Chapter 67 Profound
Yan Sheng stood there, watching faceless people come and go as they passed by him, and felt a chill run down his spine.
He began to doubt whether these were truly Yoriichi Tsugikuni's memories. How could something so obviously out of place in this era come from Kokushibo's mouth?
Yan Sheng followed the two children and watched them spend a long time together. At the same time, he also noticed from the details that Yan Sheng was indeed not a person from this era.
He always intentionally or unintentionally revealed his incompatibility with this place. Even though he was used to life here, his thoughts and ways of thinking were always different. This could be glimpsed from his conversations with Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Is he a time traveler? Maybe, but he doesn't seem to know that Yoriichi Tsugikuni is the son of God, and his behavior is very similar to the personality of Kokushibo Tsugikuni in the original work.
As Yan Sheng watched, he felt that his way of thinking and acting was so familiar: naive yet polite, with simple ideas but also understanding of human relationships.
Yan Sheng frowned. He was certain that the other person was definitely a young child, lacking mature thinking and soul, and doing things in a manner appropriate for someone his age.
Who is he? Is it Tsugikuni Iwakatsu? And what about himself? Why is he here in his place? Iwakatsu didn't know.
While Iwakatsu was struggling with his dilemma, Yoriichi Tsugikuni had already gotten used to his current life. He sat on the wooden veranda, staring blankly at the sky, wearing a thin red kimono but feeling no chill at all. He turned his head, and from his clear view, he could see Iwakatsu Tsugikuni wielding his sword.
He watched as Kokushiro Iwakatsu, dressed in a white kimono and riding a black horse, held a wooden sword tightly in both hands and swung it with the guidance of the person next to him.
Seeing Yoriichi's serious expression, Iwakatsu slowly walked over to his side and sat down. He didn't know what the other was looking at; he could only see houses and silently looked up at the sky.
White clouds drifted across the blue sky, but Yan Sheng's thoughts were in turmoil; he hadn't yet grasped everything. A breeze blew, causing his long hair to sway and occasionally brush against his cheek. He raised his hand and tucked it behind his ear.
Are you my elder brother?
The sudden sound startled Yan Sheng, who turned his head to see a pair of emotionless eyes. He held up his soft, expressionless face, the red, flame-like markings on it unusually prominent. Yan Sheng could see the tatami ornaments on his ears swaying with his movements.
"I…"
Yan Sheng opened his mouth, but after a long while, he managed to utter a single syllable. Before he could finish speaking, that small figure ran towards him against the setting sun.
"Yoriichi, your brother is here!"
He ran towards her, his forehead glistening with sweat from practice and ignoring the strands of hair clinging to his forehead. Jikuni turned around, pushed off with both hands, and jumped down, slowly walking towards him.
"Yoriichi, what are you looking at?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni took his hand, looked around curiously, and asked. Yoriichi Tsugikuni didn't speak; he lowered his head and rubbed the scars on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's hand.
Iwakatsu sat there, watching the two interact, wondering what Yoriichi Tsugikuni was up to. He didn't follow Yoriichi any further, but simply sat quietly on the wooden veranda, watching the sky slowly darken.
He hadn't been exposed to sunlight for a long time, and even though it was fake, he could still feel the sunlight on his body.
Iwakatsu watched as Yoriichi Tsugikuni passed day after day without speaking or looking at him again, as if that time had been just an illusion.
One day, Ji Guoyansheng arrived early with his Go set. They played Go on the wooden veranda in the backyard. Children's happiness is always so pure and simple.
Yan Sheng sat beside them, gazing at the drifting white clouds, his mind blank. Just as the scene was peaceful, heavy footsteps sounded, and a shadow fell over the middle of the two players' chess game.
"Snap—".
The crisp sound of a slap pulled Iwakatsu back to reality. He turned his head and saw a familiar scene. Iwakatsu looked at the man, tall and burly, wearing a kimono covered in eye patterns, but he couldn't make out his features no matter what he did.
This place was built from Yoriichi Tsugikuni's memories, and the image he had forgotten would not appear before his eyes. Iwakatsu sat there, watching Yoriichi Tsugikuni without moving, while Iwakatsu was forcibly dragged away by his so-called father, black and white Go pieces scattered all over the wooden corridor.
"You can...see me, can you?"
Yan Sheng looked at the boy carefully tidying up and asked a question. The boy didn't react at all, continuing to pick up the smooth black and white chess pieces with his hands.
Iwakatsu stood up, walked to the boy's side, and squatted down, reaching out but unable to touch the chess piece. He withdrew his hand, his six eyes fixed on Yoriichi Tsugikuni as he slowly picked up the pieces, his drooping eyes and bangs concealing all of the other's emotions.
Iwakatsu didn't understand. Was he faking it? Or could he really not see me? Iwakatsu squatted for a long time, watching Yoriichi Tsugikuni pick up the scattered Go stones and put them away.
Iwakatsu suddenly felt bored. He stood up and slowly walked into the courtyard. Yoriichi Tsugikuni paused as he followed his movements. He looked up at the figure that had appeared in his mind many times before, and his heart skipped a beat.
"you,."
Yan Sheng heard the voice and stopped. He didn't turn around, but stood there, waiting for what he would say next.
Are you my elder brother?
The child's voice was clear and bright, each word distinct and without a single error. Yet, it silenced Yan Sheng. The air fell silent, and he remained still for a long time without turning his head.
"Maybe... I don't know."
After a long silence, Iwakatsu spoke softly, yet his voice rang out loudly in the quiet air. He sighed, closed his eyes, and turned to look at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the complex emotions in his golden eyes clearly visible.
Yoriichi finally got a clear look at Iwakatsu's appearance: a face with six eyes beneath long black hair, and red flames climbing on his forehead, neck, and chin.
"I……"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni wanted to say something, but before he could finish speaking, the other person had already disappeared in front of him with a gust of wind, drifting away in the world like invisible dust.
"Crack—".
With Iwakatsu's disappearance, all the scenes around Yoriichi Tsugikuni shattered like a mirror.
The moment Yan Sheng broke free, he frantically called out to Nakime in his mind, and a wooden door opened behind him. He stepped inside immediately, wearing wooden clogs.
"brush--."
A blazing flash of light streaked across the sky, and Hoshino Shirane, who was frantically fleeing not far from Iwakatsu, was cut in half at the waist. Just as Iwakatsu had predicted, the Blood Demon Art would fail the moment he left.
Yan Sheng didn't turn back. He entered the Infinite City without hesitation. The moment the red figure reached out, the wooden door disappeared before his eyes.
It's elusive, like trying to catch the moon's reflection in water—illusory and beautiful, easily shattered.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni knew this was a trap set for him; he remembered everything that happened in the illusion. In fact, if Iwakatsu hadn't answered him at the last moment, he wouldn't have woken up so quickly.
He was a weak man, lost in those hazy, unreal memories. It was his elder brother who reminded him and brought him back to his senses.
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