Ye Liang was stunned.
"Damn it! I was too focused on going out to investigate and completely forgot about this!" This time he had left to gather information by attaching himself to a medic, never expecting that his actual body would be carried here.
Unsure of what Rumi intended to do with his body, he pretended not to care and walked out with the soldier.
Not long after.
He rushed back anxiously.
Using the Shadow Clone Technique, he quietly maneuvered through the mansion, quickly returning to his previous location.
He made a small peephole in the window where Rumi was.
Peering inside,
"What the hell!"
Before him, a shriveled, skeletal corpse was greedily absorbing his vital essence. Her lips parted slightly, and from an indescribable opening on Ye Liang's body surged a thick stream of white energy flowing directly into her mouth.
This was a man's life force!
Once fully absorbed, Ye Liang's life—and even his chances of having a future lineage—would be destroyed.
For the sake of his descendants, he snapped!
Grabbing the Chaotic Cursed Blade, he kicked open the door!
Who uses a butcher's cleaver on a chicken? You only go that far when you're desperate!
The corpse was utterly stunned out of its mind!
Though unable to see Ye Liang, she could feel waves of killing intent surging toward her.
"Who's there?! Who's hiding and playing ghost?!" The old corpse screamed wildly but couldn't locate Ye Liang at all.
Ye Liang approached her calmly. First, he drove the Chaotic Cursed Blade straight into her gut, then cleaved her head cleanly in half from top to bottom.
A torrent of Death Qi burst forth!
"No wonder I didn't sense anything before—the thing must've been using male essence to hide itself!" Seeing so much Death Qi, Ye Liang immediately understood.
Everything now made sense!
That weakened man locked up earlier must have been drained dry by this old monster!
Wiping sweat from his brow, Ye suddenly noticed a strand of white hair among the corpse's remains.
"Hmm? Isn't this... Kaguya Hime's power?" The strand radiated Otsutsuki energy, faintly glowing. Judging from its color, the concentration was quite high.
But that couldn't be right.
Kaguya Hime had just separated from him—how could her power appear here all of a sudden? Moreover, this corpse hadn't died yet, meaning it had existed for quite some time already.
"This must belong to Isshiki Otsutsuki."
Ye Liang nodded to himself.
He adjusted his disguise again.
With the corpse slain, the entire Daimyo's mansion would surely be thrown into chaos.
It might even alert Isshiki Otsutsuki, who was likely already cornered, giving him the chance to escape.
Thinking this, Ye Liang stepped back.
"Tsk, it's not like this is the first time I've dressed up in female disguise," he muttered. "What am I hesitating for?"
[Ninjutsu – Jutsu!]
...
Main courtyard of the Daimyo's mansion.
Outside, a crowd of villagers gathered to celebrate the Daimyo's birthday. Inside, several ministers offered their congratulations to Sakata Ginji.
It was the happiest day he'd ever had.
Once a poor noble from Hitsu no Kuni, he had unexpectedly gained favor from a monk. Not only had the monk helped him secure the title of Daimyo of Hitsu no Kuni, but also gifted him an extraordinarily beautiful companion.
It was truly a blessing from heaven!
"Lord Sakata!"
"What a grand occasion! Why haven't we seen Lady Rumi yet? We've all been looking forward to seeing her beauty." One minister seemed slightly drunk.
Sakata Ginji smiled. "My sincere apologies, honored guests! My concubine hasn't been feeling well. Otherwise, I would certainly have asked her to come out and greet you all."
"Tsk tsk! Sakata! Don't get conceited! You're merely a fallen nobleman. Without our protection, how could you hold the Daimyo seat even for a day?
Bring out Rumi right now!"
Ginji's face immediately turned cold.
His current position had always been questionable. Although he managed to hold onto power, there were still many who looked down on him.
"Matsushita! What nonsense are you spouting! This is Lord Sakata!" Another minister hurriedly stepped forward, covering the drunken man's mouth while repeatedly apologizing.
"It's fine! Let him speak!" Ginji said calmly.
Encouraged by Ginji's reaction, the drunken minister shook off those holding him back and pointed directly at Ginji, shouting: "Remember when you were starving and homeless? How did the Elder Daimyo treat you then!
He fed you and took good care of you! But what did you do? You actually colluded with outsiders and stole the Daimyo's position!" The drunken minister staggered slightly.
"Everyone! I'm clearly drunk today! And precisely because I'm drunk, I dare say some things that need saying!
That Daimyo position doesn't belong to this Sakata Ginji!
He doesn't deserve it!"
The words "doesn't deserve it" sent a chill through Ginji's heart. He quickly motioned for the banquet guards.
As the drunken minister was dragged away by the guards, the man who initially tried to intercede fell to his knees: "Lord Sakata, even if Matsushita has no merits, he has done much hard work! Please give him another chance!"
Ginji stared at him expressionlessly before waving his hand dismissively.
At this moment, a graceful beauty suddenly approached from a distance.
"My lord, why are you doing this! Matsushita and Chief Minister are rare meritorious officials. How could you kill them over such trivial matters?
If they want to see me, I'll just come out myself."
Seeing nobody seated at the banquet table, Ginji's expression changed instantly. "Rumi, why aren't you resting in your room? Why did you come here!
Are we running out of 'playthings' again!
I'll tear someone apart and bring in some travelers right away!"
With a firm voice, he added. Ye Liang frowned.
Fuck that damned pig nonsense!
So this Rumi is evil, and Sakata Ginji isn't any better!
She forced a smile: "Nothing serious, really. My health has recovered a bit, so I thought the first wife should come greet the honored guests of our country."
"If nothing's wrong, then everything's fine," Ginji said, his face softening slightly after hearing Ye Liang confirm all was well.
He glanced at the two ministers who had annoyed him: "Since Lady Rumi has spoken thus, you may leave now! And don't ever show yourselves in Hitsu no Kuni again!
I don't wish to see either of you again."
"Yes! Yes!" Both ministers hurriedly left.
After getting rid of the annoying men, Ginji invited Ye Liang to sit beside his high seat.
Then he continued announcing the banquet.
At this moment, a soldier suddenly approached.
"Lord Sakata,
"There's a monk outside requesting an audience. He says he has a karmic connection with you and wishes to meet."
"A monk?"
Sakata Ginji, still hugging Ye Liang, did a double take. As if suddenly putting two and two together, he blurted out, "Invite him in!"
Before long.
A frail old monk leaning on a cane walked in.
Isshiki Otsutsuki!
Ye Liang recognized him immediately.
To prevent Isshiki Otsutsuki from escaping again, Ye Liang decided to remain in place for now.
"Master Jigen! You've finally come!"
Seeing the monk enter, Sakata hurriedly went forward personally to greet him.
"Sakata layman, greetings," the old monk bowed slightly, appearing quite saintly. If Ye Liang hadn't known the truth, he might've actually bought into the act!
"Huh, looks like Isshiki Otsutsuki's got some serious acting chops after all."
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