Chapter 72
Chapter 72
Before long, Shi Xuan’s convoy stopped outside the school gates.
As soon as he stepped out of the car, Xun Silu activated an instrument in his hand. It had been specially made by the Xun family and was no ordinary device.
“Anomaly reading: zero.”
The number on the display puzzled him.
This place had seen a battle between numerous immensely powerful anomalies only yesterday. How could it be so peaceful?
Xun Fayin remained calm.
“Let’s go inside and take a look.”
Shi Xuan led them into the security booth. A smiling bald old man sat inside with a staff ID card pinned to the left side of his chest.
“Sir, have you brought more guests to tour the school? Classes are currently in session, so regulations require everyone to register.”
The bald old man stood and handed Shi Xuan the visitor log.
Shi Xuan and Xu Changjiang froze. Being addressed as “sir” by this bald old man sent panic through them both.
Others might not know the old man’s background, but they had personally witnessed his might yesterday.
He was an ancient SSS-class wild deity!
Despite their unease, neither dared say anything, much less expose his identity.
They knew that Abyss was currently obsessed with role-playing.
“Of course, of course!”
They promptly signed their names and stated the purpose of their visit.
“These two gentlemen need to register as well,” Shen Yuan said, smiling at Xun Fayin and Xun Silu.
Xun Silu immediately became displeased.
“What do you think you are? You expect me to register?”
As a direct descendant of one of the Old-Grave Clans, he was treated with the utmost respect wherever he went. Yet no one had welcomed him at this school, and now an ordinary security guard was blocking his path?
“My apologies, but those are the regulations,” Shen Yuan said pleasantly. “Anyone who doesn’t register cannot enter the school.”
Xun Silu’s expression darkened. He slammed a hand on the desk.
“Do you know who you’re talking to?!”
“Shi Xuan, you have three minutes! Tell Abyss and every anomaly in this place to get out here and meet my brother and me! Don’t spurn the respect we’re offering you!”
He erupted on the spot.
Shi Xuan’s and Xu Changjiang’s faces changed dramatically. Both instinctively glanced at the bald old man.
Yesterday, Sun Xingsheng had merely spoken disrespectfully of Li Que, and Abyss had erased him on the spot.
Shen Yuan, however, continued smiling.
“Young man, there’s no need for such a temper. We can discuss matters calmly.”
That only made Xun Silu angrier. How dare a lowly security guard lecture him?
He opened his mouth to curse, but all that emerged was a string of meaningless cries.
“Aaah! Aaaah!”
Shock seized him.
What was happening?
Why couldn’t he speak? It was as though he had become mute!
His face changed drastically. He grabbed at his throat, but there was nothing wrong with it.
“Silu?!”
Xun Fayin instantly realized something was wrong. He hurriedly steadied Xun Silu, but he could not identify the problem either.
His thoughts raced. In an instant, he understood. Turning to Shen Yuan, he spoke gravely.
“Senior, my younger brother was too aggressive just now. I apologize on his behalf!”
He had realized that this seemingly ordinary security guard was probably responsible.
“No harm done, no harm done.” Shen Yuan nodded with a genial smile.
At that very instant, Xun Silu expelled a breath of foul air.
“I can’t speak…”
The words left his mouth, and he froze.
Had he recovered?
Fury surged through his eyes. He was a direct descendant of the Xun family, a prodigy only one step away from SS-class, yet someone had toyed with him?
“Enough, Silu!” Xun Fayin said sternly. “Don’t delay our business.”
He turned to Shen Yuan. “Senior, we came here to find Abyss…”
Shen Yuan waved a hand. “No matter whom you’re looking for, report to the school administration first.”
Xun Fayin was utterly helpless. More importantly, he could not see through the old man at all.
He had no choice but to nod and sign both his and Xun Silu’s names in the visitor log.
Shi Xuan and Xu Changjiang exchanged complicated looks.
Old Shen truly was something else. Even a noble young master of the Xun family had been brought perfectly to heel.
After registering, the group prepared to enter the school. At that moment, Xun Silu turned to Shen Yuan.
“Senior, I behaved improperly just now. Please forgive me.”
He extended a hand. “My name is Xun Silu.”
“No harm done.”
Shen Yuan smiled and reached out to shake his hand.
Without warning, a round sheet of white joss paper appeared in Xun Silu’s palm. Moving faster than the eye could follow, he slapped it against Shen Yuan’s hand.
“Silu, don’t!”
Xun Fayin’s face changed drastically. He knew exactly what it was.
Old-Tomb Joss Paper-an object brought out of the Xun family’s ancestral tomb!
Nourished by the tomb’s anomalous aura, it had long since gained power far beyond that of ordinary anomalous entities.
The Old-Tomb Joss Paper was precisely why Xun Silu had never regarded even the SSS-class Abyss as a threat.
The security guard before him might be unusual, but there was no chance he could withstand it!
The next instant, however, Shen Yuan closed his hand around Xun Silu’s and gave it two firm shakes. He smiled faintly, entirely composed.
“Young people truly know how to show respect. You saw this old man was halfway into the grave already, so you gave me funeral money?”
“Very well. I’ll accept it.”
With that, he calmly put away the white sheet of joss paper.
Xun Silu’s face turned deathly pale. His body went weak, and he almost collapsed.
Xun Fayin hurriedly supported him. At the same time, he raised his eyes and stared at Shen Yuan in utter shock.
“Senior… just who are you?”
His expression had never been graver.
He knew exactly how powerful Old-Tomb Joss Paper was. It was more than enough to intimidate Abyss.
Yet an unknown anomaly serving as a security guard at this school had casually suppressed and taken it?
How was that possible?
The old man’s ability to silence Xun Silu had not seemed particularly astonishing. Anomalies possessed all manner of abilities, and sometimes an A-class anomaly could counter an S-class one. That was perfectly normal.
But Old-Tomb Joss Paper existed on an entirely different level. Ordinary anomalies would be injured merely by looking at it from afar, let alone touching it!
Yet the old man held it with effortless ease.
What level of anomalous entity could he possibly be?
Even the SSS-class Abyss could not have done that!
Why had another anomaly of this level appeared here?
“Me? I’m the security guard,” Shen Yuan said cheerfully. “Are you going inside or not? If you are, finish registering.”
Xun Fayin’s eyes were exceedingly grave. He gave Shen Yuan a long, searching look, countless questions flashing through his mind. Then he took a deep breath.
“Of course.”
Supporting Xun Silu, he said, “We’ll report to the school administration first. We’ll return to pay you a proper visit later, Senior.”
This security guard was unquestionably extraordinary. He might even be far stronger than Abyss.
The Xun family had to take him seriously.
Xun Fayin grew even warier. The waters here were evidently much deeper than they had imagined.
He gave Shi Xuan a complicated look whose meaning was unmistakable.
Shi Xuan had been thoroughly dishonest. The school contained an existence like this, yet he had never warned them.
Slightly embarrassed, Shi Xuan extended a hand. “Please. This way, please.”
The group passed the security booth and finally entered the campus.
“My anomalous entity was completely suppressed back there. I couldn’t use it at all. Even the Old-Tomb Joss Paper lost its effect… Just what was that thing?” Xun Silu asked after they had walked some distance, his face exceedingly ugly.
He had only just recovered.
“Silu, divine authority granted through divine investiture is a matter of tremendous importance. This place may be far more complicated than we imagined, so do not act impulsively,” Xun Fayin warned.
His younger brother never gave him a moment’s peace. Yet the clan placed enormous importance on Xun Silu, so Xun Fayin had been forced to bring him along.
Xun Silu clenched his teeth and said nothing.
As they walked, Xun Fayin suddenly stopped.
“Something is wrong. There is a problem with this school.” His expression turned extremely grave. “This place seems to have formed a kind of occult configuration!”
Shi Xuan was startled. As expected of an elite member of the Xun family, Xun Fayin had recognized it almost immediately.
“Silu, do you have any Old-Tomb Joss Paper left?” Xun Fayin asked thoughtfully. “Scatter a few more sheets. I want to test something. If this place truly possesses that kind of occult configuration, it would be terrifying.”
Xun Silu nodded and immediately took out four sheets.
He had brought five in total. These were all he had left.
“Scatter one in each of the Metal, Wood, Fire, and Earth directions. Leave the Water position empty,” Xun Fayin instructed.
Xun Silu tossed out the four sheets of Old-Tomb Joss Paper.
There was no wind, yet the paper began spinning and dancing as soon as it touched the ground. A mysterious anomalous aura spread through the surroundings.
“That thing… is terrifying!” Xu Changjiang exclaimed.
The anomalous aura was even more suffocating than the pressure they had felt from Abyss yesterday.
Shi Xuan frowned deeply.
“Brother, you’re overthinking this. How could a place like this produce that sort of occult configuration? In moments, the Old-Tomb Joss Paper will sweep away every yin configuration here!” Xun Silu declared.
The moment he finished speaking, a woman carrying a broom approached from the side.
She swung the broom down. The Old-Tomb Joss Paper, which had seemed so mysterious moments ago, abruptly turned into a few worthless scraps. She effortlessly swept them into her garbage bag.
Everyone froze in shock.
“What kind of anomaly is that?!”
Xun Silu nearly jumped. He stared incredulously at the cleaning woman.
Xun Fayin was equally stunned.
Even Shi Xuan and Xu Changjiang were dumbfounded.
They could understand Shen Yuan suppressing the Old-Tomb Joss Paper. They knew his true identity, after all.
But since when could an A-class Wraith-Mother of the Vengeful Infant casually dispose of something like Old-Tomb Joss Paper as though it were trash?
And with such ease?
…