Chapter 158

Heavenly Thunder descends!

At the terrifying extreme speed of the Heavenly Thunder released by the Blessed Folding Fan, even Uesugi Toru, the releaser himself, simply could not react in time to dodge.

Naturally, he had not thought of dodging from the very beginning.

From the moment this idea was born, what Uesugi Toru thought of was releasing the thunder when Kuzuha Chihaya drew close, intending to deliver the final blow to him.

Letting the boundless Heavenly Thunder envelop both of them at once.

Gazing at Kuzuha Chihaya, close at hand, her pupils shrunk to the size of needle tips, Uesugi Toru smiled faintly at her, speaking as if answering a doubt,

"Big Sister, I do have very strong Lightning Resistance, you know……"

Before his words fell, they were interrupted by the crimson-purple Lightning Pillar pouring down on the Arena.

Rumble—!

The roaring Lightning Dragon lit up the pupils of every Audience member, making the weak among them tremble involuntarily, and plunging the Onmyoji who had previously concluded that Uesugi Toru's Yin-Yang Technique attainments were nothing special into Silence.

The crimson-purple Lightning Pillar persisted inside the Arena for a full few seconds; the scattered Lightning Plasma even spread to the sidelines, and only slowly dissipated after turning a portion of the Sand Dust inside the arena into a transparent Crystal Layer.

The lightning vanished, and the two, charred all over, stood in place, then slowly fell together onto the hard Crystal Layer.

At the sidelines, an Audience member froze.

"Th-this, who won?"

"Both fell down together, both lost combat power, isn't that a draw!"

"No, that's wrong!" the Local Dojo Master exclaimed, "Look, Kuzuha Chihaya's fingers moved!"

Everyone looked closely and discovered it was indeed so.

Kuzuha Chihaya's fingers, which had not let go of the naginata even when struck squarely by Heavenly Thunder, twitched slightly.

Although the amplitude was still very slight — compared to her, Uesugi Toru still hadn't moved a muscle.

Victory or defeat seemed to have been decided at this very moment.

But not two seconds passed before that Audience member who had previously clamored to publish a Haku-sama photobook fished out a Camera again and shouted: "What draw! Didn't you see that cute little Shikigami still there on the side!"

— Haku, who had been concealing her presence at the sidelines, took a few heavy breaths; reciting the entrustment Uesugi Toru had given her by plucking her Heartstrings, she reached out her hand.

A gray-white Toy Gun fell into her hand.

Then, aiming at Kuzuha Chihaya, who was already swaying as she climbed up, struggling mightily to lift her naginata, she pulled the trigger.

Whoosh!

The snow-white Snake Pattern Naginata was thrown by Kuzuha Chihaya with her last strength, passing slowly by Haku's cheek.

She felt the cold slicing sensation at her cheek, and without dodging or evading, pulled the trigger.

Haku coldly declared: "It's over."

Pew.

A needle-cartridge Bullet as thick as a pinky finger pierced into Kuzuha Chihaya's back, causing her to instantly black out, finally losing all Awareness.

Thud.

Kuzuha Chihaya collapsed powerlessly onto the ground.

Haku hurriedly stepped forward, and step by step, from two shaku she recovered to her eight-shaku stature.

In just a few seconds, she arrived at Uesugi Toru's side, carefully lifting him up.

Ten-odd seconds later, feeling his body still in a half-paralyzed state, Uesugi Toru opened his eyes with difficulty, seeing Haku's concerned face from below.

"Did I win?" His lips moved, emitting a barely audible sound.

Haku let out a breath of relief, nodding heavily.

Then, she held Uesugi Toru, who could not move, high up.

She took a deep breath, mustered her Courage, and shouted toward Kujou Rōya above, whose aura was like a Demon God's: "Announce that Toru-sama has won!"

"Third match, Special Affairs Division Uesugi Toru, victory."

Kujou Rōya, eyes closed, "observed" thoughtfully the Uesugi Toru whose recovery continued with every breath, and a thought of Recruitment stirred in her heart.

She spoke casually, yet her voice spread across the entire Arena in an instant, ringing by every person's ear,

"——Shinken Shiai, three matches, all won by Special Affairs Division Uesugi Toru."

After an Instant of silence, earth-shaking Cheers and applause rose as if from the Audience Stands, as if to pierce the thick earth and reach the Heavens.

Whether they had not known him before, looked down on him, sang a contrary tune, or wished for Uesugi Toru's victory from the bottom of their hearts, all Audience members offered applause from the depths of their hearts for this moment of Victory.

Unrelated to camp or stance, the cheerers purely simply marveled at and found inconceivable such an exquisitely brilliant Victory.

Because whether it was a meticulously planned scheme long in the making, or a spur-of-the-moment desperate counterattack, neither could conceal the fact that this was a remarkably beautiful battle.

At the Arena fence, a beam of dazzling flash Lighted Up.

The Photographer who had fished out the Camera again froze this Scene, deciding to use it as the cover of Haku-sama's photobook.

Countless Gazes fell upon Uesugi Toru, held aloft in midair by Haku in her Eight-Shaku Form, already more or less faintly Realizing that this name would, in the future, shine over the entire Eastern Region.

And, he had already conspicuously passed out of the most Fragile period of a "genius."

Sidelines.

Shizuku gazed at the Gang Qi circulation re-establishing itself on Uesugi Toru's body surface, chin in hand, falling into deep thought.

When she herself broke through in Cultivation, she didn't have too Obvious a feeling.

But now, observing as a Rational third party, she immediately Discovered the strangeness of the "Gang Qi Circulation" in this Corona Breathing Technique.

Although she couldn't say at once where the problem lay, Shizuku could be certain there were absolutely Defects and Deficiencies within.

"Including the subsequent 'Flesh Palace' body-forging Method, it also feels like it's Lacking the Key Point……"

Shizuku closed her eyes, and began high-speed Attempt Deduction in her mind.

On the Notary Seat.

Tokugawa Hoshi slightly widened her Eyebrows; beneath her flat Complexion, a trace of Xi Kan surfaced.

Won.

Actually won.

This Uesugi Toru really is the synonym for "surprise."

In that case……

She glanced at Huijue, who seemed to be posting to Moments, fingers tapping the wooden armrest.

Tokugawa Hoshi deliberated for a long time, finally taking out from the inner lining of her clothing the notebook she had updated every night since long ago, then checked to make sure it was placed properly.

She handed it to Huijue: "Master Huijue, could you trouble yourself to give this booklet to my younger sister?"

"Please don't say it was given by Tokugawa Hoshi." Tokugawa Hoshi thought for a moment and said, "Master, just say you picked it up on the roadside."

Huijue was slightly startled; upon seeing the earnestness and seriousness in Tokugawa Hoshi's eyes, he put away his smile, returned the sarira and mobile phone in his palm to his pocket, and accepted the booklet with both hands.

"This poor monk will certainly not fail Tokugawa Benefactor's request."

Huijue solemnly put away the booklet, then asked: "Tokugawa Benefactor, won't you go see Benefactor Ririko yourself?"

"I won't go."

Tokugawa Hoshi shook her head decisively, a trace of extremely faint disappointment flashing in her eyes: "If I go see her, subsequent troubles will only follow one after another."

"Next we referees still have to meet with Nanjo Ai and Kujou Rōya for a meeting; acting as the current mascot, Master Huijue, I'll be going first."

Tokugawa Hoshi stood up, nodding slightly at Huijue.

Huijue stood up, palms joined in prayer, head slightly lowered,

"Benefactor, walk slowly."

……

Backstage, the tall two-shaku adult carefully carried in Uesugi Toru, whose state was still depressed.

She was turning her head looking for Kujou Shinya who was responsible for treatment, when she heard a crisp, clear call.

"Patient, please lie flat here first!"

The child wearing a sea robe spread out a green lotus leaf, signaling the two-shaku adult to place Uesugi Toru on top.

"Also, this lady!" The child took out a small, white porcelain bottle from her waist, and after pouring the dew inside into Uesugi Toru's mouth, said, "Your body type is a bit too large; if you don't have injuries to treat, could you please go out and wait a bit?"

"Oh! Sorry."

The two-shaku adult immediately returned to her two-shaku body type, making the 1.2-meter-tall child stare blankly for a moment.

The child blinked: "Then that's not needed…… Lady, please sit for a moment."

The two-shaku adult obediently knelt beside Uesugi Toru, seeing his complexion improving at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Charred skin slowly sloughed off, revealing the fresh pink flesh beneath.

Uesugi Toru could clearly feel that these few drops of dew turned into an incomparably cool breath the moment they entered his mouth, immediately nourishing his body in all aspects at rapid speed.

He turned his head, looking at Kujou Shinya who was treating Kuzuha Chihaya: "Lord Kujou, this person is your……"

"My shikigami, Medicine Child."

Kujou Shinya turned his head and explained upon hearing this.

Listening to the intense discussion voices continuously coming from outside, seemingly wanting to overturn the sky, he smiled gently at Uesugi Toru,

"Uesugi-kun, fought very well; worthy of being the talent Nanjo Daimyo values."

The fingertips of Kujou Shinya's ten fingers simultaneously bloomed with different Yin-Yang Techniques, treating Kuzuha Chihaya and Crow Takes Time Rain, who appeared to have already escaped a near-death state, simultaneously at an exaggerated speed.

His thick voice continued,

"Moreover, even in extreme circumstances you held back; many thanks."

Kujou Shinya did not go out to watch the third match just now.

But with his Great Onmyoji perspective, seeing the injuries on the two of them that were more or less the same, he almost instantly understood what had just happened.

Uesugi Toru wanted to shake his head, but he discovered his head still couldn't move, so he spoke: "What's there to thank for, it was just for myself……"

Kujou Shinya said slowly: "Words can't be put that way. Subjective is one matter, objective is another."

"——And besides yourself, few people care what your subjective thoughts are when you do things; this doesn't have much meaning either."

"Ah, Teacher, don't talk to this gentleman!"

The child, seeing Uesugi Toru's wounds crack open from speaking, hurriedly turned back and glared at Kujou Shinya, then immediately took out various medicines from her small bag and sprinkled them on his body.

Accompanied by a string of unknown miraculous ointments, medicine powders, medicine waters landing on his skin.

In less than two minutes, Uesugi Toru felt his state recover to the point where he could move freely.

——It seems the child's side, although not following the same path as Kujou Shinya's treatment, has equally astonishing effects.

The child asked: "Sir, how do you feel now?"

Uesugi Toru slowly sat up, feeling the Gang Qi circulation re-establish inside his body, and nodded at the child: "No major issues anymore."

The child breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and nodded at him, then ran thump-thump-thump to Kujou Shinya's side to assist him.

——The benefits brought by Gang Qi circulation are truly unprecedentedly great.

If it were the past, Uesugi Toru's injuries would at minimum still approach the "serious injury" category; "no major issues" would be impossible.

Even a single careless moment could have led to a near-death state.

But as long as Gang Qi circulation is established, his whole body's state will be stabilized, then slowly rise along with the recovery of internal Gang Qi quantity, until returning to optimal state.

Uesugi Toru was just about to move his gaze away from his fists that had turned white again, when he suddenly discovered a masked, cold world-weary face crashing into his field of vision.

It was Akatsuki Ran.

She went on stage first, so naturally was also treated first; now she can already move freely.

Uesugi Toru was just wondering what she wanted to say, when he saw a mobile phone appear alongside her face, the screen displaying the LINE QR code interface.

"Add LINE." Akatsuki Ran blinked, "Uesugi-kun."

The two-shaku adult sitting beside him just wanted to drag this insidious enemy aside, when she saw Uesugi Toru raise his hand to stop her.

"Alright." Uesugi Toru nodded.

Nisun Adult's mouth opened slightly: "Eh?"

——Since Akatsuki Ran had already shown goodwill toward herself, who had nearly beaten her to death just now, nothing could be better.

Because after this everyone should become colleagues, and the relationship between colleagues should be made as good as possible.

Not to mention Akatsuki Ran is a skilled hand with rich experience in slaying monsters and exorcising demons.

Seeing Uesugi Toru add her as a friend without a second thought, the corners of Akatsuki Ran's eyes curved upward slightly.

She pulled down her mask, exhaled warm breath, and asked with slightly reddened cheeks: "Uesugi-kun, I like you, so will there be a chance in the future for you to keep hitting me like before......"

Uesugi Toru heard these words, and recalling her performance on the stage earlier.

Only then did he suddenly react — so beneath this extremely cold exterior disguise, Akatsuki Ran was actually a huge m.

The genuine article at that.

The corner of Uesugi Toru's mouth twitched; he didn't dare answer directly, merely perfunctorily brushed it off with a laugh.

In less than ten minutes, Karasutori Shigure, who had already stepped half a foot into the Ghost Gate, and Kuzuha Chihaya, who was unconscious and in shock, had both recovered.

One can only say that arranging Kujou Shinya as one of the referees for the Shinken Shiai was a perfectly correct choice.

Having all his bandages unwrapped, revealing a thin face, Karasutori Shigure fell silent.

In his heart he admitted Uesugi Toru was stronger than himself, but he was too embarrassed to say it directly.

"Although being tricked at the end was a bit unpleasant."

Kuzuha Chihaya, on the other hand, generously twisted her neck and waved her hand casually: "But Uesugi-kun, you are indeed a genius who far exceeds me, an existence who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Senior Brother."

"And from now on we'll also be under Nanjo Daimyo's management, right? Teacher seemed to have said that before, so since we've become colleagues......"

She twirled a finger around her newly grown golden hair, her tone seductive: "Then why don't we engage in deep communication together, Big Sister......"

"Let's pass on that, Big Sister."

Before Kuzuha Chihaya could finish, Uesugi Toru raised a hand to cut her off, causing the latter's complexion to stiffen; she took a deep breath, making the many wounds on her body surface split open again.

The child at the side immediately trotted over, frowned, and said sternly: "Madam, your injuries aren't healed yet, so don't get angry! Don't get angry!"

"Okay okay okay, I'm not angry."

Kuzuha Chihaya waved her hand irritably, sat back down, and the Medicine Child began to seriously apply powder.

Seeing she no longer spoke, Uesugi Toru was happy to be at leisure; hugging Nisun Adult, he leaned against the wall and quietly waited for his injuries to recover completely.

During this time, he could also check the large batch of proficiency prompts harvested from the battle just now——

【After intense life-and-death struggle, your skill Tennen Rishin-ryu proficiency increased by 415 total!】

【After intense life-and-death struggle, your skill Five Thunder Method: Kiai proficiency increased by 474 total!】

As for the Corona Breathing Technique that had broken through to Mastery Level, there was not a stir.

——After this, at least in the "Flesh Palace" stage, the Corona Breathing Technique's advancement should only be able to rely on one's own painstaking effort to raise bit by bit.

The skyrocketing proficiency requirement cannot rely on fighting others to gain improvement, and if one doesn't practice for a day the progress will regress.

This should be the reason "Flesh Palace" is called the first towering mountain on the path of breathing techniques.

Even though Uesugi Toru's cultivation proficiency doesn't regress, he equally felt the weight of these three words.

"When we go to the Warring States Period next, we can start Skin Tempering."

Uesugi Toru frowned in thought, also not too clear whether the current Corona Breathing Technique cultivation speed would be completely dragged down by time flow like other skills.

After all, the Corona Breathing Technique's proficiency improvement method is now somewhat different from other skills.

He glanced at the current proficiency of the three skills——

【Tennen Rishin-ryu (Mastery 2045/3000)】

【Corona Breathing Technique (Skin Tempering 272/1500)】

【Five Thunder Method: Kiai (Proficiency 479/1400)】

Tennen Rishin-ryu is close to breaking through, but it's not something that can be done in just three to five days either; still have to take it step by step and slowly grind it up.

Uesugi Toru waved a fingertip to dismiss the proficiency panel, and glanced at the few intact props in his storage backpack.

He thought to himself that it was fortunate he had collected them back the instant the lightning struck, otherwise these equipment would most likely have turned into a pile of ashes.

But even so, the lowest quality Chief Priest Robe and Bloodstained Chick Crown both showed varying degrees of damage.

"Wonder if the Special Affairs Division has any blacksmiths who can repair equipment......"

Uesugi Toru blinked, and suddenly discovered a black-red, uniquely styled prompt jump out before his eyes——

【"Hundred-Eyed Demon" has sent you a trade request.】

That Hundred-Eyed Demon from the Edo Castle Gacha Pool?

She digested those three big eyeballs from before?

No, that's not the point.

Uesugi Toru raised an eyebrow.

This Hundred-Eyed Demon can actually send a trade request to him across a Gacha Pool page that hasn't even been opened?

If this keeps up...... who knows when an unsummoned Yokai Avatar in the Gacha Pool will jump out and say "I'm actually alive" and Uesugi Toru might not even find it strange.

Uesugi Toru yawned, just about to see what good things Hundred-Eyed Demon had taken out, when a not-too-light, not-too-heavy knocking sound came from the doorway.

Immediately after, Shizuma Manatsu's peaceful voice came: "Is Uesugi-kun there?"

"Nanjo Daimyo is looking for you."

"Oh, alright."

Hugging Nisun Adult, Uesugi Toru directly followed behind Shizuma Manatsu.

As for Hundred-Eyed Demon, let her wait a bit; after all, she was the one who actively sent the trade request, the one in a hurry isn't himself.

In no more than two minutes, Uesugi Toru saw Shizuma Manatsu knock on the door again, then turn around and tell him to go in.

She herself remained outside the door, kindly closing it for him.

Uesugi Toru entered the conference room, looked around once, then set down Nanjo Daimyo, letting her stand obediently behind him.

"Uesugi Toru."

Kujou Rōya, seated at the far end of the conference room, directly facing Uesugi Toru and Rituna Minami, suddenly spoke, saying something astonishing: "Would you like to come to Oborodo and take me as your teacher?"

She opened her right eye, which had not been opened for who knows how long, and softly said while pointing at her moon-white glass pupil: "I can give it to you."

Uesugi Toru stared at that pupil like a clear moon, gazing at the diamond-shaped pupil at its center slowly diffusing starlight, and saw behind the pupil nine layers of nested blood-colored patterns...

This pupil, so beautiful...

"Don't cross the line, Kujou Rōya."

Rituna Minami spoke, and the small Hiyobou fell before Uesugi Toru's eyes, turning its body to perfectly block his line of sight.

For a moment, Uesugi Toru felt a great nausea and sickness surge up, followed by the whole world beginning to spin and distort unrealistically.

This only began to improve when Nure-onna replaced it standing before him, and Hiyobou landed on top of his head.

Uesugi Toru panted with difficulty for two breaths, realizing this was one of the abilities of Kujou Rōya's eye... perhaps not even an ability, just a simple passive.

"Yōkai Eye Moon Viewing."

Kujou Rōya closed her eyes and spoke as if nothing had happened: "As long as Uesugi Toru you agree, I will immediately dig it out and give it to you."

"—This eye is my secret to rapidly breaking through to the Kishin Realm a hundred years ago, and then remaining invincible among peers."

She smiled: "At the same time, it is also the heavenly chasm that has always restrained the Sword Heart Penetration buried in my sword heart."

"But with the talent you just showed, Uesugi Toru, you should be able to easily overcome its side effects, right?"

Kujou Rōya said: "That's what I think."

She "looked at" Rituna Minami, who remained completely indifferent, not a flicker of expression, allowing her to recruit at will,

"So, what is your answer?"

"—Thank you for your generosity, Kujou-sama, but I think I'll pass."

Uesugi Toru shook his head: "I have no interest in installing unknown yokai organs on my body."

He could originally transform into a yokai without any side effects; if he still took unknown risks installing these things on himself, wouldn't that be discarding the root to chase the branch?

"Is that so, then forget it."

Kujou Rōya nodded casually, as if she wasn't the one who just offered such a great price to recruit Uesugi Toru: "Then you treat me as air and continue talking."

Uesugi Toru was stunned upon hearing this.

How to put it... the actual Kujou Rōya was completely unlike the rumor of the "Edo Killer" who slays both yokai and people, over a hundred years old, and temperamental.

Except for when she opened her eyes just now, Kujou Rōya gave the impression of being completely natural and lazy.

Is this also a disguise?

Uesugi Toru didn't think further, but looked at Rituna Minami: "Nanjo Sister, what do you want me for?"

Rituna Minami turned around and raised her chin toward the doorway behind him: "Actually, it wasn't me who wanted you to come, but Lady Tokugawa."

Lady Tokugawa?

Tokugawa Hoshi?!

Uesugi Toru's eyebrows twitched wildly; he immediately turned around, placing Nanjo Daimyo and Rituna Minami in front of him for protection.

—You deliberately blocked the doorway just to prevent me from running away and beating me up, right!

But who would have thought, Tokugawa Hoshi, upon seeing his appearance, instead gave a light laugh and said: "Thank you."

The unexpected words left Uesugi Toru puzzled and lost in thought.

Huh?

What's going on?

Why is Tokugawa Hoshi thanking me?

Could it be that I was actually struck by lightning and in a coma for three days and three nights, so a bunch of events inexplicably jumped?

"Little sister has been taken care of by Uesugi-kun these past days."

Tokugawa Hoshi's words interrupted his thoughts.

She said: "Because little sister ran out of the house on her own before, so I also didn't know where she went or what she experienced."

"It was only these past few days when Haruhiko returned that I learned she actually went to Tokyo."

Tokugawa Hoshi propped the door with her foot, lowered her head to gaze at the ground, and continued: "Just now, I already learned many things about you and Shizuku from Nanjo Daimyo, so I first said thank you to you."

"Then, I also want to say sorry."

The girl with a high ponytail smiled at him: "Although I didn't directly attack, verbal attacks count as attacks too, right."

She casually took out a teardrop-shaped azure gemstone from her pocket and threw it toward Uesugi Toru.

Uesugi Toru immediately reached out and caught it.

"This little trinket is for you, counts as a decent amulet."

Tokugawa Hoshi shrugged: "If you really don't want to wear it, you can give it to Shizuku."

The moment the gemstone entered his hand, Uesugi Toru felt a warm sensation in his palm.

He lowered his head, and upon seeing the prompt pop up on the gemstone, fell into silence.

【Star】

【Quality: Epic】

【Effect: Improves Breathing Technique cultivation speed, improves Swordsmanship cultivation speed, improves State of Mind Insight speed. Possesses powerful Condensing Essence, Nourishing Qi, Calming Spirit effects.】

【—A pendant worn by Tokugawa Hoshi since childhood, witnessing her countless days and nights of cultivation, hardships, efforts, failures, and growth.

Now she has entrusted it to you.】

Uesugi Toru for a moment didn't know what to say.

He kept his head lowered, pretending to observe the azure gemstone for a good while, but in reality he was weighing how to answer.

Uesugi Toru: "An apology is enough, no need to give anything else..."

"This doesn't count as an apology, nor is it a reward."

Tokugawa Hoshi had her hands in her pockets, grinning to show her teeth: "Just treat it as the dowry gift I'm giving my little sister; please forgive my poor family circumstances."

"Ririko and I haven't reached that stage yet..."

"Maybe not." Tokugawa Hoshi stepped two steps closer, pointing at him, "But Third Sister, I'm looking favorably on you two."

Seeing Uesugi Toru fall silent again, Tokugawa Hoshi slapped his shoulder heavily: "So Uesugi-kun, you have to treat her well!"

She reined in her smile, clenched her fist, and said word by word,

"Otherwise I'll chase you to the ends of the earth and cut you down!"

Having said that, Tokugawa Hoshi didn't pause for even half a step before slamming the door and leaving — that was what you call decisive and clean, neat and tidy.

Leaving only a back that had already vanished halfway for Uesugi Toru.

Simultaneously, in the backstage resting room from earlier.

"Benefactor Tokugawa, do you have time now?"

Ririko, who had been leaning against the wall deducing the Flesh Palace, deducing and deducing yet discovering there seemed to have been a defect in it before as well, opened her eyes in surprise,

"Hikaku-sensei?"

Hikaku pressed his palms together: "Long time no see, Benefactor Tokugawa's cultivation has advanced by more than just a fraction."

He took out the small booklet Tokugawa Hoshi had handed him from his pocket,

"Benefactor Tokugawa, this poor monk just picked up this notebook on the ground, and suddenly felt a flash of inspiration to deliver it to you; please accept it."

Ririko stared at Hikaku's smiling yet serious expression, said nothing more, and directly took the notebook to flip through it.

However, the moment Ririko opened the first page and saw that familiar yet strange handwriting, her pupils shrank heavily, and even her breathing rhythm was thrown into disorder by three parts.

She immediately raised her head: "Hikaku-sensei! She is..."

Hikaku emphasized: "This is what this poor monk just picked up."

Ririko stopped speaking.

She closed her mouth, rubbed the surface of the notebook with her fingertips for a while, and lowered her head toward Hikaku: "In that case, Ririko thanks Hikaku-sensei here."

"Well said."

Hikaku nodded at her: "Then this poor monk will take his leave first."

After Hikaku left, Akatsuki Ran, who had heard the five words "Tokugawa, Ririko" in the corner of the resting room, only then raised her head, staring somewhat blankly at that "ordinary person" wearing a mask and hood.

She is... Tokugawa Ririko?

Sensing Akatsuki Ran's gaze, Ririko did not raise her head, but instead flipped open the notebook somewhat eagerly and began reading it carefully.

She murmured in her heart: "It's Third Sister's cultivation understanding."

"Sea of Qi, Flesh Palace, Five Viscera Immortals... Internal Tempering of Five Viscera, Qi Penetrating Four Extremes, Double Zhou Tian, Hundred Apertures Clear Brightness..."

Ririko read word by word, sentence by sentence, as if starving and thirsty, carefully turning each page, afraid of creasing or wrinkling any single page.

In just a few minutes, this knowledge solved the vast majority of problems Ririko had encountered in her deduction just now, and simultaneously pointed out the direction for her path ahead.

"Third Sister..."

Ririko gripped the notebook tight, stuffing it solemnly against her chest.

Leaving the conference room together with Rituna Minami and Shizuma Manatsu, Uesugi Toru couldn't help but sigh.

Just now, he had actually sensed a trace of urgency in Tokugawa Hoshi's tone.

That's right, urgency.

This Tokugawa family's Big Sister, peerless among her peers, whose title had already resounded through most of Japan's Kishin Realm, actually revealed a sense of urgency in her words.

As for why Tokugawa Hoshi would feel urgency, the answer was already self-evident in her words just now.

So Uesugi Toru asked: "Nanjo Sister, how does the Special Affairs Division compare to the Tokugawa family."

"—The Special Affairs Division would be slightly stronger, but not by much over the current Tokugawa family."

Rituna Minami, hearing this question, also frowned and pinched her nose bridge: "As the head of the Four Great Families, the Tokugawa family's strength is naturally unfathomable."

"But more critically, it lies within the Onmyoryo's jurisdiction."

"Uesugi-kun, I know what you want to ask." Rituna Minami slowed her pace, speaking at his side, "If it were before, when the Special Affairs Division and Onmyoryo hadn't split, the Tokugawa family naturally wouldn't dare do anything."

"But now it's different."

Rituna Minami said coldly: "People as upright and open-minded as Kujou Shinya are a minority after all; no one knows just how many lines the Tokugawa family has pulled within the Onmyoryo."

"And moreover, Tokugawa family blood truly flows in Ririko's veins."

Uesugi Toru wasn't surprised she knew this.

—Even if Rituna Minami hadn't looked into it before, Tokugawa Hoshi should have explained the situation clearly when she was chatting with her just now.

Rituna Minami let out a light breath: "Afterward I'll go talk with Ririko, see what she thinks."

She glanced over, gazing into Uesugi Toru's eyes faintly,

"If there's need, I'll support you two with all my strength."

Uesugi Toru didn't say thank you.

Rituna Minami paused, as if recalling something, and added,

"Oh, also about the reward for the Shinken Shiai victory promised earlier."

(End of Chapter)