Trafford's Trading Club

728: Chapter 141: Is There Such a Life?

(Final) 728: Chapter 141: Is There Such a Life?

(Final) ——[If Nagato Tsuruko can return safely, she will take over as the Miko of the Zaodao Shrine.

Since Nagato Tsuruko left quietly, the Early Rice Shrine Maiden has been diligently preparing for the succession ceremony, more thoroughly than anyone could compare.

The Dog God Inuyasha had already transformed back and forth between stone statue and visible form four times since morning, each time entering the main hall to glance at the Early Rice Shrine Maiden before leaving.

It was not until the fifth time that the Early Rice Shrine Maiden spoke, “Inuyasha, go to the cave and fetch some pond water for me.”]

——[“You’ve prepared so thoroughly, it seems you believe that the dead little dog will return safely.” Inuyasha leaned against the door outside, not moving immediately.]

——[The Early Rice Shrine Maiden said softly, “If she returns safely, these preparations will come in handy.

If she doesn’t, then they’re preparations made early for next time.

Either way, it’s better to be prepared than not.”]

——[“Your test is too difficult!” Inuyasha frowned, “I have crossed paths with the Red-Robed Sorcerer before.

You know, even I am not his match.

If I hadn’t been injured by him back then, you wouldn’t have subdued me so easily.

Now you’re sending that dead little dog to deal with him, it’s like sending him to his death!”]

——[“You’ve always harbored resentment against me for making you a Dog God.

Now, your contract has been transferred to Tsuruko.

If she unfortunately fails, the contract will automatically dissolve, and you will gain your freedom, won’t you?

If she returns safely, shouldn’t you feel sad?” The Early Rice Shrine Maiden glanced at Inuyasha once more.]

——[“Of course!” Inuyasha replied without looking back, walking out of the main hall.]

This Divine Wind carried an extraordinarily peculiar power.

Zhuifeng and Mo Xiaofei not only failed to escape but were instead blown a considerable distance away, without stopping.

Yet, a powerful force suddenly erupted from Zhuifeng’s body.

Grabbing Mo Xiaofei with one hand and Zi Xing with the other, he let out a roar, breaking free from this Divine Wind, and landed on the ground.

“Zhuifeng, you…” Mo Xiaofei worried that such an explosive force would harm Zhuifeng’s body — after all, Zhuifeng seemed quite exhausted before all this.

However, Zhuifeng shook his head and said, “I don’t know why, but after that damned woman summoned a light directed at me, I felt an endless surge of power flowing from this body.”

Mo Xiaofei frowned, “She wants you to help her deal with the fox-transformed Nagato Tsuruko?”

But upon further thought, Mo Xiaofei wasn’t sure.

If the young Miko had such an intention, she shouldn’t have sent them away.

Through simultaneously touching that wounded-eyed monster, he and Zhuifeng exchanged experiences from the Yan Wuyue World and gained some understanding of the affairs between ‘Inuyasha’ and ‘Miko’.

“Bro, I want to go back.” Zhuifeng suddenly lifted his head, “I don’t know why, but I just have a feeling I have to go back.”

Mo Xiaofei said nothing, simply nodding.

He had almost exhausted his power, and now with a splitting headache, he needed to rest for a while.

“Go ahead.

I’ll take this time to recover.

Leave Zi Xing to me.”

Zhuifeng nodded, glanced at the unconscious Zi Xing…

Swift activated!

The Miko seemed to have purified Inuyasha’s monster bloodline, significantly enhancing the quality of this body, and it seemed to have also increased the speed of this Swift ability.

Mo Xiaofei found a secluded place to settle in.

He placed Zi Xing down, sat cross-legged, silently reciting the Heart Sutra, allowing himself to enter a state of no thought and no desire — after this spiritual upheaval, Mo Xiaofei vaguely felt that his spiritual power had changed somewhat.

“At that time, the figure that seemed like an emperor, what exactly was it…” A fleeting thought passed through Mo Xiaofei’s mind, but he quickly shook his head and once again focused on regaining his spiritual power.

It felt as if a cool sensation began to surge in his mind, but he couldn’t pinpoint the source.

He suddenly opened his eyes in disbelief, “Huh, why is my spiritual power recovering so much faster now!”

If his spiritual power had recovered at a speed of 1 when trained by Long Xiruo, then now the speed was at least…

5!

——[According to the child’s reminder, Nagato Tsuruko waited until just before midnight to act.

The Toad Demon Red-Robed Sorcerer is rumored to be a powerful monster, and the Early Rice Shrine Maiden possesses a notebook that explains things about the Red-Robed Sorcerer.

This notebook was written during the Early Rice Shrine Maiden’s travels and recorded many legendary monsters and tales of gods and ghosts from various places.

It is said that it has been passed down from the first generation of the Early Rice Shrine Maiden, refined over generations.

Nagato Tsuruko thought she should also record her experiences in the notebook for the future.

She hadn’t thought about whether she could deal with the Red-Robed Sorcerer.]

——[Why think about it?

She felt life was so short; decades passed quickly and couldn’t compare with the life of monsters and gods.

Therefore, life should be more efficient.

Wasting time on worries was pointless—just figure out how to do things well…

Once she safely returned, the expression on that foolish dog’s face would be interesting, wouldn’t it?

Although unwilling to waste life on meaningless worries, fears, and fantasies, Nagato Tsuruko discovered that yearning for the future made her more proactive.]

——[The Red-Robed Sorcerer is a monster that’s difficult to destroy or purify.

Before departing, the Early Rice Shrine Maiden had told Nagato Tsuruko that with her abilities, the best she could do was seal the Red-Robed Sorcerer.

Now, the place where the Red-Robed Sorcerer was hiding was right in front of her.

Nagato Tsuruko saw a dim green light emanating from there and paused to consider, then slowed her steps and took down her wooden bow and arrows.

At that moment, a fierce wind picked up outside the cave, eerie as ghostly wails, and a figure flew out from the cave, stepping on seven-colored clouds, clad in red kasaya, smiling kindly like a benevolent elder, “Amitabha.” ]

——[“Red-Robed Sorcerer?” Nagato Tsuruko immediately drew an arrow and pointed it at the figure.

]

——[“A shrine maiden?

What brings you here at this late hour?” The Red-Robed Sorcerer descended from the clouds, his amiable smile resembling that of a statue from an ancient temple.]

——[Nagato Tsuruko felt the vast and abyssal mana of the Red-Robed Sorcerer at that moment.

However, this mana initially exuded a strangeness—completely lacking the calm and peace of a monk that the Early Rice Shrine Maiden had mentioned, prompting her to remain vigilant.

Moreover, it didn’t match what the child at the mountain’s base had said about the Red-Robed Sorcerer’s weakest time being midnight.

If this was already the Red-Robed Sorcerer at his weakest, then his full power was truly terrifying.

Nagato Tsuruko’s mind grew heavy as she observed the surrounding terrain.

Without warning, she released a probing arrow.]

——[The Red-Robed Sorcerer easily caught Nagato Tsuruko’s arrow, his smile widening, “Did the shrine maiden hear that midnight is my weakest time, so she came to disturb me intentionally?”]

——[Nagato Tsuruko ignored him and swiftly changed positions, shooting another arrow.

The Red-Robed Sorcerer once again easily caught it, chuckling, “The spiritual power in your arrows is strong; if they hit, they could cause serious trouble.

Unfortunately, you can’t hit me.

Let me tell you, midnight is indeed a significant time for me, but it’s not my weakest; it’s my strongest time.”]

——[The Red-Robed Sorcerer opened his mouth and exhaled a cloud of colored mist.

The mist expanded with the wind, like colorful gusts, withering trees and plants wherever it passed.

Nagato Tsuruko couldn’t evade it in time, and her skirt got stained, corroding a corner away.

She couldn’t help but feel an additional weight and recalled the boy crying secretly at the foot of the mountain, “Did you instruct that boy?”]

——[The Red-Robed Sorcerer laughed twice, “I merely promised to spare his brother, and he willingly worked for me.

Each time an Onmyoji or monk arrives, they think they’ve acquired valuable information, unaware they’ve fallen into my trap.

You, shrine maiden, your spiritual power is pure.

Though you can’t serve as a Child for my long life secret technique, devouring you would still be quite nice!

Let me tell you, young ones, so young, so simple—they die quickly!

Haha!” The Red-Robed Sorcerer gave a hearty laugh and waved his hands, causing the soil of the mountain forest to churn open.

Little monsters the size of wolf dogs, with the body of toads, surged forth, making it hard to count their numbers.

Nagato Tsuruko didn’t know what powerful magic the Red-Robed Sorcerer had mastered, falling into the siege of many little monsters, appearing precarious.]

In her memory, the young shrine maiden seldom experienced bodily pain, as her strong spiritual power made it impossible for monsters to withstand a single arrow in her presence.

Yet now, this fox-possessed Nagato Tsuruko left several deep, bone-exposing wounds with a single claw, and as the fresh blood flowed, the pain triggered the body’s instinctive reaction, making breathing difficult for the young shrine maiden.

Clearly, the moment she acted against Arex, she had already crossed Nagato Tsuruko, who had transformed into a vixen…

crossed Miki’s line.

Looking at Miki’s gradually reddening eyes, the young shrine maiden drew another arrow on her wooden bow.

The immaculate spiritual power, having absorbed another Miki’s power, had long changed in quality, losing its strong restraint on monsters, but in terms of power, it had risen to levels capable of threatening powerful monsters.

“You really never regretted it,” Miki looked at the young shrine maiden’s cold face, letting out a bitter smile, “In the past you abandoned me, now you plan to destroy me, even erasing what I hold dear…

You shouldn’t exist at all!”

Shoo—!

The feathered arrows shot out instantly, Miki let out a mournful cry, and the degree of her transformation into a fox deepened once again.

The green demonic power formed an outer garment resembling that of a real fox demon!

Now, Miki simply opened her mouth and easily caught the feathered arrows shot by the young shrine maiden!

Without any hesitation, the fox-formed Nagato Tsuruko bit into the shoulder of the young shrine maiden, her sharp teeth tearing off a piece of flesh.

——[Shot after shot of feathered arrows flew out, and a large number of little toad monsters fell before Nagato Tsuruko.

However, the quiver on her back was nearly empty, while that Red-Robed Sorcerer on the colorful cloud remained calm and composed, the difference was clear, “Shrine maiden, give up your resistance, I will make sure you feel no pain.”]

——[Nagato Tsuruko reached into her quiver, only to find it empty.

Her expression changed slightly, but she had no time to think further and could only wield her wooden bow, swinging it at the little toad monsters pouncing on her.

This wooden bow, enhanced with spiritual energy, also possessed considerable power.

Unfortunately, a wooden bow was ultimately less convenient than feathered arrows and required more spiritual energy.

Would she fall here like this?

She looked at the wound on her arm from the bite of a little toad monster.

During her days of training on the mountain, she had gotten injured, but that was nothing like now.

She remembered the Early Rice Shrine Maiden saying that when people are about to die, they recall their past.

Nagato Tsuruko felt no such thing; the massive expenditure of spiritual energy only left her feeling exhausted.

If she hadn’t agreed to become a training shrine maiden then, would today’s events have been different?

As Nagato Tsuruko of the Nagato House, she lived in the big mansion of the Nagato family.

She watched as Nagato Saburo and Narukami Haru’s child was born, and as Ah Xiu and Shinji’s child came into the world.

In the time ahead, she would attend Nagato Munachika’s funeral, who might die of illness or old age, and watch one elder after another leave.

Perhaps she would marry a little earlier, have children, until one day, her descendants would stand before her tomb.

That didn’t seem so bad either.]

——[“Little dog!

Hold on!”]

——[An anxious voice sounded from afar, and under the moonlit night, a fiery red figure burst into the swarm of little toad monsters, swinging hands that had transformed into claws, ‘Little dog, don’t give up here.

If you don’t take off the necklace for me, I’ll be quite troubled!

Don’t pass the trouble onto me!’]

——[“Inuyasha, what are you doing here?

Didn’t Lady Miko say you must not intervene?” Nagato Tsuruko frowned.]

——[“Who cares about that!

Besides, I have a score to settle with this stinking toad!” Inuyasha drew the sword from his waist.

It’s said this sword was forged from the tooth of Inuyasha’s father, an incredibly powerful demon.

Using it, Inuyasha unleashed three powerful blasts of wind, instantly clearing the ground of little toad monsters.

He slung the sword over his shoulder and charged toward the Red-Robed Sorcerer without a word!]

——[“It’s you again, half-demon.

So, you’re still alive.” The Red-Robed Sorcerer was unafraid, with a sinister grin, recklessly conjuring fierce winds and eerie poisonous mist.

He then pulled out a nine-foot Zen staff, confronting Inuyasha’s sword.]

——[Inuyasha was initially at a disadvantage compared to the Red-Robed Sorcerer, and now the sorcerer’s power had grown, harming unknown numbers of children.

Feeling the pressure rapidly increase after just a few rounds, Inuyasha, noticing that Nagato Tsuruko was still motionless, couldn’t help but shout, “Little dog, don’t be foolish!

You’re still so young, it’s okay to rely on others when you can’t manage!”]

——[“You hold off the Red-Robed Sorcerer!

I will prepare the sealing spell!” Nagato Tsuruko nodded and put down the wooden bow in her hand, forming hand seals, as the remaining spiritual energy began to surge.

She started chanting incantations like songs or poems.]

——[“The wind upon the water is guided by its current direction.” Nagato Tsuruko’s voice echoed around, the trees in the mountain stream swaying.

Inuyasha held his sword high, striking the Red-Robed Sorcerer fiercely, as a surge of spiritual energy rose from the ground, entwining the Red-Robed Sorcerer, restricting his movement.

The sorcerer’s ferocity was instantly inflamed, but despite his resistance, the sealing power grew stronger, binding him gradually with the sealing forces formed by spiritual energy.]

Miki bit off the flesh from the young shrine maiden’s shoulder and did not stop.

Her sharp claws now circled behind the young shrine maiden, leaving several deep gashes on her back.

This pain was still too much, causing the young shrine maiden to let out a muffled groan.

——[“The melody drifts around, echoing melodiously.”]

The young shrine maiden forcefully grasped the wooden bow in her hand, unable to load an arrow in time.

She resorted to striking Miki with the wooden bow.

Severely injured, such a move agitated her wounds, and inevitably she was off-target.

Miki seized this excellent opportunity, her tail suddenly swelling, directly wrapping the young shrine maiden’s body.

——[“Sway, sway, enter the endless firmament.”]

The tail coiled around the young shrine maiden’s neck, making her breathless.

The tail contracted fiercely, as if intent on crushing her body completely.

She raised her head, looking at the sky, where the starlight was dim, realizing this full moon night wasn’t beautiful at all.

——[“Traverse through time, coming and going, descending upon this mortal world.”]

“Hateful, hateful, hateful!

Nagato Tsuruko, I hate you the most!!” Miki’s eyes were blood-red, her body’s distortion increasingly severe.

She resembled a monster covered in hair, with a ferocious gaze fixed on the young shrine maiden’s face.

——[“Now, my friend, come to the earth.”]

The sound of bones breaking began to resonate, the young shrine maiden’s face altering slightly due to the pain.

She struggled to shift her gaze downward.

——[“Let us sing the forgotten song, retrieve our lost feelings.”]

Miki, without hesitation, suddenly opened her hand, and the tail wrapped around the young shrine maiden loosened slightly.

——[“Until the moment we meet again, deeply, deeply asleep.”]

Thus, the knife-sharp hand swept unimpeded through the loosened tail, piercing straight from the position of the heart.

The young shrine maiden’s pupils opened momentarily, then lost all color.

——[“Time is passing.”]

——[Unknowing when the sealing was completed, the Red-Robed Sorcerer ultimately vanished, leaving only the Zen staff.

He was sealed within the Zen staff.

Inuyasha picked up the Zen staff, shook it, then looked at Nagato Tsuruko with disdain, saying: “Not bad, dead little dog, these years you haven’t studied in vain.”]

——[Nagato Tsuruko’s mouth displayed a slight smile.

Despite having numerous wounds on her body, none were serious.

But facing Inuyasha’s annoying teasing, she was displeased and softly replied, “Sit down!”]

——[“Dead little dog, I came to save you, and you still…!!”]

Miki withdrew her hand from the young shrine maiden, blood seeping through.

She released her tail, and without support, the young shrine maiden’s body fell from the sky.

Miki quietly watched this scene.

——[Facing Inuyasha’s dissatisfaction and anger, Nagato Tsuruko’s smile seemed to grow a little bigger.

She turned her back and said: “Inuyasha, let’s go back.”]

Miki closed her eyes, and the rampant power within her suddenly calmed, “Rest in peace.”