Inuyasha's Birth

"But before that, it was time I obtained the power of the Netherworld Path!"

The instant the thought crossed his mind, Mingye leaped up and seized the glowing Netherworld Stone overhead.

He would seize this opportunity to absorb the power of the Netherworld Path and master the ultimate Mystic Art, Meidō Zangetsuha!

His mind sank completely into the Netherworld Stone, sensing the wondrous power of the Netherworld Path!

Outside, daylight had fully broken. Mingye stood motionless amid mountains of corpses and a sea of blood.

The dog demons of Dog Castle were shaken to their cores. Lord Mingye truly was incomparably powerful, having held off so many enemies single-handedly.

That figure was so young, yet he gave the demons of Dog Castle an immense sense of security.

"Strange. Why isn't Lord Mingye moving?"

"Could he be injured?"

"What's going on?"

Huge snowflakes began falling from the sky again, and Mingye's peculiar state left the dog demons baffled.

"How could a few mere humans injure my lord!"

Having recovered his strength and Demon Power, Chongli rose with a cold shout. He would not allow anyone to question Lord Mingye's strength.

His sharp rebuke abruptly silenced the chatter. Every dog demon knew that this monkey was no ordinary figure.

"We meant nothing of the sort. The others are merely concerned about Lord Mingye. Please go and take a look, my lord. Why is Lord Mingye standing there without moving?"

The City Defense General stepped out of the crowd of demons and approached Chongli with an appeasing smile.

Only then did Chongli's expression soften slightly. He gave a small nod, transformed into a streak of golden light, and shot toward Mingye in the distance.

After all, he too wondered why Lord Mingye had stopped moving after slaughtering the enemies.

As for being injured, how was that possible? Perhaps only a Great Yokai could injure Lord Mingye. How could a mob of weaklings relying on sheer numbers possibly hurt him?

That was utterly impossible.

The snow fell harder and harder. Even the blood on the ground froze into ice, and a visible layer of snow accumulated, turning the bloodstained earth white once more and covering the traces of the great battle.

Snowflakes tried to settle on Mingye, but the power of Slay Gods and Demons kept them away. Nothing could easily draw near him.

Ever since Mingye had subdued its sentience, Slay Gods and Demons had become a weapon wholly devoted to protecting its master!

Even as the evil energy of the Evil Sword Slay Gods and Demons grew stronger, it would not affect Mingye.

Chongli stopped thirty feet away from Mingye. He looked curiously at Mingye's closed eyes. His breathing was steady, his vitality immense, and there was not the slightest sign of injury.

"Lord Mingye?"

Chongli tried calling to Mingye, but Mingye was completely immersed in comprehending the power of the Netherworld Path and could not hear him at all.

Bzz! Bzz! Bzz!

When Chongli tried to move a little closer and call again, the blade of Slay Gods and Demons rang repeatedly, and a sharp slash of sword energy struck the ground at his feet.

"I can't get closer?!"

Chongli's eyes twitched, and he hurriedly retreated. Watching Slay Gods and Demons hum and release sword energy, he realized it was telling him not to disturb Lord Mingye.

"Could Lord Mingye be cultivating some secret art?"

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Chongli. He examined Mingye's condition carefully and became increasingly certain of this idea.

He stopped approaching or calling out. Disturbing Lord Mingye's cultivation could be disastrous!

Chongli returned to Dog Castle, where the City Defense General and the other dog demons looked at him curiously.

"Lord Mingye is cultivating. Do not disturb him from now on. Those who need treatment, get treated. Those who need to clean up, get to work!"

Chongli cleared his throat and spoke coldly.

Only then did the City Defense General and the other dog demons relax. They had been on edge the entire time, and only after easing up did they realize just how badly their wounds hurt.

For a moment, cries of pain filled the air, yet every dog demon wore a happy smile, with tears clinging to their faces.

They were tears of joy at escaping death. They had truly survived.

Meanwhile, in Izayoi's courtyard residence, a baby's clear cries rang out, loud and full of life!

Inuyasha had been born!

Inuyasha had been delivered safely. Izayoi lay weakly on the bed, gazing tenderly at the child the maid brought over.

"My lady, the young master is very healthy. Look how lively he is!"

The maid spoke with a delighted smile.

"My child..."

Izayoi raised a hand to stroke Inuyasha, her eyes brimming with maternal love.

"My lady, the demons and human army besieging the castle have all been wiped out by Lord Mingye, who came to our aid!"

An excited guard's voice rang out from outside the courtyard. This attack on Dog Castle had left every living soul within it terrified.

The guard did not enter the courtyard, passing on the news from outside the gate.

The maids inside the courtyard all breathed out in relief and relaxed.

"My lady, thanks to Lord Mingye's help, Dog Castle wasn't breached, and the young master was born safely. Two blessings at once! Now all we need is for our lord to return."

The maid smiled.

"Mm."

Izayoi blinked. She was utterly exhausted and desperately needed rest. Even speaking took all her effort.

"Please rest well. Leave the young master in my care."

The maid continued, not wanting Izayoi to suffer any lingering illness.

Izayoi watched her child a little longer, then fell into a deep sleep.

News of Inuyasha's birth sent Dog Castle into another uproar. He was the castle's young master, after all.

The City Defense General dared not delay such joyous news. He immediately sent someone riding at full speed to carry it to the front lines.

Compared with the now peaceful Dog Castle, the front lines were in utter chaos.

The leopard cat army of the Leopard Cat Tribe, the armies of several demon tribes from the Eastern Country under their command, and the demon moth army of the Flying Moth Tribe were launching an all-out assault on the Dog Tribe's forces.

In both numbers and the strength of their demons, the Dog Tribe's army was at a disadvantage.

Sesshomaru was tied down by the Four Heavenly Kings of the Leopard Cats and had no opportunity to attend to the rest of the battlefield.

The Dog Tribe's forces and the weaker demon tribes were being slaughtered at an alarming rate.

"Hahaha! Sesshomaru, your Dog Tribe is certain to lose this battle! Surrender!"

Xialan hurled a fireball several meters across at Sesshomaru, laughing wildly.

"Hmph!"

Sesshomaru merely snorted coldly. He dodged Xialan's fireball with blinding speed, his sharp, supple dark green whip of light repeatedly clashing with Donglan's ice.

Chunlan cast illusions from the side, interfering with Sesshomaru's vision.

The burly Qiulan wielded raging thunder, coordinating with Donglan to attack at close range.

"You dare dream of defeating my Dog Tribe?"

Sesshomaru's icy voice reached the ears of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Leopard Cats. He moved like a phantom, heading straight for Chunlan, the weakest among them.

Peach blossoms filled his vision, and a bewildering illusion was about to take effect, but it could not keep up with Sesshomaru's speed.

He appeared behind Chunlan almost instantly, a claw emitting potent poison poised to strike Chunlan's back.

"Watch out!"

"Oh no!"

"Damn it!"

The other three blanched and each sprang into action. Donglan alone was powerful enough to react the fastest. Her formidable ice power erupted, and a thick wall of ice appeared behind Chunlan in the blink of an eye.

But Sesshomaru's Poison Claw was truly formidable. It pierced the ice wall and plunged into Chunlan's slender body.

Chunlan flew backward like a kite with its string cut and slammed heavily into the ground!

Blood splattered across the ground, and poisonous fumes rose like smoke.

"Chunlan!"

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