Chapter 20

After Mitsuyo understood, she said earnestly: "I see, then I will teach you a little trick."

Thus, when Hearing Luo Li returned, what he saw was Mitsuyo correcting Asase Hibiki's posture hand-in-hand.

Not bad, she actually learned to study on her own when he wasn't there.

Hearing Luo Li, having just finished the barrier, was happy to slack off and leaned to the side to goof around.

Mitsuyo, with her sharp eyes, had seen him long ago, but she suppressed her excited little thoughts and patiently taught Asase Hibiki until the end.

Determining that her physical strength had completely reached its limit, she helped Hibiki to rest under the cherry tree.

Immediately afterward, she ran to Hearing Luo Li to claim credit: "Master, I taught well, right?"

"Barely passable."

Happily accepting this evaluation, Mitsuyo did not feel looked down upon in the slightest.

Hearing Luo Li said: "Seeing that you enjoy it, if I am not here in the future, you can take my place in teaching Hibiki archery."

"Alright."

Taking advantage of the rest time, Mitsuyo snuggled up to him affectionately without saying a word.

It seemed that simply being together was satisfying enough.

Listening to the breeze, Mitsuyo felt very comfortable until she suddenly remembered one thing.

"By the way, I almost forgot, Master, I'll tell you a piece of good news."

"What?"

"Mother bestowed a treasure of the clan upon me."

A treasure?

Speaking of the treasures of the Tengu clan, there were too many for Hearing Luo Li to think of; after all, having been passed down for so many years, the heirlooms were countless.

Mitsuyo did not keep him in suspense and stated the details directly.

"Does Master know about the Thousand-Gate Empty Boat?"

"The Thousand-Gate Empty Boat, the Tengu clan's villa that travels on the sea?"

"That's right, Mother bestowed it upon me."

It was actually this; Hearing Luo Li was quite surprised.

This thing was indeed a villa specifically used by the Tengu clan for drifting on the sea, though most people might not be very sensitive to the name.

What was more well-known was probably that it fell into the sea in later generations and formed a domain.

One needed to pass through the vicinity of the Perpetual Mechanical Array to find it.

Inside, it had long since become a place of changed circumstances, having been visited countless times by Treasure Hoarders and pirates.

It could also be considered a small-scale tragedy of Inazuma during the Abyss disaster.

"In the future, when you find some free time, how about I take Master overseas to enjoy the scenery?"

"That's a good proposal."

"Then it's a deal!"

Having gained another harvest, Mitsuyo was once again satisfied.

After the afternoon passed, she honestly stayed to the side and watched Hearing Luo Li teach Asase Hibiki knowledge about spell formations.

Seeing the young little shrine maiden, she seemed to be able to see her own shadow in her.

Perhaps it was precisely because of this that she took the initiative to offer to teach that girl.

Day after day, this regular life continued for over a month.

Hearing Luo Li had been staying near the Grand Shrine, living a comfortable retirement life of admiring flowers and walking birds, while incidentally teaching Asase Hibiki.

However, rather than calling it retirement, after Inazuma's affairs got on the right track, he rarely managed the Shogunate's business.

And as time grew, the young shrine maiden's probability of missing the target in archery became lower and lower, while she simultaneously displayed top-tier talent for spell formations.

Of course, Hearing Luo Li would occasionally read the newspapers sent from Inazuma City.

As the best channel for the common people to understand current events, it described every aspect of Inazuma.

For instance, the pirates and monsters that had been harassing the outer islands some time ago.

Because the General dispatched her trusted confidante, Mikoshi Chiyo, the signs of chaos were quickly suppressed.

The brave and peerless Oni girl took the opportunity to thoroughly sweep through Kannazuka; most of the wandering samurai who had turned to banditry fled overseas, or, not fearing death, headed to Yashiori Island to hide near the Archon's remains.

According to the information recorded in the newspaper, the victorious General Mikoshi was currently on her return journey and was expected to arrive in Inazuma City within three days.

"Sigh, that girl is going to be noisy again when she gets back."

Sighing, Hearing Luo Li felt a slight headache.

Unlike the personalities of Kitsune Saiguu and the Raiden twins, Chiyo was relatively direct and mixed with the unique forthright temperament of the Oni clan.

Fortunately, he was currently inside the Grand Narumaki Shrine and could still enjoy a few days of rare peace.

Unfortunately, it was clear he was happy too early.

One day, a month after staying at the Grand Shrine.

Raiden Ei, who should have been in Inazuma City, suddenly came knocking.

As always, her eye-catching attire, cold expression paired with a seductive beauty mark, could be called the pinnacle of the ascetic style.

Hearing Luo Li was surprised by Ei's sudden arrival; she, with her introverted emotions, would never come to see him without any reason.

Sure enough, Ei, the pinnacle of Inazuma's martial power, stated her purpose in her first sentence.

"Makoto asked me to tell you that the gathering of the Seven will be held in ten days; do you want to go together?"

In private settings without a third party, her usually icy expression softened slightly.

"The gathering of the Seven, huh? I was just wondering when it would be scheduled some time ago; I didn't expect the notification to come so soon."

Being able to see old friends he hadn't seen in a long time, Hearing Luo Li naturally had no reason to refuse.

It had been a long time, and even for that drunkard, he couldn't help but feel a few traces of nostalgia. ===== CHAPTER 22 =====