Mizunotsuki Residence
Accepting Ai Hayasaka's service, Seiran Mizunotsuki lived a life of having everything he wanted.
And it wasn't just women.
Food, entertainment, fun.
As long as Seiran wanted it, there were people who would do all the hard work for him.
But after satisfying his inner desires, Seiran did not miss a step in his grand plan.
His eyes did not ripple because of Yukino Yukinoshita's disturbance.
It was just a small matter.
If there is merit, then reward.
If there is fault, then punish.
He did not mind his "women" (the Yukinoshita family) using his power to seek profit or protect themselves. But he would not cover up their mistakes indefinitely.
If Yukino made a fatal mistake, he would simply let her fall and push someone else to the top to replace her.
So… his sight remained fixed on the Kyoto Onmyoryo.
It's almost time.
Kyoto: The Back Mountain of the Onmyoryo
Not good.
Very not good.
Yukino felt a rising sense of urgency. She was in deep trouble.
It shouldn't be like this.
Originally, she just wanted to get the cultivation methods from these strangers to improve the Yukinoshita family's status. She wanted to prove they didn't have to be servile to Seiran, relying only on her mother and sister's bodies to survive.
But she was wrong.
Michiko Nishikiori and the Yagyu Twins obviously wanted to do something "Earth-shattering."
If things got out of hand…
An idea she didn't want to entertain emerged faintly in her mind.
No.
There is still a chance to make amends.
Yukino prepared to "pull back from the brink."
"Ms. Nishikiori," Yukino said, trying to sound calm. "Since we can't find the Treasure today, why not look for a few more days instead of rushing? Please follow the agreement and give us our reward now. Don't worry, we will not leave after taking it."
That's what she said.
But Yukino didn't actually think she could get the reward anymore. It was just a delaying tactic.
The only way out now was to delay.
Delay until her sister, Haruno, sent someone.
Delay until they reported to Seiran to prevent the incident from escalating.
However, Michiko ignored her.
Guarding a treasure mountain in vain and returning in disappointment?
This was something no greedy practitioner could tolerate.
Michiko didn't listen to Yukino's implicit warning. As she had said earlier: Everything is under control.
Furthermore, her enslaved Little Ghosts had already warned her that a group of mortals (Hashimoto and the Onmyoji staff) were gathering at the foot of the mountain and heading up.
So she had to make a quick decision.
Similarly, the twin swordswomen, Yukihime and Koyuki Yagyu, also thought so.
Do it early. Let the Sorcerer consume her mana to find the Treasure. Then we can reap the benefits.
As well-known martial artists, they didn't feel the need to follow the rules of "honor" with an Evil Cultivator. After pretending to be cooperative for so long, they were eager to grab the loot and go home.
In fact, the Yagyu sisters looked down on "Magicians" like Michiko who relied on ambushes and curses rather than head-on strength.
However…
Yukihime looked at Michiko in surprise.
Michiko had drawn a wooden ritual sword and was wielding it fiercely.
This sword dance…
At first glance, it seemed like a standard ritual. But as Yukihime watched the footwork and the precise cuts through the air, she realized the martial skill involved was terrifying.
If she actually fought with real steel… even our Yagyu Family's swordsmanship might be overwhelmed.
This…
Yukihime's brows furrowed. She felt a deep, primal uneasiness.
Koyuki even placed her hands on her katana, shifting into a quick-draw stance.
Michiko was still performing the sword dance.
The dance was quite ornamental, possessing a magnificent, almost divine style.
It was extremely inconsistent with the foul, corpse-refining methods of the evil Jiuju Sect.
In Yukihime's heart, the uneasiness grew stronger. Her heart beat faster and faster.
She grabbed her scalp, feeling a creeping horror that made her hair stand on end.
Something's wrong!
Something's very wrong!
It wasn't like the Yagyu family had never dealt with the Jiuju Sect before. They hadn't learned the sect's spells, but they had seen their rituals many times.
This is definitely not a sword dance of the Jiuju Sect!
With a critical eye, Yukihime looked closer at Michiko's face.
She suddenly noticed the extremely abnormal expression on the Sorcerer's face.
It was as calm as water, or rather… as stiff as a corpse.
But Michiko's eyes looked terrifying.
They were filled with panic, fear, and absolute lack of control!
"Get down!"
Yukihime drew her sword, stepping back several paces, and shouted at the Sorcerer:
"Ms. Nishikiori! Stop the ritual! STOP!"
Stop?
A drop of cold sweat fell from Michiko's forehead.
Her lips were trembling as she tried to speak, but no sound came out.
The sword dance continued on its own.
Her body was moving against her will.
Whenever she tried to open her mouth or force her body to stop, a crushing sense of impending death weighed on her heart, forcing her muscles to continue the precise, ancient movements.
How could this be possible…
What on earth is going on? Why is it like this?
Why am I being controlled!?
This weird, hijacked state—let alone experiencing it—Michiko had never even heard of it happening to a Sorcerer of her level.
At this moment, Michiko vaguely recalled the sudden, frightened reversal of Yukino's attitude earlier.
Faintly, a great shock hit her.
It's impossible…
I checked! Even the highest government in Japan doesn't have practitioners guarding it!
There shouldn't be anything here strong enough to possess me!
She was trembling.
Her eyes were screaming for help.
She kept glancing at the Yagyu sisters, her eyes constantly pleading. The sheer terror in the Sorcerer's gaze made Yukihime break out in goosebumps.
The weirdness of seeing a powerful Evil Cultivator unable to control her own life and death made the two confident "Chosen Ones" keep retreating.
Soon, the twins exchanged a glance.
They saw the absolute dread in each other's eyes.
"Leave!" Yukihime commanded.
Leave now!!
No matter what is waking up here, it is definitely not something we can handle!
If an Evil Cultivator who had fought her way up from the bottom of the Jiuju Sect was reduced to a possessed puppet in seconds, the swordswomen knew they would never survive!
Seeing the Yagyu sisters turn and run away like frightened rabbits, Yukino also grabbed Miko Yotsuya by the hand.
"Run!" Yukino yelled, her voice cracking.
Run!
The farther, the better!
Behind them, Michiko Nishikiori's body completed the final strike of the ancient Sword Dance, and the ground of the Back Mountain began to tremble.
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