Chapter 2: The Paper Concubine

Chapter 2: The Paper Concubine

"This student has incredibly high potential!" exclaimed an elderly man with white hair, standing at the side of the lectern, his expression grave as he observed the young boy on stage.

Just how exceptional was Lu Ran's talent? Even the Demon Concubine, a member of the Demon race, couldn't resist revealing herself in broad daylight, eager to claim a follower!

The school evaluated a student's potential through various factors such as physical attributes, martial arts proficiency, theological knowledge, and the depth of their faith.

Generally, the higher your comprehensive assessment score, the more likely you were to catch the attention of the higher-ranked deities.

However, this evaluation system couldn't compare to the deities' own judgment!

In a way, the so-called "Demons" in human folklore were also a form of deity.

But these "Evil Deities" were absolutely not to be worshipped!

Privately, you would be controlled by them, losing yourself and becoming their puppet.

Publicly, joining the Demon race meant standing against both the human and divine races.

"Principal Zhou!" A male teacher quickly approached the elderly man, his face filled with urgency. "Should we suspend the Divine Worship Ceremony?"

Suspend?

How could they stop now that the Demon had arrived?

Everything now rested on Lu Ran's decision.

Principal Zhou's expression turned solemn. "Sound the horn to maintain order. It's just a Demon phantom, no need to panic."

"Yes!" The male teacher waved his hand, and a illusory horn swiftly took form.

"Wuuuu~~"

The deep horn's sound pierced the sky, gradually calming the chaotic campus.

On the lectern, Lu Ran looked up at the sky in utter astonishment.

To be honest, the Demon Concubine was... well, quite beautiful.

A massive female phantom appeared, wearing an exquisite phoenix crown and a bright red wedding gown, resembling a bride.

She exuded elegance and nobility, her demeanor captivating.

Yet, her face was deathly pale, like a paper figure, contrasting sharply with her vibrant attire, making her appearance all the more eerie.

"Paper Concubine," Lu Ran muttered, his emotions a complex mix.

Fear was certain, but deep within his heart, there was also a tinge of excitement.

It wasn't because of the Paper Concubine's lingering charm, but rather the historical significance of attracting a malevolent spirit during a worship ceremony.

Throughout history, every human who attracted Demons was exceptionally talented!

Lu Ran was truly elated, but within a few short seconds, he became overwhelmed with uncertainty.

Precisely because of such explosive human talents, Demons would come to claim them, and deities would frequently appear to compete for followers.

But in Lu Ran's case...

Why was there only the Demon Concubine?

Where were the deities?

Lu Ran gazed up at the gray, hazy sky, desperately searching for the figures of the deities in the misty rain.

Come out, don't hide! It's not funny to tease a child like this.

If you don't show up soon, I might just be dragged away by the Paper Concubine for a ghost marriage!

"Boom!"

The dark clouds churned, and thunder roared.

To everyone's surprise, the Paper Concubine lowered herself.

She slowly bent down, her massive phantom hand reaching towards Lu Ran on the stage.

It was common knowledge that during a Divine Worship Ceremony, the appearance of a deity was an act of grace, offering a chance to the human.

Next, the human would need to kneel in sincere worship to become a follower.

But at this moment, the Paper Concubine's fingers inched towards Lu Ran, as if intending to absorb the tiny human into her fingertips.

"Sister, stop it!" Lu Ran was almost in tears, watching the fair-faced beauty draw closer. He took steps backward, pleading, "I'm just 17, don't do this!"

In the rain, the class teacher, Li Yanzhu, stood against the terrifying pressure of the Paper Concubine, shouting anxiously, "Don't be fooled by her! Don't believe any promises she makes! Lu Ran, don't do anything foolish!"

Fortunately, despite the low status of humans, the decision to follow a deity was a mutual choice.

"Lu Ran!"

"Reject her, Lu Ran!" Voices of concern echoed, piercing through the layers of rain, reaching the center of the lectern.

"Wuuuu~~" The deep horn continued to sound, carrying a unique melancholy.

At Principal Zhou's signal, the male teacher kept performing his unique divine technique, calming the crowd and soothing Lu Ran's restless heart.

"We're not a good match, Sister Paper Concubine," Lu Ran pleaded. "Wouldn't it be enough if I burn a paper effigy of a perfect husband for you tonight?"

Below the lectern, a chubby boy grew impatient.

How much could a paper figure cost?

Was this the time to be stingy?

"Then burn more!" Qian Hao shouted.

[Expanding Horizons]



Lu Ran's eyes lit up with understanding. "Right! I'll burn two! Three!"

"Burn one every day!" Qian Hao was exasperated. Did he have to teach him everything?

"Yes, yes, one a day!" Lu Ran nodded repeatedly, "There's also a tall guy in my class named Kou Yingquan. He's full of yang energy and has a strong fire element!"

He continued, "Kou Yingquan is always glaring at others with envy, wanting to find a partner. I'll send him over to you too! Guaranteed satisfaction!"

Qian Hao: "..."

Kou Yingquan: "???"

Kou Yingquan's face turned ashen with anger, and he cursed, "Lu Ran, you motherfcker!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Kou Yingquan abruptly stopped.

Just as he began to hurl insults at Lu Ran, the Demon Concubine suddenly turned her head 180 degrees!

And it was the kind of turn where only the head moved, not the body.

The scene was incredibly chilling!

Her large, enchanting eyes stared directly at the tall and robust Kou Yingquan.

"Ah!" Kou Yingquan let out a shrill scream, trembling with fear. His legs turned soft, and he sat down on the muddy ground.

"Slap!" Mud and water splattered everywhere.

It was at this moment that the students realized how much courage it took to face the Malevolent Spirit in the form of the Demon Concubine.

On the worship platform, the seemingly weak Lu Ran had never shown any signs of weakness. His legs never faltered, and his words remained firm in rejection.

"Huff!"

Suddenly, a powerful surge of energy rippled through the sky.

The Demon Concubine immediately turned her head and looked up.

In the sky above Lu Ran, a translucent white figure rapidly appeared!

"Ah! Here it comes, another one!"

"Is it a deity or a demon?" The crowd couldn't be sure what Lu Ran had summoned.

"Divine Sheep? It seems like the Divine Sheep!"

"Wuu~ It's true! It's really the Divine Sheep! Finally, a deity has come to the rescue!"

"Divine Sheep! White Jade Divine Sheep!"

The translucent white figure was incredibly exhilarating.

It was like a ray of light piercing through the rolling dark clouds, breaking through the extremely oppressive atmosphere between heaven and earth.

The school erupted with cheers like never before.

The Deity Divine Sheep had appeared!

It stood upright, its hind hooves suspended in the air, and its front hooves held together as if in a respectful gesture.

Adorned in a white jade robe, it shone like lamb fat jade, radiating a peculiar glow in this dim world.

"Divine Sheep! Divine Sheep!"

To be honest, the Divine Sheep probably hadn't received such a warm welcome in a long time.

Because it was the ninth-ranked deity, the very last in the deity hierarchy.

"Pay respects to the Divine Sheep, Lu Ran! Quickly pay your respects to the Divine Sheep!" The class teacher shouted.

Lu Ran was decisive and without a hint of reluctance, he turned and bowed to the Divine Sheep:

"Thank you, Divine Sheep, for saving me from the water and fire! Quick, quick, accept me as your disciple! Hurry, I'm about to die!"

In an instant, an agreement was reached between the two.

The Divine Sheep quickly released a mist of divine fog, enveloping the human on the platform.

Witnessing this, the Demon Concubine slowly straightened up. The look in her eyes as she gazed at Lu Ran wasn't as cruel as one might imagine.

Instead, it held a hint of resentment? But when she turned her gaze back to the Divine Sheep, her eyes shone with a fierce red light, revealing a murderous intent!

"Huff!"

The wind of shadows blew, and the Demon Concubine quietly dissipated.

The world fell silent, and countless people inside and outside the school simultaneously heaved a sigh of relief.

Principal Zhou's face was heavy with thought. He spoke, "Call the class teacher of this student."

"Yes!" The male teacher stopped blowing his horn and left to carry out the order.

Principal Zhou Shengchang sighed deeply, his heart filled with confusion.

Since Lu Ran had such exceptional talent, why were the deities so slow to compete for him as a follower?

In the end, it was the ninth-ranked, last-place deity, the Divine Sheep, who came to take on a disciple.

Could it be because of his personality?

Of course not! Many divine statues had descended upon Daxia, each with their unique temperaments.

Furthermore, the deity Jade Talisman and Jiang Ruyi had clearly mismatched personalities.

Yet, the cold Jade Talisman valued Jiang Ruyi's talent, and her personality became less of a concern.

Based on this speculation, there was only one reason left for the deities' reluctance to appear:

Lu Ran's heart lacked sincerity! This could also be evidenced by the Divine Sheep's actions.

The Divine Sheep was the most gentle and tolerant deity among all the deities in Daxia!

Without a doubt!

So, was it all because Lu Ran lacked a sincere heart towards the deities? Principal Zhou frowned, reluctant to believe his own judgment.

"Principal Zhou," Li Yanzhu approached the white-haired elder and spoke respectfully.

Principal Zhou Shengchang said, "Tell me about this student's specific situation."

Li Yanzhu immediately replied, "His name is Lu Ran. He ranks among the top five in the class for overall performance. He specializes in sword techniques in martial arts class, and his goal is to become a disciple of the deity Jade Talisman.

Zhou Shengchang listened quietly.

Li Yanzhu hesitated for a moment before speaking, "His father was a follower of Jade Talisman, named Lu Xing."

Zhou Shengchang's expression changed, "Lu Xing?"

"Yes!" Li Yanzhu nodded, "The very Lu Xing who died in service four years ago."

Upon hearing this, the old principal's eyebrows furrowed even deeper.

As the descendant of a martyr, such an outcome was even more unacceptable.

Li Yanzhu continued, "Influenced by his father, Lu Ran greatly admired the Deity Jade Talisman and was determined to become a disciple of the Jade Talisman Sect."

"There's no issue with his mindset," she added.

"Principal Zhou, there must be some misunderstanding today with the summoning of the Demon. I'm sure of it."

As the two spoke, Lu Ran was led away by two teachers towards the rain shelter behind the podium.

Zhou Shengchang watched Lu Ran's figure and said, "I understand. Go and accompany him with the procedures, keep an eye on his thoughts, and soothe his emotions. After obtaining the shrine and the divine statue, send him home immediately and help him set up the deity's altar."

Clearly, Principal Zhou wanted Lu Ran to establish a connection with the Divine Sheep as soon as possible and listen to the deity's teachings.

"Alright," Li Yanzhu left promptly.

An hour later, Rain Alley Home Community.

Lu Ran stood at his doorstep, watching as his class teacher left, before closing the door behind him.

"Phew," Lu Ran breathed a deep sigh of relief.

The teachers' words of advice and comfort still echoed in his ears, but his heart remained unsettled.

"What a mess," Lu Ran muttered as he walked back to his small bedroom and plopped down on his computer chair.

He had been full of ambition that morning.

But now, he felt like a mess.

On the cabinet to the right of the window, there was an ancient-style wooden shrine, within which stood a small jade-carved statue of the Divine Sheep.

Ninth Rank Deity, Divine Sheep.

The lowest-ranked deity in the Daxia Deity Hierarchy.

The low ranking was not an issue.

Each deity was unique, possessing their own exclusive divine technique.

In the context of mortals, as long as one cultivated diligently enough to harness the power of their unique divine technique, they could become a phoenix among mortals!

Moreover, the Divine Sheep was the only deity willing to appear and save Lu Ran from his predicament.

How could Lu Ran possibly complain about his "life-saving deity"?

If the ranking was low, then he would strive to improve it! As long as his strength was sufficient, and he could make the Divine Sheep sect shine, naturally, more followers would worship the Divine Sheep.

The more followers, the more abundant the faith power supplied to the Divine Sheep.

By then, the ranking of the Divine Sheep in his home might just rise!

It was undeniable that Lu Ran felt a hint of frustration at this moment.

A cold, hard reality stared him in the face:

Lu Ran had been rejected by every deity within the Daxia Realm!

Not only had he been rejected by the Third Rank Deity, Jade Talisman, which he had longed for, but also by every Eighth Rank Deity that had appeared on the Shrine Platform.

Even among the Ninth Rank deities, the Divine Sheep was placed at the very bottom.

In other words, Lu Ran had been rejected by every deity, even the lowest-ranked ones!

He couldn't comprehend it.

He was utterly perplexed!

This confusion was followed by Lu Ran's desire to prove himself and repay the deity's kindness.

"Crackle!"

Outside the window, lightning flashed and thunder roared as heavy rain poured down.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran's eyes narrowed, almost thinking he was hallucinating.

The head of the small statue of the Divine Sheep within the shrine had turned black!

At this moment, the statue seemed to come to life, its pitch-black eyes silently staring at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran was stunned.

He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his entire body covered in goosebumps.

Those black sheep eyes exuded an indescribable chill.

It was as if...

Those black sheep eyes were a doorway.

Beyond the doorway lay a graveyard filled with howling winds and a hellish landscape of white bones!

"What?" Lu Ran's face paled.

Wasn't the statue I brought home the Divine Sheep?

No, that couldn't be right!

Whether it was jade or not, the statue itself didn't matter. Ultimately, the deity I worshipped on the Shrine Platform was the Deity Divine Sheep!

Even if I picked up a stone from the street and 'invited' it, the deity it represented should still be the Divine Sheep.

Could it be...

The deity I worshipped wasn't the Divine Sheep at all?

So, there were two deities on my Shrine Platform.

One was an Evil Deity, and the other... was also an Evil Deity?

It seemed like a deity had come to save me, but in reality, it was a double-edged sword?

This damn situation! Where is there a way out?!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end