High School of Demon Hunting

The Lantern Festival celebrated by the Wizards is quite similar yet somewhat different from that of the Mundane World.

The so-called similarity lies in the main activities of the day: lighting lanterns, worshipping gods, and praying for blessings, often accompanied by bustling street markets and a parade of lanterns. The difference, however, is that the deities worshipped by the Wizards are undeniably real, and the blessings they pray for are remarkably effective.

And the lanterns.

In the Mundane World, one cannot see those beautifully crafted lanterns of various styles leisurely chatting among themselves, floating in the air throughout the night.

No matter how it is celebrated, the festive atmosphere ignited on this ancient holiday perfectly alleviated the anxiety that the young Wizards felt during the first week of school. Every Warlock and Witch in the academy momentarily forgot about their final exam scores and the increasing amount of homework visible to the naked eye, indulging in their youth on this day.

After the evening gathering.

Zheng Qing planned to revisit Doctor Duzem as promised.

Although Jiang Yu assured him last night that from now on, Zheng Qing could visit the Abnormal Life Research Institute alone, she still chose to accompany him again tonight.

But as the price of accompaniment, Zheng Qing had to follow the Witch in a big circle around Beta Town, admiring every newly risen lantern of the Lantern Night—of course, considering safety, they didn’t conceal themselves, but diligently wore hooded caps to cover their faces thoroughly.

"You really don’t need to make another trip."

Zheng Qing sincerely persuaded the Witch several times, "It’s rare for you to have a night to thoroughly rest, don’t waste your energy on such trivial matters."

Jiang Yu covered her mouth and yawned lightly.

"Watching lanterns is also a form of relaxation, much better than staying in the dorm doing homework."

Despite her tired eyes, she appeared incredibly interested, cheerfully shifting the topic, "Speaking of which, after leaving the institute last night, I asked my family elders about some of Doctor Duzem’s past affairs. Back in the day, during his third year, Doctor Duzem published an important paper on Divine Substance as the first author, earning him an invitation to the International Youth Alchemist Conference, and he became the youngest specially appointed researcher in First University..."

"Yes, yes, I remember that."

Zheng Qing, suppressing a twinge of worry for the Witch, racked his brain for the uncertain words stored from his memory, "I think the paper was called, called, concerning something about Divine..."

"’On the Mechanisms of Storage, Release, and Inhibition of Divine Substance in the Process of Summoning Spirits,’" Jiang Yu kindly supplemented his memory while solving a lantern riddle and placing the answer inside the accompanying pumpkin lantern, causing it to burst out laughing like a fiery wheel, rolling away with a trail of sparks.

"Yes, yes, that’s the title... What about this paper?" Zheng Qing breathed a sigh of relief, casually crumpling another riddle dropped by the pumpkin lantern into a stone crevice nearby.

"The second author of that paper is Professor Montreya." Jiang Yu glanced back at him, dropping a name that surprised Zheng Qing.

"Professor Montreya?" Zheng Qing couldn’t help but widen his eyes, "Our Magic Language Professor? The Vice Dean of Edge Academy, Professor Montreya? He wrote such a paper too?"

"I was surprised to learn this news myself," the Witch smiled with arched brows, looking delighted to see the boy’s astonished expression, "but considering that bloodline research and Alchemy are already adjacent fields, with many renowned bloodlines reliant on Alchemy, this kind of cross-disciplinary collaboration seems entirely reasonable..."

In the distance, mellow and soothing music softly drifted from the end of the street, accompanied by a rich fragrance that attracted the attention of many people on the street.

Zheng Qing craned his neck, vaguely seeing a long procession formed by Wizards dressed in yellow robes, dancing ritualistically as they slowly marched across the street.

They wore crude wooden masks on their heads, adorned with wide, oddly styled hemp clothing.

"Is there something happening in Atlas tonight?" Jiang Yu, curious, tiptoed to look in that direction.

Zheng Qing shook his head perplexedly, "I only know there’s a parade arranged by Northern District Wizards, those who initiated the ’Give Me a Frog’ campaign last semester. It’s to celebrate their ’victory’ as well as the establishment of Edge Academy, although it seems that those parades should take place inside the four schools, probably in the central courtyard, circling Lin Zhong Lake... Xin Fat Man should be present."

"Those lunatics," the Witch grumbled.

Uncertain if she referred to the radicals supporting the ’Give Me a Frog’ movement or the religious zealots of Atlas.

Zheng Qing nodded in agreement, "Except for events like the Heavenly Sacrifice, Resurrection Mass, or Three Buddha Ceremony, I can’t imagine what activity would require these yellow-robed ones to come to Beta Town..."

"Tai Yi!"

"Tai Yi!"

The prayers from the parade grew closer, with most of the words spoken in ancient refined tones. Even the universal formation encompassing Buji Island couldn’t translate the majority, only a few words were audibly distinct.

"Tai Yi?"

Zheng Qing pondered over the term, his mind instinctively recalling the grand figure during the end of the Battle of the Black Prison, able to contend with the imposing Xuan Huang descending between heaven and earth.

He remembered the deep and resolute voice: My name, Taiyi!

Remembered borrowing the gigantic skeleton named ’Giant Zero Three’, recalled the bone relic between the skeleton’s brows—thought of the fat old mouse who dispersed his flesh, transforming into a bone relic, granting his daughter a slim chance of survival.

Ah, has time passed so long already?

The young Wizard struggled to recall what seemed clear yet slightly blurring images in his mind, a thought flitting across his mind, pondering the passage of time.

Alas, before he could recall further details, the parade, not far from them, abruptly turned into another street.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but he seemed to catch sight of Ding Dang Brothers and Zhu Si among the marching procession.

The noise stilled, bustle faded away, and the rich floral fragrance, following the prayers, seemed to drift away, the festive atmosphere enveloping the entire street, swept along into another avenue.

"Did you see them?" he asked the Witch unwittingly.

"See what?"

"Zhu Si... And the Ears Brothers."

"No, but even if they were part of the procession, it wouldn’t be surprising. Zhu Si always enjoys the lively crowd, and those mice like being close to her... Oh, this Little Orange Lamp is so pretty!"