Legend Management Bureau Chapter 461

[ … words ]

Jin Jianglang groped his way forward through the pitch-black forest. At this moment, he felt as though he had become a blind man himself, while the voice of the actual blind girl grew fainter and fainter in the distance.

The forest floor was covered with protruding, gnarled tree roots, and the moonlight above was blocked by thick layers of branches. Jin Jianglang’s progress was severely hindered, and he found himself desperately wishing for a cane.

It did not take long before he could no longer hear that foolish woman’s voice at all.

“Hey!” Jin Jianglang called out in a slight panic, realizing he had seemingly lost his sense of direction. “Woman, where are you?”

He shouted a few more times, only to find the surroundings deadly silent.

“What a hassle…” Jin Jianglang frowned, realizing it was highly likely he had lost her for good.

He took a few more steps forward and narrowly avoided colliding with a massive tree. Just as he circled around the trunk, he suddenly caught sight of a flicker of firelight.

The light was quite far away, lingering in one spot.

‘A blind person wouldn’t light a lantern. Could someone else be here?’

An ominous premonition swelled in his chest. Would anyone venturing into the Maple Leaf Forest in the dead of night… truly be an ordinary person?

Sure enough, it was not long before he heard voices conversing ahead, and it seemed the blind girl was among them.

Immediately after, an overbearing wave of Demonic Energy washed over his face.

Jin Jianglang concealed his presence and slipped behind a large tree. Three figures soon came into view.

Two highly unusual-looking Yokai were currently speaking with the blind girl.

“Blind girl, I clearly sensed a massive surge of Demonic Energy just now,” a one-armed Yokai said coldly. “You were this close to it, yet you claim you have no idea where it went?”

“I… I really don’t know…” the blind girl answered nervously. “I did encounter a powerful Yokai a moment ago, but I honestly have no idea where he went.”

The other Yokai lacked arms entirely; instead, a pair of wings sprouted from his shoulders. He cast a glance at the one-armed Yokai and said, “Ibaraki, stop making things difficult for her.”

“I cannot do that, Yamabiko,” Ibaraki shook his head. “I need to take the head of a strong warrior as a token of loyalty to request an audience with the Demon King, Shuten Doji. That Yokai from earlier was a perfect candidate.”

Upon hearing their names, the blind girl could not help but take a step back. Her hands slowly tightened around her wooden stick, and her body began to tremble slightly. “The Demon of Rashomon, Ibaraki Doji… and the Flying Bird of the Mountains, Yamabiko… This forest is crawling with terrifyingly powerful Yokai. Just what kind of place is this?”

“You know of us?” Ibaraki Doji’s eyes turned frosty. “And what title do you go by?”

“I… I’m called Blind Princess… D-don’t try anything rash! I am an Onmyoji of the Shiranui Family…”

“Blind Princess?” Ibaraki paused for a moment. “Does that even count as a name?”

Right after speaking, Ibaraki suddenly realized something was amiss. “Did you just say you are an Onmyoji?”

He thrust his torch slightly forward, illuminating the blind girl’s clothes. The garment was exquisitely crafted, featuring a flaming family crest stamped over the chest, with the three large characters for “Shiranui” written across the cuffs.

“Shiranui…?” Yamabiko took a closer look. “What is the meaning of this?”

Ibaraki was also taken aback. “What exactly is a ‘Shiranui’?”

“A renowned Onmyoji family located fifteen kilometers from here,” Yamabiko replied. “But why would they take in a Yokai? Could you be a Shikigami?”

“Huh? No… No, I’m not…” The blind princess waved her hands frantically. “I was just born with pale, sightless eyes, but I am definitely not a Yokai, let alone a Shikigami…”

Both Ibaraki Doji and Yamabiko struggled to process the situation before them.

A Yokai, claiming she was not a Yokai?

“Whatever.” Ibaraki Doji slowly drew the tachi from his waist. “I do not care if you are human or Yokai. As long as you are an Onmyoji, we stand on opposing sides, which gives me every reason to draw my blade.”

“Ah?!” The blind girl held her wooden stick horizontally in front of her. She had never expected her title to provoke such murderous intent. “I-If you kill me, the Patriarch will not let you get away with this!”

“Even better,” Ibaraki nodded. “I need the head of a strong warrior, and an Onmyoji should be far more valuable than a mere Yokai.”

Yamabiko felt that this was somewhat inappropriate. He extended a wing, gently blocking Ibaraki’s path. “Ibaraki, she is just a blind girl. Let it go. We should focus on tracking down that massive Demonic Energy from earlier.”

However, Ibaraki stubbornly raised his tachi, aiming the tip directly at the blind princess.

“Yamabiko, how can you be so certain that the tremendous Demonic Energy did not emanate from this very woman?” He stared intently at the blind princess, his eyes filled with unwavering conviction, as if his words held a deeper meaning.

“How could that be possible?” Jin Jianglang murmured to himself from his hiding spot. “This woman was nearly killed by three lesser Yokai just a moment ago.”

No matter how hard Yamabiko tried to dissuade him, Ibaraki was absolutely dead set on attacking the blind princess. Watching from the sidelines, Jin Jianglang simply could not stand by and do nothing any longer.

Shedding his concealment, he slowly emerged from the darkness.

“You two, stay your hands.”

All three of them froze upon hearing his voice. The blind princess was the first to speak. “Senior?!”

Jin Jianglang did not reply. Instead, he strode forward and positioned himself protectively in front of her. “If you wish to see Shuten Doji, a grisly token of loyalty won’t do you any good.”

Ibaraki Doji studied the man standing before him, a barely perceptible sneer tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Incredibly powerful. Excellent.”

Jin Jianglang pulled the Scissors from his back and plunged them into the ground. “If you want a fight, I will gladly oblige. But let me make one thing clear right now: if you kill a member of the Shiranui Family, you can forget about ever meeting Shuten Doji.”

Ibaraki felt the man was just bluffing, but Yamabiko took one look at the giant Scissors embedded in the earth and stepped forward with a slight bow. “My lord, we have no desire to cross blades with you, but do you truly know Shuten Doji?”

“Of course,” Jin Jianglang nodded. “The Demon King, Shuten Doji, is a Shikigami of the Shiranui Family.”

“You bastard, are you lying to me?!” Ibaraki roared in fury. “How could the strongest Yokai in existence possibly be subdued by the likes of the Shiranui Family?!”

“Tell me about it. I’m just as baffled,” Jin Jianglang chuckled bitterly. “I would also love to ask that insufferably arrogant Shuten Doji why he insisted on pledging himself to a little girl.”

“A little girl…? I knew you were spouting nonsense!” Ibaraki shifted his blade and charged straight at Jin Jianglang. “Today, your head falls!”

But Yamabiko sensed that there was more to the situation. He once again intercepted Ibaraki, placing himself between the two combatants. “My lord, you mentioned that we do not need a token of loyalty to meet Shuten Doji. What would you suggest instead?”

Jin Jianglang cast a glance at Yamabiko and said coolly, “Akita Daiginjo, Kiku-Masamune Sake, Gekkeikan Sake, or Hakushika Sake. Bring a cup of any of these four, and Shuten will gladly become your friend.”

“That is all?” Yamabiko frowned, finding the answer entirely unexpected.

“Exactly. But if you refuse to believe me and still want to battle it out right here, I have absolutely no objections.” A terrifying aura subtly began to emanate from Jin Jianglang’s body.