastic lecturer, and nodded inwardly.

For an ordinary lecture to have such a knowledgeable lecturer delivering it—one could see the bigger picture from this small detail. It seemed the reason this world could still maintain a normal society without collapsing, and even develop a decent level of technology, was largely thanks to the Spirit Medium Association.

The lecture lasted approximately two hours.

Victor Raine covered the basic classification of Stranges, avoidance methods for common Stranges, emergency measures when encountering danger, and the Association’s alarm and assistance channels.

The content was detailed, well-organized, with both theoretical depth and practicality.

Jie Ming observed that the attendees, who resembled students, were listening with remarkable focus. Some even diligently recorded information in small notebooks.

Victor concluded his lecture with a singular, impactful statement: “Everyone, Stranges are not inherently frightening. Ignorance of them is the true terror. Knowledge serves as our greatest shield. Thank you all.”

Applause filled the room. While not overwhelmingly enthusiastic, the appreciation was undeniably genuine.

Following the lecture's conclusion, Jie Ming did not depart immediately.

He remained seated, carefully observing the actions of those around him.

The majority of attendees began to rise, engaging in conversations with their neighbors.

The ambiance within the lecture hall swiftly transformed from a state of focused listening to one of active socializing.

Well-dressed individuals, both men and women, formed intimate circles of three or four, exchanging business cards, engaging in polite conversation, and occasionally erupting in hushed, restrained laughter.

Precisely as Eric had predicted, this type of lecture served primarily as a networking event for the upper echelons of society, aimed at fostering connections. The attendees' true objective was not the lecture itself, but the subsequent social hour dedicated to meeting new people, discussing business ventures, and solidifying relationships. Once their networking quota was met, they would disperse in small groups, continuing their discussions at nearby establishments or exclusive clubs.

A few individuals cast glances in Jie Ming's direction. Their gazes skimmed past him blankly, as if he were an inconsequential piece of furniture out of place in the lecture hall. No one approached him for conversation.

Jie Ming remained unfazed. After all, his purpose for attending was not to engage in social pleasantries.

He leaned back in his chair, patiently awaiting whatever came next.

Before long, the majority of the hall's occupants had departed, though a select few remained.

Jie Ming turned his attention to these “remaining people.”

They were dispersed throughout the lecture hall—men and women spanning an age range from their early twenties to their late fifties or early sixties.

Their attire varied considerably; some exuded refinement, while others favored simplicity.

Yet, irrespective of their appearance, a distinct “aura” united them.

Each individual possessed a certain “edge.”

Comparable to a blade forged through countless cycles of quenching and tempering, its inherent sharpness was palpable even when sheathed and at rest.

These individuals were markedly different from the affluent attendees who had previously filled the hall with polite chatter and laughter during the social segment.

Jie Ming stayed seated, quietly anticipating the next development.

Moments later, a waiter, distinguished by his black vest, emerged from a discreet side door within the lecture hall.

He offered a subtle bow to the “remaining people” without uttering a word, then turned and retreated back through the small doorway.

A subtle shift occurred as people began to move.

Those scattered across the lecture hall rose one by one. Some carried briefcases, others had empty hands; some were solitary, while others moved in pairs or trios. They proceeded towards the small door in a seemingly uncoordinated fashion.

No eye contact was exchanged; a palpable, unspoken understanding governed their movements.

Jie Ming retrieved his small suitcase, rose from his seat, and joined the rear of the departing group.

Beyond the small door lay a narrow, unadorned corridor.

The walls were of exposed red brick, and the floor was laid with gray stone slabs, presenting a stark contrast to the opulence of the lecture hall. An orange-yellow lamp, suspended at intervals of several meters overhead, cast a dappled pattern of light and shadow along the passage.

Following the collective, Jie Ming navigated the winding corridor for approximately five minutes.

The path twisted several times and intersected with multiple passageways, yet the individuals ahead moved with an assured familiarity, betraying no sign of hesitation.

Finally, at the corridor's terminus, a pair of sturdy oak double doors came into view.

The doors stood ajar.

Beyond them lay a vast hall.

This hall dwarfed the lecture room they had just exited.

The floor was covered in dark wooden planks, meticulously polished to a sheen that reflected the warm glow of the lights.

Over a hundred chairs were sparsely arranged throughout the expansive space, seemingly positioned to evoke a sense of casual informality.

Several large oil paintings adorned the walls, depicting unsettling images of various Stranges that induced a subconscious sense of unease.

At the hall's forefront, a slightly elevated platform held a long table draped in a deep red velvet cloth.

On the wall directly behind the platform, the emblem of the Spirit Medium Association had been magnified to impressive proportions, dominating the wall space.

Attendees entered the hall in loose formations, casually selecting seats.

Jie Ming opted for a spot along the right-hand wall of the hall. Settling into his chair, his gaze swept across the entirety of the space.

It was immediately apparent that the atmosphere within this hall carried a significantly more potent sense of gravity compared to the preceding lecture.