Wake Up 10
"The essence of a barrier is a kind of 'anchoring' of space. Its core mechanism stems from the influence of mana on the local space. The barrier is not static; it can be stretched, twisted, and folded. As the barrier changes, it also affects the local space it 'anchors' to."
…
Moonlight peeked in front of you and you stretched.
I’m starving…that’s all for today.
After packing up your things, you walked along the cobblestone path to your room. It was still early today, so of course it would be more comfortable to sleep in bed.
Tonight the moonlight is pale and there is no wind, perfect for...
With a "bang", you woke up the people in the Zen temple.
"Is it fun?"
“It’s fun,” you said sincerely.
A barrier is used to anchor a space, sealing it off. Then, the barrier is gradually compressed using mana. Once the space within the barrier is compressed to its limit, the barrier is removed, triggering a violent energy rebound, similar to the instantaneous release of ultra-high-pressure gas. This is the principle behind the explosive barrier.
Explosive Ward greatly alleviates your fear of insufficient firepower. Being a strong support does not prevent you from having the heart to become a strong attacker.
You think you've learned the art of barrier formations well. But Tianyuan is the founder of barrier formations, a demon with over a thousand years of history. You won't act rashly without absolute certainty. Don't worry, dear, you still have plenty of time—you don't know why you've found yourself in this small pavilion again, at the familiar stone table and bench. The night watchmen, under the master's orders, busied themselves, and the table piled higher and higher.
You gaze at the Zen master, who remains silent. You pour yourself a cup of tea, your movements flowing like water, a technique anyone would admire.
You stared at the hot "tea" without picking it up to drink.
"Drink? Why not?" The Zen temple Zhibiren winked at you while pouring himself a cup. He drank it in one gulp, sighed, and then showed the empty cup in front of you.
You smelled the alcohol and said, "Don't tease me like this, uncle." You emphasized the last word to express your slight dissatisfaction.
Who uses a teapot to store wine?! Is this what they call having a policy and a countermeasure?!
"It's not like I can't drink." The Zen temple attendant said with a shameless face, not feeling embarrassed at all.
"Minors are not allowed to drink." You are dignified. You appear unconcerned, but in reality you are deeply resistant.
"There are hardly any laws followed in this place," said the Zen temple's Zhibiren in a nonchalant tone.
You nodded seriously, counting on your fingers: "Bigamy, smuggling..."
"I mean, drinking is not a big deal, you girl." Zenin Zhibiren sneered, "Ryoko, go make a pot of hot tea."
The only snacks on the table were the appetizers for the Zen temple's direct residents.
"Still don't like it?"
"Even if I don't like dim sum, I shouldn't hate it, right?" You said as you ate several pieces. You were starving, and when you're hungry, everything tastes good, especially desserts, which aren't bad to begin with. These dim sum weren't particularly expensive, just hard to find. They were all from shops with centuries of history and great reputations, so you had to wait in line for a long time to get them. Only Zen temples with even longer histories could have such a wide selection.
A long-established family has many connections. Not just with sorcerers, but with ordinary people as well.
"That's fine." Zen Temple Zhibiren poured himself another glass of wine.
"You really don't care about your body."
"Don't judge me by your health. Even at my age, I'm still in better shape than you. And I'm not that old compared to those people."
You were choked. Spellcasters can use spell power to strengthen their bodies, making their physical fitness several times higher than that of ordinary people. But you, also a spellcaster, can't do this.
Heaven and curse.
You and Shier are two extremes.
"Do you know why I rarely agree to let you go out?"
"Isn't this a request from the Directors' Council?"
"Director's meeting?" Zenin Zhibiren said sarcastically, turning his wine glass back and forth in his hands. "In the past, we received missions to assassinate or kidnap you every year. But it's quieted down a bit in recent years."
"Thanks, Ryoko. I was about to choke on my pastry."
Ryoko tactfully led a group of people to retreat.
The candlelight was dim, and I looked out from the railing. The area near the railing was surrounded by calamus that stood upright like sharp swords.
You're no longer afraid of this place.
The pine branches reflected in the water, like ghosts drifting on the ripples. Clearing your head in the cool evening breeze, you turned back, your face reflected in the crisp tea. No wonder Shen'er had to pay double for his help. He showed his deep affection for you, his cheap sister, by not taking the bill and asking you to pay it.
"The cursed spirit last Christmas was directed at you."
"I?"
"Cursed spirits are the best at seeking benefits and avoiding harm." The wine glass stopped spinning. "Monsters appear every year, but this year there are especially many." The Zen temple's direct visitor seemed to sigh, but his eyes would occasionally look at you.
"Why don't you introduce people to the Zenin family?"
"Then what kind of identity do you think is suitable?"
Zenin Zhibiren raised his head slightly and said, "That's right." The Zenin family cannot have a situation where the master is weak and the ministers are strong.
"You little girl, you didn't even leave me a piece of dessert." You were hit on the head by the Zen temple Zhibiren.
"If I don't grow taller, it's all my uncle's fault." After counterattacking, you said, "I did have my doubts at the time. The possibility of a quasi-level 1 cursed spirit quietly avoiding the 'window' and appearing in public is too low. But I—"
"Memory can be falsified, and it can also be guided. The memory you see has been processed by the original owner. It's still too simple." Zenyuan Zhibiren poked your eyebrows with his finger.
"Been taught a lesson."
He happily poured himself another glass of wine.
You are alone, holding your chin in your hand—"Who is the Director Council?"
"He ran away." The Zen temple attendant said concisely.
"Is it necessary? I won't do anything to them... No, if that cursed spirit is coming for me, then the other party must have made preparations long ago."
"good."
"There's a curse master inside the Director's Council."
"I hold this guess as well."
"You told me all this suddenly, do you think I can face it alone?"
"You've made a lot of progress recently."
It was a rare direct affirmation, and Naoya would be overjoyed to hear it - I was thinking about Naoya again. You haven't seen him at home since breakfast that day.
Ahem, this is also related to your reclusive lifestyle.
"Do you know what Naoya has been doing lately?"
"I was devastated. I woke up at three in the morning and went to bed at midnight every day, practicing desperately."
"Gojo Satoru?"
"uh-huh."
I see.
Naoya has always been very competitive. Since he couldn't defeat Gojo Satoru, it's not surprising that he took his anger out on the maid. As for Zenin Naobi's anger...it was probably because he said something nice about Gojo Satoru, and Zenin Naoya called him "unfair."
The only problem with this inference is that Zenin Naobi doesn't seem to praise the Gojo family.
"Staying up late is bad for your health—"
"Say this to yourself first."
"Proposing marriage—"
"Oh, you're still thinking about this, forget it." Seeing that you were still unconvinced, he added: "I won't marry you off."
"It's me who doesn't know how to get married." You corrected her, making Zenin Zhibiren laugh. "Okay, okay, whatever you say."
"Is it the Kamo family's doing?"
"Don't put everything on their family. Kamo isn't the anime villain—" Zenin Naohito rubbed his hands. "It's them."
And this group of people with the surname Kamo exploded!
"Isn't this good for them?"
"No benefit? How can there be no benefit? The relationship between Gojo and Zenin has become even worse."
"It was already bad, so a little worse wouldn't be a big deal, right?" You continued, resting your chin on your hand. "I'm more surprised that Gojo and the others actually showed up."
A few days was enough time for the news to spread through this small circle. The Gojo family's proposal for marriage was met with laughter when it was rejected, then rumors began to accuse the Zenin family of being too arrogant. Now, the Kamo family was forced to lie and claim that the son of a concubine was the legitimate son.
Why do this?
It’s a pity that no one cares about what children think.
"Is the young master of the Gojo family really that difficult to deal with?"
Upon hearing this, the Zen temple's Zhibi people looked very pleased with themselves.
"What happened in their family that made you so happy?" You still held your chin, but your eyes moved.
"That six-eyed guy ran away."
"Oh...oh...wait, what did you say?"
You pulled out a handkerchief and wiped your mouth elegantly, ignoring the mess in front of you as you sat upright. “Where are you going?” Thinking back to the time your uncle specifically mentioned the boy you met years ago, “To the Jujutsu High School?”
The Zen temple's Zhibiren's beard twitched twice. "What else? If he wants to be a sorcerer, where else can he go but there?"
"Ever since the establishment of the Jujutsu High School, no Jujutsu family with any background has arranged for their members to study there."
"What's the reason?"
This is a test for you.
"Over a hundred years ago, the spellcasting families headed by Zenin, Kamo, and Gojo, and the Spellcasting Directors' Council, composed of civilian spellcasters, formed an alliance and provided mutual assistance."
"Well... now we can't say that the Spell Directors' Council is made up of civilian sorcerers. The elders are unwilling to give up their power, and no matter how strong the new generation of sorcerers are, they are just workers and cannot sit in management positions. The Spell Directors' Council is just another form of 'family'."
"What weird metaphors you have."
“It’s a good metaphor if you can understand it.”
"A group of sorcerers, riding the wave of Emperor Meiji's reforms, gained power granted by the state. The corrupt Onmyoji Ryo was abolished by the new organization. These sorcerers were determined to make progress and attempted to eliminate the cursed spirits. However, cursed spirits are endless, but human power is limited. Power alienates people. As these sorcerers grow old, the new organization will become no different from the old Onmyoji Ryo."
"Only aristocratic families have survived for a thousand years." You looked up at the Zen temple's Zhibiren. "If these sorcerers don't want to give up their position, they can only seek new help. Uncle, am I right?"
"Aside from those old stubborn people, the top management consists of people from our Jujutsu family. We can naturally gain status, so why go far away? No family's sorcerers are willing to go to the trouble of studying there. However, you need to understand that the Jujutsu Academy is also a 'tool'."
"You mean preventing sorcerers from going astray? Then they're not doing enough. The current model is just waiting for students to come to them."
"Yes, what we have done is not enough." Zenyuan Zhibiren sighed.
"Do you want to change all this?" He finally told you why he had treated you so well over the years.
"I was only six years old at that time." You asked, confused.
"Your character." Seeing that you still didn't understand, "You are not lost in power." He explained.
"A kind-hearted person like you will definitely feel bad when seeing this dark world. I need to give you enough motivation to make you think about 'change'."
"So you made me the disciplinary committee member and asked me to take on the mission of the Astral Plasma..." You closed your eyes, your voice hoarse: "Didn't you consider that I would be in pain?"
"Suffering? You suffer precisely because you are kind. I only hope that suffering can help you grow. Didn't you decide to meet Master Tianyuan? To be honest, I don't know if you can. But young people should dare to think and act."
"I understand." You opened your eyes, dark and slightly red.
"Thank you for all the time."
"No need to thank me, I also have my own purpose." Zen Temple Zhibiren put down the bowl, circled his fingers around the edge of the bowl, and the bowl began to spin.
"I didn't actually promise you I would change this."
Zenin Naobi sneered and said, "The world is constantly changing. Just like right now, the Jujutsu experts who were once considered worthless in the eyes of the aristocratic families will once again enter their sights due to the visit of the Six Eyes."
"Don't look so bitter and resentful. Young people should act like young people. The Zen temple is a cage that can hold flowers, but not birds. Do you want to be a flower or a bird?"
Your eyes widened.
The porcelain bowl stopped turning.
"Make your choice."
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