Chapter 637 Secret Technique: Fine Snow (2/2)
Following Natsu Yama into the courtyard, which didn’t require a door to open, Su Jiu looked around and found that the entire inner courtyard didn’t look like a poor household. It even possessed a sense of inexplicable sophistication.
Following a small path, as Su Jiu looked towards the houses in the small courtyard, they were almost all in Japanese architectural style, with wooden structures and roofs covered with blue tiles, appearing ancient and elegant.
In the center of the courtyard was a small pond, with a stone long sword that had fallen from the sky. In front of the main house, there were two incense burners, with wisps of incense smoke rising, giving a solemn and respectful feeling.
“There’s actually a sword intent here, but the Yama family should have healing bloodlines, right?”
Taking a few more steps inside, Su Jiu became even more surprised. The houses gave him the feeling that they were not lived in by a lonely old man and his grandson. It vaguely made him feel like he had entered some kind of dojo.
“Miss, why have you come?”
After walking a few more steps and entering the main house, there was still a paper screen inside. As soon as a few people stepped in, a rather old voice came from within.
On the tatami mat sat a thin old man, drinking wine. Behind him was a Japanese sword of nearly one meter.
Su Jiu probed with his mental power and his eyes revealed astonishment. He found that the other party actually had cultivation and his strength had reached the Initial Stage Battle God Level, making him an old Battle God.
This also explained why, despite being of the Yama family bloodline, they still existed in the “Maple” mission every ten years.
Just having strength, and still letting people bully his granddaughter, what was he doing?
Hearing the somewhat unfriendly tone from his grandfather, Natsu Yama bowed inside and quickly explained, “Grandpa, she is a friend of my sister. She’s here to help me get through the Demon Transformation Day.”
“Many people have come here with this excuse to inquire about our ancestors’ information. Even without external help, this old man can still protect you and get you out of this man-eating city.”
The old man behind the screen snorted and then stood up to pull aside the curtain. The moment he saw Su Jiu, he was also a little surprised. He hadn’t expected the latter to be so young.
This was the first time Su Jiu had seen this hidden strong person. He wore a white kendo uniform, his face was long and angular, and a sword scar ran across his left cheek, giving him a formidable aura.
Natsu Yama was somewhat helpless. She stepped forward a few steps, walked into the screen, and looked up at the thin and tall old man, saying softly, “Grandpa, you just went to the hospital, so don’t push yourself too hard…”
“Heh heh, if it weren’t for guarding this ancestral house, this old man would really want to take you and leave.”
The old man chuckled, completely unfazed. He affectionately stroked his granddaughter’s head and sighed.
“Old sir, I am Su Jiu, a priest colleague of Yuko in Eers. I met Xiaonai by chance and intended to shelter her for a while.”
Looking at the old man with a traditional Japanese mustache, Su Jiu smiled and performed a Dragon Country fist-and-palm salute to indicate his identity.
Hearing the name “Eers”, the slightly furrowed brows of Natsu Yama’s grandfather slowly relaxed. He scrutinized Su Jiu again, then glanced at E Huo, before smiling and leading them in, “Come in and sit down.”
“This old man’s name is Yamazaki Taka. Miss Su, your actions follow the spirit of Bushido, and this old man admires you… However, with your strength, you probably can’t shelter Xiaonai.”
After Su Jiu found a cushion and sat down cross-legged, Yamazaki Taka’s voice sounded again. He took out a few clay cups from somewhere and handed them over, with some hot tea in them.
Taking the hot tea handed over by the other party, Su Jiu cupped it with both hands, blew on the hot steam, and then looked up and smiled lightly, replying, “Old man Taka, if my strength is not enough, is yours also not enough?”
“Miss Su, you can see through this old man?”
Hearing this, Yamazaki Taka narrowed his eyes. The scar on his face seemed to twist like a snake’s tail, and an invisible aura surged from him, locking directly onto Su Jiu, causing his entire kendo uniform to billow.
Countless green auras emerged from the sword on the tatami mat, as if to condense a phantom figure wearing a samurai skirt.
“I only know a little about observing auras, nothing to boast about. However, your strength is truly formidable.”
Facing the pressure suddenly placed upon her, Su Jiu’s face remained smiling. She knew the other party did not have malicious intent towards her, but was merely testing her with the pressure of a High-Rank Battle King.
“Are you really a priest?”
Without retracting his aura, Yamazaki Taka pointed at the sword on the tatami mat, and a glimmer of sword intent appeared in his dim eyes, he said softly, “It tells me that you are also a swordsman, even a peerless sword master who can rival me.”
“Of course, I’m a priest.”
Reaching into her ring, Su Jiu threw her doctor’s certificate over, and then asked with some curiosity, “With your strength, you wouldn’t need to run from the ‘Maple’, would you? And the others couldn’t block your sword.”
“Heh heh, really a priest…”
Taking the doctor’s certificate, Yamazaki Taka’s eyes widened slightly, then he smiled inexplicably and said softly.
Listening to the conversation between Su Jiu and the old man, Shiqiaozi felt a strange feeling. She felt like she was like E Huo, who was quietly sipping tea, only able to be a mascot.
“Grandpa isn’t only at the Warrior Class?”
As for his granddaughter, Natsu Yama’s eyes suddenly widened, and she covered her mouth in disbelief, looking at her grandfather.
“I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you would follow in your parents’ footsteps and become an Onmyoji…”
With a gentle wave of his robe, Yamazaki Taka dispersed the aura. He sighed, and no longer hid it. He turned to Su Jiu and said with a wry smile:
“If no one is sacrificed, ‘Maple’ will reach my level this year. I am old, and when I swing my sword again, I only wish to wait for my son-in-law to take Xiaonai away.”
It didn’t seem surprising that Su Jiu knew that “Maple” was hunting them. After all, it wasn’t too difficult to find out that they had a bloodline connection with that Daimyo.
“My old friend is also old. I can’t unleash the ‘Fine Snow’ that requires a life force as a cost.”
He coughed twice, then turned to pick up the sword. The sword transformed into a somewhat molted brown fox, which nuzzled Yamazaki Taka’s thigh with spiritual intelligence.
Yamazaki Taka stroked the fox’s fur, his sharp gaze turning into gentleness, as if waiting for Su Jiu to speak.
“Fine Snow? Could it be…”
But Su Jiu didn’t speak. Instead, Shiqiaozi seemed to have thought of something and suddenly looked up at the old man, saying with slight shock:
“Fine Snow, one of the three great Sakura sword techniques, that legendary lost skill that can unleash eight swords in an instant, with each sword strike a hundred meters away? Doesn’t this only appear on television?”
Hearing that this sword technique could unleash eight swords in an instant, Su Jiu was somewhat surprised, but only surprised. After all, her skills were not inferior to this, and even “Dream of Blossoms” was a tier higher.
However, the life-draining characteristic was quite suitable for her, but it was a personal ultimate skill after all, and it wouldn’t be given to her for no reason.
Seeing someone speak up for Su Jiu, Yamazaki Taka curled his lips. Finally, he focused his gaze on Su Jiu and said, “My eldest son-in-law hasn’t appeared yet. Miss Su, whether you are a priest or a swordswoman, if you can take Xiaonai away with your own help, this ancestral ‘Fine Snow’ will be passed on to you.”
“Grandpa, you…” Natsu Yama pursed her lips and looked at him, knowing exactly what he meant.
Su Jiu didn’t immediately agree, but asked with some confusion, “Instead of letting me take Xiaonai away, why don’t you take her away yourself? With your strength…”
Suddenly thinking of something, Su Jiu sighed and didn’t say anything more, her respect for this old man Yamazaki Taka increasing.
“You should also know that if Xiaonai leaves, someone will have to clean up this mess. My old bones have lived long enough.”
Yamazaki Taka grinned, as if at this moment, he was once again a young samurai, believing in the orthodox spirit of Bushido.
Saying that, he walked to the nearby wall, knocked twice, and then pried out a small brick, took out a small white book, and tossed it directly to Su Jiu.
“Thank you.”
Taking the white book without a cover, Su Jiu thanked him softly. She stood up again and bowed slightly.
Her granddaughter, however, stood up, tightly hugged his not-so-strong arm, and sobbed quietly. Sad emotions permeated the entire wooden house, rising along with the tea steam.
Suddenly, a sudden “ding ding!” sound came from Natsu Yama’s waist, as if an important person had sent her a message.
“This is… brother-in-law’s text message?”
Wiping her tears with the cuff of her sleeve, Natsu Yama froze for a moment, then quickly opened the message. She could see some strange words,
“He said that the shrine maiden’s sacrifice and the Demon Transformation Day are all schemes of the ‘Ghost’. Every sacrifice will loosen the seal of that ‘Ghost’. Don’t leave. If you leave, it will cause the ‘Ghost’ to riot prematurely.”
Upon hearing the word “Ghost”, Su Jiu shot up, staring intently at Natsu Yama’s phone, and said sternly:
“We absolutely cannot let ‘Ghost’ such a monster appear, or great disaster will befall us. Type and ask your brother-in-law what to do!”
Natsu Yama was startled by Su Jiu’s tone, but quickly reacted and typed. In less than thirty seconds, the other party replied. She tremblingly read it out:
“Brother-in-law told me to become a shrine maiden and stabilize the ‘Ghost’ and its followers first. He will figure out the rest.”
“That’s too dangerous! If anything happens to you, how will this old man face your parents after he dies?!”
Yamazaki Taka clearly knew what kind of monster “Ghost” was. He directly refused. What a joke, wasn’t this pure suicide?
Just as Natsu Yama was about to obey her grandfather and directly refuse, Su Jiu’s voice suddenly rang out in the small wooden house with a hint of certainty:
“Agree to it.”
Yamazaki Taka turned to look at Su Jiu, his brow slightly furrowed, and just as he was about to speak, the latter smiled calmly and answered first:
“I’ll go for Xiaonai.”
