Chapter 204: Breathing Technique Complemented With Dragon Tendon! Little Jia’s Spirituality Evolves, Tide’s Roar And The Era’s Arrival
Shangshan Che was stunned by this stack of booklets for a good while before picking up the top one and starting to flip through it.
“Miura Breathing Technique?”
Hmm?
Wasn’t this the breathing technique that the elders had given him after surrendering at the Imagawa Residence?
Wait, something’s not right.
After flipping two more pages, Shangshan Che’s pupils suddenly contracted sharply.
—These booklets contained the “essence parts” that weren’t in the versions the elders had shown him before!
—But these essence parts were the foundation of those Imagawa Clan’s vassal families!
Shangshan Che pinched the edge of a rough paper page and looked toward Imagawa Yoshimoto, who had already knelt down beside him with an exceptionally calm expression.
He asked, “Lord Yoshimoto, you gave…”
“Mm.”
A single simple word confirmed Shangshan Che’s thought.
Imagawa Yoshimoto smoothed the wrinkles on her clothes with her fingertips and casually said, “For something like this, it’s better to get it done as quickly as possible, isn’t it?”
How much time had passed? Imagawa Yoshimoto had actually settled all the old folks in the family behind his back, cleaning them out completely?
This method and efficiency…
His brow twitched.
Just hearing this sentence, Shangshan Che could imagine how brutal the scene at the Imagawa Residence had been not long ago.
But to be fair, what Imagawa Yoshimoto did was indeed no problem.
Because if it dragged on longer, those old cunning foxes would definitely stir up more trouble.
Shangshan Che moved the stack of booklets, which was two to three centimeters high, in front of himself and placed the Miura Breathing Technique he held on top.
Then, he placed both hands on his legs, slightly lowered his head toward Imagawa Yoshimoto to express thanks,
“Lord Yoshimoto, thank you.”
—Imagawa Yoshimoto was different from others.
After seeing him politely accept this “gift,” her mood definitely wouldn’t be bad.
Sure enough, when Shangshan Che looked up again, he saw the girl’s lip corner curve up slightly.
Kaga Kiyomitsu floated silently behind the two, obediently acting as a non-glowing, utterly inconspicuous third wheel.
Imagawa Yoshimoto hummed and said softly, “I’ll just sit here. No need to mind me.”
Shangshan Che didn’t say anything extra either. After stuffing two energy bars into his mouth, he directly picked up the Miura Breathing Technique and started reading.
Because his attributes hadn’t recovered yet, Shangshan Che temporarily didn’t use Soul Incense Ash to boost his reading speed.
Though the speed was a bit slower, there was no time limit for reading anyway.
He could read until whenever he wanted.
The moonlight was mild and cool, the courtyard quiet.
The young head of the Imagawa Clan had at some point brought over a small table and brewed two cups of steaming tea, one of which was too hot to drink.
One person sipped tea and admired the moon, the other immersed in a sea of books.
From time to time, someone would appear at the courtyard doorway, asking Imagawa Yoshimoto what to do next.
So Imagawa Yoshimoto would issue orders in a calm but utterly indifferent voice.
Until the moon reached directly above their heads, and Shangshan Che, whose neck was getting tired from looking up, closed the sixth booklet and asked rather strangely,
“Lord Yoshimoto, don’t you need to go out?”
Hearing this, Imagawa Yoshimoto huffed.
She countered,
“Now that the overall situation has stabilized, if this head of the clan still had to run around outside at night, what would the vassals below be doing?”
That seemed right too.
Shangshan Che glanced at the moon’s position and realized it was already very late.
If not for accompanying him, Imagawa Yoshimoto would probably have been asleep by now.
So he needed to read faster too.
Shangshan Che thought this, then casually grabbed the teacup by his right hand and drained the tea inside in one gulp.
He smacked his lips twice.
Mm, still warm.
……
Because Shangshan Che had sped up his progress, the last three booklets were finished in less than an hour.
Afterward, a series of faint crackling sounds came from inside Shangshan Che’s body.
“In this situation, reading books can actually increase 【Jade Bone】 proficiency… Looks like learning more really has no downsides.”
Shangshan Che wearily set down the last booklet, yawned, and fully accepted the pain coming from deep in his bones.
His gaze dropped—
【You are learning “Miura Breathing Technique”…】
【You are learning “Udono Breathing Technique”…】
【You are learning “Sena Breathing Technique”…】
【You are learning…】
【Because you have learned numerous breathing techniques, your understanding of breathing techniques has greatly improved! Your Corona Breathing Technique proficiency is rapidly increasing…】
【Because your understanding of breathing techniques has greatly improved, your skill Corona Breathing Technique proficiency +141!】
【Corona Breathing Technique（Jade Bone141/400）】
The originally empty progress bar now had more than a quarter filled in just half a night.
At least it saved Shangshan Che over a week of hard cultivation time.
—Books hold a house of gold; that saying is true.
Of course, Shangshan Che hadn’t forgotten his real goal.
【Your Corona Breathing Technique is being completed…】
【Completion finished this time!】
【Because you have learned numerous breathing techniques! After “Muscle Casting,” your Corona Breathing Technique has manifested one of the Four Great Ultimate Forms, “Dragon Tendon”!】
【Dragon Tendon（0/4500）】
【Dragon Tendon: The ultimate form of Muscle Casting. Transmission, toughness, unity. Upon completion, all power will be connected in one line.】
【Note: Unable to cultivate until “Skin Tempering,” “Bone Forging,” “Muscle Refining,” and “Muscle Casting” stages are completed.】
“Dragon Tendon, huh? Sounds insanely strong.”
Shangshan Che exclaimed slightly in surprise.
The essence parts of the nine breathing techniques had helped him complete another piece of the Palace of Flesh Stage puzzle.
Now, only the ultimate forms of “skin” and “bone” remained unmanifested.
“But just cultivating one requires 4500 proficiency points…”
Shangshan Che pondered in his mind: wouldn’t filling all four ultimate forms require a full 18000 proficiency points?
He was speechless for a moment.
Even grinding day and night, who knows what year of the monkey it would take.
Whatever.
He was currently only at the “Bone Forging” stage, still quite a ways from fully completing Muscle Casting.
He’d think about it later.
The boat will naturally straighten when it reaches the bridge; there would surely be solutions down the line.
—What Shangshan Che didn’t know was that even most possessors of Four Extremes Breathing Techniques wouldn’t choose to fully cultivate all Four Great Ultimate Forms in the Palace of Flesh Stage.
Usually, picking one out of the four was enough.
The reason was simple.
Too hard! And too slow!
The effort and reward weren’t remotely proportional!
Better to advance to Ghost God level early and worry about the rest later.
Imagawa Yoshimoto sitting beside him naturally heard the commotion too.
The samurai who had personally seen Shangshan Che bone forging, who also cultivated breathing techniques and had completed Qi Circulation—just yesterday.
She naturally knew what this commotion meant.
Imagawa Yoshimoto blinked in slight surprise: “Tetsu-kun, you can even breakthrough just by sitting and reading?”
“Just a small improvement.”
Shangshan Che didn’t overly downplay it.
He rubbed his chin and said, “Maybe I’m just that talented?”
But unexpectedly, Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded in strong agreement: “Mm, after all, it’s Tetsu-kun.”
With that, Imagawa Yoshimoto somehow produced a handkerchief and directly reached out to wipe away the fine sweat on Shangshan Che’s forehead from mental exertion,
“Since all the serious business is done, let’s sleep.”
Shangshan Che didn’t refuse.
He got up and walked back to his original spot in the room, while Imagawa Yoshimoto lay down not far from him.
“Little Jia, not sleeping?”
Buzz~
Kaga Kiyomitsu indicated it was full of energy.
Shangshan Che didn’t insist; young people always had vigorous energy, let alone a child like Kaga Kiyomitsu.
The night passed in silence, a peaceful sleep without dreams.
The next morning.
By the time Shangshan Che opened his eyes to see sunlight, Imagawa Yoshimoto’s sleeping face was already gone.
—He liked sleeping on his side, while Imagawa Yoshimoto preferred hands placed precisely on her chest, lying straight and proper.
The room was empty, with only a neatly folded thin bedding beside him.
“Feels kinda like waking up after the deed and the person has vanished without a trace…”
Shangshan Che looked to the side, and Kaga Kiyomitsu buzzed at him.
Mm, Little Jia from my house is the best, never leaving or abandoning.
He rubbed Kaga Kiyomitsu’s hilt, then looked at the steadily progressing task progress bar.
At this rate, Mikawa Province would probably be completely cleared in less than three days.
Shangshan Che, just getting up, twisted his waist powerlessly again—once his attributes recovered in a few hours, there’d be no more “morning stiffness.”
Then, no matter what happened, he could handle it easily.
But first, take care of Little Jia.
As soon as Shangshan Che opened his palm, Kaga Kiyomitsu understandingly landed steadily in it.
After a night of mental debate, he had pretty much made up his mind.
Soul Spirit Points were hard to come by in large quantities right now, and there were no strong opponents at hand.
So…
As soon as Shangshan Che opened Kaga Kiyomitsu’s panel, the upgrade prompt for the new effect 【Plague】 jumped into view.
The next strengthening of Plague required 2000 Soul Spirit Points.
Much less than Sorrow of Parting, but it didn’t change Shangshan Che’s mind—the same reason as not strengthening “Slashing Specialization” above.
“Little Jia, get ready.”
Shangshan Che slowly said to Kaga Kiyomitsu: “Time to boost your IQ.”
Buzz!
Kaga Kiyomitsu shuddered fiercely, its blade cry resolute like the most steadfast warrior.
【Consume Soul Spirit Points ×1500 to strengthen “Spirituality”?】
“Yes.”
Shangshan Che’s thought landed.
The over two thousand Soul Spirit Points drained away like water, causing star-like silver light to bloom around Kaga Kiyomitsu.
Buzz buzz!
Sensing something big was coming, Kaga Kiyomitsu was extremely excited and immediately performed a full set of radio calisthenics in the air inside the room for Shangshan Che.
But soon, it suddenly went silent.
Then it clattered to the ground, motionless.
Just like those patients already on the operating table under anesthesia, still trying to stay awake to prove their strong willpower.
Shangshan Che walked over, weighed Kaga Kiyomitsu, and after finding no activity in its heartstrings, put it back in the scabbard.
“Sleeping deeply… This spirituality strengthening might take even longer than I thought.”
But Shangshan Che wasn’t in a hurry.
Staying in the Sengoku Period now had a 15:1 time flow rate difference.
What he had the most of was time!
Leaning Kaga Kiyomitsu aside, Shangshan Che took out some snacks from the Storage Bag to eat, thoroughly slacking off in comfort.
Less than two hours later, while eating barbecue-flavored potato chips, Shangshan Che felt his Qi Barrier and Spiritual Power return like the tide.
Power once again filled every corner of his body.
“Hoo—”
He dumped the remaining potato chips into his mouth and crunched them down, tossing the Packaging Bag back into the Storage Bag.
Before, he was even afraid of choking to death on potato chips; now it felt great.
He stood up, spreading his arms toward this heaven and earth that was objectively unchanged but subjectively turned upside down,
“Come on, let me see what changes happened these past few days!”
Spirit Control Technique · Qi roared into operation!
In just two seconds, Shangshan Che easily arrived at a crystal-clear answer.
—World Revival would arrive in five days.
A full five days left.
This was actually quite a bit more than his initial estimate.
But Shangshan Che felt no regret.
Because he wasn’t a gambler.
Being able to steadily welcome the Sengoku Period’s World Revival was pretty good.
Shangshan Che smiled, didn’t cultivate, just sat there with eyes closed, feeling every change in the surrounding heaven and earth.
After all, it was five hundred years ago, a completely different World Revival and great change from now.
A rare opportunity.
In the quieted Nishio City, countless strands of energy flowed through Shangshan Che’s heart.
When he opened his eyes again, it was sunset.
The sky was pitch black.
【Because you perceived the changes in heaven and earth, Spirit Control Technique · Qi proficiency +500!】
“So easy.”
Shangshan Che happily exhaled, once again experiencing the concrete traces of the era tide on himself.
Just sitting here carefree for half a day yielded an enormous amount of Expert Level proficiency.
In just a few short days, Spirit Control Technique · Qi, already at Expert Level, had covered a quarter of its progress.
Such good fortune wouldn’t appear at any other time.
Before Shangshan Che could marvel long, a prompt suddenly jumped out.
【Your Kaga Kiyomitsu · Blade of Parting’s effect seven has been strengthened!】
Along with it came a faint vibration from the scabbard nearby.
【Your Kaga Kiyomitsu has gained a new effect—Spirituality!】
【Effect seven: Spirituality. The fully awakened spirituality, after another careful polish, has become even more radiant.】
“Huh? The effect name didn’t change? Then this counts as a new effect…”
Before Shangshan Che could finish the thought, he saw the “Spirituality” character slowly turn into shiny, highly three-dimensional silver letters under his gaze.
In stark contrast to the hundreds of other semi-transparent white characters on the panel.
So that’s the change.
Pretty eye-catching indeed.
Shangshan Che checked the next strengthening requirement and found it only needed 2000 Soul Spirit Points.
From 1500 to 2000—not a big increase.
Good news.
Pulling his gaze from the cryptic effect description, Shangshan Che directly asked, “Little Jia, any changes? Where?”
—If it wasn’t visible from appearance or description, he’d just ask the “person” himself.
After a brief silence, a small section of silver-white blade quietly popped out from the scabbard.
Along with it came a muttering from the heartstrings, like an illusion,
“There, there is!”
Shangshan Che froze in place.
A good while later, he realized that what came from the heartstrings wasn’t “buzz buzz Jia language,” but normal human speech!
—Holy crap, the kid can talk now!
Though the speech was still unclear, stiff, mechanical, and emotionless, Little Jia could actually talk!
This was super invincible huge progress!
Being able to talk sideways indicated normal comprehension and learning ability.
On Little Jia, that meant a massive, gigantic IQ boost!
From now on, maybe teaching Little Jia Natural Reason School too, syncing moves with him for 1+1>2 effect, wasn’t a pipe dream!
Simply, unlimited potential!
This way, wasn’t Little Jia ten or a hundred times smarter than those demonic swords?
—Legends had no talking demonic swords.
Shangshan Che clapped his hands: “These next few days, Little Jia, just follow behind me and observe everyone talking. No need to go back in the scabbard.”
Kaga Kiyomitsu immediately twisted happily in the air.
But in the heartstrings, it stammered: “O-Okay… Ya?”
Shangshan Che figured it meant “Yay,” but hadn’t learned to express it properly from lack of practice.
No problem, learn slowly.
No one is born knowing poetry and classics, erudite in five cars.
Shangshan Che suppressed his inner excitement, coughed, and said: “Besides that, any other changes?”
Immediately, a strand of Sorrow of Parting wreathed in black qi brushed past Shangshan Che’s cheek and struck the doorframe behind him.
This was Kaga Kiyomitsu throwing it autonomously from several meters away.
Not only that.
Shangshan Che could clearly see that after Kaga Kiyomitsu swung emptily many times in the air, a 【Fukuzawa】 buff appeared before his eyes.
From a third-person view, it was a faint red luck aura above his head.
Little Jia… could now freely control its own effects?
“Good good good!” Shangshan Che immediately clapped vigorously, giving the kid full emotional value, “Very impressive, Little Jia you’re really impressive!”
Kaga Kiyomitsu cheered along with him, spinning circles in the air.
Clap clap.
Familiar footsteps and voice came together,
“Tetsu-kun…”
Hearing this, Kaga Kiyomitsu quickly floated behind Shangshan Che, motionless, pretending to be obedient.
Imagawa Yoshimoto, today clad in full armor, thoughtfully glanced at it and pretended not to see as she asked Shangshan Che: “Feeling better?”
Shangshan Che nodded: “Better than before.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled: “Congratulations.”
Once Imagawa Yoshimoto came in and started removing her armor, Shangshan Che suddenly remembered he hadn’t seen King Kujira in a while,
“Right, Kujira San… King Kujira?”
Imagawa Yoshimoto’s movements didn’t stop: “After realizing we could steamroll the demons in Mikawa Province, it went straight back to Mount Yamajira.”
Shangshan Che immediately understood.
King Kujira had gone back to accompany Zashiki.
Unfortunately, Zashiki would probably complete this round of Master Craftsman Trial and leave in a few days.
Given King Kujira’s personality, no matter how Zashiki tried to persuade it, it would wait a very, very long time—perhaps until the end of its life.
That wasn’t great.
He’d been teammates with it for a bit, so if he could help, he should.
Shangshan Che thought and said to Imagawa Yoshimoto: “If there’s a chance later, please pass a message to it for me, Lord Yoshimoto.”
He said: “Go to the Eternal World to see Zashiki. Otherwise, you’ll never see her again.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto paused while removing her shoulder armor, and a curious voice came,
“Eternal World, what place is that?”
“—A heaven and earth full of countless demons and monsters. Before the Heian Period, it was connected to the Mortal Realm, the entire Under Heaven.”
Shangshan Che answered briefly and directly.
Since World Revival was coming, there was no need to hide such “common sense” from Imagawa Yoshimoto.
“Because the demons and monsters are in the Eternal World, there are few under heaven… This Mikawa riot started because two great demons from over there came.”
As he spoke, Shangshan Che recalled Daruma, who had escaped under Ootama Hoshi’s protection.
That guy, Ootama Hoshi said he was a once-in-a-century genius of the Demon Guide Association…
Tsk.
In the future, he might become a huge threat.
If only Two-Foot Adult had been there then.
In this era, who knew where he had gone.
He sighed inwardly, then continued,
“Lord Yoshimoto, World Revival is also related to the Eternal World, so demons and monsters will increase everywhere afterward, making governance more troublesome…”
“Won’t happen.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto’s unexpected reply stunned Shangshan Che.
He heard her matter-of-fact voice: “Because didn’t you let me know about these things ahead of time, Tetsu-kun?
Compared to that, the big fool of Owari, the Dragon of Echigo, and Takeda, Hojo, even the shogun—they probably still don’t know the pattern under heaven is changing.”
Seeing Imagawa Yoshimoto set aside her full armor, he continued: “Five days from now, World Revival will arrive.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto, looking right at him, froze.
Shangshan Che gazed into her pupils and said: “I’m thinking whether to teach you Onmyōdō for absorbing Spiritual Energy.”
He paused, then emphasized: “Only teach it to you, not to be passed on.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto said nothing.
Shangshan Che stared at her unblinkingly: “Would you teach it to others?”
“No.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto answered without hesitation, almost thoughtlessly.
“Actually, you would.”
Shangshan Che immediately shook his head.
He spread his hands: “Lord Yoshimoto, playing double standards like that isn’t good; it’s a bad example.”
Though unclear what “double standards” meant, Imagawa Yoshimoto didn’t hide it.
She frankly nodded, admitting: “As expected, you saw through me, Tetsu-kun.”
Facing such an Imagawa Yoshimoto, Shangshan Che really couldn’t feel “deceived.”
He sighed softly: “Why do something so against the rules…”
But on matters of principle, Shangshan Che wouldn’t yield: “So, I can’t teach you Onmyōdō for absorbing Spiritual Energy.”
“—Because the two methods I know are tied to many people and can’t be casually spread.”
Spirit Control Technique aside.
If this Great Onmyōdō fragment got spread, some hidden Onmyoji Family might come knocking the next day.
Basic Spirit Absorption Method was even less possible.
If taught out, who knows what history would become; Shangshan Che really didn’t dare risk it.
So, no.
“That’s a bit of a shame.”
Though she said that, Imagawa Yoshimoto showed no regret on her face.
She straightened her back, revealing a proud smile: “Even without your Onmyōdō, Tetsu-kun, I can still ride the tide of the era.”
“—Yesterday, I visited the hidden Onmyoji Family in Mikawa Province and traded for a basic Onmyōdō booklet.”
Under Shangshan Che’s slightly stunned gaze, Imagawa Yoshimoto clenched her fist confidently, enunciating each word,
“—From now on, it’s the era of Onmyoji.”
Had to say, Imagawa Yoshimoto’s insight was spot on.
With heaven and earth reviving, demons and monsters and Spiritual Energy becoming common again… for the next one or two centuries, Onmyoji would undoubtedly surpass samurai.
Then parallel until modern times, when breathing techniques overtook again.
Finally, after the First Wave shattered the Four-Star shackles, rising once more.
Shangshan Che thought with some emotion, then suddenly spotted a key point.
He asked strangely: “Lord Yoshimoto, those families are surely super rigid; how’d you pry something out of them?”
Imagawa Yoshimoto raised a finger,
“There.”
Shangshan Che looked in the direction of the finger…
And it was pointing squarely at him.
He opened his mouth, then shook his head with a wry smile: “Lord Yoshimoto, you’re still a top-notch shrewd merchant.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto showed a bright smile and stepped forward: “If it’s free, why not? Doesn’t cost extra anyway.”
“Tea?”
She went to the side, took out tea set pieces to brew tea, her movements skilled and graceful.
“Sure.” Shangshan Che nodded.
Soon, two cups of warm tea appeared before Shangshan Che.
“A toast?”
Imagawa Yoshimoto gazed at her pleased reflection in the calm surface and suddenly said.
“Toast to what?”
In the silence, after thinking a bit, both picked up their teacups and said to each other: “To you…”
Their gazes collided mid-air unexpectedly, both stunned.
Imagawa Yoshimoto shook her head,
“Forget that one… Anything else?”
Shangshan Che thought, then clinked teacups with the girl named Imagawa Yoshimoto: “Then, to the era.”
He looked up at the bright moon in the sky, closed his eyes to listen to the illusory tide sounds echoing between heaven and earth, and softly said,
“I hear it, the era’s arrival.”
