Oda Sakura and Tu Sha arrived at Tuyumen. It was Tu Sha’s first visit, so he couldn’t help but take a few extra looks around, filled with curiosity.
The entire building was imbued with a Japanese-style aura of the afterlife, gloomy and eerie, which made Tu Sha very uncomfortable.
Although he didn’t believe in ghosts and was not afraid of them, such a style would displease any normal person.
He really couldn’t understand—why would people from the Yang Realm enjoy a style reminiscent of the afterlife so much?
The two of them arrived at the Tuyumen’s grand hall together, where a stooped old man with white hair was waiting, leaning on his cane.
This stooped old man was none other than Inamoto Kazuichi, the Sect Leader of Tuyumen.
"Master," Oda Sakura greeted Inamoto Kazuichi with a bow, and the old man nodded slightly, "Xiao Ying, you’ve arrived."
Following that, Inamoto Kazuichi turned his gaze toward Tu Sha, with a grave expression, "Such a young man you are, yet you carry a heavy aura of killing, frightening even the ghosts and gods!"
Tu Sha remained expressionless and said nothing.
Oda Sakura chuckled, "Master, he’s from Xia Country, and he doesn’t understand what we are talking about."
"I see," Inamoto Kazuichi continued to size up Tu Sha, shaking his head, "The aura of killing emanating from him is the bane of our Tuyumen’s Yin Yang Technique. Ordinary Yin Yang Techniques are useless in front of him, are you sure he won’t be a threat to you?"
"I’m sure," Oda Sakura nodded firmly, "I trust him."
"Well then, let’s get down to business," Inamoto Kazuichi dropped his smile, looking at Oda Sakura seriously, "Have you been investigating the Matsushita Family recently?"
"Yes," Oda Sakura said, "Master, the Matsushita Family has established an assassin group and has assassinated many of Japan’s significant figures. It’s my duty to investigate them."
"Stop it," Inamoto Kazuichi said, "The Matsushita Family does these things for the sake of having only one voice in Japan’s upper society. Only this way can he lead all of Japan’s great families to grow stronger, becoming a family like the Rothschilds, and secure a seat for ourselves on the world’s grand stage."
"Master, I don’t see it that way," Oda Sakura said slowly, "Yang Yu from Xia Country uses gentle means and rules by virtue, and many are willing to follow him."
"In contrast, Matsushita Shota utilizes various unequal treaties to plunder the wealth of other families. Anyone who opposes him is despicably killed. Allowing such a person to become the leader of all of Japan’s great families would only lead to our collective destruction!"
Inamoto Kazuichi spoke, "Xiao Ying, you are naive. Our situation in Japan is different from that in Xia Country; they have plentiful resources and can distribute them somewhat evenly."
"But in Japan, with so few resources, if we do not centralize our power, we simply cannot compete with the families from other countries."
"Matsushita Shota’s methods might not be honorable, but the thing is, they are determined by our actual situation. Whoever is in this position would have to do the same."
"I fail to understand, nor do I wish to," Oda Sakura looked straight at her master, "Matsushita Shota, in his attempt to make Yamada Ken and Yang Yu kill each other, even brutally murdered my six-year-old sister, Yamada Xun. Master, tell me, was that also a necessary evil?"
Inamoto Kazuichi sighed, "Xiao Ying, perhaps that too is the price of accomplishing great things..."
"Why?" Oda Sakura retorted, "Why does he think when he’s doing something big, it has to be at the expense of someone else’s life, even that of an innocent child?"
"Has he asked my sister? Did he ask me? Did we agree to it? Why does he get to decide who lives and who dies, who becomes the price to pay? Who does he think he is!"
Oda Sakura didn’t have much affection for Yamada Ken, but she loved her cute little sister Yamada Xun very much.
And that beast Matsushita Shota had twisted her sister’s head off, and to let a beast like that become the representative of a Japanese family, she wouldn’t accept it!
"All right, I can’t convince you. You can go," Inamoto Kazuichi sighed again, "I just hope you can live well, and not die at the hands of the Matsushita family."
"Master, I’ll be leaving now, goodbye," Oda Sakura bowed to Inamoto Kazuichi, then waved towards Tu Sha, "Let’s go... What’s happening?"
Suddenly, Oda Sakura’s legs gave way, and she collapsed into Tu Sha’s arms.
It was then that she noticed the incense sticking out from a pillar next to the hall and immediately understood what happened: "Heavenly Soul Incense!"
"Yes, it’s the Heavenly Soul Incense," Inamoto Kazuichi’s expression was ice cold, completely devoid of the elder’s previous warmth, only endless ferocity remained, "This fragrance can paralyze both the mind and body simultaneously, making it impossible to exert any strength and leaving one at the mercy of others!"
"Why?" Oda Sakura looked incredulously at her master, "I respected you so much, why would you do this to me?"
"It’s nothing, just that your beloved master caught the eye of a young girl at my place, and I accidentally took a photo of it," Matsushita Shota walked out with a full smile on his face, "So, whatever I ask him to do, he can only oblige, or else Tuyumen’s old Onmyoji’s disgrace would be known to the entire world, hahaha!"
Along with Matsushita Shota, about twenty Genetic Blade Warriors appeared, surrounding Tu Sha.
Inamoto Kazuichi frowned, "Strange, why is this man from Xia Country unaffected?"
"He has a Detoxification Talisman made by Yang Yu, immune to all poisons," Matsushita Shota was not surprised at all, "But what does it matter if he’s not poisoned? Unless he doesn’t care about Oda Sakura and flees alone. Otherwise, I really don’t think he can break through our encirclement while carrying a woman who can’t fight!"
"I’m sorry, this is my fault," Oda Sakura said with a guilty face to Tu Sha, "You go, don’t be dragged down by me."
"I’ve always said that I trust anyone, even your closest ones," Tu Sha slowly said, "But now, talking about it has no meaning. Getting you out of here alive is what matters most. Yang Yu said you are my destined wife, how could I possibly abandon my own wife and leave?"
"You’re so silly, believing whatever he says," Oda Sakura couldn’t help but tear up, but she didn’t urge Tu Sha to leave anymore.
If Tu Sha were to die here today, then she would just die with Tu Sha.
Tu Sha carried Oda Sakura on his back, tied her to his body with a strap, and looked up at the people in front of him: "If you don’t want to die, then get far away from me."
The response to Tu Sha wasn’t their answer but the knives of the Genetic Blade Warriors.
A cold light flashed in Tu Sha’s eyes: "Since you’re so eager to die, then I’ll grant your wish!"