In an instant, sparks flew everywhere. The battle halberd and naginata clashed dozens of times, and their magical energy burst outward in all directions, colliding without pause.
A gale howled from the force of their clashes, while the movements of their weapons grew faster and faster.
The smile on Bai Ming's face became increasingly wild and unrestrained. His offensive came like a raging storm, swift and overwhelmingly fierce.
The clanging of iron weapons grew ever denser, and the wind pressure generated by their collisions became so great that Raikou's Four Heavenly Kings immediately dispersed the nearby soldiers and retreated a considerable distance.
"Faster! Faster still! Put more strength into it! Entertain me!"
Bai Ming roared, his voice like thunder. "Come on! Again, again, again! Is the son of the Ox-Headed Heavenly King really this weak and powerless?!"
Countless streaks of white light flickered through the air, while Minamoto no Raikou swung her naginata with complete focus, continuously colliding with Bai Ming's battle halberd.
The sparring platform beneath their feet cracked apart, sending shattered stones flying. Every collision caused the ground beneath them to sink a little farther.
Minamoto no Raikou had made up her mind as well. Her attacks changed from their previous balance of offense and defense; now, she committed thirty percent to attacking her enemy and kept seventy percent in reserve, using more defensive techniques. She refused to believe Bai Ming could sustain such a berserk assault forever.
Everyone had a moment when their strength ran dry.
And when that moment came, it would be her chance to strike back.
That was what she told herself—
Minamoto no Raikou felt agonizing pain in the webs between her thumbs and forefingers. It was a sensation she had not experienced in a very long time since she began training in martial arts as a child.
Yet Bai Ming's stamina was astonishingly good. In the end, Minamoto no Raikou abandoned defense altogether and switched to the same all-out, offense-only style as Bai Ming.
"That's more like it, Minamoto no Raikou! You should have fought like this from the start!"
The battle halberd crashed heavily against the naginata. Minamoto no Raikou slid back a distance, while Bai Ming immediately pursued. After shedding the force of the blow, Minamoto no Raikou raised her weapon and charged at Bai Ming. Following several more exchanges, they pulled apart again.
Killer Star Mask activated. Peach Blossom Star Mask and Killer Star Mask both activated. Talent Greedy Wolf has now changed into Talent Greedy Wolf Star. Tamamo-no-Mae's attraction to you has greatly increased. System: Huh? What kind of logic is that? Bro, what side of you did that even highlight? Bai Ming: Get lost. I'm busy fighting.
Their duel lasted through the rest of the day. Only at dusk, when Minamoto no Raikou knelt on the ground with her naginata in hand, gasping for breath as she conceded defeat, did Bai Ming put away his weapon. He sat down cross-legged where he was and ate the dinner Watanabe no Tsuna had brought over.
After eating, Bai Ming said it was getting late and that it was no longer convenient to continue sparring, intending to leave. Who would have thought Minamoto no Raikou would grab hold of him and directly concede?
She did not want to fight anymore. Bai Ming was strong and had incredible stamina; no matter how capable she was, she could not endure that kind of punishment.
Bai Ming nodded in agreement, then said to Minamoto no Raikou, "I'm going to exercise the winner's rights. First, I'll wash up at your residence."
"Eh?"
Like animals with an intense sense of territoriality fighting one another, the victor possessed everything belonging to the loser, while the loser could only be humiliated at the victor's whim.
On the night of her defeat, Minamoto no Raikou became your wife or concubine. Her figure was truly amazing.
You defeated Minamoto no Raikou, then brought Sei Shonagon, Shuten-Douji, and Setanta to live at Minamoto no Raikou's home.
You had defeated the foremost onmyoji and the foremost warrior.
Thus, through word of mouth among warriors and onmyoji, as well as Sei Shonagon's embellishment, your reputation and exploits spread outward from Heian-kyo. Not only those who knew nothing of martial arts or onmyodo, but even those proficient in them came to revere you as a god.
However, because of your previous absurd antics, should Hinako Akuta (Yu Ji, Consort Yu) abandon hope of living and choose to ascend to the Throne of Heroes as a Heroic Spirit Servant, she would gain the skills "Innocent Monster (EX)," "Divinity," and "Eternal Martial Arts Training A++," and there would be a high probability that you would be summoned together with her.
Furthermore, because you could summon wind and rain, command thunder and lightning, and possessed unmatched martial prowess, some people claimed you were Takemikazuchi.
You had intercepted a great deal of Takemikazuchi's faith and offerings.
You had drawn Takemikazuchi's attention.
You had once again drawn Yuanshi Tianzun's attention.
Within a vast white space, Bai Ming met Yuanshi Tianzun.
It was said: strange beasts flew in to serve as armrests, while he happily bore the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi; white cranes and azure luan birds led the way before him, while crimson phoenixes followed behind, dancing around his immortal robes. A feather fan parted the clouds and mist, and immortal children on either side played jade flutes.
Yet Bai Ming seemed accustomed to such things and did not care at all about the form in which this supreme being appeared, let alone...
Bai Ming respectfully bowed. "Greetings, Patriarch."
"If you call me Patriarch outside, I won't fault you for it. That is the proper custom. But there is no one else here. What should you call me?"
"Eh—Master."
In terms of seniority, the Twelve Immortals of Yuxu and even Jiang Ziya were all Bai Ming's senior brothers. From the moment he appeared, countless great beings had calculated that Bai Ming should not have existed.
It was only because "the Heavenly Dao had forty-nine" that Yuanshi Tianzun made an exception and accepted him as a disciple.
However, Bai Ming was still young, learned things quickly, and had run off to gain experience not long after studying. Therefore, before leaving, he received a decree: outside, he was not to address his master as Master. Except when returning to Xuandu Yujing, he was to call him Patriarch at all other times.
That was why, in Bai Ming's previous simulation in Britain, a single "Yuanshi, pacify all" had directly drawn Yuanshi Tianzun over.
The Heavenly Venerable said:
"You little rascal certainly know how to cause trouble, and you certainly know how to run around. Even if all your senior brothers were piled together, none could cause as much trouble as you. You tease this one and provoke that one, but everyone has their own opportunities, so I will not say much. As for that Takemikazuchi, you need not worry."
Bai Ming nodded as though he understood. "This disciple understands."
Chapter 49: System, I Order You to Possess Takemikazuchi
Having Yuanshi Tianzun backing you, you became increasingly at ease.
Furthermore, Yuanshi Tianzun felt it was a great pity that you possessed talent in artifact forging yet did not forge artifacts, so he bestowed upon you the relevant knowledge of artifact crafting.
After bidding farewell to your master, you came up with an earth-shattering plan.
You intended to completely replace Takemikazuchi. Shinto and Daoism differed by only one character, and Daoism also had the Investiture of the Gods, so you believed Shinto had been ordained by Daoism.
But this could not be done recklessly; it required careful planning. You felt you could ask the system how best to replace him.
System: Wait, bro? I'm just a system university student about to graduate, not your military adviser...
Bai Ming: Cut the nonsense. Shinto is destined to be connected to our Daoism. Can you hurry up and give me a method?
System: I'll go ask my classmates. You get started first, bro.
While Bai Ming waited for the system's answer, Sei Shonagon skipped her way over to his side.
"Hey, hey, hey~ Bai Bai, what are you thinking about?"
The girl's eyes sparkled as she waved several manuscript pages in her hand, as though hoping to get some interesting story from Bai Ming. Bai Ming raised an eyebrow.
"They say I'm Takemikazuchi. Do you think I am?"
"Ah~" Sei Shonagon gave a short cry, then leaned close to Bai Ming's ear and murmured, "I think you are~ Even if you aren't, you are in my heart~"
As she spoke, the girl handed Bai Ming her manuscript. "See how well I wrote it~"
"Even without reading it, I know whatever Noko writes must be excellent."
Though he said that, Bai Ming still took Sei Shonagon's manuscript and read it. Then he remarked, "If people saw Noko's true nature, they would surely be heartbroken, wouldn't they?"
"Hehe~"
Sei Shonagon giggled foolishly. She understood all too well what Bai Ming meant by that.
For Sei Shonagon, her thoughts were too unconstrained and her behavior far too lively. If she had married some other man...
In the Heian era, ninety-nine percent of men were chauvinists. Even the powerful Minamoto no Raikou had previously been nothing more than a weapon in her father's hands, treated without the slightest affection.
Therefore, Sei Shonagon could imagine with her eyes closed that if she married a local man, her complete lack of demure ladylike behavior would definitely create huge conflicts with him.
She would certainly be required to act quiet, graceful, and proper, but the current Sei Shonagon did not need to care about such things at all.
She had specifically asked Bai Ming whether she needed to pretend to be obedient and sensible when they were outside. Bai Ming had said nothing, merely raising his middle finger at her.
Though she did not understand what that gesture meant, Sei Shonagon, Heian-kyo's queen of clever ideas, was on the same wavelength as Bai Ming.
She immediately understood what he meant: if she pretended to be obedient, Bai Ming would look down on her.
Even so, whenever she went out and there were strangers around, Sei Shonagon still acted like an elegant noblewoman.
Of course, she could act wild and crazy outside as well, but she did not want to. Bai Ming had given her respect, so she had to help him save face.
When Bai Ming said that face was earned with one's fists, Sei Shonagon merely went "Ehe," saying, "Love, you know~ You and I are running toward each other from both ends, so whether I do it or not makes a huge difference." Then she muddled through it.
As a result, many people who read Sei Shonagon's writings believed her to be an elegant, quiet, and gifted woman whose inner self matched her outward appearance. Every line she wrote exuded a noble, graceful, and gentle air.
"I'm done reading."
Bai Ming put down Sei Shonagon's manuscript and commented, "There are many passages using the exhaustive-object technique, along with some essays about living alone and essays about living with me. I didn't expect Noko to record things so clearly."
The so-called exhaustive-object technique was essentially making full use of objects: listing all manner of related and similar things one had seen, while the true core was to describe a feeling.
If Bai Ming had to give an example, it would probably be Morgan's breasts and Minamoto no Raikou's breasts—using a collection of large breasts to convey a soft feeling.
"Hehe, impressive, right?"
"It really is impressive."
As she spoke, Sei Shonagon hugged Bai Ming and leaned her face toward his, closing her eyes. Bai Ming knew what she wanted to do, so he responded to her.
Then Sei Shonagon scampered away in a flash.
Bai Ming began considering how he could become Takemikazuchi himself rather than Takemikazuchi's reincarnation.
Just as Bai Ming came up with an absurd idea, the system returned as well.
System: Bro, I've got a method.
Bai Ming: What a coincidence. So do I.
Bai Ming/System: My method is to kill Takemikazuchi/possess him.
Bai Ming and the system fell into a subtle silence.
You had never felt so in sync with this idiotic system. Though its method might have come from another system, that did not stop you from ordering it to possess Takemikazuchi.
While the system plotted to possess Takemikazuchi, you began planning how to slaughter your way through the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. However, your plans were soon interrupted.
"Master, a great yokai has expressed a desire to meet you."
Shuten-Douji knelt quietly at the doorway and explained everything. "That great yokai is the Lady Mo you mentioned before. She claims to have sensed a familiar presence here."
Bai Ming raised an eyebrow.
Greedy Wolf Star was a god of desire, governing desire and material things. In the Investiture of the Gods, Daji was connected to Greedy Wolf Star, while in the Type-Moon setting, Tamamo-no-Mae's relationship with Daji was unclear.
After his Greedy Wolf evolved into Greedy Wolf Star, it was only a matter of time before he attracted Tamamo-no-Mae.
Thus, Bai Ming replied, "Is that so? Then let's meet her."
It was said that ordinary foxes went "ying ying ying," Chinese foxes cried, "Great Chu shall rise, Chen Sheng shall reign," Japanese foxes went "konkon," and divine Japanese foxes cried, "Believe in the power of belief," and "Give me back my mother." So after meeting Lady Mo, your first reaction was to ask her to make a few fox noises.
Lady Mo could not understand your idea at all, but whether it was your appearance or your aura, every moment drew her toward you. She did not understand why, so she agreed to your request.
Because Lady Mo had already become a famous shrine maiden by this point, the sound she made was, "Rice jar, rice jar."
You felt your wish had been fulfilled, so you looked at Lady Mo and asked why she had come looking for you.
"Um, have you heard of a fox wedding?"
Setting the skill's effects aside, a fox wedding was the unilateral declaration that one intended to marry someone, followed by a sunshower blessing, forcibly stuffing souvenirs into the hands of fated people who happened to be present, and making them join the celebration.
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Chapter 50: Why Are We Starting with **?
You really had never heard of a fox wedding, but you could see Lady Mo's gaze practically turning syrupy as she looked at you.
"Hey, is this fox in heat?"
Before Bai Ming could complain, Shuten-Douji spoke first. Bai Ming wore a peaceful expression. Wonderful, simply wonderful. Shuten-Douji could already understand his thoughts. His mouthpiece had arrived.
"Of course not! I just inexplicably felt drawn to you. As expected, you are my destined husband, Lord Hinako Akuta, aren't you?"
Lady Mo ignored Shuten-Douji's mockery entirely and said, "This little girl is eighteen years old, just the right age."
Bai Ming said, "Isn't that just love at first sight because of my looks? Call me General Bai Ming!"
"Guh~ All right, Lord Hinako Akuta." Lady Mo made an indescribable sound.
Bai Ming sighed. "Call me whatever you like."
Before you continue