Jian Dan didn't channel any spiritual energy into her fists. She relied purely on the strength of her body-refining path. One punch sent a serpent head reeling to the side, then she blinked and landed on another.
To Hui Ming and Ming Jing, only flashes of movement could be seen across Yamata no Orochi's massive body. Each flicker was followed by a sharper, more agonized hiss from the beast.
Jian Dan didn't just strike the heads, she also targeted its vulnerable point—seven inches below the head—and even the tails.
By the time she floated once more in midair, the giant serpent lay collapsed on the ground. All eight heads were twitching, barely clinging to consciousness.
"I don't like looking up at my enemies," Jian Dan said calmly.
She descended lightly to the ground. Across from her, Yamata no Orochi shrank its massive body, pulling in its serpent heads and tails. The embedded Mò Xī Jiàn shrank with it, still pinning the creature firmly to the ground.
Jian Dan walked over to Ampei, who stood with his head bowed, staring hard at the dirt.
"What is it? Still unwilling to accept this?"
"I wouldn't dare."
"Heh, you wouldn't dare, not that you couldn't."
Ampei said nothing, clinging to the last shred of dignity he had. He hadn't been able to put up even a hint of resistance.
"You can accept it as your shikigami now."
"You mustn't!" Ming Jing interrupted. Only after speaking did he realize he had just contradicted a powerful senior. He quickly pressed his palms together in apology.
"Amitabha. I was rude. Please, Senior, reconsider."
Jian Dan didn't mind in the slightest. She glanced at him lazily and asked,
"Did you capture it yourself?"
"No."
"Then why question my decision?"
"Amitabha. This beast was captured by the first abbot of our temple and sealed within the Locking Demon Tower."
Jian Dan waved a hand dismissively.
"Exactly. It was your first abbot, not you. Besides, this isn't even a native demon beast. Let it return to its roots."
Cotton Candy whispered into her mind, "Master, do you mean let it die where it belongs?"
"Mmm, something like that. You're so clever."
The little cloud turned red with pride but clung dutifully to Jian Dan's hair bun.
"Amitabha," Hui Ming murmured, tugging Ming Jing's robe gently and shaking his head to tell him not to argue further.
Ampei, hearing Jian Dan's words, was briefly stunned. He didn't understand what she meant but dared not ask.
Jian Dan turned back to the serpent.
"Your new master will be staying here for a long while. To ensure you don't act out again, hand over your weapon."
Yamata no Orochi began thrashing violently, trying to free its tail from the Mò Xī Jiàn.
"Oh? You refuse too? That complicates things."
She raised her left hand, spiritual energy coalescing in her palm, clearly ready to end it.
Ampei rushed forward.
"Please, Senior, show mercy! Yamata no Orochi is willing to become my shikigami!"
"I said, hand over its weapon."
"Senior, if it loses the sword within its body, its power will be severely diminished..."
"That's the point. Let it perform good deeds and earn itself a new one."
Yamata no Orochi trembled. One of its heads lowered pitifully, silently pleading with Ampei for mercy.
Jian Dan considered herself a kind cultivator. She had already explained, so now it was time to act. A blade of wind sliced cleanly through one of the serpent's tails.
A sharp sword flew into her hand from the severed tail. The entire beast slumped as if its bones had been pulled out.
Jian Dan spun and thrust the Grasscutter Sword into the ground, the blade landing right in front of Ming Jing.
"You keep this. Whether or not to return it later is up to your temple."
She turned and gave Ampei a meaningful glance. He understood. This was already the best outcome he could hope for. He walked to the serpent, formed a series of hand seals, and marked it with his shikigami seal. Yamata no Orochi transformed into a speck of light and slipped into his sleeve.
Jian Dan nodded in satisfaction.
"You will remain in the Empire of Ling. Walk its every inch with your own feet. Any beast or monster causing trouble will be your responsibility. Consider it punishment for breaking the seal on the Locking Demon Tower."
"Yes."
Ampei dared not object.
"And while you're here, you may not take disciples, teach techniques, or marry. Once your mission is complete, return to wherever you came from."
"Yes."
This time, Ampei bowed deeply and respectfully backed away, preparing to leave the Red Maple Forest.
Ming Jing stepped in front of him despite suffering backlash from the Buddhist scriptures.
"You damaged the Locking Demon Tower. How will you repay that debt?"
Jian Dan muttered to herself, "Ah, I completely forgot about that."
Ampei looked helplessly to her, but she merely spread her hands. This was Mingfa Temple's right. She had only issued punishment. The compensation was theirs to decide.
With the matter settled, Jian Dan turned and vanished in a swirl of mist and wind.
"Amitabha. Ming Jing, I leave the aftermath to you. I must return to the Imperial Monastery to coordinate our efforts in demon subjugation. His Majesty is surely awaiting news."
"Amitabha. Thank you, Abbot Hui Ming, for your timely aid. Once this is all resolved, I will personally visit to offer my thanks."
"No need for thanks. Let us study the sutras together sometime and exchange insights on the Dharma."
"Gladly."
Ming Jing saw off Abbot Hui Ming and the eight Luohan, then turned to detain Ampei, Matsushita, Honda who had removed the sealing talisman without permission, and the rest of their entourage.
Imperial Palace
The Xuande Emperor anxiously awaited word. When the Locking Demon Tower shattered, the skies above the capital darkened, leaving the monarch deeply unsettled for the first time.
The leader of the Shadow Guards was the first to return and report everything.
The Emperor, sitting on the dragon throne, listened to the report, then slammed everything off his imperial desk in fury.
"Relay my decree: execute the envoys from the nation of Yingzhou. Leave none alive."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Just as the Shadow Guard leader was about to leave, a guard arrived to report:
"Abbot Hui Ming and eight Luohan await outside the hall."
"Bring them in, quickly!"
The Emperor waved for the palace maids to clean up the mess as Hui Ming entered with measured, composed steps.
"Amitabha. Heaven watches over the Empire of Ling. Your Majesty need not worry. The Locking Demon Tower was indeed broken open by the shikigami of Yingzhou's envoy, Ampei. However, a great senior cultivator currently residing at Lotus Lake stepped in and stopped the worst of the demons."
Hearing this, the Emperor finally felt the weight lift from his chest. His breath calmed.
"Senior Shan has already destroyed the shikigami responsible and issued punishment. She tasked Ampei with subduing the escaped beasts throughout the Empire of Ling."
"Did this senior mention what should be done with the rest of his group?"
"No. She only dealt with the instigator. The rest is yours to decide, Your Majesty."
"Our Buddhist sect also bears blame for this. Ming Jing and I have jointly issued a Buddhist edict to every temple in the Empire of Ling. All cultivators who have accumulated merit shall enter the mortal realm to carry out subjugation."
At the Buddha Light Hall of Yunzhong Temple, a squad of Buddhist cultivators at Divine Soul stage received their mission. Led by a Void Refinement cultivator, they set out for the capital of the Empire of Ling.
===
Guess what? (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞
After I started translating the apocalypse novel, something unexpected happened:
My mood actually came back.
Like, snap, suddenly I was in the zone. Before I knew it, I'd translated around 100 chapters (yes, a hundred!), and even started working again on other novels that were still running on thin drafts.
Great news, right?
...Well. Yes.
BUT.
Apparently, my body didn't get the memo. Or worse, it did get the memo and went, "Nope."
Despite my mind feeling clearer, my physical health has been… not great.
We're still deep in the Sura Month, with the Lunar Eclipse just behind us, the Earth's energy shifting into higher frequencies, and now—hello again—the Lion's Gate Portal (a spiritual energetic gateway peaking around August 8).
Seriously, why are all these cosmic events happening at the same time? Layered on top of each other like a cosmic sandwich?
It's like the universe stacked them up just to make sure I couldn't escape their collective wrath.
Too. Much. Energy.
I can't even tell if I'm being spiritually upgraded or just spiritually KO'd. (｡•́︿•̀｡)
Yeah, it's a bit too much for me right now.
Today, my health suddenly dropped again. I felt nauseous, started vomiting, cold sweats—none of that was on my to-do list, I swear. And honestly, I'm just sitting here wondering:
Why are all these cosmic shifts happening at once? Like, can the universe chill for five minutes?
(￣ヘ￣;)
Emotionally I'm slowly recovering, but physically, I'm still very much not okay. So if in future there's some delay on my update speed, please know I'm not being lazy—I'm just trying to not collapse into a puddle of moonlight and regret (╥﹏╥)
I'll still do my best to keep updates flowing, but I may need to take short breaks here and there to rest. Your patience means everything to me.
Thank you as always for reading, supporting, and understanding. Sending you all the stable energy I wish I had right now ♡(｡•́‿•̀｡)
— Your slightly wobbly translator, Reiya(ฅ'ω'ฅ)