novelaction Chapter 349 You even changed your name
Chapter 349 You even changed your name
Xu Ning woke up leaning against a tree, feeling slightly bewildered and unsure of what to do.
However, considering that he was in the present world cleansing impurities in Konta Village, Xu Ning thought he should go to Konta Village first and ask what tasks the Fox Palace had given to the ancestors of Konta Village.
On his way to Konta Village, Xu Ning took the opportunity to explore his Dust Concealment Gourd.
The wind-attribute constructs still exist as before, and they seem to have become even more solid.
As for Qingyi, she was diligently digging in the cave, seemingly preparing to carry out some renovations on Jiuquan.
Thinking of the other springs in the future, Xu Ning simply stopped trying to stop her and let her play.
Konta Village wasn't far, and Xu Ning arrived quickly.
Thinking it best to talk to the current village chief first, Xu Ning walked towards the village chief's house that he remembered.
"Old woman, I'll take these foods to that gentleman first. You don't need to wait for me to eat."
As Xu Ning approached the vicinity, he saw a sprightly old man carrying a multi-tiered food box, heading towards the location of the haunted house from later generations.
Driven by curiosity, Xu Ning followed the old man at a distance, strolling towards that direction.
"Well, Lord Yuyu, this old man brought you some food and left it at the door."
Hearing this from afar, Xu Ning's heart skipped a beat. "The Imperial Carriage?"
Xu Ning immediately knew who lived there.
"Old man, you should take the food away. I need to think about some things quietly here. If there's nothing else, please don't bother me."
The people inside didn't even show their faces, and their words seemed extremely cold, showing that they didn't want to have much interaction with the people here.
The old man looked troubled, and after a long while he sighed, picked up the food box, and turned away dejectedly.
Xu Ning stood at a distance under a tree, silently drinking his wine and coldly watching this side.
He didn't go over because he had used a wisp of the power of the Flowing Wind to listen to the sounds coming from this side.
He clearly sensed that there was another aura, also belonging to the wind, lingering near the house, seemingly watching the people inside just as he was.
"You've been hiding inside all these days, and you still refuse to come out?"
A woman's voice suddenly came from the rooftop; it belonged to the owner of another gust of wind.
After a long pause, the homeowner finally said in a deep voice, "What are you doing out here? How can I possibly face anyone now?"
The woman's voice advised, "You weren't the one who drew your sword against the General, nor were you the one who tarnished the honor of the Yu family, so why can't you show your face in public?"
“The one who drew the knife was my mother, the patriarch of the Yu Yu clan. We are connected by blood, and as long as I bear the name Yu Yu, I must bear this sin to the end.”
“You can just not carry this surname,” the female voice said again. “As long as you change your surname, you can still be Daoqi. I think Yanzang would be a good name, as it matches your swordsmanship better.”
"Is it the Dao of the Hidden Cave?" The male voice inside pondered for a moment, seemingly somewhat tempted.
Xu Ning couldn't help but snort coldly.
The sound was completely undisguised and was clearly heard by both of them.
The woman's voice coldly snapped, "I've suspected someone's been watching you for a long time, and you still dare to make that sound..."
As the wind howled, a winged tengu girl appeared in the open space in front of the house and looked towards Xu Ning.
"It's you? Didn't you go to Liyue with Yuugami Harunosuke?"
Hearing the tengu girl's exclamation and the name of Yuugami Harunosuke, the man hiding inside finally came out.
Just as Xu Ning had predicted, the person inside was Miyuki Chiyo's eldest son, Miyuki Nagamasa's elder brother, Miyuki Michiki.
Yu Yu Daoqi must have been hiding in the house for some time, as his face looked somewhat pale. He stepped out of the house, glanced at Xu Ning first, and then turned his gaze to the Tengu girl.
"Mitsuyo, do you have any news about Harunosuke?"
The tengu girl called Mitsuyo nodded. "A while ago, a merchant who returned from Liyue brought a letter from Seinosuke Yuugami. He said he was with this Xu Ning and they were studying Sage Mode..."
Xu Ning sneered, and Guangdai immediately turned around and glared angrily.
"I must say, you're really good at comforting people. As long as it's to make this guy feel better, you can turn something into nothing and something into something. I almost couldn't help but applaud you."
The phrase "something becomes nothing" naturally refers to the fact that Mitsuyoshi encouraged Mikio-no-Kei to abandon his own surname and relinquish his responsibilities as the Mikio family.
What was not there has become something. Xu Ning didn't even know when he accompanied Yuijin Seinnosuke to Liyue. How could he possibly be studying immortal arts with him in Liyue?
Hearing Xu Ning's sarcastic words, Mitsuyo's face turned red with anger. Just as she was about to retort, Miyuki Michiki reached out and stopped her.
“I know you didn’t like us much when you were at Qianmen Xuzhou. Although I don’t know where I offended you, I can tell that the way you look at me is completely different from how you look at Chang Zhengshi.”
Yu Yu Dao Qi said to Xu Ning in a deep voice, "Although we don't have any special relationship, according to your Li Yue, we have been through thick and thin together. If you continue to speak rudely, don't blame me for being impolite."
Xu Ning glanced at his hand on the hilt of his sword, took a swig of wine, and sneered, "A disagreement leads to swords drawn. Is this your magnanimity? Don't be angry. To be honest, I have absolutely no interest in what you two are going through. If I hadn't overheard her saying that your mother drew her sword against the general, I probably would have left already."
"I just came to ask how your mother is doing now?"
Xu Ning's question seemed to have struck a nerve with Yu Yu Dao Qi, whose expression darkened and he remained silent for a long time.
Xu Ning's expression gradually darkened, and he said coldly, "What? You're even ashamed to talk about your own mother? Lady Chiyo has certainly raised a fine son!"
Surprisingly, it was Mitsuyo who spoke up.
"Since it hasn't happened to you, you can naturally criticize without any burden."
"The divine cherry blossoms cleansed the black tide of filth, buying Inazuma time. The general's return from afar was a perfect opportunity to regroup and cleanse the filth. However, just as the general was summoning Mikoto Chiyo, she dared to draw her sword and slash at the general."
Xu Ning sipped his wine and said "Oh," showing no reaction to the matter of beheading the general. Who hasn't beheaded a general before? We've done even more outrageous things.
"She wounded the general?"
Tengu Mitsuyo's face turned red. "How is that possible? How could our shogun be injured by the mad Chiyo who has lost her mind? After the shogun drew his sword and cut off one of her demon horns, she escaped."
Hearing the utter lack of respect for the former Lady Mikio in Mitsuyo's words, Xu Ning couldn't help but frown again.
"Has the General issued an arrest warrant? Have you searched for her?"
Mitsuyo shook her head. "The general is magnanimous and prioritizes the greater good. He hasn't held the Mikoto family accountable, nor has he ordered the execution of Mikoto Chiyo. This is already a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune. She has lost her mind and might do something irrational. Since she's already gone, what's the point of going looking for her again..."
Xu Ning felt his anger rising, and he forced himself to ask, "What is the Imperial Carriage Master doing?"
"It seems he joined the shogunate, perhaps to help the army clean up the remnants of the shogunate. I wonder where he went."
Having obtained the information he wanted, Xu Ning let out a cold laugh and turned to look at Yu Yu Dao Qi.
"Your mother has lost her mind and is missing. We still don't know the extent of her injuries, how she manages her meals and lodging, or what suffering she has endured. You, on the other hand, have the leisure to find a beautiful place with a lovely woman by your side, lamenting your damaged reputation and wishing you could change your name and sever all ties with your mother. You are truly a filial son!"
Xu Ning stepped forward and patted Yu Yu Dao Qi on the shoulder. "But I understand you. After all, you're an adopted son, so it doesn't matter if you change your name. Unlike Yu Yu Chang Zheng, who's your biological son. I'm afraid he'll have to carry that burden for the rest of his life."
Yu Yu Dao Qi could no longer tolerate Xu Ning's sarcastic remarks. With a flick of his wrist, the long sword at his waist slashed towards Xu Ning's neck like a bolt of lightning.
With his left hand, Xu Ning used the gourd to block the blade. Before Yu Yu Dao Qi could retaliate, Xu Ning flicked his wrist and the gourd, which had been holding the wine gourd, smashed towards Yu Yu Dao Qi's face like a meteor hammer.
Yu Yu Dao Qi retreated swiftly, dodging the blow from the wine gourd, then pressed forward. As if he had hallucinated from the previous step, Yu Yu Dao Qi's blade once again aimed at Xu Ning's throat.
"Even your swordsmanship was passed down from your mother, wasn't it? Your life so far has been marked by your mother's concern for you. It's laughable that you would want to get rid of her from your life just because she took her anger out on the general. It's utterly ridiculous!"
Hearing Xu Ning's words during a lull in the fight, Mitsuyo retorted, "Relieving some anger? Drawing your sword against a general is a serious crime. Do you think you can just make up an excuse and let it go..."
"What serious crime? The general has been gone for so many days before returning. During that time, countless women in Inazuma died or were injured. What's wrong with everyone slashing her a couple of times because they're unhappy? Besides, they didn't even hurt her."
"What nonsense are you talking about..."
Xu Ning ignored the furious Mitsuyoshi beside him, found an opening and kicked Yu Yu Daoqi in the wrist, forcing him to retreat several steps.
However, Yu Yu Daoqi was quite brave; he endured the pain and gripped the hilt tightly, preventing Xu Ning from kicking the knife away.
"Hmph, I can't be bothered with you two. You can do whatever you want here, but remember one thing clearly: once you receive a message from Lady Mikoto Chiyo, please be sure to let me know. After all, there aren't many people who can save her right now."
Xu Ning turned and walked towards the teleportation anchor point outside Konta Village, without glancing back at the man and woman behind him.
With a flash of light, Xu Ning reappeared at the entrance of Narukami Shrine.
The shrine maiden standing at the door almost flung the long spoon in her hand away when she saw Xu Ning suddenly appear.
Fortunately, Inashiro Miri arrived immediately and recognized the person as Xu Ning, who had transmitted the knowledge of exorcism to her. Naturally, she quickly invited him in.
Who is in charge of the daily operations here now?
Inashiro Miri replied respectfully to Xu Ning, "Now, Lady Yae no Miko is in charge of all the work of the shrine as the divine fox, and we are here to assist her."
Then Xu Ning was led into a newly renovated house by Inashiro Miri.
Here, Xu Ning not only saw Yae, but also Master Ji was lying in a corner of the room.
Seeing the little fox sitting upright on the table, looking as if it were waiting for worshippers to pay homage, Xu Ning couldn't help but laugh.
Xu Ning reached out and picked up Yae, then called out to Master Ji again. The three of them casually walked towards the sacred cherry tree behind the mountain.
"Hey, Yae, I heard you've become a god now. Have you been feeling all high and mighty for a few days? But this kind of thing gets boring after a few times. You'll get tired of it eventually."
Xu Ning, holding the little fox Yae, sat down against the sacred cherry tree. "So if you ever feel bored and want to play, just ask Master Ji to transform into your likeness and sit on the altar to receive offerings. Then you can go wherever you want and play for as long as you want..."
The monk Ji, who was squatting nearby, spoke up to correct him, saying, "It's wrong to lie."
Xu Ning exclaimed "Wow!" as if he were meeting Master Ji for the first time, feigning surprise, and said, "You are the one who has the least right to say that. Your demon fox clan is best at transformation, right? Why do you transform? Isn't it to deceive the eyes of those around you?"
"You should really study this unique talent skill carefully. Who knows where it might come in handy in the future?"
Master Ji turned his head away, no longer listening to Xu Ning.
In its view, as long as its illusion magic could hide itself at any time and prevent bad guys from finding it, that would be a great blessing. As for any other uses, it really couldn't think of any.
Xu Ning and Yae rested against the sacred cherry tree for a while. Xu Ning reached out and touched the trunk behind him, as if speaking to himself, but also to Yae, saying, "We'll find a way. There are many miracles in this world; we'll definitely find a way. Then we can gather everyone together, sit under the tree, drink, and have fun..."
The little fox nodded, then suddenly said, "Chiyo didn't leave."
Xu Ning was taken aback. Was she referring to Mikoto Chiyo?
Does "she didn't leave" mean that she's still lingering near Yingxiang Mountain?
Is it because there are still things or people she cares about here?
"Can you sense her location?" Xu Ning hurriedly asked Yae.
The little fox shook its head. "I can't feel it. It seems like it's in motion all the time."
Xu Ning sighed sadly, then cheered up again.
"At least she's still here, which is a good thing. I've got nothing better to do, so I might as well try my luck in the neighborhood. If I can find her, maybe I can call her back with my wine."