Chapter 135: Spear Technique Mastery, Lili Zi Removes The Pendant, Two-foot Adult Promotion!
May 12, 2024, Arakawa Ward, Sunny.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Shangshan Che watched Lili Zi take away the story ending, which was half true and half false, along with the food, and patted his flat stomach.
After feeling perfectly full, Shangshan Che couldn’t help but marvel at how masterfully Lili Zi controlled his stomach.
If it were any less, he would definitely become lightheaded from hunger before noon; but if it were any more, one would feel a distinct “satiety after eating.”
For them, a breakfast that makes one wonder, “Did I even eat this morning?” is a good breakfast.
It can reduce appetite without the feeling of fullness affecting cultivation.
Of course, Lili Zi also considered Shangshan Che’s current weakened body, so this breakfast was a test of his physical condition.
If he couldn’t eat the meal, he would vomit shortly after and be forcibly sent to the Special Affairs Office hospital by her.
This way, eating less also puts less burden on the body.
And if he felt insufficient due to lack of energy, Lili Zi believed Shangshan Che would absolutely request another portion.
She knew he was that kind of person.
Although Lili Zi was not very eloquent and had never learned how to take care of someone, she always grasped these details that ordinary people would overlook.
Because for her, wasn’t this also a form of cultivation?
Since it was cultivation, she had to give her all and do her utmost.
Leaning on the bed, Shangshan Che spent a few more minutes adapting to this ordinary body before opening the panel that had been set aside earlier and selecting all three rewards.
These were “Basic Plain Spear Style – Mastery Level,” “Five Thunder Technique – Reduction in Proficiency for Qi Cultivation,” and “Quest Item related to the identity of a Walker of the Eternal World.”
The next moment, pleasant and dense prompts appeared in a large portion of his field of vision—
【 You have learned Basic Plain Spear Technique! 】
【 Your Basic Plain Spear Technique has been upgraded to Beginner Level… Proficient Level… Mastery Level! 】
【 Basic Plain Spear Technique （ Mastery ∞/∞ ） 】
【 Effect: Thrust, poke, burst, smash, shake, entwine, block, all mastered. You can deliver the cleanest spear thrust to the enemy’s vital points, but that’s all. 】
【 — Standing like a mountain pine, striking like a snake. There is illusion and reality, surprise and correctness. Whether to change or not, is all in a single thought. 】
Shangshan Che felt a slight daze, and then felt as if a long and unfamiliar muscle memory had been forcibly stuffed into his body.
Following this was a massive influx of knowledge and key points on how to wield a spear into his mind.
Although this skill was named “Basic Plain Spear Technique,” a name that was unremarkable, the basics of using a spear could not be explained in just a few words, and the plain spear itself was divided into several methods of use due to differences in length.
Therefore, the amount of knowledge crammed into him this time was considerably more than the Natural Reason School and the Corona Breathing Technique combined.
Coupled with Shangshan Che’s current willpower, which had been forcibly weakened to 5, after learning Mastery Level Plain Spear Technique, he felt a wave of dizziness, and countless phantom images of plain spears seemed to appear before his eyes.
This feeling only subsided after more than half an hour.
“Damn… learning this is incredibly convenient.”
Shangshan Che effortfully raised his hand and rubbed his temples, which felt like they were about to explode: “If I were to practice it myself, it would take at least two to three thousand proficiency points.”
He took several deep breaths, circulated his breathing technique to soothe the stagnation in his body, and then glanced at the remaining prompts, finding that his physique attribute had increased.
【 As your Basic Plain Spear Style has been upgraded to Proficient Level, your Physique +2! 】
【 As your Basic Plain Spear Style has been upgraded to Mastery Level, your Physique +3! 】
【 As your Basic Plain Spear Style has been upgraded to Mastery Level, you can now switch to any spear technique style without any loss. 】
However, due to the after-effects of “Rage,” it could not be reflected in his body for the time being.
“Switching to any spear technique style…”
Shangshan Che gradually absorbed everything related to the Basic Plain Spear Style, and after reviewing a vast amount of spear knowledge, he couldn’t help but click his tongue: “Never mind, I’ll worry about it after I’ve mastered the Natural Reason School.”
In the end, this suddenly appearing plain spear technique was just adding another means for him to cope with more situations.
Enough was enough; there was no need to delve too deeply.
Moreover, just fully comprehending this Mastery Level Plain Spear Technique would likely take Shangshan Che a considerable amount of time.
Even though he had learned the plain spear technique through the panel, knowing it and being able to wield it effortlessly in life-or-death combat were two completely different matters.
At this point, Shangshan Che couldn’t help but once again lament the convenience of Lili Zi’s Clear Sword Heart.
If his state of mind cultivation had reached this level, he could simply close his eyes and meditate, fighting against enemies visualized in his mind dozens or hundreds of times to achieve complete mastery of the plain spear technique.
“Let’s not think about that. I’ll take it one step at a time.”
Shangshan Che’s current state of mind cultivation had only recently reached the first stage, “Clear Mirror,” of the Unity of Man and Sword.
Let alone Clear Sword Heart, even among the three stages of Unity of Man and Sword: “Clear Mirror, Hundred Refinements, Return to One,” he was still a long way from “Return to One.”
Besides simply increasing his willpower attribute, there should be other ways to train his state of mind—he should ask Lili Zi later.
Next was the reduction in proficiency for Qi Cultivation in the Five Thunder Technique.
Shangshan Che brought up its panel and nodded imperceptibly.
【 Five Thunder Technique · Qi Cultivation （ Beginner 154/700 ） 】
With this, he would only need 550 proficiency points to level up the Qi Cultivation of the Five Thunder Technique to Proficient.
Based on the experience with Spirit Control Technique and Corona Breathing Technique, ordinary skills were useful enough once they reached Proficient Level. This amount of proficiency could be fully acquired before the True Sword Match arrived.
Finally…
Shangshan Che looked down at his hand.
An antique-looking copper pocket watch lay quietly in his palm.
The watch was heavy, and the case appeared to be made of pure copper.
If one looked closely at the watch face, they could see cracks in the enamel dial, with small green rust spots clinging to the edges and corners of the pocket watch.
Turning it over, one could see a strange and mysterious carving, the same pattern as the back of the Walking Assembly Token.
【 You have obtained the Walker’s Chronometer （ Special Item ） 】
【 Walker’s Chronometer （ Special Item ） 】
【 Effect: None at present 】
【 — Activates upon entering the era specified by the “Key of History” for the first time. 】
Shangshan Che tried pressing the crown, but found that no matter how he pressed, the pocket watch would not open.
“I need to use the Key of History first, huh.”
Shangshan Che glanced at the Bone Spoon lying quietly in his Storage Bag, showing no signs of activity. He didn’t examine the pocket watch in his hand further but placed it next to the Key of History.
Since the Key of History could only be used in the Eternal World, he could explore its usage method after entering the next map, or ask the Magatsu-kami for clues during the next Walking Assembly.
For now, there was no need for unnecessary thought.
After reviewing the area settlement rewards for Kisaragi Station, the next task was the area unlock quest for the subsequent map.
【 As you have completed all quests in the current area “Kisaragi Station,” the “Area Unlock Quest” has been issued! 】
【 Area Unlock Quest: Stormy Okehazama 】
【 Unlock Conditions: Arrive at Mount Okehazama in ancient Owari during rain, then enter the historical phantom “Battle of Okehazama,” and follow Oda Nobunaga to achieve victory in the battle. 】
“Okehazama?”
Shangshan Che was taken aback. These three words were place names known even to him, a historical illiterate who knew nothing about the Sengoku period in Japan.
Their fame was almost comparable to the later “Honnoji Barbecue.”
However, this area unlock quest was surprisingly simple.
Historically, Oda Nobunaga had led two to three thousand Oda troops to surprise the headquarters of a Daimyo nicknamed “Tokaido’s Number One Archer” in a torrential downpour.
Then he directly took the Daimyo’s head, turning defeat into victory with a tenfold disadvantage in troop numbers.
From then on, Oda Nobunaga truly began his career as the “Sixth Heavenly Demon King,” and the Battle of Okehazama became a legendary battle in the history of Japan’s Sengoku period that could never be overlooked.
Shangshan Che took out his mobile phone and checked, finding that “Okehazama” was located in the area of present-day Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.
If he were to go there, it would only take a few hours by Shinkansen, which was quite close.
“Lili Zi’s main family also seems to be in that area…”
Shangshan Che recalled the information he had previously seen about the Tokugawa family. After weighing it for a moment, he decided not to let Lili Zi know his destination.
After all, he was just going there to uncover the map and wasn’t going to do anything else. There was no need for Lili Zi to know and cause further trouble.
“But I’ll skip today and tomorrow.”
Closing the prompt panel for the area unlock quest, Shangshan Che stretched and slowly got out of bed, standing by the window to gaze at the scenery.
The side effects of “Rage” were still ongoing. If he traveled now, he might be killed by a Great Demon that suddenly appeared on the way, so resting for a day or two was understandable.
He could afford to take tens of hours of rest.
Furthermore, he could use this interval to organize his current items and what he had learned, and make a rough plan for his future development.
“Ah, right, and the plain spear.”
Shangshan Che opened his contact list and dialed Nanjo Emi—since he had learned the plain spear technique, he definitely needed a plain spear.
He didn’t require it to be of high quality, just sturdy and durable.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
The call was answered instantly, indicating that ever since she became an Onmyo Major Official, Nanjo Emi had completely bid farewell to her former slacking career.
Shangshan Che was not vague and directly said, “Sister Nanjo, I need a few plain spears for training and interim use.”
After a pause, Shangshan Che added, “You don’t need to bring any blessed or enchanted precious spears, I won’t need them.”
“You can use a spear too?” Nanjo Emi’s calm voice held a hint of surprise.
This confusion was normal. It is often said that a staff takes a month, a saber a year, and a spear a lifetime—a spear takes very little time to practice, at most you can only learn to thrust, stab, and smash.
While this might be effective for ordinary people, for an extraordinary being like Shangshan Che, the distance between cold weapons was not an insurmountable gap.
Not to mention, Shangshan Che had never shown any signs of practicing or touching a spear before.
Shangshan Che replied, “Barely. I happened to handle a long spear these past two days and felt it suited me, so I want to try practicing it.”
“The plain spear emphasizes basics and doesn’t have too many variations, so I want to start from there.”
Nanjo Emi fell silent.
— If Shangshan Che said it suited him, it meant that his talent in spear techniques was at least on par with his other talents.
And Shangshan Che’s other talents… he learned Spirit Control Technique at first glance and entered the Five Thunder Technique·Qi Cultivation in a few minutes.
Therefore, Nanjo Emi didn’t ask further or try to dissuade him. Instead, she asked, “Do you need a spear instructor? I can help you get two Small Dojo Masters over.”
Shangshan Che: “No need.”
“Alright then.” Nanjo Emi was not one to delay. She seemed to instruct Manatsu to do something and then replied, “I can have ordinary plain spears delivered to you today. Just remember to open the door when they knock.”
“Got it!”
Shangshan Che replied with a smile—the advantage of having Sister Nanjo and the Special Affairs Office as a backing was that ordinary requests could be resolved with a phone call, saving a lot of trouble.
Otherwise, for the plain spears he requested today, he would have to make several trips and might not even get suitable ones.
Fearing Nanjo Emi might hang up, Shangshan Che coughed twice and quickly said, “Also, there are two more things.”
Hearing that the person on the other end of the phone had more matters, Nanjo Emi stopped her hands that were rapidly typing on the keyboard.
She stretched her wrists, took a sip of her empty coffee, and leaned back in her boss chair, putting her feet on the desk and lazily saying,
“No rush, take your time.”
Shangshan Che slowly said, “First, please include a mobile phone in today’s ‘delivery’.”
“A mobile phone?”
“Yeah, my Shikigami is demanding one,” Shangshan Che pouted helplessly. “It’s also because Nure-onna and Hiyori Bo each have a mobile phone, making her drool with envy and feel unbalanced.”
Upon hearing this, Nanjo Emi glanced at Nure-onna, who had been staring at the same document she had given her for half an hour, yet had changed the position of her phone countless times.
Then she looked at Hiyori Bo, who was wearing headphones almost as big as her body and watching children’s cartoons, unwilling to let the sound disturb her even though she was swaying.
Then she said calmly, “It’s a small matter, I’ll get the SIM card for you as well… just don’t let her forget about her master once she has the phone.”
In the corner of the desk, Nure-onna, feeling the chilling gaze, shrunk her body, a premonition of something ominous appearing in her heart.
— If I could be forgotten, that would be a good thing!
Shangshan Che hoped that Two-Foot Adult would be happily playing with a mobile phone all day, so she wouldn’t bother him.
When he needed to use her, he could just grab Two-Foot Adult and hold her close.
But Nanjo Emi didn’t think so… it seemed like every family had its own troubles.
After sighing, Shangshan Che continued, “Next is about Shikigami—Sister Nanjo, I want to contract a Shikigami that is at least Three-Star level and can communicate normally.”
Can that kid handle the cost and difficulty of contracting Shikigami above Three-Star?
Nanjo Emi harbored doubts but did not express them. She never casually interfered with decisions that others had already thought through.
She said, “I’ll compile a list for you later. Tell me which one you like, and I’ll bring that person to you.”
“Then thank you, Sister Nanjo.”
Nanjo Emi: “If you want to thank me, then don’t die during the True Sword Match.”
She lowered her eyes, finished the last sip of coffee, and then precisely dropped the empty coffee cup onto Nure-onna’s head, who was secretly playing with her phone again, making a “dong” sound.
The latter, who was secretly reading a light novel, was startled and almost dropped her phone.
“Several disciples from Obscure Moon Hall must have hidden killing moves that no one has seen, so don’t underestimate your opponents even if you are absolutely confident…”
Nanjo Emi sighed imperceptibly, “If you make a mistake or an accident occurs, surrender and get off the stage quickly. Your life is most important.”
Shangshan Che was slightly stunned, not understanding why Nanjo Emi would emphasize this matter again.
But after thinking for a while, Shangshan Che understood.
This was probably related to Sister Nanjo’s unique personal experiences, and the partners who had worked with her but were now underground.
Shangshan Che didn’t say much, just calmly replied,
“Don’t worry.”
“Mm, then goodbye.”
Nanjo Emi proactively hung up the phone.
Shangshan Che also put down his phone, feeling a strange sensation—as time passed, every phone call with Sister Nanjo felt more like a mother’s nagging.
It was always him who made the request first, and Nanjo Emi would agree to it regardless of its reasonableness, and then start nagging and cautioning him.
After savoring the taste for a moment, Shangshan Che released Two-Foot Adult from the Ksitigarbha Statue and informed her that the mobile phone would arrive in the evening.
“Hooray! Long live Che Adult!”
After saying that, Two-Foot Adult pounced on Shangshan Che and hugged him tightly like an octopus, interlocking her fingers behind his back and tying her legs behind him, becoming a literal little pendant.
She looked up with sparkling eyes and asked, “Actually, I can make a sacrifice and be Che Adult’s bed warmer~”
The little thing got a bargain and still wasn’t satisfied, wanting to take everything, wasn’t she?
Shangshan Che wanted to pull her off, but his current normal human physique couldn’t compare to Two-Foot Adult, who had One-and-a-Half Star strength.
Just then, Lili Zi opened the room door, intending to ask if he wanted to join her for a sauna.
The girl stood at the doorway, watching the scene, crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow: “Shangshan Jun, did I come at a bad time?”
“No, you’ve come at the perfect time.”
Shangshan Che turned his head and, pointing to Two-Foot Adult hanging from his waist, said seriously, “Please help me remove this white-capped octopus.”
…
No matter how much Two-Foot Adult struggled, she couldn’t budge the hand that held her by the scruff of her neck.
This made her even more determined to become stronger in the future—otherwise, she wouldn’t even be able to snatch a spot from this demoness!
With her bottom line slowly retreating, Two-Foot Adult sat on the dining table indignantly, devouring the children’s breakfast made by her “enemy.”
*Gulp*. Even she had to admit that the flat-chested demoness’s cooking was quite delicious.
In that case, she would coexist peacefully with her during meals from now on!
With that decision made, Two-Foot Adult ate the children’s set meal even faster and with more relish.
Meanwhile, Lili Zi was staring at the crystal-clear pink heart enclosed in transparent glass that Shangshan Che held in his hand.
She leaned in curiously towards the Dissolving Love, which was encased in special glass, and asked,
“Shangshan Jun, what is this?”
“A special material for honing the state of mind.”
Shangshan Che stared at the Dissolving Love for a while and found no strange thoughts appearing in his mind, so he nodded to himself.
—The truth was, the state of mind was indeed linked to willpower, but it wasn’t solely determined by the willpower attribute.
For instance, even though his willpower attribute had dropped to 5 points, his state of mind had reached the “Clear Mirror” stage, so he wouldn’t be easily deceived by the Dissolving Love.
Although he still needed to guard his mind vigilantly, he wouldn’t fall into strange thoughts with just a moment’s lapse in concentration anymore.
“This is… a good thing.”
Lili Zi, who had crouched down, her eyes shining, clapped her hands: “If your body can still handle it, Shangshan Jun, then bring it with you to the sauna.”
“High-temperature environments are also beneficial for honing the state of mind.”
“That’s something we can try.”
Shangshan Che replied, stroking his chin.
Even a normal person wouldn’t be defeated by a mere sauna, let alone him, with Corona Qi constantly circulating within his body, making his heat resistance quite good.
“Then it’s decided!” Lili Zi snapped her fingers in front of him and turned to walk downstairs, “I’ll go shower first, you can take your time.”
—After showering, Shangshan Che, who hadn’t experienced a sauna before, tied a thick white towel around his waist like in anime, tied a knot, and walked to the sauna room, pushing open the glass door.
*Sss sss sss*.
Instantly, the sound of water hitting hot stones and evaporating reached Shangshan Che’s ears.
He blinked and saw Lili Zi holding a wooden ladle, adding a light green medicinal liquid to the volcanic rocks nearby.
—This medicinal liquid seemed to be a concoction from Lili Zi’s homemade recipe, beneficial for both nourishing the body and calming the spirit.
Of course, Shangshan Che hadn’t experienced it himself yet; he had only heard Lili Zi mention it before.
Stepping onto the platform, Shangshan Che’s footsteps paused slightly.
Because… the angle seemed a bit peculiar.
Due to the volcanic rocks being piled in a corner, if she didn’t want to move, Lili Zi had to first scoop the liquid with the wooden ladle, then turn sideways and reach out to pour it onto the rocks.
This exposed her healthy and strong, long legs, divided by tan lines and reaching almost to the absolute domain, and her fair back to the person ascending the stairs.
Even though most of it was covered by the towel, human imagination is boundless—or rather, half-hidden and vaguely visible is the best state.
Shangshan Che quietly appreciated the view for a moment, then chose to look away, carrying the encased Dissolving Love and sitting down beside Lili Zi.
*Crackle, crackle*.
The last of the medicinal liquid was poured from the wooden ladle, and a large amount of white steam rose, further increasing the temperature in the sauna room.
Shangshan Che slowly exhaled, controlling his strength to circulate the Corona Breathing Technique, quickly adapting to the sauna room’s high-temperature environment.
The sound of the wooden ladle being placed aside reached him, and immediately Shangshan Che felt a hot, soft mass cover the back of his hand placed by his side.
“Mmm…”
The girl, who had accidentally sat on Shangshan Che’s hand after leaning back, bit her lip, shifted her hips, and brought her legs together to sit beside him.
Shangshan Che, witnessing this, was somewhat confused.
Strange.
Was this the kind of sound Lili Zi would make?
Based on his understanding of Lili Zi, if she sat on his hand, she would just sit there, and moving away as if nothing happened would be harmless.
But what was with that “Mmm”?
Shangshan Che played with the Dissolving Love and scanned the girl’s appearance up and down with his gaze. As Lili Zi’s earlobes began to turn red, he suddenly understood.
—She seemed to have taken off her Kendo Pendant, which she never took off, even when sleeping!
So, the person sitting in front of him now was the soft, clingy Lili Zi who would hug his waist in the van and cry without any pretense of composure!
But that was even stranger.
Shangshan Che remembered that after the Kitsune-dog had made her lose her pendant, Lili Zi had never taken it off in public, not even once.
Lili Zi was the type of person who remembered lessons very, very well, so she usually only made most mistakes once.
Shangshan Che couldn’t be bothered to hide it and directly asked his question: “Where’s your pendant?”
“Cough! Cough!”
Lili Zi first coughed loudly twice, seemingly to bolster her courage, then said, “I took it off—for cultivation, of course!”
The girl spoke rapidly, like a string of firecrackers: “Taking off the pendant makes one’s inner self more sensitive to external stimuli, which is more conducive to cultivating the state of mind.”
“Besides, a sauna room isn’t a dangerous place, so there’s no chance a demon will suddenly jump out and scream that it’s going to eat me.”
This explanation was reasonable.
If a method was proven beneficial for her cultivation, Lili Zi would definitely do it, without any hesitation.
As for whether being by his side was considered safe… it certainly was. What was their relationship? They were bosom friends, master and disciple, and adoptive father and daughter!
So Shangshan Che nodded, shifted his body to be almost touching Lili Zi, and then placed the Dissolving Love on her lap.
He explained, “The effect of this thing decays significantly with distance, so it’s better used up close.”
“Ah… okay.”
Lili Zi’s somewhat dazed voice came, making Shangshan Che look up in confusion.
Then, he noticed the girl’s face, as red as a ripe apple, so fresh and enticing.
Shangshan Che thought about moving away and asked, “Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing,” Lili Zi shook her head stiffly, then roared inwardly, “Damn heart, slow down your beating!”
Gazing at the face before him that seemed like it could exude water with a single squeeze, even Shangshan Che, who didn’t want to waste time and enter cultivation directly, couldn’t help but be amused and felt like teasing her.
Lili Zi in this state was a rare sight; it might even be uncertain if there would be a next time.
So, shall he play?
As the thought arose, Shangshan Che picked up the Dissolving Love and pretended to say something, drawing Lili Zi’s attention.
Then, his left hand, hidden behind his back, suddenly poked towards the girl’s waist, hitting deep into the soft flesh.
“Yaa!”
Lili Zi jumped up from the bench as if electrocuted.
The wet towel wrapped around the girl’s body sagged a bit due to the drastic movement, clearly exposing one of her thighs and a full, round curve to Shangshan Che’s view.
Although Lili Zi immediately pulled the towel back, such a healthy moment imprinted in memory was incredibly profound.
Shangshan Che raised his hands.
To be honest, he just wanted to poke Lili Zi to see what amusing reaction she would have.
Faced with the stammering Lili Zi, who couldn’t form a complete sentence after a long time, Shangshan Che sighed first,
“No more teasing, Master Lili Zi, let’s talk about state of mind cultivation first.”
He patted the spot beside him, letting the slightly hesitant girl sit down.
After suppressing her emotions with several deep breaths, Lili Zi patted her cheeks and adopted her usual calm expression, asking, “Shangshan Jun, you’ve just entered the Clear Mirror stage, haven’t you?”
“That’s right,” Shangshan Che nodded, casually tossing the Dissolving Love onto Lili Zi, “Just arrived, not very far along yet.”
With the Dissolving Love as an external stimulus, Lili Zi’s heart calmed down a bit more. She pondered for a moment and said,
“In that case, I’ll tell you in detail about my path from Clear Mirror to Hundred Refinements.”
Shangshan Che wiped the sweat from his chin: “I’m all ears.”
Lili Zi glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and after confirming his hands were within her line of sight, she said,
“The so-called Hundred Refinements is to temper the Heart Embryo a hundred, a thousand, or even tens of thousands of times, making it unyielding and indestructible.”
“To forge the nascent heart into a piece of steel that has reached the ultimate limit in all aspects you can feel—hardness, toughness, sharpness…”
“So,” Lili Zi raised her red finger and said seriously, “the process from Clear Mirror to Hundred Refinements is the process of obtaining a presentable Heart Embryo.”
Shangshan Che frowned and asked, “To turn the Clear Mirror in my heart into a nascent embryo?”
“Yes. To transform the mirror in your heart, which could originally only actively reflect one area, into a nascent embryo that can constantly reflect everything around you.”
Lili Zi nodded, but her serious expression with her flushed face was rather comically appealing.
A nascent embryo…
Shangshan Che was confused: “But if it’s a nascent embryo, how can it reflect others and other things like a mirror?”
“—This is where the gap between people lies.”
Lili Zi crossed her arms, causing the white towel to bulge slightly, “Some people’s nascent embryos can only vaguely reflect a nearby giant, while others’ nascent embryos can clearly see the antennae of an ant at the limit of their vision.”
Shangshan Che blinked: “So that’s how you got your outrageous perception ability?”
Lili Zi remained silent, instead making a cat-like mouth and tilting her head, striking a pose that said, “Aren’t you going to praise me?”
Shangshan Che, of course, wouldn’t praise her. He just thought to himself that Lili Zi in this state was exactly like a bratty high schooler her age.
She showed whatever she felt, completely unable to hide anything.
A moment later, Lili Zi turned back with displeasure, poked Shangshan Che’s calf with her hot, round toes dripping with water, and then continued,
“In short, use external stimuli, self-training, or anything else to polish the Clear Mirror in your heart brighter and brighter, reflecting further and finer.”
“—This way, the quality of your Heart Embryo will be better, and you can go further in the Hundred Refinements later.”
Tokugawa Lili Zi is imparting sword dao state of mind knowledge to you – A Casual Chat on Clear Mirror and Hundred Refinements…
Your sword dao state of mind has slightly improved.
Your sword dao state of mind promotion requirement has slightly decreased.
*Clap, clap, clap, clap*.
After listening, Shangshan Che was the first to applaud: “Great! Master Lili Zi spoke wonderfully! Easy to understand! Even a fool like me could comprehend it!”
“Hmph hmph.” Lili Zi’s nose nearly pointed to the sky upon hearing this.
“But, how exactly should one do it?”
Glancing at a few prompts, Shangshan Che decided to inquire about the location of the tree planted by predecessors.
“For me, it was sword practice.”
Upon mentioning sword practice, everything about Lili Zi suddenly calmed down.
She met Shangshan Che’s gaze and slowly, word by word, said, “Focused sword practice. Search for the shortcomings in every swing, every minute detail missed, delve into every inch of your body, spirit, and soul, until the end of your self.”
Tokugawa Lili Zi is imparting sword dao state of mind knowledge to you – The Way of Tempering the Heart Embryo…
Your sword dao state of mind has slightly improved.
Seeking within and from oneself, huh.
Shangshan Che noted down Lili Zi’s “way of tempering” and thought it was no wonder she could easily create and modify techniques suited for herself.
He assumed it must be closely related to such a training method.
—And after Lili Zi’s explanation, Shangshan Che roughly understood.
In the stage from Clear Mirror to Hundred Refinements, the most important thing was to temper the “perceptivity” of the Clear Mirror in one’s heart.
Understanding this, whether looking inward or outward, cultivators must find a suitable method to hone this perceptivity.
So, what method should he use? Copy Lili Zi’s?
Although Shangshan Che felt it was worth a try, he admitted he wasn’t a seeker who placed sword dao above all else, not as pure as Lili Zi.
Perhaps he needed to find a suitable method for himself.
Shangshan Che pondered for a long time, then shook his head. He didn’t have much accumulation and currently had no good ideas in this regard.
If he couldn’t find one, he would have to rely on his willpower attribute to forcibly crush and break through numerically.
Glancing at Lili Zi, who was quietly staring at him without speaking, Shangshan Che smiled, placed his finger on the Dissolving Love, and closed his eyes.
For now, he would use the Dissolving Love and the sauna’s high-temperature environment to hone his willpower.
…
An hour and a half later.
Through the tempering of “Dissolving Love,” your willpower attribute +1!
Putting away the Dissolving Love, Shangshan Che walked out of the sauna room feeling refreshed.
Lili Zi, who had already reattached her pendant in a very short time, turned around and threw him a new towel: “Wipe yourself.”
“Thanks.”
Taking the towel, Shangshan Che went to change his clothes on the other side, and then he and Lili Zi walked out of the bathing and sauna area one after the other, returning to the first-floor dojo.
Two-Foot Adult, who was tickling Samurai Zantetsumaru with her small fists, turned around and saw the two of them, looking equally invigorated, with flushed faces that hadn’t fully faded.
Two-Foot Adult took a deep breath, turned back stiffly, and pretended not to have seen anything.
—Master Che had promised to buy her a mobile phone today, so she’d let him off the hook for now!
—After I get the phone, I’ll definitely study extensively on the internet how to defeat the flat-chested Great Demon King with a hundred strategies!
“Hah!”
After an angry, delicate shout, a small fist, about a quarter of a sandbag in size, hit Samurai Zantetsumaru with all her might.
Samurai Zantetsumaru uttered an approving sound: “382 kan~ That was your strongest strike, Miss Two-Foot.”
Two-Foot Adult’s face fell upon hearing this.
—She knew that Lili Zi, who swung her sword here every day, could casually deliver strikes of two to three thousand kan, and even without looking, just swinging her sword in the air while standing still would yield at least four to five hundred kan.
Quack quack quack quack! I’m only one-tenth of her power! Does that mean Two-Foot Adult will be inferior to the flat-chested Great Demon King forever!
“Noooooooo!!!”
Two-Foot Adult roared, her fists raining down like raindrops, as Samurai Zantetsumaru nonchalantly announced numbers around two to three hundred, bombarding her confidence.
Finally, accompanied by the nonchalant voice, “One hundred and seventy-two kan~,” Two-Foot Adult slumped to the ground with a thud.
She had burned out.
Lili Zi, who was preparing to pick up her bamboo sword and walk over, poked Shangshan Che’s shoulder: “Hey, is there something wrong with your Shikigami?”
Shangshan Che stared at Two-Foot Adult, who seemed to be turning grayish-white and about to enter the manga world, and said, “She’s probably just tired from practicing. Two-Foot rarely trains herself, so this is a good thing.”
“Oh, oh.”
Lili Zi didn’t suspect anything and, with respect, carefully carried Two-Foot Adult to sit by the wall.
Exhausted, Two-Foot Adult, who could only feel herself being gently carried by Lili Zi, felt a slight sense of humiliation.
—*Sob sob sob*, I can’t do anything.
Shangshan Che stared at the top of Two-Foot Adult’s head and was surprised to find that her promotion progress bar had reached 67%.
Calculating the time, she would be done leveling up in two to three days at most.
It wasn’t this fast when she was in that side hall before.
Could it be that after they left that day, the old abbot of Hongyuan Temple decided to move Two-Foot Adult’s tablet to the main hall?
If that’s the case…
Shangshan Che silently noted this favor in his heart—moving a tablet of a non-Buddhist existence to the main hall is no simple matter, especially since Two-Foot Adult is a supernatural phenomenon.
“Lili Zi.”
“Hm?” The girl, who had changed into her Dōgi, turned around.
“I might have to go out for something in a couple of days.” Shangshan Che said casually while scrolling on his mobile phone, “I’ll be relying on you to watch the house during that time.”
“Got it.”
Lili Zi stretched her muscles, twirled her sword in a flourish, and walked towards Samurai Zantetsumaru: “It’s a small matter, no need to mention it.”
Shangshan Che secretly glanced up and saw the girl’s upright back.
Was she found out?
Hard to say, but he had that feeling.
Shangshan Che turned off his mobile phone and sighed inwardly.
Lili Zi’s Clear Sword Heart perception and intuition were incredibly sharp; nothing could be hidden from her.
…
Two days later, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.
On the Shinkansen, as they were about to disembark, Shangshan Che took a moment to look at his attribute panel.
【Shangshan Che】
【Physique: 38】
【Willpower: 33】
【Charm: 9】
【Spiritual Arts: 29】
Over the past two days, although limited by the previous constraint of constant attributes, his willpower had increased by 1 point again due to Dissolving Love.
The 5 points of Physique that were previously increased by Spear Technique were genuinely reflected in Shangshan Che’s body.
He could clearly feel that his strength, nerve reflexes, and the capacity and speed of his Internal Qi had all improved by another level.
Just then, a mechanical female voice announced on the Shinkansen.
“The train is arriving at Nagoya Station…”
“The train is arriving at Nagoya Station…”
Shangshan Che closed his attribute panel upon hearing this, took out his sunglasses from his pocket, and put them on. He then beckoned to the girl beside him, “Two-Foot, stop looking and let’s go.”
The girl, who had been sitting by the window, silently watching the changing scenery for hours, smiled sweetly and grabbed Shangshan Che’s hand.
“Che Adult, this Shinkansen is truly amazing… it can travel so fast, and the scenery outside is beautiful.”
“Shinkansen technology is indeed quite impressive, but it’s just a bit expensive.”
Shangshan Che pulled the girl towards the exit door, ignoring the fact that not a single local had left their seat before the Shinkansen had even stopped, and casually disregarded the strange looks from those around them.
—These Japanese people wait until the train stops and the doors open before they start preparing to disembark, which results in huge crowds when getting on and off, making it incredibly cramped.
As a result, some people are too slow to gather their luggage and miss their stop.
Although Shangshan Che was traveling light this time and had no luggage, it didn’t stop him from finding this behavior quite amusing.
Two-Foot Adult, holding his warm hand, thought happily to herself:
—Che Adult’s and my one-on-one travel date in Nagoya is about to begin po!
However, Two-Foot Adult didn’t expect that after getting off the train, Shangshan Che would follow the navigation and head straight to their intended destination with great haste.
Walking, train, transfer, walking…
Not only did they not pass by the places in her travel guide, but she didn’t even get to shop for half a minute.
In the afternoon, the sky was overcast.
In front of the scenic spot sign marked 【Okōshazam】, Two-Foot Adult listlessly stuck out her tongue.
She hadn’t expected that Che Adult would rush here, only to end up in a place with nothing but woods and a scenic shop.
Could Che Adult be a fan of the Sixth Heavenly Demon King, Oda Nobunaga…
“It’s going to rain.”
Shangshan Che looked up in a good mood. This rain was exactly as predicted, saving him the trouble of waiting or making another trip.
“But before that…”
He looked at Two-Foot Adult, whose head was already emitting a faint Buddhist glow and whose progress bar was at 99%. He walked into an empty small woods and beckoned to her: “Two-Foot Adult, come here.”
Come here?
Two-Foot Adult, who was still grumbling in front of the 【Okōshazam】 sign weathered by time, paused and looked at Shangshan Che, who had already walked into the dense woods and was beckoning to her.
Could it be…
Two-Foot Adult’s eyes suddenly lit up.
—I didn’t expect Che Adult, who seems so serious normally, to be into this kind of thing!
Heh heh!
Then, I, Two-Foot Adult, can only dutifully oblige!
