Unlike ordinary people

It was not simply a matter of concentrating cursed energy in Japan and then dealing with it.

Instead, they would take the initiative to reach beyond Japan before that, establishing a worldwide system of jujutsu sorcerers.

No one in the Heian Era could have come up with this idea.

Not because Tengen and Shinji lacked intelligence, but because the era they lived in limited them.

Before the Age of Discovery, most people's understanding of the world probably extended only from one end of their land to the other.

To have drawn a map in this era that even included a wilderness like Ezo-the place that would later be called Hokkaido-

Tengen truly deserved to be called a sage.

"What a brilliant idea. Chief of Auspicious, your eyes can see a future far more distant than I ever imagined..."

Tengen lowered her head, humbled, yet she felt utterly elated.

"Since Lady Tengen has accepted the chief's suggestion, I will naturally offer my wholehearted support for establishing the great barrier as the head of the Zenin Clan. Just call on me whenever you need me."

Shinji was delighted as well, once again glad that inviting Jianxia to serve as the chief of Auspicious had indeed been the right choice.

Tengen had previously said that the Gojo Clan and the Kamo Clan would also support her efforts.

By joining them, the Zenin Clan would naturally gain two allies.

The Gojo Clan descended from a collateral branch of Sugawara no Michizane's family, while the Kamo Clan was a family of jujutsu sorcerers that had risen in recent years. Both were highly valuable prospective allies.

Perhaps... we really can change the way the Fujiwara Clan controls the resources available to jujutsu sorcerers?

Shinji glanced at Jianxia beside him. Ever since his arrival, this stagnant Jujutsu Society seemed to have begun changing.

Jujutsu sorcerers would no longer serve as a particular family's blades, but become sturdy shields that protected ordinary people against cursed spirits and curse users.

What a wonderful future.

"In that case, I shall return and begin the preparations needed to establish the great barrier. Once everything is ready, I will come to discuss it with you all in person."

Not only had she accomplished what she had come for, she had also resolved the flaws in her plan.

For Tengen, this visit to the Zenin Clan had already yielded tremendous rewards.

She stood to bid everyone farewell, and Shinji personally escorted her out, leaving only Megumi Zenin and Jianxia in the reception room.

Jianxia stretched. He honestly was not sure whether interfering in events like this was a good idea.

Even a butterfly flapping its wings could unleash a storm, let alone a major development that practically changed the underlying rules.

This meant he might lose the informational advantage he possessed as someone who had crossed into this world. Without his god's-eye view, he would have to infer information from events that had already happened, just like everyone else.

But even knowing this would put him at a disadvantage, Jianxia would still choose to do it.

Because there were more important standards to judge by than whether it was a good idea.

Rather than stripping others of their power, perhaps teaching them how to use it was the right thing to do.

Or perhaps he simply wanted to taste the different flavors of cursed spirits from various countries.

Jianxia stood and rolled his shoulders, glanced at Megumi Zenin, who was still playing with the globe, then left the reception room.

Whatever happened, he would not regret his decision. Carrying out the plan was Shinji and Tengen's job.

Leave specialized work to the specialists.

And now, it was time for him to pursue his own specialty.

Jianxia walked along a woodland path dappled with shadows, heading toward the barrier's exit with his phone in hand, navigation mode already activated.

Cursed spirits were less active during the day. Besides, if he used navigation to find one, who knew whether the system would lead him to another special grade this time?

He had only defeated the Long, Thin Cursed Spirit thanks to his absurd cursed technique and a favorable matchup. A normal special grade would already have sliced straight through him.

He thought for a moment, then put his phone away.

Since he was not going to subdue cursed spirits, he might as well go out for a stroll.

Through Cursed Spirit Manipulation, Jianxia could vaguely sense that winning over the Long, Thin Cursed Spirit this time was not something he could accomplish with a single battle.

Different cursed spirits seemed to require different approaches. Perhaps he would encounter something interesting if he went for a walk.

And after a few such encounters, he might successfully win it over.

With that thought in mind, Jianxia left the Zenin Estate and entered the forest.

Yesterday, he had only gone out after sunset, and it had also been dusk when he first arrived at the Zenin Estate.

Strictly speaking, then, this was his first time seeing a forest in the Heian Era in the morning.

"Hmm... aside from the air being a little fresher, it doesn't seem all that different from modern times."

Jianxia twitched his nose. Walking alone really was a little lonely.

And as a modern man who had seen plenty, he was hardly going to become so enchanted by the scenery that he forgot to leave.

With a thought, black matter surged out beside Jianxia, and he released all his cursed spirits, including the small fry he had just subdued.

"Yeah, this really is the most comfortable way."

One hand rubbed Banquet of Fated Remnants' lips, while the other traced the contours of the Long, Thin Cursed Spirit's abdomen downward... all the way to the face on its thigh.

The assorted small-fry cursed spirits made squelching noises as they circled Jianxia.

Jianxia savored the joy of being surrounded by cursed spirits, strolling through the forest while taking turns petting the spirits he had subdued.

The cursed spirits meekly waited for Jianxia's touch, showing none of the danger one would expect from curses.

If an ordinary jujutsu sorcerer saw this scene, they might be frightened enough to cough up a cursed spirit.

Jianxia wandered through the forest with his cursed spirits for a while before finding a shady patch beneath a tree to rest.

He leaned against the trunk, and the cursed spirits lay down around him.

A plump caterpillar cursed spirit crawled up Jianxia's leg onto his stomach.

Jianxia recognized it. This was the one he had casually pulled out and kissed earlier.

Now that he looked more closely, this cursed spirit looked a little like the Monkey King's arsenal.

"Can you store weapons in your stomach too?"

Half joking, Jianxia cradled the caterpillar cursed spirit and rubbed its head, which sported only a few strands of hair.

Normally, only cursed spirits of grade one or above possessed innate cursed techniques.

But some low-grade cursed spirits had unique abilities of their own.

The most typical example was the Inventory Curse Worm, which looked very much like this caterpillar.

Its stomach connected to an enormous space where it could store cursed tools.

Combined with Toji Fushiguro's Heavenly Tyrant constitution, it allowed him to switch cursed tools freely during battle.

That was also a major reason he had earned the title of Sorcerer Killer.

The caterpillar cursed spirit squirmed a few times on Jianxia, then suddenly extended its tongue, wrapped it around a nearby branch, and swallowed it whole.

After a while, it spat the saliva-covered branch back out, seemingly showing off.

Jianxia stared, dumbfounded.

Wait, dude, you actually can!

With this unexpected windfall, Jianxia immediately got up from the ground and wrapped the caterpillar cursed spirit around himself, imitating Toji Fushiguro.

"From today on, your name is Fat Worm!"

But perhaps because they had no real rapport, Fat Worm could not cling to Jianxia at all.

A few seconds later, it slid right off him.

To avoid falling to the ground, Fat Worm bit down on Jianxia's belt and dangled below his abdomen.

At first glance, one might have thought he was exceptionally well endowed in a certain department.

Just as Jianxia was wondering whether he should send Fat Worm straight back into the black matter, a voice sounded behind him.

"King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, a pleasure to meet you. I am an envoy of the Zenin Clan, here from Heian-kyo."

Jianxia turned in surprise, swinging Fat Worm around with a fierce gust of wind. The self-proclaimed envoy's pupils contracted.

Although this man did not possess the four arms of legend, he was surrounded by cursed spirits despite being human, which fit the title of King of Curses perfectly.

And his endowment was actually larger than several men's put together, almost reaching the ground.

It was even purple.

Purple!

As a sense of inferiority rose within him, the envoy became certain of his conclusion.

I was only asking to test the waters... but with an endowment like that, there's no room for doubt.

This man is Ryomen Sukuna.