Chapter 201: The Sealed Ksitigarbha Statue, Lotus Light Get Over Here And Die! Stage Quest Ready For Settlement!
A flood of prompts refreshed before Shangshan Che’s eyes, just like the river of Wish Power that had come crashing toward them from the moonlight.
Only now, someone was blocking that endless Wish Power.
Two-Foot Adult.
The roaring river of Wish Power halted before that figure, who even after reverting to her Eight-Foot form still appeared incredibly petite.
Unable to advance an inch.
“Three-and-a-half Star……”
Shangshan Che stared at the prompt showing Two-Foot Adult’s effortless Rank breakthrough, like eating or drinking, yet felt no joy in his heart.
Anyone knew there was no such thing as pie falling from the sky.
Especially since this was an enemy’s sudden killing blow.
In Shangshan Che’s thirty-second silent gaze, the white skirt on Two-Foot Adult inch by inch turned pale gold.
A gentle, radiant halo gradually appeared behind her, and a pristine white Cushion materialized from the void beneath her bare feet.
Two-Foot Adult gently stepped onto the Cushion.
The aura originally belonging to the Supernatural Phenomenon gradually faded, replaced by a Buddha-nature full of compassion and mercy.
Bodhisattva.
Anyone seeing Two-Foot Adult now would have this word emerge in their mind.
Ordinary people would feel an irresistible urge to prostrate and worship just by looking at her.
A pale golden veil draped down from the top of her head.
Two-Foot Adult lowered her gaze and saw the remaining specks of Wish Power.
“Why go this far……”
She sighed softly, spreading her soft white fingers to gather the Wish Power before her into a milky white orb, which she tucked into her sleeve.
“Wish Power is the wishes of all beings, what all beings desire.”
Two-Foot Adult murmured, first casting a gaze filled with cold indifference and Killing Intent toward Lotus Light, who stood dumbfounded at the other end of Nishio City.
But in an instant, that Killing Intent was drowned by surging compassion.
Lotus Light, looking up at her, seemed to realize something and let out a mocking, mad laugh.
“Using Wish Power to redeem demons is not wrong in itself……”
She withdrew her gaze, turning to Shangshan Che who was staring fixedly at her, and saw the ferocious Hannya Mask.
A chill instantly arose on that face filled with Buddha-nature and maternal warmth.
“Demons that harm sentient beings must be exorcised……”
But before she finished speaking, she noticed the red-and-white fox ears on the Hannya Mask, and the four fluffy, soft blood-red fox tails swaying slightly behind.
“Want to pet.”
Without any thought, this idea surfaced in Two-Foot Adult’s mind.
Two-Foot Adult, on the verge of becoming a Bodhisattva and Buddha to save all beings with great vows, froze, a faint trace of clarity struggling to emerge in her eyes.
And that trace of clarity instantly turned into irrepressible fury!
—Damn it, damn it damn it damn it damn it!
—Damn Wish Power, damn Lotus Light, damn Buddhist vision!!!
That face, originally like a compassionate Bodhisattva, twisted ferociously as Two-Foot Adult once again gazed down from the high heavens toward Lotus Light on the ground.
—You mortals dare make me harbor Killing Intent toward Che Adult!
But this Killing Intent and rage, as if to devour everything, lasted only an instant before being greatly diminished in the vast sea-like great vow.
Two-Foot Adult’s pupils contracted, fear of resistance appearing in her eyes for the first time.
She realized her remaining time was short.
No.
Rather, the time before she became a machine driven by this great vow was nearly gone.
Kill Lotus Light……
No matter what, it was too late.
Realizing this, a positioning coordinate countless times stronger than before slammed straight down onto Lotus Light’s head, merging into his body without him noticing.
At the same time, a gold-and-white electronic screen appeared in Shangshan Che’s hand.
Two-Foot Adult immediately spoke, her majestic voice surging toward the night sky in all directions along with Buddha Light that destroyed every Affliction Kin in its path.
“—The Hōshu of Jodo Shinshu, Lotus Light, is a sinner!”
In the next instant, under Lotus Light’s indifferent gaze, Two-Foot Adult in the night sky vanished with a poof.
Without warning, destination unknown.
Shangshan Che silently lowered his head to look at the new prompt that jumped out.
After a Kill Prompt from Two-Foot Adult, the most crucial prompt appeared.
【Your Shikigami “Hachishaku-sama” has returned to the Familiar “complete Ksitigarbha Statue.”】
【Your Shikigami “Hachishaku-sama” has forcibly self-sealed within the Familiar.】
【You obtained the sealed Ksitigarbha Statue!】
【Sealed Ksitigarbha Statue】
【—Hachishaku-sama consumed massive Wish Power to stasis her body and mind, sealing herself in the Ksitigarbha Statue. Only her master can open it.】
Shangshan Che wordlessly read through the prompts one by one.
He had figured it out.
Everything Two-Foot Adult said before rushing out was a lie.
Even if she could absorb it, she actually had little resistance to this Wish Power.
—Her earlier changes in demeanor and gaze, combined with now sealing herself in the Ksitigarbha Statue without a word, all proved this.
Two-Foot Adult was likely about to have even her self devoured by the so-called “wishes of all beings.”
Shangshan Che took the Ksitigarbha Statue out from the Storage Bag.
He looked at the small Ksitigarbha Statue wrapped in flowing golden sutras, then flipped it over.
On the back of the Ksitigarbha Statue, a line of crooked text appeared.
【—Che Adult, please save me.】
Shangshan Che half-lowered his eyes, gently rubbing the text with his fingertip.
Silent.
Meanwhile, Imagawa Yoshimoto standing beside him clearly felt the suffocating atmosphere.
She opened her mouth,
“Tetsu-kun……”
“Lord Yoshimoto.”
Unusually, Shangshan Che directly interrupted Imagawa Yoshimoto.
He said: “I will leave some Shikigami for you to command.”
His voice was hoarse and rough, like two pieces of cold raw iron grinding slowly.
As for the purpose, no explanation was needed.
Shangshan Che silently stared at the green and red dots on the gold-white positioning panel, then took out the Koma-inu Bell and the bloodstained Hina Crown, pouring Spiritual Power into them.
“Woof!”
Accompanied by a loud bark from the Koma-inu Hatamoto, two Koma-inu Hatamoto and seven One-and-a-Half Star Dolls appeared beside Imagawa Yoshimoto.
With a thought, Shangshan Che used the Item to summon the Shikigami, who bowed to Imagawa Yoshimoto.
“Che……”
As Imagawa Yoshimoto reached out, her vision was pierced by a pale white Lightning shooting straight into the sky.
Boom—!
A thunderous roar that made one tremble resounded.
“Lotus Light!”
Then a roar, demonic and ghostly, came from above, resounding word by word in everyone’s ears,
“Get over here and die!!!”
The cold white arc tore through the night sky, crossing half of Nishio City in an instant.
“—Tch!”
Lotus Light looked up, staring deadly at the purposeful Lightning.
Undoubtedly, it was coming for him.
Great Onmyoji Che.
Only that Che could wield such vast Lightning and do this.
Lotus Light’s fingers clenched, realizing the Wish Power usable in Nishio City was nearly depleted.
“Damn it……”
The image of that white-skirted figure flashed in his mind.
Lotus Light watched the approaching Lightning and thought to himself.
—Since Great Onmyoji Che killed Affliction in such a short time, it proves he is far stronger than me.
Must escape.
Escaping now, there were countless ways to return.
Even assimilating into a Buddha incarnation with Wish Power was an option.
But losing his life meant everything was over.
“Great Onmyoji Che…… I remember you.”
Lotus Light murmured lowly, then instantly vanished from the center of the assembled Warrior Monks.
The Warrior Monks, not understanding what happened, looked at each other, unsure what to do next.
Ten seconds later, surging Lightning descended from the sky.
An indifferent voice emerged from it,
“Lotus Light escaped?”
Rustle.
The remaining Warrior Monks shuddered, raising their weapons toward the terrifying Demon emerging from the Lightning.
The White Hannya’s Mask was emotionless, only the fully crimson fox ears proving their master’s Anger.
“You…… sure you want to block me?”
Shangshan Che looked down at the rapidly moving red dot on the electronic screen and asked softly.
The iron weapons surrounding him pressed closer.
Thus, a pale Blade slid out from the Crimson Scabbard.
……
Nearly a minute later, Lotus Light, who had concealed his breath and hidden in the forest outside the city, peered out from the bushes.
In the silent night sky, the faintly red Lightning was clearly visible.
“This monster……”
Lotus Light cursed inwardly.
He had just gathered at least hundreds of Warrior Monks, many veterans accomplished in Breathing Technique and battle-hardened.
Yet so many couldn’t hold out even a minute.
Good thing he decisively fled, or he’d probably be a puddle of blood mud by now……
But fortunately.
His concealment methods were strong, and now blended perfectly with the forest aura.
Unless Great Onmyoji Che leveled the entire mountain, he couldn’t be found……
“Hello.”
The Four-tailed Fox’s hoarse voice interrupted Lotus Light’s thoughts, making him freeze.
Lotus Light looked up in shock, finding the red Lightning in the sky gone.
He turned in horror to the Hannya Mask already before him: “How did you find—”
Before he finished, pain exploded at his right arm and shoulder joint, followed by illusory fire rising from the wound, making his face twitch.
Shangshan Che calmly watched Lotus Light with Buddha Light rising from his hand and said softly,
“Since you won’t come, I have to come find you.”
Lotus Light secretly gathered Qi and Buddha Light in his left hand, stalling with words: “Che, perhaps we don’t have to……”
Crack.
Before Lotus Light could react, his left arm felt empty.
“Shh, don’t speak.”
Shangshan Che held a finger to the crack in the Hannya Mask, deliberately having Kaga Kiyomitsu retract Blade of Parting: “Hearing your voice annoys me.”
Only Blazing Fortune’s fire burned Lotus Light’s Spirit and Body.
Simultaneously cauterizing the wounds black, not a drop of blood from such gashes.
Lotus Light retreated, his fleshy face surging with desperate Killing Intent: “Che! Don’t think you’ve got me!”
Swoosh.
Blade light flashed again, brutally interrupting the terrifying Buddha Light about to form.
Lotus Light stumbled, falling to the ground.
He looked at his three intact limbs scattered in the grass, eyes twitching, confidence mostly gone.
If Lotus Light could fully charge and release his power, he might trouble Shangshan Che greatly, even instant-kill him if off-guard.
But compared to Affliction, Lotus Light was like a baby holding a Sharp Weapon but unable to use it.
Shangshan Che looked down at Lotus Light, whose face shifted repeatedly,
“I said, don’t speak.”
“Che! If I self-detonate, you too—”
Kaga Kiyomitsu fell, severing the last limb.
The White Hannya’s Mask blocked the moonlight, the eye area pitch black, devoid of joy or sorrow.
Like a Ghost God examining a mortal.
Shangshan Che finally saw undisguised fear in this Hōshu of Jodo Shinshu’s eyes, so he contentedly let Kaga Kiyomitsu precisely embed into Lotus Light’s face.
The Blade lightly sliced through the energy node holding all of Lotus Light’s power, bisecting it.
Pale, Lightning, Qi Barrier, and illusory fire rose together.
“Oh, then explode.”
Shangshan Che laughed pleasantly.
He spat on Lotus Light’s ferocious, death-defying corpse still believing it could self-detonate and take him along, then crushed it underfoot.
【You killed Hōshu·Lotus Light（Three-and-a-half Star）（Half Buddha Incarnation）, you obtained 0 Soul Ash!】
【You obtained Wish Power Crystal（Special Material）!】
Shangshan Che exhaled freely, glancing over the prompts.
Ha, this Lotus Light was also Three-and-a-half Star, yet couldn’t even touch him in enraged state.
His thinking was right.
The gap between Three-and-a-half Stars and Three-and-a-half Stars was even greater than between Normal and Three-and-a-half Star.
【You used Kaga Kiyomitsu to slay Hōshu·Lotus Light, Kaga Kiyomitsu·Blade of Parting’s Quality moderately improved!】
【Your skill, Natural Reason School Proficiency +100!】
【Your skill, Five Thunder Technique·Qi Union Proficiency +100!】
【Your skill, Spirit Control Technique·Qi Proficiency +100!】
【Your skill, Sword Technique·Natural Reason School has reached Expert Level!】
After slaying Lotus Light, Natural Reason School finally broke through the Proficiency bottleneck.
Vaguely, Shangshan Che felt a fundamental change somewhere.
But with little rage time left and Affliction Kin still in Nishio City uncleared.
Compared to prompts viewable anytime and self-organization, remaining rage time was more precious.
【You killed all key figures in Stage Quest·Mikawa Riot—Affliction Incarnation, Hōshu·Lotus Light, your task evaluation will greatly improve!】
【Walker of the Eternal World has key influence on history, calculating Historical Influence change……】
Shangshan Che pushed all other prompts to the edge of his vision for later.
Lightning shifted from red back to white, speeding toward Nishio City again.
……
With Lotus Light dead, the Wish Power-driven Barrier guiding people’s thoughts in Nishio City lost effect.
Some residents snapped out of Bewitchment, regained self, froze in place.
But most residents showed no difference, as if unchanged.
They were influenced by Wish Power, tormented by pain, stripped of thought by countless Plagues from Affliction, turned into true Wish Power machines.
As time passed, self-regained residents recalled all events so far, then felt the persisting Plague on them.
At this rate, they might die tortured alive before their thoughtless family and friends.
Despair appeared uniformly on their faces.
At that moment.
Thunder came, countless electric lights spread from a point, lighting the night sky like daylight.
In Nishio City, bewildered and Stupor-stricken people instinctively looked up.
“So bright…… is that someone emitting it?”
“Deity!” someone suddenly shouted, voice joyful and shocked, “Is that Divine Lord?”
“Divine Lord!”
“Yes, only Divine Lord!”
In the noisy discussions, countless knelt toward the Lightning’s center,
“Divine Lord, please save us!”
“Divine Lord, please save us!”
—Affliction Kin still in the city fell like rain, then pierced mid-air by a Daito and dissolved.
Ten minutes later, Lightning temporarily faded, leaving only the continuously kneeling people in the city.
Shangshan Che returned to Imagawa Yoshimoto, visible at a glance.
The two exchanged a look.
Imagawa Yoshimoto asked nothing, just said: “Send me to the sky, then follow the original plan……”
“Okay.”
Shangshan Che nodded, unmindful of her Demon blood, scooping up the girl in dark armor amid her short yelp, soaring straight up.
Hundreds of meters high, Shangshan Che used Spirit Control Technique to form colorless transparent steps from atmosphere under Imagawa Yoshimoto’s feet.
He nodded,
“Lord Yoshimoto, you can speak.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto irritably clenched her fist, then took a deep breath, casting aside excess Emotions,
She said: “Residents of Nishio City.”
Under the frenzied dancing Lightning Dragon, Imagawa Yoshimoto’s voice was solemn,
“I am the lord of Mikawa Province, Imagawa Yoshimoto.”
“My standing here means the culprits in the city have all been executed.”
She declared loudly,
“—After I arrive, Demons will be slain, diseases cured, no more dying in Despair.”
Remaining Half-dead Birds in the city rushed at Imagawa Yoshimoto, then turned to ash by Shangshan Che’s casual wind-blown scorch.
Under godlike power, gazes from all over Nishio City gathered on her, expectant and reverent.
Imagawa Yoshimoto unflinchingly accepted it all, promising them: “From now on……”
Minutes later, a task completion prompt jumped before Shangshan Che—
【Current task completion: 60%, may settle Stage Quest·Suppress Mikawa!】
【Or choose not to settle, continue accumulating completion.】
【Current task completion: 60%.】
【Note 1: Higher Stage Quest settlement completion increases Main Quest “Lord of Tokaido” progress!】
【Note 2: Higher Stage Quest settlement completion for richer rewards!】
Retracting Lightning, Shangshan Che landed with Imagawa Yoshimoto on the grounded Floating Cube.
Now, the cube served only as a one-way mirrored Room.
Shangshan Che took out the Juni-hitoe, placing it on the cube’s clean floor.
Imagawa Yoshimoto saw this and understood.
Without Shangshan Che saying, she knew what was coming.
She wiped blood from her cheek, lifting her chin to him: “Leave the rest to me.”
Shangshan Che paused slightly, swallowing his words.
Thus, he didn’t settle the Stage Quest immediately, instead letting Imagawa Yoshimoto finish for higher completion.
Rage duration ended.
As expected, Shangshan Che collapsed onto the cube floor.
Without checking info or prompts, he fell into exhausted coma.
5.5k
200 chapters, confetti!
Sorry for less today meow, will make up for it!
