A few moments later, the Mother of Ghouls slowly awoke, a faint Buddhist light emanating from her body. Then, Luo Guang watched as she transformed from a plump, male-looking Buddha into a graceful young woman. Her tattered cassock was replaced by vibrant silk, and her black hair was styled in a classical bun. Her light pink lips were slightly parted, and her snow-white skin exuded a noble aura. Beneath her wide silk sleeves were two large objects, which made her appear more intellectual and gentle.
"She can transform?" Luo Guang thought in surprise.
The three girls standing beside him were equally astonished. The pot-bellied Buddha statue had turned into a woman? The sudden transformation from a male form to a female one was hard to process.
Upon waking, the Mother of Ghouls opened her eyes and slowly stood up. Her gaze lingered on Sona Sitri for a few seconds before settling on Luo Guang.
"Thank you, benefactor, for helping me escape the miasma of resentment. It's a pity that those poor children were unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation." The woman's face showed a look of sadness. She was the Mother of Loving Children. Over the past few decades, she would occasionally regain consciousness, if only for a brief moment, and feel the resentment of the infant spirits grow with each passing day.
Seeing the woman stare at him, Luo Guang felt that if he didn't say something, she would continue to do so. "That has nothing to do with you. After all, you are just a minor deity," Luo Guang said.
The title of "Mother of Ghouls" was not unique to one person. It was a position, and anyone who followed the rules could hold it, much like the Earth God or Mountain God. The Mother of Ghouls in front of them was responsible for the territory controlled by the Sitri family, but her power was not enough to resist the resentment of the infant spirits.
"Even so, it was my dereliction of duty. With your abilities, benefactor, you are more suitable for this position. I wonder if..."
Luo Guang knew what she was going to say, so he cut her off. "This position is still yours. Instead of discussing this with me, you should think about how you will repay me. If you have nothing, then I'm leaving." He had no interest in taking on a divine position.
Hearing this, the Mother of Ghouls sighed slightly. "In that case, I will not force the matter."
Then she took a small flag from her sleeve. "My power is weak, and I have no divine weapons. I can only give you this small flag."
Luo Guang took the flag and looked at it. It looked like an ancient Eastern battle flag, but it was covered in black patterns and emitted a black mist.
"This small flag is a formation flag that once resided within an infant spirit. After I sent him to his next life, the flag was left behind."
"Human Emperor Banner?"
"...No, benefactor, have you ever seen a Human Emperor Banner that emits a black mist?"
"Yes. The international version, the one that's refined with that stuff."
"..."
The Mother of Ghouls didn't know what "that stuff" was, but Sona Sitri and Tsubaki Shinra did. They couldn't help but let out a snicker when they realized what he was talking about.
"In any case, benefactor... I don't know the specific function of this flag, but it should be able to serve a greater purpose in your hands."
After saying that, the Mother of Ghouls' figure became somewhat transparent. "My power is weak, and my foundation is unstable... I need to rest. Benefactor, do you have any other requests?"
"Do you have any other magical artifacts?" Luo Guang asked.
"...No," she replied.
"Then I'm going back."
"Wait, Lady Aizai," Sona Sitri said, using the Mother of Ghouls' original name. "I am the next head of the Sitri family, Sona Sitri. I am the lord of this city. If you have any problems in the future, you can contact me."
Sona said this with a serious expression.
"The next head of the Sitri family, you say? If you want to help... you should manage the human world properly. Compared to a hundred years ago, there are so many more infant spirits with nowhere to go," she sighed.
"I will be more attentive to it," Sona replied.
"Wait, Mother of Ghouls," Yayoi Hozuki, who had been quiet, finally spoke.
The Mother of Ghouls lowered her head slightly. Seeing that it was a child, her face softened. "I'm sorry about before."
"It's okay. But I came to ask if you have a way to remove the curse on my sister's arm," Yayoi said quickly. She then saw the Mother of Ghouls shake her head.
"If it were in the past, I might be able to help. But now, it will take at least a few years for me to recover. If you can wait, come back in five years."
"No, five years is too late," Yayoi said, her face taut.
"Then ask the benefactor. He might have a way," the Mother of Ghouls said. After saying that, she transformed into a wisp of smoke and entered the statue.