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Heh heh—You're truly impressive! Fierce, domineering, and ruthless. Among Chinese martial arts, it's rare to see such a strong aura of slaughter. You really are something special!" A strange male voice echoed behind Shawn Young, sounding like fingernails scraping glass—extra grating in the darkness.
Hearing the voice, Shawn Young immediately looked up. At the end of the corridor, standing on the open windowsill, was a Japanese man dressed in bizarre clothes—his feet almost floating in midair. His hair was tied up like an ancient noble, his body draped in a loose black robe with a round collar and a white chrysanthemum emblazoned on his chest. His face was deathly pale and strangely handsome, making it impossible to guess his age. Both hands were tucked inside his wide sleeves, adding to his mysterious vibe.
How do you know I'm Chinese? And who are you? Standing up there all mysterious—aren't you afraid of falling?" Shawn Young frowned, looking up at the odd man who'd suddenly appeared. His gut told him this guy was trouble.
Ha! I sensed the true energy surging in your body—it’s nothing like any Japanese school’s qi. It’s Illusory Sea True Qi, and only a top Chinese master could reach this level. Korea? No chance! I am Ryu Kuroda, an onmyoji of the Kawagami School. It’s an honor to test my skills against a master from China." The strange man spoke fluent Mandarin, his tone slow and deliberate.
Ryu Kuroda? Kawagami School Onmyoji—" Shawn Young was taken aback. He had no clue what the Kawagami School was, but he did know that Japanese onmyoji were like Chinese Taoist priests. What really shocked him was that Ryu Kuroda could sense the Illusory Sea True Qi flowing inside him—instantly putting Shawn on high alert.
Standing behind Shawn, "Kimiko"—Rachel Sasaki—suddenly cried out, "Ah—Kawagami School—You're an onmyoji from the Kuroda Family at Ise Grand Shrine!?"
That's right, I'm from the Kuroda Family! We've served Lord Taikō for generations, rarely leaving Ise Grand Shrine. Who would've thought I'd meet two such interesting young people here in Hong Kong!" Ryu Kuroda sneered. (Note: 'Lord Taikō' refers to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the rulers who held real imperial power in Japan after him.)
"Mr. Kuroda, why are you here?" "Kimiko"—Rachel Sasaki—asked, trying to keep her pounding heart steady.
Oh! So you're the woman pretending to be Kimiko? What's your deal—and why do you have the aura of a ninja?" Ryu Kuroda ignored her question, suddenly demanding answers in a cold tone.
Uh—I... I am Kimiko—" Rachel Sasaki, disguised as Kimiko, hesitated but still denied it. She never expected Ryu Kuroda to see through her act so easily, or to sense her ninja aura. This guy was seriously something else!
Ryu Kuroda didn’t buy it. With a flick of his wide sleeve, a crystal ball glowing blue appeared in his hand. He snorted, "Hmph, you think denying it means I can't expose you?"
As he spoke, Ryu Kuroda lifted the strange crystal ball, forming a sword gesture with his left hand and chanting under his breath. Suddenly—"Whoosh!"—a blinding blue light shot out from the crystal ball, hitting the unsuspecting "Kimiko" straight on!
Bang! A puff of white smoke erupted from "Kimiko's" body. She shuddered, stumbled back, and crashed to the floor—instantly reverting to Rachel Sasaki's true form. Her chest heaved violently; she'd clearly suffered internal injuries!
Hmph—So it was the Phantom Morph Technique! Turns out you're a remnant of the Koga Ninja Clan! Perfect! You can go straight to hell—" Ryu Kuroda spotted Rachel Sasaki's real appearance and instantly identified her. Without hesitation, he flicked his right hand—"Whoosh!"—another blue blast erupted, launching a second attack at her!
Seeing this, Shawn Young quickly summoned his true qi, unleashing a Palm Thunder—"Boom!"—which collided head-on with the blue blast. The two bursts of energy crashed together, triggering a deafening explosion. A surge of force whipped everyone's hair around, but at least Rachel Sasaki's crisis was resolved.
Heh heh—Kid, I didn’t expect you to be this strong! Since you two came knocking, even better! Let me show you the power of a Kawagami School shikigami." Ryu Kuroda spread his stance, his wide onmyoji robe puffing up as if filled with energy.
Shawn Young considered explaining that his Heart-Slaying Intent was self-taught, but figured Ryu Kuroda wouldn’t believe him anyway. He shrugged helplessly, "Alright, if you think you can take us down, then bring it! Otherwise, you're in for a world of hurt!"
Ryu Kuroda sneered, slowly lifting the crystal ball with his right hand. His left hand formed a sword gesture by his mouth as he chanted a secret spell in Japanese. White light quickly gathered at his fingertips, and with a flourish, the crystal ball radiated dazzling white light. The light traced out a pentagram, spinning wider and wider, encircling Shawn Young. The giant pentagram shikigami closed in from all sides, as if trying to bind him completely.
Turns out Japanese onmyoji train differently from Chinese Taoists. Taoists use their bodies as a 'cauldron' to refine internal energy, while Japanese onmyoji draw spiritual energy from the living things in nature—a practice called shikigami in Japanese onmyodo.
Controlling shikigami is the main power of an onmyoji. Shikigami are a kind of Japanese puppet technique, but instead of lifeless dolls, they summon living creatures from another dimension using their own spiritual force. It's a lot like Western summoning magic, except shikigami are bound to their summoner. The stronger the summoner’s spirit, the more powerful their shikigami become.