Xu Zhiqiu could not talk them out of it, and facing all those yōkai alone really did leave her at a disadvantage. Cradling her sword, she said, "All right. Those yōkai are more dangerous than we imagined. Be careful."
"We will!"
Just then, a little yellow-furred, red-eyed cat with two tails sprang out and jumped onto one of the Yōkai Exorcists' shoulders.
"This is Kirara. She can lend us a hand," the Yōkai Exorcist explained.
"Mm." Xu Zhiqiu glanced at Kirara, suppressed the urge to rub her head, and answered with a stiff expression.
Not long after they moved the villagers to safety, a thick aura of demonic energy swept through the night sky, and a horde of yōkai flew toward them from the horizon.
At the sight of so many yōkai, the handful of people gripping their weapons broke into a nervous sweat. They had expected a few yōkai, not this many.
"Be careful," Xu Zhiqiu repeated. Drawing her sword, she leaped up and launched an attack at the yōkai overhead without another word.
Razor-sharp sword energy tore through the clouds and struck the yōkai at the head of the horde. They screamed as they turned to ash and vanished.
"Such powerful Spiritual Power." The people below watched Xu Zhiqiu wipe out those yōkai with a casual swing, their faces full of astonishment.
"Kirara, hurry and help Lord Autumn!"
"Meow." Kirara meowed, leaped down from the Yōkai Exorcist's shoulder, and gradually grew larger as she ran toward Xu Zhiqiu.
Seeing her approach, Xu Zhiqiu jumped onto her back and launched another attack at the yōkai.
All sorts of hideous-faced yōkai charged straight at them. Some breathed fire, burning down the wooden village as they attacked the human carrying the Shikon Jewel.
"Aaah!" The yōkai let out agonized screams.
They cut down wave after wave of yōkai, but there seemed to be no end to them. Xu Zhiqiu panted lightly, her body already covered in scratches from their claws.
She jumped off Kirara's back and swung her sword at the yōkai.
Kirara extended her sharp claws and joined the battle as well.
In the wooded hills on the other side of the village, a figure wearing the Baboon Garb took in the flames below, then shifted his gaze to the person the yōkai were attacking.
He saw the woman in brightly colored clothes and her familiar face.
The cold sneer curling his lips froze.
Why was Xu Zhiqiu here? Had she rushed out just to save those useless villagers?
Naraku felt he had found the answer. Seeing that only a few yōkai remained, he chose to leave.
"Phew." Xu Zhiqiu surveyed the last wave of yōkai. The ground was littered with yōkai corpses cut in two. She cut down the yōkai in front of her and looked toward Kirara, who was also utterly exhausted. "Kirara, come here."
Hearing her voice, Kirara immediately ran over.
Xu Zhiqiu jumped onto Kirara's back, aimed at the yōkai overhead, and delivered one final strike.
"Aaah!!" Countless yōkai turned to ash within the sword energy and vanished into the air.
With the yōkai finally dealt with, Xu Zhiqiu breathed a sigh of relief. She jumped off Kirara's back and looked toward a Yōkai Exorcist who was killing another yōkai. "I still have something to do. I'll take the Shikon Jewel shards with me."
"Lord Autumn, won't you stay here and rest a little?" the Yōkai Exorcist asked anxiously, seeing the sweat beading on Xu Zhiqiu's forehead.
Xu Zhiqiu sheathed her sword and waved a hand. "I'm fine." She stroked Kirara's head as the cat crouched on the ground. "I'm leaving. Take your time rebuilding the village."
With that, she used her lightness skill to leave.
"Lord Autumn, be careful on the road!" the Yōkai Exorcist called after her receding figure.
They looked at the yōkai corpses covering the ground and their ravaged village. They would have their hands full for a while, but being alive was already more than enough.
After leaving the Yōkai Exorcist Village, Xu Zhiqiu ran out of strength. She braced a hand against a nearby tree trunk and breathed heavily.
A figure appeared before her and gathered her into his arms.
Feeling the soft touch, Xu Zhiqiu lifted her eyelids and glanced at the person holding her. "Naraku," she called. Her vision went black, and she collapsed into his arms.
A faint, soothing fragrance of incense drifted through the room.
Naraku sat nearby with one knee raised, five glowing shards resting in his palm. He turned to look at the woman lying there, her thick hair spread out around her. There were faint abrasions on her face, and her eyes were quietly closed, her long lashes casting a pale shadow like little fans.
In the silent room, he could hear the woman's soft breathing.
Naraku put away the shards and reached out to touch Xu Zhiqiu's cheek.
Xu Zhiqiu stirred, and he quickly withdrew his hand.
A little while later, Xu Zhiqiu opened her eyes. Once she had taken in her surroundings and the person beside her, she sat up. "What time is it?"
Naraku supported her back so she could lean comfortably against the wall. "Are you worried about those people's safety, Autumn?"
"Hm?" Xu Zhiqiu did not understand what he meant.
"You've been unconscious for three days," Naraku said.
Xu Zhiqiu nodded. "Oh."
Seeing that Xu Zhiqiu had no intention of saying anything more, Naraku had to broach the subject himself. "Autumn, aren't you going to explain things to me?"
Xu Zhiqiu rubbed her aching shoulder. At Naraku's question, she glanced at him. "I'm also very curious about why you appeared there."
Naraku knew that continuing this conversation with Xu Zhiqiu might lead to another awkward silence, so he restrained himself and said no more.
Xu Zhiqiu stretched and rotated her arms. Seeing that someone was still staring at her, she lowered her head to make sure she was fully covered. By the time she looked up again, he had already averted his gaze. "I'm hungry. I want something to eat."
"Mm."
After changing her clothes, Xu Zhiqiu followed Naraku outside.
The waiting maids greeted them respectfully. "My lord, my lady."
Hearing those forms of address, Xu Zhiqiu turned toward Naraku beside her. He wore a gentle expression, and when he noticed her looking at him, he was all modest courtesy. "Autumn, please sit first."
The corner of Xu Zhiqiu's mouth twitched. She was somewhat speechless.
When she had returned a few days ago, she had been the Young Lord's Wife. Today, she had suddenly become the castle lord's wife.
In the drama directed by Naraku, his father had been possessed by a spider yōkai and then killed by him, leaving him as the new castle lord.
And she had been promoted from the Young Lord's Wife to the castle lord's wife.
Though she herself had no idea when she had married Naraku.
After they ate their fill, Naraku took her for a walk around the castle lord's residence to help digest the food sitting in their stomachs.
Throughout the walk, neither of them mentioned what had happened a few days earlier. They simply strolled along slowly.
Once they had walked enough, Xu Zhiqiu returned to her room.
After closing the door, Xu Zhiqiu flopped straight onto the bedding and rolled over a few times. Then she got up and picked up the bundle on the cabinet and the sword beside it.
Someone had already wiped the yōkai blood off the blade.
That saved her the trouble.
Xu Zhiqiu put the sword back, sat before the mirror, and picked up some ointment to apply to the abrasions on her arm.
Exorcising those yōkai a few days ago had drained quite a bit of her strength, but that was fine, as long as it could lessen Sango's hatred toward Naraku.
This was only the beginning. Thinking of the mountain of things still left to deal with made her head ache a little.
Before you continue