High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1536: Chapter 280: See Each Other Twice in Three Days

”I haven’t done anything yet!”

Nikita widened his eyes, looked at the Warlock, then at the vanished water eye, his face full of disbelief: ”This wasn’t me... Can you follow the rules for once?”

Forbidden Curses don’t follow any rules, Zheng Qing silently replied in his heart.

”...Why did it suddenly explode?” The Female Demon patted her towering chest, feigning a frightened expression: ”It startled me so much, my heart almost jumped out.”

Zheng Qing finally looked at her seriously.

”If it jumps out, I can sell it for you. On the magic potion market, Witch Demon hearts are always in high demand.” He made a malicious joke and simultaneously pointed out the Female Demon’s little scheme directly: ”So, stop pretending to be Zhu Si... Even Zhu Si wouldn’t act as timid as you’re pretending to be. You’re a Female Demon, could you perhaps act just slightly more ferocious? Okay?”

”Acting weak and helpless slightly improves my survival rate.” The Female Demon glanced at the Warlock with her beautiful yet deathly still scarlet eyes, her voice trembling as before.

Zheng Qing let out a deep sigh, deciding to give up trying to wake this ever-drama-performing Demon.

”I roughly understand how narrow this passage is,” he said with a straight face, glancing at the Female Demon, shaking the muzzle of his gun as a gesture: ”Let’s head back... The folks up there must be getting impatient.”

The corners of the Female Demon’s mouth twitched, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing as she obediently swam back toward the shore. Faintly, Zheng Qing could hear her muttering softly, saying things like ”no manners,” ”no magic rules,” ”Captain above,” ”completely unreasonable,” and other such nonsensical complaints.

The cat tail coiled around his waist quivered slightly.

Zheng Qing resisted the urge to stir the spot where the water eye had been with his tail again.

In the instant that water eye shattered, he realized what had happened—inside him, the Forbidden Curse was now in a state of readiness. Although he was continually extracting magic power from the curse through his Charm Gun to delay its eruption, it was merely a temporary fix and not a permanent solution. The massive and destructive magic power continued to swirl around him.

The narrow passage before him couldn’t withstand this force.

He needed a broader, sturdier passage.

Preferably as vast as the sky, as solid as a mountain. The Warlock stepped out of the water, instinctively raising his eyes to the heavens, then followed the color of the sky all the way down until his gaze landed on the shadow of the distant green hills.

”How’s it going?” A familiar voice interrupted the Warlock’s thoughts by his ear.

He snapped back to reality, only to meet Jiang Yu’s inquisitive glance.

”There was a minor hiccup,” Zheng Qing forced a smile: ”Doctor’s path really won’t work.”

”Because you blew it up,” Nikita’s resentful voice chimed in beside him: ”We could’ve queued to cross... Why did you have to poke it with your finger?”

Jiang Yu looked at the Female Demon, then at the helpless Warlock.

”Sounds like a good thing,” her cat ears quivered faintly, her tone openly cheerful: ”Even though I don’t know exactly what happened, anything that annoys her is surely a good thing.”

...

...

”This isn’t a good thing, really.”

The pale, hairless old cat walked through the cavernous hall with a cane, muttering incessantly in his shrill, unpleasant voice: ”Two days, three visits to see the Elder in two days... this is not a good thing.”

Xiao Xiao clasped his hands in front of his belly, bowed his head, following obediently behind the old cat, silent as if he hadn’t heard the sharp complaining.

Xin Fat Man lagged half a step behind, walking on Xiao Xiao’s left side, his eyes darting around. Even though this was his third time entering the museum, he still found the exhibits overwhelming. The long and dull history of Wusa’s small town was infused with the exotic charm of Dreamland, making the artifacts irresistibly fascinating.

The old cat’s cane suddenly stopped its rhythmic tapping. It led the two young Wizards past an ivory-colored table to stand before a curtain.

Both young Wizards instantly became more alert.

”Elder Atar is conducting mass for the faithful,” the old cat lowered his voice slightly, using the tip of the cane to lift the edge of the curtain: ”You may only visit him after he concludes this sacred ceremony... Of course, if you are interested, you may enter and briefly experience the holy and solemn atmosphere.”

The guests exchanged glances.

Xiao Xiao adjusted his glasses and nodded slightly, while Xin Fat Man firmly shook his head. The old cat stared blankly at the patterns on the floor, appearing utterly indifferent to the silent disagreement among the guests.

In the end, Xiao Xiao carried his notebook into the curtain, while Fat Man sat obediently outside.

”Bastit! Bastit!” Elder Atar’s voice rang out clear and resonant from the pulpit.

Below the platform, the faithful raised their hands—and their paws—together: ”Bastit! Meow!”

Xiao Xiao noticed that in this hall, the followers included not only citizens of Wusa but also cats of various sizes and colors. Unlike other places, within this sacred hall, the cats had their own designated spots, sitting side by side with the city’s human residents.

”Bastit! Have mercy on us!” Elder Atar’s powerful voice reverberated from the stage: ”Please hear our prayers... Bastit! Have mercy on us!”

”Bastit! Share your kindness and glory!” The congregation below shouted in unison: ”Bastit!”

”Bastit! Guardian of Wusa!”

”Please have mercy on us, Bastit!”

”Bastit! That profound and pure sacred brilliance!”

”Please have mercy on us, Bastit!”

”Bastit! Ancient, holy, merciful!”

”Please have mercy on us, Bastit!”

”Our one and only God!”

”Please have mercy on us, Bastit!”

Xiao Xiao frowned, standing in the shadow of the curtain. This was the very back of the hall, where no one would notice his slight impropriety. The short-statured Wizard hugged his notebook, with a green feather pen gliding over its pages, producing soft, scratchy sounds.

This faint noise easily disappeared amidst the hall’s fervent and focused atmosphere.

Perhaps it was a mere illusion, but Xiao Xiao felt that the elder on the stage threw him a quick and discreet glance, though the gaze faded swiftly, swallowed again by the resonant preaching:

”...Bastit! Our God! We are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hands.”

”God said, those who never visited Me now seek Me; I give them answers. Those who never searched for Me, I let them find Me. To those who never bore My name, I say, ’Here I am, here I am.’”

”To all who bow before the altar, I will not remain silent.”