"Let's go." With a thought, Retsu manipulated the Black Bear Demon beneath him, slowly following the winding path at the mountain's base towards the summit.
At this moment, the two of them were seated on the black bear's back. Although the bear was sizable and not crowded with both of them riding, the distance between them was very close.
A gentle breeze blew, stirring the hair of Kikyo who sat in front. Retsu could catch a faint, elusive fragrance wafting from her.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This body of Kikyo's, made of clay, aside from lacking the warmth a living person should have, was almost indistinguishable from real flesh and blood.
In comparison, his current Edo Tensei body, covered in cracks, made it obvious at a glance that it wasn't a living person. Of course, the immortality granted by Edo Tensei rendered the flaws in appearance insignificant.
The black bear beneath them was, after all, a demon. Worried about being misunderstood by the people of the Demon Slayer Village, Retsu deliberately made the bear slow its pace.
A few minutes later, the two riders on the black bear finally arrived before the Village gate of the Demon Slayer Village.
"Who are you? What is your business at the Demon Slayer Village?"
Since outsiders often came to the Village to commission demon-slaying tasks, a villager quickly appeared on the watchtower responsible for guarding the gate.
His tone held a degree of vigilance, but not excessive hostility, clearly indicating this was a common occurrence.
"Please inform your leader that the priestess entrusted with purifying the shikon jewel fifty years ago has come to visit." Hearing the villager's inquiry, Kikyo looked up at the watchtower and responded.
Upon hearing the keyword 'shikon jewel,' someone inside the Demon Slayer Village immediately turned and hurried off to report to the leader.
Retsu jumped down from the black bear's back first and casually asked, "After so many years, do people still remember this matter?"
"They should know." With his offered hand assisting her, Kikyo descended from the bear, smoothed her clothes, and said softly, "I can sense the presence of the shikon jewel within the Village."
Retsu's gaze fell on the Black Bear Demon beside them, obediently standing still under genjutsu control. He frowned, somewhat hesitant about whether to kill it.
Seeing Retsu staring at the black bear, Kikyo discerned his thoughts and suggested, "Let's keep it for now. Later, I can turn it into a Shikigami. It would be quite convenient as a mount."
"Alright then, let it live for now." Retsu nodded. Originally, he had planned to kill it directly and toss the corpse into the Kamui Dimension. Since Kikyo had a way to handle it, he would leave it to her.
Most of these low-level demons formed from wild beasts lack intelligence, acting only on animal instinct, making them impossible to tame or form contracts with.
While they could be controlled by genjutsu as they were now, it was too troublesome. If Kikyo could make it into a Shikigami, it would be much more convenient.
The two waited for a while. Suddenly, the heavy wooden gate in front slowly rose, revealing the entrance leading into the Village.
"Let's go." Retsu said and took the lead, stepping inside.
Entering the Village, what met their eyes were rows of wooden houses. Many villagers within were busy with their respective tasks.
However, unlike other Villages where farmers wielded various farming tools, the tools in the hands of these villagers were crafted from strange demon remains.
The villagers were busy drying various medicinal herbs, processing materials from demon corpses, or forging weapons and armor.
Combined with the Village's name, 'Demon Slayer Village,' it wasn't hard to guess that these villagers provided logistical support for the Demon Slayers fighting on the front lines.
At this moment, a large number of villagers, having heard the news, gathered near the entrance, curiously observing the two unexpected guests and the massive Black Bear Demon following behind them.
Not far ahead, a team of robust, neatly dressed men stood in formation, their gazes fixed intently on Retsu and Kikyo as they entered the Village.
At this moment, a large crowd of villagers surrounded the entrance. A group of robust, neatly dressed individuals stood at the front, watching Retsu and Kikyo walk into the Village, followed by the Black Bear Demon.
"These two... a samurai and a priestess?"
"That big fellow behind them is a demon, right? Such a huge size, it must be a demon!"
The surrounding villagers whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with curiosity and scrutiny.
Just then, a tall, stern-faced middle-aged man at the front of the group stepped forward.
His gaze swept over the two, finally settling on Kikyo, and he spoke:
"I am the leader of this Village. I just received word from a villager that the priestess responsible for purifying the shikon jewel fifty years ago has come. Might that be you?"
"I am Kikyo, the priestess who accepted the Village's commission fifty years ago, entrusted with purifying and guarding the shikon jewel." Kikyo took a step forward and nodded.
This Leader of the Demon Slayers was none other than Sango's father.
Looking at the priestess whose appearance seemed far too youthful, a trace of doubt appeared on his face. He spoke apologetically, "I'm sorry, the elders who handled this matter back then have long since passed away.
Although I've heard this story from the elders, it was fifty years ago.
And I heard that the priestess named Kikyo ultimately died in the battle to protect the shikon jewel... Priestess, you..."
Understanding his skepticism, Kikyo calmly explained, "I did indeed die at the hands of a demon trying to seize the shikon jewel back then.
And with my dying breath, I cremated the shikon jewel along with my own body, attempting to take it with me to the Pure Land.
However, it ultimately failed. The shikon jewel reappeared, and I, too, was resurrected not long ago due to an unforeseen event.
I have come here this time to learn about the origin of the shikon jewel."
"This..." The Demon Slayer leader hesitated upon hearing her words, clearly not believing her.
"I can sense fragments of the shikon jewel within the Village. If it's convenient, you could hand them over for me to purify." Seeing his hesitation, Kikyo proactively offered.
She intended to use her spiritual power to purify the shikon jewel to prove her identity.
"Well..." The leader hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Please, follow me."
With that, he turned and walked deeper into the Village.
Without the slightest hesitation, Kikyo glanced back at Retsu, signaling him, and then followed the Demon Slayer leader's steps.
Retsu, while observing the Village surroundings, closely followed behind Kikyo.
He had noticed earlier that Sango was not in the Village, guessing she was probably out on a demon-slaying mission.
He remembered from the plot that shortly after Sango returned from a mission outside, she and a team from the Village, along with her younger brother Kohaku, went to Hitomi Castle to slay a demon.
In the end, they were almost completely wiped out there, with only Sango surviving, and Kohaku half-dead.
However, this matter was tricky to handle. The Demon Slayer Village survived on demon-slaying. Even if he stopped it once, they would be deceived by Naraku a second time.
Moreover, to frame Inuyasha, Naraku destroyed the Demon Slayer Village, forcing Sango and Inuyasha to fight each other.
But if he intervened to protect the Demon Slayer Village, it might make Naraku think Sango was no longer useful, leading him to kill the entire demon-slaying team and directly kill Sango and Kohaku.
And even if he protected them this time, Naraku would strike again later. This Village was too special; it was the birthplace of the shikon jewel. Anything connected to that jewel met a bad end.
Furthermore, the people of this Village might be connected to the priestess Suiko. The demon Kirara, who follows Sango, was once Suiko's pet.
But he didn't really care in his heart. As long as Sango, the character he liked, survived, that was enough.
As for the other people in the Village, if he encountered them, he'd lend a hand. If not, then so be it. They were, after all, just minor lives. If he couldn't save them, then it was just their bad luck."
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