"Wh-what in the world is going on?"
Red Nine, the entire fox, was utterly dumbfounded, completely at a loss as to what unforeseen turn of events had just occurred.
It knew for a fact that the aura of a ninth-tier formation was unmistakable; the oppressive power was also accurate. But why was there no destructive force whatsoever? This defied all logic!
Its limited intellect simply couldn't comprehend the intricacies involved. Fortunately, it didn't have to rack its brain for long; the people inside the building quickly provided the answer it sought.
Suddenly, a series of shrill, agonizing screams burst forth from the Onmyo-ryo below.
"Who, who killed my Inuyasha!"
"Ahhhhhhh, my Shuten Doji, my Karasu Tengu, I'll kill this vile thief!"
The next moment, figures streamed out of the palace, their faces contorted with rage as they gibbered a string of incomprehensible Japanese words.
These individuals were all clad in the distinctive Kariginu robes of Onmyoji, their surrounding yin-yang arts stirring as they commanded various Shikigami, intent on apprehending the nefarious culprit.
But as soon as they emerged from the palace, before they could even survey their surroundings, the summoned Shikigami were instantly targeted by multi-colored lightning.
After a barrage of crackling strikes, the power of a ninth-tier formation was simply beyond their ability to resist. One by one, the Shikigami couldn't even let out a scream before they were blasted into oblivion.
And since Onmyoji share a telepathic connection with their Shikigami, if one side is completely annihilated, the Onmyoji themselves suffer a backlash.
Indeed, after their Shikigami were wiped out, the enraged expressions vanished from the Onmyoji's faces. One after another, they turned deathly pale, uncontrollably spewing mouthfuls of blood.
"Th-this... this... lightning, it's aimed at ghosts and spirits!" Red Nine, hovering in mid-air, suddenly understood.
Perhaps targeting ghosts was too narrow a definition; more accurately, this ninth-tier formation specifically targeted Yin energy.
And quite unluckily for them, these Shikigami originated from Yin entities, naturally radiating dense Yin energy, and thus were completely suppressed by the lightning.
The first wave of multi-colored lightning directly locked onto those Shikigami roaming freely outside; only then did it focus on the Shikigami hidden within the Onmyoji's bodies.
This dual attack practically annihilated all the Shikigami within the entire Onmyo-ryo, top to bottom. Even the normally high-and-mighty Onmyo-ryo higher-ups were not spared, at most enduring two more lightning strikes before succumbing.
"Who... who exactly... would harm the very foundation of my Japan!"
In a sumptuously decorated bedroom, Ikeda Masayoshi, the current president of the Onmyo-ryo, dressed in multi-colored Kariginu robes, was pale as a ghost. Large mouthfuls of blood stained the floor.
His court cap had fallen off, revealing a head of greyish-white hair. Due to his powerful yin-yang arts, he was still able to maintain consciousness even after his Shikigami, who had accompanied him for many years, were destroyed.
His voice trembled uncontrollably, and his sinister eyes were bloodshot. He struggled to crawl up, when suddenly, the scene before him blurred.
A jade-white, adorable little doll appeared out of thin air in the room. Ikeda Masayoshi recoiled in terror, asking with full vigilance, "Y-you... who are you?"
At this moment, having lost all his Shikigami, he was no different from an ordinary person. In fact, the injuries from the backlash made him weaker than an average person.
So, facing the sudden appearance of the doll in his room, how could Ikeda Masayoshi not be afraid?
"Hehe, who am I? Do you even need to ask? Of course, I'm the big bad guy who's going to wipe you out!"
"You're so wicked, even dumping pollutants into the ocean! Those Shikigami were just the first lesson, you know!"
"If you don't stop, next time I come, it'll be your old life I'll be taking, Uncle!"
This little doll was none other than Yaoyao, who had just annihilated the entire Onmyo-ryo.
Especially after detecting the location of the president, Ikeda Masayoshi, who was the architect of the pollution discharge plan, Yaoyao had arrived.
For no other reason than to teach them a big lesson.
At this moment, her rosy cheeks showed two sweet dimples.
"You... you..." Ikeda Masayoshi's face changed again and again upon seeing this, a raging tempest already churning in his heart.
He knew that he hadn't even had time to react before his proud Shikigami were destroyed.
Such stealth and power could only mean that the gap between himself and this little doll was as vast as heaven and earth.
At this, he became even more perplexed.
How could a powerful individual of this caliber be so idle as to personally intervene in something as trivial as dumping wastewater? It wasn't a major issue, was it?
But he dared not refute her. After all, if he spoke a single wrong word, he might very well lose his life.
Coupled with the language barrier, feigning muteness at this moment was undoubtedly the best choice.
However, in the end, his cleverness backfired.
Yaoyao saw his silent face and immediately assumed he was unrepentant. She couldn't suppress her anger.
"You big bad guy, are you defying me by staying silent? Hmph, since that's how it is, I'll show you how powerful I am."
Yaoyao had zero tolerance for villains who tried to destroy the living environment.
Since the other party insisted on being stubborn, she wouldn't waste any more words with him.
Thus, under this beautiful misunderstanding, Yaoyao raised her hand and knocked him unconscious.
In the moment before Ikeda Masayoshi passed out, he couldn't understand why he was being knocked out even after he had stopped speaking.
"Master, you're not going to kill this old fellow, are you? You... you're still young, it's not good to see such bloodshed!"
Looking at Ikeda Masayoshi lying unconscious on the ground, Red Nine, whose fiery red fur resembled flames, held back for a moment before finally speaking.
These words instantly drew a strange look from Xuanjiu. Its expression was undisguised, as if to say, "You think this ancestor isn't good at seeing blood? She skinned your entire fox hide back then! How could she be afraid of blood? This concern is a little absurd, don't you think?"
Red Nine had no idea what the other fox was thinking. Its caution was merely out of fear that Yaoyao might act impulsively in a fit of pique.
Heaven knew what a trauma that activated ninth-tier formation had inflicted upon it. Now, asking about everything was always the right choice.
And Yaoyao's next words greatly relieved it.
"I definitely won't kill this bad guy. His retribution is still to come. This is just a lesson for him!" Yaoyao said with a giggle.
If one ignored her sparkling, bright eyes, those two words, "a lesson," might actually have some credibility.
But in her current state, Red Nine suddenly felt a prickle of unease, though it didn't know why.
And as it turned out, its worries were indeed not unfounded.
Because this ancestor, she had... strung the guy up on the flagpole directly above the palace!
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