Who was the Zenin Clan's strongest jujutsu sorcerer?
Uraume: "Hm? Lord Jianxia."
Megumi Zenin: "Senior Jianxia, right?"
Shinji Zenin: "The Chief, without a doubt."
Zenin Wu Yan: "It should, probably, possibly... be the Chief?"
In the month or so since Jianxia had traveled to the Heian Era, he had successfully subdued and won over Banquet of Fated Remnants and House-Maker, along with dozens of small-fry cursed spirits.
He had grown from a nobody whose strength existed entirely in Megumi Zenin's imagination into the genuine strongest jujutsu sorcerer in the Zenin Clan.
And today, Jianxia was going to challenge Gojo Gen-to restore the Zenin Clan's reputation.
The Zenin were definitely not the weakest clan!
Tengen, Shinji, and Kamo Michisada had finished their meeting and come to watch the fight.
For some reason, Kamo Michisada suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as though someone had been bad-mouthing him.
They had chosen the mountain behind the Zenin Estate as their battlefield. It was spacious and deserted, giving Gojo Gen and Jianxia plenty of room to run wild.
The rules were simple: neither could kill the other or leave him permanently disabled. The fight would begin once they found each other on the mountain.
The battle would be broadcast through Tengen's barrier, allowing everyone in the Zenin Estate to watch the entire process in detail.
Meanwhile, Jianxia was making his final preparations in his room.
The strongest looked very serious today.
Brows tightly knitted, Jianxia sat in the middle of the room, swiping through his phone.
"Jianxia" "Current era: Heian Era, one thousand years ago" "Innate Cursed Technique: Cursed Spirit Manipulation" "Subdued cursed spirits: Banquet of Fated Remnants (Grade 1), House-Maker (Special Grade), Fat Worm (Grade 3), numerous small-fry cursed spirits" "Advanced techniques: Hollow Wicker Basket" "Objectives: ① Participate in the Culling Game ② Deal with Kenjaku ③ Win over subdued cursed spirits" "Mission completion reward awaiting collection"
Although he knew the system's reward would not instantly improve his strength, Jianxia still chose to claim it before the fight.
Perhaps he could get some useful information that would give him an advantage against Gojo Gen.
For instance, if he learned that his opponent was a germaphobe, Jianxia could first visit the latrine, stock up on a big bag of ammunition, and splash it all over him when they met.
It might not do any real damage, but it would certainly make a statement.
As Jianxia pressed the claim reward button without hesitation, he felt a set of memories that had never existed appear in his mind.
"Information acquired: How to create Cursed Womb: Death Paintings"
Forbidden, blasphemous knowledge flooded Jianxia's memories. He now fully understood how to create beings that were half human and half cursed spirit.
Then he laughed in exasperation.
"System, let me ask you something. Is figuring out how to make the Death Painting Wombs really the hard part?"
In the original story, the Death Painting Wombs had been born from the human experiments of Kenjaku. He had made a woman with a special constitution undergo nine pregnancies and abortions to create those unique beings.
The system had essentially handed Jianxia all the experimental data Kenjaku had accumulated over so many years. Helpful, certainly, but it missed the point.
Never mind how he was supposed to find a human with a special constitution who could become pregnant with a cursed spirit.
Human experimentation alone was something he could not accept.
Throwing his phone into a corner of the room, Jianxia stood up.
He could not count on the system for help. He would defeat Gojo Gen with his own strength.
Just then, the door suddenly slid open.
Jianxia looked back and saw Uraume, Megumi Zenin, and Zenin Wu Yan.
All three looked a little conflicted, as though they had spent a long time thinking something over.
Jianxia tilted his head at them, unsure what they wanted.
Finally, Megumi Zenin stepped forward.
"Senior, your cursed technique is really getting in the way!" Megumi Zenin held her hand up in midair, and Jianxia immediately understood what she meant.
As he dismissed the defensive cursed spirit covering his body, Jianxia pointed his right thumb at himself and said with a grin, "Bring it on!"
Smack!
Smack!
Smack!
First Megumi Zenin, then Uraume, and finally Zenin Wu Yan-all three gave the Zenin Clan's strongest sorcerer their encouragement.
"You have to win, Chief!"
By the time Jianxia walked out of the room, his phone had automatically returned to his pocket. Zenin Wu Yan's voice came from behind him.
"I will."
Without looking back, Jianxia headed straight for the mountain.
The mountain behind the Zenin Estate.
Gojo Gen strolled among the fallen leaves, admiring the beauty of autumn.
"Ah, the estate might not be particularly refined, but the scenery here is lovely."
He picked up a maple leaf that had landed on his shoulder and gently tossed it aside.
With such a relaxed attitude, he hardly looked like someone who could enter a duel at any moment. He looked more like a traveler out for a leisurely stroll.
Gojo Gen truly had no reason to be nervous. He had already checked Jianxia's total cursed energy, and his opponent was only at the level of a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Total cursed energy was the most direct indicator of a jujutsu sorcerer's talent. The greater the amount, the greater the potential to become powerful.
Thus, in Gojo Gen's eyes, this so-called Chief of Auspicious was merely a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer-Grade 1 at most.
As the head of the Gojo Clan who had exorcised dozens of special grade cursed spirits, Gojo Gen could be considered a formidable powerhouse even in the Heian Era.
It definitely wasn't because the combination of Limitless and the Six Eyes was such a crutch.
Yet even after Gojo Gen had wandered all over the mountain and the sun had begun sinking westward, he had not caught a glimpse of Jianxia.
Had he fled because he was afraid to fight?
"Lord Tengen, has Jianxia arrived?"
He called out toward an empty patch of ground nearby, and a response came through Tengen's barrier.
"The Chief of Auspicious entered shortly after you arrived on the mountain. He's still here." For some reason, Tengen's tone took on a note of pity. "Head of the Gojo Clan, please be careful..."
The barrier closed again, leaving Gojo Gen puzzled.
Be careful? Me?
Shouldn't that Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer be the one being told to watch out?
But since Tengen had said his opponent had not fled, Gojo Gen no longer intended to hold back. He removed his blindfold, revealing his breathtaking Six Eyes.
Using the Six Eyes' full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of vision, Gojo Gen examined every inch of the mountain, trying to find Jianxia.
Yet no matter how he searched, he could not detect any trace of Jianxia's cursed energy.
Gojo Gen frowned. Surely Tengen would not join forces with the Zenin Clan just to toy with him. That meant Jianxia might possess some ability to conceal his cursed energy.
But he could not draw any conclusions before they exchanged blows-he did not even know what Jianxia's cursed technique was yet, putting him at an informational disadvantage.
Meanwhile, Jianxia had watched him teach Megumi Zenin a lesson earlier. He already knew that Gojo Gen's cursed technique was Limitless and would certainly have taken precautions.
Still, he did not believe a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer could breach the absolute defense of the Six Eyes and Limitless.
As Gojo Gen reached the summit, the view suddenly opened up.
The cramped terrain and rocks gave way to a broad, flat clearing carpeted with leaves-a giant maple tree several meters tall stood in its center, its leaves falling with a rustle.
This was the only place Gojo Gen had not visited earlier, and the only remaining place where Jianxia might be hiding.
"If you're planning an ambush, choosing this spot is a little too reckless."
There was no cover, and the sightlines were wide open-even a jujutsu sorcerer without the Six Eyes would be difficult to ambush here.
Just as Gojo Gen finished speaking and approached the tree, the dirt beside his feet suddenly shifted.
A waist-high Crate shot out of the ground and burst apart-as it shattered, Gojo Gen instantly sensed a surge of cursed energy coming at him.
The attacking cursed spirit clutched a Small Wooden Bucket and hurled it hard at Gojo Gen.
Gojo Gen calmly activated Limitless to block it, but as brownish-yellow liquid filled his vision, an overpowering stench hit him as well.
Gojo Gen's eyes widened, and he covered his mouth and nose.
"Fuck, it's shit!"
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