Chapter 48: Talismanic Grievance Deity: Is it my turn next? Is this a high-tier match? [Six Thousand Words]

"Something is wrong! The more I think about it, the more wrong it feels!"

The Director carefully scrutinized Xu Ran, suspicion beginning to stir in his heart.

That "unbearable to look back upon" experience from a year ago surfaced in his mind. It was the time of the third Gufuchang outbreak.

He and three other mentors had sensed the birth of sixteen Gufuchang at the very first moment. After dividing their tasks among the four of them, he had taken a mere twenty seconds to obliterate three of the Gufuchang, except by the lakeside where Xu Ran was teaching the geniuses footwork... one Gufuchang had mysteriously vanished! Not even the slightest trace was left behind.

At the time, he was utterly baffled, assuming that a high-tier ghostly entity with invincible stealth capabilities had been born. To prevent the students from coming to harm, he had gone without sleep for two months, patrolling the grounds deep into the night...

Countering ghostly entities combined with annihilating them so thoroughly that not a speck of pollution remained.

Such methods, the more he looked at them, the more familiar they seemed.

If this wasn't Xu Ran's doing, whose could it be?

Good kid, you're secretly raising the difficulty level on me, a two-hundred-year-old senior, aren't you?

The Director pressed down on Xu Ran's shoulder. "Xiao Ran, let me ask you something. Do you remember the time a Gufuchang suddenly vanished at the bottom of the lake, causing me to go two months without closing my eyes?"

Xu Ran feigned ignorance. "...I don't know anything about that, Director. I'm feeling a bit sleepy..."

The Director countered, "But that Gufuchang was also wiped out cleanly, without leaving a single trace of pollution, almost identical to the aftermath of the Nightmare Grudge Mother's death!"

"This very moment is just like that moment in the past. How could they possibly be so alike?"

Xu Ran smiled faintly. "...I wouldn't know."

Seeing Xu Ran's expression, let alone the Director, even Ye Ping, Huang Liang, and the others instantly figured out who the true culprit was.

Without a doubt, there was only one culprit—and that was Xu Ran.

The Director rubbed Xu Ran's head with deep meaning. "Good, good... You rascal..."

The Director sighed. What else could he do? He certainly couldn't scold the child.

"I suppose you might lack a sense of security, but safety in the kindergarten is still guaranteed, right..."

"Of course. Hiding a bit of your strength isn't actually wrong. The world today is too dangerous; you shouldn't trust others too lightly. Speak only seven parts of your truth to any person, and always hold back three parts of your strength."

Hearing the Director's words, Xu Ran chuckled softly.

In truth, he wasn't intentionally hiding his trump cards. Rather, under the current circumstances, showing fifty percent was more than enough, and he didn't need to display any more.

Since that was the case, why show off excessively?

Giving other geniuses more opportunities to show off, thereby achieving collective showing-off, was the truly good way, wasn't it?

Xu Ran replied, "I understand, Director."

The Director nodded. "Alright, it's already three in the morning. Everyone take your children back to rest! Whatever else there is to discuss, we'll talk tomorrow."

"The Nightmare Grudge Mother has been completely obliterated, so there's no need to worry!"

The other mothers waved goodbye.

Xu Ran also prepared to leave.

Yuheng's Mother and Zhu Yuheng came over specifically to bid farewell. "Goodbye, Xiao Ran."

Xu Ran: "Goodbye."

Huniu: "Brother Xiao Ran, goodbye. Auntie Lin, goodbye."

Xu Ran: "Goodbye."

Zhao Ying: "Xiao Ran, where are you teaching us the Invisibility Technique tomorrow?"

Xu Ran pondered. "In front of the library, on the lawn beside the artificial lake."

That artificial lake was the very place where the Director had almost lost his lifelong reputation... and also the classroom where Huniu, Zhu Yuheng, Feng Yan, Bian Yue, Bie Jingqiu, and Zhuge Huangjin practiced their footwork every day.

Zhao Ying: "Got it, Teacher Xiao Ran."

The aura about Zhao Ying resembled that of a playboy. He saluted Xu Ran to show his respect.

Xu Ran: "I can teach you, of course, but I just don't know if you'll be able to learn it."

Huang Liang smiled faintly. "If we can't learn it, it's because our aptitude is too poor, and it has nothing to do with the teacher."

Xu Ran nodded. "I'll do my best to teach."

With that,

he waved goodbye to the Director, Uncle Ye, Huang Liang, Zhao Ying, Gao Yuan, and the others, turning around to head home with his mother.

...

Watching Xu Ran leave,

the Director placed his hands on his hips, wearing a mask of deliberately feigned false modesty. "Well... Two and a half years from now, the National God-Slaying Squad Selection Tournament will be held right here in our Jing City. Do you think our Jing City can create brilliance once again?"

Ye Ping said without hesitation, "Xiao Ran can contend for first place. As for Liuli, Yuheng, Bian Yue, Bie Jingqiu, and Feng Yan... their current footwork is all somewhat miraculous. I estimate this batch of geniuses will occupy the top fifty."

"Their only flaw is their young age. Participating in the under-ten division means they have practiced for two years less than the others."

Zhao Ying: "...Ah?"

Gao Yuan: "...Ah?"

Huang Liang: "...Ah?"

"Xu Ran can contend for first place?"

Ye Ping: "Mm! The chances are very high! Even if others have practiced for two years longer than him, I still believe he can ignore that two-year gap."

"Ah?"

Ye Ping chuckled softly. "Believe it or not, just wait and see two years from now."

His confidence in Xu Ran was indestructible.

"And I'm even underestimating him here. Relying on his comprehension and innate bone structure, Xiao Ran was the first to comprehend the Traceless Steps. Then, little Liuli secretly mastered the embryonic form one day."

"From then on, all these geniuses learned footwork under Xiao Ran. What's even more exaggerated is that, under Xiao Ran's guidance, each of them has developed their own unique Traceless Footwork style."

"Give it a little more time, and I daren't even imagine what else Xiao Ran will teach!"

Huang Liang, Zhao Ying, and Gao Yuan wore identical expressions and tones: "...Ah?"

Seeing their endless astonishment, Ye Ping spread his hands. "Nothing to be done; comprehension and innate bone structure are just like that."

The three of them looked at each other in dismay.

Huang Liang: "With Brother Ping saying that, I'm starting to look forward to the selection tournament two and a half years from now."

Zhao Ying twisted his neck. "I'm not thinking that far ahead; right now, I just want to learn the Invisibility Technique."

Beside them,

the Director smiled the entire time. He hadn't participated in the conversation because, at a time like this, he didn't need to speak; he just needed to enjoy this moment of bliss.

Listening to a group of Cliff-realm powerhouses praise his own student—that refreshing, bone-chilling thrill was something ordinary people could never experience!

Pure enjoyment.

Absolute enjoyment.

If the Demi-God Kindergarten in Jing City, led by Xiao Ran, could capture the championship in the selection tournament two and a half years from now, with the other six geniuses ranking in the top fifty, he would enjoy it even more!

At this thought,

the Director put his hands behind his back, his gaze profound, as if he could already see himself standing on the award podium, recapturing the wild passion of his youth.

"Good, good, good."

The corners of the Director's mouth were exceptionally hard to suppress.

Suddenly, Ye Ping remembered something. "Right, the matter of the eerie talismans must be taken seriously. Over the next few days, I must ask everyone for your help to clear out the eerie divine statues capable of producing eerie talismans around Jing City."

Huang Liang raised an eyebrow. "Oh, those eerie talismans reported the day before yesterday? Cleanup and investigation teams in various cities are already taking action. This thing is not low in hazard. Investigation teams discovered it half a year ago, yet somehow didn't take it seriously."

Ye Ping said, "I always have a premonition—the eerie talismans are extremely dangerous, and their potential threat is huge. Behind them might even be a Grudge God."

Zhao Ying: "Huh? Is it really that exaggerated?"

Ye Ping nodded. "Perhaps so. All in all, I feel we must thoroughly eradicate these eerie talismans."

"Of course, if we want to escalate the hazard level of this matter, I cannot rely solely on my intuition. I must continue investigating, gather sufficient evidence, and then raise the hazard coefficient of the eerie talismans."

Gao Yuan: "No problem, we'll help you."

Huang Liang: "Whether it's a big problem or a small problem, as long as it involves the eerie, just smash it flat with full force and be done with it. In any case, the selection tournament two and a half years from now must absolutely not suffer any hitches! That is a grand event gathering geniuses from across the entire country."

Ye Ping smiled bitterly. "Precisely because geniuses from all over the country are gathering, I have this bad feeling..."

...

On the other side.

Xu Ran and his mother walked step by step back to their residence.

"Babe, I never expected that the paper cuttings you play with every day, once smeared with blood, could turn out just like the real thing! How did you ever comprehend that?"

Xu Ran: "Mother gave birth to me well."

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His mother laughed so hard she rocked back and forth. "Hahaha, who did you learn that from? Such a sweet mouth?"

Xu Ran: "Mother taught me well."

His mother: "..."

She fell silent, beginning to recall previous unusual occurrences.

"I remember you practicing darts rain or shine every day. Did those darts also have special transformations?"

"And swimming, and feeding small animals..."

"I remember you once played dead. Could that also be a miraculous skill?"

"I even remember when you were very small, always feeling like there was something dirty crawling on the ceiling. Was that you?"

"And, and, reading. Reading definitely must be!"

Xu Ran: "..."

Well now, a woman's sixth sense really was accurate, starting to string everything together all at once.

Still, he chose to play hardball: "Swimming is for physical exercise, darts indeed have combat value, and the paper cutting is just rather unique. The rest are purely for fun."

His mother looked at Xu Ran with half-怀疑 (suspicious) eyes. "Really?"

Xu Ran: "Really. I couldn't possibly be a master of all trades, right?"

His mother: "I'll believe a ghost of yours. You are definitely a master of all trades."

Xu Ran spread his hands. "Really not a master of all trades."

His mother: "Never mind, never mind. The stronger you are, the more at ease this old mother feels. However, just thinking that your opponents in the future will be true gods makes this old mother worry again."

Xu Ran smiled warmly. "Don't worry, Mom. Even if they are gods, I will grind them to dust."

Never forgetting his original intention, he had always been marching toward the goal of grinding all enemies to dust.

His mother: "...In short, no matter what, remember to protect yourself well."

Xu Ran made a solemn promise. "I will, Mom."

His mother: "We're home."

Back home, washing up.

"Lying" on the ceiling.

On one side: Progress +1... Progress +1...

On the other side.

Xu Ran played with the pigeon-egg-sized red-gold treasure, though unfortunately, he could not see through the fog inside no matter what.

"So this is a red-gold treasure? Can this riddler please roll away?"

"Heh, looks like I can only figure it out slowly in the future."

Anyway, the red-gold treasure was already in his hands, so he wasn't panicked in the least.

Thinking this, Xu Ran nodded, his gaze turning toward the first red-gold achievement of his life: [Twilight of the Gods]...

"The amplification is quite good, both mental power and qi-and-blood value increase by 5 points per day..."

"The crucial part is that karmic fortune skyrockets by 100 points! It also comes bundled with the Purification Divine Art, so henceforth, as long as I slay gods, I can continuously obtain the origin of divinity."

A red-gold achievement truly lived up to its name!

Who would have thought that a person who was born with a karmic fortune of only 3 points would, before he even realized it, possess a karmic fortune as high as 213 points!

He only needed to claim [Supreme Youth] to reach 293 points, and then with [Posture of Heaven and Man], add 5 points per year.

300 points was right before his eyes!

Xu Ran let out a deep breath. "The Gufuchang incident has completely concluded..."

"For the next year and a half, my main energy will be poured into self-discipline. The miraculous skills of the fourth sequence are the most invincible existence."

"During this period, I can spend time securing the two golden achievements [Supreme Youth] and [Burning Heart for Slaughter]. They are both golden achievements and cannot be missed."

"Right, there's also the Grudge God of Talismans... I should disgust it a few times when I have time. Or even kill it."

"Definitely not holding a grudge, but rather wanting its divine origin..."

Xu Ran smiled kindly and closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, far away in some eerie space hidden so deep no one could perceive it,

a gloomy sculpture sat suspended between a dead object and a living thing.

Its face, resembling a full moon, split open into two extremely thin, narrow, crimson slit eyes.

The scarlet gaze looked abruptly eerie within the dark space.

Click, click.

The sculpture emitted an eerie scraping sound of fingernails, extending its neck to look down at its hands.

Clutched between its hands was a turtle shell as black as ink-jade.

That was the supreme divine artifact of the Grudge God clan.

A line of prophecy floated upon it.

[Shatter the firmament, invade Huaxia, pollute the Blue Star, and welcome the descent of the Supreme God. Success rate: 100%...]

"Heh. And here I thought some mishap was going to occur."

"Turns out it's still a 100% foolproof success rate."

...

The next day at 9:00 AM.

Xu Ran, having slept soundly, abruptly opened his eyes and gently dropped from the ceiling onto the bed.

He pulled back the curtains.

The sunlight was warm.

The leaves of the trees outside the window were lush and green.

He got up, brushed his teeth, washed his face, ate breakfast, and headed toward the lawn by the artificial lake.

Huniu, Zhu Yuheng, Feng Yan, Bian Yue, Bie Jingqiu, and Zhuge Huangjin had already arrived at the lawn and begun the inner-卷 (involution/intense competition).

The six of them were in a competitive relationship; Huniu had to safeguard her supreme big sister status, while the other five wanted to reclaim their dignity at every waking moment.

However, everyone rolling inwards = everyone "staying in place".

After a year of rolling inwards, Huniu was still the big sister, her Traceless Steps having stepped into the late Greater Accomplishment stage, while the other five were all at the early Greater Accomplishment stage.

Yet.

If one stepped out of the perspective of these six individuals, the fruits of their mutual involution were utterly terrifying!

Blessed by the Greater Accomplishment Traceless Steps, they delivered a downright dimensional reduction blow to other geniuses.

For instance, at this very moment, as they flashed back and forth across the lawn, leaving behind only afterimages, ordinary geniuses simply couldn't keep up with their footwork.

Seeing this scene, Huang Liang, Zhao Ying, and Gao Yuan dropped their jaws in shock: "..."

Zhao Ying: "Uh... I finally understand why Brother Ping said yesterday that the seven of them could occupy the top ten. Are these seven-year-olds? Can seven-year-olds possess this kind of footwork? Did I see that right?"

Gao Yuan: "...It seems I had a misunderstanding of Xiao Ran... So this is what comprehension and innate bone structure really mean."

Zhao Ying carefully observed the children's footwork. "Alright! I feel like I can definitely learn the Invisibility Technique, which is just like a heavenly bestowed divine ability!"

Full of confidence, he waved at Xu Ran: "Teacher Xiao Ran! We're here for class!"

Xu Ran nodded, raising his voice: "Mm. Everyone gather around! Today I'll attempt to teach the Invisibility Technique!"

Actually, he could have chosen not to teach it, but for some reason, an inkling in the dark urged him to teach. He felt he needed to teach a bit more, especially to geniuses of his own age!

Anyway, it could farm progress for Pointing Out the Maze.

And he could practice alongside them by the way, so he wouldn't lose anything.

Thus,

Xu Ran assumed a stance and broke down the techniques bit by bit.

The complex knowledge points were esoteric and difficult to understand, giving Feng Yan and Zhuge Huangjin a headache.

Feng Yan wore a painful expression: "Crap, my brain isn't big enough; my skull is buzzing with pain."

Zhuge Huangjin stopped absorbing information a third of the way through, but forced himself to listen anyway.

Bian Yue and Bie Jingqiu were left with only confusion in their eyes halfway through, as if listening to heavenly books.

Huniu, on the other hand, was full of excitement, her sparkling big eyes brimming with brilliance.

Zhu Yuheng wore a thoughtful expression.

Meanwhile, the three "adult" students were petrified on the spot: "..."

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A long while later, they finally recovered...

Good grief, this was a high-tier match!

It was no longer a question of whether one could learn it or not, but whether one could even hear and understand it!

Terrifying!

Just what on earth was packed inside a brain with comprehension and innate bone structure? They were human beings too; how could he possibly think up such complex things? Exactly how many billions of brain cells must have burned away?

Zhao Ying's heart was beating a furious retreat. Torture, pure torture, making him so drowsy he could fall asleep, yet to maintain the "dignity" of a Cliff-realm powerhouse, he had to put on the posture of a good student...

"Teacher Xiao Ran, could you teach it one more time?"

Before the words had even finished echoing, Zhao Ying wanted to slap himself.

How could he make such a cheap request? It was as if class could have ended right there, yet he had proactively asked the teacher to hold everyone over. How shameless was that?

Gao Yuan and Huang Liang silently glanced at Zhao Ying, wanting to say something.

Huniu waved her fists: "Brother Xiao Ran, teach it again! Teach it again!"

Ah...

If the thirst for knowledge of a six-year-old girl could be so robust, how could they shirk their duties?

Suck it up and listen!

Seeing Huniu's high enthusiasm, Xu Ran raised an eyebrow. "Alright, then I'll teach it one more time."

With that, he began to explain with even greater meticulousness.

Before he had even finished, Huang Liang, Zhao Ying, and Gao Yuan directly gave up trying to understand.

Huang Liang backed up slowly: "My neck is itching, I'm about to grow a brain!"

Gao Yuan helplessly shielded the others behind him: "The most important thing in a person's life is self-awareness, which obviously I didn't have before. I admit my mistake. I shouldn't have had unrealistic fantasies."

Zhao Ying smiled bitterly. "Well... a person ought to work hard once in their life, otherwise they'll never know they're a clown."

Before Xu Ran, they openly and honestly admitted their defeat, no longer wanting to learn any Invisibility Technique. Instead, they hid in the distance, quietly watching a group of geniuses attend class.

Zhao Ying: "Comprehension and innate bone structure, not a force to be trifled with, not to be trifled with. It literally blew my mind."

Gao Yuan rubbed his large nose: "Watching from the sidelines is much more comfortable after all. Let's make a guess, who do you think will actually learn the Invisibility Technique in the end?"

Huang Liang: "Jiang Liuli and Zhu Yuheng? Maybe Bian Yue and Bie Jingqiu can learn it too."

Zhao Ying carefully considered: "The difficulty of the Invisibility Technique is different from the Traceless Steps. I estimate only Jiang Liuli and Zhu Yuheng can master it. The King of Doomed Ones and the Time Bone are extraordinary."

Ye Ping suddenly appeared: "How is it? Didn't I say they wouldn't be able to learn it? Their minds were about to blow from listening."

Huang Liang: "Indeed."

Zhao Ying: "This comprehension and innate bone structure is too invincible, actually being able to conceive such a complex spell."

Ye Ping smiled with gratification. "Invincible, right?"

As he spoke, he looked over at Xu Ran.

At that moment, Xu Ran had just finished breaking it down, turned around, and swept his gaze across the lawn: "Hmm? Where did those three students go?"

Huniu chuckled. "They already ran away."

Xu Ran: "..."

"Well, if you don't understand it and choose not to learn it, that's fine. Every art has its own specialty; there's no need to bash your head against a wall."

Feng Yan spoke with crisp decisiveness, though with a trace of dejection: "Then I quit!"

Zhu Ge Huangjin: "I... I quit."

Bie Jingqiu and Bian Yue smiled bitterly: "Neither of us could understand it."

Xu Ran looked at Zhu Yuheng and Huniu: "Is there anything you don't understand? Show me your understanding."

Zhu Yuheng gave a small nod. "I... I sort of understood."

Xu Ran: "Then digest it for a moment, and I'll give you specialized pointers shortly."

"And you? Little sister Liuli?"

Huniu beamed with joy. "I was practicing it last night. I'll definitely be able to learn it!"

Xu Ran: "Learning it in your dreams again? Then show me the results."

Huniu nodded. She had been eager to try for a while, wanting to give Xu Ran a pleasant surprise, but because Xu Ran hadn't come over yet, she had held back for a long time.

"I can only get a tiny bit of effect under the shade of the tree..."

"It's fine, go ahead and display it."

Encouraged, Huniu smiled sweetly, immediately executing the Traceless Steps to flash beneath the shade of a large tree to the side.

She looked left and right, closed her eyes, and concentrated for a long time before her form rippled and gradually turned translucent.

Though not completely invisible, she had already touched the threshold.

Xu Ran was astonished: "Impressive, Huniu! Splendid work. Just practice diligently for a year, and you'll reach complete invisibility!"

Praised, Huniu felt she could practically float away. "Really? Brother Xiao Ran, then I'll work hard."

Filled with drive, she frantically practiced under the tree.

Feng Yan, Zhuge Huangjin, Bian Yue, and Bie Jingqiu felt utterly miserable.

Crap!

They couldn't learn the Invisibility Technique, yet Huniu had crossed the threshold in one go. From now on, they'd probably be brutally crushed by Huniu, never seeing any hope of turning the tables...

They could only pin their hopes on Zhu Yuheng!

Their gazes landed in unison on Zhu Yuheng.

Xu Ran's gaze shifted over as well. "Is there anything you don't understand? Show me your comprehension."

Zhu Yuheng: "Okay... I..."

...

Not far away, Huang Liang, Gao Yuan, and Zhao Ying watched with dumbfounded amazement.

Gao Yuan: "Little Liuli... learning so fast! She directly touched upon some of the threshold."

Huang Liang: "As expected of Zhu Yuheng with the Time Bone, her comprehension is very high. Hiding her form in the grass like a chameleon, after working hard for a bit longer, she'll be able to master it just like little Liuli, and with a year of diligent practice, I'm afraid she'll truly master the Invisibility Technique."

Zhao Ying: "Good grief! Two freaks! The spell of the Invisibility Technique, when mastered to perfection, is equivalent to a heavenly bestowed divine ability! Coupled with Xiao Ran, this super monster, our Jing Province is bound to flourish!!"

"No wonder the Director is so cheerful every single day. If I were the Director, I'd be radiant with health every day too."

The three of them silently watched the group of young geniuses, their eyes filled with pleasant surprise.

Ye Ping smiled to one side.

The Director arrived behind the four of them at some unknown moment.

He put his hands behind his back, wearing the lonely expression of a master. "It seems I heard you all praising me?"

"On that note, I simply have to mention the mental journey I went through when I specially recruited Xiao Ran back then—back then, I had discerning eyes and saw at a single glance that Xiao Ran was definitely not someone who would stay in a puddle. Facts have proven that ginger really is spicier the older it gets."

Ye Ping, Huang Liang, Gao Yuan, Zhao Ying: "..."

Speechless.

The old man had gotten addicted to showing off lately...

Yet they had no way to refute it...

The Director sighed. "Still, the Invisibility Technique really is difficult."

"It actually managed to make four super geniuses—Feng Yan, Zhuge Huangjin, Bian Yue, and Bie Jingqiu—lose their self-confidence..."
The Director looked at the four of them, feeling a twinge of unbearable pity.

On the lawn,

Xu Ran similarly glanced at the four of them. "It doesn't matter if you can't learn the Invisibility Technique. At the very least, you've mastered the Traceless Steps."

"Besides, the Invisibility Technique doesn't necessarily suit everyone. Take Feng Yan for example; your innate bone structure is the Profound Turtle Divine Shield, what's the point of turning invisible? Are you going to leave your teammates to face attacks head-on?"

"You don't need to be discouraged. What you need to do is develop your protective capabilities to the absolute extreme."

Feng Yan nodded, fighting spirit reignited in his eyes: "Right! I understand, Xiao Ran! Thank you!"

Having offered words of comfort, Xu Ran originally wanted to turn and comfort Bian Yue, but suddenly, inspiration struck him, giving rise to a peculiar creative spark: "Of course, if you want to possess a certain degree of offensive capability, it's not entirely out of the question. I can teach you a kind of footwork that equips you with formidable offensive means."

Feng Yan was utterly baffled: "Huh? Teach me footwork that gives me offensive means?"

...

[PS: Six thousand words presented to you~~]