The first things Li Xia tried to change were bone density and muscle fiber density.
Magical power cultivated through painstaking human training could not achieve that, but the Demon Power of the Great Katsura Tree Mask could gradually improve them to a certain extent.
Of course, he would not try it on himself until he had conducted more detailed experiments on enough volunteers and obtained reasonably reliable data.
He was not a demon, after all.
Most demons could ignore physical pain. Pain could not slow their movements or weaken their will. Humans who had not undergone intensive special training, however, could not do the same.
Sometimes, even a little pain was enough to cost someone their life.
A simple leg cramp, for instance, could leave someone unable to move. Even if they could hold back their cries and pretend nothing was wrong, some inherent restraint within their body would still limit them, preventing them from moving normally as though nothing had happened.
This was the human body's mechanism for protecting itself.
If Li Xia wanted to experiment on and modify his own body, he had to take such details seriously.
Since bodily modification was not suitable for the moment, he continued making talismans.
No cultivator would ever complain about having too many talismans.
During the two days he spent in seclusion drawing talismans, the core leadership of the Peninsula Li Family and North America's Smith Family had been in frequent contact. The Smith Family was not foolish. At first, they showed no particular interest in Li Xia. On the surface, their proposed academic exchange seemed entirely reasonable.
But as luck would have it, the Li Family leaders dealing with the Smith Family were precisely the three Clan Elders who had just returned from the peninsula.
Those three Clan Elders knew Li Xia's situation very well.
Although the Smith Family representatives claimed this was an academic exchange and had invited several young talents from the Li Family's main branch along with a few collateral branch members, Li Xia was actually among them. The three elders could hardly help reading into that.
With so many young members in the family, why had they chosen Li Xia, who had previously been completely unknown?
Was it a coincidence? Or was there some other reason?!
Unfortunately, the Smith Family was powerful.
As one of North America's seven great families, it was a behemoth the Peninsula Li Family could not afford to offend.
Thus, after some discussion, the leadership decided to send several younger family members to North America as exchange students.
Over in the Island Nation, Li Xia, who had spent two straight days drawing talismans, received a call from his father, Li Zhun.
When it came to transferring schools, it was best to have a family member persuade him.
"Hey, Dad. What's up?"
"Pack your things. The family leadership wants you to go to the United States for further studies. You'll probably have to leave within the next couple of days."
Li Xia was completely bewildered:
"The United States? Why? I've only been attending classes in the Island Nation for two weeks, and now you're sending me to the United States? No way. I'm not going!"
He was not going to any United States!
Now that he knew the world he had been reborn into was the modern world featured in the anime Inuyasha, and that beyond the Bone-Eater's Well at the Sunset Shrine lay a Demon World filled with opportunities, his focus naturally had to remain on the Island Nation.
The only reason he had not rushed over to explore was that he was making his final mental and material preparations.
Once both were complete, he would set out.
"Xia, haven't you always wanted access to more advanced cultivation systems? The Smith Family in the United States has already agreed to give every exchange student one chance to enter the Maya Trial Tower and obtain an ancient legacy! If any of you exchange students bring back a worthwhile legacy, the family will reward you separately!"
Li Zhun tried to persuade him.
Naturally, he wanted his son to have a better life.
The Maya legacies controlled by North America's seven great families were exceptionally high-level.
One of their prophecies foretold the "end of the world" in 2012.
The major cultivation families, however, had reached a different conclusion: at the end of 2012, the world would experience [Spiritual Energy Revival].
The immortals, buddhas, and demons that had once vanished would all reappear.
It would be an era of battles between gods.
Humans would once again become food and playthings in the hands of immortals, gods, demons, and fiends.
As it happened, numerous signs of spiritual energy revival had already appeared around the world in recent years.
"No, I'm not going. Dad, turn it down for me. I'm staying right here in the Island Nation. I'm not going anywhere."
Li Xia was firm.
Before discovering that this was the world of Inuyasha, he certainly would not have missed this trip to North America. But with the Demon World beyond the Bone-Eater's Well to fall back on, what kind of legacy couldn't he obtain himself?
The Peach Immortal's human immortal legacy!
The Immortal Erku's human immortal legacy!
The Medicine Elder Poison Immortal's Yōsen legacy!
The Demon Spirit Great Sage's supreme demon sage legacy!
With these immortal legacies in sight, within reach, and with a strong chance of obtaining them through careful planning, he would have to be an idiot to abandon them and go adventuring in North America!
Whoever wanted those Maya legacies could go get them.
Besides, even in the worst case, once he had grown powerful enough through the Demon World's resources to sweep through the entire map, he could simply visit North America afterward. Once those great families saw his strength, wouldn't they obediently hand over their legacies?!
He absolutely could not get his priorities backward.
"You're really not going?"
Li Zhun, his father in this life, pressed him.
Li Xia answered with certainty:
"I'm not going. Please ask the Clan Elders to give this rare opportunity to someone else in the family! I'm sure those gifted main-branch children will be delighted to accept!"
"All right! I'll go talk to them right now! By the way, son, I'm glad you've been able to let go of your desire and obsession with supernatural power. A quiet, ordinary life, safe and sound, is actually pretty good..."
His boy had let go of the ambition he had harbored since childhood. That was a good thing.
But when the news reached the Smith Family, the leaders sitting in a circle all frowned.
"What's going on? He won't come to North America even with such generous terms? Looks like he really does have a major secret!"
"We can't let the Li Family find out about this, or they'll protect that kid at all costs..."
"Then what do we do?"
"Not every family is united internally! Perhaps I have a way..."
A young man standing behind one of the Smith Family leaders spoke up.
It was Javier.
At that moment, the young man's earlier gentlemanly air was gone, replaced by cold severity.
A day later.
Four uninvited visitors still arrived at the Li Family's industrial district in Tokyo, where Li Xia was staying.
"Xia, some people from the family are here. They want to see you."
Fourth Uncle knocked on the door of the meditation room again.
Inside, Li Xia had just swallowed a small mouthful of enhanced spirit fluid and was rapidly recovering his magical power. Hearing the commotion outside, he frowned slightly.
Why had these past two days been one problem after another?
When he opened the door, he saw four unfamiliar faces besides his familiar Fourth Uncle.
"Fourth Uncle, why did you bring them here? Didn't I say guests should preferably be taken to the reception hall first?"
Having his own Fourth Uncle bring people straight to his door left Li Xia feeling as though a thorn had lodged in his heart.
At the same time, he grew somewhat guarded and wary.
"Xia, these two are outstanding members of the family's other collateral branches. They insisted on coming here, so I had no choice but to bring them!"
Bitterness washed over the middle-aged man.
He had wanted to follow the rules and have the four wait in the reception hall, but these two family cultivators had ignored him completely and headed straight here. As a mere mortal unable to cultivate, would he dare refuse to cooperate? Would he dare stop them?
"Enough of that. You're Li Xia, right?"
The two collateral members of the Li Family spoke with a measure of hostility.
Li Xia nodded:
"That's me!"
"Hmph! You've got some nerve, snatching Young Master Jung-gi's Soul-Nourishing Wood! Do you have any respect for the main branch?"
One of them flicked his sleeve, his expression stern.
Opening with such a sweeping accusation was clearly meant to seize the upper hand.
"Snatching? It was a mutually agreed trade. How did that become snatching?"
Even with Li Xia's good temper, their tone made him laugh.
By this point, he was also beginning to feel rather annoyed with the Smith Family. People who violated the rules of a trade like this were truly irritating.
"What do you mean, mutually agreed? Young Master Jung-gi had already chosen that piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood before you did. He simply hadn't had time to complete the trade with Young Master Javier..."
The man wanted to say more.
But the other man beside him tugged at him, then spoke:
"Li Xia, Young Master Jung-gi is willing to overlook your snatching that piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood. But you must attend this academic exchange, follow Young Master Jung-gi's orders, and do everything you can to help him obtain a legacy inside the Maya Trial Tower!"
After that, he rattled on at length.
In essence, since Li Xia had taken advantage of Young Master Li Zhongji from the main branch, he now had to go to North America as an exchange student and devote his efforts to helping that main-branch young master obtain a Maya legacy.
Li Xia gave the two Li Family idiots an indifferent glance. Rather than argue further, he turned to the two unfamiliar outsiders behind them.
"And you two are?"
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