Chapter 73 Morikawa Family 2
Morikawa Kino's gaze fell on Qingye and the swordsmen who were standing ready, as if he were looking at a group of prey that had fallen into a trap. He tilted his head and said in a flippant tone, "Qingye, I think you're quite capable. Why don't you join me? Anyway, Hanzhou has already been sealed away, hasn't it?"
Upon hearing this, Qingye raised an eyebrow. He didn't respond immediately, but instead revealed a meaningful smile: "What? Just a clone and you're already so arrogant?"
Despite being seen through, Morikawa Kino remained calm, even showing a hint of appreciation on her face: "You are indeed very perceptive. It's a pity that such a promising Saniwa is wasted."
Before he finished speaking, he drew his longbow to its full length once more, and several arrows made of pure dark energy instantly materialized, whistling as they rained down like a storm! This time, the arrows were clearly more powerful than before, each one imbued with a thick, malevolent aura.
The protective barrier Qingye had erected began to tremble violently, its golden light dimming at a visible speed. He listened to the muffled thuds of the arrows colliding with the barrier, yet remained remarkably calm. He recalled the words Hanzhou had once taught him.
"If you find that the shield can't hold for long, it means the attack can erode your spiritual power."
Han Zhou naturally offered a corresponding solution, the words he had once taught echoing the voice he spoke now.
["Attack, force the opponent into a defensive posture, and regain the initiative"]
"Please, everyone, attack!" Qingye's handsome face was filled with a confident smile. "Let's regain the initiative!"
"Yes!" With the illusion gone, Hasebe was the first to respond and rush out.
"Well, even though it's a clone, it looks a bit troublesome." Although Higekiri said it was troublesome, he didn't hesitate to act and attacked Morikawa Kino from the flank together with Hizamaru.
Soza Samonji, Sayo Samonji, and Kousetsu Samonji gathered together, their swords flashing in a blur, attempting to intercept some of the arrows. Hotarumaru, though small in stature, unleashed tremendous power, his greatsword slashing in a sharp arc, shattering a large swath of arrows. Aishichi Kunitoshi and Fudou Yukimitsu followed closely behind.
"Watch out!" Ai Qi Kunitoshi rushed forward as soon as he noticed that Hotaru was unable to protect himself from the arrows coming from behind. He was so concerned for his companions that he didn't even notice his own safety.
Akashi Kuniyuki, who had been closely monitoring Operation Two-Edged Sword, stepped forward in a flash. His katana gleamed coldly as he effortlessly severed the arrow that was about to pierce Aishi Kunitoshi's back. His tone remained as languid as ever, yet his concern for Aishi Kunitoshi and Hotarumaru was palpable: "Be careful."
"Domestic version—"
"What? At this point, I need to get serious too."
However, although this Morikawa Kino was merely an avatar, his strength was still formidable. He didn't even move a step, simply continuously drawing his bow and firing arrows. The dense rain of arrows made it difficult for any swords or blades to get close. Even more troublesome was that the shattered arrows didn't completely disappear; instead, they dissipated into black, malevolent energy, attempting to entangle the swords themselves.
However, the golden radiance of the divine power left on them by Han Zhou was blocked, and it grew weaker and weaker, as if it were being absorbed by something.
"It's useless," Morikawa Kino said calmly. "Even though it's just an avatar, it's still not something you can handle. This is the power of a god!"
Qingye's face showed a mocking expression, and his tone was sharp and sarcastic: "The power of an evil god, something that can't be brought to the table, is it worth you showing off like this?"
Sparks of spiritual energy emanated from his body, his robes fluttered without wind, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. Qingye was searching for the location of the evil god statue; after all, that was their mission. He carefully sensed every inch of the land.
If it's not on the surface, then it must be... underground? Or hidden by a barrier in some corner of the mansion?
Qingye noticed that in the direction of the mansion behind Morikawa Kino, in the room where they had destroyed the core of the illusion, there seemed to be a faint trace of evil power, but it was of the same origin as Morikawa Kino.
Is it really still there?
We have to give it a try, no matter what!
"Higakiri, Hizamaru!" Qingye quickly formed hand seals, concentrating his spiritual power into a single point, transforming it into a solid golden beam of light. It wasn't aimed at Morikawa Kino, but rather directly at the direction of the room where he had just sensed the unusual fluctuations! "Attack there! The floor or the wall! The statue is hidden near the core of the illusion!"
This sudden change caused Morikawa Kino's expression to change drastically: "You dare?!"
He immediately turned his bow and arrow, attempting to intercept the golden light, but he was too late. The golden light struck a spot in the room, causing no major damage, but it seemed to be trapped in something invisible, even stirring up ripples of dark purple light—a hidden barrier had been triggered!
"Quick! Now!" Qingye gritted his teeth and urged his remaining spiritual power, trying to trap Senchuan Qinye.
No words were needed; the brothers understood each other perfectly. Higekiri and Hizamaru moved with lightning speed, immediately bypassing Morikawa Kino, who had momentarily created a clone due to the activation of the barrier, and dashed into the room like two bolts of lightning!
"Damn it!" Morikawa Kino roared, staring at the golden array that was trying to trap him. Zhou Zhong's longbow shone brightly, and a dark purple arrow, much thicker than before, instantly formed, locking onto Higekiri, who was leading the charge! The swords sensed this terrifying power, enough to severely injure or even shatter their own bodies!
"Brother! Watch out!" Hizamaru's pupils constricted sharply, and he almost instinctively wanted to step forward to stop him, but was stopped by a shout.
"Leave me alone! Destroy the statue!" Higekiri shouted without turning his head, his voice still soft and gentle, yet filled with an unyielding resolve. He didn't even dodge, completely exposing his back to the fatal arrow, the tip of his katana pointing directly at the center of the barrier's ripples!
As Qingye helplessly watched the arrow easily break through his formation and hurtle towards Higekiri, he couldn't help but shout, "Higekiri!!!"
At the critical moment—
A faint divine power emanated from Hizamaru and Higekiri. Perhaps knowing that the shield they had formed with their current power could not withstand the arrow, they condensed it into a dagger and suddenly clashed it with the arrow, unleashing a deafening roar!
boom--!
The arrow was deflected, its trajectory altered, and it grazed Higekiri's shoulder, blasting a large hole in the wall behind him. Meanwhile, Higekiri's sword, and Hizamaru's sword following closely behind, simultaneously pierced the center of the barrier's ripples!
"Snap—!"
A crisp sound, like shattering glass, rang out, and the hidden barrier instantly broke. A small shrine was revealed behind it, inside which stood a sinister and eerie statue of an evil god, silently enduring the commotion.
"Crush him!" The two swords flashed without hesitation, their blades gleaming once more!
"No—!!!" Morikawa Kino roared angrily and unwillingly.
Under the glaring, bloodshot eyes of Morikawa Kino, Higekiri and Hizamaru's blades slammed down on the evil god statue!
Dark purple light surged wildly from the cracks in the statue, accompanied by a sharp, piercing wail that seemed capable of tearing apart the soul. The statue trembled violently, and several distorted afterimages appeared on its surface before vanishing without a trace in an instant.
Finally, under the Genji brothers' swift and decisive strikes, the statue completely disintegrated, turning into a pile of dull, lifeless fragments.
The moment the evil god statue shattered, Morikawa Kino's aura weakened rapidly, like a punctured balloon. Qingye seized this opportunity, channeling the last of his spiritual power. A golden array instantly unfolded beneath Morikawa Kino's feet, from which barbed thorns sprouted, coiling tightly around him like venomous snakes.
"You... how could you!" Morikawa Kino stared in disbelief at the direction where the statue had been destroyed, and before disappearing, she glared at Qingye with eyes full of resentment.
After the clones disappeared, the swords breathed a sigh of relief. Hizamaru, however, was still shaken, his face filled with lingering fear: "Anija! That was too dangerous! What if..."
Higekiri chuckled and patted his frightened younger brother's shoulder, his tone still gentle as if he hadn't just jumped back from the brink of death: "Oh, I'm fine, little brother, don't be so nervous."
"I'm Hizamaru! Aniga!" Hizamaru subconsciously corrected his older brother's way of addressing him, then sighed in relief, "Oh well, it's all thanks to the power left behind by the clan head."
Qingye also came to Higekiri's side and condemned his behavior: "You scared me to death! If anything had happened to you, how would I explain it to Lord Hanzhou when he returned?"
"This evil god not only absorbed my spiritual power, but also stole the divine power that Lord Hanzhou left on you," Qingye said, his brows furrowed with deep worry. "These powers will surely become the evil god's aid."
"Well, don't worry about that," Higekiri reassured with a smile, his white combat uniform, though covered in dust, still looking quite good. "Just a fake."
Qingye chuckled upon hearing this, agreeing with Higekiri's statement, "That's true, then let's return to the citadel!"
The instant their figures disappeared, a wisp of black smoke rose from the statue fragments and disappeared into the ground.
——
In the Honmaru of the Cold Boat, time seemed to freeze for a moment after Miyuki woke up and said, "It's only half of my lifespan, I can afford it."
Mikazuki Munechika let out an almost inaudible sigh. His beautiful eyes reflected the figure of Yuu-giri, like a flower stubbornly blooming in the wind and snow. Any words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat when he met Yuu-giri's clear and firm eyes.
Golden beams of light shone again in the courtyard, signaling the return of the second unit.
As the light faded, Qingye and the swordsmen of the Second Division appeared in the courtyard. Unlike the First Division, who were covered in wounds when they returned, they had almost no obvious physical injuries, but everyone's face bore a deep weariness, except for the Genji brothers, who were in slightly better condition.
Yagen noticed their expressions and immediately went to greet them: "Lord Qingye, are you alright?"
Qingye rubbed his temples and exhaled. His spiritual energy had been greatly depleted, almost to the point of exhaustion. "The Senchuan family's illusions are really troublesome, but the evil god statue has been destroyed."
But when his gaze fell upon Miyuki, whose hair was half-white and who was being supported by Kashuu Kiyomitsu, his pupils contracted slightly. As a fellow Saniwa, he realized what kind of formation Miyuki had used. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't, and he was unable to utter a word.
Yu Yuwu smiled, trying to ease the somewhat awkward atmosphere, "What's wrong? Didn't you like my scare?"
These familiar words caused the swords to instinctively turn their gazes to Tsurumaru Kuninaga. Even Tsurumaru Kuninaga himself was slightly taken aback, before giving a helpless smile.
"Now, I just hope everything goes well for Ranluo," Qingye said, walking to Yuyuwu's side and helping her up instead of Kashuu Kiyomitsu.
"It's alright, trust that girl," Yu Yuwu teased the man beside her. "You clearly acknowledge that girl's abilities, but you never say it."
"That was... "
"Really not frank"
"Hello!"
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