Chapter 419: Reversal of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 419: Reversal of Heaven and Earth
The ghost ship slowly approached the lonely island in the thick fog, surrounded by the silent sea, as if the whole world was holding its breath. Schelling stood at the side of the ship, looking at the jagged rocks of the island and the thin frost covering them.

There was no trace of any Durmstrang castle.

Is it possible that Durmstrang is not on this island?

That's not necessarily true. Xie Ling knew that there were many magic spells in this world that could completely hide a large building, and it had to be revealed through special methods.

The hull shook slightly and stopped approaching the shore.

The ghost ship's hull lit up slightly, and a low humming sound echoed in the air like an undercurrent. The next moment, the ship stopped moving forward and slowly sank. The sea water began to surge and swallowed the hull. Xie Ling felt an invisible force coming from the bottom of the ship, like a silent giant hand dragging the entire ship into the deep sea.

The underwater scene was completely different from what he had imagined. The seawater became bright and clear, emitting a faint blue light, and countless tiny points of light flowed around like floating stars. As the ship continued to dive, the surrounding space began to distort, and the seawater seemed to no longer be liquid, but became like a mirror reflecting reality. Then, the whole world began to "turn upside down" - Schelling saw the sky above the water turned under his feet, while the seabed was shrouded above his head like a dome of the sky. At this moment, the world was completely turned upside down, and the sea and the sky exchanged positions under this wonderful magic.

As the ship passed through the mirror-like barrier, the surrounding sea water suddenly disappeared, replaced by a lake covered with ice and snow. The ghost ship broke through the ice, and the splashes of water stirred up by the hull instantly froze, turning into countless ice crystals flying in the air, reflecting the sunlight, as if crystal fragments were scattered all over the world.

Sherin stood at the bow, gazing at the Durmstrang Castle standing between the mountains in the distance.

The ancient building seemed to be made of ice, with its outer walls glowing coldly in the sun. Countless magic runes flowed between the towers, exuding an ancient and profound atmosphere. The surrounding icy lake was like a huge mirror, reflecting the castle's reflection on the lake, forming an upside-down world, continuing the fantasy of the ship passing through the mirror.

Xie Ling took a deep breath, and the corners of his mouth raised a slight arc. He knew that after passing through this mirror world, he finally arrived at his destination, Durmstrang.

Durmstrang Castle stands between snowy mountains. The four-story building is solid and steady. It does not have the winding and complex towers and intricate decorations of Hogwarts, but it has its own style.

The castle's outer wall is made of dark grey bricks, with clear textures, as if telling the accumulation of years. The whole building is square and straight, with sharp edges and corners, exuding a sense of cold power. There are no gorgeous carvings, nor dazzling magic brilliance, only the most primitive and authentic architectural style. Occasionally, a few vertical narrow windows cut through the wall, revealing a faint light, but it looks more low-key and simple.

The surrounding land and mountains are covered with ice and snow, forming a sharp contrast with the dark gray of the castle, as if only this lonely fortress is left between heaven and earth to watch over. Compared with Hogwarts, Durmstrang is less fantasy and friendly, and more rugged and real, like a warrior who is not good at speaking but extremely reliable, hiding in this cold land, quietly waiting for wizards who come to seek power.

Xie Ling stared at the scene in front of him quietly, feeling a unique simplicity.

The ghost ship docked in Durmstrang's port.

Several strong dwarves were busy mooring the boat with ropes. With a splash, an anchor was thrown into the water, and with another snap, a wooden board was placed on the lakeshore. The students slowly got off the boat, and Schelling followed the students at the end and slowly got off the boat, his eyes leisurely admiring the special beauty around him that was different from the Scottish Highlands.

Just as Krum described to Hermione in the original book, although Durmstrang Castle has only four floors, there is an endless expanse of land around the castle. In the center of the land is the icy lake where the ghost ship is anchored, which is at least five times larger than the Black Lake. Surrounding the icy lake are endless snow-capped mountains that stretch as far as the eye can see. Except for a period of time in summer when the snow melts slightly, it is covered in white most of the time.

The Durmstrang campus grounds, including the lake, were so large that the castle looked rather small and shabby.

Two days ago, Karkaroff had learned through the communication station on the ghost ship that Schelling was visiting the ship, and also heard that Schelling almost had a conflict with the students.

When the ghost ship sent a message to the port, asking for permission to transmit, Karkaroff immediately put down everything he was doing, rushed to the port, and stood at the outer edge of the port, looking forward to it. However, his face was not very good, and he kept tightening his fur cloak, even though the weather was not as cold as it looked.

Of course, Xie Ling was, in a sense, his new boss. Who would be in a good mood to hear that his boss almost had a fight with his student?

"Karkaroff, you look in good spirits!" Sherin walked down the wooden board and greeted Karkaroff with a smile. His tone was relaxed, but it made Karkaroff feel a little chilly.

Karkaroff was now folding his hands in front of him, trying to greet Schelling in a natural manner, but the nervousness in his eyes could not be deceived. His sharp chin was slightly raised, as if he wanted to appear more confident, but his tightly pursed lips and clenched fingers betrayed his uneasiness. Because of the incident on the ghost ship, Karkaroff was now very upset about the offense of his student.

"Sir," Karkaroff forced a flattering smile and bowed slightly, "It is a great honor to see you again in Durmstrang. Did you have a smooth journey?"

Xie Ling stepped off the boat, wearing a cool and snowy aura. He looked at the slightly embarrassed headmaster in front of him, with a faint smile on his lips, but the scrutiny in his eyes made Karkaroff's heart tighten.

"It went smoothly," Xie Ling said lightly, his tone casual but with a certain majesty that could not be ignored, "However, the students on the ship seem to have a little understanding of etiquette."

Karkaroff's face changed slightly, and he said quickly: "Please rest assured, I will definitely teach those reckless guys a lesson. Durmstrang students should know the rules. This time it was my negligence that caused you trouble!"

Xie Ling looked at him with a half-smile, and it seemed that he had no intention of pursuing the matter, but this made Karkaroff even more uneasy. He waved his hand gently and said, "It's no big deal. Young people always have to go through some lessons. But... I am very curious, can Durmstrang still let me see its true charm now?"

Although these words seemed casual, they made Karkaroff sweat coldly. He knew Schelling's methods very well, so he dared not neglect them at all. He said respectfully, "Everything in Durmstrang is open to you at any time."

Xie Ling nodded with satisfaction and walked forward, leaving Karkaroff following closely behind, accompanying him carefully, not daring to relax in the slightest.