Chapter 163 : Buff with Maxed Initial Favorability
Jiang Lai decided to switch back to his main body and set out at night.
Nighttime travel wouldn't pose any obstacles to the meeting, since cursed spirits had no concept of sleep.
Night or day, for them only the lighting changed.
In fact, cursed spirits would be more active at night. Since most people feared darkness and the unknown, cursed fluctuations were often stronger at night.
Jiang Lai planned to go alone to explore the secrets of the special grade cursed spirits and the tower. However, before setting out, he decided to briefly explain the situation to Okkotsu Yuta.
Switching back to his main body, Jiang Lai wore the same raven-feathered kimono he'd used for infiltrating the Zenin family. A dark red sash was tied around his waist, with faint silver patterns subtly outlined on it.
Okkotsu Yuta and Little Sheep Jiang Lai's lodging near Mount Fuji was a double room.
When Okkotsu Yuta returned from outside and pushed open the door, what he saw was an unfamiliar figure standing by the window.
The black-haired youth in his raven-feathered kimono was like a phantom, the dark red sash at his waist like a coiled snake. The flowing moonlight from the window dimly illuminated half his profile, those eyes incredibly deep in the darkness.
"...?!" Faced with this sudden stranger, Okkotsu Yuta almost instinctively gripped his sword bag, then keenly sensed there was no killing intent in the air.
More precisely, there was no aura at all.
Very strange.
Okkotsu Yuta felt only tranquility, unable to judge the cursed energy level of the black-haired youth before him. The other's aura seemed void, like a black hole with no visible end.
Very few people could make Okkotsu Yuta feel this way.
Because he himself was a special grade sorcerer with cursed energy so vast it was nearly infinite, already approaching the ceiling. Naturally, there were few characters higher than him.
That figure looked at him, lips curving slightly with some teasing in his voice: "What's wrong, Brother Okkotsu?"
He used the same address that the Little Sheep disguise had used for Okkotsu Yuta.
This "Brother Okkotsu" immediately made Okkotsu Yuta think of something. His expression was stunned for several seconds, his mind working for a moment before he coughed: "...Senpai?"
Jiang Lai nodded in acknowledgment.
Okkotsu Yuta took some time to process this, then let go of his hand on the sword bag and placed one hand in a fist by his lips:
"I didn't expect senpai to suddenly change back. I'm a bit surprised. Speaking of which, please don't call me [Brother Okkotsu] anymore in this form, just call me Yuta."
His gentle gaze fell on Jiang Lai, mixed with harmless curiosity and inquiry. Now he was truly seeing what Jiang Lai looked like.
"Alright, Yuta." Jiang Lai changed his address very naturally, his eyebrows curving upward, no longer deliberately using the previous address to tease the honest person.
Then he said: "I'm sure you can see that I'm currently adjusted to cursed spirit form. I plan to go to the foot of Mount Fuji again shortly."
Okkotsu Yuta stepped into the room and closed the door: "Alright, senpai. Do you need me to come along, or do you plan to go alone?"
He had already noticed Jiang Lai's cursed spirit form, and after hearing the other specifically point it out, he vaguely guessed what Jiang Lai was about to do. However, he still asked an additional question.
"I plan to go alone first. Logically speaking, special grade cursed spirits with high intelligence should be more tolerant toward companions." Jiang Lai nodded. "I can use this identity as a fellow cursed spirit to gather information."
"If needed later, I'll contact you immediately." Jiang Lai smiled. "Thank you, Yuta, for staying alert to messages, since with the Four Guardian Towers matter, only you and I can handle things here."
He knew Okkotsu Yuta was someone who valued companions and had a sense of responsibility. If he were truly left out of this matter, it would actually create pressure for him.
So Jiang Lai added these sentences to show that Okkotsu Yuta was also very important, and his going alone now was simply reconnaissance.
Okkotsu Yuta's expression softened slightly, pressing his lips together: "Please be careful in all things, senpai." He stepped forward a few paces, then tilted his head slightly: "Though I can sense that senpai is very strong. Perhaps my words just now were unnecessary."
"Caring words are never unnecessary. Thank you."
Jiang Lai replied sincerely, propping open the window with one hand. The evening breeze lifted the hair at his temples, his flowing sleeves adding to his carefree air: "Well then, Yuta, I'm off."
"Goodbye, senpai." Okkotsu Yuta waved farewell to Jiang Lai. "I'll stay alert to messages."
Jiang Lai gracefully leaped out the window, his toes lightly touching as he descended on cursed energy steps in the air. His raven-feathered figure quickly melted into the night like ink, with only the dark red sash tail trailing and swaying faintly visible.
There were still two weeks before Mount Fuji's cherry blossom viewing season, so the foot traffic here was relatively light. Aside from a few bustling shops, other stores closed early.
Jiang Lai used spatial techniques to construct aerial stairs, able to move through mid-air like a horse treading on flying swallows.
He could now reach high altitudes like Gojo Satoru, though not with Satoru's carefree abandon.
Jiang Lai's technique was more about taking one steady step at a time, calmly climbing the celestial ladder.
Speaking of Satoru... Jiang Lai couldn't help but look down at his phone.
For the past few days' events, he'd habitually sent simple descriptive emails to Gojo Satoru, but Satoru hadn't replied at all.
Jiang Lai naturally still remembered what Okkotsu Yuta had said: the areas around the Four Guardian Towers basically blocked signals, so Gojo Satoru couldn't send or receive messages.
But even so, having no word for so long was still somewhat worrying.
"......" Jiang Lai's fingertip brushed across the screen.
With Gojo Satoru's abilities, after confirming the Four Guardian Tower's location, he should have resolved things quickly. He was the strongest of the current era, no one could stop him, right?
But then again, perhaps that tower was hidden too deep, or the removal method was somewhat troublesome.
Jiang Lai thought. After he and Okkotsu Yuta dealt with Mount Fuji's tower, he'd send another message to Gojo Satoru to see if there was a reply.
The moonlight was like water, and Mount Fuji's foothills were peaceful and quiet at night, with only rustling insect songs.
Their inn wasn't far from Mount Fuji, so it didn't take Jiang Lai long to arrive.
Returning to the location he'd visited during the day, Jiang Lai relied on [Existence]'s natural intuition to bypass the ghostly maze's illusions and follow the correct path.
Only a few days had passed since the previous battle, yet the burned trees and grass had all returned to their original state, hardly like natural normal growth speed.
Jiang Lai paused inwardly, sensing faint cursed energy residue. It wasn't Jogo's cursed energy with its burning aura, but another cursed energy that merged with grass and trees.
He had a vague guess in his mind. Among the special grade cursed spirits, there was indeed one related to natural vegetation.
Just then, he heard a voice with unique magnetic femininity: [Are you a newly born cursed spirit from this area?]
It was an incomprehensible, self-contained language, but miraculously, corresponding meanings appeared in his mind.
Jiang Lai turned his face toward the voice's direction. Under the cherry tree stood a cursed spirit over two meters tall, with black stripes on its body and two tree roots growing where its eyes should be. It was Hanami!
Special grade cursed spirit Hanami was born from humans' negative emotions toward forests, the gentlest in personality among cursed spirits.
However, this didn't mean she liked humans, because she was an extreme environmental protectionist who believed only human death would allow nature to recover better.
Jiang Lai hadn't expected to encounter Hanami tonight, but he was quite satisfied since Hanami's personality was better than Jogo's and more conducive to communication.
Moreover, her attitude didn't seem like she recognized him, meaning Mahito hadn't had time to tell them about him yet.
The special grade cursed spirits in the new series weren't as close as in the original work. This was good news for Jiang Lai.
As thoughts flowed through Jiang Lai's mind, his expression remained as usual, his voice calm: "I'm not from this area, just passing through."
Hanami's tone remained gentle: [Do you need any help then?]
As if afraid Jiang Lai might misunderstand her ulterior motives, she added: [We are the same kind, I mean no harm. Moreover, you carry the scent of nature, which I find very familiar.]
The scent of nature... After a brief pause, Jiang Lai understood inwardly. It was the power Origin had given him!
Family head Origin's main body was an ancient tree, the most nature-connected among the [Existence] beings. Before entering slumber, He had transferred his power to Jiang Lai.
As a result, Jiang Lai's dormant divine status revived again, and he simultaneously gained more authentic natural power aura.
This was undoubtedly a great advantage for Jiang Lai!
Hanami, who loved nature, felt a natural affinity for this power, combined with Jiang Lai's current special grade cursed spirit identity.
The combination of these two factors raised Hanami's initial favorability to a very high level.
It seemed they could communicate well without needing to fight first. Jiang Lai thought.
Jiang Lai's original plan was to fight Jogo and twist off his head (physically), just like Gojo Satoru had done in the original work.
However, Jiang Lai didn't plan to kick the other's head like a ball. He actually had no malicious intent, truly. He just wanted to ensure the other had no resistance but could still speak, then they could peacefully chat under the moonlight.
Jiang Lai had named this plan: Turning Swords into Plowshares.
Although he would twist off the other's head, they would transform battle into peace (not really)!
Moreover, Jogo had previously broken Nanami's dominant hand, so twisting off the other's head in exchange was fair, right? Not excessive at all.jpg
Jiang Lai actually had some protective tendencies toward people around him, just as they often protected him.
However, tonight Jiang Lai unexpectedly encountered Hanami, who had quite high initial favorability toward him.
Perhaps he could skip directly to the plowshares stage, bypassing the swords entirely. He thought.
Facing different characters naturally required different attitudes.
Jiang Lai restrained his originally prepared needle-sharp intimidating aura and revealed his soft, gentle side.
He smiled and said: "Hmm... sorry to bother you, but I might indeed need a little help. Mainly, I have some confusion and want to find answers."