Chapter 647 Leaving Fukuoka (3k)
Ibaraki nodded in satisfaction, took half a step back, bowed slightly, and said with a light chuckle, “Then I’ll ask Miss Su to suspend the wine gourd in mid-air.”
“After I sever my connection with that physical body, I will directly enter this Ibaraki wine gourd, and in these two days, I can find an opportunity to leave this place.”
Then, Ibaraki continuously formed seals in his hands, and with a dry cough, his body became even more ethereal. His aura felt like that of an Initial Stage Battle King. When he spoke again, his voice was somewhat hoarse:
“Please, Miss Su, make your move!”
“Go!”
Without thinking further, Su Jiu casually threw it forward. The wine gourd spun in the air, emitting a gray light and trailing a suction force, aiming directly at Ibaraki’s head.
“As for those Dragon Country people, after I am safe, I will definitely untie their ropes.”
Muttering softly, Ibaraki closed his eyes and placed his hands flat, transforming into a black mist that surged into the silver-white wine gourd.
“It’s a pity it didn’t turn into wine.”
Glancing at the gourd that had turned back to gray-black, Su Jiu reached out and took it back. She shook it, found no liquid inside, pouted, and hung it on her waist to put it away.
She did not approach the bound Lin family members. At the gate, she left a sign – “It will automatically unlock in half a day, do not move carelessly” – and then quietly left.
After wandering on the street for a long time, Su Jiu still found no monsters. A faint voice came from the gourd: “Stop looking, their bodies were all destroyed by the bombs you designed, and their actual souls have disappeared.”
Seeing that she was almost discovered, Su Jiu’s mouth twitched, but after a moment’s thought, she spoke again, “Then what about the Magic Crystals in their bodies? Since your soul can carry things, won’t you have brought these?”
“…Did not bring them.”
The gourd fell silent for a while. He honestly hadn’t expected Su Jiu’s train of thought to be so peculiar. But indeed, he had brought them, though they were other bargaining chips.
…
Returning to the Yamagami family’s house, as soon as she entered the path, she saw Yuko’s partner leading a group of people wearing gray coats towards the Yamagami family’s house. The already crowded path became even narrower due to these people.
As if sensing Su Jiu’s arrival, Yuko’s partner stopped and turned to look. A smile appeared on his dark and resolute face as he greeted her:
“Miss Su, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Mr. Hidetaka Toyochi, one of the grassroots executives of [Kamikaze].”
“I have heard of the name Kamikaze. They are the elite of the elite, more like an army than the Onmyoji, with much stronger execution.”
Glancing at the Kamikaze members who were looking at her with strange gazes, Su Jiu responded with a smile, appearing quite friendly and a far cry from the sharpness of a Swordsman.
Seeing Su Jiu praise them, the Kamikaze members all showed smiles. No one disliked hearing nice words, especially from someone comparable to their Commander speaking kindly.
“Without Miss Su’s help this time, it could have turned into a large-scale bloodshed incident. We only played a role in cleaning up.”
Mr. Hidetaka Toyochi replied with a smile, then took out a small bag of Magic Crystals from his iridescent ring and handed it over. He continued, “Inside are fifteen Intermediate Magic Crystals, ten official ones, and five from me. Consider it compensation for your involvement in this matter. I hope you will accept it without complaint.”
“Thank you…”
After thanking him, Su Jiu did not refuse the compensation and took it, putting the small bag into her ring.
“There’s no need for thanks. This is what Miss Su deserves.”
Seeing Su Jiu accept it, Mr. Hidetaka Toyochi nodded with satisfaction. Then he took out two bottles containing clear green wine in mineral water bottles and handed them over:
“This is homemade wine brewed by Yuko in my hometown. She said on the phone that she is in Aers and cannot drink with you, so she asked me to deliver it specifically.”
Seeing there were only two bottles, E Huo pouted and muttered in Dragon Country language, “This is not enough to drink…”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Su Jiu raised an eyebrow and lightly tapped its head. She knew that such homemade wine was brewed with great care and the quantity would not be too large. The other party’s intention was there. She then asked, “Are the conflicts in Aers not completely resolved after all these months?”
“The situation has improved somewhat with the involvement of various parties, but this war is not something we can control. The Yera People have been wandering for thousands of years, and the stronger individuals hidden in the shadows are not something Aers can resist. Moreover…”
Hearing this, Mr. Hidetaka Toyochi gave a wry smile, then pointed to the sky and shook his head, saying no more.
“No wonder Yuko hasn’t come home.”
Su Jiu understood what he meant and sighed. She took the wine in the mineral water bottles. The figure of that Yamato Nadeshiko appeared in her eyes. She didn’t hurry to put it away but instead opened the cap, took a small sip, and walked away.
“Mr. Hidetaka, you can leave now. I want to go for a walk.”
This sake tasted different from the one at the sushi restaurant. It had a relatively high alcohol content and tasted of cherry blossoms. It felt like fire as it entered her mouth, warming her whole body with a small sip when she was feeling cold.
“Miss Su, when the cherry blossoms bloom again, I will definitely bring my wife to have a few drinks together.”
Watching Su Jiu’s receding figure, Mr. Hidetaka Toyochi laughed heartily. He then called his subordinates to continue patrolling and walked towards the Yamagami family’s house.
Strolling in the night, Su Jiu took another sip, slightly narrowing her eyes. The scene on the ferry boat seemed to emerge in her mind, the singing was somewhat ethereal, as if singing the melody of life.
She lamented the fragility of life, yet defiantly welcomed it.
“Life, brilliant as a song…”
They wore white coats, gathered around the flames, laughing and sighing. Although they came from different countries and their strength was humble, they embarked on this journey to hell on earth with a single faith.
“E Huo, I’ve killed many people. Do you think I respect life?”
“E Huo doesn’t know…”
“You, you only know how to eat.”
Snowflakes floated in the air, seemingly a residual effect from the daytime. A large and a small figure walked, their pace somewhat slow. The girl’s voice was casual and leisurely.
She was not lost, but occasionally uttered some melancholic words. After all, she already had the answer in her heart. She couldn’t have the same faith as those doctors. It was the same as her initial thought:
To live her own life with the sword in her hand.
“Heh heh, I didn’t expect a Swordsman like Miss Su to be so troubled by such a question…”
A light laugh came from the gourd at her waist. Ibaraki’s voice carried a hint of teasing.
Su Jiu glanced at the gourd and said indifferently, “Believe it or not, I’ll leave you here.”
Ibaraki immediately shut up, as if brewing some words. After Su Jiu had walked for a long time, it slowly spoke:
“I have also killed many people, which is why I was imprisoned here by the formation inscribed by the Dragon King’s blood. But I do not regret it, because I only killed those who deserved to be killed.”
“Because of adhering to the rules, Shōtoku was used as a thug by that human Daimyo when Yamata no Orochi was wreaking havoc everywhere. Using the Dragon King’s decree, He was forced to protect his territory. You know, Shōtoku was only one step away from being a Ghost Lord, facing a Great God with no chance…”
Su Jiu already knew the subsequent situation. Although it was different from what she had said, she could understand his meaning. But she was still curious and asked, “Was it the Yamagami Daimyo?”
“The Yamagami Daimyo is a person from later generations, not this person.”
He replied, “When I received the news, it was three days later. Only after the gourd was brought back by Lord Jibaku, that night, I thought for a very, very long time…”
…
The night was somewhat hazy. Su Jiu stood on a mountain peak at the border of Fukuoka City, looking back at the seaside city. Her figure was somewhat solitary. She hadn’t even changed out of her Shrine Maiden attire, nor did she bid farewell to the Yamagami family.
After E Huo was full and satisfied, it ran back to the Spiritual Space to watch anime. Su Jiu had already snuck out of Fukuoka. The formation hadn’t stopped Ibaraki either. She lowered her head and muttered,
“I’ve already left Fukuoka’s territory. You should fulfill your promise now, right?”
“Hoo…”
A puff of black smoke shot out from the gourd, and Ibaraki appeared outside the boundary in a somewhat disheveled state. He turned to look at the lights of countless homes ahead, a look of excitement on his face, and laughed twice:
“Hundreds of years! I’ve finally left this damnable seal!”
“These are General Feng’s eight Shadow Jingwei, which I preserved using my innate skill. Those Lin family people were also unbound the moment I left.”
After sighing, he turned to look at Su Jiu again, smiled lightly, and waved his hand. A mass of black energy shot from his hand and returned to the wine gourd.
“Information about those other Ghosts…” Nodding, Su Jiu continued to ask.
Stunned for a moment, Ibaraki turned and met Su Jiu’s eyes, his face showing an innocent expression. He spread his hands and replied quite seriously, “I’ve been sealed for so many years, and the world has changed. How would I know information about these Ghosts?”
“Oh? You mean you tricked me?”
Upon hearing this, Su Jiu narrowed her eyes. She was wondering if she should burn the bridge after crossing it. After all, this guy didn’t follow the rules. Let’s see if she could refine him instantly.
Ibaraki felt a bit unnerved by Su Jiu’s stare and quickly waved his hands, hastily changing his words, “I suddenly remembered where there are treasures left by Ghosts. There are definitely some near Kobe…”
Looking at his reaction, Su Jiu looked at him with some suspicion and said quite seriously, “Kobe is not like Fukuoka. That place has been deeply developed. Even if there were any treasures, they would have been found long ago.”
Hearing this, Ibaraki’s face showed a look of difficulty, but he didn’t know how to speak again. He felt a bit creeped out by Su Jiu, who was dressed as a Shrine Maiden.
Pouting, Su Jiu took out the blueprint, waved it, and chuckled, “Instead of believing your casual remarks, I’d rather go to Osaka to find the Daimyo’s tomb, which would be faster.”
Ibaraki blinked. This person seemed to be playing by different rules. He then said, “The place I’m talking about is much more powerful than ordinary Daimyos, and there are many more treasures…”
Rolling her eyes, Su Jiu directly exposed him and retorted with a laugh, “If there are really treasures, why don’t you keep them for yourself?”
Ibaraki was stunned, his face darkening. He knew that he had made such a mental lapse because he was anxious about that matter.
“You can go. With your current strength, you probably can’t even refine a medicinal dregs.”
Glancing at him, Su Jiu waved her hand, and her faint voice echoed in the empty mountain. The story he told made Su Jiu feel that he was also a person of emotion, so she let him go.
Ibaraki was silent for a moment, not showing any excitement about being let go. Instead, he sighed, stood in place, and said softly,
“I can’t leave. Only the Shōtoku gourd can carry my soul for three days. Without the Shōtoku gourd, I can’t last even a day.”
“Then why did you come out?”
Looking at the young man with his head bowed, Su Jiu felt that his brain had been kicked by a donkey. It would have been better to just wait for death there than to come out like this.
In the night, Ibaraki grinned, took out a storage bag from his pocket, his increasingly illusory face filled with sincerity:
“There is something in there that can help me survive. Here are 63 Initial Stage Magic Crystals and 12 Intermediate Magic Crystals. I hope Miss Su is satisfied.”
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll swallow both that thing and the Magic Crystals? After all, you are the notorious [Ghost].”
Snatching the storage bag, Su Jiu glanced inside, cursing him for being cunning. He still had a trick up his sleeve.
Ibaraki shook his head, his face still smiling, an air of old-fashionedness spreading over him:
“Since Miss Su can bring me out, she must abide by the rules. You just need to take me to Kobe.”
“Heh heh, let’s go then.”
After putting the Magic Crystals into her pocket, Su Jiu smiled faintly, then turned and ambled towards the mountain path in the distance. With the ability to get so many Magic Crystals just by bringing him along, why not?
“Miss Su Jiu is indeed straightforward.”
Smiling and nodding, Ibaraki glanced at the last black Magic Crystal in his pocket, clenched his fingers tightly, and lowered his eyes slightly.
“Kiyo… sake.”
His gaze swept over the plastic bottles on Su Jiu’s waist. He seemed to remember something, and his eyes rippled slightly, as if a figure flashed by. He sighed again, transforming into a stream of black mist and surging into the wine gourd.
“I’m here.”
