Chapter 111: Volume End: My New Era Begins
2024, May 1st, rain.
The rain grew heavier.
Raindrops as big as beans smashed against the window frame and burst open, with tiny specks dripping into the edges of Shangshan Che’s pupils, snapping him back to his senses.
He lowered his head, withdrawing his gaze from the silent crowd and the bloodstains that had been diluted to almost invisible, then raised his head, looking toward the rolling thunderclouds.
Once upon a time, that was just an ordinary natural phenomenon.
But now it was different.
Every surging Lightning Dragon was recklessly releasing spiritual energy from the other side of the world.
The tide did not diminish with the passage of time; instead, it grew larger, infiltrating the Mortal Realm through every kind of natural phenomenon without restraint.
Rumble—
Shattering thunderbolts rang out one after another, causing the crowd to stir, but in the next moment, a massive barrier dotted with starlight rose, giving everyone an unparalleled sense of security.
Even so, people couldn’t help but look up, as if they saw that tide rolling back from the canopy of heaven.
Just like ordinary people unable to suppress their curiosity, in this instant, whether in the Mortal Realm or the Eternal World, no matter where they were or what they were doing, all influences and existences aware of the tide’s arrival simultaneously raised their heads—
Tokyo Skytree, the top at 634 meters.
Thunderclouds churned, and the violent spiritual power tide slightly probed with faint tendrils toward this height closer to the sky, enough to easily tear apart most overconfident demons and Onmyoji.
In the pitch-black clouds, four figures draped in plain robes stood side by side.
The lightning that could originally annihilate ordinary Ghost Gods, upon reaching them, seemed to enter a long and slow straight path, then transformed into winding, tamed little lightning snakes under their finger twirls.
“Comers from the Eternal World, resurgent Supernatural Phenomena, and ill-intentioned influences.”
A clear voice spread like a wide-area sound wave, causing all confused, directionless, excited, or relieved non-humans to puzzledly stop in their tracks.
“Remember this well.”
In the next moment, the youngest and most robust man among the four raised his five fingers.
He flipped them.
An Inverted Pentagram beyond the horizon rose from the 634-meter height, and the instant they looked up, it cleared all the thunder rain, dark clouds, and darkness from their view.
Sunlight once again shone across the land, making all sentient non-humans simultaneously feel the same chill.
—Kyoto, Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Onmyo-ryo banner fluttered.
Restless Ones fell from the high heavens like dense raindrops, thrown by the tide.
Even though batches died midway for various reasons, the sheer number about to land still filled any Onmyoji with fear.
Yet Kyoto’s interconnected streets were deserted, with not a single Onmyoji, shikigami, or even ordinary person in sight.
The Restless Ones preparing to pioneer a new home had no time to rejoice in their luck before they all let out shrill howls the moment they landed, turning into handfuls of flying ash.
Because every building, every landscape, even every street and stone step was etched with winding, intricate ancient Onmyōdō incantations.
These Onmyōdō spells, tempered by long ages, remained effective under meticulous maintenance.
Fushimi Inari Shrine’s gate stood wide open, ranks of warrior monks in formation, small shikigami wearing Fox Masks and swaying fox tails leading differently attired warrior monks filing out.
Half an hour later, Kyoto’s peace was restored as before.
—Aichi Prefecture, ancient Owari, Tokugawa Family.
Fine raindrops fell, washing away the demon blood gathered at the Tokugawa family doorway.
At the doorway, a young man and woman in spotless dōgi sheathed their swords and walked as usual to the smiling old man sitting not far behind under an umbrella, sipping tea, saying in unison,
“Great-Grandfather, the demons have been exorcised.”
The old man steeped the tea, extended his withered arm to pick up the teapot, and filled two empty teacups: “Come, Ryuji, Hoshi, sit down and have some tea.”
“Yes.”
The two sat cross-legged in the rain, lifted the teacups with both hands, and their originally pristine dōgi soon changed color.
The old man leaned back in his rocking chair, speaking leisurely: “I heard Haruhiko say that Lili Zi seems to have grasped the essentials of Clear Sword Heart, top-notch among your young generation… It’s time to bring her back.”
“Little Sister?!”
Tokugawa Hoshi, with her ponytail, showed a delighted expression, nearly jumping up: “I told you Little Sister’s efforts wouldn’t be wasted!”
But Tokugawa Ryuji, sitting beside her, calmly closed his eyes and murmured: “Why doesn’t she understand the principle of biding one’s time like a hidden dragon…”
He sighed inwardly, tilted his head back, and drained the scalding tea in one gulp,
“Little Sister, things have come to this, Big Brother can do nothing more.”
—Eternal World, beside the magnificent and solemn palace, silent and empty.
Katsumi changed from his usual attire, removing the God of Wealth Hat and the merchant outfit with the Ukiyo-e Folding Fan, now wearing solemn black robes, a tall crown on his head, a white brush in his ear, and a book sword at his waist.
He walked alone along the long, silent imperial road paved with bluestone, arriving beside the youth standing outside the palace, and bowed deeply with respect,
“Your Highness.”
The upward-gazing youth withdrew his gaze and smiled warmly at him: “It’s been a while, Hirotaka. How have you been?”
“I have not failed my charge; your humble servant has disguised as Prince Shotoku and made several moves in your stead.”
Katsumi bowed slightly, paused, chose his words carefully, then continued: “Your humble servant… may have found a hidden dragon in the pond.”
“Oh?”
The youth showed a curious expression: “Tell me in detail, let me hear who this hidden dragon is that you, Hirotaka, call so in this golden age.”
—Beyond that, there were too many, many more.
In profound darkness, eight seats, seven figures arranged around the Round Table, countless scenes from the Eternal World and Mortal Realm flickering like starlight upon it.
At the deepest part of Mount Oe spanning thousands of li, myriad ghosts paid homage, Shuten Doji with his alluring appearance casually tossed out a wine bowl, and at the moment it shattered, raised his hand, sending the excited roars of countless demons and monsters piercing the heavens.
On a former ancient battlefield, Sengoku Daimyo simultaneously raised banners and ceased fighting, seeking new conquests amid the heavy tread of iron cavalry.
Surrounded by the Twelve Crowns, the emperor with a tall crown quietly stroked a parchment map depicting most of the Eternal World, a smile on his lips, lost in thought.
In barren wilderness, Zashiki Warashi journeyed alone through the center of a tide, trudging arduously, risking disintegration at any moment to seize the strange object at the tide’s heart.
Ancient dojos once sealed reopened their gates, families silent for a century or more cleared paths through city-bound woods, and ancients sealed by Great Onmyōdō in the era of severed spiritual machines began to awaken.
Finally—Special Affairs Office in Arakawa Ward, Tokyo.
After dragging away and disposing of these headless corpses under everyone’s gaze, Lili Zi stood in an empty shadow, casually wiping away the liquid on her forehead—whether rain, blood, or sweat, she didn’t know.
She exhaled a slender, almost imperceptible Qi Sword, tilted her head back, closed her eyes, letting the cool sunlight bathe her face.
Resonance.
Lili Zi could clearly feel this heaven and earth resonating with her, eagerly trying to infuse the truth called “Sword” into her consciousness and soul.
This was precisely the “sudden enlightenment” and “divine inspiration” described in ancient texts.
“This won’t do.”
The girl shook her head, her Sword Heart rising like the brilliant sun, syncing to the same frequency as this vast, boundless heaven and earth, both suspended at the same point amid the surging, endless tide.
The vast Sword Principle, after failing to infuse, did not try again but quietly waited.
Lili Zi spoke in a calm yet unquestionable voice: “That’s more like it.”
“What I want, I’ll take it myself.”
She slowly extended her five fingers, grasping the air before her: “Let me see what you’ve written here.”
Unlike the Sword Principle forcibly infused as divine inspiration, Lili Zi actively immersed herself, browsing and observing, sometimes exclaiming in delight, sometimes shaking her head with a sigh.
Surveying the ocean of Sword Principles, synthesizing the strengths of a hundred schools into herself.
In mere moments, Lili Zi reopened her eyes, exhaling long and reluctantly: “This is the legendary Heaven-Human Resonance, truly a feast for the eyes.”
Slightly flawed Sword Techniques became more exquisite and seamless, while the already sharp Secret Techniques and stances grew even keener, beyond ordinary resistance.
The shackles that had troubled Lili Zi for so long snapped crisply in this chance opportunity; her Natural Reason School had now reached perfection, and perhaps soon it would be renamed “Lili Zi School.”
—If this change were on Shangshan Che, it would probably display as Natural Reason School breaking through from Expert Level to Master Level.
Of course, there was one most important change.
Lili Zi lifted her gaze, astonished to find a wondrous domain formed in a ten-zhang radius centered on herself.
With a mere thought, a cold sword gleam appeared and vanished in midair.
Lili Zi paused slightly, murmuring: “So the sword master trivia in ancient texts is real; something like a domain does appear.”
Surprises came one after another.
Lili Zi turned her gaze, smiling upon seeing the figure on the building above waving and greeting her: “Shangshan Jun, it’s wonderful to be born in this era with you.”
—After greeting Lili Zi, Shangshan Che continued listening to Nanjo Emi’s “sermon” in midair.
In his view, this could indeed be called a sermon.
Revealing all previously hidden supernatural knowledge, Onmyōdō, Breathing Techniques, and the intricate relations between the Mortal Realm and Eternal World, forbidden from ordinary people.
Thereby offering everyone a brand-new, limitless path to advancement.
“—In the days ahead, the Special Affairs Office will not only open a ‘Demon Class’ in every school to learn about demons, Supernatural Phenomena, and other basics, but also dispatch teachers trained in Onmyōdō or Breathing Techniques, giving everyone equal cultivation opportunities.”
“Those already out of school and in society need not feel lost. The Special Affairs Office has also launched a website with resources for all to access and learn.”
Excited voices occasionally rose from the crowd, but many high school students fell into thought—this would bring revolutionary changes to the college entrance exam, and future club sports might turn into superpower match competitions like in anime?
Someone raised this question.
Nanjo Emi’s response was naturally,
“Yes.”
Instantly, wails erupted from the students below; those surefire admission letters and match championships plunged into an unknown sea.
But compared to wails, there was more irrepressible excitement.
Young students unburdened by societal pressure always held a bit more hope for the future than corporate slaves.
Witnessing the vast crowd’s emotions shift from negative to positive, Shangshan Che scanned the diligently working cameras and reporters around once more.
He believed that all who watched this sermon from start to finish on TV or mobile phones would see their moods brighten, beginning to anticipate the future, even if just a tiny bit.
“Sister Nanjo looks quite the leader.”
Shangshan Che exhaled, suddenly feeling a wondrous resonance.
【Due to the tide’s arrival, your body’s spiritual power is affected, Spiritual Arts Attribute +2.】
【Due to the tide’s arrival, your Willpower is affected, Willpower Attribute +1.】
【Due to the tide’s arrival, your Demon Incarnation·Three-tailed Fox senses heaven-earth spiritual machine, quality upgraded to Epic!】
Shangshan Che’s pupils contracted slightly; he took out the Three-tailed Fox card from his Storage Bag, finding that this exquisite card, once edged with mercury patterns, had quietly changed.
A shining gold frame now encased the card’s edges, and the three tails on the card face had strikingly grown one more, breaking the three-tail limit.
And the three-tail… no, the Four-tailed Fox on the card had changed its pose.
No longer coyly half-hidden like holding a pipa, it casually held a folding fan, chest open, boldly lounging on a white jade seat, declaring its existence to all who viewed the card.
Generous and bold.
After gazing at the Four-tailed Fox on the card for a moment, Shangshan Che transformed it into the item it became after the Demon Incarnation’s quality promoted to Epic: a square, warm, and smooth jade token.
Feeling the spiritual power surging anew and rising endlessly in his body, Shangshan Che smiled, then calmly gazed outward.
The tide’s terrifying surging sound persisted, its aftershocks unceasing and intensifying, but the sky had cleared, city fires extinguished, fear and panic soothed, and the starlit barrier protected everyone.
Spiritual Energy, Demonic Energy, ghostly qi, and countless indefinable auras rose together, weaving and fusing in the firmament, thoroughly signaling the world’s change.
The Eternal World, sunk into the abyss a millennium ago, now floated up, seeking to reconnect with the human realm.
Era dominators since ancient times stirred eagerly, legendary figures from ancient history gradually awakened, and countless schemes churned endlessly in the shadows.
This was not a beautiful era for the mediocre to pass idly.
Opportunities, hopes, crises, Destiny, aspirations—the futures of all were laid out in the crashing waves of the era, their outcomes unknown.
“This is my new era.”
—Volume One·Tide Rises·End—
Volume complete! Though not many words, it felt decent!
Probably another end-of-volume testimonial, maybe a free side story.
Last day of the month, monthly votes please!
——————
Recommending another book:
Gu De received a strange admission letter and was forcibly pulled into a bizarre world.
This is a college for training colonizers.
Public courses: 《Dragon Language》, 《Magic Theory Basics》, 《Superpower Development》
Specialized courses are even more varied: 《Demon Summoning Ritual》, 《Human Body Synthesis》, 《Unicorn Husbandry》…
Past outstanding graduation projects: 《A reactor powered by Demon King corpse》, 《Discussion on human-100-year-old elf marriage》, 《My Principal Grandpa》…
Teaching magic and mysteries, forging body and martial skills, using economy and force to incorporate other worlds into humanity’s map.
You will be immensely honored to join the college and contribute to humanity’s future.
“Facts prove a good undergrad is no worse than a vocational school!”
