"You're a second-rank exorcist? Still far from reaching first-rank?"
"Yes, yes…"
"And the strongest person in your temple?"
"That… I…"
"Hm? You don't want to keep your manhood anymore?"
"I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Under Minamiya Chiya's cold threat, the bald monk spilled everything he knew.
"The strongest is our abbot. He's a soldier-class exorcist. Below him are four senior uncles, all first-rank."
That, however, was only the beginning.
With the monk's background not entirely insignificant, Chiya pressed further and extracted more information about the exorcist world of this island nation.
He even learned a few things about the cultivation world in China within this setting.
For instance, the island was divided into three overlapping domains.
The human world.
The yokai realm.
And the exorcist world.
Sometimes separate.
Sometimes intertwined.
Because of this, urban legends and ghost stories spread easily.
Disappearances and deaths were not uncommon.
They were simply… covered up.
Maintained.
Contained.
Powerful beings, whether exorcists or yokai, rarely acted openly in the human world. Once their level surpassed a certain threshold, any reckless conflict could destabilize the fragile balance between the three realms.
If that happened, the consequences would be catastrophic.
A return to the age of chaos.
A world where spirits and humans clashed openly.
As for China…
It was on an entirely different level.
Both its cultivation world and its yokai forces far surpassed anything on this island.
Touching it carelessly would only lead to destruction.
Unfortunately, someone like this monk could not provide deeper insight.
"Tch… so that's how it is."
Chiya clicked his tongue, slightly dissatisfied.
He had originally hoped to eventually return to the cultivation world of China in this reality.
But now it seemed far more complicated.
Ordinary people could travel freely.
But practitioners?
Without powerful backing, crossing borders was almost impossible.
"Damn it…"
Chiya muttered under his breath.
The monk, noticing his expression darken, became nervous.
"Senior brother… since the misunderstanding is cleared…"
He forced a smile.
"Could you perhaps… lift your foot?"
He cautiously reached out, trying to move Chiya's foot away.
The next instant
Pain exploded.
His vision spun.
He saw his own body.
Then the terrified face of Mizuhara Rei.
And finally
Darkness.
His head hit the ground with a dull sound.
Chiya stood there, sword in hand, his expression calm.
Not a trace of blood stained him.
"You've got a soldier-class master behind you."
"So I might as well eliminate the trouble at its root."
His voice was indifferent.
Killing did not weigh on him.
Especially not when the target was a potential threat.
A moment later, the system's cold voice echoed in his mind.
[Second-rank exorcist slain]
[Obtained: Buddhist essence fragments]
[Metal and fire attribute fragments acquired]
[Obtained: Joyous Cultivation Technique, Upper Chapter]
[Obtained: Second-rank relic prayer beads]
Chiya's lips curled slightly.
"So killing exorcists works too…"
Though compared to eliminating spirits, the rewards were noticeably lacking.
No direct increase in cultivation.
Still…
Resources were resources.
At worst, they were useful supplements.
With a flick of his fingers, he summoned a basic flame technique.
Fire ignited.
The monk's body was reduced to ash in seconds.
From the side, Mizuhara Rei trembled.
She had just witnessed someone stronger than herself being effortlessly erased.
If she still had a physical body, she would have already collapsed.
Chiya turned his gaze toward her.
"As for you…"
"Should I kill you too?"
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
That alone made her fear skyrocket.
"P-please… spare me…"
Her voice trembled as she took a step forward.
"I can serve you… I can be useful…"
Her form shifted slightly, attempting to present herself in the most appealing way possible.
Desperation.
Fear.
Submission.
All carefully blended.
Chiya watched her silently.
Then
He laughed.
Coldly.
"You really think I don't know what you actually are?"
His fingers formed a seal.
Energy surged.
In the next instant
Her form collapsed.
Her outer appearance peeled away, revealing the grotesque truth beneath.
A writhing mass of darkness.
Distorted.
Corrupted.
The true form of a malicious spirit.
Before she could even scream
The sealing technique tightened.
Compressed.
Condensed.
Until
She became nothing more than a small black sphere.
Chiya caught it casually and slipped it into his pocket.
"Still…"
"That beginner manual really was the best thing in the starter pack."
"With this alone, I can handle everything up to first-rank."
With a final glance, he burned the discarded remnants and turned away.
Then, without another word
He left the abandoned building.
...