Chapter 128

The icy, soft sensation was almost fleeting; Uesugi Toru hadn't even realized what had happened before it ended.

By the time he reacted, however, Ririko had already gripped the bamboo sword in her hand and assumed the classic Tennen Rishin-ryu Three-Stage Thrust Stance facing the Samurai Zanmetsumaru.

Uesugi Toru reached out and touched his cheek.

Because it was unexpected and far too brief, he didn't have much sense of reality about it.

He merely thought that Ririko's self-regulation ability and mindset were simply too outrageous.

Something equivalent to breaking the barrier between friends, placed on an ordinary person, would not only cause them to toss and turn for two or three sleepless nights afterward, but at the very least they'd have to worry about what their relationship would become after doing it.

As a result, Ririko had just kissed him one second, and the next second picked up her sword to prepare for a trial cut.

Uesugi Toru gazed at Ririko, her eyes shining brightly, and sighed inwardly.

But this was fine too; at least he didn't have to worry that Ririko would suddenly lose IQ due to love-brain later on.

—But with this, could the stable yet fragile teacher-student and friend relationship between them continue to be maintained?

Ririko didn't speak.

The girl merely slowly exhaled a pure white heat flow, seemingly substantial, from her lips; it struck the Samurai Zanmetsumaru first, then dissipated bit by bit into the surroundings.

Uesugi Toru no longer thought about those things; he stared intently at Ririko's rising and falling chest, perceiving the flow of Qi around her body, and wondered inwardly,

"Zhoutian Unceasing?"

Zhoutian Unceasing is also the third level of the Breathing Technique after Internal Organs Fortification and Kishaku.

In other words, Ririko's Solar Corona... no, it should be said that the "Ruriko Breathing Method" has already reached Mastery Level.

Once a Breathing Technique practitioner reaches this level, the Internal Qi throughout their body can become as hard as "Gang".

At the same time, this Gang Qi infuses every part of the physical body; after reaching the most minute corners, they link together to form an indestructible, perfectly integrated round Zhoutian.

Not only can it accelerate the practitioner's future Breathing Method Cultivation Speed, but it can also transform into a Gang Qi shield without weak points, greatly enhancing the practitioner's defensive capability.

Naturally, this Gang Qi leaving the body — the difficulty is even simpler than the Qi Coating Body Separation of the Kiai Technique Toru previously cultivated, and the effect is also much more obvious.

—His own Corona Breathing Technique hasn't even reached half the proficiency required for an upgrade, yet Ririko has already broken through.

She truly was born to cultivate this...

Moreover, Uesugi Toru also recalled that a few days ago Ririko was conducting research on her own sleep time.

Thinking about it now, she must have succeeded; who knows how many minutes she sleeps a day now.

Hu—

In the silent stillness, Ririko suddenly struck with her sword without any warning; in the blink of an eye she had already struck and withdrawn.

Only three traces of pure white Sword Gang afterimages, from mutual separation to merging into one, remained suspended in midair.

Tennen Rishin-ryu Secret Art — Mumyo Ken!

Even Uesugi Toru, while maintaining an ordinary human body state, could merely see a vague white afterimage flash past, and then saw the Samurai Zanmetsumaru tilt slightly backward.

"Slash Power, three thousand seven hundred eighty-two koku — desu!"

After tilting back for an instant, the Samurai Zanmetsumaru righted itself and spoke solemnly, extremely slowly: "Sword art truly exquisite and peerless, unfortunately strength still insufficient; perhaps strengthen physical basic training, seventy-five points."

Hearing this signboard Slash Power report, Ririko's expression couldn't help but brighten with joy: "So the Zanmetsumaru really can accurately report the force!"

Uesugi Toru raised an eyebrow.

—His family's Zanmetsumaru actually gives brief commentary and scores the strike, differentiating itself from other Zanmetsumaru; this point is worth praising.

The Samurai Zanmetsumaru gazed at Ririko, who was constantly circling it to observe and take photos: "Sword Saint Adult, may I know your name?"

"That way, if in the future I am slain by the Owner or by you, it will also count as not having come in vain."

"Ah! I forgot about that." Ririko straightened her body and casually extended her hand toward the Samurai Zanmetsumaru: "I'm Tokugawa Ririko, Zanmetsumaru-kun, please take care of me from now on."

The girl froze for two seconds before discovering the Samurai Zanmetsumaru seemed to be a round whole, without arms; she then turned her hand into a palm and patted its round body.

"Also, we're going to be cultivation partners from now on."

Ririko elbowed the Samurai Zanmetsumaru and said seriously: "So I won't slash you to death."

Uesugi Toru said from the side: "But if the striking force exceeds the Zanmetsumaru's limit, it will burst open."

"Ah! Is that so."

Ririko looked at him and asked with a smile: "Then what is the Samurai Zanmetsumaru's endurance upper limit in koku of Slash Power?"

"One hundred thousand koku." Uesugi Toru replied without hesitation.

"—Then when I become stronger, I'll just control every sword strike at ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine koku; that way it won't have any problems, right?"

Ririko righteously raised a finger.

"As long as you're happy."

Uesugi Toru spread his hands.

If an ordinary person said this kind of thing it would probably be overestimating their abilities, but coming from Ririko there was no sense of violation.

And this is also a good thing; even if they don't use this Samurai Zanmetsumaru later, it can be given to others to use.

For example, Adult Nisun — look at her thin arms and legs, she doesn't think about training normally; if left alone her combat power would probably be quite pitiful.

This won't do.

Shikigami can't rely solely on rank promotion to increase combat power; the plan to arrange a training curriculum for Adult Nisun should also be put on the agenda.

The Samurai Zanmetsumaru stared at the one man and one woman before it, who were completely unlike anyone it had ever interacted with before.

Partners.

It was the first time it had heard someone refer to a Zanmetsumaru like itself in this way.

"Owner, Sword Saint Adult."

The Samurai Zanmetsumaru tilted forward slightly, as if lowering its head: "Please use me without the slightest pity."

Uesugi Toru nodded.

Ririko then laughed loudly, picked up the bamboo sword again and knocked bang-bang on the Samurai Battlefield Maru: "Then you'd better be prepared for twenty-four hours without sleep or rest!"

Having said that, Shizuku continued to "play around" with the Samurai Zanmetsumaru with an excited smile, except that in this play, a bamboo sword with force reaching thousands of kan fell every second.

It seems she forgot the sparring she agreed to with her earlier...

Uesugi Toru didn't speak up to disturb Shizuku either.

Anyway, this doesn't count as a big deal; practicing later won't hurt.

Since there's nothing for now, might as well take this chance to walk around this huge villa and see what facilities the other floors and the underground have respectively.

Uesugi Toru stepped on the wooden stairs, walking up to the second floor at a leisurely pace.

He poked his head at the second-floor threshold and looked, discovering the dojo furnishings were similar on the same floor; the second floor was an entire floor of gym area, countless silver-black fitness equipment lying bare and horizontally arranged within.

Treadmills, Smith machines, power racks, battle ropes, free squat racks... and stacks of huge barbell plates and dumbbells lying quietly in the corner.

It can be said that whether one wants to train full-body coordination or purely conduct specialized training, both aerobic and anaerobic exercise can find suitable equipment to adapt to one's own training in here.

Naturally, huge full-length mirrors were also installed on the surrounding walls, convenient for trainees to check if their movements have errors.

"Not bad, not bad..."

Uesugi Toru thought that perhaps he could let Nisun-sama come train here in the future; only when the training plan is completed can she get the mobile phone.

Sigh, didn't expect I'd unknowingly become that kind of hateful adult who says "no phone until homework is done."

Continue walking up.

Arriving at the third floor, Uesugi Toru finally saw normal household furnishings — living room, study, master bedroom, twin bedroom, bathroom, just that the area was slightly larger.

Summoning Nisun-sama, Uesugi Toru patted the girl's hat brim: "This will be our new home from now on, pick any room you like as your room."

"Po?"

Nisun-sama froze for an instant, then reacted that this seemed to be the villa interior she had just seen from outside.

She first looked down the stairs, then turned her head back and asked with her small mouth open: "Only after entering did I discover it's this big... Toru-sama, is all of this, all of this ours from now on?"

Uesugi Toru nodded: "Mhm, of course."

Nisun-sama was a bit dazed; the long hundred-plus years spent in that ruined temple in Arakawa Village were still deeply imprinted in her memory.

For such a long, long time, her living situation had almost never changed.

But now, just following Uesugi Toru for a few days, she actually got to live in such a big, such a luxurious house, even better than the previous landlord Village Chief's house.

Nisun-sama subconsciously clenched her fist, discovering that choosing Uesugi Toru seemed to be the only right choice she had made in this life.

Just then, Shizuku's loud, spirited shout came from the first-floor dojo.

Nisun-sama's small face changed color slightly, and she asked: "Toru-sama, is that airport also going to live in our house?"

Uesugi Toru rubbed the girl's head to comfort her: "Shizuku is my swordsmanship teacher; can't do without her, and she also promised to be responsible for three meals a day — isn't this condition rich enough?"

Can't do without her.

Nisun-sama repeated these words in her heart, suddenly discovering that these five characters placed on herself didn't seem to apply to Uesugi Toru.

As of now, she was merely One-Star Half, while Toru-sama seemed able to kill Three-Star Yokai.

So... it seems she can't help Toru-sama with anything anymore?

The fact is exactly so — every time after battle ends when injuries are especially severe, Toru-sama would summon her out to heal injuries.

Although Toru-sama now cares for and cherishes her very much, this is under the condition of her being the only Shikigami.

And for a strong expert like Toru-sama with peerless elegance, how could he possibly contract only her one Shikigami?

Not having contracted a second Shikigami yet, most likely he looks down on those crooked melons and cracked dates.

A trace of urgency rose in Nisun-sama's heart.

She didn't unreasonably make trouble about Shizuku's matter anymore, but obediently nodded, picked the smallest children's room on the third floor and said she'd live in this one.

"Oh..."

Uesugi Toru originally thought Nisun-sama would pick the master bedroom, then come harass him every day.

Looks like the family Shikigami has become sensible too.

Next, Uesugi Toru took Nisun-sama to the fourth floor and underground to take a look.

The fourth floor was a very spacious storage room plus a partially open-air rooftop; the underground respectively had a hot spring bath, a standard swimming pool, and a spacious sauna room enough for dozens of people to sit in.

It can be said, the vast majority of this villa's functions were born for cultivation.

"Good thing I don't have to pay the water and electricity bills myself..."

Uesugi Toru didn't know how much rice he'd have to pay for all these facilities running together for a month — but good thing the Special Affairs Division helps him bear this consumption.

Uesugi Toru alone returned to the first floor again — Nisun-sama said she wanted to experience what soaking in a hot spring feels like.

She said she'd heard for decades that hot springs are comfortable, but she actually hadn't truly tried it once herself.

Uesugi Toru let it be.

"Still training."

Uesugi Toru watched from afar Shizuku sweating profusely, making half her kendo uniform stick tightly to her body, didn't make a sound, but sat in the corner and closed his eyes.

Just right, he can take this time to go to Edo Castle once, go finish the Walker identity task.

Water pressure far more surging than the past came from four directions eight sides.

Uesugi Toru woke up in a thatched hut full of damp moldy smell after a long absence.

He rubbed his nose tip, hasn't been to Edo Castle in a long time and is a bit unaccustomed to the humidity here.

"And the water pressure just now... was it a chance event?"

The water pressure increased, this is a no-doubt matter.

If it were the initial Uesugi Toru, he might not even withstand this wave of water pressure and might have returned to Genjitsu.

Uesugi Toru kept an extra mental eye in his heart, but didn't think too much about it now.

He took out the 【Broken Walking Token】; this time not even needing to align direction, it buzzed and bloomed with faint light in the dark thatched hut.

"Looks like I really can go hand in the task now."

Uesugi Toru transformed into White Hannya, and after equipping Kaga Kiyomitsu, he walked out of the Thatched Hut spawn point.

The reason he did not transform into the Four-Tailed Fox was that Edo Castle's terrain was relatively complex, and there were more unknown Yokai Kaidan.

If he transformed into the high-attack low-defense Four-Tailed Fox, he might be instantly killed by a hidden old-six Yokai.

White Hannya was better; even with a large hole stabbed through his chest, he would not die.

Uesugi Toru walked quickly along the muddy path in the heavy rain.

With the experience from last time, he used less than half the time to bypass many Yokai and entered the range of influence of that manor via the side path.

"However... the Homeless Ones seem to have disappeared."

Uesugi Toru narrowed his eyes, recalling that along the way he had not even encountered a single Homeless One, not even a corpse: "This is not a good omen for Genjitsu."

Because so many Homeless Ones could not possibly vanish into thin air.

Where else could they go?

Genjitsu!

Arriving at the manor gate from last time, Uesugi Toru's broken Token immediately burst forth with radiance far exceeding before.

Silently passing two small cat stone statues, Uesugi Toru changed back into human form and gently pulled the door knocker twice.

After a moment, with no Spiritual Power Fluctuation or Mechanism traces, the extremely heavy peeling wooden door slowly opened toward both sides.

What principle was this?

Uesugi Toru crossed the threshold and looked toward both sides behind the door, seeing no Shikigami or wandering souls.

This door was indeed just an ordinary wooden door.

—It seemed the owner of this manor, the nameless Sword Saint, might have methods somewhat higher than he had imagined.

Perhaps another Ghost God Level figure.

Exhaling lightly, Uesugi Toru held the broken Walking Token and walked straight toward the house facing the main gate—its wooden door was ajar, deliberately leaving a seam.

The furnishings inside the manor were simple and ordinary, looking no different from a typical Edo Period courtyard.

Perhaps Uesugi Toru could find three or four similar houses anywhere in Edo Castle.

Arriving at the doorway, Uesugi Toru's gaze was attracted by the wooden plaque hanging to one side.

The characters on it were pitted and corroded by years of rain and time, but Uesugi Toru could still barely make out the three characters above.

"Hua He Shui..."

Only these three characters.

Uesugi Toru read them aloud, and before he could look back, the ajar wooden door before him suddenly swung wide open to both sides.

Behind the wooden door was the interior furnishings Uesugi Toru was very familiar with.

Dojo.

A thin figure wearing a straw hat lowered their head, sitting in the center of the Dojo filled with a rotten smell.

They slowly raised their head and saw Uesugi Toru standing at the doorway, holding the radiant broken Walking Token.

After a brief silence, they spoke, their voice hoarse like pig iron rubbing,

"Long time no see..."

Uesugi Toru did not reply, merely bowing respectfully: "I am the Walker responsible for delivering this Token; please accept it, sir."

Uesugi Toru could feel that indifferent gaze fall upon him, feeling the other party sizing him up for a good while.

"A Walker... heh."

The figure suddenly smiled, extending from their old, dull coarse cloth robe a right hand with five fingers like skin and bones: "Then hand this Token over to me."

Uesugi Toru nodded, and after removing his mud-stained shoes, walked step by step to the figure's front, squatting down to place the Token with both hands on that withered hand.

Slap.

The radiance on the broken Walking Token suddenly dispersed, as if it had finally completed its mission.

But Uesugi Toru could still feel those eyes under the straw hat staring straight at his face; that gaze gave him a feeling of both curiosity and confusion.

Uesugi Toru waited for the nameless Sword Saint's question.

But he waited like that for a long time, waiting until the curiosity and confusion in those eyes gradually dissipated with the passage of time, yet he did not hear a single word from the nameless Sword Saint afterward.

As if these curiosity and confusion were no longer important now, so there was no need to ask anymore.

Since the task was completed, and the hidden task seemed unable to start, Uesugi Toru did not prepare to waste more time here.

He stood up, bade farewell to the nameless Sword Saint still sitting cross-legged on the ground, and walked toward the Dojo Gate.

And only when Uesugi Toru's foot stepped onto the threshold did the hoarse voice from behind sound again,

"You practice Tennen Rishin-ryu, right."

A declarative sentence.

Uesugi Toru stopped and turned back with slight confusion: "How did you know, sir? Just from that brief sizing up earlier?"

The nameless Sword Saint laughed: "Of course I recognized it from the sword at your waist."

He said: "Blade length seventy-two centimeters... that Uchigatana at your waist is called Kaga Kiyomitsu, right."

Hum.

Kaga Kiyomitsu vibrated in the sword sheath, indicating you got it wrong.

—I am me, don't lump me together with that historical guy!

Uesugi Toru widened his eyes in surprise.

The nameless Sword Saint could actually recognize Kaga Kiyomitsu through the sword sheath; this definitely required knowing Okita Soji very well.

So he asked: "Do you know Okita Soji, sir? Do you admire him very much?"

The rain fell for a while; the nameless Sword Saint seemed to be thinking, and also seemed to be hesitating.

He finally said,

"Hmm... I suppose so."

Suddenly, the nameless Sword Saint asked, "Walker, what is your name?"

"Uesugi Toru."

Uesugi Toru gave his name, and the dojo filled with a strong rotten smell fell silent once more.

But this time, Uesugi Toru was especially patient.

Because the nameless Sword Saint's questioning just now was undoubtedly a sign that a Hidden Event was unfolding.

——All thanks to Kaga Kiyomitsu at his waist.

Uesugi Toru touched its Sword Hilt as a reward.

"Uesugi Toru, Uesugi Toru..."

Uesugi Toru heard the nameless Sword Saint mutter his name several times before suddenly raising his head, a bright gaze striking his Face.

The nameless Sword Saint laughed happily,

"Uesugi Toru, when you have learned the essence of Mumyo Ken, come find me here, and I will teach you the strongest move of Tennen Rishin-ryu."

A prompt popped up before Uesugi Toru's eyes——

【Essence Among Essences: Please reach "Expert Level" in Tennen Rishin-ryu and be able to skillfully use Tennen Rishin-ryu Essence · Mumyo Ken before coming to Edo Castle to find the nameless Sword Saint, who will teach you a move stronger than Mumyo Ken.】

See, the Hidden Event has jumped out, and it's the kind with extremely rich completion rewards.

"An essence stronger than Mumyo Ken."

Uesugi Toru murmured a sentence in his heart, then slightly bowed his head to the nameless Sword Saint, saying gratefully, "I thank you in advance for your generosity, sir."

After speaking, Uesugi Toru put on his shoes and left the residence, which was empty except for the nameless Sword Saint, returning to the ordinary streets of Edo.

He found a thatched hut that didn't leak rain somewhere, killed a Ronin resting there at random, sat down, and checked the task completion prompt——

【The nameless Sword Saint has accepted the "Broken Walking Token"!】

【Your "Walker" Identity Promotion Task is complete!】

【Your identity "Walker" has been promoted to identity "Constant World Walker"】

Three prompts flashed by, and the Constant World Walker annotation jumped out.

【Constant World Walker: You have personally measured the endless Joto Land, and it is time to throw yourself into the surging waves of history. Effect: Greatly increases the probability of triggering Hidden Events. Also possesses unknown Hidden Effects.】

【Your item "Walking Token" has been changed to "Walking Token Arrow".】

Walking Token Arrow?

Uesugi Toru took out the Walking Token from his Storage Backpack... now it's called Walking Token Arrow.

A heavy silver-black Token Arrow lay quietly in his palm.

Compared to being covered in Dust and Rust before, this Walking Token Arrow could be said to be brand new.

The front of the Token Arrow was inscribed with the two characters "Walker" in vigorous calligraphy, extremely clear; flipping it over, the back was covered with a large number of exquisite and strange Patterns that Uesugi Toru could not recognize.

【Walking Token Arrow (Special Prop)】

【Effect: None】

——The identity symbol of Constant World Walker, holding the Token Arrow means being a Walker!

Holding the Token Arrow means being a Walker?

There's this too?

It seems the promotion from Walker to Constant World Walker is indeed significant.

Uesugi Toru rubbed the smooth Surface of the Walking Token Arrow with his fingertip, not waiting for a reward prompt, but instead a Task Prompt appeared before his eyes.

——Constant World Walker, please find the "Walker Gathering Token" as soon as possible to enter the "Walker Gathering" and light up your Shrine.

It turns out the Walker Gathering Token is best lit up and entered after the Walker identity is upgraded.

Uesugi Toru understood; no wonder the Divination Sticks gave Matsuri before.

Since the day is chosen, why not choose today; the Divination Sticks' Cooldown is also over, so now he would shake another stick to see if it's a good time to enter the Walker Gathering.

Taking out the Divination Sticks from his Storage Backpack, Uesugi Toru closed his eyes, discarded distracting thoughts, and began to shake the stick container.

In less than Two Seconds, a slender Omikuji slid out from the round small opening of the stick container.

Uesugi Toru stopped moving and found that the time used this time was much shorter than before.

He bent down to pick up the Omikuji that had fallen on the Ground, flipped it over, and saw a bright "Fortune" character described in red on it.

【Omikuji · Fortune】

——If not now, when?

Uesugi Toru smiled, put away the Divination Sticks and the stick, and took out the round cake-like【Walker Gathering Token】.

A prompt immediately jumped out before his eyes.

【Do you want to consume 100 Soul Ash to permanently light up this Gathering Token?】

"Yes."

100 Soul Ash consumed, the Gathering Token in Uesugi Toru's hand trembled slightly as if it had been consecrated.

Fine light patterns spread from the center of the Gathering Token to the surroundings.

In a short while, the Gathering Token transformed from an ancient round cake that was originally no different from a Stone into a bronze mirror engraved with exquisite patterns.

Uesugi Toru looked up——the mirror surface was densely covered with patterns of Yaoguai, Human and Yokai, Ghost Gods, the light patterns winding and encompassing all.

Staring at the Gathering Token in his hand for a while, Uesugi Toru silently input Spirit Power into it.

After about five seconds, Uesugi Toru only felt the world spinning, and his eyes went black again.

When Uesugi Toru opened his eyes again, a blood-red prompt immediately came into view, making his originally muddled thoughts instantly clear.

【Honorable Constant World Walker, you have entered the "Lost Walker Gathering", please speak and act cautiously, and light up your Shrine as soon as possible.】

Uesugi Toru took a silent Deep Breath and found himself sitting at the Upper End of a layer of circular steps.

He quickly looked around.

Towering pillars ten meters in diameter rose from either side of him, but most were shattered beyond repair, leaving only heights of dozens of meters or even just a few meters.

Looking down, hundreds of steps could be seen extending all the way to the surface—the flat ground at the very center—but bloodstains of various colors were strewn across the countless steps.

Uesugi Toru narrowed his eyes, seeming to see a motionless, blurry human figure in the center of that flat ground.

The Walker Gathering had suddenly gained the prefix "Lost," which did not bode well.

Uesugi Toru once again channeled Spirit Power into the Assembly Token in his hand, intending to leave for a moment before deciding what to do.

But a blood-red Prompt popped up again.

【You cannot currently leave the "Lost Walker Gathering"!】

Uesugi Toru pondered for a moment, then stood up, wanting to first explore his surroundings and gather information.

But before he could take two steps, two blood-red Prompts popped up before his eyes again.

【Honored Constant World Walker, please light your Shrine as soon as possible!】

【Please light your Shrine as soon as possible!】

At the same time, as if some terrifying existence had been awakened, an aura that made Uesugi Toru almost unable to breathe gradually spread across the Broad Square of the Walker Gathering.

End of Chapter