Chapter 031: Is a Sacrificial Ritual Taking Place?

"The third Guhuo-Chang incident..."

Xu Ran narrowed his eyes. The Guhuo-Chang incidents kept descending, one after another, persistent and tireless.

The first time, he had devoured eight of them. The second time, he was at the Demigod Kindergarten, protected by Mountain-Realm practitioners—a situation of absolute safety. He had never expected that for the third time, he would personally witness the entire process of a Guhuo-Chang gestating from nothingness. Ghostly pollution suddenly appeared at the bottom of the lake, coalescing into a spectral creature without rhyme or reason.

It was utterly disgusting. It was deeply sinister.

"No wonder they are like psoriasis; you wipe out one wave, and the next comes crawling back. Hah."

"But since you were born right in front of me, I might as well make you nourishment for the Assassin Mantis."

Xu Ran chuckled inwardly. Under the guise of practicing his "Lost Track Steps," he utilized a profound movement technique, inconspicuously dropping the Assassin Mantis into the tall grass. The tiny Assassin Mantis flickered and vanished into the shrubbery, its lightning-fast speed far beyond what the guards could perceive.

By his calculations, it had been a full two and a half years since Xu Ran had used his trump card: the Assassin Mantis. Over these two and a half years, he had been nourishing it with his own blood.

Blood-feeding, combined with the "Perfected" progress level, had long ago pushed the Assassin Mantis’s resistance to fire and water to an incredibly high level. As for its speed and stealth, they had undergone a complete, earth-shattering transformation. It could hunt down Hill-Realm practitioners with effortless ease.

Take this moment, for instance: from the time the Assassin Mantis took flight until it cut into the water, a mere quarter of a second had passed. Even more impressively, the moment it pierced the water's surface, it created only a tiny ripple, as if a needle had fallen into the lake. Such a subtle disturbance was elegant, perfectly suited for a flawless sneak attack.

Into the water. Diving down.

"Vision Transfer!"

Xu Ran stilled his body, his mind shifting to fully control the Assassin Mantis, shooting forward like an arrow toward the source of the spectral fluctuations.

The artificial lake was not large. The Assassin Mantis reached the bottom in an instant, right where the creature was gestating. A pitch-black mass of energy was twisting and squirming, stretching like dough. It elongated into a sharp, avian beak, sprouted two vulture heads, four bulging, malevolent eyes, and a hunched, monkey-like physique. Its skin rapidly turned indigo; it opened its eyes, flicked out a blood-red tongue, and wore a grotesque, sinister expression.

"An indigo Guhuo-Chang?"

"I remember the first time I saw them, they were only pale grey. During the second outbreak, the pictures in the news showed them as pale blue. I didn't expect them to have turned deep blue by the third time..."

Undoubtedly, these things were constantly evolving and upgrading, their strength growing with every iteration. Of course, compared to Xu Ran, who had been practicing extreme self-discipline since birth, their rate of evolution was negligible; he could cut them down whenever he pleased.

"What exactly are they doing?"

"Appearing again and again, evolving each time, kidnapping tens of thousands of children, and those children... their bodies are never found."

Xu Ran was puzzled. "Judging by their chaotic behavior, there is no organization behind them. But for them to emerge on such a massive scale repeatedly is too strange. There must be some ulterior secret."

Xu Ran pondered. His newly elevated high-level comprehension allowed his mind to process information faster. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration cut through the darkness, opening up his perspective, and he realized the truth.

"Could it be an instinctive form of sacrifice?"

*Hiss—*

"I fear it really is a sacrifice!" Xu Ran gasped. "A swarm of randomly birthed Guhuo-Changs, acting on instinct to kidnap children, sacrificing them to some powerful entity lurking in the shadows... The reason the bodies are never found is precisely because they have been sacrificed!"

"A logically consistent theory!"

Upon reaching this conclusion, Xu Ran felt a chill run down his spine. He felt he had grasped the truth.

Yet, at that very instant, the gestating Guhuo-Chang opened its eyes. It looked at the Assassin Mantis with a gaze full of bloodthirsty malice and budding terror.

Xu Ran stared, a coldness spreading in his heart.

*It sees me = It wants to attack = It wants to kill me = I strike first.*

Almost the moment the Guhuo-Chang opened its eyes, the Assassin Mantis launched its assault. The blood-colored blades sliced through the lake water and cut through the forming creature. The Guhuo-Chang’s four eyes were severed and burst. Both of its bizarre heads were sliced in half simultaneously, the semi-circular remains spinning as they floated toward the surface.

Ghostly energy, more viscous than paint, spurted out like oil from a wellhead.

"Eat it quickly, don't waste the good stuff."

Following the command, the Assassin Mantis pounced on the corpse, devouring every bit of the ghostly energy. In less than a second, the remains of the Guhuo-Chang were completely consumed.

Dozens of fine details automatically etched themselves onto the Assassin Mantis's body, and its blades took on a metallic sheen. Feeling the changes in the Assassin Mantis, Xu Ran nodded with satisfaction. "The third batch of Guhuo-Changs contains far more energy than the first! It’s equivalent to a month of continuous blood-feeding at the Perfected level."

"Good heavens, should I sneak out of the Demigod Kindergarten and go on a rampage?"

To be honest, the potential gains from the third batch of Guhuo-Changs tempted him. Sneaking out would allow him to kill more Guhuo-Changs to cultivate his [Origami], and it would allow him to investigate the truth behind them.

"Forget it. Better to keep watching for now..."

"There are so many powerful practitioners in the Xia Kingdom; it’s not up to a five-year-old child like me to investigate." Xu Ran shook his head and tucked the Assassin Mantis back into his pocket.

The paper art was retracted. Nothing had happened.

Who could have realized that in just six seconds, the Guhuo-Chang gestating at the bottom of the lake had been slaughtered and devoured so thoroughly that not even a trace of spectral energy remained? The terrifying efficiency and the clean, traceless execution were truly daunting.

"Guhuo-Chang... Guhuo-Chang..."

"They really do look like they are performing a sacrifice! Three consecutive kidnappings, over forty thousand missing children—the offerings must already be enough..." Xu Ran frowned. "Could a truly powerful spectral creature actually appear?"

"That shouldn't have anything to do with me... It’s not like I’m going to be kidnapped by it, right? That is absolutely impossible! I am currently in the safest place in Jing Province—the Demigod Kindergarten! With the Headmaster and three mentors protecting us, all of whom are in the Mountain Realm, how could anything go wrong?"

Xu Ran exhaled, having casually set a flag.

Just as the flag was set, the Headmaster appeared. He flashed through the air from a distance and arrived before the artificial lake, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"Everyone, step back twenty meters, but do not leave my sight!"

After issuing the stern order, the Headmaster hovered over the lake, plunging his hands into the water.

*Whoosh—*

Half of the artificial lake was lifted into the air, condensing into a water cube the size of a hill. The other half remained perfectly still, as if blocked by an invisible barrier, not daring to flow an inch toward the void. The Headmaster held the light-blue water cube aloft, his eyes fixed on the exposed lakebed—the exact spot where the Guhuo-Chang had been gestating. Not a single deviation.

The "Assassin Mantis" had killed the creature at that very spot...

Seeing the Headmaster’s precision, Xu Ran felt a sense of awe. "To be able to pinpoint it from that far away—truly worthy of being the Headmaster! It’s a good thing I retracted the Assassin Mantis early, or I wouldn't have been able to explain it."

Paper-Spirit Summoning was too bizarre. It didn't look like any human cultivation technique; it would be hard to explain for a five-year-old. What if someone suspected him of being a Vengeful God? Xu Ran couldn't be bothered to spend time and effort proving his innocence, so he would hide it as long as he could. Besides, this was his most lethal trump card; the fewer people who knew, the higher his chances of a successful sneak attack. Why expose it?

Thinking this, Xu Ran adopted the stance of a spectator, watching the Headmaster show off his power.

At this moment, the Headmaster held the water cube with one hand, peering down at the lakebed, his brow furrowing deeper. "How can it be gone?! I clearly sensed the fluctuations of the Guhuo-Chang’s birth. Why is there nothing? Where could it have hidden? It shouldn't be able to conceal its tracks under my nose!"

The Headmaster muttered to himself, his energy surging even more powerfully. This time, it wasn't just half the lake—the entire body of water was molded into a cube by him and held high above his head with one hand. Though the artificial lake was only the size of two basketball courts, the visual impact was still shocking.

"Is this the Headmaster's power? So... so strong!"

"Will our children be able to do this in the future?"

"They should be able to, right? After all, this is the Demigod Kindergarten!"

"But what is the Headmaster doing? Surely no children fell into the lake?"

The crowd marveled, but only Hu Niu had a different reaction. She clapped excitedly: "Headmaster, lift it higher!"

Headmaster: "..." If it were any other time, he would have humored her, but right now, he was filled with anxiety. That spectral creature, currently in the process of birth, had vanished right under his nose! This was terrifying. This was deeply sinister.

The Headmaster felt a shiver run down his spine. For the first time, he felt an unprecedented sense of crisis and panic. "Could this spectral creature belong to a high-tier race?"

"If it can hide under my nose, it could harm the children in the kindergarten the moment I let my guard down! If it succeeds, my life's work will be destroyed in an instant!"

The Headmaster swallowed hard. He was panicked! He was truly panicked! His heart raced, and the arm holding the water cube trembled slightly. If it were before, he could hold a bit of lake water for half an hour without a quiver. But now, the water on his palm swayed left and right, as if it were incredibly heavy. Beads of sweat even broke out on his forehead.

Learning movement techniques nearby were Jiang Liuli, Zhu Yuheng, Bie Jingqiu, Bian Yue, Feng Yan, and Zhuge Huangjin! And the "little mentor" Xu Ran!

These were the seven strongest children since the founding of the Jing Province Demigod Kindergarten! If any one of them suffered the slightest mishap, he would regret it for the rest of his life!

The Headmaster was drenched in sweat. "Stay calm, stay calm. It must be my imagination..."

"A spectral creature takes forty seconds to be born; it’s impossible for it to have escaped elsewhere in less than ten seconds!"

"I'll look again. Maybe it hid in the silt, which is why I didn't notice it... Yes, that must be it, it must be in the silt!"

The Headmaster took a deep breath, holding the water cube with one hand as he dove heavily into the lakebed. At the same time, his other hand churned the silt at the bottom of the lake three or four times, pulverizing anything even remotely suspicious.

Yet, even after digging a yard deep, he found no trace of the spectral creature! He searched again and again, even crushing every fish at the bottom of the lake into paste, yet he still could not sense the creature's aura.

"It’s over. This spectral creature... could it be hiding inside one of the children's bodies?"

"If that’s the case, then we are in big trouble."

The Headmaster's heart sank to the bottom of the lake. He tossed the water cube back into the basin.

*Splash.*

The surface of the lake churned violently, sending spray into the sky. It was a cool sight, but the Headmaster's brow remained furrowed, sweat pouring down his face. He flashed around the area, checking the situation within a two-kilometer radius.

Seeing the Headmaster's frantic back, Xu Ran thought of the saddest things in his life to ensure he didn't let his expression slip.

Before long, the Headmaster returned empty-handed. He landed in front of the female guards. "Did any of you sense the aura of the spectral creature being born?"

The guards looked blank. "Spectral creature? Headmaster, we are only Mountain-Realm practitioners. We cannot sense the birth of a spectral creature. We can only discover them once they have fully formed and we engage them in battle."

"Then did you see any suspicious activity?"

Guard: "Suspicious activity? Headmaster, the seven of us have been standing guard here without a single blind spot. We haven't seen anything suspicious."

Headmaster: "..."

The report from the guards made him even more uneasy! This was absolutely a highly sinister, high-tier spectral creature!

Seeing the Headmaster's abnormal behavior, Xu Ran's mother couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "Headmaster, what happened?"

"Yes," Auntie Chen added, "we've been here the whole time, and everything has been very peaceful."

The Headmaster’s face was as dark as water. "I won't explain for now. Everyone, stay where you are. We are entering a Level One alert. Let me handle this!"

With those words, the Headmaster made several calls, and the entire Demigod Kindergarten went into high alert.

"Child, how is it on your end?"

Li Qinghong's voice was cold and clear. "I've already taken care of the four on my side. These Guhuo-Changs weren't fully formed yet, so they were easy to kill. I even used purification talismans to cleanse all the ghostly energy. How about you, Headmaster?"

The Headmaster's face fell; he was too ashamed to speak.

*So, I'm the only one who let one escape?*

There were sixteen in total. He, Li Qinghong, and two other mentors had all sensed sixteen nascent ghostly auras simultaneously. Four each. They only needed thirty seconds to kill them in the cradle before they could form. But... but... only his side had gone wrong!

*How could this happen? My reputation, Cheng Qi, ruined!*

Li Qinghong asked, confused, "Headmaster?"

The Headmaster was drenched in cold sweat. "I... I have a spectral creature that has gone missing on my end! It seemed to form extremely quickly and possesses terrifying stealth abilities. I dug a yard deep into the lakebed and couldn't find a single trace of its existence."

Li Qinghong was shocked. "What? That's impossible, isn't it? How could these Guhuo-Changs have the ability to conceal their tracks?"

The Headmaster’s expression was tense. "But I truly didn't find any trace. It’s too strange."

Li Qinghong said, "I'll come and see!"

"No, don't. Stay there and watch the children. If this is a diversion, we'll be in trouble."

"The safety of the children comes first. I'll call a friend with Light-Attribute bones to come and thoroughly inspect the kindergarten."

The Headmaster frowned and made another call. "Sister Lu, it's an emergency. Come quickly. A spectral creature has vanished right under my nose."

Sister Lu was horrified. "Ah? How is that possible? Could it be..."

Headmaster: "It's true. I clearly sensed it being born, and the other three mentors sensed it too, but within ten seconds, it hid itself. I dug a yard deep and couldn't find it."

Sister Lu drew a sharp breath. "Hold on, I'm on my way."

Xu Ran: "..."

Watching the Headmaster, who was frantic with worry, Xu Ran struggled to keep a straight face.

*Family, I'm breaking a sweat...*

*Because I killed it too quickly and too cleanly, the Headmaster of the Demigod Kindergarten is now playing mind games with the air?*