Chapter 89: The Tsuchimikado Lord's Rite (4k, third update, 10,000 words today, requesting subscriptions)

【Your actions have gained the appreciation of the plot character Kenjaku, and your reputation with Kenjaku has increased.】

【Current: Indifferent (78/100)】

Tsk, Bai Cangshu curled the corner of his mouth, feeling a surge of disdain for this "millennial old fox" hiding inside the body of Itadori Wasuke.

The other party was indeed a powerful sorcerer who had abandoned human order and moral principles, even going so far as to occupy a woman's body, find Itadori Jin—the twin brother of the reincarnated Ryomen Sukuna—and marry him to give birth to Itadori Yuji, a vessel specifically prepared for Ryomen Sukuna.

From a certain perspective, he was sufficiently insane, a powerful sorcerer with enough "emotion."

But on the other hand, Kenjaku was far less frank and direct than Ryomen Sukuna and Gojo Satoru.

Whether it was Ryomen Sukuna or Gojo Satoru, both always firmly believed that they were the strongest, and that conviction of being invincible under Heaven complemented their own strength.

For a sorcerer, that intense emotion of 【Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one】 was precisely the reason these two reached the pinnacle.

Kenjaku was clearly lacking in this regard.

He had fear, he had worries, he had... a mentality of seeking advantages and avoiding harm.

Even though he had plotted for a millennium and possessed knowledge and techniques far exceeding those of ordinary sorcerers, he still chose to hide behind the scenes and in someone else's shadow when facing the sorcerers of a thousand years later.

Even when facing a junior like himself, he still had to play these games of duplicity.

Bai Cangshu raised his head, confirming that judging solely by aptitude within this highly "idealistic" system of sorcerers, he was superior to the other party, even if... he, an outsider Reincarnator, did not even know if he possessed the qualifications to use an 【Innate Technique】.

In the power system of 【Jujutsu Kaisen】, a very important point was that almost everyone's 【Cursed Technique】 was actually an 【Innate Technique】, an ability possessed from birth.

But being born with it did not mean you could use it.

Even if one possessed the Cursed Energy to see Cursed Spirits and possessed an Innate Technique, the structure of the brain determined whether one could actually manifest the 【Innate Technique】.

It could be said that this was a very special setting of this world, namely, that these natural-born sorcerers and ordinary humans were indeed akin to two different species.

Their brain structures had fundamental differences.

It was as if they were mutants and ordinary humans in a comic book world.

This made Xia Youjie's "monkey theory" indeed possess a modicum of persuasiveness.

"Now, do you know who is governing the remaining forces of the sorcery world, wanting to make a final struggle?"

Bai Cangshu pondered slightly; Gojo Satoru was dead, the sorcery world's influence within Tokyo City had been almost completely eradicated, and what remained was nothing more than that group in Kyoto.

Whether it was Kyoto Jujutsu High or those powerful clans that had taken root in Kyoto for hundreds of years.

Thinking of this, Bai Cangshu had a strange look in his eyes; inside his Backpack, that special emblem still remained at this moment.

【Emblem: Shinto】, besides being able to increase Spirit and Energy attributes by 1 point each, also possessed the effect of increasing extra Reputation with Shintoism.

In the Demon Slayer World, he had gained considerable reputation among the hidden faction, Shintoism, as well as ancient Onmyoji clans like the Tsuchimikado.

Bai Cangshu was very curious how those old stubborn people in Kyoto would view him if he took out that emblem now.

"Is it that group in Kyoto?"

Kenjaku nodded and added,

"To be precise, it is the so-called Star Religious Group led by Xia Youjie, organizing those remnants to dream the dream of nuking Tokyo to exorcise the Spirit Disaster."

"But many people are clear that after that nuclear explosion, a new Special Grade Cursed Spirit will inevitably be born, one far more powerful than the average Special Grade."

"Based on the fear of nuclear explosions that this country has been unable to dispel for decades, a Cursed Spirit will be born."

【You have triggered the Side Mission: Prevent Nuclear Explosion】

【Mission Description: The Japanese high command has decided to bomb Tokyo with nuclear weapons, but this move is deemed ineffective by Kenjaku and will trigger other evil consequences; prevent the nuclear explosion from descending.】

【Mission Reward: C-rank Singularity *1, 3000 Dimension Points】

Seeing the triggered mission, Bai Cangshu found both the reward and the mission content quite normal.

But there was one point where the Logic was not normal.

For Kenjaku, whether or not a nuclear explosion occurred, or even if that "nuclear explosion Cursed Spirit" was born, actually had nothing to do with him.

At this moment, there was only one absolute predicament on this land, and that was 【Dead Silence City: Tokyo】.

In that region, once the most prosperous in Asia, a terrifying Cursed Spirit never seen before was being born, and furthermore, a terrifying Reincarnator who had caused all these events was hiding behind the scenes.

Kenjaku, Xia Youjie, and all other surviving figures of the sorcery world, regardless of their previous stances, should only be considering this enemy now.

Bai Cangshu did not point this out; he nodded to accept the mission and then proposed that Itadori Yuji drive him to Kyoto.

"Yuji is still young; he is too green for that kind of long-distance travel. I will arrange for someone else to take you there."

Kenjaku refused the request as expected and took the initiative to arrange for a man to take Bai Cangshu on his way.

Bai Cangshu and Kenjaku locked eyes, both with smiles in their eyes, seemingly having seen through the other's intentions.

Afterward, Bai Cangshu flicked his fingers indifferently and turned to leave.

He had already understood Kenjaku's goal.

This mission to prevent the nuclear explosion was, in essence, to send him to Kyoto, to the front line of facing the Spirit Disaster.

Whether he succeeded in preventing the nuclear explosion or was captured by Xia Youjie, it would lead him to come into contact with that faction opposing the King of Cursed Spirits.

Bai Cangshu guessed that perhaps the main plot of this world revolved around Xia Youjie and the Cursed Spirit Gojo Satoru, and the forces of other hidden factions would eventually, in some form, mix their own power into these two sides.

"Hello, Mr. Tao Baibai, I am Kong Shiyu, here to take you to Kyoto."

Waiting for Bai Cangshu downstairs was a man wearing a black suit, with short hair and a calm expression.

He was driving a black Honda sedan and invited Bai Cangshu to get in.

Hearing the name Kong Shiyu, combined with some clues in the plot, Bai Cangshu became even more certain of his previous guess.

Kong Shiyu was a very "coincidental" figure; he first acted as a middleman for the Star Religious Group, contacting Fushiguro Toji to assassinate the 【Star Plasma Vessel】 Amanai Riko, which led to Gojo Satoru's first death and awakening.

Later, after Xia Youjie defected, he helped Xia Youjie violently integrate the Star Religious Group, becoming the religious clan.

Even when Gojo Satoru was young, there had been instances where Kong Shiyu tried to find people to assassinate Gojo Satoru.

This guy was basically openly Kenjaku's man, and his appearance at this time just happened to prove this point.

Moreover, it also confirmed from another angle that Xia Youjie was still under Kenjaku's control.

What Xia Youjie wanted to do now, or rather, was passively forced to do, was Kenjaku's will.

"Tsk, the dignified Lord Kenjaku, can't you even send a Cursed Spirit to fly me directly to Kyoto, instead of having a monkey like you use such a primitive method as driving?"

Bai Cangshu sat in the back row, the corners of his mouth curling up as he deliberately provoked Kong Shiyu.

But Kong Shiyu merely smiled indifferently and started the car to hit the road.

Bai Cangshu watched the contraction frequency of Kong Shiyu's heart and lungs and the rhythm of his pulse; the other party was truly not affected in the slightest by such verbal provocation.

This guy is a smart man.

But... I don't like smart men like this.

Kong Shiyu suddenly felt a chill behind him. He subconsciously tensed his back and looked into the rearview mirror, only to see that Tao Baibai was staring at him without blinking. That gaze held undisguised hostility.

This guy... he might actually be a lunatic.

Kong Shiyu wandered between the surface and underworld, having done many things that couldn't see the light of day, and naturally, he had come into contact with all sorts of people. Whether they were killers or Cursed Users, there were very few normal people with stable Spirits.

But this Tao Baibai still made him feel a bit too dangerous.

The other party's gaze and thoughts were unbridled; he was neither afraid of that lord's power in the underworld, nor did he seem to fear the laws of the surface world.

Because of the Tokyo upheaval, the Japanese people were in a panic, and large swaths of the city districts appeared quite desolate.

The wealthy had long since fled to other countries, and those who remained in Japan mostly fled to the two ends furthest from Tokyo.

The car sped along, and in a state of inexplicable tension, it took Kong Shiyu just over three hours to deliver Bai Cangshu within the borders of Kyoto.

Bai Cangshu suddenly smashed the side window, stretched his body out, and felt the blowing of the wild wind in the vehicle traveling at a high speed of nearly 140.

He saw that familiar yet strange scenery once again.

!

The Kyoto of the Jujutsu World was far more prosperous than the Taisho Era.

Beyond the cover of ancient shrines were the same reinforced concrete high-rise buildings.

"Kong Shiyu, do you know? I, as a person, have never had very good Luck."

Inside the car, Kong Shiyu could only vaguely hear what that lunatic was saying outside, but he still couldn't help but be distracted and glance behind the car.

That lunatic had almost stuck his entire body out of the car; at this speed, if he himself got into a car accident, the other party would definitely turn into a puddle of meat paste.

Bai Cangshu didn't feel the danger at all; on the contrary, he enjoyed the thrill.

He held his left hand high, and that Cursed Seal left by the Inari God was exceptionally conspicuous under the sunlight.

"So, Kong Shiyu, be careful when acting with me, heh."

Bang!

The car body shook violently with a bang. Kong Shiyu instantly felt the car swerve, and he subconsciously stepped on the brake, turning his head to see what that lunatic was doing again, but the other party was already getting further and further away in his field of vision.

That lunatic actually jumped out of a car traveling at 140 kilometers per hour?!

"You..."

Before Kong Shiyu could even manage to curse, a huge shadow suddenly enveloped him. He looked up, his whole body instantly turning cold, and his spine felt a needle-like pain.

A huge Cursed Spirit fell from the sky.

Boom!

The vehicle collided with the Cursed Spirit's body, twisting and then exploding with a roar.

Kong Shiyu pushed the car door open and jumped out at the last moment, but the powerful inertia caused him to roll wildly on the road, instantly breaking several bones and causing large-scale contusions to his muscles.

"Mr. Kong Shiyu, you really are unlucky."

The curse brought by 【Secret Rite: Strike of the Inari God】 would cause Bai Cangshu to suffer extra malice; even when just walking on the road, people would look at him and feel like provoking him.

Let alone in this world full of Cursed Spirits.

Bai Cangshu placed himself outside the car; the high-speed vehicle was like a signpost carrying a grudge, constantly moving forward, and encountering a Cursed Spirit attack was a high-probability event.

Kong Shiyu wanted to get up from the ground, but amidst the roar of the Cursed Spirit, he could only turn his head slightly to look at that lunatic.

He simply didn't understand; he was following orders to deliver the other party near the territory of the Star Religious Group, without any arrangements targeting the other party.

Why did the other party suddenly do such a thing?

Bai Cangshu did not look at the giant bird-like Cursed Spirit; the huge beak and the rather bloated body made this Cursed Spirit's movements not agile at all.

He walked directly toward Kong Shiyu.

The Cursed Spirit suddenly raised its head and pecked downward.

Chila!

The sound of Thunderclap and Flash rang out, and Bai Cangshu instantly moved at high speed, arriving beside Kong Shiyu and grabbing this "black glove" who had done quite a few things with one hand.

"I just don't like having a smart man following me around."

Yes, Bai Cangshu did not intend to follow Kenjaku's wishes and throw himself onto Xia Youjie's side; whether there was a nuclear explosion or not had nothing to do with the Main Mission.

Or rather, if preventing the nuclear explosion was necessary, then with so many Reincarnators in this world, such a "simple" mission would naturally be executed by someone.

What Bai Cangshu wanted to do was to truly touch and understand the core essence of this Main Mission—the Spirit Disaster!

The essence of the ability that caused the fall of Gojo Satoru and the transformation of Tokyo into the 【Deadly City】.

And the answer to this question, I'm afraid, is best understood by those powerful clans and religious figures in Kyoto who have also been passed down from the Heian Period or even earlier.

And in doing so, Bai Cangshu naturally did not want a troublesome person like Kong Shiyu following him or behind him.

The Cursed Spirit pulled out its beak, and a deep pit of several meters appeared in the solid concrete road.

Bai Cangshu held Kong Shiyu by the neck, his palm suddenly exerting force.

Crack.

The clear sound of a throat being crushed rang out. Kong Shiyu twitched powerlessly twice, then fell silent.

【You killed Kong Shiyu, gained 50 Dimension Points】

【Milestone: Murderer progress updated, current: 19/1000】

Bai Cangshu grabbed Kong Shiyu and threw him high up, while he himself turned and jumped off the highway, sprinting toward the shrine in the distance.

The bird-shaped Cursed Spirit raised its head high, swallowed the corpse of Kong Shiyu, and when it came to search for Bai Cangshu again, Bai Cangshu had already sprinted two kilometers away.

……

After several hundred years, Bai Cangshu stood once again beneath the mountain gate of Fushimi Inari-taisha; in this era, this shrine had a much stronger atmosphere of worldly life.

Unlike the Taisho Era, when it had been stripped of trust and favor by Kibutsuji Muzan, the Fushimi Inari-taisha of the current era had even become a famous tourist attraction.

While receiving offerings, shallow believers and those meddlesome busybodies would also come here to add to the incense.

Bai Cangshu followed the small mountain path formed by thousands of torii gates and ascended rapidly; he did not know if it was his imagination, but upon arriving at this shrine, he could feel the Cursed Seal on his left hand faintly emitting a dim glow.

Kyoto was also affected by the fall of Tokyo; at this moment, there were very few people in the shrine, and there were not even many shrine priests.

Bai Cangshu arrived at the courtyard in the middle of the shrine and only then saw an old man wearing shrine priest robes, earnestly sweeping up red leaves.

He turned around, and the instant he saw Bai Cangshu, he suddenly trembled.

"You are……"

Bai Cangshu deliberately held up that emblem and spoke.

"I have some matters I wish to consult the Shrine Priest about; I wonder if they are present?"

The old man bowed respectfully.

"Is the God's Envoy wishing to ask about the Taishan Fujun Festival?"

Bai Cangshu frowned; Taishan Fujun Festival?

(End of this chapter)