Chapter 18: The Ritual

Zhang Xiaofan couldn't help but say doubtfully, "I don't really know either, I just feel there's a flow of energy inside me."

Zhou Jian shook his head. "You've only been learning for one day. How could you have energy so quickly? You're probably just about to fart. Don't mix up farting with internal energy."

Hu Xiaotian laughed so hard his stomach hurt. "Xiaofan, you'd better not mistake a fart for qi during a fight, or you might choke everyone to death."

"Get lost, that's you, not me," Zhang Xiaofan said helplessly.

Zhou Jian patted Xiaofan’s shoulder encouragingly. "Keep it up. Right now, the most important thing is to get familiar with the moves. As for developing qi, that’ll take at least two years." With that, he wandered off on his own.

For Zhou Jian, it had taken two years before he could sense his own energy, and his father had called him a genius. As for the skinny Zhang Xiaofan, he thought it would probably take at least four years.

Zhang Xiaofan frowned. After his fight with Huang Kaijian yesterday, he recalled that a surge of energy had truly risen within him during the fight. Otherwise, with his build, he would never have been a match for Huang Kaijian. If that wasn’t qi, then what was it?

"Never mind, getting stronger is never a bad thing," Zhang Xiaofan murmured to himself.

At this moment, his classmates were chattering about the eminent monk Wang Hu was bringing. To everyone’s delight, Sun Yang didn’t send any red packets today—so it seemed they really got weekends off.

Before long, Wang Hu swaggered in, leading his gang of followers, with a venerable monk in saffron robes at his side.

In one hand, the monk held a golden staff, in the other, a string of prayer beads, chanting continuously as he came in.

Wang Hu bowed respectfully, clearing the way for the monk. He announced, "Make way, everyone, Master Mani is here. With him present, that evil spirit will be banished today."

The room fell silent as Master Mani entered.

"Master, look, this is the ghost’s group chat," Wang Hu said, showing his phone.

Master Mani glanced at the chat, snorted coldly, and said, "A mere female ghost, trying to stir up trouble. Watch me deal with her."

He truly cut the figure of a master. Muttering prayers while fingering his beads, he placed copper coins at every corner of the room. "This place is filled with evil!"

"A real expert! He figured it out at a glance!"

"Yes, Master Mani, we’ve lost so many people already."

"Shut up, all of you! Master Mani is performing a ritual—stop interrupting!" Wang Hu barked fiercely.

The students fell silent, cowed.

Brandishing his staff, Mani shouted, "Buddha, O Buddha, show your spirit! Evil spirits are harming the world—grant me strength, transform—"

As he spoke, he rolled his eyes as if possessed, wailing and howling with the staff. The students frowned; Mani looked more like a charlatan putting on a show.

But then, Mani suddenly flung several talismans into the air. Upon contact with the air, they ignited, drawing cries of astonishment.

"He really is a master!"

"Yeah, it’s like magic!"

Wang Hu applauded loudly. "Bravo! Well done!"

His followers joined in the cheers.

Zhang Xiaofan watched, speechless. The scene felt like a performance. He shook his head, eyeing Master Mani. To be honest, his tricks were impressive, but whether they’d fool a ghost, Zhang Xiaofan had his doubts.

Before long, Mani finished his chanting, produced a battered bowl, and shouted, "Demons and ghosts, begone!"

He swiftly packed the bowl into his bag, breathed a sigh of relief, and told Wang Hu, "It's done, Xiaohu. The ghost is taken care of."

Applause broke out.

Wang Hu clapped eagerly. "Master Mani really is formidable!"

Mani nodded serenely. "Yes, about the payment..."

Wang Hu grinned. "No problem, I’ll transfer it to you right away."

He pulled out his phone, but the next instant, his eyes widened in shock.

Ding!

Bao Lei: I was planning to relax today since it’s the weekend, but since everyone’s here, let’s have some fun with a red packet.

Then Sun Yang sent a five-hundred yuan red packet.

The class was stunned. Wang Hu staggered back, then swore, "Damn it all..."

"Xiaohu, what’s wrong?" Mani asked.

Wang Hu glared furiously. "Look, the ghost’s not dead at all—she just sent another red packet."

He hurried to claim it—if you didn’t, you’d be forced into the game, and that could mean death.

Zhang Xiaofan scrambled for it too, managing to grab forty-three.

Mani's face twisted; without a word he turned and fled. "The ghost is too powerful—I can’t subdue her!"

Ding!

Bao Lei: Students who grabbed a red packet ending in 1, each stab Mani once, until he’s dead. If Mani is not dead, all participants in the game will die.

Wang Hu slapped the table. He had grabbed twenty-one.

He barked, "Lock the door!"

His henchmen quickly closed it. Mani frowned. "Xiaohu, I’m your father’s friend. What are you doing?"

"Friend? Heh heh..." Wang Hu snarled, drawing a dagger from his desk—these delinquents all carried knives.

"Boss, you..."

His cronies were in shock.

"You saw the rules. If those with a one at the end don’t kill this guy, we all die," Wang Hu shouted, face twisted.

Mani’s face turned ashen. He snatched a nearby student’s phone, read the message, and stammered, "Calm down, this must be a mistake. We can call the police—"

Ding!

Bao Lei: Ten minute time limit, countdown begins!

At that, the students with a one at the end of their red packet numbers turned grim. They drew knives—some box cutters, others scissors if they had no blade. There were five in total.

"Sorry, we don’t want to do this."

"That’s right. Blame your weak powers for failing to deal with the ghost."

The students’ faces twisted with desperation.

Others shrank back to the corners. A killing was about to unfold.

Wang Hu took the lead. "Each of us stabs once, right in the heart. If he dies, we live."

He lunged at Mani.

The girls shrieked and covered their eyes.

Zhang Xiaofan couldn’t bear to watch. He sighed, thinking if he were in Wang Hu’s position, he’d probably do the same. When it's kill or be killed, anyone would choose to survive.

With a sickening thud, Wang Hu drove the knife in. Mani tried to resist, but the other students surged forward. Soon Mani was motionless, his chest a bloody ruin—the students wanted to be sure he was dead, or else once the ten minutes were up, they’d be the ones dying.

Wang Hu collapsed onto the floor, muttering, "You useless fraud, if you couldn't handle it, you shouldn't have come, damn it!"

He tossed the knife aside and ran out of the classroom.

The others stared at one another, unable to look at Mani’s lifeless body. In the next moment, every student fled the room.