I was careless.
I never thought of that possibility at the time.
Looks like the math teacher will have to grade the homework later.
Xia Lan frowned slightly.
He took off, sprinting toward the school building.
The summer sunlight caught the hem of his uniform and ruffled the hair by his ears, like an invisible track; the wind sliced past with a cutting sound.
Approaching the barrier outside the school building, he could clearly see people inside collapsed on the ground, unconscious, as if falling into withered petals, sinking to the deepest level of dreams.
[Divine Transformation Barrier. The god-summoning ritual has already begun.]
Liu Hua’s voice was unusually serious.
[Looks like they secretly hid the ritual’s most fundamental seed inside the sacrificial vessel’s body, waiting for the right moment to naturally bloom and bear fruit. If we hadn’t been nearby, they might have actually succeeded.]
[But which sacrifice was targeted?]
Xia Lan’s heart sank.
The face of that boy clearly came to mind.
Students occasionally walked by, but they seemed oblivious to the situation inside the school building, still chatting and laughing.
Some students and teachers who were about to enter suddenly acted as if they had amnesia, looking puzzled and walking away.
This was the barrier’s effect—
Interfering with people’s cognition and behavior, keeping unnecessary people from disturbing the descent of the god’s angel.
But to Xia Lan, it was no different from plugging one’s ears while stealing a bell.
Xia Lan extended his hand and gently pressed it against the outer layer of the barrier.
As a ripple spread from his palm, a foul stench of decay began to seep into the barrier like maggots.
The transparent barrier became stained with a dark green hue.
The outer shell of the barrier in front of Xia Lan began to wither and peel away like a rotten apple.
The barrier was corroded, creating an opening.
He stepped forward.
In an instant, Xia Lan’s entire body began to writhe eerily, as if something alive was churning just beneath the surface.
Then, a pus-like viscous substance oozed out from his flesh, accompanied by a gritty sound like gravel being stirred.
Layer by layer, it wrapped around his arms, torso, face, and clothes, devouring even his skin.
When she walked into the barrier, standing there was already a magical girl as pristine as a doll.
Xia Lan was panting heavily; it seemed transforming was not easy for her.
[There’s no need to do a second disguise every time you transform. It’s exhausting.]
Liu Hua said helplessly.
“Sorry, but I really can’t accept my true appearance after transformation, Sister Liu Hua.”
Xia Lan smiled wryly.
With a wave of her jade-like hand, the filthy mucus instantly filled the gap in the barrier, forming a curtain of green sludge.
Xia Lan was no fool;
She couldn’t let ordinary people get involved in this.
Her body transformed into a dense swarm of flies, like an incarnation of Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies, weaving through the corridors of the school building.
The swarm ignored terrain obstacles, passing through floor tiles and walls, and headed straight to Xia Lan’s classroom.
Sure enough, in the center of the classroom, a massive sphere of light—
A white cocoon-like orb—
Was hovering silently in midair, emitting a blinding, scorching white light.
Faintly, a sound like a heartbeat could be heard.
When that white light fell on Xia Lan, it sizzled and produced white smoke.
Her delicate skin began to fester, revealing rotting flesh.
But with a thought from Xia Lan, a green glow enveloped her body, and it instantly healed.
[Just approaching the cocoon triggers such backlash. This is definitely not a lesser angel like Asalik. It might be a champion angel’s avatar descending! Xia Lan, be careful!]
“Understood.”
Xia Lan looked around.
Sure enough, among the unconscious students, only Luo Xiao was missing.
It seems it was no coincidence that he was placed at the formation’s focal point.
Without hesitation, Xia Lan raised her hand and waved.
Flies covered in pus swarmed out from her wrist in an instant.
The stench of decay and a chilling sound echoed throughout the classroom.
The dense swarm of flies pounced on the orb.
Pus dripped, and the orb’s energy hissed as it burned the flies, like a steaming rotten eggshell.
Its white glow was overwhelmed by the green light;
The stench spread.
Explode.
In an instant, the swarm burst, corrosive pus exploded, smoke and debris scattered everywhere.
But under Xia Lan’s deliberate control, the pus and debris did not splash onto the fallen students beside them.
When the smoke cleared, the pale cocoon had lost its luster.
Its dim surface seemed covered in years of dust, devoid of any life.
‘Did it succeed?’
But the next moment, a cracking sound was heard.
A crack appeared on the white cocoon, and a faint white light leaked out.
Before Xia Lan could react, cracks spread across the entire cocoon in an instant.
As the first fragment fell off, the cocoon suddenly collapsed, dissolving into particles of light.
A tall figure emerged from the cocoon.
He spread his pristine white wings behind him and slowly opened eyes that were pools of white light.
“Hmm? This vessel is a bit special…”
The person murmured.
His face was exactly the same as Luo Xiao’s.
But there was not a trace of emotion in that expression, only cold eyes calmly staring at Xia Lan.
Feathers brushed his cheek, like falling clouds drooping in the light.
[As expected, it wouldn’t end that simply. Trouble…]
Xia Lan remained expressionless.
She quietly looked at the angel who had taken over Luo Xiao’s body and slowly spoke:
“Hello, soul from ten thousand years ago. Welcome to the modern era. May I ask if you would be willing to leave just like that?”
“Luo Xiao”
Silently stared at Xia Lan.
After she spoke, he finally replied:
“You are… a magical girl [Na Gou]? Her successor?”
“No, the aura is wrong. Na Gou’s power shouldn’t be this weak… You are a counterfeit?”
“As expected of a champion angel, you saw through it that quickly?”
Xia Lan smiled faintly.
“I am indeed not a legitimate successor magical girl. The true magical girls from ten thousand years ago have long since disappeared with time. Most modern magical girls are merely degraded versions humans made by imitating the residual power of ancient magical girls using technology.”
The angel fell silent.
Then came overwhelming rage.
“Humans! How dare you steal the gods’ power!”
“Even the power of a chaotic magical girl is not something for mere mortals to defile! Now, kneel and apologize to the gods, or prepare to face my, Akesiya’s, wrath!”
“You angels always have such short tempers.”
Xia Lan sighed.
Then she gently lifted her skirt and gracefully curtsied to Akesiya.
“Then, pseudo-magical girl [Na Gou], Xia Lan, nice to meet you.”