Ring! Ring!!!
A bell signaling the end of class rang out, and soon a crowd of students rushed out. Finally, class was over, finally free! The students cheered internally.
Su Xiaowei walked out with her backpack, and a few boys hung behind her, occasionally glancing over. One even had a rose in his backpack.
The crowd gradually dispersed, and against their expectations, Su Xiaowei walked home. The boys had planned to confess when there were fewer people around to avoid losing face if they failed.
Soon after, Su Qiubai appeared, and the two sisters headed home together, dashing the hopes of the boys, since Su Qiubai and Su Xiaowei usually walked home alone, given their house wasn't far.
"Let's talk about it tomorrow; her sister's here. How can I confess? Oh well! Pity the rose in my backpack, I'll have to buy another one tomorrow, and I'm out of pocket money." The boy planning to confess shook his head.
Su Xiaowei paid no mind to the antics of these little brats behind her. She was still pondering whether that six-fingered freak from the morning would show up, though he didn't eventually appear.
"Xiaobai, let's go home."
The two sisters were quite mindful of the people around as they walked home, especially in less crowded areas, fearing some villain might suddenly jump out.
"Xiaowei, aren't we being too cautious? This is the downtown area. Where would a villain appear?" Su Qiubai kicked at the stone on the ground.
"You're so stupid, yet so pretty. If you don't protect yourself properly, you're bound to get into trouble sooner or later," Su Xiaowei snorted.
A stone thrown on the ground goes ignored for ages, remaining safe for hundreds of years. A beautiful jade, however, whether dropped to the ground or hidden in a loft, always has countless admirers wanting to marvel at its beauty, yearning to claim it.
As they walked, several eccentrically dressed people appeared, not surprising them in the least, as it was quite normal.
A large bald monk with a big belly walked along the street, holding a golden alms bowl in hand, prayer beads hung around his neck, smiling as he approached the two girls.
This monk was so plump; how much greasy food did he gobble daily to get this prosperous-looking, Su Qiubai mused.
The big monk's smile suddenly froze. Was he really that fat? He didn't eat much daily—a chicken or two, three to five ducks per meal; that was already quite modest, right?
"Ladies," began the monk, only to find Su Xiaowei had already pulled out three or four coins from her pocket, which she clinkingly deposited into his golden bowl.
"Amitabha, Master, this is a small token from my sister and me, for lighting incense at the temple, hoping you achieve your enlightenment soon.
However, we don't have more money, really, we are quite poor," Su Xiaowei earnestly said.
The big monk couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry: "I am not here to beg, moreover, monks never accept money when asking for alms, just enough food and water to fill the belly, I am a genuine monk, so I cannot accept this money."
He gathered one coin after another, solemnly placing them back into Su Xiaowei's hand. The original silvery-gray coins now bore a hint of gold, yet in the sunset's glow, nothing odd was noticeable.
"Then what are you?" Su Xiaowei asked, bewildered.
The bald monk observed her, eyes gleaming golden, inwardly thinking what a promising talent she was, and spoke: "Would you be willing to follow me to the mountain for training? You are fated with our Buddhist sect."
As for Su Qiubai, after the first glance, he didn't look at her again.
Su Xiaowei was taken aback, frantically shaking her head: "I don't want to, don't want to. I'm a girl following a monk to the mountains to train, I am not a nun, nor do I wish to become one."
After saying that, she pulled Su Qiubai by the hand and fled as though escaping. It was too frightening; the mere thought of cutting her flowing hair, shaving her head, and spending her days under the cyan lamps and ancient Buddhas filled her with dread.
"Fate has not yet arrived," the big monk shook his head, snapping his fingers. His alms bowl filled halfway with water, as calm as a mirror, reflecting the scene of Leaping Tiger Ravine in Meiling.
Just as a vague glimpse was caught, a beam of sword light slashed through, causing the water in his bowl to ripple and sway, obscuring the image of Meiling.
Upon returning home, Su Xiaowei still felt a lingering dread, almost being taken to become a nun; it was terrifying, truly so.
Su Qiubai couldn't help but burst into laughter, finding today's incident hilariously amusing, pondering they could joke about it for years to come since it was indeed too funny.
"By the way, you better keep those four coins as mementos, such a great keepsake," Su Qiubai laughed so hard she could barely straighten up.
Su Xiaowei pouted, taking out the coins from her pocket, surprised to see her mouth wide open. The previously ordinary coins now glowed with a golden sheen, the original Federation emblem now a smiley bald head.
"Sister, that monk seemed to be an Immortal. You refused an invitation from an Immortal, missing a chance to become one," Su Qiubai exclaimed.
What a pity; if her sister became an Immortal, wouldn't she benefit too? Don't they say that when one ascends to immortality, even the chickens and dogs follow? Moreover, she's the elder sister.
"The Buddhist sect doesn't call them Immortals, they term them Brahma Immortals, Venerables, Bodhi, and Other Shore Beings. I didn't miss a chance to become an Immortal, but rather, an opportunity to shave my head," Su Xiaowei showed no excitement or regret, her thoughts unknown.
"Welcome back, you two!"
Shi Tie had waited several hours in the room across the street, the ritual altar thanks to the Array was already carved out, even performing some rites, increasing the chance of a successful sacrifice.
He followed the original ritual altar, repeatedly applying that bottle of blood until it was entirely used up.
Immediately, he chanted the spell again, a long and elaborate name spilling from his lips, summoning the target of the ritual.
"Mighty Gulong Demon Lord, you are the supreme master, and servant Shi Tie wishes to offer you an excellent tribute, praying for your blessing!
Please grant me power, the strength that can be traded!"
He continuously called out, the altar guiding the spiritual qi to gather, fluctuating as if truly connected to some unknown being, his summoned demon on the brink of appearing.
"Click!"
A crisp sound, the door opened, and Wang Xuan wobbled inside, the room reeking of blood. With such a big person as Shi Tie, how could he not notice?
"Hey, who are you? A friend of Brother Chen's? He said he might have a friend staying over while he was away for a few days. Are you Mr. Zhang Zhi?" Wang Xuan asked.
Shi Tie ceased his feverish actions; the spiritual qi's fluctuation continued, evidently, his ritual indeed garnered the demon's favor.
However, Wang Xuan's arrival disrupted his plan.
With someone here, he could no longer sacrifice the two girls to the demon, trading for the power he sought.
Thus, this person before him must die! Shi Tie decided with a breath, nodding: "Indeed, I'm Brother Chen's friend, Zhang Zhi, staying here for a few days. And you are?"
He watched Wang Xuan step closer, a step further, closer still, just a little more and, taking advantage of the moment the other let down his guard, he would kill him in one blow!
"Oh, I know you, aren't you the dimwit?" Wang Xuan's comment left Shi Tie bewildered, and in that instant, Wang Xuan suddenly lunged forward, delivering a downward palm strike.
Smack!
A palm landed atop Shi Tie's head, instantly turning his mind into a ringing bell, thoughts blank, no idea where he was.
His eyes widened in confusion, unclear where he was.
The brain being the body's soul vessel, upon trauma, he lost control over his body, not to mention counterattacking Wang Xuan, eventually succumbing to unconsciousness due to severe injury.
Wang Xian clapped his hands as though finishing a task; what a fool, solved with great ease.
He naturally noticed that this was one of two prey he was searching for, suggesting he was about to complete his novice mission?
It seemed his luck was quite good.
Above the bloodstained altar, the previously fluctuating small vortex of spiritual qi suddenly coalesced into a shadowy figure, head adorned with sharp horns, wings upon its back, resembling a demon.
No, it was indeed a demon, even if just a projection.
The demon spoke: "Is it you who summoned me through sacrifice? The blood is delicious; where is your offering? Offer it soon! I can grant you power to trade."