Chapter Summaries

Zhiyá refused the demon slayers’ request to purify the Shikon Jewel and directed them to Kikyo, while rebuking Tsubaki for wanting the jewel. As the shrine maidens learned why the demon slayers had risked their lives, Han began to question where she belonged between humans and demons.

• Zhegu showed Zhiyá the Shikon Jewel and asked him to purify it, but Zhiyá named Kikyo as someone who could take on the duty.
• Tsubaki questioned Zhiyá’s refusal and his choice of Kikyo, and Zhiyá warned that her desire for the jewel would prevent her from purifying it.
• Tsubaki ran from the room in tears, while Zhiyá admitted to himself that he had wanted to keep her away from the jewel and wished Kikyo could break its curse.
• The shrine maidens learned that the demon slayers had taken mountain paths to keep demons away from ordinary travelers, and Zhegu said protecting people was their inherited duty.
• Han asked Yunai whether demon slayers wanted to protect humans, then felt alone between the human shrine maidens and the demons she knew.

After the demon slayers departed to take the Shikon Jewel to Kikyo, Zhiyá sent the miko on pilgrimages to learn their purpose through service and hardship. Han chose to travel alone with Yunai toward Musashi and the Western Lands, while the other miko began journeys of their own.

• Zhegu and the demon slayers thanked Zhiyá and left Kiyomori Temple to deliver the Shikon Jewel to Kikyo as soon as possible.
• Zhiyá told the miko they could undertake pilgrimages, while the younger disciples were to remain at the temple and Tsubaki was to travel with him.
• Han decided to travel alone with Yunai, first visiting Musashi and then heading west, despite Gardenia and the others urging her to reconsider.
• Han and the miko reaffirmed their commitment to help people and promised to meet again when the cherry blossoms bloomed.
• The miko set out on separate journeys, and Han left Kiyomori Temple with Yunai as the last snow fell.

Han traveled alone through the late-winter countryside and sought lodging at Aoki Shrine after learning the village head could not spare food or shelter. She set out toward the mountain shrine as night and cold approached.

• Han repaired a snowman and left her bamboo hat with it before continuing down the road.
• Han reflected on how the shrine maidens at Kiyomori Temple trained through fear and hardship while she had grown up under the temple’s protection.
• As dusk fell, Han entered Nakata Village and asked the village head where she could spend the night.
• The village head told Han that Aoki Shrine stood on the mountain and warned her it was a long walk away.
• Han thanked the village head and left for Aoki Shrine, realizing that his household might be too poor to host her.

Han discovered that Aoki Shrine’s supposed private ritual was a revel held by nobles alongside a boar monster pretending to be a mountain god. After the monster’s human attendants pursued her, a spellcaster hid Han behind a magical barrier and led her toward the main sanctuary.

• Han noticed that Aoki Shrine lacked spiritual barriers and that its shrine maiden hurried her past the worship hall to secluded lodgings.
• Han woke to music and dancing, then secretly saw shrine maidens entertaining nobles in the kagura hall.
• A boar monster posing as the mountain god spotted Han, and a human attendant stopped her arrow before the monster ordered its followers to capture her alive.
• Han fled deeper into the shrine, where an unknown spellcaster caught her and concealed them both behind a blue magical barrier.
• After the pursuers passed, the spellcaster took Han’s hand and led her toward the main sanctuary.

Han and Miya hid inside Aoki Shrine and uncovered how a boar Monster had gained control over the shrine and its Miko. After Chacha revealed the Monster’s abuses, Han promised to kill it and purify the shrine’s Miko.

• Han and Miya introduced themselves, compared what they knew about Aoki Shrine, and agreed to watch through the night before testing the Monster during the day.
• At dawn, Han and Miya captured a Miko and questioned her inside Han’s barrier, but she shouted for Lord Earth Defilement instead of answering.
• Han challenged the Miko to remember her vow to Amaterasu and promised that killing the Monster would allow the shrine’s Miko to be purified.
• The Miko, Chacha, agreed to talk after Han demonstrated her spiritual power and reassured her that she could still be forgiven.
• Chacha explained that the boar Monster had posed as a nobleman, controlled the Miko, and invited noblemen to exploit them while claiming to be a Mountain God.

Miya and Han pursued the boar monster from the shrine into the woods, where a powerful barrier and a sudden ambush revealed the danger of his true form. Han purified the monster with a spiritually imbued arrow, then nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

• Miya and Han attacked the monster in the guest quarters, but spiritual power from an unknown shrine maiden protected him and helped him escape the barrier.
• Miya and Han chased the wounded monster into the forest and found a clearing enclosed by a barrier; Yunai sensed its focal point near the northeast corner.
• The monster ambushed Han, transformed into a powerful boar, and badly injured Miya when he tried to block its charge.
• Han entered a state of serene emptiness and fired a spiritually imbued arrow that pierced and purified the boar monster.
• Han nearly collapsed after the monster vanished.

Han and Miya fought the revived monster and the freed shrine maiden, using the dove messenger’s power to purify her evil energy. Han then learned the story of Ryoko and saw her call Chacha back as the vision ended.

• The broken barrier let evil energy restore the monster, but Han and Miya fought him until he grabbed Han and shattered her bow.
• Han drew Clear Torrent and severed the monster’s arm and head after its presence awakened the blade.
• The freed shrine maiden revealed that the shrine maidens had died sealing her and blamed Han for breaking the barrier before attacking her with blood-infused evil energy.
• Han used an Evil-Banishing Arrow to resist, and the dove messenger healed Miya and replenished Han’s spiritual power so she could purify the shrine maiden.
• Han saw Ryoko’s memories of her assault, revenge, sealing, and remorse, ending with Ryoko calling Chacha back.

After the shrine’s dead miko were buried and their spirits laid to rest, Han awakened in the Jade Pool with greatly increased power and an older form. Mika and Han left Chacha to guard the shrine alone, while Han assured Mika that Chacha would be able to protect it.

• Chacha grieved for the dead miko and resolved to remain at the shrine as its last guardian.
• Han’s spiritual power surged in the Jade Pool, drawing energy from the forest as she grew into a young girl.
• Mika, Han, and Chacha performed rites to deliver the dead miko’s souls, and Chacha promised to care for the shrine.
• Mika and Han said farewell to Chacha and left the mountain, while Chacha returned alone to the shrine.
• Mika asked whether Chacha could protect the shrine, and Han assured her that she could without explaining why.

A wild boar became a monster after falling in love with the shrine maiden Ryoko and forced her soul to remain after she died. It was defeated by a spellcaster and a shrine maiden, and saw Ryoko break free of her seal as it apologized to her in its heart.

• The intelligent little boar fell in love with Ryoko, protected her, and left herbs for her in the forest.
• When Ryoko stopped coming to the forest, the boar waited outside the shrine with a mountain lingzhi until it rotted.
• The boar underwent a painful awakening into human form, entered the shrine, and witnessed Ryoko take her own life.
• The boar bound Ryoko's soul to itself, killed the nobleman who had violated her and his accomplices, then used nobles to corrupt the shrine maidens.
• A spellcaster and a shrine maiden pursued and defeated the boar, while Ryoko broke free of her seal and thanked it.

Kikyo and Inuyasha grew closer as he quietly protected her while she guarded the Shikon Jewel and helped nearby villages. The chapter left them together by the river, with Inuyasha holding Kikyo as she bore the weight of her duties in silence.

• Kikyo followed a villager to help another settlement, while Inuyasha secretly followed to protect her.
• The chapter recalled how Inuyasha, rejected by humans and demons, first sought the Shikon Jewel to gain power but gradually became drawn to Kikyo.
• Inuyasha began leaving Kikyo medicinal herbs and watching over her, and the two grew closer through shared work and time together.
• After Kikyo fell against him by the river, Inuyasha held her tightly, and the villagers gradually accepted him as someone Kikyo had subdued.
• Kaede accepted Inuyasha because he made Kikyo happy, though she still felt uneasy.
• Inuyasha continued guarding Kikyo in silence and held her close as she quietly carried the burden of answering the villagers’ calls for help.

Han reunited with Kikyo, learned from her, and left the village to travel to Kansai with a spellcaster. Meanwhile, Rinyō discussed Sesshomaru’s refusal with the white fox’s daughter, who remained determined to pursue him, before Han greeted her traveling companion.

• Han reunited with Kikyo, met Kaede and Inuyasha, and spent time with them in the village.
• Kikyo showed Han their spiritual powers and taught her about being a miko, while Han and Kaede talked about their hopes and Han’s plan to travel to Kansai.
• After staying for a little over a month, Han said goodbye to Kikyo and Kaede, received blessed prayer beads from Kikyo, and continued on her journey.
• Rinyō asked Sesshomaru whether he would accept the white fox’s daughter, but Sesshomaru silently refused and left.
• The white fox’s daughter told Rinyō she would not give up on Sesshomaru, and Rinyō agreed not to interfere.
• Han waved to the spellcaster who was approaching to travel with her.

Han and Miya encountered Lan and her daughter fleeing a centipede monster, and agreed to protect them and uncover the truth behind the villagers’ deaths. They found evidence of the centipede monster at the place where Lan’s husband had died, but his body was missing, so the search was postponed until morning.

• Han prepared to defend herself when a wounded sika deer carrying a child emerged from the forest and begged for help.
• Lan explained that a centipede monster had killed her husband and forced her to flee with their daughter, and Han agreed to help after Yunai pleaded.
• Villagers and monks arrived to capture Lan and her daughter, but Miya negotiated with them and persuaded them to pursue the centipede monster instead.
• Han, Miya, Lan, and the others found that Lan’s husband’s body had vanished, while Miya discovered a huge piece of shed centipede shell nearby.
• The group agreed to return to the village and resume their search the next day, though Lan and her daughter remained resentful toward the villagers.

Miya and Han led the villagers and monks to a ruined temple, where they fought the monster Hundredlegs and discovered a Sarira protecting Lan and Yuno. After Han destroyed the Sarira to stop the monks from harming them, she left the temple with Lan and Yuno, feeling keenly that she was not human.

• Dove led Miya, Han, Lan, Yuno, the monks, and the villagers to a ruined temple where Hundredlegs was hiding.
• Hundredlegs attacked the group, and Han wounded it with spiritual power while Miya protected the others with his Monk's Staff and a barrier talisman.
• Yuno emerged with a Sarira that shielded her and Lan from the monster's venom, but frightened villagers seized it and shoved Yuno toward Hundredlegs.
• Han formed a powerful spiritual arrow and purified Hundredlegs, then collapsed after exhausting her spiritual power.
• Lan attacked the villagers who had endangered Yuno, and the monks' chanting began to hurt mother and daughter.
• Han picked up and crushed the Sarira to stop the monks, then left with Lan and Yuno behind a spiritual barrier.

Han and Miya sheltered Lan and her sick daughter at a temple where spirits had been attacking, then fought a horde of ghosts that had transformed into monsters. Suspecting the assault was meant to draw them away from the temple’s residents, Han rushed back to the rooms while Miya stayed to hold off the monsters.

• Han led Lan and her daughter away from the hostile village, and Miya joined them before they reached a nearby temple.
• Miya diagnosed Yuno with an illness brought on by recent fright, and the group asked the temple to shelter her while Miya offered to exorcise its attackers.
• Tomoko suspected the temple haunting was part of a political intrigue and decided to assess Han and Miya’s abilities.
• That night, Han and Miya confronted spirits that resisted Miya’s Buddhist mantra and revealed themselves as monsters born from evil ghosts.
• As more monsters overwhelmed them, Han and Miya realized the attack was a ploy to lure them away, so Han ran toward the rooms while Miya stayed behind to fight.

Han purified the tainted magatama that had unleashed the demons and learned that a priest had used it in an attempt to kill Tomoko. At dawn, Tomoko entrusted the magatama to Han and left resolved to become Crown Princess, while Han remained on her journey west.

• Han entered the room, raised a Spiritual Power Barrier, and purified the demons and foul energy surrounding Tomoko and the others.
• Tomoko handed Han the tainted magatama, and Han purified the jade as its power restored her depleted spiritual energy.
• At a distant shrine, an altar hurled an old priest away; he told his attendant that Tomoko had a powerful protector and warned that she would not be so lucky next time.
• After seeing the magatama purified, Tomoko suspected Lady Uchijima had ordered the attack and resolved to become Crown Princess and the true heir to the throne.
• After the night’s dangers passed, Tomoko asked Han to return with her, but Han declined; Tomoko then threaded one of Han’s prayer beads onto the magatama and entrusted the jewel to her.
• As sunrise came, Tomoko departed with the magatama hidden beneath Han’s clothing, and Han kept traveling west.

Han and Sesshomaru brought Lan and Yuno to Yokyu Castle, where Yubaba first treated Han with disdain before recognizing her and offering her a private bath. Han bathed in a rare Spirit Spring and fell asleep as its power entered her, while Sesshomaru waited outside.

• Miya remembered the Dog Demon taking the Miko away, while the Miko recalled happily choosing to leave with Han.
• Han and Sesshomaru settled Lan and Yuno in Yokyu Castle, and Yuno reluctantly said goodbye to Han.
• Yubaba insulted Han at the Bathhouse entrance, then recognized her and apologized after Sesshomaru challenged her.
• Yubaba led Han to a hidden forest and a rare Spirit Spring, explaining how she and her sister had preserved it.
• Han fell asleep in the spring as blue Spiritual Power flowed into her, while Sesshomaru waited outside.

After recovering in Yokyu Castle, Han dressed in the kosode Sesshomaru had chosen and joined him as he set out to find someone who could guide her. Jaken followed them, and his memories revealed how he had first become devoted to Sesshomaru and later seen Han emerge from a temple.

• Han woke from a dream with her spiritual power greatly increased, and Yū dressed her in the kosode Sesshomaru had selected.
• Sesshomaru waited for Han, then left with her and Yunai while Yū watched them go.
• Han laughed at the thought that Sesshomaru was tolerant, and he told her they were going to meet someone who could guide her.
• Jaken recalled how Sesshomaru had saved him from Bikuni, after which Jaken abandoned his followers and began following Sesshomaru.
• Jaken remembered Sesshomaru giving him a two-headed staff and later reaching a temple, where he saw Han emerge at sunrise.

Sesshomaru brought Han to Granny Medicine, who taught her to use her spiritual power and revealed the Spirit Clan’s role in averting catastrophe, as well as Sesshomaru’s heritage and destiny. After a month, Han left the Medicine Forest with Sesshomaru, troubled by Granny Medicine’s warning that Spirit Clan lives were short and by a sudden fear of future loss.

• Sesshomaru left Jaken at the Medicine Forest’s edge and brought Han to Granny Medicine, asking her to guide the girl.
• Granny Medicine agreed to take Han for a month, and Han learned that her companion Yunai was an Inaba White Rabbit with a possible role in saving her life.
• Granny Medicine taught Han to sense and use her spiritual power, explaining that Han belonged to the Spirit Clan, whose members were born to prevent calamity but seldom lived long.
• Granny Medicine told Han that Sesshomaru belonged to the Dog Clan, carried noble thunder tengu blood, and was destined to lead monsters back to the true Monster World.
• After a month, Han left with Sesshomaru, carrying a hollow sadness over the Spirit Clan’s brief lives and a dread that she would lose something important.

Yan Luo, the Fox Tribe leader’s daughter, sought to meet Sesshomaru and win his favor, while secretly plotting against the girl at his side. Sesshomaru ignored Yan Luo and judged her intentions malicious, leaving her furious and convinced the girl had come between them.

• Yan Luo learned that Sesshomaru had returned to Yokyu Castle with a girl and arranged rumors portraying the girl as a human miko seducing him.
• Yan Luo went to meet Sesshomaru with Ryosuke and two attendants, confident that her beauty and apparent youth would appeal to him.
• Yan Luo introduced herself, but Sesshomaru walked past without acknowledging her.
• The girl beside Sesshomaru glanced back at Yan Luo, and Sesshomaru briefly placed an arm around the girl’s shoulders to reassure her.
• Yan Luo blamed the girl for Sesshomaru’s rejection and ordered her attendants to leave as she wiped away her tears.
• Sesshomaru told the girl that Yan Luo had ill intentions and refused to consider the Fox Tribe’s proposed marriage.

Han sought a Dragon Jewel that could give Kikyo an ageless life, while Granny Medicine warned her that the legends were uncertain and mermaid flesh brought cursed immortality. Later, Sesshomaru and the girl shared an intimate moment in the woods, but he stopped when she showed fear and held her as she fell asleep.

• Han told Granny Medicine she wanted Kikyo to have the chance to choose an ageless life.
• Granny Medicine warned Han that mermaid flesh brought cursed immortality and that the Dragon Jewel was her only chance, though its power was only legend.
• The girl quietly moved closer to the sleeping Sesshomaru and gazed at his face.
• Sesshomaru woke, kissed the girl, and drew her down beneath him.
• The girl murmured no and felt afraid, so Sesshomaru stopped and apologized.
• Sesshomaru pulled the weak girl into his embrace, and she soon fell asleep against his chest.