High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 944: Chapter 6 Neighbors

Sour, sweet, bitter, salty, the mixed flavors of medicinal herbs wafted out from the half-open window of ’Authentic Botany’, bringing bliss to every passing wizard; green, yellow, red, white, black, the interwoven fabrics of these five colors hung on the racks in ’Green Xifang’, causing every witch who passed by to linger without moving on; poetry, books, rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals, the bound copies of these five classics were piled up in the corner of ’Tomb Index Mound’, their pages yellowing and their cotton threads darkening.

Hui Zi Ji was still as comfortable and fitting as ever.

Zheng Qing walked on the bluestone road, bowing left and right, greeting the neighbors; Deng Xiaoxian followed step by step behind him, hands clasped behind his head, looking up at the strip of blue sky above, yawning continuously.

”Xiaoqing is back? Staying home for a few days?” Granny Cai, supporting herself on the porch pillar in front of Bai Cao Tang, asked with a beaming smile.

”I’m back,” Zheng Qing stopped, politely responded, ”The school has a one-month winter vacation, but I am a scholarship student, so I need to report back half a month early... The school has arranged community service work for us.”

Hearing that he was a scholarship student, Deng Xiaoxian, with his head still tilted back, let out a long, disdainful snort.

”Scholarship students are good, more capable than Xiaoxian,” Granny Cai gave a thumbs up and praised—walking behind Zheng Qing, Deng Xiaoxian then made a loud snort, like a wild boar snoring—then Granny Cai followed up with a question, ”Have you run out of the old Talisman Scrolls? Do you want to take a few more from the shop?”

Zheng Qing used to practice with talismans—cinnabar and all that he got from Bai Cao Tang; Granny Cai also allowed Zheng Qing to swap his completed Talisman Scrolls for brand new blank ones in her shop. As a child, Zheng Qing always treated this trade as his own extra earnings and enjoyed it tirelessly.

However, since he started university, knowing that his completed scrolls, once enchanted, could be exchanged at Wandering Bar for shiny gold beans and silver corners, he no longer saved up Talisman Scrolls.

”Not yet, not yet,” the young wizard said with an awkward laugh, repeatedly waving his hands, ”The school provides free supplies for scholarship students... I still had many of those scrolls left when I left last time.”

What he said was not entirely true.

First University indeed provided learning supplies to the scholarship students, but those supplies only supported the minimum level of study and training—for example, only one Talisman Scroll per month, which was not enough for even three days of Zheng Qing’s practice—and those scrolls he brought with him at the start were long used up from daily practice.

The reason he had not continued taking Talisman Scrolls from Granny Cai’s shop was because he had always traded ’goods for goods,’ and it felt oddly embarrassing to start asking to buy them with money now; but he also didn’t want to part with his own scrolls filled with talismans to exchange for blank ones.

Just like when we were children, we would give antelope woodcarvings to our good friends without reservation, but as we grow up, we become shrewder and more insincere.

With this new insight into life, Zheng Qing said goodbye to Granny Cai and continued on his way.

”I came in a hurry today, forgot to bring gifts for them,” he said to Deng Xiaoxian as they walked, as if to make amends.

The young manager of Spring Reviving Hall rolled his eyes.

”What a hassle,” he muttered, blowing a breath skyward, ”The older we grow, the less adorable we become.”

”If you like cute, go find Huang Xiaoya,” Zheng Qing rolled his eyes too and mockingly said to Deng Xiaoxian, ”That is, if you won’t get chased around town by Old Man Huang with a knife, ready to chop off your donkey’s tail.”

Old Man Huang had opened a seal carving shop in Hui Zi Ji, selling various jade, stone, and wood seal products, which included but were not limited to seals, talisman boards, and curse stones. Huang Xiaoya was his granddaughter, ten years old this year, and a very adorable little girl.

”That’s why I say you’re becoming less and less cute,” Deng Xiaoxian stood up straight, took his hand from behind his head, and with a swift motion, caught a green firefly from mid-air, ”... children talk about serious matters all innocent and bright-eyed, but when adults tell a joke, it’s laced with a bit of lewdness.”

While saying this, he pulled off the firefly’s head and wings and shoved them into his mouth, chewed a bit, and spit out the husk.

”Ptui.”

The translucent firefly husk, along with some pale green saliva, fell into the gutter at the street corner.

”Ugh,” Zheng Qing made a vomiting face—half of which was feigned, half because he really felt like throwing up—then he noticeably distanced himself from Deng Xiaoxian, expressing his disgust, ”Haven’t you already adjusted to the retired life here? Why are you still doing such bizarre things... eating fireflies... why don’t you go eat flies!”

When Deng Xiaoxian was first brought to Hui Zi Ji by Old Mr. Deng, he was very rebellious and constantly doing strange things. Like running naked in circles on this three-mile long street, chopping off the tails of scorpion-tailed rabbits sold by street vendors to stuff into medicine cabinets, or demonstrating twelve cooking techniques of tapeworms to the children in Hui Collation.

However, as time passed, he gradually adapted to the semi-closed environment here and accepted his fate.

By the time Zheng Qing left Hui Zi Ji to go to college, this young shopkeeper’s behavior had normalized considerably, seldom engaging in those shocking acts anymore.

But now, Zheng Qing was very skeptical whether Deng Xiaoxian was having a relapse of his old habits.

”I don’t eat flies because there isn’t a suitable variety.” The young shopkeeper of Spring Reviving Hall spread his hands innocently, and replied seriously, ”I really want to try those small green bugs with hairy legs... I’ve heard from friends outside that they taste like sweet dumplings, bursting with juice when bitten, and the tender texture has a spicy undertone.”

Zheng Qing looked terrified, taking yet another step back from Deng Xiaoxian, as if merely breathing the same air as Deng Xiaoxian might lead to an incurable disease.

”Hahaha... just kidding!” Deng Xiaoxian suddenly doubled over with laughter, unable to straighten up, ”Didn’t I tell you that these fireflies are a modified variety gift from a friend? They only drink tree sap, they’re edible... Their texture is much like grapes, but the flavor is even richer... Want to try one?”

Saying this, he caught another orange-colored one—from his actions, it was clear he had become very adept at it.

”Awesome, awesome, keep your distance,” Zheng Qing also expertly clasped his fists in acknowledgment, continuing to widen the gap between him and Deng Xiaoxian.

He wasn’t a Greys, nor did he plan on surviving in the wild, thus naturally had no interest in eating insects.

”What a pity.” Deng Xiaoxian shrugged, pulled the wings and head off the orange-colored bug, tossed it into his mouth, and mumbled, ”Alive like an Old Master... not enjoying life at all.”