Chapter 332: What The Hell Is A Factory Owner, Daring To Speak To Master Like That! Black-skinned Book: Don’t Come Any Closer!
The Factory Owner Z’s unexpected words made Karuta, who was just about to speak up to plead for Lord Shangshan, freeze for a moment.
The 13 Adults in her impression could never speak like that.
Even though Karuta’s previous memories had already turned into irretrievable fragments, she still remembered that the Adults were all kind and gentle, treating her very well…
After her thoughts stalled for a moment, Karuta immediately stood up, looked up, and shouted,
“Lord Z, this matter has nothing to do with Lord Shangshan…”
Halfway through her words, Karuta suddenly found she couldn’t make a sound, and then her whole body was bound by an invisible force, tossed aside like a rag.
Factory Owner Z indifferently withdrew his gaze,
“Tool, no need to speak.”
The all-around restraint made Karuta unable to move any part of her body except her eyes.
Karuta stared blankly at that indifferent massive pupil, the original joy in her eyes slowly fading.
So, she was just a tool to the Adults after all.
And those happy memories…
Karuta could do nothing but lie on the ground, realizing that some things were not as in her memories.
Lord Shangshan was not in a hurry either, grinning at the pupil filling the ceiling with darkness, giving it the middle finger and tapping the hilt of Spider Cutter wrapped in cloth strips at his waist,
“Little Qing, proceed with the original plan.”
—Earlier, when recalling the 【note】 prompt, Lord Shangshan had already communicated with Qing through his heartstrings as a precaution.
Otherwise, he would have dragged Karuta back to the Mortal Realm first, instead of having such drawn-out, nagging conversation.
Now, this “just in case” had come.
It came at a good time.
Perfect chance to test the blade on this old acquaintance and verify the guess in his heart.
“But Lord Shangshan! If I do this, you as the contractor won’t be able to bear the consequences!”
Qing’s voice in the heartstrings was heavy.
“No matter, unseal it.”
In the heartstrings, Lord Shangshan’s voice was flat: “I am a Walker, I have my ways to cope.”
Little Jia chimed in excitedly, not minding the trouble: “No problem, no problem! Master has had his head chopped off many times in the Eternal World, stacked together they’d be taller than a person!
Now, isn’t he fine!”
“Then Lord Shangshan, I will unseal.”
Qing replied, choosing to trust this new master.
Accompanied by Qing’s final vibration of the heartstrings, the thick cloth strips originally wrapped layer upon layer around him unraveled circle by circle, falling to the ground.
First to appear was the scarlet blood pupil at the hilt.
That blood pupil was aimed straight at the sky, meeting Factory Owner Z’s pupil head-on.
Factory Owner Z disdainfully glanced at this little toy, not a trace of care in his eyes.
Just like an ordinary person looking at a slow-flying bug in their home, seeing what tricks these little things could pull before casually swatting it dead.
In Factory Owner Z’s eyes, this six-tailed fox hadn’t even touched the edge of a Ghost God, wanting to hinder him was pure delusion.
If not for him still hurrying to strip the surrounding Hanafuda Market, not yet fully vanished, from Karuta’s remnant image to prevent other Factory Owners from noticing…
This six-tailed fox would have been casually erased by him long ago.
The last cloth strip fell to the ground.
Amid the clear, impurity-free ringing of the blade, the deep blue blade popped out from the narrow scabbard, the dense patterns on the blade body all lighting up, as if dyed red with blood.
Factory Owner Z frowned, instinctively sensing a trace of unease, so a hint of displeasure flashed in his pupil,
“Mere blade, daring to act presumptuously before us…”
Swish!
The deep blue glow was enveloped in blood color, and in the instant before everyone present could react, it directly sliced from head to tail, cleaving the pupil at the very center in two.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle!
Like a rain of fire from the heavens, massive amounts of black blood boiled out from the pupil messily, melting the shattered hall’s floor completely.
Factory Owner Z’s unfinished words were also cut in two by it.
The pupil of Factory Owner Z, who could kill Lord Shangshan with a glance in his spare time, had no power to resist before the unsealed Spider Cutter.
Qing, drawn from the scabbard, stood before the dazed bisected pupil, his stern voice echoing in midair,
“Mere Factory Owner, daring to look at my master with such eyes, daring to speak to my master like that!”
“—This is great disrespect!”
Qing’s voice roared like thunder, shaking all the black blood threatening the just-risen Karuta into nothingness.
The monocle shattered, and the bisected pupil began to slowly dissipate.
The pupil stained black by the blood struggled to turn, staring deathly at Qing hovering before it, scanning the hilt and blade body, finally seeming to remember something as it emitted a shocked voice,
“You are… Spider…”
That pupil with only a trace of spiritual light left was hollow and dazed, yet still used its last strength to look toward Lord Shangshan, who was still grinning at that moment.
Lord Shangshan spat at it and grinned,
“If you’re weak, train more.”
“—!”
The thoroughly shattered bisected pupil could do no more, detached from the hall’s ceiling, slowly drifting toward nothingness.
Lord Shangshan’s physical body had also collapsed into an unrecognizable state inside, merely maintaining the intact exterior had already exhausted all his strength.
He could clearly feel his consciousness similarly fragmenting due to Spider Cutter’s unsealing.
Now even using basic Qi Barrier and Spiritual Power had become difficult.
No time for more words, Lord Shangshan first used the Universal Familiar to stuff the dazed, head-raised Karuta inside, then tossed her into the Storage Bag to bring back to the Mortal Realm first.
After spending a moment on this, the six-tailed fox’s body had already begun large-scale disintegration and rot from the bottom up, causing Lord Shangshan to fall straight onto the barely intact tatami mat underfoot.
“Lord Shangshan!”
Qing hurriedly descended from the ceiling to stand before Lord Shangshan, his earlier majestic tone gone, now only showing concern and a hint of regret.
It was Qing’s first time seeing Lord Shangshan approach death; he thought Lord Shangshan would really die just like that—like his previous masters.
And moreover, die because of him.
So Qing felt immensely guilty.
He and Lord Shangshan had only contracted for half a day, and hadn’t witnessed anything yet…
“It’s fine, it’s fine, this has nothing to do with you, Little Qing.”
Lord Shangshan, with half his face gone, still had the mood to wave his exposed bony right hand: “You only unsealed because I told you to.”
“Pretty impressive, slaying this Factory Owner like killing a dog!”
Lord Shangshan laughed heartily, then rapidly crumbled into fragments before Qing’s eyes, leaving only half a head falling to the ground.
Moments later, even that half head began disappearing bit by bit.
Qing fell silent.
He had seen far too many people and demons with iron wills, yet the vast majority would change temperament before impending death, wanting to reject it even if the outcome was doomed.
But unexpectedly, this new master was so… nonchalant.
“Lord Shangshan’s boldness and magnanimity are truly astonishing.” Qing sighed slowly, “No matter how the world changes, I will forever remember this lord.”
Such a heavy atmosphere was shattered by another carefree voice,
“—Hey, what are you mumbling about, Qing!”
Kaga Kiyomitsu poked at Lord Shangshan’s “remains” with the bottom of her scabbard, doodling disrespectfully with squeaks: “Master dying without a word, we’ve seen it too many times!”
“Alright, now we’ve learned a new death pose!”
Qing looked hesitantly at the ground with less than 0.1% “Shangshan content.”
No matter how you looked at it, this Lord Shangshan was thoroughly dead, right?
“Don’t look, don’t look, come with me, Qing!”
Little Jia prodded Qing with her hilt, giggling: “Let’s go back!”
…
Mortal Realm, Minamoto Family guest room.
“Lord Shangshan, you didn’t die!”
Staring at Lord Shangshan right before him, completely unscathed inside and out, Qing excitedly popped out of the scabbard for once.
“Little Qing, are you cursing me to die…”
Lord Shangshan was speechless but didn’t say more.
It was the first time Qing had seen him die in the Eternal World; such a reaction was normal.
“Qing, our master is awesome, right!”
Little Jia proudly floated to Lord Shangshan’s side, popping out a section of blade and buzzing pleasantly.
Qing said nothing.
This was… the last Walker.
Even possessing the power to reverse life and death.
Now it seemed the words Lord Shangshan had said to him before weren’t just casual talk.
He really had quite a bit of hope to achieve them.
Thinking of this, Qing’s heart grew even more firm in his choice.
—Lord Shangshan was checking prompts.
But flipping through, not a single prompt popped up about slaying Factory Owner Z.
Little Qing clearly slashed Factory Owner Z’s eyeball… at worst a projection, so why no prompt at all?
He got prompts when killing Ai Bieli’s projection clone himself in the Mortal Realm, and when sending Little Jia alone to slay demons.
So the reason no prompt appeared this time when Little Qing slew Factory Owner Z’s projection wasn’t due to those two factors.
Lord Shangshan pondered for a moment—could it be that before Factory Owner Z’s projection fully died, he had already “died,” essentially leaving the Eternal World, so no prompt appeared?
—In truth, he had already died from the massive backlash the instant Spider Cutter unsealed.
It was only because of the Heart of Yaso no Katsuya that his shell persisted for a dozen more seconds.
Probably… something like that?
Test it next time in the Eternal World with Little Qing.
If that was really the case, then his idea of burning life to let Little Qing slaughter bosses would be ruined.
What a pity.
Finishing that thought, Lord Shangshan suddenly startled.
—Right, there was still Karuta!
He had almost forgotten about it.
Lord Shangshan looked up and found Karuta had appeared nearby at some point, sitting on the ground staring wide-eyed at the approaching Two-Foot Adult.
The red-green Universal Familiar lay to the side.
Two-Foot Adult sized up the dazed, pitiful-looking Karuta and immediately became vigilant.
“Hey, who are you!”
She ran over stomp stomp stomp, tightly hugging Lord Shangshan’s arm, burying it in her waves, then pouted and squinted at Karuta as she asked,
“You woman, what relation do you have with my Lord Che?!”
The moment she saw the hollow-eyed Karuta next to Lord Shangshan, Two-Foot Adult’s “enemy search” mini-radar activated.
Lord Che just went to the Eternal World once, how did he bring back a Fox Spirit!
Two-Foot Adult thought so, then glanced at Lord Shangshan’s profile.
Also, Lord Che was looking better and better…
Her fair throat couldn’t help rolling twice.
Karuta blankly shifted her gaze, looking around, but saw no sign of the six-tailed fox.
Could it be that Walker Lord Shangshan really died there?
Just for her, this defective product?
When she was clearly just a “tool.”
Having suffered successive massive blows, Karuta’s expression wasn’t sad, but transparent tears slid from the corners of her eyes.
Lord Shangshan stood up and walked toward the silently grieving Karuta.
Two-Foot Adult wanted to stop him but was grabbed by him and pressed down on the head.
Lord Shangshan took out the 【Karuta’s Edict】 that Karuta had just given him, shook it twice in her downcast view, and smiled,
“Six-tailed fox is just one of my forms.”
Karuta stared blankly at the Karuta Card, looked up, and saw the familiar smile.
Lord Shangshan said,
“Let’s get to know each other again, I’m Shangshan Che.”
The transparent tears stopped on Karuta’s cheeks.
She pursed her lips,
“You just now…”
“Small matter.” Lord Shangshan waved it off nonchalantly, “Mere one Factory Owner, can’t threaten me at all.”
“Enough about me, let’s talk about you.”
Under the gaze of the two shikigami behind him, Lord Shangshan sat cross-legged, pointed at the Universal Familiar, and simply explained,
“Karuta, you now need this familiar to exist in the world, and right now you and I are in a 【temporary contract】 relationship.
This contract will gradually weaken over time until it disappears.”
“In about a week, the temporary contract will fully break, and you’ll have nothing to do with me anymore, and you’ll…”
“I don’t want that.”
Karuta interrupted Lord Shangshan: “Lord Shangshan, you saved this defective product of mine, I am willing to serve at your side for life.”
Hearing this, Two-Foot Adult’s expression changed instantly; if not for Kaga Kiyomitsu holding her back, she would have rushed up long ago.
“Sigh, no rush.”
Lord Shangshan raised his hand to signal: “Let me finish first.”
Karuta then closed her mouth and said no more.
Lord Shangshan held up two fingers,
“First, I will turn this Universal Familiar into your vessel; in a week, you’ll be completely free to do whatever you want.
Anyway, in the Mortal Realm, those Factory Owners won’t detect you.
As for identity, residence, and some basic living supplies, I’ll arrange them all for you.”
Lord Shangshan paused, stating matter-of-factly: “After all, Karuta, you gave me a precious Karuta Card, and it was because of me that you awoke from the dream, got discovered by the Factory Owner, and ended up in the Mortal Realm.”
“So I need to take responsibility.”
Karuta said nothing, listening quietly.
“Second, become my shikigami, handling paperwork records and schedule arrangements for me.”
Two-Foot Adult’s eyes nearly stood on end, glaring puffily at the silent Karuta.
If glares worked, she would have thrown Karuta to some corner of the Eternal World long ago!
—Though she, Two-Foot, was conscientious and moral, not letting this Fox Spirit Karuta get glared to a thousand cuts!
On the other side, after hearing Lord Shangshan’s words, Karuta immediately wanted to speak.
“Sigh.”
Lord Shangshan put his index finger to his lips: “No need to answer in a hurry, time is long, learn about this era, look around, think it over before answering.”
Karuta clenched her fists, her expression changing several times, looking like she had much to say.
But in the end, she just nodded and squeezed out one word,
“Okay.”
Karuta’s poor state now was normal.
Few people could maintain normalcy after their past worldview, memories, and cognition were shattered at once; Karuta being able to converse normally was already very good.
“Two-Foot.”
Lord Shangshan beckoned behind him: “Come teach Karuta about the outside world’s basics.”
“She’s from the Edo Period—perfect, you tell Little Qing too; his knowledge is also from the Edo Period tachi.”
“Ah… Lord Che…”
Hearing this, Two-Foot Adult immediately made a bitter face, listlessly flopping to the ground: “What you did is really not cool…”
“Thanks for the trouble, Your Excellency Two-Foot.”
Qing spoke from the side, dipping his hilt in respect.
Two-Foot rolled her eyes, gritted her teeth, and helplessly got up from the ground.
Lord Shangshan then went to another room, closed the room door, and took out the Black Skin Person Book from his bosom.
He opened the black cover and raised a brow,
“You’ve been vibrating nonstop since earlier, what is it? Stuffed with an electric motor?”
Yellowed paper immediately bubbled up with neat, clear blood-red words.
【Lord Shangshan, please absolutely do not take that Karuta as your shikigami.】
【Even if you must take her under your wing, please absolutely do not hand me over to her.】
Black Skin Person Book didn’t want Karuta holding it?
Lord Shangshan stared at the two lines of blood words for a while, then seemed to understand something, grinning with a gradually twisted smile.
