Having subdued the two Great Serpents and obtained the Dried Serpent Viscera, Xia Yu's goals for this trip were complete.
His next objectives were the immortal severance baitai at Senpou Temple, as well as the Rice Maiden who was lost regarding her own existence.
However, before going there, he had to return to Ashina Castle. His scummy elder brother should have returned by now; he had Emma write an urgent letter before he left.
Bringing Genichiro back was not only to help him increase his strength but also to have him help find the other immortal severance, Open Gate.
After all, in the game, it was Genichiro who found the black immortal severance, Open Gate, while Sekiro found the red immortal severance, baitai, at Senpou Temple.
Although both immortal severances possessed the power to sever immortality, their fundamental functions were different.
The red immortal severance was more like a ritual blade for taking tears from the Divine Dragon, hence the name baitai.
The black immortal severance, on the other hand, could open the gates of the Underworld. At the cost of the sacrificer's life, it could pull a specific deceased person back from the Underworld to the human realm and grant them the power of immortality, hence the name Open Gate.
Xia Yu didn't actually value the power of the immortal severance to slay immortal beings; after all, to him, the so-called immortality in the Sekiro world was merely physical immortality.
He could just pull out their soul and see if they died then.
It wasn't like the god race in the Elden Ring World, where the body could continue to live even after the soul had died.
What he valued was the power of death stored within the blade of the immortal severance—the red miasma when baitai was swung, and the black miasma when Open Gate was swung.
This power of death was quite valuable, and since Open Gate could communicate with the Underworld, it meant that the Underworld truly existed in this world.
Perhaps he could even reach this world's Underworld kingdom through Open Gate, but all of that would have to wait until he obtained both immortal severances.
Thinking of this, Xia Yu, with the Great Serpents coiled around his arms, opened a portal to Ashina Castle and stepped through.
Ashina Castle, Main City.
Xia Yu stepped out of the portal. This was a new generation of portal modified by Marvel Xia Yu and Demon God Xia Yu together; it could be opened with a simple gesture, solving the inconvenience of needing items.
"You two get into my sleeves first, so you don't scare anyone," Xia Yu said to the two Great Serpents on his shoulders after returning to the Ashina Main City.
Hearing this, the two Great Serpents obediently slid in through Xia Yu's collar, coiled around his arms, and rested their heads at his wrists.
Feeling the contact between his skin and the snake scales, Xia Yu couldn't help but sigh that he had changed as well.
If he were still an ordinary person, he probably wouldn't even dare to touch a common snake. Yet now, with two serpent gods coiled around his arms, he actually found the cool sensation quite comfortable.
Tsk, I suddenly feel like a bit of a pervert.
Xia Yu shook his head, casting aside the sudden thought, and started walking toward the Upper Tower.
Generally speaking, Genichiro would return there immediately upon his arrival; perhaps he was already waiting somewhere... Meanwhile, at the top floor of the Upper Tower.
A young samurai clad in ornate armor, carrying a giant longbow of staggering proportions on his back, was looking down over the entire Ashina Main City.
"You're saying that Yu healed Grandfather's body?"
"Yes, Lord Genichiro. Lord Xia Yu used Onmyodo to heal Lord Isshin's body. I go to check on Lord Isshin every day, and his body is indeed improving by the day. Now, Lord Isshin's hair has even begun to turn from white to black," Emma, dressed in a kimono, reported from the side.
Hearing the answer from Emma, Genichiro's usually stoic face managed to reveal a rare hint of a smile.
"As expected of Yu. He always brings me different surprises. I didn't expect him to be able to reach this level now."
"Lord Genichiro, would you like to go see Lord Isshin?" Emma suggested.
"No need." Genichiro shook his head. "Since Yu used an urgent letter to call me back, there must be something very important. It won't be too late to see Grandfather after I've finished speaking with him."
"I'll continue to wait for him here. You may leave."
"No need, I shall wait for Lord Xia Yu here as well," Emma replied.
Hearing this reply, Genichiro said no more. He simply continued to look down over the Ashina Main City, his main attention focused on the streets.
Before long, his eyes lit up.
"Yu is back. Emma, go and greet him. I'll go change into my casual clothes."
With that, Genichiro turned and hurried toward the stairs. He had to be quick; as the elder brother, he couldn't make Xia Yu wait for him.
A serene smile appeared on Emma's face as she stood by, and she began walking toward the stairs of the Upper Tower.
On the streets of the Main City, Xia Yu was walking toward the Upper Tower with a swaggering gait—the kind where one slightly shakes their head while swaying their shoulders to move their arms, head tilted up slightly, eyes scanning the surroundings without restraint.
If he weren't Isshin Ashina's grandson, with such an arrogant walking posture, someone would probably have come up to club him from behind within two minutes.
"It's still not quite right."
After walking with that swagger for a while, Xia Yu sighed. The walking posture of the 'King of Posturing,' Wang Xiaoming, was indeed not that easy to learn. He still hadn't mastered that natural yet pretentious demeanor.
However, he believed that as long as he practiced diligently, he would eventually reach that state.
Just as Xia Yu was about to continue toward the Upper Tower with his arrogant pace, his gaze suddenly caught sight of Emma walking toward him from a distance.
In the next instant, Xia Yu's expression changed immediately, shifting from arrogant and punchable to fresh and sunny. He straightened his posture at once and strolled forward with a leisurely pace.
He was still very mindful of his image.
About a minute or two later, the two met.
"Lord Xia Yu, Lord Genichiro is waiting in the Upper Tower. Please follow me." Emma lowered her head slightly.
"I understand." Xia Yu nodded and smiled. "When it's just the two of us, there's no need to call me 'Lord'. We've known each other since we were children, so why be so formal?"
"This..." Emma wanted to protest, but seeing the smile on Xia Yu's lips, she didn't. She simply gave a soft "mm" and nodded.
"Let's go. My brother must be getting impatient."
With that, Xia Yu took the lead, and Emma followed closely behind.
A few minutes later, in a room on the upper floor of the Upper Tower.
"Yu, I heard you were looking for me and even used an urgent letter. What is this important matter?"
Genichiro had already changed into his casual clothes. At this time, he had not yet consumed the Sediment of the Rejuvenating Waters, so he didn't appear so gloomy.
His long black hair was tied back, and though his face was rugged, it was still handsome. Even Xia Yu couldn't help but remark that Genichiro's appearance almost caught up to his own, with only a hair's breadth between them.
"Is the old man's recovery not an important matter?" Xia Yu asked back with a smile.
"Hmm..." Genichiro paused for a moment. "But for that, an urgent letter wouldn't have been necessary. I presume you have something even more important to tell me."
"Tsk tsk, as expected of you. Your head is as sharp as ever. But that's not important; let's give you an enhancement first."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Yu suddenly slapped a palm onto Genichiro's chest. A magic circle instantly expanded, layering itself upon Genichiro's body.