Chapter 10: Origami Spirit Communication
Page 1/3
Seeing Xu Ran's keen interest, his mother immediately nudged him forward. Several other mothers gathered around the stall, bringing their little ones to experience the art of origami. The stall owner patiently guided them hand in hand. Most of the little kids were too young to focus; they either babbled incoherently or stuffed the paper into their mouths. As for Huniu, she simply tore the paper into pieces and laughed gleefully. Only Xu Ran wore a face of deep concentration, learning bit by bit from the owner.
Noticing Xu Ran’s exceptional focus, the owner handed over all the intricate details to him and asked, “How old is your child?”
“One year and one month,” came the reply.
The owner was astonished. “One year and one month and already this tall? So smart? So attentive? I thought he was at least three or four!”
She was genuinely amazed.
Looking at Xu Ran, it was as if she were gazing upon a prodigy.
At that moment, Xu Ran was completely absorbed, deftly folding the paper with his tiny hands. Before long, a perfect origami butterfly appeared in his grasp.
The owner muttered, “Could this be an innate origami prodigy?”
It was beyond expectations that a one-year-and-one-month-old baby could fold a butterfly, something many three- or four-year-olds struggled to accomplish.
Lin Qian was equally stunned. “Wow, amazing! Truly a little genius!”
The other mothers found it hard to believe.
“Definitely a prodigy!”
“Xu Ran’s mom, you’re truly blessed. May you enjoy all the good fortune!”
The mothers chattered excitedly, casting admiring glances toward Xu Ran.
Xu Ran smiled brightly. He cared little for outside praise. The only thing on his mind was: “I wonder if folding origami will trigger my seventh new skill?”
He was uncertain...
But fortunately, the next moment, a notification sounded in his mind!
[You have learned origami, unlocking a new skill—Basic Origami. Practicing origami diligently will increase progress... (Advancement sequence: Basic Origami — Paper Talisman Summoning — Unknown...)]
[Current Basic Origami progress: 1/10000...]
Xu Ran blinked in surprise and browsed the details of Paper Talisman Summoning.
[Paper Talisman Summoning]: Grants spirit to folded paper, transforming it into bats or warriors to scout or fight on your behalf. Until they turn to ash, they remain your most loyal weapons.
You can smear blood on the paper to create a substitute effect, even fooling deities. The talisman can absorb spiritual energy to grow stronger.
...
“My seventh new skill. Yet its advancement path remains unknown?”
“How intriguing.”
Xu Ran’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
No doubt, Paper Talisman Summoning was a remarkably novel and peculiar ability.
Fold paper into bats, release them as drones to scout the area.
Fold paper into warriors, commanding them in battle.
Apply blood to create lifelike substitutes, capable of deceiving gods.
Absorb spiritual energy to evolve.
Undeniably, a divine skill!
“Xu’s Flying Knives and Paper Talisman Summoning are top-tier new abilities. Mastering these two first gives me greater confidence to face the so-called trafficking upheaval.”
Xu Ran’s face shone with delight.
Page 2/3
“Mommy, buy.”
“Mommy, buy.”
He muttered fragmented words, begging his mother to purchase origami paper.
“Alright, alright, you want this, right? No problem, I’ll buy you a bunch. Very cheap too.”
His mother scrolled through an online store nearby.
She found a tossing game toy that cost only fifty yuan for a quality set. Origami was even simpler.
Ten yuan for a hundred sheets.
“Such a thrifty baby!”
Lin Qian held Xu Ran’s cheek and kissed him, realizing her well-behaved child wasn’t like others who wanted to buy everything they saw. His desires were modest and inexpensive.
As a mother, she happily placed the order.
“Anything else the baby wants?”
Xu Ran shook his head.
He was content, sitting quietly in his stroller, reading a book.
Afterwards, several mothers took their children to play on slides, water guns, bumper cars...
As expected, none of these games triggered any new abilities.
Back home, it was already three in the afternoon.
Eat well, then sleep.
Over the next two days, Xu Ran waited for the origami paper and tossing toy to arrive.
In the meantime, he disciplined himself for an hour or two at a stretch.
[Gecko Wall Climbing (Intermediate): 50/10000...]
[Phantom Steps (Beginner): 100/10000...]
[Lightness Skill—Grass Walking (Beginner): 100/10000...]
[Read Ten Thousand Books: 0/10000...]
[Animal Feeding: 3/10000...]
[Tossing Mastery: 1/10000...]
[Basic Origami: 2/10000...]
[Health Points: 302/1000...]
Two days swiftly passed.
It was the 400th day since birth.
The online order for origami paper and tossing toy arrived; Xu Ran began focusing on practicing tossing and origami.
Of course, during the day he still accompanied Huniu playing or took walks around the artificial lake.
Time was not abundant.
But each day he managed to max out 100 progress points in Basic Origami and Tossing Mastery.
During free time, he practiced Phantom Steps and Lightness Skill—Grass Walking.
...
Time passed relentlessly; another hundred days slipped by.
On the 500th day after birth.
After a continuous hundred days of unceasing effort, the harvest moment quietly arrived!
[Current Tossing Mastery progress: 10000/10000... Maxed out, automatically advancing to—Xu’s Flying Knives (Beginner)...]
Page 3/3
[Current Basic Origami progress: 10000/10000... Maxed out, automatically advancing to—Paper Talisman Summoning (Beginner)...]
[Current Health Points: 404...]
Hearing the notification in his mind, Xu Ran exhaled deeply.
Two months of intense effort had finally borne fruit.
Unpredictable yet unfailing, he now possessed the coveted [Xu’s Flying Knives]!
Xu Ran formed several hand gestures.
“I really want to feel the killing power of flying knives, but testing them at home might cause massive damage—better not. I’d scare my mom.”
He kept this skill secret for now.
So,
Xu Ran picked up a sheet of origami paper, folded it into a bat, and gently released it.
Paper Talisman Summoning!
The origami bat hovered in the living room, agile and nimble like a real bat.
With a thought, Xu Ran even followed the bat’s perspective!
Silently, it flew out of the living room, peeking near the kitchen door.
His mother was cooking stir-fried green peppers with shredded pork; the aroma filled the air, while the exhaust fan hummed.
The bat’s vision was nearly identical to human eyesight, clear and detailed.
Xu Ran’s face beamed with satisfaction.
“At the beginner stage, Paper Talisman Summoning allows them to operate freely within 500 meters of me. However, beyond 100 meters, they lose combat effectiveness and serve only for reconnaissance.”
“Beyond 500 meters, their movement slows. But as long as the paper isn’t burned, if I’m within 500 meters, I can sense their presence—like leaving a marker.”
“Combat-wise... within 100 meters of me, these paper creatures have fifty percent of my health points. That means each paper monster has 200 health points—equivalent to twenty ordinary adults. I can control twenty origami simultaneously, forming my own paper brigade.”
“The only downside is that ordinary paper fears fire and water.”
“But there’s a countermeasure. By refining them daily with a drop of blood for over ten days, the paper’s fire resistance, water resistance, physical defense, sharpness, and speed all improve.”
Muttering to himself,
Xu Ran folded ten talisman paper creatures: two swift bats for scouting, two razor-sharp mantises for ambush, four heavily armored warriors, and two infant substitutes.
Then,
He applied a drop of fresh blood to each.
The blood seeped into the paper, transforming into a wondrous symbol that shimmered on the surface.
Undoubtedly,
They had been strengthened.
Stacking the ten sheets neatly, he pocketed them.
Xu Ran smiled faintly.
“From now on, these ten will be my main paper soldiers. I’ll refine them daily with blood to enhance their strength.”
“As for ordinary paper, in emergencies, I can fold more on the spot—twenty at a time. If destroyed, I can just keep folding! No worries at all.”
He stuffed a stack of paper into his pocket, patting it contentedly.
Just then,
His mother came out of the kitchen.
She turned on the TV, setting it to black screen mode with sound only, then sat at the dining table, eating while listening to the news.
[Level One Alert]: ...