Rest and recovery

Let us move a little closer in time, back to the late night after Jianxia subdued the "Long, Thin Cursed Spirit."

By the time Jianxia returned to the Zenin Estate, a pale light had already appeared on the horizon.

After a sleepless night and an intense battle, even the superb condition he had entered after landing a Black Flash could not keep him going.

Jianxia had considered activating "Light Returns at Dusk" to restore himself to a fully refreshed state, but he discovered that he could only repair physical damage. He could not eliminate mental exhaustion.

Like damage to the mind, changes caused by natural aging could not be reversed either.

So Jianxia still had a long way to go if he wanted to survive another thousand years through sheer longevity.

Yawning, Jianxia tiptoed along the corridor, keeping even his breathing as quiet as possible.

This was usually the body's final stretch of deep sleep, as well as the one closest to waking. Even a slightly louder noise could wake someone.

The Zenin Estate might have been spacious, but a jujutsu sorcerer's keen senses could still pick up the disturbance.

Things would get exciting if Megumi Zenin set off an Instant Explosion.

"Ah, Chief, you're back."

Yet just as Jianxia was inching along cautiously, Shinji Zenin suddenly called out to him from behind.

After yesterday's discussion about "Auspicious," Shinji had changed his form of address for Jianxia from "sir" to "Chief."

They barely had anyone under them yet, but he certainly delivered on ceremony and emotional gratification.

"I heard from Megumi that you went out alone yesterday to capture cursed spirits. If you're only getting back now, you must have run into a tough one."

Shinji rubbed his chin as he looked at Jianxia. Jianxia had frozen in a half-crouch at the corner of the wall, looking at first glance like he was taking a dump.

Jianxia took his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. It was only around five thirty, still an hour before Hengshui would get up.

"Oh, you're up early, Clan Head. I was trying to walk quietly so I wouldn't wake you."

Since someone was already awake, Jianxia straightened up and rolled his neck.

"But I did have a tough fight yesterday. Luckily, my brilliant execution gave me just enough of an edge to win."

As he spoke, the black substance behind Jianxia gathered into a mass, and the "Long, Thin Cursed Spirit" slowly emerged from it.

Since they were still in the corridor, the spirit could not stand fully upright and had to hunch over as it looked down at Shinji Zenin.

Even so, the enormous cursed energy radiating from its body put Shinji under considerable pressure.

"This much cursed energy... it must be a special grade cursed spirit."

Shinji swallowed and offered his assessment. Before becoming clan head, he had exorcised several special grade cursed spirits.

Although each had its own strengths, Shinji had never seen a cursed spirit with such an enormous reserve of cursed energy.

Jianxia nodded to confirm his assessment. Ever since he subdued the "Long, Thin Cursed Spirit," it had lost the ability to speak and become utterly silent.

He had been hoping to chat with it occasionally.

"It's special grade, but its strengths lie in its cursed energy reserves and cursed technique. It isn't much better than me in close combat."

With that, Jianxia punched the Long, Thin Cursed Spirit in the stomach, making it double over.

"I seized an opening and used a few tactics to beat it-if my cursed technique hadn't happened to counter it, I probably wouldn't have made it back."

Once his demonstration was over, Jianxia sent the "Long, Thin Cursed Spirit" back into the black substance, then turned to Shinji Zenin.

"Speaking of which, Clan Head, is there a reason you're up so early today?"

During the Heian Era, court officials and nobles usually rose at three or four in the morning to handle official business, leaving the daytime for socializing.

Farmers were much the same. They generally rose at dawn, worked until dark, then went to bed, making babies or sleeping as the mood took them.

Jujutsu sorcerers seemed to be a little different, however. After spending a week with them, Jianxia had noticed that the two members of the Zenin Clan generally did not get up until after eight.

Perhaps they simply had nothing to do, but it at least made one thing clear.

Shinji had gone against his body clock to get up this early today. It certainly was not a whim.

"I was reinforcing the barrier protecting the estate... I sensed something with powerful cursed energy roaming nearby yesterday."

Sure enough, Shinji had been doing something important. He answered Jianxia's question casually.

"Was it this special grade cursed spirit?"

"I'm afraid not. That thing had much more cursed energy."

Shinji shook his head, rejecting Jianxia's suggestion.

"If that thing's cursed energy reserves were a mountain, the special grade cursed spirit just now would only be a pebble... though the spirit did have plenty of cursed energy itself."

Mindful of Jianxia's feelings, Shinji tried to put it as gently as possible.

"But in any case, that thing should have left Hiraizumi by now, and no one outside can detect us within the barrier. You've been busy all night, Chief. Go back to your room and get some rest."

Jianxia nodded thoughtfully, then bid Shinji farewell and returned to his room.

Only after a quick wash and lying down did Jianxia have a chance to sort through and digest everything that had happened during that eventful night.

He picked up the phone beside his pillow and opened the system interface.

"Jianxia"

"Current era: Heian Era, one thousand years ago"

"Innate cursed technique: Cursed Spirit Manipulation"

"Subdued cursed spirits: Banquet of Fated Remnants (Grade 1), Long, Thin Cursed Spirit (Special Grade)"

"Advanced techniques: Hollow Wicker Basket"

"Mission objectives: ① Participate in the Culling Game ② Pair up with Kenjaku ③ Win over subdued cursed spirits"

Jianxia had intended to claim his reward for subduing his first special grade cursed spirit yesterday, only to discover that it was nowhere on the system interface.

After he completed the mission to win over a cursed spirit last time, an additional section had appeared specifically for claiming mission rewards.

But now, no matter how far he scrolled down on his phone, those three mission objectives were all that remained at the bottom.

"System, you haven't pocketed my reward, have you?"

"Host, rewards that can only be claimed once will not appear on the system interface."

"It will appear in a special form during one of your future experiences."

Jianxia understood. In short, he could not claim it and use it right away. He had to wait.

Considering that the reward he received for winning over "Banquet of Fated Remnants" had also been information, his system probably preferred dangling promises over giving him tangible rewards.

"Fine, I'll wait-System, I won't have to wait a decade or two for this reward to show up, will I?"

Jianxia had initially intended to say nothing, but the system's antics included, and were not limited to, sending him into a Zenin-brand suicide bomber, nearly making him run into Sukuna while picking up a child, and directing him to a grade 2 only for him to fight a special grade.

He was genuinely afraid that the system would wait until his funeral to tell him that a wreath someone sent was his reward.

"Rest assured, Host. The mission reward will be issued in the near future."

"How near?"

"Within three to seven business days."

Only after getting that confirmation did Jianxia relax. He placed his phone beside his pillow and tucked himself in.

Whether he was recruiting people for "Auspicious," subduing more cursed spirits to strengthen himself, or completing the system's missions, he needed plenty of energy.

Even a superhuman like Satoru Gojo needed four hours of sleep a day, let alone Jianxia as he was now.

For now, his only task was to get some sleep. Everything else could wait until he woke up.

Jianxia closed his eyes, intending to drift off to sleep just like that.

Scrape.

But at that very moment, a sharp sound reached his ears.

His room's door slid open without warning.