Chapter 40: Ki-gong Technique, Mastery Level!
Shangshan Che didn’t expect there to actually be an item that could directly increase skill proficiency.
This is great.
Although a single Spell Scroll only increases proficiency by a mere 100 points, it perfectly matched his Ki-Gong Technique Fragment that was just about to level up.
There was no need to hesitate at all, Shangshan Che directly used the Scroll, selecting the skill as “Ki-Gong Technique Fragment”.
He would soon try to subdue the Legendary Hachishaku-sama, so naturally he should increase his combat power by even a little bit now.
After all, the difficulty of subduing was far higher than killing.
【You used, Spell Scroll（Fragment）.】
【Your skill, Ki-Gong Technique Fragment proficiency +100!】
【Your skill, Ki-Gong Technique Fragment has been upgraded to Mastery Level!】
Since this time the proficiency increase came from using an item rather than his own breakthrough, it gave Shangshan Che a more novel experience.
It was as if a pair of large hands suddenly appeared inside his body, correctly and flawlessly guiding all his Internal Qi, then practicing it countless times in an extremely short period.
Thus, the breakthrough was completed in an instant.
【Ki-Gong Technique Fragment（Mastery 1/600）】
【Effect: Qi flows through the meridians, steps like a roaming dragon, voice like a lion’s roar.】
【The quantity of Qi in your body has decreased, but its quality has greatly improved!】
【Due to your Ki-Gong Technique Fragment reaching Mastery, your Physique +2!】
After the Ki-Gong Technique broke through to Mastery Level, besides the basic Physique bonus and changes in the effect description, Shangshan Che also felt a strange change in his Internal Qi.
He raised his hand and tried to guide some Qi to his fingertips.
The next moment, a section of about half an inch of lustrous white gas suddenly emerged from his fingertips.
The sudden change made Shangshan Che’s pupils contract, he maintained the current Ki-Gong Technique operation and brought his fingertips close to his eyes.
This is… Internal Qi can now be released outside the body?
Shangshan Che blinked and suddenly thought of a term from novels in his previous life: “Gang Jin”.
Gang Jin, as the name implies, forms a layer of iron-hard “Qi Barrier” both inside and on the surface of the body, giving great advantages in both attack and defense.
Although Shangshan Che was still far from being able to release Qi to completely cover his body surface, and the current Qi couldn’t achieve iron-like hardness.
But it could roughly extend Internal Qi half an inch away from the body, which could be considered the youthful version of Gang Jin.
Shangshan Che tried again and found that he could indeed wrap Gang Jin around Kaga Kiyomitsu’s blade.
But doing so not only consumed a lot, but the sharpness of the Qi Barrier was far inferior to the latter, which was counterproductive.
After some experimentation, Shangshan Che found that although Mastery Level Ki-Gong Technique had many uses, its new functions didn’t seem very practical.
He sighed: “I still need to continue raising the level of the Ki-Gong Technique.”
However, for now, Mastery Level Ki-Gong Technique had already boosted his originally explosively growing strength once more.
It was time to go find Hachishaku-sama.
Although he hadn’t discovered Hachishaku-sama’s traces during the last scouting, Shangshan Che already knew the exact location.
—In a Ruined Temple south of the Village, the Ksitigarbha Statue enshrined in the center of the temple had long fallen to the side and shattered.
As for why Hachishaku-sama didn’t appear, he guessed it was because last time he came as the incarnation Laughing Hannya, and his Charm wasn’t high enough.
This time, Shangshan Che decided to use fishing enforcement.
First, without transforming into Laughing Hannya, he would enter the temple pretending to be an ignorant intruder with his true body, and after Hachishaku-sama was lured out by his high Charm of 9 points, he would capture her in one fell swoop.
Although this plan was simple, it should be very effective against face-obsessed Supernatural Phenomena like Hachishaku-sama.
Along the way, Shangshan Che surprisingly found not even a single Farmer or Worker, and this abnormal phenomenon also raised his vigilance.
Perhaps besides Hachishaku-sama, there were other dangers, so he must not be careless due to his increased strength.
After warning himself several times in his heart, Shangshan Che, who had arrived in front of the Ruined Temple, looked left and right, and said to himself in a slightly loud voice:
“There’s actually a temple in this place, it must be that Heaven sees my Cultivation is not easy! Tonight I finally have a place to stay.”
With that, Shangshan Che boldly walked into the temple, picked up a worn Cushion to pad under him, and began meditating in Cultivation with his eyes closed.
He looked exactly like a Swordsman from out of town who had traveled here.
Moreover, a Boy Swordsman with Charm as high as 9 points!
Thus, just as Shangshan Che had his eyes closed for more than ten minutes, a ring of snow-white hat brim quietly appeared at the edge of the Ruined Temple’s Wall.
—Shangshan Che raised an eyebrow; previously when he came as Laughing Hannya and stayed for half an hour, there was no movement at all.
The countryside in the Meiji era was truly in moral decline!
A pair of pitch-black eyes peered through the gap in the Wall, beginning to scrutinize this careless handsome Swordsman.
In this remote Arakawa Village… how long had it been since such a handsome Boy appeared?
Hachishaku-sama’s eyes burned with desire, pacing restlessly outside the Wall, itching to rush in right now, pin that Swordsman to the ground, and have a thorough and detailed deep exchange with him.
However, she restrained this immature impulse.
Rich Experience told her that guys who could travel alone outside mostly had decent strength.
Although this Boy Swordsman looked delicate and tender, full of vitality, it was still better to sneak over after he fell asleep.
After all—
Hachishaku-sama looked down at her translucent hands.
Over these many years, few people in Arakawa Village still remembered her, and after that Factory was built, there were hardly any living people left in the Village, let alone vigorous young lads.
As Arakawa Village’s earthbound spirit, Hachishaku-sama was trapped here, growing weaker day by day.
So it was still better to wait until this Boy fell asleep, which would be good for everyone.
Hachishaku-sama waited patiently.
—Shangshan Che was getting a bit impatient.
He pondered what Hachishaku-sama was waiting for; she had secretly sized him up dozens or hundreds of times but was still squatting outside the Wall, not eating the meat delivered to her door?
Strange, strange… could this Hachishaku-sama be a Supernatural Phenomenon with its own intelligence like the previous Foreman?
Time to test.
Shangshan Che immediately stood up, drew Kaga Kiyomitsu and roared loudly toward the direction opposite to Hachishaku-sama: “Bold Demon! I see where you can run!”
Brush brush brush—
He swung empty slashes dozens of times in a row, then pretended to be satisfied as he sheathed the sword, loudly muttering to himself: “If I encounter Demons on the road in the future, I’ll do it like this.”
After that, Shangshan Che sat back down on the Cushion, but this time he didn’t Cultivate the Ki-Gong Technique; instead, he lay directly on the ground and started pretending to sleep.
Because, just now Shangshan Che could clearly feel the change in Hachishaku-sama’s gaze—it first disappeared, then stealthily appeared, and finally continued to scan freely after confirming he hadn’t noticed her.
A few minutes later, Shangshan Che, who had begun steady breathing, waited leisurely.
—The nest was ready, just waiting for the big fish to bite.
Sure enough.
After Shangshan Che “fell asleep” for more than ten minutes, the hat brim at the Wall edge peeked out again, and after several confirmations that Shangshan Che was really asleep, she tiptoed to his side.
Hachishaku-sama gazed at the handsome Boy shrouded in her tall Shadow, finally unable to resist letting out her signature “popopo” sound.
She slowly bent down, just as she was about to do something, she suddenly saw the Boy roll over, turning his face toward her.
Shangshan Che met her gaze, and Hachishaku-sama was momentarily captivated by this handsome face.
And the next moment, Laughing Hannya grinned, coordinating with the Ki-Gong Technique urged to its limit, emitting a rumbling roar:
“Bold Demon! I see where you can run!”
