Miko Becomes a Devilish Cultivator

"Huh? What? Silver Ball?"

Miko had developed a reflex to the word. She looked towards the TV. The title displayed beneath the program read, "Guardian of Silver Pellets - The Unbelievable Urban Legend."

"Has it gotten this popular already?"

Yotsuya Kyosuke muttered subconsciously, voicing Miko's confusion. As they continued to watch the program, their attitudes gradually shifted.

Kyosuke went from dismissive to surprised, even excited. As for Miko... from initial surprise to shock, and finally to annoyance.

Why did it turn out like this?!

She thought, finding it utterly ridiculous. It was supposed to be just a tool to eliminate ghosts, so how did it suddenly become a universal treasure? As the creator, she had no idea.

Chapter 60: Miko's Methods

Miko lay in bed for a full two hours, still unable to comprehend why Talisman Iron Pellets were being imagined as universal treasures. Their original purpose was simply to kill ghosts. The talismans on these types of Talisman Iron Pellets only had one layer, and the amount of Spiritual Qi was very small. The Spiritual Qi would be completely depleted after about a day, rendering the Talisman Iron Pellets useless little iron balls to anyone else.

But who would have thought that someone would take these things to a hospital and use them as a last resort to save lives? And not just one person, but a group of people. With things having escalated to this point, Miko could already foresee the future of the Silver Balls. They would likely become an urban legend that wouldn't die out for a long time, perhaps even something people would bring up again over a decade later.

When she thought about how she herself had handed a Talisman Iron Pellet to its owner, and how she had assumed nothing would happen, Miko felt a sense of regret. Indeed, sometimes you shouldn't plant your flag carelessly. Like now, she no longer knew how to categorize this situation.

She could only say... she would try her best to ignore it.

As things stood, the fact that she was the creator of the Talisman Iron Pellets had not been exposed. People were focusing their attention on the various owners of the Silver Balls, especially Ms. Natsukawa Yuki—the young woman who had escalated things and possessed a unique Silver Ball. She was receiving more attention. Initially, some people had tried to inquire about the circumstances surrounding the appearance of the Silver Balls, but no one knew how they had come into their possession. Because the Silver Balls were so small, they could be easily overlooked if not examined closely.

Consequently, those trying to investigate the origin of the Silver Balls could only give up and shift their focus to the owners of the Silver Balls, attempting to uncover a deeper connection between these individuals and the Silver Balls. Although, Miko believed there was probably no connection to be found.

She had simply randomly selected some unlucky individuals possessed by ghosts and placed the Talisman Iron Pellets onto them. If they could find a connection in such random events, then Miko had nothing more to say. She could only say that those people were incredibly bored, or perhaps had peculiar ways of thinking.

However, she was still affected to a certain extent. For example, some very reliable big data analyses, and the fact that she had given another Silver Ball to Tono Zen today.

"...This is so annoying."

Frustrated, she ran a hand through her hair. Miko vaguely understood the saying "the sky is unpredictable, and fortunes can change in an instant." If those people really decided to dig deeper, she couldn't count on Tono Zen to keep the secret of that Silver Ball safe, which in turn would cause those people, whose identities she didn't even know, to continue focusing their attention on her.

If they were just a little luckier, they might discover the hundreds of Silver Balls in the metal box inside her shoulder bag.

She wasn't willing to gamble on such a slim chance. For this reason, her current mission to collect fish to refine blood ink had to be put on hold. She could only resume her activities once the hype had truly died down. Additionally, she needed to be cautious with her shoulder bag, lest the numerous Talisman Iron Pellets in the small metal box inside be leaked. Of course, the best solution would be to think of a way to use them all up or destroy them, keeping only a few master copies.

Miko, due to her heartache over her money, felt it would be better to use them. But clearly, there were no powerful ghosts around for her to fight a truly lavish battle, unless she was willing to venture alone to that mountain without any reliable information to confront the Mountain God within.

But the moment this thought surfaced in her mind, she immediately dismissed it. The reason was simple—she didn't dare to gamble.

"So, would changing the carrier be better?"

Miko looked at the densely packed small balls in the opened metal box and sighed. She had considered various carriers before, such as the Talisman Paper from the Xuanhui Realm, or using dolls as carriers. But in the end, she settled on a more reliable carrier in the current world: iron pellets. They were small, highly concealable, and very easy to collect. If she switched to Talisman Paper, there would be issues with usage speed and concealment, at the very least. As for making them into small paper pieces... that wouldn't be as convenient as iron balls.

So even if she wanted to change the carrier, Miko couldn't think of any good ones to use. The Soul Nourishing Artifact Path Understanding also introduced some carriers, but those were generally made of special materials and could be used permanently. For Miko, who always made inferior products, they held little reference value. These inferior Talisman Iron Pellets didn't last long either, becoming completely ineffective after only a few uses. This was why she produced them in large quantities, and another reason was security.

A large number of Talisman Iron Pellets meant that when fighting ghosts, she could achieve greater effects with less Spiritual Qi by utilizing the Talisman Iron Pellets. Each Talisman Iron Pellet was equivalent to a combat power boost. Even when she ran out of Spiritual Qi, she could continue fighting using the Spiritual Qi originally contained within the Talisman Iron Pellets. These Talisman Iron Pellets provided several times the combat power of a cultivator at lower realms, and even at higher realms, they were an important component of a cultivator's strength.

Take Miko now, for example. Without external items like Talisman Iron Pellets, her combat power would be one. However, with the hundreds of Talisman Iron Pellets she had refined, her combat power could reach ten or even twenty. Therefore, she couldn't easily discard these Talisman Iron Pellets, or even go without them.

"Forget it, this isn't the worst-case scenario yet."

Shaking her head, she cast aside the chaotic thoughts in her mind, closed the lid again, and put the metal box into her shoulder bag. Although being discovered would be a bad situation, it would be even worse for her to be without these Talisman Iron Pellets. At least with the former... she could still find a way to deal with it.

She silently took out a few specially made Talisman Iron Pellets from her pocket. In addition to the commonly used Talisman Iron Pellets, a significant portion of Talisman Iron Pellets for special purposes were also hidden on her person, just in case. Looking at the few Talisman Iron Pellets before her, she felt she could probably sleep peacefully.

Although she couldn't make the entire city forget about the Talisman Iron Pellets, she could find ways to prevent the few people who were already targeting her from disturbing her peaceful life.

Moreover, she had more than one method. It was just that things hadn't reached that point yet, and she could still temporarily tolerate the hype surrounding the Silver Balls, as long as she didn't actively pursue it.

My Thoughts Reveal Things, Things Reveal My Thoughts: On Being Put on Shelves

Although I had thought about being put on shelves, it still felt a bit early. After all, the plot of the author's first volume wasn't finished yet. The outline for the first volume could still accommodate a few more small story arcs before officially moving on to the second volume.

When I first started writing Miko's story, I didn't think too much about it. I saw someone in another Miko discussion say they were planning to bring a Devilish Cultivator into Miko's world, and I had a sudden inspiration—I turned Miko into a Devilish Cultivator. It turns out this was indeed a very bad idea, because the audience for Xianxia is quite small, and mine isn't like Peach Blossom novels, nor does it have a male lead, so the audience is even smaller.

However, I still plan to continue writing a bit, at least to finish the content of the first volume. Then, I'll see if I can work hard to write the second volume, and then consider the matters of the subsequent volumes. I'm also very grateful to all the readers for their opinions and suggestions, which have provided the author with a lot of reference.

The current first volume, tentatively titled "My Thoughts Reveal Things," primarily narrates the mental journey of Yotsuya Miko, an ordinary high school girl, as she gradually transforms into a Devilish Cultivator. After all, her transformation wasn't that smooth. The second volume will then depict Miko's battles on the path to becoming a Devilish Cultivator. Compared to the first volume, it will be... Ah, I'm thinking too far ahead. I should finish the first volume first.

For the sake of full attendance, I generally won't miss updates, unless the author decides not to pursue that full attendance (full attendance is the main income for a struggling author). Please continue to guide me in the future stories. Thank you very much to all the readers for watching and providing feedback, which has prevented this book from becoming a solo endeavor. Sometimes, the author will desperately refresh the latest chapters to read your posts and reviews (233333), because the inability to write is often due to a lack of feedback.

So, I'm done. Lastly, I'm asking for your first subscription and recommendation votes. (Smile)

Chapter 61: Loneliness and Understanding Loneliness

A normal morning. If anything was different, it was that Yotsuya Miko hadn't refined any Talisman Iron Pellets last night. Due to the Silver Ball issue and the fact that she had run out of materials, she had done almost nothing last night.

Putting on her school uniform, she carefully tucked the metal box from her shoulder bag deep inside, took a deep breath, and walked downstairs.

Today's Yotsuya household was no different from usual. Her mother, Yotsuya Touko, had prepared breakfast for the two children early. Her younger brother, Yotsuya Kyosuke, complained about his sister's speed while eating breakfast.

"Sister, you're so slow to get up today too."

"Okay, okay, you're the early riser."

Miko didn't intend to argue with the energetic child. She simply pulled out her chair, sat down, and began eating her breakfast. Her life was like that of many ordinary people; even after becoming a Devilish Cultivator, it hadn't changed much, almost not at all.

Even the people closest to her had no idea that Yotsuya Miko had undergone such drastic changes in just a few months. Even her occasional strange reactions were understood by the two with different explanations. Honestly, this would be a satisfactory situation for those trying to hide themselves and play the fool, but for those seeking comfort and help, it only added to their frustration and helplessness.

Fortunately, Miko had gradually become accustomed to hiding herself, preventing her secrets from affecting others. She calmly finished her breakfast, slung her shoulder bag over her shoulder, and walked to the door to change her shoes.

"We're leaving."

"Be careful on your way."

The moment she stepped out of her house, her world became completely different from everyone else's. Even after countless cleansings, this street was still filled with lingering Ghosts, aimlessly wandering the human world. Ordinary people couldn't see them, simply passing through them unknowingly, or becoming possessed by them. As for her, she just pretended not to see, using the power of Talisman Iron Pellets to dispel or eliminate those Ghosts, showing no concern for what they looked like in life, nor caring about their fate after death.

These Ghosts were intrinsically linked to humans; when a person died, they became a Ghost, and when a Ghost died, she didn't know what form it would take. Ghosts might retain human will, but it was merely will; they relied more on their identity as Ghosts, their ghostly forms, and their malevolent nature to harm others. Once they sensed that ordinary people could notice them, they would unleash all their ghostly malice upon that mortal, bringing them death.

Therefore, Yotsuya Miko often regarded these Ghosts as calamities and feared the more powerful ones, those she was powerless against. If they discovered she could see them, what would her fate be... Just thinking about it filled her with deep unease. And this was by no means her imagination; there were indeed individuals among the Ghosts who were far more powerful than usual, though she might have been lucky enough not to have encountered any stronger than the present ones.

Thus, this fear gradually deepened, becoming a nightmare she couldn't erase for a time.

"Good morning, Yotsuya Miko."

"Mm, good morning, Hana, and Yuria."

Miko turned to look at the two behind her: the energetic Yurikawa Hana, her seemingly eternally optimistic friend, and beside her, the still aloof and timid blonde girl, Futamido Yuria.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

Hana hugged Miko, looking at her with a teasing gaze, and spoke with mischievous intent.

"Were you perhaps thinking about some handsome guy? Mi--ko."

"Actually, I was thinking about you."

Miko also smiled at Hana, easily dodging this harmless teasing.

"I was wondering what the gluttonous Hana ate today?"

"...Mmm, pancakes, and strawberry cake."

Hearing this answer, Hana puffed up a little, but still revealed her breakfast for the day.

"That's all, please don't call me a glutton anymore."

"Is that so... Then what about Yuria-chan?"

"Eh? Me?"

The blonde girl with twin tails pointed at herself in surprise, seemingly incredulous that she'd been drawn into their conversation. However, seeing Hana and Miko, she quietly stated her breakfast.

"Um... black tea, and cookies."

"Black tea and cookies? Wow, that sounds so fancy."

Hana's eyes widened in surprise as she meticulously examined Yuria from head to toe.

"Could it be that Yuria-chan is actually the daughter of some big corporation?"

"You watch too much TV."

Miko unceremoniously grabbed Hana, who was brazenly, almost sticking her face onto Yuria, and then stated her own breakfast.

"Compared to you two, I think my breakfast was much more normal, a fried egg sandwich."

"It certainly sounds very ordinary."

"But it was delicious, my mom made it."

"That's nice. But mine was made by my mother too! The pancakes were really super delicious. I'll invite you to my house next time to eat."

Their conversation resumed, while Yuria watched the scene before her. Even if she had something she wanted to say, she felt she couldn't. But, this was enough, wasn't it?

She smiled, about to bid them farewell and head to her classroom, when two hands suddenly grabbed her shoulders.

"Speaking of which, I never see you around at lunchtime. If you don't mind, want to have lunch together?"

"Eh?"

"You just want to see what Yuria's lunch is, don't you?"

Miko looked at Hana, who had once again shifted her attention to Yuria, and interjected, leaning closer to Yuria's face.

"Actually, I want to see too... By the way, you're not eating alone, are you?"

Though Miko's concern for Yuria wasn't as overt as Yurikawa Hana's, Yotsuya Miko still empathized with the lonely girl. She was in almost the same situation as herself, yet the people she encountered didn't understand her feelings at all, merely treating her as an anomaly.

"How could that be... Actually, I..."

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Yuria stammered, wanting to retort but unable to say anything. She could only obediently lower her head and say resignedly, "Eating alone... won't be so bad, right."

"Then, please join us."

Hana suddenly grasped her hands.

"If I had to leave Miko to eat alone, I really wouldn't feel like eating. Eating alone would be too miserable."

She said, adopting an attitude of not letting go unless Yuria agreed, staring directly at Yuria-chan.

"Can you, Yuria-chan?"

"Can you, Yuria?"

Miko placed her hand on Yuria's shoulder. Ever since she had first learned about this girl's situation, she had intended to help Futamido Yuria. Because she deeply knew that without Hana, without the cultivation techniques taught by that mysterious master, she herself might have been even more helpless and lonely than Yuria.

Chapter 62: The Astonishing Transformation of Tono Zen

After agreeing to have lunch with Yuria, it was almost time for class. The first period was Japanese language, taught by Tono Zen.

Yotsuya Miko sat in her chair, with a bit of expectation, which then turned into a lack of it. She didn't really believe Tono Zen would be the type to believe rumors about Silver Balls, so she wasn't optimistic about whether he had changed at all.

By today, she even felt that if she met Tono Zen again, she would feel embarrassed by the irrational behavior from yesterday, and even want to erase his memories of their conversation from yesterday.

But upon seeing Tono Zen again from outside the classroom, she felt there was really nothing to be embarrassed about. What she did yesterday was a decision made for her actions, out of her own will. And even if the way she expressed herself was indeed embarrassing to outsiders, there were no outsiders who saw it yesterday.

"Alright, class is starting."

Tono Zen placed his lecture notes on the desk, his expression still calm and collected, as if nothing could faze him. He took out the attendance roster and called on a student to read the text, while he listened silently, focused on the student. Only after that student finished reading a passage did he slowly call on another.

Japanese language class was just that boring, and it became even more so with such a rigid teacher. But at least the teacher's good looks played a small role; it seemed that no one wanted to leave a negative impression on him, so even though the lesson was incredibly dull, few students fell asleep. Only Hana, next to Kiko, was secretly eating bread under her textbook.

Tono Zen glanced over, then looked away. After the previous student finished reading, he suddenly walked over to Hana's side and called on her.

"Yurikawa Hana, please read the following three passages."

"Mmph--!"

Hana quickly stood up and swallowed the bread crumbs in her mouth. However, the bread that fell to the floor and was not yet eaten made a sound, causing her to instinctively crouch down to pick it up. She then accidentally bumped into the corner of the desk, making a loud noise again, even pushing the desk back a bit.

"Ouch..."

Hana cried out, clutching her forehead, mourning the wasted bread on the floor, mourning her current embarrassing situation, and mourning her injury.

All the students in the classroom, after a brief pause, quickly understood what had happened. Joyful laughter soon disturbed the other classrooms.

"Hahaha... as expected of you, Hana."

"No way... I'm going to die laughing today."

"Hahaha... I posted on Twitter."

Beside her, Kiko felt she suddenly didn't want to be associated with Hana at all. She covered her face with her hands. She covered it, but not completely. Through the gaps in her fingers, she silently looked at Tono Zen, who was standing beside Hana, wondering what his expression would be.

Then, she froze.

Tono Zen looked at the dazed girl before him, as if recalling something, and a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He crouched down, picked up the piece of bread, and threw it into the trash can next to the classroom.

"You can't eat in class, Yurikawa-san."