Chapter 642: Fast Asleep

The monks were not very angry, because they had just checked themselves and realized Pan Yun had held back during the fight with them; they had only suffered minor bumps and bruises, no serious injuries.

Compared to the black-clad man she had knocked unconscious with one palm blow, his bones shattered, they had merely scraped their skin.

The few of them stepped back, moving a little farther away.

Pan Yun, standing by the window, saw this and immediately turned to pull Master Xuanmiao: "I'm here—you no longer need to take refuge in Ichibaji."

"No," Master Xuanmiao said, "since Ichibaji and the Mōri clan treat us well, why leave?"

She said, "The world is full of petty people—if we suddenly depart, and the Mōri clan believes we could have saved them but chose not to, they will harbor resentment and become yet another enemy."

Pan Yun stared at Master Xuanmiao in surprise: "Are you really my fourth senior sister?"

Master Xuanmiao: "If we were within the Great Ming Realm, we could act purely from our hearts without such concerns—but since we intend to turn this place upside down, it's better to draw in more people. As foreigners in a foreign land, we are still too weak and isolated."

Pan Yun: "I know all that, but aren't I worried about you being mistreated? Fourth senior sister, you need to heal, Third Brother needs rest—look at him, I just tugged him and he didn't even react—he's completely drained, not a trace of Qi left in his Upper Dantian."

Tao Ji's face flushed red.

Master Xuanmiao glanced at Tao Ji, hesitating.

Tao Ji quickly assured her: "I'm fine, truly—just a night of meditation will restore me."

Pan Yun bluntly said: "Even if Ichibaji's spiritual energy is decent, it can't restore you overnight, can it?"

Pan Yun walked around the room, criticizing: "It's nowhere near as good as Mount Sanqing's spiritual energy."

Seeing Master Xuanmiao grow even more hesitant, Tao Ji feared he was delaying their plan and hurriedly asked: "Little sister, when you came to Japan, who brought Miao He?"

Pan Yun pointed across the way: "I brought them—they're in the village over there."

Tao Ji's eyes widened, then he exclaimed excitedly: "Are Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He both here?"

"Not just them—also Cong'er and Tao Yanbai. Oh my, our entire family is here except for Senior Brother, Second Brother, and Second Nephew." Pan Yun preened a moment: "Our Mount Sanqing truly is the model of patriotic righteousness."

"Stop boasting—if Cong'er and the others are here, then we definitely don't need to leave—they all practice Ten Thousand Woods Return to Spring."

"Uh," Pan Yun scratched her head, "should we have them transfer their Yuan power to you?"

Pan Yun stroked her chin: "Actually, I can transfer my Yuan power to you too—once you refine it, it'll become your Ten Thousand Woods Return to Spring…"

Tao Ji found her tedious and waved her off: "Go, go, go—go back to sleep. Tomorrow, walk through the front gate properly. Since Cong'er and the others are here, why make things so complicated? They all know the acupuncture techniques—we'll let them perform the needling."

Pan Yun muttered under her breath, but Tao Ji shoved her out the door.

Pan Yun clung to the doorframe: "Third Brother, try harder—meditate properly, don't slack off. How can you travel outside and burn every last bit of your Yuan power? Isn't that like washing your neck clean and offering it for the blade?"

Hidden in the shadows, Pan Xiaohei snorted—how could she even bring this up?

Tao Ji pried off each of her fingers one by one from the doorframe, then shoved her out with his palm.

The monks and warriors standing nearby hurried forward.

Before they could reach her, Pan Yun leapt up like a bird, darting into the forest in three or four bounds, her bright voice echoing behind: "Senior brothers and sisters, rest easy—I'll keep watch outside!"

Left behind, Pan Xiaohei fumed: It was supposed to be me keeping watch!

She finally couldn't hold back, letting out her first "Meow!" of the night.

Tao Ji turned his head at the sound and locked eyes with the black cat, fur standing on end beneath the window.

Tao Ji was delighted, stepping forward to pick her up.

The monks and warriors rushing over stared in astonishment: "How is there a cat here?"

Tao Ji did not answer that question, only nodded politely to them, thanked them for their hard work tonight, and asked: "Do you need me to heal the injured?"

The monks and warriors all declined—they had suffered no serious injuries fighting Pan Yun, and though three were hurt in the later clash with the black-clad men, the strongest among them had been crippled by Pan Yun, and they had outnumbered the enemy—no, they had prevailed through superior numbers—and their injuries were minor.

They had treated themselves—they didn't need Tao Ji.

The monks of Ichibaji and the Mōri warriors were no fools; they knew Tao Ji had to heal Master Xuanmiao and treat Mōri Shinpo, and that their flight here had already drained all his Yuan power.

They hoped he would rest more, rebuild his Yuan power, and heal Mōri Shinpo sooner.

They withdrew, and upon hearing the door close, turned back to glance—one monk couldn't help asking the warrior: "Did you see that person's face?"

"No," the warrior said solemnly, "but I know she is very young, very powerful—more powerful than Master Xuanmiao."

More powerful than Mōri Yudō too.

The Mōri warrior refused to use Mōri Yudō as an example, but the monk was no fool—Master Xuanmiao was gravely wounded, yet Mōri Yudō still feared this person, proving how powerful Master Xuanmiao was.

And now someone even more powerful has arrived.

It seems the Kikuchi clan's every plan was a delusion—but no one knows why they became so hostile…

Information spread slowly in Japan.

The second sons of the Honsan and Chōsokabe clans were both dead; though before dying, they secretly sent word home about the Uchida clan stealing the Kikuchi clan's treasure map, but who among the clan heads would suspect such news would leak out?

The ones who ultimately leaked the news were the escaped captives.

Small people spread information faster, but only among the lower classes—it hasn't yet reached Izumo Province, and the Ichibaji monks have heard nothing.

They knew why Master Xuanmiao and Tao Ji targeted the Kikuchi clan—the Kikuchi clan had killed and plundered along the Great Ming coast, provoking them;

But they did not know why the Kikuchi clan, despite such heavy losses, still refused to back down or seek peace.

The Kikuchi clan was always pragmatic—why were they so stubborn now?

So stubborn they felt the Kikuchi clan didn't even seem like the Kikuchi clan anymore.

Tao Ji closed the door and placed Pan Xiaohei on the table: "Little sister left Xiaohei behind."

Master Xuanmiao idly picked up a snack and fed it to her, nodding: "With her keeping watch with me, are you reassured now? Go to sleep."

But Tao Ji couldn't sleep at all—he sat cross-legged and entered meditation.

Tomorrow, when he met Little Sister, he had to recover at least some Yuan power—or he'd be too humiliated, with his nephews and disciples present.

Master Xuanmiao glanced at him, did not stop him, and waved her hand, extinguishing most of the room's lamps, leaving only one candle burning.

With the light dimmed, people found it easier to meditate—and easier to sleep.

Tao Ji completed three small heavenly circulations, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, until finally he sank completely…

Master Xuanmiao opened her eyes, glanced at him, then gently poked his cheek with a finger—Tao Ji's body tilted sideways and collapsed onto the mat.

Master Xuanmiao couldn't help laughing softly, then rose to tuck the blanket over him.

In his sleep, Tao Ji stretched out his body and hugged the blanket, snoring deeply.

(End of Chapter)