“Good news… According to the statements of Shota and Kenichi, Princess Ji from the Yamada household is still alive! Moreover, she is willing to guide us to the Tsuchigumo bandits’ hideout!”
Wu Ming turned back with a smile.
Ito Kagehide and others, however, looked at the two captured bandits leading the way with rather strange expressions on their faces.
Just now, Wu Ming had recruited these two bandits as attendants. Since they had no names, he assigned them the ominous names of Shota and Kenichi, two hunters who had previously been slain.
“The bad news is… there are many enemies. This hundred is merely the vanguard, and there are checkpoints along the way…”
At this moment, a wooden checkpoint appeared ahead on the mountain path.
With towering cliffs on both sides, this checkpoint stood ominously in the middle.
Even more, the Tsuchigumo patrolling atop were clearly already aware of their approach and were prepared for battle.
“This kind of checkpoint is a natural choke point, defensible by a single man against ten thousand. There are three of these along the way, and finally the Tsuchigumo’s hideout…”
Wu Ming looked at the pale face of Akayama Kanbee and shook his head inwardly.
He knew that with such defenses combined with hundreds of bandits, even a force of several thousand troops would be hard-pressed to achieve anything unless they had even a modicum of intelligence.
In other words, even if Yamada Torahisa mobilized his entire army, it would likely make no difference against the Tsuchigumo.
This checkpoint, which seemed quite primitive to Wu Ming, was viewed by Akayama Kanbee and others as a natural fortress.
The hope of rescuing Princess Ji, which had seemed possible, had now turned entirely into despair, explaining their expressions.
“Even in my past life during the Warring States era, powerful daimyos armed with firearms and cannons would likely not have attempted to subdue these Tsuchigumo. After all, the cost and benefit would be vastly disproportionate… Of course, this land of Fusang is different!”
“Ito-san, from now on, we may have to rely on your strength…”
Wu Ming looked toward Ito Kagehide.
“Well! My Shikigami does have relevant skills… though not very powerful…”
Ito Kagehide gave a bitter smile and began drawing a pentagram-shaped magic circle on a flat piece of ground.
Feeling the change in the ambient energy, Wu Ming narrowed his eyes slightly.
In the West, the pentagram holds a status similar to the Taiji and Bagua in Central Plains, representing mystical formations and powers.
In Fusang, it evolved into the basic formation for onmyoji, known as the “Seal of the Bellflower.”
“Hmm… the four corners of this pentagram represent earth, fire, wind, and water… and the topmost point represents human spiritual energy. It seems that onmyoji still have ties to the Western theory of the four elements… trying to integrate the strengths of both East and West yet ending up as a hybrid…”
Of course, although the path ahead was blocked, low-level onmyoji techniques were still quite useful.
“Summon Shikigami!”
Before Wu Ming, a barrier passage opened as the pentagram lit up with light. At Ito Kagehide’s call, a crimson crow flew out.
“My Shikigami, Kagutsuchi… I command you to burn down the checkpoint ahead!”
“Caw! Caw!”
The fire crow cawed unpleasantly and flew to the checkpoint, spewing flames from its beak.
Shikigami are powerful beings controlled by onmyoji through magic. These could include spirits, yōkai, ghosts, or even low-level deities, all of whom could form contracts with the onmyoji and be summoned into battle.
This time, Ito Kagehide clearly summoned a yōkai.
“It’s fire!”
“Hurry and get water!”
“A monster! Shoot it down!”
Indeed, chaos erupted atop the checkpoint, as small sparks ignited and were hastily extinguished by the panicked bandits.
“Fools not to use fire against a wooden fortress!”
Watching this, Wu Ming silently thought, “But… I feel like I’m developing a pyromaniac tendency!”
However, what followed left Wu Ming speechless.
The fire crow obviously lacked sufficient spiritual power, managing only a few small flames before running out.
It barely kept flying, performing harassing maneuvers. Not only were the flames quickly extinguished, but it even nearly got shot down by an arrow, feathers drifting and squawking in alarm.
“Kazuya-kun…”
Seeing the pleading look in Ito Kagehide’s eyes, Wu Ming could only nod helplessly: “Call your Shikigami back!”
He then slowly approached the checkpoint himself.
“It’s the Ashura!”
“The one who beheaded a hundred men!”
Obviously, his fearsome reputation had reached here, causing panic within the checkpoint. No samurai dared to come out and challenge him in single combat.
“The universe is vast and infinite; I harness the might of heaven and earth; By my decree, I summon thee! Flames, arise!”
Wu Ming, unwilling to waste words, formed a magical seal with his fingers. A fireball emerged, radiating intense heat, and slammed into the checkpoint.
Boom!
The fireball exploded, instantly turning the leading bandits and Tsuchigumo into mangled limbs. The terrifying flames spread rapidly.
Amidst the screams, the fire engulfed the entire checkpoint in an instant.
The explosion’s aftermath left both sides stunned.
Hissing sounds filled the air as some bandits immediately fled the checkpoint while the unfortunate ones were trapped in the flames, screaming as the smell of charred flesh wafted out.
“Fireballs really are the most convenient. No wonder the Five Fireball Sect thrived in my past life…”
Wu Ming was quite satisfied with the outcome, muttering inwardly.
Of course, if he hadn’t advanced to the level of a true cultivator, ordinary wuxing techniques wouldn’t have such tremendous power.
After the fire died down, the original checkpoint had vanished entirely, with the defending troops either fleeing or scattered.
“This is the power of a spellcaster… ordinary martial artists, even grandmasters, would have to charge through such checkpoints using only their physical bodies, risking injury, and the damage and destruction caused would never be this great…”
He kicked the stunned Shota and Kenichi: “What are you standing around for? Move out immediately!”
“Ah… Yes, sir!”
In fact, not only these two surrendered bandits but even the two samurai beside them were stunned by this power.
This shock reached its peak when they saw the second checkpoint reduced to ashes.
“Never thought our master was also a powerful onmyoji!”
Akayama Kanbee said respectfully, as both he and Toda Mitsuasa displayed expressions of surprise and delight: “We will surely succeed in rescuing Princess Ji this time!”
“Alright! We’ll stop here and rest!”
Who would have known, after destroying the second checkpoint, Wu Ming suddenly said after glancing at the sky.
“A wise decision… I will set up barriers around the perimeter!”
Ito Kagehide also nodded, knowing that such a grand spell would greatly deplete his spiritual energy, assuming Wu Ming wanted to rest and replenish his magical power.
And as for the timing…
“It’s almost nightfall…”
He sighed as he looked at the fading daylight: “Every evening, the power of demons increases… My divination tells me that the best time for the decisive battle is tomorrow at noon!”
“Then we must prepare carefully and watch out for enemy sneak attacks!”
Since the two strongest members of the group had reached a consensus, Akayama Kanbee and Toda Mitsuasa could only obey solemnly, while the two bandits, Shota and Kenichi, dared not voice any objection.
“This is the barrier?”
Around the campsite, Ito Kagehide moved about, occasionally inserting a branch with three green leaves swaying in the wind, seemingly creating a layer of membrane.
Wu Ming watched Ito Kagehide’s movements, perceiving the barrier’s hidden, obstructive, and enhancing powers.
“Exactly!”
Ito Kagehide was clearly more surprised: “Why aren’t you resting, Lord Kazuya? Tomorrow will be an incredible battle!”
“Tomorrow?”
Wu Ming smiled. His minor expenditure was negligible, but he didn’t need to say that: “Haven’t you sensed the enemy’s surveillance? Perhaps… the real battle will be tonight!”
Shuten-doji wasn’t a fool. If the terrain was indefensible, choosing favorable timing for himself would naturally become increasingly important.
Combined with previous discoveries, Wu Ming was over 80% certain the enemy would attack in full force tonight.
“Shuten-doji is the king of a hundred ghosts… Although his generals and troops have been scattered and sealed, if he gathers another wave, the Hyakki Yagyō at midnight will greatly enhance his demonic power…”
Ito Kagehide murmured.
“Obviously… we should gather everyone and come up with a plan…”
Said Wu Ming.
…
As night fell.
Tonight’s moonlight seemed brighter and clearer than usual, even casting a white halo around it.
A mass of clouds drifted by, momentarily obscuring the moon. The moonlight filtering through the clouds took on a hazy purple hue, giving an eerie, supernatural feeling.
“This is… the hundred… hundred demon night parade!”
In the camp, Shota and Kenichi looked up at the strange demonic creatures within the clouds and the dense clusters of green ghostly flames in the surrounding forest, trembling with fear.
“Find that group of human samurai, kill them, and bring their heads back as a gift for our leader!”
A giant wheel with a human head on top cackled, driving its many ghostly flames as it roamed the forest.
“Hmph! Rinne Road, Yinmaro, Yamawaro, Temple Ghost… all just low-level demons…”
Wu Ming activated his celestial eye. Naturally, he didn’t recognize so many mountain spirits and demons, but with an expert onmyoji beside him, they would be identified one by one.
Observing their inner workings at this moment, he was somewhat speechless.
These hundred ghosts were only slightly stronger than the mountain bandits and samurai groups from earlier in the day, nothing more.
However, Ito Kagehide beside him was stunned: “This is bad… being able to control so many spirits, the leader must be Shuten-doji himself… I must report immediately to my master…”
His voice even trembled slightly as he spoke.
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