High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 651: Chapter 320 Great Treasure_1

”In performing a sacrifice to heaven and earth, use oxen with small horns, similar in shape to a silkworm cocoon or chestnut. In a sacrifice to house ancestors, select oxen with somewhat larger horns. For guests, offer fat oxen that have the largest horns.” This means that during the sacrifice to heaven and earth, the shape of the oxen’s horns should be small, either similar to a cocoon or a chestnut. For the house ancestor sacrifice, slightly larger horns are required. However, when hosting guests, the horns should be even larger, belonging to a plump ox.

The venue for the freshman competition is a secret garden—a miniature world, albeit small, is a complete organism and a world unto itself. Therefore, after this competition, the school needs to perform a sacrifice to heaven and earth in accordance with the rites.

Under the persuasion of the wooden puppet, a pure white calf creeps up to Zheng Qing, looking at him with big black eyes in a pitiful manner.

”Hurry up, hurry up!” The puppet urges impatiently, ”Our time is precious!”

Impressive how the wood-faced figure manages to express such a lifelike expression, Zheng Qing thought to himself.

From behind him, Thomas steps forward rapidly, whispering to Zheng Qing his responsibilities.

”You’re the captain of the Absolution hunting team, so now you’re tasked with holding the ox’s ear.” Having said this, the assistant professor handed Zheng Qing the small silver knife without any explanation, signaling, ”Hold onto its ear and stab it at the root, let a bit of blood out... Don’t go too deep way.”

Upon hearing this, Zheng Qing let out a heavy sigh of relief.

”You scared me,” said the young scholar, sighing heavily, ”I thought you wanted me to slaughter this calf in front of everybody... It turns out it’s just letting some blood out.”

The white calf, already somewhat resistant, heard this and its eyes popped open wide. Lowering its head, it tried to gore the young wizard in front of it with its little horns.

Thomas seized the calf’s head, looking at Zheng Qing helplessly, ”According to ancient customs, it’s supposed to be ’sacrificed’... but aren’t we emphasizing ’keeping up with the times’? So, letting out some blood symbolically will do... Besides, the Hunting Committee doesn’t plan to fill out dozens of application forms for a freshman competition.”

”After all, given the limited budget, the school would certainly not be willing to pay a hefty ’murder tax’ to Danghag’s Animal Protection Committee for a first-grade hunting competition.”

In Thomas’s palm, the little white bull struggles for a bit before it eventually gives up, lowers its head, and hangs its ears, showing an appearance ready to be slaughtered.

Zheng Qing glances to his sides, then, under the encouraging gazes of his companions, he picks up the ear of the little white bull and draws a light stroke on the back of the ear.

Reddish blood seeps down the soft, white hair, falling into the white dish that had been placed below. The contrasting colors of red and white were striking.

”That’s enough. That’s enough.” As soon as the base of the dish was gently submerged in the calf’s blood, Thomas immediately grabs Zheng Qing’s hand and repeatedly stops him, ”This much is enough... just a bit is enough.”

Saying this, he took out a small box of green ointment from his bosom and casually rubbed it on the calf’s ear, stopping the blood instantly.

The white calf seemed aware its sentence had been served. It raised its head, shook its ears, glared angrily at these detestable two-legged monkeys, turned its head, and bolted towards the stage exit.

The puppet didn’t mind, standing off to the side like a wooden post, not trying to stop the escaping calf.

”Prepare the instruments, sound the pipes and flutes!”

”The melody resonates, solemn and harmonious!”

A harsh, clear curse streamed from the puppet’s tall hat.

Accompanying the incantation, a splendid golden light suddenly appeared in the void. Among the bright light, shadowy figures played flutes, pipes, and even the zither. In no time, a magnificent melody echoed over the entire hunting ground. The harmonious and sonorous sound demonstrated the musicians’ extraordinary skills.

”Now let’s welcome our award presenter!”

”The principal of Jiuyou Academy, Professor Yao XiaoMi, to present the trophy and prizes to the champion hunting team of today!”

The puppet stated this urgently in a hurried tone— barely able to get Professor Old Yao’s full ’title’ out — it appeared highly unprofessional.

But soon, Zheng Qing figured out what this faulty puppet was up to.

Whilst waiting for Old Yao to step onto the stage, the puppet didn’t remain silent, but ambled around the podium mumbling something that appeared to be ’heating up the atmosphere’, yet gave off a strong sense of ’wrecking the scene’.

”The young wizards standing on the stage form the 2008 freshman competition championship hunting team!”

”Their spirits are high, their faces glowing, full of fighting spirit!”

”But!”

”They are not the only surviving team in the hunting grounds!”

”Many of you know that according to our rules, only one team can survive this competition!”

”But!”

”Just as you all have been shouting...”

Saying this, the puppet raised the civility cane in its hand towards the audience stand. Turning its head slightly to cover its ear, it seemed to be holding up a microphone.

As it wished, from the Alpha stands, those originally gradually subsiding shouts began to rise again.

”Cheating! Cheating! Cheating!!”

From a distance, the white robes in the stands rose and fell like waves crashing against rocks, causing deafening roars.

”Yes! It’s cheating!”

The puppeteer, seemingly elated by these words, spun his civility cane like a windmill and joyfully shouted: ”... As you all say, this rotten university undermined the game halfway through with their dirty tricks!”

”How many Alpha hunters carrying honor are still awaiting patiently at the hunting ground?”

”How many brave hunters from the Starry Sky Academy are searching everywhere at the hunting ground?”

”How many more...”

As if the volume was turned down, the voice of the puppeteer abruptly cut off. The young wizards saw his mouth moving, his face full of excitement, but not a word could be heard.

Soon, Zheng Qing understood why.

A yellow-faced wizard with a slicked-back hairstyle wearing a black robe strolled from the side of the stage. At his side, Thomas carried a white dish filled with ox’s blood, matching his pace.

”We are very grateful to Puppet Highness for hosting this Freshman competition...and the awards ceremony.”

”However, he seems to have misunderstandings about our champion.”

Old Yao chuckled, seeming to not use any magic, merely speaking softly, yet his voice effortlessly quieted the clamor of the audience, making it possible for everyone to hear clearly.

Having said this, the Principal of Jiuyou Academy walked up to the Absolution Hunting Team hunters.

Zheng Qing and others stood in a line, looking nervous.

Old Yao looked at the young wizards and nodded approvingly. He didn’t say much, just raised his right hand, extending two fingers.

Thomas immediately handed up the little dish filled with ox’s blood.

The professor dipped his fingers into the dish, staining them.

Then he walked over to Blue Bird, who was standing at the end of the line, and marked his forehead with the blood-stained finger.

”Wisdom!”

”Hubris should not be allowed, desires should not be indulged, ambitions should not be filled, and joy should not be extreme.”

Then he went in front of Xin Fat Man and marked another blood imprint on his forehead.

”Kindness!”

”A warm word is better than a cozy blanket; a hurtful word is more dangerous than a spear.”

Next was Xiao Xiao.

”Zeal for learning!”

”Learning without thought is hopeless, thinking without learning is perilous.”

The next was Zhang Ji Xin.

”Bravery!”

”For justice, one does not bend before power nor care about profits. Petty bravery is driven by impulse; Superior bravery is driven by principle.”

Finally, he came before Zheng Qing.

”Benevolence!”

”The path of righteousness will go on, regardless of countless demons in its way!”

”To single-handedly draw away hundreds of mad demons is brave, smart, and wise. Even the veterans who graduated from school, including your predecessors who became certified wizards, seldom show such qualities when faced with a similar situation.”

”With determination to die, you carried out a righteous deed.”

”This should be your greatest takeaway from the competition this year!”

After saying this, he wiped his finger in the dish, soaked up the last bit of ox’s blood, and dotted it on Zheng Qing’s forehead.

Then, he turned to face everyone at the hunting ground, loudly declaring:

”Courage, kindness, trust, and many other virtues, along with the principles of being a wizard—this is our great treasure hidden in the hunting ground. It is the support that helps you young wizards walk further on this path, passing beyond even that of the greatest wizards. This treasure will never become outdated!”

”Is the one who gets this treasure not the real champion?”