Chapter 75
Chapter 75
At Mingjiang No. 7 Special School, Qin Shiyu stared at Shen Yuan and the boy in astonishment.
She had heard that several divine anomalies within the former Divine Gate had been honored as the Guan Jiang Shou and worshipped by the Ji family.
For generations, members of the Ji family had served as spirit mediums, inviting the Guan Jiang Shou to possess them so they could destroy evil and banish anomalies.
After the Divine Gate collapsed, many of its worshipping families survived. They hid throughout the land and became the Refugees.
During her time at the Hall of Anomalies, Qin Shiyu had obtained some intelligence concerning the Ji family. They appeared to be doing quite well today.
As far as she knew, after the Divine Gate collapsed, the Ji family had even worshipped and nurtured a powerful water anomaly to serve as their guardian.
Could Abyss be that guardian?
And was Ji Tian a spirit medium from the Ji family’s direct line?
Then why had they ended up at Sun-Swallowing Gorge, living under false names for so many years?
At the mention of the past, sorrow passed across Shen Yuan’s face. He shook his head.
“The main line… The main line is gone.”
“After the Divine Gate collapsed, the Refugees were in grave danger. My old master attempted to build a great tomb, but he failed.”
“The main line declined after that, until only the Young Master remained. Members of the branch lines seized power and treated him as a vessel. They frantically tried to invite gods from the Divine Gate to possess him. No gods answered. Instead, one anomaly after another possessed the Young Master, destroying his mind…”
Shen Yuan released a long sigh.
“When I learned what had happened, I found a way to rescue the Young Master and took him to Sun-Swallowing Gorge. We hid our identities there.”
“Unfortunately, too many anomalies exhausted his body. He cannot survive unless he obtains divine authority from divine investiture to stabilize himself. That is why I rushed here as soon as I sensed the Water God’s Authority in the waters of the Mingjiang River.”
As Shen Yuan recounted the past, tears nearly fell from his eyes.
He might be an anomaly, but generations of incense and worship from the Ji family’s main line had given him emotions approaching those of a human.
“I see…” Qin Shiyu sighed softly. “Come. We should take him to meet Teacher Li first.”
Shen Yuan nodded heavily. He changed Ji Tian into dry clothes, and then the two of them escorted him to the teaching building.
Before long, they reached the door of Li Que’s classroom.
Qin Shiyu knocked.
“Teacher Li, the new student is here.”
Inside the classroom, Li Que had just finished wiping the blackboard. He turned and looked at Ji Tian.
“Come in.”
Shen Yuan immediately lowered his voice.
“Tian, Teacher Li is calling you. You can go inside for class now.”
Ji Tian stood motionless, his gaze vacant.
Li Que sighed softly. No wonder Shen Yuan still worried so much despite his age.
The child had a mental disability.
Students like this were not uncommon at a special school.
Li Que walked over, took a piece of White Rabbit milk candy from his pocket, and asked, “Do you like candy?”
Ji Tian instinctively looked at the candy. Seeing a response, Li Que unwrapped it and handed it to him.
Ji Tian put the candy straight into his mouth.
Its creamy sweetness melted across his tongue. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile.
“Tian… You smiled? You’re smiling!”
Shen Yuan became overwhelmed with emotion. Tears nearly filled his aged eyes.
How many years had it been?
Ever since Ji Tian’s own family harmed him, he had fallen into complete mental ruin.
He either stood motionless in a daze or screamed in terror.
Yet now a smile had appeared on his face.
“Teacher Li, thank you. Thank you!”
Shen Yuan almost dropped to his knees before Li Que.
Li Que hurriedly supported him.
“Please, sir. There’s no need for that.”
“Now that he’s here, he’s my student. I’ll do everything I can to teach him well.”
Shen Yuan nodded heavily, tears brimming in his eyes.
“Teacher Li… I will repay this immense kindness with my life!”
His words carried tremendous weight.
Li Que sighed softly. The old man truly loved his grandson.
“All right. I need to continue class. Ji Tian should become familiar with the classroom environment as well.”
Qin Shiyu led Shen Yuan away.
After they left, Li Que pointed toward the front row.
“You can sit there.”
He seated Ji Tian beside Lin Xiaoyu, close enough to the lectern that Li Que could respond quickly if anything happened.
“All right. Let’s continue the lesson.”
Li Que resumed teaching.
Lin Xiaoyu listened while curiously studying her new deskmate.
Soon, the bell rang and the break began.
Li Que left the classroom.
Nian Youyu was the first to hurry over to Ji Tian. He sniffed at him curiously.
“He smells like so many different kinds of food.”
“That’s strange. Why are there so many different anomalous scents on him?”
Meng Mo’s eyes lit up.
“I know. Lots of anomalies have possessed him before…”
“A female water anomaly, a hanged anomaly, a vengeful infant, a beast anomaly… There are so many different kinds!”
Meng Mo possessed divine authority over dreams and could sense the human mind far more keenly than ordinary people.
“They terrified him out of his mind. He’s hiding in the deepest part of himself and doesn’t dare come out.”
“That’s so sad.”
Lin Xiaoyu blinked, sympathy filling her large eyes. She suddenly turned to Bai Lu.
“Big Sister Bai Lu, can we help pull him out?”
“Do as you wish,” Bai Lu replied calmly.
Lin Xiaoyu nodded. “Meng Mo, pull me into his dream. I’ll bring him out.”
Meng Mo thought that sounded fun. A black butterfly seemed to spread its wings inside his pupils.
In an instant, Lin Xiaoyu and Ji Tian slumped onto their desks together.
…
When Lin Xiaoyu opened her eyes again, darkness surrounded her.
The place was vast, empty, and desolate. Faint sobbing drifted through the void.
She followed the sound and soon found a little boy curled up in a dark corner.
He hugged his knees and wept with his head lowered.
“Ji Tian?”
Lin Xiaoyu approached him.
The boy looked up in terror. “I’m not Ji Tian! Don’t possess me! I’m not Ji Tian!”
“I’m not here to hurt you,” Lin Xiaoyu said. “Come with me. I’ll take you outside.”
The boy stared at her in confusion.
Then violent pounding erupted from somewhere beyond the darkness.
“Hiss… Open the door…”
“Give me back my life…”
“Grandma’s precious boy, why won’t you come see Grandma?”
Sinister laughter and piercing roars sounded from every direction. The darkness around them seemed packed with endless anomalous entities.
“No! They’re here! They’re here!”
Tears poured from Ji Tian’s frightened eyes. His entire body trembled.
Lin Xiaoyu felt even more sympathy. Had Ji Tian lived like this through countless days and nights?
She stepped forward and took out a piece of White Rabbit milk candy.
“Do you remember this candy? You just had one.”
She unwrapped it and held it out.
Ji Tian froze. “Candy…”
“Eat it and come with me.”
Her voice was firm and powerful.
Ji Tian instinctively ate the candy. Lin Xiaoyu took his hand, pulled him to his feet, and led him toward the loudest voices in the darkness.
He remained deeply nervous, but perhaps the candy had given him courage. He followed her.
A door appeared before them, covered in bloody handprints and surrounded by countless ghostly shadows.
Holding Ji Tian with one hand, Lin Xiaoyu kicked the door open.
The instant it opened, Ji Tian squeezed his eyes shut in terror.
But no anomalous entity attacked him. After a long, long while, he realized the world around him had become completely silent.
He slowly opened his eyes.
The terrifying anomalous entities that had tormented him for countless years had all vanished from the darkness.
Lin Xiaoyu’s entire body shone with golden light.
She blazed like a deity from the highest heavens. The shadow of a scarlet dragon circled her, illuminating the whole dark world.
“You’re… a god!” Ji Tian murmured in a daze.
…
Elsewhere, Leng Qingyan received a call from Yin Rumei.
“Families that once worshipped gods want to meet Teacher Li?”
She frowned, having never expected Yin Rumei to possess another identity.
“The Refugees… Teacher Li is attracting more and more attention.”
Li Que had said that anyone who wished to visit and inspect the school could be welcomed, so she agreed.
…
Before long, another group stepped out of their cars at the school gates.
They were Yin Rumei, Ji Fengming, and the others.
“This is the place?”
Ji Fengming glanced around with casual disdain.
“Let’s meet Teacher Li, who controls this place,” Yin Rumei said. “However, Teacher Li has always treated himself as an ordinary person. Please avoid deliberately raising too many matters concerning anomalies.”
Ji Fengming looked surprised, then scoffed.
“It’s merely the role-playing method. There is nothing particularly profound about it. Mrs. Wang, you’re far too cautious!”
The group approached the security booth.
“If you wish to tour the school, please register first,” Shen Yuan said.
Perhaps Ji Tian’s arrival had left him melancholy, because he was no longer as cheerful as before.
“You?!”
An angry voice rang out.
Shen Yuan instinctively looked up. The moment his gaze fell upon Ji Fengming, his expression changed.
…