Chapter 337: Nine-layered Heavenly Keep, Ascending The Cloud Pavilion Alone! Enraged Factory Owner Z, Go Find Spider Cutter For Me!
The lifelike and incredibly clear, yet exceptionally soft, white Hannya Mask, resembling natural latex, fell into Shangshan Che’s hand.
He pinched it and found that it could actually be manipulated, completely unlike a mask.
A cold white prompt popped up—
【Jealousy Mask · Prototype】
【Quality: Epic~Legendary】
【—A prototype mask formed from a massive amount of “Jealousy” power, its quality will fluctuate depending on the level of the blacksmith who crafts it into a finished mask.】
Oh, I almost forgot.
After gathering a large amount of “Jealousy” and “Hate” emotions, he would also need to find a blacksmith of at least “Master” level to forge it for him.
The quality range is Epic… to Legendary, and the difference between the two is truly worlds apart.
Even Katsumi, with his Soul Ash, could easily distinguish between the two.
The blacksmith, I must find the best one.
However, the old blacksmith he’d met before was definitely out of the question.
Zashiki, who was one step away from becoming a Master Craftsman, didn’t know if she had completed her final Master Craftsman Trial yet, or where she was wandering in the Eternal World.
She said if there was a 【fate】, they would meet again, but who knew how long it would take for that fate to arrive.
I’ll ask the Black-skinned Book later to see if it knows where Zashiki is.
If the coordinates can be confirmed, after the progress value for the 【Hate Mask】 is full, I’ll tear open the other half of the 【Train’s Round-Trip Ticket】 and go directly to Zashiki’s doorstep.
It’s just that the one-month validity period of the round-trip ticket is almost up…
Thinking of this, Shangshan Che blinked, lost in thought.
Minamoto Shizuka, who was walking closer, shifted her gaze slightly to the Jealousy Mask that Shangshan Che had suddenly taken out.
Instantly, a subtle, inexplicable, and unrooted feeling of jealousy rose in Minamoto Shizuka’s heart.
Karuta and Two-Foot Adult behind them, due to their angle, happened not to see the Jealousy Mask, saving Shangshan Che some trouble.
Minamoto Shizuka stopped, sensing the change in her state of mind, and spent a moment to uproot this strange emotional fluctuation from her heart.
—Fortunately, she had nothing to be jealous of at that moment. Otherwise, if this subtle emotion had burrowed into the event, it would have been troublesome to eradicate.
She frowned and asked Shangshan Che sternly, “Shangshan Jun, what are you holding… This thing can easily evoke “Jealousy” in outsiders.
It’s very dangerous.”
“Oh, this is some “Emotional Material” I gathered using special Onmyōdō, it’s for me to study a branch of Onmyōdō later.”
Shangshan Che fibbed casually, as Minamoto Shizuka knew nothing about Onmyōdō.
However, since it was a bit dangerous, he flipped his palm and put it away.
“By the way, Miss Gen.”
Shangshan Che walked out the doorway and looked up at Minamoto Shizuka, asking,
“Does your Minamoto Family have any skilled blacksmiths? I need someone to forge a prototype item into a finished product. The reward is negotiable.”
Minamoto Shizuka thought for a moment and replied, “As for blacksmiths, with your status at the Special Affairs Office, Shangshan Jun should be able to find someone adequate, or even better.”
She hesitated for a moment and continued,
“Of course, there’s a family legend that three hundred years ago, a highly renowned Grandmaster at the time survived into the current era.
However, I don’t know if this rumor is true—even if it is, this Grandmaster would only awaken once every decade or so, and only for a brief appearance.”
Minamoto Shizuka closed her eyes and shrugged slightly.
“At least I haven’t seen any sign of the Grandmaster since I was born.”
“That’s a shame.”
Shangshan Che sighed softly, then smiled at her, “Please go ahead.”
A few meters behind him, Karuta recorded the key points of their conversation in her notebook.
Next to her, Two-Foot Adult hugged her chest indignantly, unhappily thinking that Che Adult was erudite, prescient, and resourceful, and would never forget such important matters.
This Fox Spirit is just pretending to be something… it’s so annoying!
But even though Two-Foot Adult was extremely displeased with Karuta at the moment, she didn’t say anything more.
—Che Adult was about to meet the Sword Saint, and she couldn’t cause trouble for him at this time!
As a qualified, self-proclaimed primary wife （, she naturally had to manage the rear for her husband （!
Shangshan Che and Minamoto Shizuka arrived at the Minamoto family’s entrance and got into a custom-extended black MPV. Karuta and Two-Foot Adult followed, sitting in the back row.
This MPV was professionally soundproofed and shielded against leaks. Not only could no outside noise be heard upon entering the passenger seats, but it was also completely isolated from the driver’s cabin.
They could observe the driver through one-way black glass, but the driver could not see them in return.
The car was even inscribed with numerous spells targeting Spiritual Power and Qi Barrier, forming an extremely complex miniature barrier that even made Shangshan Che feel somewhat restricted.
After the electric doors automatically closed, the car started smoothly, gliding out as if on air.
Minamoto Shizuka sat in the seat directly opposite Shangshan Che, glanced at his two Shikigami in the back row, and said lightly,
“When you go to see the Sword Saint later, it’s best if you go alone. Don’t bring anyone along; they can stay in my car.”
“Understood.” Shangshan Che nodded without asking any questions.
But after waiting for a while with no further explanation, he couldn’t help but curiously ask Minamoto Shizuka, “What’s the reason?”
Shangshan Che then added, “If it’s inconvenient, it’s okay if you don’t say.”
Minamoto Shizuka was silent for a moment, then said in the quiet, “When I was young, my elder sister and I went to see the current Sword Saint.”
“And I was the one taken along…”
Minamoto Shizuka stopped speaking there. She gave Shangshan Che a look, letting him figure it out himself.
Although Shangshan Che understood that it might not be good to say too much later, he had already asked.
So he continued to press, “And then what?”
Minamoto Shizuka shook her head, put her index finger to her lips, and gently shushed him.
“For the venerable, there are things left unsaid.”
Her gaze was deep.
“If I say too much, that person will notice, and it will only be detrimental to you, Shangshan Jun.”
Shangshan Che noticed that Minamoto Shizuka’s address had changed from “Sword Saint” to “that person.”
It was fine to mention “Sword Saint” before, whether it was the elders of the Minamoto family or Nanjo Emi, they all casually mentioned the word “Sword Saint” to him.
So, is this Sword Saint that divine?
In this highly private car, if he and Minamoto Shizuka spoke a few words, the Sword Saint could sense it?
No matter how strong a Sword Saint is, they are still human, not like the Deities with bestowed titles in myths, who can only reside in the depths of the Eternal World… He had met Kamizumi before.
Shangshan Che couldn’t help but click his tongue.
What did the Sword Saint take this Mortal Realm for, a stage for impulsive dramatic performances?
There was silence in the car for a while, then Shangshan Che asked again, “If we were to speak ill of your elder sister, Gen Shinsui, would she be able to detect it?”
“No.”
Minamoto Shizuka answered without hesitation.
“Alright.”
Shangshan Che replied helplessly. It seemed that even Gen Shinsui, who had once wielded a sword from the west and flown like an immortal beyond the heavens, was still quite far from this Sword Saint.
Information about the Sword Saint was completely shrouded in mystery.
So, how exactly did Gen Shinsui defeat the current Sword Saint when she was a child… It couldn’t be that dozens of qualifiers were added before “defeat.”
Unable to figure it out, Shangshan Che decided not to think about it anymore.
He stopped talking and leaned back, letting his wandering gaze fall upon the streets, which retained much of their ancient charm compared to Tokyo.
In reality, he was organizing the cultivation prompts and gains from the past two days.
First was the Myriad Spirit Furnace Core, which had been idling.
The number of Circulatory Flame Seeds increased from twelve to eighteen, and they were all linked together, seeming to accelerate slightly.
For the Five Thunder Technique, his proficiency increased by over three hundred points, likely due to the higher spiritual energy concentration in the Minamoto family’s domain, resulting in significant gains.
【Five Thunder Technique · Qi Condensation（Expert 2654/5600）】→【Five Thunder Technique · Qi Condensation（Expert 2991/5600）】
Of course, his research on spiritual energy at the Minamoto family’s residence over the past two days had also been fruitful. He realized that the strange changes in spiritual energy concentration were not caused by barriers or Onmyōdō spells.
Instead, it was related to the “rhythm” of space.
It was like… an extension of the Guī Yuān Breathing Technique.
Although the path was directly severed by “Guī Yuān” at this point in his research, thanks to this, his proficiency in the Spirit Control Technique increased by over five hundred points again.
【Spirit Control Technique · Qi（Master 5621/8000）】→【Spirit Control Technique · Qi（Master 6151/8000）】
This was Master-level proficiency, far more valuable than Expert level.
【Your Human Divine Treasury progress has increased due to the life-sustaining nourishment of Yao Bikuni!】
【Current Progress: 36/108】
The value of Yao Bikuni’s half-heart continued to exert its influence, and in the foreseeable future, it would play an indispensable role in his cultivation journey.
As a result, by simply eating, drinking, and breathing, he had opened thirty-six Great Acupoints in the Life River Breathing Technique and even completed the first layer, 【Steel Tendon】, of the Muscle Casting stage.
【Your Corona Breathing Technique · Muscle Casting Stage · Steel Tendon is Complete!】
【Your Meridian Strength has increased moderately!】
【Your Physique +2!】
【As you have completed the Steel Tendon stage, your physical strength has slightly increased!】
Now, looking through Shangshan Che’s jade-like skin, one could clearly see the bluish-green veins, appearing no different from before.
However, in reality, with 【Steel Tendon】 achieved, every meridian in Shangshan Che’s body became “as soft as dough, as hard as steel.”
This would allow for better energy transmission to all parts of the body, better endurance of heavy blows, Qi Flesh, and tidal waves of Gang Qi Spiritual Power, and relieve pressure throughout the body.
The next step is 【Python Tendon】.
This would make the meridians throughout the body like giant pythons in a rainforest, a step further than unyielding dead matter like steel, and also lay the groundwork for the final stage of Muscle Casting, 【Flood Dragon Tendon】.
As for which is more powerful, the carbon-based lifeform “python” or the industrial crystallization “steel,” there’s no need to elaborate.
—A giant python only needs a little cultivation to become an ordinary Ghost God, and it can shatter any steel in this world with a single tail whip!
And once Muscle Casting is complete, the second major stage of this Breathing Technique, 【Palace of Flesh】, will be truly established.
From skin, bone, flesh… to tendons, completing the final cycle!
As for the Four Great Ultimate Forms, they are merely further enhancements based on this foundation and will not affect the groundwork.
Shangshan Che had a premonition that upon completing all of Muscle Casting, his physical body would undergo a fundamental change.
Even if it wasn’t as significant as the improvement in life essence from becoming a Ghost God, it would likely not be far off.
In addition, Shangshan Che mainly practiced sword with Minamoto Shizuka.
He hadn’t practiced sword in a long time, and his practice yielded considerable results. With Minamoto Shizuka, a junior senior in kendo, as his sparring partner, his Natural Reason School also had a minor breakthrough.
【Natural Reason School（Expert 2633/10000）】→【Natural Reason School（Expert 3000/10000）】
【Rin Character Technique（11.004%）】→【Rin Character Technique（13.104%）】
The increase in the Rin Character Technique was negligible, derived from sporadic observation…
The MPV’s speed gradually decreased, and Shangshan Che could see the surrounding crowds go from sparse to dense, then back to sparse, until there were almost no people in sight.
Even the current buildings had been replaced by large expanses of vegetation.
“Are we there yet?”
He asked.
…
“Can’t reach it! Can’t reach it! This power just won’t reach!”
Inside the Core Factory deep within the Eternal World, the Factory Owner Z, once dressed in a suit, wearing a monocle, and appearing refined, was furiously smashing his desk like a raging lunatic.
—This greatly startled the group of creatively designed physicians he had invited.
No matter what method he tried, what remedies he used, or how many Onmyoji and demons he consulted, his lost right eyeball could not be restored!
The loss of vision and image was minor, it didn’t matter.
But the loss of power was significant!
Ever since the ruins of the Karuta Factory were cleaved by that accursed blade, the power of his right eyeball seemed to have been fundamentally devoured and erased, lost to him forever!
His standing among the factory owners was already not high, and now he would be ranked near the bottom!
Heaven knows what those vampires would do to him if they found out…
After a long while, Factory Owner Z finally calmed down again.
He waved his hand and, with double the agreed-upon amount, sent away all the physicians who had offered such inept solutions.
Factory Owner Z took a deep breath, sank into his office chair, and closed his eyes.
After a moment, Z opened his cold left eye, gazed at the dim sky, and said,
“He who tied the bell must be the one to untie it…”
“Go investigate the Six-tailed Fox placed in my room. However, he will most likely die a gruesome death.”
“The key is that Tachi, with its azure blade and a hilt inlaid with a blood-red pupil… the Spider Cutter.”
“Inform me immediately if there is any news or discovery.”
Seconds later, confirming that Factory Owner Z had no further requests, a mechanical voice echoed from the void.
“Everything is as the Master commands.”
…
“To be precise, we have arrived.”
As Minamoto Shizuka’s voice fell, the MPV beneath them stopped steadily without any braking sensation.
The car door opened automatically.
Shangshan Che stepped out of the car. He scanned his surroundings, shrouded in a thin mist, but found nothing.
Minamoto Shizuka’s voice, calm and filled with a sliver of reverence, flowed from behind him.
“The absolute center of Kyoto, the residence of past Sword Saints, the Nine-Layered Heavenly Keep, forged with the highest specifications.”
Shangshan Che followed the direction of her voice and looked up, seeing a faint but utterly unignorable brilliant gold protruding from the clouds above.
“—【Cloud Pavilion】.”
It’s the last two days of the month, brothers, please vote with your monthly tickets or Z!!!
