Jiang Yehua

(Brain storage)

Seeing Ei's astonishing speed, she reached him in two steps.

Lin Yiyi used Tai Chi to counter each move as it came. He first slapped aside Ei's left straight with his right hand, then easily anticipated the right straight that followed. Taking a small step back, he used his left hand to bat down Ei's right straight.

That was Tai Chi: using softness to overcome hardness.

Taking advantage of Ei's opening, Lin Yiyi bent low and drove an elbow into her abdomen.

Though she had taken the blow head-on, Ei was a god, and her body was exceptionally strong. Besides, this was a friendly spar—hold back in strength, but not in technique—so the strike did little damage.

Still, Ei instinctively drew in her stomach and bent away.

In a fleeting instant, Lin Yiyi caught Raiden Ei in her recovery, grabbed her hand, and threw a front kick across her body.

A gust of wind blew toward Lin Yiyi. He instinctively sniffed. This woman smelled pretty nice.

"Damn, what a smooth combo!"

"Boss is so cool!"

"Go, Ei!"

When experts exchanged blows, they stopped at the proper point. But Ei seemed interested now. She raised her knee and pushed Lin Yiyi's leg away. He had to stagger back several steps before steadying himself.

The god who had slain the cursed serpent Orobashi and shot through the Thunderbird with a single arrow suddenly had a glimmer in her eyes. Rare praise colored her voice. "An unusual style. Even I did not anticipate it."

"This martial art of yours cannot be found in Inazuma."

In terms of overall strength, Lin Yiyi was naturally getting completely crushed. He was merely a mortal and could not contend with a god.

But in terms of technique, the youth's abundant experience did allow him to trade blows with a powerful god.

Ei attacked again, but Lin Yiyi remained calm and composed. Drawing upon his immensely rich traditional martial arts techniques, even a god as powerful as her could not take him down for the moment.

Gods truly were something else. Even in wooden clogs, her kicking techniques were formidable.

After dodging a right roundhouse, Lin Yiyi prepared to seize Ei's timing, close in, and unleash a Moving, Blocking, and Punching strike. Yet Ei forcibly took the blow, then kicked him flying.

"Holy shit—"

"Thud—"

Though she had already held back somewhat, Lin Yiyi was still kicked to the ground. Without hesitation, he rolled backward to disperse the impact and widen the distance. He had no desire to be pinned down and beaten.

Lin Yiyi had not put much force into that strike, but it should have been enough to stagger Ei again. Yet, eager to win, he had overlooked just how durable her body was. She tanked the move outright and counterattacked.

Lin Yiyi certainly had many techniques, but before absolute strength, no amount of technique was useful.

One force could defeat ten techniques.

"Ow, I'm done! I'm done! Two hits and my defenses are broken. I can't beat her at all!"

The youth rubbed his backside. Having landed squarely on his ass, anyone would have hurt for a while.

Yae Miko watched the otherworldly visitor rise and slightly relaxed her brows.

As expected, her god was the strongest.

"Wow, wow, wow, that was fierce!"

"Look, Ei took that move head-on and nothing happened!"

"Ah, both sides were holding back. You can't really tell much."

"But they're both so amazing! It was just like those martial arts action movies!"

"Boss is awesome! Ei is awesome!"

The people joining in the excitement immediately burst into cheers, discussing the fight among themselves.

Walking over to Lin Yiyi, Ei patted the dust off him. He complained, "Ow, I can't beat you at all."

Ei crossed her arms. "People always grow. Move toward the future."

But the price of growth was unimaginable pain, and on the road forward, one would always lose something.

"Please present your tickets in an orderly manner and line up!"

After the sun rose and set, Saturday's convention at the Sports Center finally arrived.

"Damn! I didn't buy tickets!"

Only after arriving did Lin Yiyi remember that he had no ticket. Luckily, tickets could be bought on-site, so he hurriedly purchased three and slipped inside.

It was noon, and plenty of people had already arrived. Looking around, Lin Yiyi and the other two saw all sorts of anime and game characters gathered here.

Satoru Gojo, Chuuya Nakahara, Kenma Kozume, Wanderer, even Deadpool and Ultraman Tiga could all be found among them.

"Why does it smell so bad the moment we come in?"

Lin Yiyi frowned and soon noticed that many people nearby were covering their noses too.

"Did someone fart? Why does it stink so badly?!"

"Damn, it reeks! I'm being fumigated to death!"

"Hey, hey, look! A Taoist priest!"

"Taoist priest big brother!"

Lin Yiyi was not cosplaying anyone today. He had changed into his Taoist robe instead. He did not want to wear his work uniform when he was off duty, but this was a convention anyway, so anything went.

"You two can go have fun. Oh, right, take this money. If you see any merchandise you like, buy it yourselves."

Looking at Yae Miko and Raiden Ei beside him, Lin Yiyi handed them several hundred yuan and let them go off on their own.

"Do you smell something strange?"

Ei reminded Lin Yiyi, and he replied, "Maybe someone farted."

The two from Narukami did not think much of it and went off to enjoy themselves.

"Taoist master, can we take a photo together?"

"Of course."

"Click—"

"Taoist priest big brother, tell my fortune for romance!"

"Taoist master, I want my fortune for wealth!"

"Handsome Taoist—"

"Boss, boss, you're actually a Taoist priest?!"

Words like these rang out around Lin Yiyi. Everyone was dressed in all kinds of outfits, but no one else had come to the convention in a Taoist robe.

"Jiang Yehua! I'm Jiang Yehua's dog! Aaaahhh—"

"Jiang Yehua, Jiang Yehua—"

"Look, it's Jiang Yehua!"

Suddenly, wave after wave of shouts from the crowd caused a huge number of people around Lin Yiyi to vanish at once.

"Finally, some peace and quiet..." The youth let out a long sigh, then went looking for little Youyu, the convention's second guest.

But it looked like she had not woken up yet.

Today, Jiang Yehua wore a Furina cosplay outfit. Protected by her entourage, she politely greeted the people around her. Then she suddenly frowned and asked:

"Has someone released some turbid air from inside their body?"

As a blogger with millions of followers, she had to watch every word and action. That single sentence made everyone burst out laughing.

Lin Yiyi sat in a chair, wondering what kind of smell could be so strange.

It seemed as though a beam of light in his mind was guiding him forward.

What smell is it? A toilet? Durian? Rotten eggs? Stinky tofu?

None of those. I know this smell very well, but I just can't remember it.

So familiar. So familiar.

Lin Yiyi's gaze grew unfocused. Following the guidance of that light, it seemed the truth was about to surface.

"Huh? There's actually a Taoist priest here?"

Suddenly, a voice pulled him from his thoughts.

Looking up, he saw a blue figure standing beside him, surrounded by many people.

She was very beautiful, and she resembled Furina—but she could never compare to Furina herself.

"Are you a real Taoist priest?" Jiang Yehua asked. "Or are you just cosplaying?"

"If you think I am, then I am." Having his train of thought interrupted, the youth was somewhat irritated.

The people around them soon began chattering. Some said his detached, worldly appearance made him look like a genuine Taoist priest; others said his cold act was merely attention-seeking; still others discussed how fair Jiang Yehua's legs were.

"Seriously, who's been farting for so long?"

"Exactly! It still stinks so badly. I feel like throwing up."

"Blergh—"

"Damn, someone actually threw up!"

"Someone fainted!"

"I can't take it anymore, this smell is really too disgusting!"

"Can't the organizers do something about it?!"

All kinds of noisy voices surged into Lin Yiyi's mind like a tide, yet he remained unmoved, like an unshakable statue.

In a daze, he saw that light growing brighter and brighter.

"Damn, the Narukami cosplay is so accurate!"

"The Shogun! Yae Miko!"

"Wow, their height and figures are way too accurate, right?!"

"Why are they walking toward that Taoist priest guy?"

"They must know each other!"

Lin Yiyi's mind suddenly jolted as if electrocuted. Looking at Ei and Yae Miko approaching, the answer was on the tip of his tongue.

There was only one kind of stench that could make people gag, feel sick, or even faint.

The stench of a corpse.