Chapter 642 Maple Blade Snow Sword (Part 1)
To Endo Saka, an intermediate-level Onmyoji, Su Jiu’s request was trivial. He casually beckoned a subordinate and, pointing at the citizens taking pictures nearby, softly instructed, “Take a dozen Onmyoji and disperse these people to the foot of the mountain. This is Miss Natsu Yama’s wish.”
“Yes!”
The subordinate bowed, then waved to the staff maintaining order. After a brief command, they raised the cordon and pushed the crowd away.
“What’s going on? Why aren’t we allowed to watch?”
The pushed-aside crowd immediately protested, but they were no match for these Onmyoji above the Battle General level. In no time, they were repelled hundreds of meters away.
“This is an order from our superiors. Please cooperate, or we will be forced to use force.”
The subordinates shouted coldly as they carried out the order. They didn’t care about the onlookers. As members of an Onmyōji organization, they were not old and did not particularly like this sacrificial ritual. After all, as Onmyoji, demon extermination was their primary duty. Relying on sacrifices to survive earned them the scorn of their colleagues from other Yin-Yang Bureaus.
Watching the figures disappear completely, Endo Saka turned to Su Jiu and smiled faintly, “Miss Natsu Yama, are you satisfied now?”
“It’s alright, at least they left with some dignity.”
Upon hearing this, Su Jiu also revealed a calm smile and nodded slightly. The shrine maiden’s attire fluttered gently in the spring breeze, and the bells on the outfit emitted crisp sounds, carrying the atmosphere of “The wind blows fiercely, and the waters of Yi are cold.”
“The people of Fukuoka will remember your contributions, and your name will be recorded in the local museum.” Sighing, Endo Saka couldn’t help but recall the words of an Eastern girl from a few days prior. He looked at the magatama on his hand and wore a wry smile. The older one gets, the more one fears the night parade of a hundred demons. If he were still the youth he used to be, he might not think highly of his current self.
Su Jiu glanced at the wry smile on his face, chuckled, and said softly, “Since I’ve agreed to the sacrifice, why should you, Master Onmyoji, wear such an expression?”
Hearing the young woman’s voice, Endo Saka was slightly taken aback. He seemed to want to see through the fox mask and get a clear look at the person before him, but ultimately, his head remained slightly lowered, his voice laced with fatigue: “We are helpless. When faced with demons beyond our abilities, we can only wait for reinforcements or sacrifice those who are needed. When reinforcements arrive, those demons seem to possess sentience and hide. Once the reinforcements leave, even if the demon-traversing day has passed, those demons will still emerge. Only sacrifice can bring true peace…”
“But, you are, after all, an organization that resists demons. Isn’t it laughable to believe in gods? You have ultimately betrayed the people who believed in you, haven’t you?”
Waving his hand, Su Jiu turned away, continuing to sense the connection to the bomb in the censer in his heart, while speaking softly.
“What do you know?”
Hearing Su Jiu’s words, Endo Saka became somewhat angry. He looked at the back of the other’s head, wanting to retort, but didn’t know how to begin. What they were doing was indeed cowardly.
“Master Onmyoji, do you know? In neighboring countries, there are also organizations called Dragon Hunters and Law Enforcement Halls. They can be infiltrated, and there is corruption within them…”
Speaking softly, Su Jiu’s gaze shifted to the path ahead, taking a step forward, seemingly unconcerned about this sacrifice. His wooden clogs stepped on the bluestone slabs, making soft “clack” sounds.
“But they would never betray the citizens of their own country.”
Her eyes seemed to hold the hidden intensity of an unparalleled swordsman, waiting beneath the cherry blossoms for the moment to draw her sword.
Hearing this, Endo Saka’s expression turned bitter. These children understood this logic; how could they, the Onmyoji, not? But he himself was merely an Initial Stage Battle King, a Battle King who showed off his power before the people, and a Battle King who cowered before powerful demons.
“In my understanding, only the Ancient God Sect sacrifices humans to gain power and protection. Master Onmyoji, hehe…”
“Think for yourself, who are the good people and who are the bad people!”
The voice drifted softly. The girl’s steps were light, her figure appearing somewhat lonely, making it impossible for Endo Saka to discern whether this was the desolation of a girl facing death or the journey of a lone traveler keeping an appointment.
Watching Su Jiu’s retreating back vanish under the cherry blossom trees, Endo Saka seemed to ponder for a long time before finally speaking again, “Miss Natsu Yama, do you have any other requests?”
“Leave this place and ensure that what is about to happen here proceeds smoothly.”
Su Jiu didn’t stop walking, tilting his head and saying with a smile. His figure soon disappeared into the shadow of the trees, and only the sound of bells could be faintly heard through the air.
“Is she really that Miss Natsu Yama?”
Looking at the retreating figure dressed in red and white, Endo Saka’s eyes grew heavy. Amidst the dappled sunlight and leaves, another figure holding a three-foot green sword remarkably overlapped with that retreating figure. Is she going for the sacrifice or…
“Master Onmyoji, standing here blankly. Have you discovered any suspicious individuals interfering with the temple?”
The Temple Priest’s voice suddenly rang out on the path, interrupting his thoughts. Immediately, an indescribable pressure permeated from behind him.
“Reporting to Lord Watanabe, there are none.”
Hearing this, Endo Saka quickly turned around and cupped his fists. He saw that along with the source of the voice, there was a cloaked figure, and the ancient armor beneath the cloak could be faintly seen. Facing the Temple Priest, Endo Saka dared not show any disrespect. The other party was a War God Level expert, known as the Sun God, a Great Onmyoji responsible for leading all nearby Yin-Yang Bureaus and resisting demon invasions.
“None? The Kamikaze haven’t arrived here?” Endo Saka licked his lips and asked, “May I ask, Lord, who is Kamikaze…?”
In this country of cherry blossoms, only that unit could be called Kamikaze. Had this Sun God committed an offense? Of course, it was also possible he was here to investigate the sacrifice. This matter was hidden every year, but paper couldn’t wrap fire.
“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t ask, and don’t delay the ritual.”
Watanabe casually glanced at Endo Saka, waved his sleeve, and walked towards Su Jiu’s location. The figure in the black robe also quietly followed, making the “creak” sound of armor movement.
“Naturally.”
Endo Saka quickly agreed with a fawning smile. After the others walked away, he looked at their backs, his expression turning somber. He hesitated. Should he report this situation to a higher-level Yin-Yang Bureau?
…
Su Jiu was familiar with the path to the sacrifice and quickly arrived before the censer. He casually scanned its contents, only to find that the Magic Crystals had disappeared. “Is the sacrifice made using those Magic Crystals?”
However, he could sense that the Magic Crystals were not far from here. His gaze swept to the sensed location, which was the area on the other side of the gray wall. It seemed this place should be a spatial formation. The area behind it was likely a hub for energy pathways, so it was normal to place Magic Crystals there. He took a few steps forward and touched the gray wall, extending a mental thread. He found it to be pitch black. The sacrificed Magic Crystals were suspended in mid-air, along with a large amount of Dream Flower and four Fushengs.
Just as external force was to be supplied, Watanabe, the Temple Priest in loose robes, appeared about two meters beside him, a faint smile on his face: “Miss Natsu Yama, are you ready?”
“Of course.”
Su Jiu slowly lowered his arm and nodded, even sporting a smile. His mental power had already bypassed this special spatial formation and reconnected with the bombs.
“After today, we will surely establish a shrine for you. Now, you need to input external Qi into your clothing so that Lord of the Gods can sense your presence.”
Watanabe smiled with satisfaction, his expression also slightly relaxed. He felt that his superior had been too worried; no one would possibly cause trouble at this time. Moreover, he had arranged for the demon expert who came to deliver the message to stand guard outside. This time, there would absolutely be no mishaps. Then, he began to form hand seals, and an energy was initiated from behind the gray wall. With a “boom!”, a complex white formation appeared above Su Jiu’s head, and above the white formation was a gray-black formation. Although its precision was inferior to the white formation, the faint chilling sensation emanating from it was almost overpowering.
Looking at the formation above his head, Su Jiu’s smile grew even more pronounced. He shook his arm and began to input external Qi, but his target was not the shrine maiden’s clothing, but…
Following his mental power, he rushed towards the gray-white high wall. There, one crystal lit up, then two… all lit up. All the bombs began their countdown! 60s!
Seeing that Su Jiu’s clothing had not shown any movement, Watanabe frowned, his movements slowed considerably, and he said sternly, “Quickly input external Qi to activate the clothing, or Lord of the Gods will be angry!”
“Heh heh…”
A faint laugh emanated from beneath the mask. Su Jiu slowly removed the mask, revealing a delicate small face. He looked at Watanabe with great interest and said softly, “Temple Priest, why are you in such a hurry?”
“Who are you, and why are you here to disrupt the ritual?”
Watanabe’s face immediately turned grim. He had met Natsu Yama more than once; the other party’s appearance was definitely not like this… He could only kill this person now and then activate the hidden piece.
“Who I am is not important.”
Looking past Watanabe toward a black shadow in the distance, Su Jiu’s smile did not diminish. He was waiting for the bomb timers and also for the so-called rescue. He could sense that two people had arrived, and the other figure possessed an incomparably dense sword intent, with his strength reaching the Initial Stage War God level.
“Regardless of anything else, you have disrupted the ritual, and your crime is punishable by death.”
Watanabe’s eyes narrowed, and a killing intent seemed to surge out. With a flash of white light, a gray-black cherry blossom-style whisk appeared in his hand, and he walked forward step by step…
“Ding ding!!”
A strong aura surged from his body, almost blowing Su Jiu’s green silk hair in the wind. The wind chimes on his body also rang noisily, as if warning him of the arrival of something powerful.
“They’ve arrived, members of Sakura’s most mysterious unit.”
As if hearing something, Su Jiu smiled faintly and looked towards the open space ahead. The wind blew, and a figure wreathed in lightning appeared there. A cold voice sounded: “Watanabe, you are selling people to demons and have broken the law. Please come with me.”
The figure appeared to be around thirty years old, holding a dagger crackling with electricity. The moment he appeared, he dispersed the pressure brought by Watanabe, indicating that their strengths were comparable. Su Jiu smiled but made no other move. Instead, his gaze shifted further into the distance, and with a flash of white light, a three-foot green sword floated around him.
Looking at the youth holding the lightning dagger and Su Jiu summoning his sword, Watanabe paused. He suddenly understood everything, and the killing intent in his eyes intensified. Then, he laughed furiously, “Are the **Kamikaze** setting a trap to eliminate me? But do you think I am the only War God present here?”
