Ning Xue, standing in the center of the corpse group, shook off the blood beads on Ice Blade, and then lifted Ice Blade. After just a moment, it disintegrated in the air.
Although the clothes were stained with some blood, the mask was still clean. He turned his head to look at the remaining guards in the shrine and said calmly.
"Clean the battlefield."
After saying that, he lifted the Ice Wall behind him and walked towards the hall.
When the guards saw Ning Xue walking into the hall, they dared to emerge from their hiding place cautiously.
They couldn't help but shudder as they looked at the corpses scattered all over the place, with a mixture of fear and awe in their eyes.
Then he endured the discomfort and silently carried the bodies of his colleagues and enemies.
Those who carried the body carried the body, and those who wiped the floor, the whole process was suppressed and rapid. No one spoke, only suppressed sobs occasionally sounded.
When Ashitaba protected Shion from the hidden secret passage and returned to the main hall, the sight in front of him made the loyal guard commander's pupils shrink suddenly.
He looked outside at the mountain of corpses piled up with enemy corpses, couldn't help but swallow, and quickly raised his arms, blocking Shion's sight with his wide cuffs.
"Miko-sama, you'd better rest inside first."
Shion, who wanted to see the scene outside the palace, was blocked by his sleeves. Although he was a little dissatisfied,
But he still obediently returned to the palace, found a place to sit down, and silently thought about why the prophecy had changed.
Soon after...
The candlelight in the main hall was rekindled, dispersing some of the darkness.
Shion knelt down and sat on the main seat again, folding her hands in front of her knees. The purple witch costume and the crown on her head made her noble and dignified.
Below, Ashitaba endured the pain and knelt on the right side, an elder knelt on the left side, and there were several guards with minor injuries standing around.
Everyone looked respectful, but the eyes they looked at Ning Xue were wary and awe-inspiring.
Especially those who witnessed Ning Xue chopping up enemies outside the palace like chopping melons and vegetables, could not hide their fear.
Ning Xue did not kneel down, but sat cross-legged in the center of the hall. His expression was calm under the mask, and he did not care about the fearful eyes at all. He only looked at the witch on the main seat without squinting.
"I am Fujiwara, a traveler who is very interested in Sealing Jutsu."
He spoke first, breaking the heaviness in the hall.
"I came here today with the intention of asking for advice and exchanges. I never thought that your company would encounter sudden changes and that I would just take advantage of the situation to help."
This rhetoric is quite reasonable. Ashitaba's tense nerves relaxed slightly, but his vigilance has not diminished.
"Fujiwara, Your Excellency's life-saving grace will be unforgettable to Land of Demons.
Your Excellency just said that you are interested in Sealing Jutsu..."
"Exactly." Ning Xue took over the conversation,
"And I still have some... personal matters that involve me. If possible, I hope to discuss it with the miko-sama alone."
As soon as these words came out, the already depressing atmosphere in the palace instantly solidified.
"I'm sorry, Your Excellency Fujiwara!" Ashitaba was the first to respond and immediately refuted his request.
"Although you are kind to us, your origin is unknown after all... such a request... I apologize for not agreeing to it."
After saying this, I realized something was wrong, and then took a deep breath and added.
"But you are really interested in Sealing Jutsu. I would like to introduce you to the knowledgeable priests and elders of this shrine to talk to you."
His suspicions were reasonable.
A person who appears at a critical moment, is powerful, and wants to talk to a miko alone, is suspicious no matter how you look at it.
Even if there is a life-saving grace, it is difficult to guarantee that the intention is ulterior.
Ning Xue was not surprised by Ashitaba's reaction, he turned around and said calmly.
"I can understand this gentleman's concerns, but..."
Ning Xue deliberately lengthened his tone, as if he was considering his words.
"The attackers outside have clear goals and are well organized. I'm afraid there may be more than one round of attacks in the future.
And your country's defense force..."
Ning Xue Click to stop, the meaning is self-evident.
"You..."
Ashitaba clenched his fists. This was the first time that he, who had always been calm, was stabbed in a painful spot like this.
But Ning Xue didn't care about his reaction and continued.
"I'm just a traveler, and my desires are limited. If I had really malicious intentions, I wouldn't be sitting here talking right now."
His eyes swept over Zhou Zhou's injured and forcibly holding on guard, and finally fell back on Ashitaba.
"I know that the witch is very important to Land of Demons. All I ask for is some advice. You might as well treat this matter as a transaction."
After the words fell, the air in the hall completely condensed.
The expression of the elder on the left changed. Ning Xue's words were too straightforward, as straightforward as a sharp thorn piercing his heart.
Having lived in Land of Demons all year round, he knows better than anyone else that Land of Demons's defense is very weak, so weak that it sometimes needs protection from other countries.
And the next few words made him even more angry than ever before.
"Deal?" the elder said, his voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Your Excellency is very powerful, we have all seen it, but that's why we are even more vigilant! The miko-sama has a noble status and is related to the safety of a country. How can you be easily involved in danger just because of a transaction?
If your request is really for advice, why can't you state it in public or let us convey it to you? Do you have to be alone with the miko-sama?"
His doubts were loud and clear, expressing the thoughts of all the guards in the palace.
Several eyes were locked on Ning Xue, and their alertness was obvious.
Ning Xue did not get angry in the face of these wary looks, but continued to explain unhurriedly.
"Some matters involve personal secrets and are not suitable for disclosure.
Besides, perhaps only a witch can give me answers to the questions on the seal."
He looked at everyone's expressions and added.
"As for safety... I still say the same thing. If I had any malicious intentions, I would not sit here and talk to you."
This sentence sounds a bit arrogant, but it is also true. The mountains of corpses outside are the best proof.
"You..." The elder was speechless at the rebuke, and his face turned red and his neck was thick with anger.
At this moment, a guard echoed.
"We don't need your help, we can just ask ninjas from other countries to help."
"That's right!" The elder's eyes lit up, it was his new brain that worked well.
"I..."
"That's enough."
A cold and slightly tired voice came from above, interrupting the increasingly heated debate.
The old man, who was blushing from the argument, turned his head in shock and saw Shion in the main seat raising his eyes at some point.
Those purple eyes with a hint of haze looked straight at Ning Xue, who was wearing a mask in the palace.
There was still no expression on her face, but the moment she spoke, the entire hall fell silent.
"If he wants to talk, let's talk."
"But, Miko-sama!" Ashitaba wanted to dissuade him eagerly.
"My prophecy..."
Shion did not look away from Ning Xue, but murmured in a low voice, with an unquestionable certainty.
"Because of him, he changed."