High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 223: Chapter 147 The Fighter and The Spectator_1

Zheng Qing leaned on the patrol team’s staff, slightly hunching his body, panting gently.

Although the complex conditions of the forest at night misled him a bit through several bizarre shrubs, making him take a couple of detours during the chase.

Fortunately, the effectiveness of the Rapid Armor Horse Charm was quite remarkable.

He had finally stopped this damned fishman just as it was about to escape into the lake. The young scholarship student thought to himself with some sense of achievement, looking down at the two Armoured Horses tied to his leg.

The vermillion symbols were slowly changing colors following the stroke marks, half of them had already turned jet black. This meant that these two Armor Horses had just used half of their power, and could last quite a while longer.

”They should last at least another five minutes,” thought the young wizard, his gaze fixed on the fishman leader who was slowing down, with no intention of removing the talisman paper from his leg.

He wasn’t sure if he could handle this dangerous aquatic creature. If his strength wasn’t enough, he needed to be well-prepared to retreat.

The moon had already passed its peak tonight and was slowly descending.

The ghastly moonlight shot straight from behind Zheng Qing, casting a dense, elongated shadow in front of him.

Iseni sneered, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth, giving the red-robed wizard in front of him a malicious smile.

This was not the first time his dealings had been interrupted by the patrol wizards, but it was the first time a wizard had blocked his way home.

What an intriguing experience, the young fishman thought, flexing its fingers and spreading its dorsal fins even larger.

It didn’t think that this frail-looking wizard before it could impede its progress.

Zheng Qing frowned.

He noticed that the shadow of his head was trampled underfoot by this detestable fishman.

Perhaps because of the direct moonlight, the scale armor on the fishman gleamed, seemingly illuminating the surrounding dark trees and shrubs.

The fishman’s grimacing face and sharp tusks were especially prominent in the light.

”Don’t be scared, don’t be scared” The young scholarship student encouraged himself silently: ”This is the First University... I have the patrol staff... I have the suppression symbol... I have the binding spell... I have the amulet.”

As he muttered to himself, he scramble to pull out talisman from his grey bag.

This act clearly surprised the fishman opposite him, and his gaze paused on the young wizard’s robe.

Being relatively clever and having a lot of experience trading with wizards, Iseni quickly came to a conclusion.

”...Hiss... newbie...” Iseni widened its eyes, admiring Zheng Qing’s courage to pursue alone: ”Hiss... a true warrior... I will repay your courage to the fullest... hiss...”

Before the hissing sound fell, it casually snapped off a branch from the sour jujube tree nearby, swinging it around in its hand, testing the feel.

The stick pressured the air, making a whirling threat.

The fishman nodded in satisfaction, waving its back fin, striding towards the wizard blocking its way.

...

Zheng Qing planted the patrol staff in the muddy ground at his feet, opening the law book in his arms.

Contrary to his expectations, faced with the imposing approach of the fishman leader, the panic in Zheng Qing’s heart had unconsciously dissipated quite a bit.

Although his mind was still somewhat blank, his spirit was particularly focused due to an unusual excitement.

Yes, excitement.

Just like the first time he saw ghosts wandering and wailing next to an abandoned grave in the wilderness; just like the first time he practiced a talisman, watching the yellow paper bloom a halo in the cyan smoke; just like the first time he set foot in Four Seasons Pavilion with Thomas.

It’s just another new adventure, he reassured himself while placing his hand on the opened law book.

”Ge Zhitianxi...”

The high and resonant incantation startled the birds and elves resting on the branches.

The birds fluttered their wings, chirping and complaining about the noise below the tree. The Tree Elf, on the other hand, stared with wide eyes, bewildered at the dimly lit world around them. Being creatures of the day, their vision was almost zero in the dark.

The incantation had ended, but the tremors of magic were just beginning.

A faint green light rose from the law book and dissipated in the heavy night.

As if sensing the unsettling energy in the air, the birds quickly shut their mouths, yet couldn’t help hopping nervously among the branches; the Tree Elf grew even quieter, merely shifting their bodies deeper into the tree hollow.

Perhaps the environment, teeming with flora, added some enhancement to this incantation.

In the blink of an eye, four to five thick vines sprouted from the void and scrupulously coiled around the massive Fishman.

The rapidly incoming Iseni failed to dodge, and in an instant was solidly bound by these active vines.

”An instant kill.”

Zheng Qing’s eyes were firmly fixed on the Fishman, a slight smile emerging at the corner of his mouth.

However, the smile was slightly premature.

To describe the Fishman as slippery as a fish was more than apt.

A large amount of transparent mucus suddenly oozed from beneath Iseni’s scales and coated the binding vines. Then, the Fishman, inhaling and contracting his body, writhed and wriggled. In the blink of an eye, he slipped through the slimy vines and broke free.

”... Hiss ... Despicable wizard ... Hiss ... Fight like a warrior!”

The tall Fishman shook off the mucus from his body, brandished his club, and charged once again.

...

Not far from the battlefield.

Under the shadow of a large willow tree in the Lakeside Forest.

Two aged voices were leisurely conversing.

”He’s a freshman this year... do you really trust him to handle little Iseni? You should know that the kid has already awakened the Tidal Bloodline, if not for the Wizard Covenant’s restrictions, I’d want him to spend some time at Alpha Institute.”

Under the moonlight slightly seeping through the willow branches, the speaker was visible.

It was an old Fishman whose body was covered in white scales, most of them already fallen off.

Its eyes were cloudy and unfocused, like those afflicted by severe cataracts, listlessly staring at the lake surface. The dorsal fin hanging limply on its back seemed somewhat torn, revealing many suspicious holes. Only the two long barbels at the corner of its mouth were sleek and attractive, shimmering with captivating colors in the moonlight.

The old Fishman’s wrinkly hand leaned on a cane much taller than itself. The top of the cane depicted a leaping carp, with a silver loop hanging from the carp’s lips. Accompanied by its wheezing voice, the loop lightly clinked, producing a delicate ringing sound.

”A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials... how will we know without a try?” another voice answered.

”Hiss hiss hiss...” The old Fishman made a strange laugh: ”Ferna... Ferna... you’re still so conceited... You know, it’s during the carving that a gem is most prone to shattering.”

”Shattering?” Old Man Ferna laughed boisterously: ”I’m watching, you’re watching, if it still shatters, then what can I say?”

The old Fishman fell silent.