Chapter 271: Time For The Family Mini-game To End! Shangshan Che, I’ll Bite You To Death! Sword Master Mikumo Gonnosuke’s Memory
Tokugawa Ryuji stared straight ahead, staring in the direction where Lili Zi did not exist.
No response.
Invisible to the naked eye, undetectable by the five senses, impenetrable by sound and spiritual energy, a barrier of unknown principle unfolded with Tokugawa Ryuji at its center, completely isolating everything around.
In an instant, the crowd, the clamor, the lights, everything in the mortal realm—all vanished.
Only three people remained within.
Sensing her own Sword Domain compressed into her body in an instant, Lili Zi remained unmoved.
She knew this was probably the super-evolved upgrade version of 【Sword Domain】, something even many Great Swordsmen might not possess—a small world of the sword formed by the perfect interweaving of Skill and Reason.
——【Sword Realm】!
“Eldest Brother.”
Lili Zi stared at Tokugawa Ryuji, who had ignored her from the start until now, and sighed softly: “This might be the last time I call you Eldest Brother.”
Tokugawa Ryuji still did not speak.
Because Tokugawa Motoyasu had not yet spoken.
The old man was not in a hurry. Only after the entire Sword Realm was shrouded in silence for more than ten seconds did he fully appraise Lili Zi, nodding somewhat unsatisfactorily before smiling and speaking,
“Lili Zi, long time no see.”
This time, it was Lili Zi who did not reply.
It had been many years since she escaped from that Tokugawa family home in the pitch-black night where she could not see her hand in front of her face, without seeing her great-grandfather.
But upon reuniting after such a long time, no ordinary warmth or sentiment rose in Lili Zi’s heart.
Instead, only hatred.
Lili Zi rarely hated anyone, let alone to the extent of loathing.
Unfortunately, the Head of the Clan of the Tokugawa family before her eyes, her great-grandfather Tokugawa Motoyasu, was one of them.
Seeing Lili Zi not reply, Tokugawa Motoyasu was not angry, but instead said in a sentimental tone,
“It’s really been so long… Back then, Lili Zi, you were only this tall, right?”
The old man awkwardly gestured at his trouser leg with his cane, the motion looking comical and strange.
In the Sword Realm, Tokugawa Motoyasu kept digging up memories of the past Lili Zi, mentioning them with a smile.
As if this scene was truly touching, like a grandparent-grandchild reunion separated by nearly ten years.
“And that one meeting, Lili Zi, you were eavesdropping outside, right…”
“Sigh…”
For the first time, Lili Zi spoke and sighed, interrupting Tokugawa Motoyasu’s words: “It’s been so long already, so why can’t you break that bad habit?”
The girl looked up, her gaze indifferent: “Say what you have to say quickly. I need to hurry back to cook.”
At this moment, the always silent Tokugawa Ryuji stepped forward, and just his voice made Lili Zi’s skin tremble: “Little Sister! Do not disrespect Great-Grandfather!”
Tokugawa Ryuji was just about to raise his hand to strike Lili Zi out of the Sword Realm when his motion was blocked by a withered palm.
Tokugawa Motoyasu smiled and reached out: “No need for that, Ryuji.”
Lili Zi, shaken by the voice with her qi and blood churning, circulated the Great Elixir in her body to barely avoid coughing up blood.
She looked at her eldest brother with near sadness, saying nothing more.
“Say what you have to say, quickly.”
Lili Zi emphasized once more, sneering: “Can the little family game end here? My patience is already worn thin.”
The Sword Domain belonging to Lili Zi barely propped open an inch of space in the Sword Realm.
——Though completely no match for Tokugawa Ryuji’s Sword Realm, if fully unleashed, leaking a wisp of Sword Intent could still summon the Special Affairs Office.
“I originally just wanted to see how my great-granddaughter was doing…
I heard Lili Zi that you’re still cultivating the incomplete Corona Breathing Technique. That Special Affairs Office really judges people by their status.”
The old man shook his head, sighing deeply: “Lili Zi, there’s no need for you to keep studying this third-rate breathing technique, wasting your talent and squandering your youthful prime.”
“—The Tokugawa family’s Life River Breathing Technique is the path you should take.”
After Tokugawa Motoyasu finished speaking, he stared at the girl with a beaming smile, like a hunter quietly waiting for his desired prey to take the bait.
Lili Zi raised an eyebrow: “Since when has the Four Extremes Breathing Technique been open to mongrels like me with impure bloodline?”
“No need to belittle yourself like that, Lili Zi…”
“So, what’s the price?” Lili Zi knocked her sword hilt with her knuckles. “I’ll say it one last time: don’t beat around the bush. I don’t have that much time to waste on you.”
The old man naturally proposed his demand: “As long as Lili Zi you agree to come home, time is not important.”
“Conversation ends here.”
Lili Zi answered without thinking, stunning Tokugawa Motoyasu, who had been prepared to wait a long time of several decades for an answer.
From start to finish, this was the only thing that exceeded his expectations.
——Tokugawa Lili Zi actually did not choose to get something for nothing by taking the Life River Breathing Technique first, but directly rejected this extremely tempting condition.
When she was little, she had been thinking of the Tokugawa family’s Life River Breathing Technique day and night, unable to eat or sleep.
Lili Zi naturally caught this instant, and she sneered contemptuously: “In that case, I wish you grandfather and grandson a pleasant time in Tokyo. I won’t keep you company.”
Seeing Lili Zi about to step out of the Sword Realm’s range, Tokugawa Ryuji moved to lock her inside.
Then once again, the old man was held back.
“But Great-Grandfather…”
“No matter.” Tokugawa Motoyasu smiled with a blessing: “I also wish Lili Zi you and that Shangshan Jun a pleasant dinner.”
Pat.
Lili Zi’s footsteps stopped.
She turned her head, her icy gaze falling on Tokugawa Motoyasu, who was waving at her.
“Actually, I think Lili Zi you and him are quite a match.”
Tokugawa Motoyasu took two steps forward, rubbing the jade thumb ring on his thumb: “If you don’t mind, I can of course play matchmaker for you two.”
Lili Zi’s eyes flickered with confusion, but the next moment, her Sword Heart like a blazing sun shattered all attempts to distort and influence her thoughts.
She narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze stabbing toward Tokugawa Motoyasu like a sword,
“What I want, I’ll get with my own hands, not rely on others’ pity and charity.”
She then looked at Tokugawa Ryuji and chuckled lightly: “I won’t wag my tail and beg like a dog for a little benefit either.”
“I’ve said all there is to say.”
Lili Zi turned back and strode out of the Sword Realm’s range.
The blessing from Tokugawa Motoyasu, her great-grandfather, reached Lili Zi’s ears, making the latter tsk in displeasure.
In the Sword Realm, Tokugawa Ryuji, who had sighed countless times in his heart from start to finish, asked: “Great-Grandfather, should we forcibly drag Lili Zi back home?”
——Clearly there were countless better choices, yet his foolish little sister chose the dumbest, most merciless clean break.
But for some reason, Tokugawa Ryuji suddenly envied that girl who, even standing in his Sword Realm, dared to voice her true thoughts without reservation.
——From their first meeting that sweltering summer long, long ago, the girl named Tokugawa Lili Zi had never bowed to this world or made even a single smooth compromise.
“Why do that?”
Tokugawa Motoyasu rubbed his dimming jade thumb ring, his gaze deep: “Forcing Lili Zi to do something is the most crude method.”
“Ryuji, it’s good for young people to have drive. When I was young, the things I said and did were even more outrageous than hers, but now don’t I still hold this cane?
For young people, more realistic blows and tempering is also good. It lets them recognize their place in this world.”
Tokugawa Motoyasu sighed: “Ryuji, you recognized the essence of this world too early… Maybe sometimes you should learn from your little sister.”
“Yes, Ryuji will remember.” Tokugawa Ryuji lowered his head.
At the old man’s farewell, Tokugawa Ryuji withdrew the Sword Realm, and as he walked toward the venue exterior, he heard Tokugawa Motoyasu’s question,
“After this encounter, what do you think of her?”
Tokugawa Ryuji answered truthfully: “Little Sister’s Sword Heart is like a blazing sun hanging in the sky, unchangeable and unshakable.”
“The sun and moon revolve, as per the natural laws of heaven and earth.”
The old man smiled pleasantly, his age-spotted skin layering like tree bark: “Haha… No matter. Then let’s see how far she can go in the Seed Battle.”
……
“Big Sis, why hasn’t Sister Tokugawa come yet?”
Chisa, pulled into the lounge by Tamamo, poked her head out curiously.
She sneakily glanced back and noticed her sister’s expression seemed a bit off too.
Hmm… But with so many people in the venue, no bad guys or demons would appear. Sister Tokugawa must be safe.
Chisa was utterly puzzled.
“It’s fine. We’ll wait a bit longer for Miss Lili Zi.”
Tamamo breathed a sigh of relief at Shangshan Che’s “no problem” reply. If something happened, she couldn’t just sit by, but Chisa-chan was still beside her.
It’s fine, it’s fine.
So the sisters waited a good while longer before finally seeing Lili Zi with a face full of cold indifference in the lounge.
The girl who was about to pack up her things paused,
“Sorry to keep you waiting so long…”
“Actually, it was Elder Brother Shangshan who was worried about you.” Tamamo grinned and gave her a peace sign.
Lili Zi’s expression softened, and she nodded: “Mm, then let’s go home.”
—After everyone finished the dinner Lili Zi personally made, which for some reason was infused with a ton of invigorating Sword Intent, Tamamo took Chisa out for more strolling, while Yagyu Oshi used the chance to enter deeper meditation.
Balcony.
Shangshan Che gazed at the bright moon and asked: “You met them?”
“Mm, just a quick meeting because of the Seed Battle, nothing major.” The girl sighed softly. “Just, I didn’t expect Eldest Brother to become like that.”
“Such a pity,” she said.
Shangshan Che said nothing, but in his heart went “Eh?”—In Lili Zi’s eyes, Tokugawa Ryuji did not seem to be on their side?
Not pointing it out, Shangshan Che thought Tokugawa Ryuji might have his own intentions.
Shangshan Che thought for a moment, then asked again,
“If they were using it as a chip to get you back… they must have offered the Tokugawa family’s Four Extremes Breathing Technique, right?”
Lili Zi confirmed: “Yes, I refused.”
“Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing, Shangshan Jun?”
“Because I held you back… That’s what I would have said before.” Facing the frowning Lili Zi, Shangshan Che grinned at her. “But now, I won’t say that.”
“What do you mean?”
Lili Zi waited for the answer.
“Because…”
Shangshan Che opened his mouth, but just as the reason was about to come out, he put his index finger to his lips and held it back himself.
He chuckled: “Secret.”
“Ha?”
Lili Zi’s blood pressure shot up instantly; if pricked with a needle now, it could squirt dozens of meters.
Mad! Mad! Mad!
Staring at Lili Zi whose face and neck had turned redder than red, Shangshan Che smiled mysteriously again,
“Once you figure out the method for Acupoint Sea of Qi, I’ll tell you the rest of the answer.”
The evening breeze brushed by, the balcony warm.
Soon, the girl’s fists clenched tight, even her internal Great Elixir nearly failing to control the rampaging qi and blood.
Lili Zi took a deep breath, but unusually failed to suppress her emotions.
She bared her tiger teeth, raised her hands high, and pounced with an angry yell,
“Shangshan Che—I’ll bite you to death!”
Shangshan Che retreated half a step in shock and hopped away in escape,
“Whoa, no way!”
“Don’t run—I’ll bite you to death! For saying half and leaving it hanging, for cliffhanger-dogging me!”
……
After a good commotion, Shangshan Che, hissing with pain, limped back to the bedroom.
Kaga Kiyomitsu, who had moved the game console and TV inside, was rubbing the controller, fighting a half-human half-horse under a big tree, blocking the knight in the fountain unable to get out.
This ninety-ninth time was about to succeed.
But turning his head, Little Jia saw Shangshan Che grinning in pain and the rows of deep red bite marks on his shoulder.
Kaga Kiyomitsu flew over hurriedly, forgetting the game,
“Master! What demon attacked you!?”
Shangshan Che touched his nearly bleeding shoulder and rolled his eyes: “Little Wolf King Tokugawa Lili Zi.”
Kaga Kiyomitsu: ???
Little Jia, unable to comprehend, was stunned and fell into puzzled thought without an answer.
Shangshan Che said nothing more, scooped it up, and lay on the bed.
Karuta card game, startup!
After quickly skipping the plot and others’ lives, Shangshan Che arrived at the Hanafuda Market.
He opened his eyes and sure enough saw the Onmyoji of the second match turn and leave.
“Next match.”
Led by the fox-faced woman swaying her hips, Shangshan Che once again faced the third round opponent—the mysterious Great Demon with superb technique.
After a match, Shangshan Che was naturally beaten badly, losing by ten Karuta Cards.
Unfazed, he immediately went for another round without a word.
But this time, the situation seemed different…
After fifteen minutes of full-focus play, Shangshan Che was shocked to find 26 Karuta Cards in front of him.
How did he win?
He looked up and saw the furious Great Demon hammering the ground,
“Damn! Damn! This seat won’t make such a small mistake!”
The opponent Great Demon actually made a mistake in this save-load?
No wonder he hadn’t felt the crushing pressure, instead entering flow state playing Karuta.
Unexpectedly, constant save-loading could trigger a Hidden Event.
Ten seconds later, the mysterious Great Demon exhaled heavily and cupped hands toward Shangshan Che and the affected surrounding guests,
“Phew… Everyone, pardon the spectacle.”
“Though a mistake, this seat did indeed lose.” The Great Demon flicked its sleeve, ejecting a deep purple Memory Orb.
“Six-tailed Fox, this seat won’t take advantage of you. How about this as the wager?”
Shangshan Che looked closely, his body shaking.
【Sword Master·Mikumo Gonnosuke’s Kendo Memory】!
Not because of the “Sword Master” prefix.
But… the name Mikumo Gonnosuke left a profound impression on him!
