Tenshu

Xia Jie stood in the cemetery, gazing quietly at his father's tombstone before slowly speaking. "Dad, I have good news! We can go back to China!"

"I'm planning to bury you and Mom together. I'm sure you won't blame me for disturbing you!"

"I've been doing well lately, though perhaps not entirely as you would have hoped. I still stepped into Jujutsu Society. But times have changed. I don't think you would mind..."

Facing Xia Changqing's photograph, Xia Jie silently told him about his time at Jujutsu High.

The memories of his previous life had completely merged with those of this one. He no longer agonized over his identity as a transmigrator.

After recounting most of what had happened recently, Xia Jie had Shadow Maru slip into Jiang Changqing's grave and hide Jiang Changqing's ashes within the shadows.

Having finished everything, Xia Jie ended his visit and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.

A young man dressed entirely in white, his face concealed, suddenly appeared before him.

"Who are you?" Xia Jie asked calmly.

The man's outfit practically had "I'm not an ordinary person" written across it. Clearly, he had come for Xia Jie.

"Tenshu, the force directly under Jujutsu Headquarters, has come specifically to relay the orders of a certain important figure within Jujutsu High," the man said coldly.

Xia Jie narrowed his eyes. It was his first time hearing the name "Tenshu." Judging from the aura emanating from the man, he was no ordinary fighter. This so-called "force directly under Jujutsu Headquarters" was probably real.

"Then... what is the order?" Xia Jie asked.

"Give up your plans to return to China and join the Tenshu reserves! Since you have joined Jujutsu High, you must completely sever your ties with China's Jujutsu Society!" the man said with an icy expression.

Xia Jie raised a brow. "Teacher Gojo already obtained permission from the Higher-Ups for me. That means they allow me to return to China. As for severing ties with China's Jujutsu Society... I never had much to do with them in the first place!"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me!" The man snorted. "Just tell me whether you will obey that person's order!"

Feeling the man's overbearing attitude, Xia Jie suddenly laughed.

He raised both middle fingers at the man and slowly spat out two words. "Fuck off!"

If he acted weak now, they would only push their luck even further.

Since that was the case, why not just beat those self-righteous claws until they hurt?

At least next time, they would not bare their fangs at him so casually.

As for Jujutsu High's Higher-Ups, Xia Jie had anticipated this very situation when he made his request to return to China. He no longer cared much about their attitude. Besides, Jujutsu High had already approved his request. Even if they had done so under pressure from Gojo Satoru, approval was approval.

And now they had sent some inexplicable Jujutsu Sorcerer to tell him he was not allowed to leave... Screw that!

Even if this led to a conflict, Xia Jie had nothing to worry about. He was in the right, and Jujutsu High could not punish him for it.

Having figured all this out long ago, Xia Jie had already prepared himself. No matter who Jujutsu High sent, he would beat the hell out of them!

He had never doubted that Jujutsu High would send someone to obstruct him. Anyone who understood the Higher-Ups knew exactly what they were like.

Sure enough, a member of that damned Tenshu had come.

Yongchuan of Tenshu was momentarily stunned by Xia Jie's insult.

According to the information Jujutsu High had given him, Xia Jie was supposed to be a docile type.

Simply put, he was powerful because of his Cursed Spirit, but his own personality was weak.

He had almost never refused any of Jujutsu High's orders.

When he joined Jujutsu High, he had made a Binding Vow the moment they told him to, without even trying to resist.

That had made Yongchuan look down on Xia Jie.

If a young man lacked fire, it meant he lacked courage. And a Jujutsu Sorcerer without courage was not worth Yongchuan's attention, no matter how powerful his Cursed Technique might be.

That was why he had acted so arrogantly while delivering Jujutsu High's order to Xia Jie.

Even though they were both Semi-Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers, Xia Jie was fundamentally beneath him.

This mistaken belief had kept Yongchuan from ever imagining that Xia Jie would dare insult him!

He had assumed that once he invoked Jujutsu Headquarters, Xia Jie would naturally follow him back.

But who would have thought that the person he considered weak would dare provoke him so recklessly!

And from the look of it, Xia Jie did not take Jujutsu High's orders seriously at all!

"I'll ask you one more time. Are you planning to refuse Jujutsu Headquarters' order?" Yongchuan asked, suppressing his anger.

After all, he was a Jujutsu Sorcerer selected by the Higher-Ups. He would not ruin relations with Xia Jie, a promising prospect favored by them, over a momentary impulse.

Even if he wanted to make a move, he needed a reason that could stand up to scrutiny.

"Idiot!" Xia Jie sneered. "You expect me to believe you just because you say so? Show me Jujutsu High's transfer order!"

A transfer order? How could Jujutsu High possibly give him something that could be used against them!

Yongchuan fumed inwardly. Then powerful Cursed Energy erupted from his body, and a terrifying pressure spread from him.

"Don't think that having Gojo Satoru behind you means you can do whatever you want!"

"If you refuse to obey Jujutsu Headquarters' order, I have grounds to execute you on the spot for 'rebellion'!"

He naturally could not truly kill Xia Jie, but there was no harm in talking tough.

If it could intimidate Xia Jie, that would be even better.

"Are you threatening me?" Xia Jie's lips curled with undisguised mockery. He clearly was not buying it.

He crooked a finger at Yongchuan. "If you've got the guts, try it!"

The instant Xia Jie finished speaking, Yongchuan flashed behind him. His hand sliced toward Xia Jie's neck like a blade, but just before it made contact, it stopped dead.

His entire body seemed to be bound by something. He could not move at all!

Xia Jie swiftly turned around and drove a fist at Yongchuan's face.

Yongchuan surged with Cursed Energy and finally broke free from the invisible restraint. He crossed his arms and blocked Xia Jie's heavy punch.

He blocked it!

That thought had only just surfaced in Yongchuan's mind when an unimaginable force burst through his muscles and sent him flying.

Yongchuan flew away like a paper airplane, using the momentum to escape Xia Jie's attack.

In midair, he looked at Xia Jie and saw that, at some point, a black circle about five meters wide had spread beneath Xia Jie's feet, centered on where he stood.

Thinking of the Cursed Spirit attached to Xia Jie, how could Yongchuan not realize he had been caught by a hidden trick?

Jujutsu High's intelligence had only said that Xia Jie's Cursed Spirit could manipulate shadows to attack. It had never said that it could control other people's movements through shadows!

And he was a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, yet he had nearly failed to break free from the restraint. That was absolutely no Grade 1 Cursed Spirit!

A Special Grade?!

Yongchuan landed atop a tombstone, clutching his injured right arm as he stared at Xia Jie from afar, disbelief written across his face.

"You... control a Special-Grade Cursed Spirit?" Yongchuan asked uncertainly.

"You're pretty fast," Xia Jie said, ignoring the question. "Is your Cursed Technique related to speed?"

"Answer my question!" Yongchuan shouted angrily.

"I don't think you understand your position yet!"

Xia Jie stomped down, shattering the ground beneath his feet.

He burst forward at an unimaginable speed, arriving before Yongchuan almost instantly.

Yongchuan was horrified. He had never expected Xia Jie to attack first. Just as he tried to activate his Cursed Technique and retreat, his body became as heavy as lead again, completely refusing to obey him.

Taking advantage of the opening, Xia Jie grabbed Yongchuan by the throat and slowly tightened his grip. Painful, hoarse struggling sounds escaped Yongchuan's throat.

"Now you should understand who has the right to ask questions." Xia Jie loosened his grip slightly and said coldly, "I ask. You answer."

"You don't dare kill me! Cough, cough! Otherwise, the people at Jujutsu Headquarters won't let you off!" Yongchuan said with difficulty.

He wanted to struggle a little longer, but the moment he met Xia Jie's icy gaze, he knew his words carried no threat whatsoever.

With a Special-Grade Cursed Spirit under his control and Gojo Satoru backing him, killing one or two people would be nothing to Xia Jie!

"Looks like you understand a little now." Xia Jie's voice was cold. "I don't like wasting words, and I don't like torturing people. But if you insist, I'll satisfy you!"

"First question. What is Tenshu?" Xia Jie asked.

"You think I'll yield... Aah!" Yongchuan had just tried to show his unwavering loyalty when intense pain forced a scream from his throat. Xia Jie had Shadow Maru snap two of his fingers.

"I advise you to cooperate." Xia Jie softened his tone, his voice like a devil's whisper. "I'm only asking questions that aren't all that 'secret.' Why pretend to be so tough?"

"Are these questions really worth suffering for?"

Xia Jie tossed Yongchuan to the ground and continued, "I'll ask again. What is Tenshu?"

Cold sweat poured down Yongchuan's forehead. He looked at Xia Jie as though he were looking at a demon. The boy's ruthless expression was completely unlike that of a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old.

"Tenshu is... a force directly under Jujutsu Headquarters. It only accepts orders from Jujutsu Headquarters," Yongchuan said quietly.

"Numbers. Organization. Strength," Xia Jie said, enunciating each word.

Yongchuan gritted his teeth. "Tenshu members should all possess the strength of Semi-Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers. Tenshu members do not answer to one another and only obey Jujutsu Headquarters' orders, so I don't know anything about the other members, nor do I know how many there are!"

"How did you enter Tenshu?" Xia Jie continued.

"Tenshu actively recruits some Semi-Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers. That's how I joined," Yongchuan answered. "Every member who joins Tenshu must also make a Binding Vow not to betray Jujutsu High before officially entering Tenshu."

"So that's why the Higher-Ups sent you to recruit me? Still, your recruiting attitude is truly awful," Xia Jie said mockingly.

"An important figure at Jujutsu Headquarters had long since ordered us to make you suffer a little, to make you completely abandon the idea of returning to China," Yongchuan said sullenly.

"The more you say that, the more curious I become about this 'important figure' of yours." Xia Jie smiled. "Tell me, who is he?"