High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1539: Chapter 283: Story

Memory is a high-level psychological activity based on thought.

It is also a kind of drink.

This drink is very popular among high-level demons, just as alcohol is favored by wizards. However, unlike real alcohol, it is not brewed with honey or fruit but distilled from the information that flows out of warm human brains under the stimulation of demon energy.

The esteemed captain of the Mist Ship is particularly fond of this drink.

Nikita, the cook aboard the Mist Ship, is always preparing ingredients, and thus she has this jar of ”Memory.” It is collected from the memories of Dreamland natives—rich in exotic flavors. Due to the differing laws between Dreamland and reality, the female demon was unsure if she could bring back the brains of those natives, so she pre-brewed these drinks and stored them in jars.

Now, this jar of drink will be presented as an offering to the temple in Wusa City.

Dreamland is a world constructed on fantasies and dreams. At its deepest core flows the memories of countless living beings from the real world. Thus, the jar of drink offered by the female demon can be considered the essence of this world—and naturally garners the favor of divine spirits.

Priests are the mouthpieces and limbs of the divine spirits.

The divine spirits will express their joy through their mouthpieces and distribute their rewards through their limbs. Even if the High Priest doesn’t enjoy the female demon’s sinister offering, he will still keep a pleasant demeanor under the gaze of the divine spirits.

”So,” Elder Atar patiently listened to the guests’ requests before summarizing, ”you wish to find your way home?”

The old man sat behind an ivory podium, his gaze bright as he looked at the young wizards and demons gathered around it. Beside him was a wooden cup brimming with Amber Light.

The young wizards nodded in agreement.

Nikita and Zhuzhu did not nod, but they didn’t have the option to dissent.

”Dreamland, though remote, is not isolated,” Elder Atar seemed slightly puzzled by the guests’ request. ”This world often has wanderers from other realms accidentally intruding. Some arrive on white ships, some pass through desolate fields, and others come via tree hollows, clock faces, or even mirrors. But as long as you are not bewitched by this world’s dreams and fantasies and still remember who you are, returning should not be difficult.”

Saying this, he carefully examined the eyes of the young wizards.

”Your gaze is still clear, and you still know who you are,” he said, nodding as he raised the wooden cup in his hand. ”Therefore, return the same way you came. Just as you descended into this world, you may ascend back to your original world... Wishing you a smooth journey.”

Zheng Qing glanced at Xiao Xiao, then at Jiang Yu, his fingers subconsciously playing with his cat tail. The tip of the tail struggled within his fingers, clearly displeased with the game.

Finally, he forced a smile at Elder Atar, sitting behind the ivory podium.

”A small mishap occurred,” the young public-funded student cleared his throat, trying to explain in a gentle manner. ”Due to some irresistible circumstances, we had to unleash a powerful spell... In that Enchanting Forest... and accidentally destroyed my tree hollow.”

”And my water portal,” Xiao Xiao added sternly.

Jiang Yu’s cat ears drooped cautiously amid his hair.

Zheng Qing let out an awkward chuckle. ”Yes, and his water portal... So basically, the path we used to arrive in this world is gone. We need your help to find a new way.”

”A new way.” The old man picked up the wooden cup at his side, seemingly intending to moisten his throat with the drink but ultimately just dipped his lips before setting it back down.

”And it must be wide enough, big enough,” Xiao Xiao gave Zheng Qing a glance and added, ”Due to certain Indescribable reasons, some of our members have become rather ’bulky,’ and an ordinary tree hollow won’t suffice anymore... My water portal burst during a failed attempt.”

”That was just an accident,” Zheng Qing muttered, his Charm Gun’s sights viciously trained on the nearby female demon.

Nikita blinked innocently.

”A figure capable of bursting a passage is beyond ’bulky’ to describe. Haha, this certainly is a tricky issue,” Elder Atar shook his head. ”A path, after all, is a Dao. Finding a Dao suitable for all isn’t an easy matter.”

”Which is why we hope to receive your assistance.”

The elderly man’s gaze passed over the shoulders of the young wizards, traversing the vast, towering hall, the intricate murals, the lively streets, the sprawling wilderness, and finally settling on a towering mountain peak.

Then he withdrew his gaze, gently looking at the guests before him as he narrated a small story:

”Long, long ago, a farmer built a little house on an open field. Once the house was complete, he thought the area around it felt too empty, so he created a small garden... Because this house was in an isolated place without neighbors, the farmer did not erect a fence around his garden.”

”Then spring arrived.”

”The garden bloomed with flowers of various colors—red, yellow, pink. The blossoms attracted bees, which buzzed loudly. The bees brought along grass spirits and flower sprites, who frolicked and played. The flower sprites liked trading delicacies made from dew with the bees for honey.”

”And then, came the honey-thieving mice, the mouse-wolves that preyed on flower sprites, and the wild boars that loved chewing peonies... In the food chain, everything is interconnected. When wild boars appeared in the garden, tigers and wolves were never far behind.”

”One day, returning from the fields, the farmer discovered his garden in a state of ruin.”

”The colorful flowers were flattened to the ground. Dead bees and flower sprites dyed the soil green. A wild boar, with half its body remaining, gasped weakly, refusing to close its eyes. A tiger, bloated and round, lay like a cat under the sun, snoring.”

”The farmer stabbed the tiger with a pitchfork, then spent a night erecting a fence, smearing it with the tiger’s blood and bones, warning the prying eyes lurking deep in the forest.”

”Thus, peace returned to the garden.”

”But the existence of the fence was merely a silent warning. It couldn’t stop those truly intent on seeing the flowers. Bees beat their wings and flew over the fence; mice dug small holes underground to sneak into the garden. After several rains and storms washed away the tiger’s blood and bones on the fence, new wild boars came to batter down the fence once again...”

Zheng Qing carefully listened to the old man’s story.

The story was simple, and combined with the circumstances in Dreamland, the warlock could deduce the identities of the garden, the fence, and those uninvited visitors. Yet, it was precisely because of this clarity that confusion gripped him more tightly.

Did they have to wait for a new wild boar to break through the fence before they could leave this beautiful garden?