Chapter-51
A touch of pink graced her fair, translucent shoulders and neck; her white skin even shimmered slightly in the sunlight. Her long hair, now cascading over her body, added to her disheveled yet soft and alluring beauty.
Zenjiro's speed of observation and reaction was incredibly fast. The instant the door opened, he had already memorized the entire scene before him. And in the fraction of a second it took to close the door, his reaction speed was even more remarkable.
Hey! Don't go in!
The songstress's somewhat exasperated voice finally caught up from behind, while Zenji Sei had already closed the door, his face flushed, and had long since retreated.
Seeing the helpless expression on the songstress's face, Zen-in Sei coughed twice, then immediately cut to the main topic:
"Sister Hana, the flow of magical energy in the girl's upper left abdomen, the inside of her right arm, and the back of her neck near her ear is still a bit off. If you can help her fix it, I would appreciate your help."
Listening to Zenji Qing's series of words that were very helpful, the songstress realized that the other party did not want to take advantage of this time, but rather wanted to help Miss Mingming heal her wounds.
While it's absurd to think that a powerful cursed spirit could heal a human sorcerer, everything that happened today seemed just as absurd.
The songstress never imagined that a street designated as a low-risk area could produce a uniquely mutated level one cursed spirit.
She never expected that when she and Miss Mingming were in dire straits, a guy who possessed cursed spirits and various strange spells would appear and save her and Miss Mingming.
She never imagined that the one who would ultimately save Miss Mingming would be a cursed spirit even more powerful than a level one cursed spirit!
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What's wrong with this world?!
Was everything that happened today really not a dream?!
Pinching her cheek, the songstress forced herself to remain calm. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi before her, and without any unnecessary movements, immediately performed a standard dogeza (vertical bow) and addressed him:
"Thank you so much for saving us today! I don't know any fancy ways to express my gratitude. If you have any questions in the future, you can come to Higurashi Shrine or the high school to find me. I will do my best to help you if I can!"
The songstress knelt down so quickly that before Zenji Qingdu could even remember to stop her, she had already completed the dogeza posture.
However, Zenji Kiyoshi immediately grabbed the geisha by the back of the neck and lifted her off the ground like a chick.
But to be honest, Zenji Kiyoshi was not as tall as the geisha at this time, since boys develop a little later than girls.
However, Zenjiro Kiyoshi was, after all, the soul of an adult, and the aura he exuded was enough to make the still-shaken songstress subconsciously overlook the fact that he was still a child.
After helping the songstress up, Zenji Sei looked at the still somewhat bewildered songstress and said with a smile:
"When I went to rescue you, I didn't actually think about your background or identity. I just didn't want to see others die in the mouths of cursed spirits. I didn't want to get any reward from you."
However, since you said I could come to you if I had any difficulties, I have no reason to refuse. Besides, it's only right that I help you. If nothing unexpected happens, my name should be among the next batch of preparatory students for the vocational college.
Hearing this, the songstress looked at Zenji Kiyoshi with an increasingly strange gaze. This guy, who looked several years younger than her, not only managed to take down so many cursed spirits all by himself, but had also become her successor?!
"You! You! You're also a preparatory student for a vocational college?! How is that possible?! You're clearly capable of handling things on your own..."
The songstress didn't finish her sentence because she suddenly remembered something more important. Her expression changed immediately, and she secretly grabbed Zenjiro's sleeve, dragging him from the doorway of Mingming's room to a corner of the living room.
Then, the songstress subconsciously lowered her voice, speaking so softly that only a mosquito could hear her, and said to Zenji Seiji, word by word:
"You, you just barged in like that, did you see anything you shouldn't have seen?!"
As she said these words, the songstress blushed slightly. As a young girl her age, she was at the age where she should be reading all kinds of romance novels, and she had an unexpected understanding and fantasy about the simple emotions between men and women. Therefore, when talking about this topic, she always felt an indescribable sense of shame.
Sometimes, the tone of voice can be contagious, like a yawn. Zenji Sei's heart, which had just calmed down, was broken again at this moment. When he looked at the songstress in front of him and wanted to say something righteous to refute her, the scene from before reappeared in his mind once again.
Zenjiro's face began to blush unconsciously again, and although he spoke without any hesitation, he gave a direct and crisp negative answer.
But just by looking at Zenjiro's expression at that moment, the geisha knew that he must be deceiving her.
Thinking of this, the songstress looked at Zenji Kiyoshi, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes:
"Although Miss Mingming is usually a very gentle person, she can be a terrifying woman in some ways. If she finds out that I didn't keep a close eye on you, which allowed you to enter the room and see her body, I will definitely be sold to the mountains to become a homeless woman!"
Therefore, on this matter, we are united against outsiders! You absolutely, positively must not utter a single word in front of Miss Mingming about seeing her body!
Upon hearing this, Zen-in Kiyoshi wanted to say something, but the geisha continued talking to herself:
"Given Miss Mingming's injuries, she shouldn't have woken up so quickly. When you went in just now, Miss Mingming probably didn't know about this either, and it was only for a second or two. I guess you didn't see anything."
At that very moment, behind the door, unnoticed by the songstress, a crack quietly opened.
Miss Mingming's pale and weak face appeared even more fragmented and beautiful under the light.
Looking at the songstress in front of her who was whispering some embarrassing things to Zenji Qing, she felt her wound, which had just been healed, begin to ache again.
That songstress is great in every way, except she's just too stupid!
Chapter-52
"Your wound hasn't fully healed yet, so I don't recommend you take any action now. Also, the treatment I used isn't suitable for humans. You should go to the hospital for a full check-up as a final step."
Hua Yu's voice came from behind Mingming, carrying a hint of indescribable weariness.
Before today, Hua Yu had never imagined that her abilities could be used to heal humans.
The water clock is very strong; I have basically never seen it get damaged since I was born.
Even if the water clock is damaged, it can be easily repaired with its own magical power.
One's ability allows them to draw upon the life force of plants within a certain range to repair their injuries or restore their magical power.
Most of the time, I'm unwilling to use this ability, because doing so basically means killing a lot of plants.
However, Mingming's injuries were not that serious.
In her daily life, Hana also collects some of the life force emitted by plants as stored energy. Although it is not much, it is enough to heal a weak being who is not even a level one sorcerer.
However, she had never used this power on humans before. During the treatment of Mingming, she needed to pay close attention to whether Mingming would have any adverse reactions, and she had to be on high alert at all times. In addition, this was a task entrusted to her by Zen-in Kiyoshi, so Hua Yu did not want any mistakes to occur in this matter.
Because Hua Yu spoke directly, he also revealed Mingming's current location.
The songstress stiffly turned her head and looked at Mingming, whose face was pale and gloomy. She felt a chill run down her spine.
Zenjiro glanced at Mingming subconsciously, noticing the slightly evasive look on her face and sensing the extremely awkward atmosphere that was about to descend upon them.
He decisively broke the somewhat unusual silence:
"Thank you for your hard work, Miss Flower."
Although Hanako couldn't make many facial expressions regarding Zen-in-no-Kei's prioritization of attention, it was still possible to sense that her mood had improved somewhat compared to before.
"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired."
After receiving a clear answer from Hua Yu, Zenji nodded, then looked at Mingming, whose expression was slightly unnatural, and said softly:
"Although I'm glad to see you out of danger, it would be best if you rested for a while. After the people from the college come to pick you up, it would be better to go to the hospital for further treatment."
Listening to Zen-in-Chih's words, Mingming tried her best to calm herself down and nodded in a nonchalant manner, though she was still worried that there was still some turmoil inside.
How could a teenage girl remain unmoved after her body has been seen?
But the other party had come in recklessly to save his life, so he couldn't possibly blame them for it; that would be too ungrateful.
But in the end... never mind!
Mingming herself wasn't the type to dwell on such things. She took a deep breath and looked at Zenji Qing in front of her. Although there was still a hint of shyness in her eyes, there was even more gratitude and relief.
Then, Mingming stretched out his hand and smiled gently at the Zen temple, saying:
"My name is Mingming. Thanks to you this time, otherwise the songstress and I would have died at the hands of that cursed spirit. I will repay this kindness no matter what. You are much stronger than me, so I probably won't have any chance to repay you. But as for money, if you don't mind, as a reward for saving me, I will give you 20 million yen. What do you think?"
As she said this, Miss Mingming gently bit her lip. To be honest, because she was too young and not very strong, she had only saved about 30 million yen so far. She was really reluctant to hand over two-thirds of that amount.
But she wasn't someone who couldn't grasp the gravity of the situation. Given the life-saving grace, it was only right that Zen Temple Qing asked for more money.
But I really hate to part with it!
Her heart seemed to be bleeding and convulsing, but Miss Mingming's face remained expressionless.
Having read the original work, Zen-in-Chief knew that Miss Ming-ming valued money, so he knew how to say things to quickly gain her favor.
So, looking at Miss Mingming before him, he said in a gentle tone:
"I saved you not for money. I just felt that since we are all human beings, as long as we have any conscience, we will not choose to stand idly by. This is the most basic moral standard for a human being."
But I also know that if I try my best not to accept your payment, it will put a lot of psychological burden on you. In many cases, it is harder to repay favors than tangible rewards.
So forget about the 20 million yen, just give me 2 million yen. As for the songstress, when I visit your shrine in the future, just don't charge me and give me free accommodation.
The destructive power of these words was extremely strong, even exceeding Zenji Qing's expectations. Before he had even finished speaking, two voices had already resounded in his mind:
"Congratulations, host, you have gained 47 points of favorability from Mingming and 37 points of favorability from the songstress."
Unlocks mission ability bonuses: [Blackbird Manipulation] 30%, [Netherworld's Total Spell Power] 30%, [Single Forbidden Zone] 10%, [Songstress's Total Spell Power] 10%.
Hearing the voice in his mind, Zenji Kiyoshi did not show any expression on his face, but he could not suppress his joy.
Although the two of them are not particularly strong yet, and the total amount of spell power they provide together is less than 10% of that of a top-tier cultivator, the most crucial gain is obtaining their spell formulas.
If used properly, the Crow of the Unseen is an extremely powerful divine skill, capable of long-range visual control and endless self-destruction of crows.
It's important to know that in the original work, the mysterious "divine wind" self-destruction deals extremely high damage; even a top-tier cursed spirit would die after being hit by a few times.
In mystical terms, among all the people she knew, only Gojo Satoru could withstand this attack unscathed; the others would be more or less weakened by the self-destructing crows.
Moreover, this move actually has a lot of room for improvement because it is limited by the insufficient power of the curse itself. If he can reach the level of Su Nuo, who has almost unlimited curse power, he might be able to increase the self-destruction power of each crow to the level of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
As for the songstress's magic?
I believe no one would deny the value of the phrase "percentage bonus".
Chapter-53
Inside the room, Zenji Qing looked at Mingming and the songstress with a somewhat solemn expression and said:
"Why did you two end up in a place like that? I remember that street is a well-known haunted street in the area. Not to mention the distant places, quite a few people have recently disappeared there. Last time I went to the college, I even saw that area on the special attention point outside your interrogation room."
I even specifically asked my mentor, Moth of the Righteous Path, who was with me at the time. He told me that the marked areas might contain level two or higher cursed spirits, and those places were only for graduates of level two cursed sorcerer rank or higher. Why would you two go to such a place?
Before the songstress could react to Zenji's words, Mingming narrowed her eyes, took out an A4 sheet of paper from her pocket, spread it out, and placed it in front of everyone.
After seeing the contents of the paper, Zenji Sei's pupils dilated slightly.
That was a detailed task description, which clearly stated:
"July 16, 2000.
Mission location: Beika Town, second alley entrance, where a level 3 or so cursed remnant is suspected to have appeared.
Task difficulty: fluctuates around level 3.
Details: The second alleyway in Beika Town is famous for its bizarre deaths, but with the help of a detective, although there are many murders, the possibility of cursed spirits being the perpetrators has been ruled out by the subsequent arrests of the culprits.
However, due to the large number of deaths, it cannot be ruled out that the spirits of those who died in the murders may become cursed spirits in the subsequent process. However, since the energy reaction test of the residual cursed power is not active, it is judged that the strength of their cursed spirits will not exceed the level two.
Therefore, taking all the above into consideration, it was decided to dispatch two level-three sorcerers, Mingming and Angeji, to carry out daily patrol missions.
Mission requirements: Between noon and early morning on the 16th, patrol the area at least three times to investigate the source of the residual curse power and eliminate any possible curse spirits.
Task issued by: Kyoto Jujutsu High School Administrative Unit.
Looking at the contents, Zen-in-Chief and Ming-Ming exchanged a glance. Then, without saying anything more, he took out his phone, took a picture of the task sheet, and directly called Night Moth Path.
As the beeping sound rang out, Masamichi Yagami, who was sewing a nightcap for a doll on the other end of the phone, frowned at first, but when he saw that the caller was Sei Zenin, his brows relaxed and he put down his needle and thread.
He was deeply moved by Zenji Sei's words earlier, which was somewhat of an exaggeration.
From that moment on, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Zen-in-Tsuyoshi had become his close friend despite their age difference.
He answered the phone, but before he could say anything, Zen-in-kyō's voice came through:
"I'm very sorry, Moth-sensei, but I have a question I'd like to ask you. Do you remember the question I asked you that night? The area at the second alley entrance of Beika Town was previously marked as a high-risk area where Level 1 cursed spirits might appear. Why has it become a low-risk area in just a few days?"
Upon hearing this, before Zenjiro could finish speaking, Yama Masamichi's voice on the other end of the phone was already filled with anxiety and worry:
"What?! How could such a thing happen?! The Beika Town area has not only not been downgraded, but it has been upgraded from a high-risk area to an extremely high-risk area! We recently handed this area over to Yuki Tsukumo, who is about to return to Japan. We have already set up 'tents' in the outer areas, and ordinary people will rarely go there anymore. Where did you get this false information?!"
"Don't tell me you're already there?! Tell me your exact address, and I'll come rescue you right now!"
Listening to the anxious tone of the Night Moth Path, Zen Temple Qingxin had a general understanding of the favorability rating of the forty-something.
Although a favorability score of 40-something might not seem high at a peak of 100, in the real world, is it really possible for a favorability score of 40-something to achieve this level?
Thinking of this, Zenji Qing glanced at Mingming once more.
Is Mingming, who appears extremely cold-hearted in the original work, actually more sentimental than the songstress?
"Teacher Moth, you don't need to worry. I'm perfectly fine now. In fact, I even rescued two seniors from the college, Miss Mingming and the songstress. There was indeed a Level 1 cursed spirit on the street, but I've already dealt with it, so you don't need to worry."
The problem now is that during my conversation with Ms. Mingming, she showed me the mission execution data sheet they received, which clearly marked Beika Town as a low-risk area. But this is completely different from what you, Teacher Moth, said.
"And my trust in your words, Teacher Moth, is definitely higher than that of others. Does this mean that there might be some kind of error in the mission assignment data within the vocational college...?"
Zenji didn't leave anything open-ended, but upon hearing this, Yaga Masamichi already knew what the other was about to say.
He immediately hung up the phone. While Zenjiro was still somewhat dazed, another unfamiliar number dialed. Zenjiro didn't hesitate and answered it immediately. Unsurprisingly, it was Yae Seimichi's voice on the other end:
"Our phones are often monitored by the higher-ups at the college. I understand what you just said, and I will pay attention to the follow-up. Also, regarding Mingming and the songstress, thank you very much!"
As their teacher, I failed in my duty!
Hearing the voice of the Night Moth, Mingming and the Songstress felt a warmth in their hearts.
In this filthy world, to encounter a teacher like this is truly a fortunate thing.
The group chatted on the phone for a while longer. Just before the ambulance from the vocational school arrived, Zenji Qing hung up the phone. He looked up at the two people in front of him and said softly:
"Please keep this secret about the Flower Queen."
Zen-in Kiyoshi's gaze was indifferent, and Mingming and the songstress didn't say much either, as they, as sorcerers, knew the seriousness of the matter.
Mingming grabbed the songstress's hand and made it clear that she must never reveal anything about Hua Yu.
After doing all this, Zenji Seiji escorted the two away from the house.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Lu Suo was standing on a tall building not far away, looking in the direction of Zenji Qing, with a hint of excitement on his face.
"You seem to be more interesting than I thought."
Chapter-54
"Hmm, that assistant supervisor was named Fujii Niyu, right? He was first transferred to the Osaka branch, then arranged to disappear, the file folder was sealed in the warehouse, and then they were told there was a fire and the file folder was gone."
Lu Suo hung up the phone, stirred the coffee in his cup, watched the ripples rise and fall, and exhaled a slightly bitter aroma.
If she wasn't mistaken, during the battle just now, Zenin Kiyoshi used three abilities: [No Limits], [Spirit Manipulation], and [Projection Spell]. Also, when he was blocking the tongue stab of that specialized spirit, the little devil's eyes turned into the unique azure blue of the [Six-Eyed] form.
Although the abilities that the brat displayed were weaker than those of the original body, they were different from any imitation techniques I had seen over the years.
No imitation spell can be used simultaneously with other spells during its application!
Zenjiro's "seamless switching", "simultaneous use", and "physical imitation" during the battle stirred up quite a storm in Lu Suo's heart.
In the past thousand years, no one has ever been able to achieve this level of skill, not even the imitation techniques of a top-level sorcerer.
What Lu Suo found even more interesting was that Zenji Kiyota also seemed to have mastered a reversal technique different from that of humans.
No, rather than being different from humans, it's more accurate to say that it's the inversion technique of cursed spirits!
As the one who personally created the Nine Phases Diagram of the Cursed Embryo, no one understands the difference between the physical bodies of humans and cursed spirits better than her.
Zen Monastery Master... just how much more have I yet to discover about you?
Thinking of this, Lu Su couldn't help but lick his lips, the saliva and coffee making them appear even redder.
She stood up, paid the coffee bill, made a phone call to Hu Zhangren, and then walked deeper into the alley.
Deep in the alley, Xia Youjie was currently unconscious.
Looking at Xia Youjie with his strange hairstyle, Lu Suo smiled with a maternal glow.
She took out a pack of wet wipes from her bag and gently placed them on Xia Youjie's forehead.
A tissue brushed across Xia Youjie's smooth, unstitched forehead, and a mysterious smile played on his face.
She lowered her head, her fingernails, painted a gradient light brown, and gently stroked Xia Youjie's hair, saying softly:
"Whose child are you? How did you suddenly faint here?"
Just as the sound of the clapper fell, Xia Youjie slightly opened his tightly closed eyes. He looked at the gentle woman in front of him with a blank expression. His head was throbbing, and his memories before he fainted were also somewhat confused.
"I... I don't know how I fainted. I only remember coming here to see a friend."
Upon hearing this, Lu Suo gently wiped the sweat from Xia Youjie's head with a tissue, moved his sweat-stuck bangs to one side, and softly comforted him:
"You must have fainted from heatstroke. When I saw you, your whole body was burning up. I didn't dare to move you, so I just used a tissue to put on your forehead. I was thinking of calling an ambulance for you, but now that you're awake, I'm relieved."
Listening to Lu Suo's words, Xia Youjie felt that she reminded him of his mother.
An instinctive sense of goodwill rose from the bottom of his heart. At this moment, Xia Youjie was not yet the cult leader in the original work who liked to call others monkeys. At this time, he was just an extremely optimistic kid.
"Um, thank you so much. If it weren't for your care, I might already be..."
Hearing Xia Youjie's words, Lu Suo reached out and gently patted the other's head, smiling as he said:
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"It's okay, I was just helping out. Here, drink some more water, and don't stand in the sun, it's easy to get heatstroke in places like this."
Xia Youjie was a little embarrassed to accept the bottled water that Lu Suo handed him, but under Lu Suo's insistence, he still accepted it with a grateful expression.
"Are you waiting for your friend here? How long until he arrives? Don't get heatstroke again."
Hearing Lu Suo's words, Xia Youjie sighed and said somewhat helplessly:
"I didn't make any arrangements with the other person; I just came here on my own to see if I could run into them."
Upon hearing this, Lu Suo smiled faintly. Sensing the approaching power of the Zen mantra, she smiled and said to Xia Youjie:
"Although I don't know what you kids are thinking, I think you're pretty lucky. Maybe your friend has similar thoughts to yours."
Just as Xia Youjie was about to say something, he saw a familiar figure at the end of the alley.
Xia Youjie, completely oblivious to everything else, was now filled with joy. He looked at the familiar figure and excitedly shouted:
"Qing! I'm here!"
Hearing Xia Youjie's voice, Zenyuan Qing should have been happy.
After all, being able to see the other person when you're just trying your luck is a great opportunity to build rapport.
But when Zenji saw the woman's figure, his scalp tingled.
Kaori Itsuki from around 2000!
Isn't this just a rope?!
Looking at the mature and elegant woman, Ryousaku, in front of him, Zenin Kiyoshi felt an instant burst of pressure in his heart.
The person he least wanted to see in the entire world of sorcery had appeared.
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And this happened without any prior warning.
Zen-in-shiki felt his mind suddenly become chaotic.
When he came over just now, he had been careful enough to use his spell power to detect the power, but he did not detect anything about Lu Suo's spell power.
Otherwise, if he had noticed anything amiss here, he wouldn't have come here to invite trouble.
However, now that I have seen the other party, I cannot do anything strange here, otherwise it will only arouse more suspicion from Lu Suo.
Zenji Qing was no idiot. Looking at the Lu Suo that had suddenly appeared before him, he did not consider it a coincidence.
But under these circumstances, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue talking to the two of them.
"Xia You, you really are here. And who is this?"
"I just fainted from heatstroke here, and this lady saved me."
After Xia Youjie finished speaking, Zenyuan Qing felt his lips twitch uncontrollably.
Although Xia Youjie does not have the strength of the original work, once he becomes a sorcerer, his physical abilities cannot be measured by normal standards.
Heatstroke is practically impossible for a sorcerer...
Chapter-55
Although he knew in his heart that Xia Youjie's fainting was a conspiracy, Zenji Qing did not intend to expose it at this time.
Saying these words rashly here will not help me at all. On the contrary, it will only make Lu Suo more wary of me, and it may even create a rift between me and Xia Youjie.
After all, he and Xia Youjie didn't have much of a relationship. Given Lu Suo's ability to bewitch people, Lu Suo might actually hold a higher position in Xia Youjie's heart than he did at this moment.
At this moment, Lu Suo spoke up. She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked towards Zenji Qing, a smile on her face. A fragrance emanated from her, carrying a reassuring aura.
"No need to call me 'sister,' I'm quite a bit older than you all. Just call me Aunt Kaori. I work here, and we might have a chance to meet again later. It's getting late, and I have some things to take care of, so see you later."
As Lu Su spoke, she smiled and looked at Zenjiro Kiyoshi. As she passed by him, she deliberately squatted down, patted Zenjiro Kiyoshi's head, and said gently:
"Next time you make an appointment to meet a friend, don't keep them waiting too long. It's not safe here, and it's easy to run into danger."
At this point, the profound meaning in Lu Suo's words gave Zenji Qing goosebumps all over his body.
Especially on his forehead, which had been touched by Lu Suo, a lot of fine sweat appeared.
Heaven knows if Lu Suo was just assessing the size of the space inside his head.
Watching the beautiful woman's departing figure, Zenji Kiyoshi felt his back was soaked with cold sweat.
Fortunately, he had a good mental capacity and did not show any signs of distress on his appearance.
Xia Youjie also arrived at Chanyuan Qing's side at this moment, and said excitedly:
"Qing, I knew I'd be able to wait for you here. But didn't you just move in on Saturday? Why are you suddenly here today?"
Zen Monastery Qing, after listening to Xia Youjie's words, finally came to his senses and forced a smile as he replied:
"Due to some changes, we moved out of the house ahead of schedule. However, we may not see each other for a while. I will be going to Okinawa during my summer vacation, and I will probably not be back for more than a month."
Hearing this, Xia Youjie's face showed an undisguised disappointment, but he didn't say yes, instead asking with some curiosity:
Why did you suddenly decide to go to Okinawa? Are you going there for a vacation?
Upon hearing this, Zen Monk Qing shook his head and explained:
"It's about the High School of Spellcasting. By the way, Xia You, I came here today to discuss something with you. Are you free this afternoon? I'd like to take you to meet someone. If possible, I hope you can enter the world of spellcasting as soon as possible."
Hearing Zen Monastery's words, Xia Youjie was taken aback for a moment, then asked with some confusion:
"Entering the world of sorcery sooner? Does that mean I should meet other sorcerers sooner? But I still have my studies to attend. My family is scrimping and saving, hoping I can get into a university in Tokyo..."
Before Xia Youjie could continue, Chanyuan Qing had already dialed the number of Ye'e Zhengdao:
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"Hello? Is this Teacher Moth? I have a friend here who has the talent of a sorcerer. Hmm, is he born with a spell? It should be [Spirit Manipulation], which is no different from what is recorded in my family."
Hearing Zenjiro's words, Yae Masamichi, who was busy calling Leyan Temple to find the traitor, suddenly spat out a mouthful of water onto his television. Ignoring the mess, he immediately asked Zenjiro on the other end of the line:
"Are you sure your friend's life-giving technique is [Spirit Manipulation]?! Do you even know when the last time [Spirit Manipulation] appeared? Don't be ridiculous!"
The Zen temple's voice was very calm:
"Well, the last time he appeared was during the Heian period. But he is indeed a [Spirit Manipulation Technique], and he has now subdued about 20 level-two spirits and more than 50 level-three spirits. However, my friend's living conditions are not particularly good, so I was thinking if we could let him enter a higher vocational college as soon as possible so that he could live a more comfortable life."
He now lives in a basement in Beika Town. Besides completing his schoolwork, he spends his evenings dealing with cursed spirits that attack people in the area. This is why the number of cursed spirit attacks in the Beika Town area has decreased so much.
Hearing this, Yemo Zhengdao was already mostly convinced. After all, Zenyuan Qing was a very special person. He hadn't asked Zenyuan Qing how he had rescued Mingming and Geji from the hands of a Level 1 Specialized Cursed Spirit because he was worried about their injuries.
Although he didn't ask, Masamichi Nobi could guess the general idea in his mind.
Zen-in Kagami's current strength has likely reached the level of a first-level sorcerer, making him an equal to himself...
Although it was a bit discouraging, when he thought about the kid he was going to pick up this afternoon, Yemo Masamichi didn't feel there was anything to be discouraged about.
That brat has been trampling on me since birth.
Although the opponent is only eleven years old, his combat power has reached the level that would instantly kill eleven of them.
Thinking about this, Yamo Masamichi suddenly felt that the little devil from Zen-in-the-Insect Seiwa, who seemed to be using cursed spirit manipulation techniques, wasn't so abnormal after all.
The power of the cursed spirits has increased considerably compared to twenty years ago, probably due to the birth of these young geniuses...
Night Moth Masakado couldn't help but sigh. This era would be an extremely interesting one for the strong, but for the weak, it would be an even more difficult one to survive.
"Okay, I got it. I'll come over to see you this afternoon. Oh, and I'll also be bringing another kid with me. You know him too, his name is Gojo Satoru. He's a very arrogant kid. You guys should get along well. If nothing unexpected happens, the three of you will most likely become students in the same class."
Upon hearing the reply from Moth Masamichi, Zenji Sei was slightly taken aback, then felt that fate was playing tricks on him.
How can all of these be put together?
And it also caused Xia Youjie and Wutiao Wu to meet ahead of time?
Now, wouldn't the bond between the two really reach the level of Naruto and Sasuke?
I think I need to raise my favorability with these two soon, otherwise it will be difficult to raise it later if they fill the gap in our friendship.
Chapter-56
As evening approached, Masamichi Nobi knocked on the door of the Zen temple's Kiyoshi family's room.
The moment the door opened, a boy with silver-white hair and sunglasses came into Xia Youjie's view.
The boy's small figure was elongated by the evening sunlight, carrying a relaxed air that was completely out of character for his age, almost arrogant.
He was chewing a piece of gum that had lost its flavor, constantly pushing it with his tongue and blowing out unsightly bubbles.
"What an impolite bastard."
This was Xia Youjie's first impression of Wutiao Wu.
Gojo Satoru looked at Natsumi Yuuki, who had a strange hairstyle, tilted his head slightly, and muttered:
"He seems to be a strange person with no taste."
This was their first impression of each other, which seemed somewhat comical.
At this moment, Yamo Masamichi crouched down, looking at Xia Youjie, who was somewhat frightened. His face, like that of a Yakuza elder brother, forced a not-too-fierce smile as he tried to be as gentle as possible:
"You must be Xia Youjie? Zenyuan Qing has already told me about you. If it's convenient, could you demonstrate your abilities to me briefly?"
Just as Yamo Masamichi finished speaking, Zenji Sei's voice rang out from inside the room:
"Ms. Moth, even if you're in a hurry to confirm this, let's come in first. I've made some food, so we can eat and talk at the same time."
Gojo Satoru looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zenji Kiyoshi wiping his hands with a rag, a smile on his face. The faint aroma of food wafted from the room, instantly arousing the appetites of the two who had not eaten all afternoon.
Masamichi Yagami was originally going to say something polite, but Satoru Gojo didn't have that idea. He listened to Kiyoshi Zenin and went straight in. His azure eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, were constantly scrutinizing Kiyoshi Zenin.
Gojo Satoru naturally recognized Zenin Kiyoshi. The reason he was scrutinizing Zenin Kiyoshi like this was because the incantation power emanating from the other man at that moment made him feel somewhat curious and familiar.
"I remember when I first saw you, your magical energy wasn't very strong. Now you've actually reached the level of a first-level sorcerer? How did you do that?"
Ignoring Xia Youjie, Gojo Satoru walked directly to Zenji Seishin and asked him the soul-searching question.
Xia Youjie frowned at this. He felt that Wu Tiao Wu's behavior of ignoring him and going directly to Zenji Qing to ask such private questions was very impolite.
However, he didn't speak without permission. Judging from what that silver-haired bastard said, Zenji Kiyoshi and the other party should know each other. If he suddenly said those kinds of things, it might embarrass Zenji Kiyoshi.
As for Gojo Satoru's straightforward question, Zenji Kiyoya was already prepared. He looked at Gojo Satoru and said with a smile:
"Perhaps it was because of that environment that the life-giving spells on my body never activated. I don't know the specific reason."
Zenji Kiyoshi didn't tell the truth; he just gave a reason that wasn't really a reason. Gojo Satoru wasn't the type to pry into things, and he wouldn't force someone to talk about their private matters if they didn't want to.
After all, for Gojo Satoru, whether others were hiding secrets or not was meaningless, because in the face of absolute power, no matter what means were used, they were actually of little use.
He is the strongest in the world, and Gojo Satoru has absolute confidence in this.
At this time, he was still that slightly arrogant brat.
His subsequent shift to a gentler, more humorous style was purely due to loneliness and a playful attitude towards life.
For Gojo Satoru at this moment, most people in this world are just NPCs in a game, their existence merely serving to make the world seem less empty.
Of course, if he could really do that, he wouldn't have developed a good impression of Zenjiro just because Zenjiro said thank you.
That being said, Gojo Satoru is the most awkward guy in the world.
Being too powerful, he didn't know how to integrate into the group, and was subconsciously ostracized, subconsciously treated as a monster, and subconsciously relied upon and blamed.
He uses comical smiles and exaggerated performances to mask the loneliness and desolation hidden behind them.
From beginning to end, he could never escape the curse known as "the strongest".
"Really? Never mind those things. Do you have any daifuku? And cola? I like sweet things."
"The scrambled eggs with tomatoes had a lot of sugar in them, so it should be considered sweet."
"Chinese food? I haven't eaten much of it."
"It tastes good, but it has more oily fumes than Japanese food."
While speaking, Zenji Qing prepared bowls and chopsticks for everyone.
Seeing this, Ye Mo Zhengdao was no longer in a hurry to let Xia Youjie show his abilities. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves and went forward to help the Zen Temple serve the dishes.
Xia Youjie also went over to help serve the rice, but when he got to Gojo Satoru's side, looking at the silver-haired boy standing motionless in front of him, he said with slight displeasure:
"Don't just stand there, come and help me take the rice I've served over there."
Upon hearing this, Gojo Satoru glanced at Xia Youjie, a slight look of surprise on his face. However, seeing that the other party ignored him, he didn't say anything, but silently followed behind Xia Youjie and obediently took the rice bowl.
"Do you wear sunglasses even when you go to someone else's house? The lights aren't on yet, don't you think it's a bit dark around here?"
While serving rice to Gojo Satoru, Xia Youjie asked him some questions with some curiosity.
"My eyes are a bit special; even when covered by a cloth, there's nothing I can't see."
Gojo Satoru wasn't annoyed by Natsumi Yuuki's questions. He rarely had the opportunity to have normal conversations with people his own age. Most people would choose to stay away from him once they knew his identity and status.
Although that weirdo with the strange bangs in front of me will most likely end up like that, before that happens, I can still chat with him for a bit.
Hearing Gojo Satoru's words, Natsumi Yuuki simply shrugged, then handed him another bowl and instructed him:
"I don't care about your eye problem. Just take the bowl over there and don't trip over it."
Do you care about me?
Hearing Gojo Satoru's somewhat abrupt and strange question, Xia Youjie felt that the other party had some kind of problem with his mind:
"I just didn't want you to break someone else's bowl."
"oh."
Gojo Satoru's answer was somewhat brief this time, and he then took his bowl and chopsticks and left.
As Xia Youjie watched the other person's departing figure, he felt, for some reason, that Wu Tiao Wu was somewhat similar to a friendless, withdrawn child in his class.
Chapter-57
Since he was old enough to understand, Gojo Satoru has basically never eaten with anyone like this, not even his own parents.
No, to be precise, Gojo Satoru hadn't really seen his parents much since he was born.
It is said that this was to protect the safety of his parents and prevent anyone from threatening him through his parents.
So far, Gojo Satoru doesn't even recognize his own parents.
The only people who have been with him since childhood are some of the people in the Gojo family who serve him.
He usually eats alone.
No one competed with him for food, no one urged him to eat, and no one spoke to him while he ate.
This lively atmosphere was a first for Gojo Satoru's world.
Perhaps it was because Zenji Sei's cooking was too delicious, but Gojo Satoru hadn't even had a chance to eat a few bites of his favorite tomato and egg stir-fry before he could only stare blankly at the empty bowl.
It was only at this point that Gojo Satoru realized that by constantly pretending to be aloof, he wouldn't actually get any food.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and joined the others in the scramble.
However, in the eyes of the Night Moth Righteous Path, everyone was just having a normal meal.
It's because Gojo Satoru eats too slowly. He chews each bite more than twenty times. Doesn't that mean it turns into mush in his mouth?
This kid's eating habits are weird, not just his chewing gum.
Those people from the Gojo family, for the sake of such a powerful patriarch, have truly lost all humanity...
He shook his head, feeling that the dolls he created were more human than Gojo Satoru.
It seems that taking him away from the Gojo family early on was the right thing to do. If the Gojo family had continued to raise him, it's hard to say what kind of person Gojo Satoru would have become.
Thinking of this, Yamo Masamichi suddenly raised his head, looked at the three people in front of him, and, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, asked the three little devils:
"You three little devils, with your talents, it's a sure thing that you'll be admitted to the Spellcasting Academy. But before you enroll, I have a question for you. If you don't answer this question well, then no matter how talented you are, I will ask the higher-ups to make sure you are not admitted. So think carefully about how to answer, and just follow your hearts."
The sudden seriousness of Yae Masamichi's words caused the three people present to put down their chopsticks and sit up straight, looking at Yae Masamichi in front of them.
"What kind of relationship do you think exists between sorcerers and non-sorcerers? Or, do you think sorcerers should risk their lives to protect non-sorcerers?"
Upon hearing Moth Masamichi's words, the three people present gave their answers almost simultaneously.
"Those who are protected must be worthy of protection; not all ordinary people deserve protection."
"If the existence of sorcerers is not for the purpose of protecting ordinary people, then the existence of sorcerers is unnecessary."
"It has little to do with sorcerers. As for whether I'll save them or not, that depends on my mood."
The above answers were given by Zenji Sei, Natsuyuki, and Gojo Satoru, respectively.
Just by listening to everyone's answers, Yamo Masamichi was able to roughly deduce the personalities of the three people in front of him.
First is Zenin Kiyoshi. This guy leans between rationalism and emotion. He will protect kind ordinary people, but he will also watch evil people be killed by cursed spirits. Zenin Kiyoshi's kindness will be directed at the target.
Secondly, there is Xia Youjie, who is a complete idealist. In his view, no matter whether a human is evil or not, as long as he is human, he should not be killed by the cursed spirit. Humans make mistakes and are punished by law, while the duty of a sorcerer is to unconditionally save humans from the cursed spirit.
Finally, there was Gojo Satoru. Perhaps due to his upbringing, Yagami Masamichi felt that Gojo Satoru's views on ordinary humans were somewhat indifferent. From Gojo Satoru's words, Yagami Masamichi sensed an indescribable sense of alienation.
Hearing the three men's answers, Yae Masamichi sighed softly, then patted their heads and said:
"They're all acceptable, five points. You need to change your mindset. If possible, I hope you can move closer to Xia You's approach."
Hearing Masamichi Yagami's words, Satoru Gojo's face showed a faint dissatisfaction, and his voice sounded slightly annoyed:
"Is this the correct argument? I actually hate the correct argument the most."
"It's not exactly a formal argument, just my personal advice to you. You can choose to listen or you can choose to believe it."
"Isn't this the same thing?"
Xia Youjie suddenly interjected at this moment, looking at Wutiao Wu with a hint of confusion on his face:
"I can understand Qing's thinking, because there are indeed many heinous people in this world. Even I might not be able to help those bastards. But why are you so indifferent to the lives of ordinary people?"
"They are the weak, and the strong have no reason to protect the weak. I just didn't protect them, nor did I harm them. It's not a mistake."
"The so-called strong are not simply those with great physical strength; on a deeper level, true strength lies in the mind..."
Xia Youjie and Wu Tiaowu continued to debate this point, and the two became more and more agitated, to the point that they even seemed to be about to fight.
Fortunately, Yamo Masamichi stopped them and carried the two away from Zenji Kiyoshi's house.
He knew that Zenjiro was going to Okinawa that night, and staying here would delay Zenjiro from packing his luggage.
Night Moth Path also needs to check on Xia Youjie's family environment and lead the two into the Spellcasting Academy to show them the layout and rooms inside.
As for Xia Youjie's technique, when he saw the other party effortlessly summon dozens of level-two cursed spirits, Ye Mo Zhengdao was convinced that the other party truly possessed the [Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique], which had not appeared for thousands of years.
Such a talented young man would naturally not be left to learn on his own in the countryside by the righteous path of the Night Moth.
There are quite a few curse masters in Tokyo. What if a promising talent gets led astray by those scoundrel curse masters?
For such gifted children, Ye Mo Zhengdao absolutely must instill good values in them from a young age, so that they can become shining examples for ordinary people in the future.
Watching the departing figures of the group, Zenji sighed. Gojo Satoru was indeed as he had predicted—a warm-faced but cold-hearted fellow. Or rather, gaining genuine favor from Gojo Satoru would not be an easy task.
What's more, the train to Okinawa is about to depart.
Chapter-58
The train ticket that Zenji Naobi gave Zenji Seijo was for around 11 p.m. The journey would first take him from Tokyo to Kagoshima, which would take about six hours, followed by a one-hour flight to Okinawa.
Around 7 o'clock, Zenji Shen'er pushed open the door. He looked tired and his complexion wasn't very good.
Zen-in Kiyoshi was watching TV with Hana-yu when he heard the noise at the door. He turned around and glanced in Shen-er's direction, looking at the horse racing numbers that were crumpled in Shen-er's hand, and a gloating smile appeared on his face.
"Lost again?"
"Yeah, I bought number three. It was okay at first, but then that bastard just quit for no reason."
"If this continues, you'll owe me more and more money."
Zenjiro's voice carried a hint of schadenfreude, but Shen'er didn't seem to care, since the money he used to gamble on horse races was borrowed from Zenjiro.
Strangely enough, Zenji Kiyoshi clearly disapproved of his gambling, but whenever he asked to borrow money from him, Zenji Kiyoshi would readily agree without even asking what he was going to do with it.
At first, Shen Er thought that Zenji Qing didn't know that he was going to gamble, but after he confessed once, Zenji Qing still didn't stop him, and even lent him money more and more readily.
As he was about to temporarily leave the casinos in Tokyo, Shen Er, unable to contain his confusion, asked Zenin Kiyoshi:
"Since you knew I was going to bet on horse races, why did you lend me money?"
Zenji Sei's answer to this was straightforward and efficient:
"You're a gambling addict. If you win money, you can pay me back and I won't lose. If you lose money and can't pay it back, with your physical condition, you won't die even if you jump off a building. You can also make a lot of money by working as a laborer. No matter what, I won't lose."
Besides, you've never been very lucky, and your debts are piling up. I can collect interest from you anytime.
Hearing Zenjiro's words, Shen Er clicked his tongue in displeasure, but he didn't dare to refute them. He ignored Zenjiro and instead sniffed the lingering aroma of food in the air before heading straight to the kitchen.
"There's food in the pot, keeping it warm for you. Remember to wash it yourself after you're done eating, don't bother Sister Hua."
Zen-in-shiki was watching TV, and without even turning his head, he gave Shen-er a few instructions.
Do you think I'm the kind of life idiot who likes to bother others with everything?
"They've taken away our lives."
He was rebuked by Zen-in-Chih again, and even his lips twitched a couple of times, but he really couldn't say anything in front of his creditor and his owner.
"Change the TV program, this one's boring. At the end, the guy got into a car accident, and then..."
Before he could finish speaking, a branch that suddenly grew out from beside his feet blocked his mouth!
Hua Yu's voice sounded somewhat resentful. She looked at Shen Er and said in a slightly sinister tone:
"It's extremely impolite to spoil a woman's favorite TV series..."
Zenji Seiseki watched the interaction between the two silently, a faint smile on his face.
Although he hasn't been here for very long, he has already changed the personalities and destinies of many people.
After witnessing Hanami speak in this way, Zenji Kiyoshi could no longer reconcile Hanami's image with the taciturn female spirit in the original work.
But when fate actually took a turn for the better at a certain point, he suddenly realized that most people in this world have a side of their personality that is beyond his comprehension.
Perhaps this is the life they should have had.
There is no grand righteousness in the world of cursed spirits, nor the decadence of being troubled by childhood for a lifetime.
To be honest, the TV dramas that Hua Yu watches are really not good; they're too melodramatic.
After the dishes were cleared away, Zenji Qing looked at Shen'er, who was tidying up things on the side, and suddenly asked:
"How did your day go with Ms. Fushiguro Eri?"
Hearing Zenjiro's sudden question, Shen'er's expression became unusually awkward. He didn't look Zenjiro in the eye, but simply said calmly:
"It's nothing much, I just helped her take out the trash, and she bought me a bottle of water as a thank you gift. But how did you know her name was Fushiguro Eri?"
"It's written on the doorplate, I'm not blind."
Zenji didn't ask any further questions. He had seen Shen'er and Eri return one after the other today, and he had also specifically checked the time on Shen'er's horse racing ticket, which was around 2 PM. This proved that he probably hadn't gone to gamble around 3 PM.
So what did he do between 3:00 and 7:00?
He glanced at Shen'er with a pleased look, and as the other person left somewhat awkwardly, Zen-in Qingxin smiled contentedly.
It seems that Hui's birth won't require any effort on her part.
At 10 p.m., Zenji Kiyoshi comforted Hanami, who was showing signs of separation anxiety, while packing his own luggage.
Perhaps because Hana-no-Yu was born not long ago, she exhibited behaviors in many ways that were beyond Zen-in-no-Sei's comprehension.
Like a kitten abandoned in the rainy night, it becomes extremely dependent on the kind person who adopts it.
At 10:30, Zenji Naokijin's voice, reeking of alcohol, rang out from outside the door, and Zenji Seiwajin opened the door.
Just as they were about to leave the stairwell, Eri opened the door and, with a little coaxing from Sei Zenin, pulled the somewhat reluctant Naoki Zenin downstairs, creating some time alone for Shinji and Eri.
Although it was unclear what the two had talked about, Zenji Kiyoshi could clearly sense that the other person was in a good mood when they came downstairs.
Zenji Naoki smacked his lips twice, not bothering to properly educate Shinji on matters of the heart.
But the old drunkard wasn't entirely useless; at least he started sending people to protect Eri's safety.
He could tell that Eri had more magical power than an ordinary person, but it didn't reach the standard of a sorcerer.
Such people are often the targets that cursed spirits like to attack.
Since she's the woman Shen'er has taken a liking to, he might as well protect her.
After seeing the two off on the train, Zenji Naohito was stopped on his way back.
The police officer made him blow into a tube-like object.
He was then taken away...
The train journey was tiring, but Shen'er was in a good mood throughout. Sometimes, Zenji could even hear the other person humming a song.
An hour later, after transferring from the train to a plane, the two of them were leaving the airport with their bags and belongings when they were greeted by a girl dressed as a maid, who looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old.
She is Misato Kuroi, Riko's personal maid.
Chapter-59
"You two must be the guards Lord Tengen mentioned. You must be tired from your journey. Please follow me. Miss Riko is off school today, so I'll take you there now."
As she spoke, Misato Kuroi walked over to the two of them, smoothly picked up Sei Zenin's luggage, and led them toward a parking lot.
Although Zenji Kiyoshi repeatedly offered to carry his own luggage during this process, Kuroi refused each time.
Unable to refuse Kuroi's request, Zenji Kiyoshi reluctantly handed over his luggage. Under a slightly disdainful gaze, the two of them got into a private car that looked quite expensive.
"Lord Tengen has already informed me that the number of cursed spirits has increased significantly every summer in recent years. With our current defensive capabilities, there are indeed some risks and hidden dangers. It is truly a great help that you two were specially transferred here from Tokyo."
Throughout the entire conversation, Kuroi Misato did not express the slightest doubt about Zenin Kiyoshi's young age, nor did she show any confusion about the lack of any magical power in Shinji. From beginning to end, she sincerely expressed her gratitude to the two of them.
Since she wasn't good at interacting with people, the people she talked to along the way were mostly Zenji Kiyoshi.
After understanding some basic information, Zenji Seiji got down to business:
"Before we came here, Lord Tengen said he would give us some help with spell tools, but because of the confidential nature of spell tools, they are transported through the Panxing Sect. The spell tools there are quite important to us. If possible, please take us to the Panxing Sect first."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Kuroi Misato's face showed a somewhat troubled expression. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi and replied with a hint of helplessness:
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"I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid we won't be able to get those spell tools. Actually, I had already gone to the Panxing Sect before you came. I wanted to get the spell tools in advance so that you wouldn't have to make an extra trip and could save some time."
However, the people from the Panxing Sect refused to listen to me and told me that they had not received any information about the direction of the spell artifacts' transport. Even when I presented the letter given to me by Lord Tianyuan, they did not acknowledge that the envelope in my hand was genuine.
When I tried to continue arguing with them, the aura emanating from those people became strange. I had no choice but to leave under their threats.
As she said this, a slightly embarrassed look appeared on Misato Kuroi's face.
This was her job, and instead of doing it well, she ended up causing both of them to be humiliated along with her...
She was prepared to be scolded by the two people in front of her, and she was also prepared to continue to confront the Panxing Sect. She was also prepared to deal with the possibility of being maliciously harmed by them.
After all, for Misato Kuroi, taking care of Riko Tenten was the only important thing in her life.
This matter had been ingrained in her mind countless times since the day she became aware of things.
It has long since become a mental imprint, deeply engraved in the depths of the soul.
However, the expected scolding did not come. After hearing what he had said, Zenin Sei's voice became even gentler:
"It's alright. Lord Tianyuan already told us about the Panxing Sect when we arrived. In fact, we expected the Panxing Sect to act this time. Given their current methods, it's normal for them to embezzle our magical artifacts."
Shen Er looked at Chan Yuanqing, whose face was expressionless, and was momentarily bewildered. How come he didn't know about these things?
Zenjiro didn't have time to explain to Shinji, so he looked at Kuroi Misato and continued:
"In fact, it wasn't just me; even Lord Tianyuan should have anticipated this situation, but she still chose to have the Panxing Sect transport these magical artifacts. There are only two reasons for this."
First: Panxing Sect is still nominally a faith organization of Lord Tianyuan, and its highest authority is still in the hands of Lord Tianyuan. If some functions are rashly transferred from Panxing Sect at this time, it will inevitably arouse the suspicion of some people who already have ulterior motives.
In this way, the already somewhat chaotic Panxing Sect will become even more disorderly under the instigation of those people. At that time, it will be even more difficult to convey Lord Tianyuan's orders, which is not a good thing for Tianlizi either. Therefore, at this critical juncture, even though Lord Tianyuan actually knows that these supplies will most likely be embezzled by the Panxing Sect, she has no choice but to let the Panxing Sect take over.
Second: How to obtain the spell tools that belong to us from the Panxing Sect is a test of our strength and also an indication of our stance on choosing sides.
A faction within the Panxing Cult is preparing to seize absolute power from Lord Tianyuan through fanatical faith, and even, at times, they intend to make decisions on behalf of Lord Tianyuan.
From Lord Tianyuan's perspective, this group of people are reactionaries who absolutely need to be eliminated, and our cursed tools will most likely be intercepted by these reactionaries. Therefore, this is the critical moment for us to choose sides.
We can either remain silent and avoid contact with the reactionary faction of the Panxing Cult, choosing to remain neutral and not take sides, or we can choose to offend those guys, forcibly retrieve our magical artifacts, and stand with the group of believers who absolutely support Lord Tianyuan in the subsequent process.
This is our first challenge since arriving in Okinawa, and also a test given to us by Lord Tengen.
After analyzing the situation, Zenji Qingjiang sighed slightly and then said:
"So this is not your fault, Miss Kuroi. On the contrary, it is because of us that you have suffered humiliation and harassment from those Panxing cultists today for no reason. I am truly sorry."
I'm somewhat aware of what the Panxing Cult has been doing all these years. Ms. Kuroi, you must have suffered a lot. Thank you for your hard work.
Zenjiro's voice was earnest and gentle, and every word he uttered was like a gentle yet sharp sword, piercing the softest spot in Kuroi's heart.
Everyone told her that she was the servant of the asteroid celestial body, Tian Lizi.
Everyone told her that her only purpose in life was to take care of the astral body.
So everyone told her that she shouldn't have her own feelings and emotions, and that she shouldn't try to obtain things that belong to normal people.
But no one ever noticed that she was actually just a girl in her early twenties.
Chapter-60
It seems that from the moment of birth, you are just a backdrop for others.
No one cares what achievements she makes, nor does anyone care what her preferences are.
No one would pay attention to those things, and no one would care about her thoughts.
She only needed to fulfill the responsibilities of a nanny. In fact, during the period when the Panxing Cult was increasingly disgusted with the Star Essence, Kuroi Satomi could not gain favor with any faction.
The only thing that brings comfort is that Riko Tennen is a very strong and gentle child.
Kariko is only ten years old now, and no matter how sensible she is, she can never truly understand her own emotions.
But the words spoken by Zenji Sei were different; it was as if a face hidden behind a mask had been forcibly peeled away.
She hasn't been seen as "Satomi Kuroi" for a long time.
So long that she herself had forgotten when that "considerate maid" mask had become fused with her flesh and blood.
She was used to taking the identity of "Star Essence Servant" as her primary identity, but when someone actually brought out the face that was buried deep under the mask, she would still shed tears because she couldn't bear the glare of the sunlight.
Kuroi Satomi didn't know why she reacted this way to Zenin Kiyoshi's words. Perhaps it was because it was the first time in her life that someone had shown her concern?
She didn't know the specific reason, but she felt like something was stuck in her throat, making it difficult to speak.
But she wasn't one to show weakness in front of others. She just gently bit her lip, stared ahead, and gripped the steering wheel tightly, her fingertips turning white from the force.
She concealed her slightly red eyes by yawning, and as they crossed the traffic light, she said to Zen Temple Qing:
"I will continue to negotiate with those people from the Panxing Cult. It's best if you don't get too entangled with them. They have been developing in Okinawa for many years. Whether it's unregistered sorcerers at the college or some more extreme curse practitioners, they all have a lot to do with them."
"If we rashly offend them, it will pose a threat to your safety and that of Ms. Riko, so..."
Before Kuroi could finish speaking, Zenin Kiyoshi interrupted her.
"So, in order not to cause us any trouble, you choose to continue to endure all that pain and humiliation alone?"
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Kuroi Satomi was stunned. She had originally thought that Zenin Kiyoshi would refute her with various reasons.
Reasons such as "the expensiveness of the magical artifacts", "Lord Tengen's intentions", and "I can't swallow this insult" are used.
But... she never expected that the other party would use "not wanting to swallow that pain alone" as a reason.
Why, why does he always say things that make it impossible for him to control his emotions?
Before Kuroi Satomi could say anything, Zenin Kiyoshi's voice continued:
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"Taking care of the Star Essence and Miss Riko is just your job, Miss Kuroi. It's just a job that you do around the clock. But that doesn't mean that your life or everything you do is for taking care of others."
"We're here not only to protect Ms. Riko Tennen, but also to protect you. You've never been someone who can be sacrificed easily, nor should you ever be someone else's background character. You have your own choices and your own life; this is just a job."
Hearing Zenjiro's words, Kuroi Satomi could no longer hold back her tears. Two streams of tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, but without making a sound.
Her voice was suppressed and choked, like the intermittent breathing of a drowning person.
"I am a member of the Kuroi family. From the moment we were born, our destiny was already set..."
"You were born into the Kuroi family, and you came into this world because of the Kuroi family, but you were definitely not born into this world for the Kuroi family. The decadent old man behind me and I are from the Zenin family, but we are ashamed of our surnames."
We cannot choose our birth, but that doesn't mean we can't choose our lives. Only an idiot would be troubled by their birth for their entire life.
If your family binds you, then abandon your family. If your family holds you hostage, then calculate how much money you've spent since birth and go out to work to pay them back!
Don't say your parents gave you life; you're just a byproduct of their existence! You didn't beg them to bring you into this world. If they use that to morally blackmail you, sue them for illegally imprisoning you for ten months!
When Zenji Qing finished speaking, a faint smile appeared on his face, which greatly eased the somewhat oppressive atmosphere in the car.
Kuroi Satomi's eyes filled with tears, but when she heard Zenin Kiyoshi's last words, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
She could understand the meaning behind Zen Monastery Qing's words, and while she found it funny, she was also extremely embarrassed.
Shen Er looked at the Zen Temple with a strange look in his eyes.
This kid talks so eloquently, and he even took a while to process what he just said. Where did he get all this information from?
Moreover, I always felt that this kid's words to Kuroi Satomi were loaded with hidden meaning, like he was criticizing her indirectly.
Damn it, am I the kind of idiot who's bound by his family his whole life?
Tsk... only in your twenties, not a lifetime!
Shen Er looked at Chan Yuanqing, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.
That eccentric kid always speaks words that cut to the heart.
Zenin Kiyoshi, looking at Kuroi Satomi before her, added before she could recover from his words:
"Let's go to the Panxing Sect, Miss Kuroi. On one hand, Lord Tengen wants us to take sides, and on the other hand, those cursed tools are very important to us. Moreover, we will come here every year. Are they going to keep all the cursed tools every year?"
We have to go there no matter what; it's an important part of our work. Don't worry, we're very capable, there won't be any problems.
"By the way, could you please buy some fried noodles for us later? We didn't eat much on the plane and train. I'd like them mildly spicy, and he can have them non-spicy."
Listening to Zenjiro's words and looking at his gentle yet resolute eyes, Kuroi Satomi felt a little dizzy.
She swore she never imagined she would be manipulated to this extent by a boy who was only eleven years old.
Mature, composed, gentle, sensitive, witty, humorous...
It seemed as if all the good qualities in the world had been bestowed upon him.
She couldn't refuse his request, nor could she take her eyes off him.