Boom!
A tremendous noise echoed. Everyone living in the nearby town, whether samurai, merchants, or farmers, witnessed an extraordinary sight!
In broad daylight, a thick bolt of white lightning suddenly tore down from the sky, striking the ground with a direct hit.
“Hea… Heaven’s punishment!”
Innumerable farmers were so terrified they soiled themselves. Samurai and cultivators hastily retreated, sensing an apocalyptic danger in that direction!
“He actually survived…”
The original farmhouse had already turned into ashes. Beside a massive crater, Wu Ming’s figure slowly emerged: “Got lucky, huh?”
Facing him, the samurai’s conical hat was gone, revealing a white-haired youth with red eyes. A green glow in front of him gradually dissipated as he regarded Wu Ming with caution and certainty: “A Privilege Bearer?”
“Pity… We have no grudges, yet we must become mortal enemies…”
Wu Ming sighed. Lightning flashed from both his hands.
“In the Main Temple, don’t other reincarnators kill each other for merits, techniques, or even for survival? Let alone us Privilege Bearers…”
The red-eyed youth smiled: “After all, the temptation of seizing another’s power is just too great… You and I can both imagine where that might lead…”
“Exactly!”
Wu Ming swept his wide sleeve. The surrounding soil, moisture, and vegetation surged chaotically. Using the mutual generation of the Five Elements, he conjured five layers of illusions—metal cutting, wood crashing, water flooding, fire burning, and earth burying—before consolidating them into a single strike.
Within the layers of illusions, a bolt of lightning swept across instantly.
“Techniques of the Five Elements, and Thunder Magic! You’re a Taoist cultivator! A Zhenren!”
Instantly recognizing the opponent’s specialization and rank, the red-eyed youth was amazed at Wu Ming’s speed, though he couldn’t believe it.
Almost in the blink of an eye, the five techniques of mutual generation had already struck overhead.
Following these five elemental attacks came the even more devastating Thunder Magic!
Boom!
After the lightning, the figure stood still, his clothes slightly torn, revealing patches of fine, azure scales.
This scale emitted a greenish glow, resembling a finely-woven armor. It had not only withstood the attacks of the Five Elements, but also resisted the lightning.
“Shhh…”
Behind the youth, a phantom of a soaring giant snake suddenly appeared, exuding an immense pressure.
“A demonic bloodline? No! You’ve inherited the bloodline of a divine beast!… White hair, crimson eyes, and these serpent scales must be the external manifestations of the bloodline—the Tengshe?”
Wu Ming stared at his half-serpentine opponent, speaking with evident caution.
The “Classic of Mountains and Seas” states: “Tengshe has no feet but can fly. It is the Fire Deity. Its nature is gentle, yet its mouth is venomous. It governs firelight, anomalies, frights, dreams, evil spirits, and enchantments. Wherever it appears, strange events, fire thefts, and secret benefits or harms occur. When it appears at the Scenic Gate, it signifies candlelight; at the Alarming Gate, it signifies disasters. It embodies the southern fire and is a god of deception.”
Another text says: “A snake cultivates for a thousand years to become a Tengshe; a Tengshe survives heavenly tribulations to become a divine dragon!”
This shows that Tengshe is an ancient giant snake, a divine beast not inferior to dragons, and should not be taken lightly.
Even if the person before him had only transplanted a tiny fragment of this bloodline, it was still formidable.
Wu Ming could clearly sense the opponent’s strength—Level Three Peak!
Had he encountered this opponent before his recent breakthrough, he would have faced almost certain doom. Even now, with the bloodline’s supernatural power, the opponent was more than a match for him.
“Taoist Master, expert in Thunder Magic! You deserve to know my name!”
The red-eyed youth hissed as he spoke: “My name is Ye Bai, and yes, I have transplanted the blood of the Tengshe… You can’t even imagine the power of this bloodline. Even just a tiny bit has elevated my ‘Nine Transformations Snake Cultivation’ to ‘Twelve Layers of Azure Cloud Scale’!”
His tongue had somewhat lengthened, appearing forked, as he suspiciously licked the air: “And I can sense something on you that would greatly benefit my bloodline… It might even allow my technique to advance again!”
“Consider yourself honored… Your death will benefit me. Now hand over that item, and I might consider granting you a quick death!”
“Fool!”
In response, Wu Ming immediately unleashed a bolt of lightning without hesitation.
“Secret Thunder Technique – Summoning Thunder!”
Boom!
Dark clouds instantly gathered in the sky, and a brilliant white beam of lightning struck downward.
Ye Bai cried out in alarm, his red eyes filled with caution as he hastily retreated.
His Tengshe scales were not yet fully developed. He could handle any Five Element techniques, but against lightning—the ultimate force of heaven and earth—he still felt some trepidation.
“Fine, today I’ll let you witness the power of my ‘Twelve Layers of Azure Cloud Scale’!”
Ye Bai chanted a long incantation. Layers of azure clouds radiated from his scales, merging with the phantom of the Tengshe behind him to form a massive azure serpent. With its gaping maw, it lunged toward Wu Ming.
“Excellent!”
Wu Ming laughed heartily. In his consciousness, the cloud-thunder talismans continuously rotated. He unleashed thunderbolts from his hands, resonating with the grand forces of heaven and earth. Though he could not borrow the full might of heaven to replicate the power that had slain the great tengu, his lightning remained incredibly sharp and intense.
From a distance, one could see a massive azure serpent clashing with lightning, affecting the surrounding area.
Boom! Boom!
The ground shook repeatedly, dust rising and devastation spreading for dozens of miles.
“Troublesome…”
After another intense flash of lightning, the azure serpent dispersed, revealing Ye Bai’s figure. Several of his scales were charred, his eyes filled with a murderous intent.
Wu Ming’s expression remained calm, but he felt the magical energy in his consciousness steadily depleting, subtly furrowing his brow: “This one is really tough…”
Opposite him, Ye Bai was also at Level Three Peak, enhanced by a divine beast bloodline. His stamina was enduring, and his recovery ability was terrifyingly strong. In terms of actual strength, he might even surpass Wu Ming slightly.
Of course, Wu Ming, as a Taoist adept with Thunder Magic, was no slouch either.
Therefore, the battle’s outcome was evenly matched, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.
“I’ve killed several real people before… I have to admit, you’re the most difficult!”
Ye Bai murmured: “But everything will end now!”
In his hand, a scroll emitting terrifying power fluctuations instantly appeared. The scroll’s glow and inscriptions were very familiar to Wu Ming.
“Of course… If they gave one to a pawn, how could they not have kept some for themselves?”
Wu Ming sighed. A light flashed from his Tian Gong Ring, revealing a purplish-blue thunder bead, which he unhesitatingly launched.
Peng!
A blinding flash of white and azure lightning instantly obliterated the fire line emitted by the scroll, engulfing Ye Bai entirely.
“Throwing merits around to attack—did you think I wouldn’t know how to do that too?”
Seeing Ye Bai’s astonished expression as he was consumed by the electric arcs, Wu Ming’s face revealed a slight smile.
This Thunder Bead, known as the “Ten Directions Annihilation God-Demon Thunder,” was listed on the Tian Gong Merit Chart. It was a one-time-use offensive magical artifact with tremendous power, and an exorbitant price tag.
Essentially, most of the merits Wu Ming had earned from his last mission, aside from those used to exchange for cultivation materials, had been invested into this Thunder Bead.
With Thunder Magic reaching the power of Level Five, the effects were naturally outstanding. Instantly, it not only shattered Ye Bai’s counterattack but also completely overwhelmed him.
“Hmm? Something’s wrong…”
The lightning swept through, leaving nothing behind. Yet Wu Ming’s expression suddenly changed: “The Main Temple has no mission completion prompt, meaning Ye Bai hasn’t been completely killed… But I clearly confirmed he was in his real body and saw him consumed by the lightning…”
However, the Main Temple would not deceive in this aspect. After a long while, Wu Ming finally reluctantly accepted the reality: “Did he prepare a resurrection method elsewhere?”
“Whether it’s a privilege or an exchange from the Main Temple, each would come at a terrifying cost…”
Wu Ming’s expression darkened: “This time it failed. Next time, he’ll surely be more cautious… If he flees thousands of miles away, it’ll be even more troublesome…”
“But this surprise attack at least confirmed his identity and abilities… And he used up so many items. I don’t believe he has much left after this body’s destruction. So, it’s not a total loss…”
Wu Ming looked toward the approaching group of priests, onmyōji, and swordsmen faintly visible on the horizon. He had no intention of engaging in a direct confrontation. His figure flickered several times, vanishing into the darkness.
After all, this was still their home ground. Pointless battles held no value.
In his heart, he had already made a silent vow: “My strength and Ye Bai’s are too evenly matched… It seems neither side can easily gain the upper hand. Therefore, it’s time to seek external aid. I must wholeheartedly develop the Tomita Maru of Tsukimiyama!”
While Wu Ming and Ye Bai wreaked havoc and then fled, the priest group arrived shortly after. An old priest stared at the widespread destruction, his face frozen in shock: “Divine beings… This has surpassed the limits of the human world… Could it be two divine beings have become enraged?”
…
Inside the main hall of the Tomita Maru at Tsukimiyama.
Wu Ming personally presided over the council.
“Lord, this attack resulted in the deaths of five of our samurai and twenty-seven ashigaru…”
The expression on Osho Saikichi’s face was as dark as storm clouds. Not only him, but many other samurai present shared the same sentiment.
“In terms of material losses, over a dozen houses need repairs. The fallen must be compensated according to the standards set by our lord—this will cost at least 5,000 kan!”
Tachishige Mosuke’s expression was equally grim.
“Those who died for our clan must be generously rewarded! We still have plenty of silver and gold, and this must be carried out!”
Wu Ming declared resolutely: “My lords! Today, I shall also establish the samurai ranks for the Oni clan!”
“Hai!”
Everyone knelt to listen.
In the Oni clan, samurai are ranked from lowest to highest as: Ashigaru Kumigashira, Ashigaru Taishō, Samurai Taishō, Bushō, and Karō. An Ashigaru Kumigashira is a formal samurai with a family name and hereditary stipend. The minimum standard is commanding a stipend of 100 koku and leading twenty ashigaru into battle!
“Senshu Kenichi… Senshu Kengo, and Tachibana Shigesuke, Ono Hayakichi, I hereby appoint you as the Ashigaru Kumigashira of our clan!”
“Thank you, my lord!”
This appointment elevated them to true samurai status. The seven were so excited they prostrated themselves in gratitude.
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