High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 435: Chapter 104 Hunting Words_1

The seating of the three wizards in the first row marked the official start of the academy’s hunting party ceremony.

The ever-changing cloud in the blue sky dispersed without a trace with a light breeze.

The tumbling, raging fog in the center of the hunting ground gradually calmed down. The dormant dragon, as well as the newly hatched fish, all silently disappeared into the depths of the dense fog, leaving no trace.

Although there were still occasional whispers among the spectators, they were quickly infected by the gradually solemn atmosphere in the field, slowly falling silent.

Only the banners flapping in the wind atop dozens of standing pillars at the end of the hunting ground were still rustling.

Jiuyou Academy is the hosting academy of this year’s school hunting party.

Therefore, as the Dean of the academy, Professor Yao naturally took on the important task of presiding over the opening ceremony.

”Old Yao is too brightly dressed today,” mumbled Zheng Qing, turning the telescope in his hand a little farther.

In the lens was a polished yellow face with a serious expression.

Today, Old Yao hadn’t worn his usual black robe. Instead, he donned a large, magnificent red ceremonious robe. The robe was full of talismans sketched out with gold and silver threads; there were some shiny jade decorations around the collar and cuffs; and the corners of the robe were rounded off with black lines, giving a feeling of magnificence but not ostentatious, eye-catching yet solemn.

”That is the robe of the Dean of Jiuyou Academy,” Xiao Xiao’s tiny voice sounded beside him: ”If you flip through the records of the school’s past grand rites in the library, you will recognize this set of clothes...”

”Grand rites?” Zheng Qing held the brass telescope in his hand, feeling slightly ridiculous at the bottom of his heart.

A rite is a ceremonial act.

As the name suggests, a grand rite is a very grand ceremonial ritual.

This was originally a term used by Taoists for blessing and celebration rituals, but it is used seriously by wizards in a wizarding university on a ’school sports meeting’, giving people a magical feeling.

No matter how much the young students mocked in their hearts, the ceremony on the rostrum was always proceeding in an orderly manner.

However, this is after all a Wizard University.

Professor Yao did not set up altars and worship, chant scriptures, and repent, nor did he step on the stars and chant mantras as the Taoists did.

He washed his hands in a small golden basin, wiped them clean with a white towel, then lit three incense sticks, and bowed three times facing the sky.

The three thin strands of incense appeared to have been thrown into a fierce fire, burning into a cloud of fine ash after his three bows.

The professor did not collect the fine ash.

Instead, he let them scatter with the wind, dissipating in the vast hunting ground.

”Who is he worshiping?” Zheng Qing raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Xiao Xiao, ”I’ve never known wizards need to burn incense and worship...”

”There’s a lot of things you don’t know...and they don’t all make sense.” The doctor propped up his telescope, held his notebook in one hand, rapidly making records while glancing through the telescope at the movements on the rostrum, while also being able to chat with Zheng Qing.

This made the young student greatly admire him.

”So, what exactly is he worshiping?” Zheng Qing persistently asked.

”Maybe it’s heaven and earth, maybe it’s nature, or maybe it’s just history...Many people have discussed this issue, but the officials have never given a clear answer. If you become the Dean of Jiuyou Academy, you can explain the reason to me.” Xiao Xiao shrugged, giving a vague answer, while his hand flew with the pen, never stopping for a moment.

Zheng Qing turned his head disappointed, and once again stuffed his eyeballs into the telescope.

At the altar.

Professor Yao’s hands were cradling a substantial law book unseen before.

The wooden cover, heavy pages, and the gemstones carved on the spine and cover were gleaming in the sunlight. Even from far, Zheng Qing could clearly see the seven-colored radiance emitted by the law book as it flipped.

”Mist grass...” Zheng Qing murmured, seemingly sensing something, he stared unblinkingly at the man holding the book.

The professor held the law book in his left hand, standing on the altar.

His expression was grave, demeanor dignified.

With piercing eyes, he looked around, effortlessly attracting everyone’s attention in the hunting ground.

Then, he gently lifted his right hand and made a pressing motion in the empty air over the law book.

Zheng Qing suddenly felt as if his heart and lungs were being suppressed by some mysterious force, shrinking into a tight ball, giving him a suffocating sensation.

He was not the only one who felt it.

With Professor Yao’s lifting and pressing motion, the entire hunting ground was suddenly enveloped in a surge of aura, the previously somewhat restless atmosphere completely quieted down.

Xin Fat Man and Zhang Ji Xin, who had been snoring on the chairs beside him, jerked up as if stimulated, their eyes wide in befuddlement and looking around foolishly.

Not far away, the spiritually sensitive Li Meng had already hidden her head in Jiang Yu’s arms, trembling incessantly.

Professor Yao opened the first page of the law book.

”Hunting Words!”

The gentle voice echoed across the hunting ground.

The voice was not loud and was not transmitted through speaker flowers, but it effortlessly made everyone hear clearly.

Although Zheng Qing had never heard these two words before, in that echoing voice that resonated throughout the field, he easily understood the meaning and significance of these two words - this was a prayer and hymn before the hunting party.

The thick fog that was originally in the center of the hunting ground seemed to have been stimulated; it began to churn and roil wildly. Sometimes it would gather together, then abruptly, it would disperse again, as if it were spasming.

The young scholarship student did not pay attention to the ’living’ fog’s frenzied behavior.

His attention was irresistibly attracted to the scenes beneath the fog.

Just like the Kun fish that had disrupted the order inside the dense fog, at this very moment when the fog was turbulent, the scenes previously hidden under the fog reappeared before everyone’s eyes.

Endless deserts with gusting sandstorms;

Vast lakes with decayed wood drifting on the water surface;

Swarms of insects, blocking out the sky, densely packed;

And a vibrant green meadow, with flowers in full bloom, a forest vying for vitality in spring.

Various contradictory scenes appeared and disappeared in the fog like a revolving lantern. One moment, it was a vast, barren desert; the next moment was a verdant meadow and lush forest; and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into an endless swampy wetland.

The young scholarship student tightly gripped the telescope, his eyes staring unblinkingly at the scenes under the fog.

If it wasn’t for the stunned voices around him and the gasps of shock, he would have thought what he was seeing was a mirage.

”Be careful...Feels like you’re about to poke your eyeballs out.” Xiao Xiao tugged at Zheng Qing’s telescope, reminding him kindly.

”Is...Is this real?!” Zheng Qing forced his gaze away, his voice was slightly hoarse.

”True or false, you’ll know it soon,” Xiao Xiao pointed to the rostrum. ”Old Yao’s Hunting Words haven’t been recited yet... Don’t miss the highlight.”

Zheng Qing immediately turned his telescope back towards the professor.

Soon, he found that this action was completely unnecessary.

As Professor Yao pressed on the law book, his clear voice echoed in everyone’s ears:

”Earth turn back to its dwelling!”

”Water return to its gap!”

”Insects cease action!”

”All grass and trees return to their marsh!”

A wild wind suddenly rose, coming from all directions, tearing at the thick fog.

The fog churned and dispersed, revealing a distant, diminutive, yet extraordinarily vast world.

This ’Hunting Words’ borrows from the ’Wax (candle) Words’ in ’Book of Rites’... Usually, I don’t explain when I adapt, but for today’s piece, I shamelessly copied and gave it a new name. So, I need to make a note here, or else I might be ridiculed...