High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 608: Chapter 277: Phantom Body Symbol _1

”I’m sorry... I just can’t handle it anymore!”

Zhang Ji Xin lay on the grass, pounding the ground with laughter, his eyes welling with tears. ”Ha ha ha ha, this rabbit is just too annoying! Fat man, is it the embodiment of your inner spirit... or, did you just get poked by that vine monster, triggering some sort of psychological trauma?”

Xin Fat Man stood up from the ground, his face dark, and took off the talisman paper stuck to his arm with a glare towards Red Face.

This was Zheng Qing’s ’Phantom Body Symbol’, intended for the Absolution hunting team.

This talisman could effectively interfere with a demon’s vision, hearing, and sense of smell. Simultaneously, it would blend into the surrounding environment, creating a concealment area of about ten meters in radius. But because of its complex effects, the talisman had a serious flaw – the user had to remain still for it to work. Any actions such as speaking, casting spells, or even farting would cause it to fail.

Of course, if you just tore the talisman off your body like Xin Fat Man, the talisman would also fail.

Unable to articulate a counterargument to Zhang Ji Xin’s mockery, Xin Fat Man had to sulk and attack from a different angle: ”Hmph, totally unprofessional... You revealed your position... And you boasted about hunting since you were five. Which hunter chases the snake into the grass?!”

”Indeed, they wouldn’t,” agreed Zhang Ji Xin, answering quite seriously, ”but I’ve never been poked in the back by a vine... Hahaha!”

He broke into another convulsive fit of laughter.

Xin Fat Man was so frustrated by his comment that his face turned blue.

Eventually, Zheng Qing put an end to the argument between the two.

”You almost wasted my Phantom Body Symbol,” the captain of the Absolution hunting team chastised his headhunter.

According to Zheng Qing’s arrangement, Xin Fat Man was responsible for manipulating the Talisman Rabbit to bait the bull demon, while Zhang Ji Xin was Xin Fat Man’s observer. Xiao Xiao managed the traps and surrounding Rune Arrays; Blue Bird kept a lookout around the ’battlefield’, while he himself called the shots.

According to the original plan, the team had to wait for the Talisman Rabbit to lure the bull demon into their pre-set trap. After being entrapped, Zheng Qing would give the signal for everyone to reveal themselves.

Apparently, their headhunter didn’t wait for the signal and revealed himself prematurely.

”My bad, my bad!” Zhang Ji Xin had already gotten up off the ground and apologized - hands clasped - though the lingering hint of a smile on his face somewhat undermined his sincerity. ”...But this didn’t affect our original plan, right? Although the rabbit failed, hasn’t the bull run into our trap on its own?”

With that, he pointed.

Beneath the hill, the bull demon had unknowingly fallen into a golden rune phantom. Additionally, hundreds of vines of varying sizes were busy crawling all over its four limbs, tail, and even nostrils.

While the hunters were conversing, the demon was being wrapped up like a dumpling.

”We were lucky. But that is a separate issue from your disregard for hunting discipline,” sighed Zheng Qing, pointing to his head. ”If it were up to Mr. Shadow, he would suggest shooting you now to enforce group discipline.”

”Sounds scary,” said Zhang Ji Xin finally dropping his laughing facade.

”Indeed, because the situation is really bad,” confirmed Zheng Qing.

”I’ll accept any punishment,” Zhang Ji Xin raised his hand submissively, showing full compliance with the team leader’s orders. Meanwhile, he also mentioned, ”Fat Man may have messed up with the rabbit, but thanks to the ’Anti-Five Elements Gossip Array’, we had a big coverage area. The pulverized rabbit alone couldn’t have fulfilled our plan.”

Zheng Qing’s vexation lessened significantly on hearing this. It endorsed his good judgment and accepted the punishment.

”You still don’t realize the seriousness of the problem,” Zheng Qing shook his head and added, ”although we discussed dual leadership at the time of team formation, it was only for real hunting competitions... considering the current situation, I expect the team to adopt a more unanimous opinion to deal with any unforeseen circumstances.”

”This is not a game or competition.”

”Our lives are at stake.”

”In fact, what baffles me the most is that even now, you both seem so casual and relaxed... it’s very dangerous, truly dangerous.”

Zhang Ji Xin and Xin Fat Man exchanged covert glances, but neither said anything.

Though, an audience member nearby seemed to have his opinion about the conversation among them.

”Could we discuss such serious topics later?” Finally unable to hold back, Xiao Xiao, who had been controlling the Rune Array from the bushes, roared, ”That beast is about to break free! Where are your law books? Your spells?! Are you waiting till it breaks the Rune Array and slaps you to death with its tail?!”

A slight breeze swept over the hill, carrying Xiao Xiao’s roar far away.

Together with that, also came the roar of the bull demon.

Despite being restrained by the Rune Array and hundreds of vines, the three-meter-high, armor-clad demon still acted defiantly, butting its horns in all directions, causing the golden runes to crack and, subsequently, destabilize the Rune Array.

”It’s commendable for something close to level 10,” Xin Fat Man admired, turning towards his spell book and looking at Zheng Qing.

”This time, I am going to lead.” Zhang Ji Xin declared, opening his spell book, his face finally grave.

”No hurry, wait... let’s drain more of its energy first,” Zheng Qing advised, clutching his spell book in one hand and keeping a close eye on the bull demon in restraint. ”Conserve as much magic power as possible. ..only use the ’Languid Curse’ twice if we can avoid using it thrice.”

With those words, his right hand on the spellbook, he softly chanted, ”Ge Zhitianxi, bestow it unto this demon!”

In the Rune Array, over a dozen vines rose from the ground, replacing the ones the beaten bull demon had broken earlier, continuing to wrap around it.

”The Rune Array can only hold for another thirty seconds!” Xiao Xiao shouted from the side.

”Prepare the ’Languid Curse’!” Zheng Qing immediately responded. ”The plan remains unchanged. Follow the ’Languid Curse’ with the ’Soft Leg Curse’, twice... Be sure to completely disable the bull demon before beheading it! I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of one small wild demon... Swordsman? Did you hear that!”

”Understood!” Blue Bird, not far away, revealed himself, raising his hand.

He seemed to have been relying on the Phantom Body Symbol all along.

”Bang.”

A sound as of shattering glass or breaking ice.

Everyone in the Absolution team turned to look at the bull demon.

They saw the runes surrounding the ’Anti-Five Elements Gossip Array’ shattering one after another with ’bang bang’ sounds. The bull demon, which originally appeared to be extremely weak due to the binding vines, suddenly exploded into a rage upon hearing these sounds. It roared, its figure swelled by two sizes, and it broke free from the binding vines.

”Pop pop pop... ”

A cascade of snap and crackle as the mass of vine fibers broke apart, much like bursting firecrackers.