Chapter 130

"This is my home now, so why can't it be me?"

Uesugi Toru countered calmly, causing the complexion of Tokugawa Haruhiko, who stood at the doorway, to become quite colorful.

——But the intelligence clearly showed that Tokugawa Ririko, that guy, undoubtedly lived here; a small matter like this "they" wouldn't mess up.

Tokugawa Haruhiko's hand gripping the letter paper tightened slightly, and in an instant, myriad thoughts raced through his mind.

"Where is my Fifth Sister?"

Tokugawa Haruhiko shook the letter paper in his hand, sealed with wax stamped with the Tokugawa family crest "Mitsuba Aoi," and spoke in a deep voice,

"I must personally deliver this handwritten letter from the Clan Head into her hands. Be sensible and don't meddle in other people's business."

He deliberately emphasized the two words "Clan Head."

"I don't care about any Clan Head or not." Uesugi Toru repeated with a cold smile, then extended his hand, "Leave the thing, then scram. That's how it is."

"Uesugi Toru……"

Tokugawa Haruhiko's expression turned gloomy and cold, a formless, substanceless dangerous aura surged from his body surface,

"Don't think that just because you joined a mere Special Affairs Division and got a bit of Fifth Sister's favor, you can act with impunity. I'm telling you, in the end she's just playing with you for fun……"

"Act with impunity? So the Tokugawa Family is the law and the heavens, huh." Uesugi Toru laughed, his hand already resting on the sword hilt of Kaga Kiyomitsu at his waist.

Tokugawa Haruhiko narrowed his eyes: "I told you not to be ungrateful……"

"——Didn't you hear Uesugi-kun? Scram directly? No one welcomes you here."

The girl's indifferent voice came from the courtyard, a Sword Heart, brilliant like a great sun hanging in the sky, fell straight into the center of Tokugawa Haruhiko's pupils.

Tokugawa Haruhiko's complexion stiffened, twitching slightly.

——Sword Heart Manifestation, it's only been a few days since we last met and Ririko, that guy, broke through again.

Damn it……

If Ririko just stubbornly refuses to come home, that's fine, but if she suddenly changes her mind and accepts Great-Grandpa's verbal order to go back, my days from now on will be miserable.

Tokugawa Haruhiko squeezed out a smile, bowed slightly: "Fifth Sister, look at what you're saying. Me scraming is naturally no problem, mainly Great-Grandpa personally instructed your Seventh Brother me to deliver this letter into your hands."

"I'm just a messenger, and the content of this letter is probably a future that will definitely happen regardless of whether Fifth Sister you've read it or not."

In the courtyard, Ririko, wearing only tabi and limping, walked over to Uesugi Toru's side, unabashedly pulling his arm into her embrace.

The girl's complexion was flushed, her upper body kendo uniform had slipped down to above her chest, revealing large patches of fair skin beaded with crystal-clear sweat.

"Hmm? Why doesn't it feel as bony as before?" Uesugi Toru thought silently without showing it, "Could it be Ririko's pectoral muscles have finally developed?"

"Didn't you hear Tetsu-kun's words?"

Ririko half-leaned on Uesugi Toru, sneered coldly: "Scram for me!"

Tokugawa Haruhiko looked at the scene before him, his expression wooden.

It seems he misspoke earlier.

——He figured it out, this village girl Ririko from the countryside has probably already hooked up with this trash called Uesugi Toru.

Judging by the scene before him, he estimated these two have probably done everything they should do, and everything they shouldn't do too.

Even if he's unwilling to admit it, this Uesugi Toru will at least for a short period of time in the future be his "Fifth Brother-in-law."

Perhaps later the family will use marriage alliances or other means to separate them, but that's a matter for later.

For now, he still needs to hurry and improve his relationship with Ririko.

——He really has eight lifetimes of rotten luck, to have a brain disorder and voluntarily propose to rush to reinforce Tokyo, such a troublesome place.

Tokugawa Haruhiko took a deep breath, the smile on his face becoming even more genuine,

"Fifth Sister, Fifth Brother-in-law. If you ask me, you'd better accept this letter first. Even if you want to elope to a place the family can't find later, wouldn't you also be able to get some information in advance from this?"

Hearing this change of address, Uesugi Toru neither confirmed nor denied, lightly tapping the sword hilt of Kaga Kiyomitsu.

Good fellow, this Tokugawa Haruhiko really can bend and stretch; just now he was ready to chop me at the slightest disagreement, and now he can actually lower his head and call me Brother-in-law.

As expected, no disciple living in a Noble Family like the Tokugawa is simple.

He had previously heard Nanjo Sister say that Tokugawa Haruhiko, aside from the basic "Special Agent Third Rank" in the Onmyoryo, had also snagged a pretty lucrative position.

Judging from Tokugawa Haruhiko's current tone of desperately wanting to advance, the credibility is indeed not small.

Hearing these words, although a trace of insignificant joy flashed through Ririko's eyes, her complexion remained icy cold, preparing to open her mouth and tell the other party to scram.

——The reason she came out to hold Uesugi Toru's arm was merely to prevent Tokugawa Haruhiko and the others from losing their temper and making a move.

"I told you to scram……"

"Ah, wait."

Uesugi Toru familiarly covered Ririko's mouth, which was about to speak, with his other palm, then nodded at Tokugawa Haruhiko: "Give the letter to me, I'll have Ririko read it later."

Tokugawa Haruhiko was overjoyed inside——he could finally deliver this hot potato into Ririko's hands.

He hurriedly presented the letter paper with both hands: "Brother-in-law is wise."

Uesugi Toru moved his hand away from the momentarily stunned Ririko's face, accepted the letter paper: "The letter's delivered, can you leave now?"

"Of course, of course."

Tokugawa Haruhiko bowed and retreated repeatedly: "I won't disturb Fifth Sister and Brother-in-law's mood any longer."

As his words fell, Tokugawa Haruhiko's figure vanished.

Ririko timely released Uesugi Toru's arm, slammed the iron gate shut, then reached out to snatch the letter paper to tear it up.

Uesugi Toru raised his hand to her and said: "Reading it before tearing isn't too late."

Ririko frowned: "What's there to see in this thing?"

"Just like that chameleon said just now, maybe we can get some info, buying you more development time isn't bad either."

Uesugi Toru stared seriously into her eyes, held out the letter paper: "Take a look?"

Development time……

This point is indeed particularly important.

Shizuku fell silent for a moment, sighed, and her whole body softened a little: "Fine, I'll listen to you once."

She took the letter paper and prepared to stand where she was and open it to look.

Uesugi Toru pushed her from behind, gazing at her kendo uniform that was nearly sweat-soaked, and raised his chin: "Don't let the wind hit the sweat you just worked up; be careful of catching a cold, getting sick, and affecting your cultivation."

Shizuku's movement paused slightly, and in a bad mood she flicked the letter paper with two fingers straight to the dojo gate, then walked toward the house: "Is listening to you still not enough... Uesugi-kun, who did you learn this nagging habit from?"

Uesugi Toru thought for a moment, said nothing, and just followed behind her into the dojo.

——But if one really had to say, it should be Rituna Minami.

Plopping down in the middle-rear of the dojo, Shizuku tore open the wax seal and outer packaging in two or three moves, pulled out the letter paper, and began reading.

In less than a minute, Uesugi Toru saw her expressionlessly crush the finished letter paper into powder with internal qi.

Uesugi Toru looked at the scraps of paper all over the ground: "Not letting me see?"

"Nothing worth looking at." Shizuku snorted lightly, waved her hand, "Back then they treated me like a stray dog on the roadside; I didn't want to keep suffering in there, so I ran out."

"When my parents were buried, that old thing didn't come either... Now that I've cultivated Sword Heart Penetration, he starts playing the emotion card and the bloodline card, wanting me to scurry back with just a few words?"

"——Dream on!"

Shizuku narrowed her eyes and spat out two words, viciously,

"I tell him there's no way! Even if he runs over tomorrow and kowtows three times to me, I'll still kick his old turtle head apart with one foot!"

Uesugi Toru beside her discovered that Shizuku's breath was rarely somewhat disordered; she seemed to be really a bit angry after reading that letter.

"Let's not talk about this anymore."

Shizuku wrapped the paper scraps with internal qi and threw them out the window into the trash can outside the room.

She stood up, patted her face, and said: "Uesugi-kun, you go wait upstairs for a while first; I'm going to make dinner."

Uesugi Toru made a surprised sound.

It turned out Shizuku really could cook, and wasn't just boasting and painting big pies.

"Then please let me admire Shizuku the great cook's skills for a while!"

He answered with the heroic mindset of testing poison.

Forty minutes later.

The rich aroma of curry, pork cutlet, and onions filled more than half of the three-story space.

Uesugi Toru flared his nostrils and swallowed his saliva.

——The intelligence seemed to be true; the food Shizuku made smelled so appetizing just from smelling it.

"To have maxed out the proficiency of Five Thunder Technique: Kiai in such a harsh environment, I really worked hard myself."

Uesugi Toru, who had used so long just to brush out 10 points of proficiency, sighed like this.

He looked at the prompt that popped out with a biu—

【Your skill, Five Thunder Technique: Kiai proficiency +10!】

【Your skill, Five Thunder Technique: Kiai has been raised to Entry Level!】

【Five Thunder Technique: Kiai (Entry Level 4/1000)】

【Effect: Can release lightning while the Breathing Technique is circulating.】

【——Lightning and qi are actually one body; you have just glimpsed the threshold, but that's all.】

【Because your Five Thunder Technique: Kiai has been raised to Entry Level, your flesh has received slight lightning nourishment, Physique +1!】

【Because your Five Thunder Technique: Kiai has been raised to Entry Level, your Lightning Affinity has increased.】

An increase of 1 point of Physique is better than nothing; the key is the change in Five Thunder Technique: Kiai itself.

Now, he seemed to be able to generate lightning anywhere in his body and then emit it.

Uesugi Toru quietly felt the tingling and numb sensation coming from all over his flesh, and raised a finger toward the window outside.

Qi Circulation.

Whoosh!

A faint streak of lightning, wrapped in internal qi, shot out from his fingertip, grazing past Shizuku's nose tip as she just walked out of the kitchen carrying a plate.

The girl first lowered her head to confirm the three plates of curry rice in her hands were fine, then silently looked at Uesugi Toru sitting at the table laughing awkwardly.

"My my, this wave is mine."

Slap.

The curry pork cutlet rice served on an extra-large plate was thrown in front of Uesugi Toru.

Rich steam rose, carrying the scents of onion, curry, and fried meat.

Shizuku picked up her chopsticks and ruthlessly inserted them into the rice through the gap of the crispy pork cutlet with golden-brown skin, piercing the egg skin coating the rice grains,

"Eat!"

"Yes!"

Uesugi Toru gave her a neither-here-nor-there salute, then lowered his head and seriously began wolfing down the rice.

But in just an instant, Uesugi Toru's movement froze again.

——Damn Shizuku, why did she make the rice so delicious!?

——You eating isn't just eating!?

Since coming to this world, Uesugi Toru, who almost every meal ate cheap convenience store bento, was almost moved to tears by this flavor.

Delicious, too delicious!

If this scene were in another superpower gourmet anime, he would surely have been so delicious-exploded his clothes and received holy light.

Moreover, Shizuku's curry rice was not just good heat control and tasty ingredients; it also contained a wonderful feeling no one else could make.

"——For me, putting on an apron, calming down, and cooking in the kitchen is also a unique form of cultivation."

Shizuku looked at the one person and one shikigami madly digging into the curry rice across the table, and the corner of her lips lifted slightly with a smile.

She pressed her palms together and silently chanted "Itadakimasu" in her heart.

In less than ten minutes, Uesugi Toru swept clean the large plate of curry rice, not leaving a single grain of rice.

He looked to the side; the Two-Shaku Adult was leaning against the chair with her round, bulging belly sticking out like a pregnant belly.

Even so, she still struggled to reach out and grip her chopsticks, laboriously declaring toward the plate that still held quite a bit of curry rice: "I... will... finish eating..."

Only then did Uesugi Toru remember that the Two-Shaku Adult probably hadn't eaten a proper meal in decades or even a hundred years.

Before, she could treat potato chips from the Kisaragi Station convenience store as treasures, let alone this plate of supreme-grade curry rice.

One can only say that his Uesugi family, whether human or shikigami, had never eaten well.

After waiting for Shizuku sitting opposite to also finish eating unhurriedly, Uesugi Toru spoke: "Do you know about the Yokohama City Shinken Shiai?"

"Shinken Shiai?" Shizuku showed appropriate puzzlement.

So Uesugi Toru explained in detail to Shizuku the matter and its cause and effect.

Letting Shizuku know about the Shinken Shiai was a certainty.

This kind of thing couldn't be hidden from Shizuku; she would find out sooner or later.

Since that was the case, better for Uesugi Toru to give her a heads-up first, so he could learn her thoughts sooner.

To avoid any impulsive incidents when the time came.

"To fight the local Oboro Moon Hall of Yokohama, and in a semi-public nature at that," Uesugi Toru asked, "Because of your identity, Shizuku, it shouldn't be easy for you to take the stage, right?"

"Of course I can." Shizuku flicked her fingertip. "This isn't a problem for Uesugi-kun to consider."

"The key lies in——"

Shizuku put down the phone displaying those three people's information, staring seriously at Uesugi Toru: "Can you solve them, Uesugi-kun?"

"I originally thought the key was whether Shizuku you wanted to participate or not." Uesugi Toru smiled: "If it's out of consideration for me, then it's fine."

"Small fry like these, I can handle alone."

He patted the sword hilt of Kaga Kiyomitsu leaning against the table leg,

"Shizuku, you just continue cultivating with peace of mind. Aren't you still supposed to be my teacher?"

Shizuku's eyes flickered upon hearing this, then she lowered her head slightly: "Then I'll trouble you, Uesugi-kun."

"Small matter."

……

In the gap while Shizuku washed dishes, Uesugi Toru came alone to the balcony, leaned on the railing, and while gazing at the twinkling starry sky, used Spirit Control Technique to inhale and exhale the Spirit Qi in the atmosphere that was several times denser than the external world.

During this time, although Shizuku had already finished her chores, upon seeing the Spirit Power surging around Uesugi Toru, she also didn't come to disturb him.

She leaned casually on the sofa, closed her eyes, and continued meditating.

About five hours later, Uesugi Toru, who had been inhaling and exhaling Spirit Qi with full effort for so long, let out a heavy breath.

His gaze shifted down, looking wearily at the newly popped-up prompt——

【Your Skill, Spirit Control Technique Proficiency +60!】

【Your Skill, Spirit Control Technique has risen to Mastery Level!】

【Spirit Control Technique (Mastery 2/1000)】

【Effect: Command the Qi of Heaven and Earth, connect with the spirits of all things.】

【Because your Spirit Control Technique rose to Mastery Level, your Spirit Arts +5!】

【Because your Spirit Control Technique rose to Mastery Level, your affinity for Spirit Power increases!】

In just a moment, Uesugi Toru's originally not shallow "Spirit Pool" inside his body swelled several degrees again, not much different from the moment he first transformed into a three-tailed fox.

At the same time, he could also clearly perceive that the Spirit Qi of Heaven and Earth had become more "responsive to his every call" toward him.

To be specific, it was roughly that his speed of drawing Spirit Qi from Heaven and Earth using Spirit Control Technique had increased by another two-tenths, plus the bonus from Spirit Control Technique itself rising to Mastery Level……

Roughly estimating, his Spirit Qi absorption speed should now have reached over 900 times the standard value.

"So it's a Spirit Control Technique issue?"

Uesugi Toru keenly discovered the crux.

He had read quite a few classics, but never had any Yin-Yang Technique been able to increase a person's affinity with the Spirit Qi of Heaven and Earth——as if affinity was destined at birth.

Yet Spirit Control Technique achieved this.

And besides that, Spirit Control Technique's efficiency in absorbing Spirit Qi was also who knows how many times higher than those miscellaneous Yin-Yang Techniques.

Although Spirit Control Technique seemingly could only absorb Spirit Qi, plus communicate with some Shinrei Kobutsu.

"Great Yin-Yang Art……"

Uesugi Toru understood that a Yin-Yang Technique crowned with these four characters was absolutely a hidden Onmyoji Family's trump card.

So in the future, it's still best to rarely reveal Spirit Control Technique and Five Thunder Method: Kiai before others.

This is not only for himself, but also to not let the netizens on the other side of the screen fall into trouble.

"Shizuku, I'm going to rest first."

Walking back from the balcony, Uesugi Toru said to the girl who hadn't moved for five hours.

He signaled the Two-Shaku Adult playing with his phone to follow; upon seeing the wall clock already pointing to midnight, he turned back and said: "Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"——Slowly does it, comparatively fast."

Uesugi Toru brought the Two-Shaku Adult into the room; everything was already prepared, and he prepared to completely clear Kisaragi Station this evening.

In the quiet living room, the expressionless girl opened her eyes, replied in a near-silent voice, then continued immersing herself in the slaughter against imagined enemies.

……

This time the water pressure was exceptionally small, almost unable to make Uesugi Toru feel pressure.

——So, the current water pressure changes are random?

Landing on Kisaragi Station, which had no changes from last time he entered, Uesugi Toru confirmed after walking into the convenience store that the instance had not refreshed again.

"Looks like Ye Chun is still quite obedient..."

Uesugi Toru transformed into a four-tailed fox, gazing at his reflection in the glass and pondering for a while.

Who knows if it's because she's obedient, or if this form of his is simply too lethal.

"Two-Shaku Adult."

Uesugi Toru called out, letting the girl wearing a white hat, with faint Buddha Light constantly emerging from the back of her head, land beside him.

"Can you still locate that driver?"

"It's possible, it's possible." Two-Shaku Adult closed her eyes and strained to sense for a moment, "But the position is a bit blurry; we might have to search again once we reach the place."

"That's fine, let's find him first."

Uesugi Toru signaled for Two-Shaku Adult to sit on his shoulder — if she had to walk on her own, the overall travel speed would slow down considerably.

Although this bit of time doesn't really count for much, variables should be reduced by as much as possible.

"Yay!"

Just as Two-Shaku Adult settled in, Uesugi Toru felt the two fluffy ears on top of his head suffer for it, a constant numbing itch transmitting over.

He decisively transformed into White Prajna, letting Two-Shaku Adult's originally nimble roaming hands grasp empty air.

Anyway, he didn't come this time to make friends, so staring at White Prajna's face while hurrying along didn't matter either.

"Stop fooling around, if you see any Chi blocking the way, strike the Taiko Drum."

Uesugi Toru took out the 【Life and Death Taiko】 from his Storage Backpack, handing this small black-and-white double-sided Taiko Drum to Two-Shaku Adult atop his head.

"Po! Definitely won't let Toru-sama down!"

After nodding vigorously at Uesugi Toru, Two-Shaku Adult felt the surrounding scenery rapidly turn blurry.

A huge centrifugal force came; feeling like her whole body would fly off, Two-Shaku Adult subconsciously grabbed Uesugi Toru's two horns on top of his head like grabbing a Steering Wheel.

Uesugi Toru, having the two roots on top of his head tightly tugged, twitched the corner of his eye slightly, but after confirming Two-Shaku Adult had no extra movements, he let her be.

Thanks to White Prajna's powerful physical body, his pace was very fast; Uesugi Toru reached the sensing range of Two-Shaku Adult's Curse Mark in less than an hour.

"Right around here?"

"Mm-hm!"

Two-Shaku Adult gripped the two horns in her hands tight, knitted her little brows and strained to sense, then pointed toward the Mountain Forest on the right: "Toru-sama, it should be over there."

Uesugi Toru silently nodded, lowered his pace, and swiftly slipped into the dim Dense Forest beside the Mountain Forest path.

In no more than two minutes, he found an SUV parked on a relatively broad patch of Ground.

That driver wearing the same leather jacket year in, year out, somehow got his hands on a Cigarette, and was leaning against the car smoking, expression leisurely and dazed.

Could tell the leather-jacket driver's vigilance was very poor.

Even with Uesugi Toru bringing Two-Shaku Adult, this Shikigami not too good at concealing her aura, to within a hundred-meter radius around him, the driver showed not a trace of nervousness.

"Let's wait here for a bit."

Taking Two-Shaku Adult off his head and gently setting her on the Ground, Uesugi Toru whispered a sentence in her ear, then soundlessly walked toward the driver Not Far away.

In no more than three or two seconds, Uesugi Toru transformed into a four-tailed fox arrived behind the leather-jacket driver.

He stared at the driver gently exhaling smoke, and lightly patted the other's Shoulder.

"Don't mess around."

The leather-jacket driver impatiently brushed off Uesugi Toru's Hand, continuing to hum a little tune and smoke.

After another good while, he suddenly Realized this was a forest rarely visited by people; normally not to mention people, even a Chi wouldn't come one head.

And he still completely hadn't sensed any movement of that guy who patted his Shoulder approaching.

The driver swallowed saliva with difficulty, turned his head to Look back.

Whereupon a four-tailed fox draped in a long robe, holding a Folding Fan, staring right at him, revealed a smile: "Long time no see."

Encountered a Ghost!?

The driver Blinked, and immediately turned his head with his soul scattering in fear.

——No no no, wasn't this four-tailed fox already killed by Lady Yuki-onna!

My opening method must be wrong!

He took several Deep Breaths, then Pinched out the Cigarette butt, before revealing a determined gaze to look again.

Seeing the driver seemed to have accepted Reality, Uesugi Toru tapped the SUV with his Fan: "I'll borrow this Vehicle for a bit, No Problem right."

As his words fell, Blue-Green Electric Arcs crackled and popped around Uesugi Toru's body, stinging the driver's body surface with pain.

At the same time it finally shattered his Fantasy, telling him that right now he was indeed in Reality.

But... how did an already dead Yokai come back to life?

The driver couldn't figure it out — they Yokai aren't outsider Stranger Souls, after death there's no chance to revive.

They die, that's truly dead.

And even with his meager strength, he could clearly sense that the previous four-tailed fox, though terrifying, was still far distant from Lady Yuki-onna's might.

So what on earth is this situat...

"Answer?"

A strand of Electric Light exploded before the leather-jacket driver's eyes, making him startle awake.

Uesugi Toru smiled squinting at him: "Lend me the car, or I kill you and the car's mine. Come, Choose."

——Uesugi Toru was only willing to waste words because the driver previously brought him to find the Mountain Inn, otherwise he would've directly struck a killing blow.

But if this driver still doesn't know what's good for him, don't blame him for using a Heavenly Thunder once.

"Lend! Four-Tailed Fox Adult wants to borrow! This little one will definitely lend!"

The leather-jacket driver immediately nodded and bowed to him, wholeheartedly opening the driver's side door for Uesugi Toru: "Does Four-Tailed Fox Adult know how to drive a Vehicle, if not..."

"That won't trouble you."

Uesugi Toru waved his hand and got into the SUV: "Later I'll park your car at the exit of the Isanuki Tunnel; you can go pick it up from there."

After speaking, Uesugi Toru turned the key to start the vehicle and drove off amid the leather-clad driver's shouts.

"The Isanuki Tunnel..."

The driver sat on the ground with vacant eyes, thinking of the bustling Chizhou over there: "If you don't want to return my car, just say so directly; why beat around the bush?"

The leather-clad driver just sat there on the ground, not moving for a long time.

He was utterly despairing.

On the other side, Uesugi Toru successfully picked up Adult Ni-shaku and drove toward the direction of the Mountain Inn in his memory.

He planned to pick up Ye Chun directly to end this Instance— as for the Side Quest already halfway done at the Mountain Inn, it could be dropped.

He had already dragged things out long enough at Kisaragi Station, and there were only six days left until the Shinken Shiai.

Although Uesugi Toru strategically looked down on the three from Oboro Moon Hall, tactically he still had to take them seriously, improving his strength as fast as possible to ensure absolute safety.

Once the third map was unlocked, the reward for an unfinished Side Quest at a mere Kisaragi Station could easily be made up.

On the quiet asphalt road, the SUV's engine roared, carving a red streak as it charged toward the inn that had stood for hundreds of years in the Mountain Forest.

Uesugi Toru's driving skills were poor, practically nonexistent—he only knew basic things like the handbrake, accelerator, and steering wheel.

And yet this very Uesugi Toru relied on powerful reflexes to drive the SUV at over a hundred yards on the not-so-spacious small road.

Naturally, Adult Ni-shaku, who wanted to experience the feeling of the Passenger Seat, was shaken all over and had to choose to return to the Jizo Statue first to rest for a while.

He pulled up the handbrake and parked the SUV by the roadside at the foot of the mountain.

If he drove the car up, it would definitely startle the Snow Woman.

Confronting the Snow Woman was the last situation Uesugi Toru wanted to see—she was obviously not the Final Boss of Kisaragi Station, and Uesugi Toru only had a disagreement with the Snow Woman over "taking Ye Chun away."

If he wanted to ensure defeating the Snow Woman in one go, perhaps the Rikishi Talisman couldn't be spared.

Uesugi Toru still planned to save it for the Final Boss at the end or to deal with unavoidable bad situations.

"And, subduing the Snow Woman as a Shikigami is also a very good choice."

After witnessing the bizarre, misshapen Shikigami of many Onmyoji, with a pile of side effects after contracts, Uesugi Toru realized how rare it was to have a Shikigami with an appearance that didn't drain sanity and could converse normally.

But those meeting both conditions were generally low-star Yokai or Mononoke.

Generally speaking, Shikigami above three stars were mostly strange fellows, and corresponding to their powerful strength must be powerful Curses and Resentment.

And "Spirit Monsters" like the Snow Woman, which should arise naturally, were quite rare...

Uesugi Toru raised his head and discovered the Mountain Inn, extremely conspicuous in a pitch-black mountain forest.

First, he needed to confirm whether the Snow Woman had left the inn.

Walking a little closer, Uesugi Toru showed a hint of joy.

Because a plaque reading "Suspended Business" hung at the doorway of the inn—this meant Uesugi Toru no longer needed to wait; he just had to take Ye Chun away in the shortest time possible.

He no longer hid his footsteps, walking boldly toward the inn, to a place observable from the window of Ye Chun's room.

And in the darkness, a wisp of coldness that had just returned lingered not far away, silently gazing at the four-tailed fox that should not have appeared here again.

End of Chapter