Silence filled the arena.
The brutal, blood-soaked spectacle made everyone present involuntarily furrow their brows.
Even Haruno felt a tremor of horror within.
Though Ye Xing had displayed this same cruel indifference when slaughtering evil spirits - seemingly revelling in the pleasure of torture - those had been evil spirits after all.
But killing a human like this...
Wait a moment.
Haruno suddenly recalled how, at the beginning of this Kengan match, Ye Xing and Wu Hei had been exchanging blows, countering each other's moves as if evenly matched.
Given the strength Ye Xing had just displayed, he could have defeated Wu Hei outright from the very start without needing to prolong the fight.
So why had he done so?
Haruno refused to believe Ye Xing would act meaninglessly, simply toying with his opponent. There had to be a reason.
Unless... Ye Xing had deliberately held back to force his opponent to use that secret technique-like ability?
Anyone could see the side effects after Wu Hei activated Guihun. Wu Hei's mentality was already unstable to begin with. In his Guihun state, he became nothing more than a beast driven by bloodlust.
Could it be that this had been Ye Xing's plan all along?
By holding back, he'd made Wu Hei believe victory was possible, prompting him to use that technique and lose his rationality, continuing to attack even after the referee had ended the match.
In that case...
Even if Ye Xing killed Wu Hei, no one could complain.
After all, it was Wu Hei who broke the rules first.
What Haruno could deduce, Wu Huiliyang naturally understood as well.
However, the current head of the Wu Clan had never witnessed Ye Xing's abilities as an exorcist.
His interpretation was different:
Ye Xing had fought seriously from the start. When Wu Hei activated Guihun, Ye Xing had no choice but to use some secret technique of his own - evidenced by that eerily pale right hand.
Wu Huiliyang had never heard of any technique that could transform a hand like that, but the world was full of wonders. Even as the Wu Clan's leader, he couldn't claim knowledge of every martial arts style.
There was always someone stronger, always another peak higher.
As assassins, the Wu Clan would keep sending killers until their target was eliminated if a mission failed. However, by choosing to participate in the Kengan matches as the representative fighter of Kyoto Municipal Bank, they were required to abide by the established rules.
Against the combined might of the corporate Kengan association, the Wu Clan was insignificant.
Moreover...
Wu Huiliyang slowly approached Ye Xing, glanced at Wu Hei's corpse, and sighed deeply before speaking.
"Thank you for showing mercy. He was the one who broke the rules."
Truthfully,
Wu Huiliyang believed Ye Xing had been more than reasonable.
In that situation, if their positions had been reversed - if Ye Xing's wrists and knees had been broken, rendering him helpless - would Wu Hei have shown mercy and signalled the referee to stop the match?
The answer was obvious: absolutely not.
Therefore, Ye Xing had already shown tremendous restraint and kindness.
Wu Hei's death was nobody's fault but his own unstable mentality. Wu Huiliyang also acknowledged that his own leniency toward the young man had contributed to this outcome.
"Great-grandfather."
Wu Garuda, dressed in a JK uniform, came skipping over and casually remarked:
"That person Wu Hei fought last time... it was this guy here."
"Before leaving, someone told me that Wu Hei should leave Kyoto as soon as possible. I mentioned this to you, too, Great-Grandfather."
Hearing Wu Garuda's words, Wu Huiliyang felt even more ashamed of himself.
The young man before him, though youthful, already carried the bearing of a martial arts master.
Last time when Wu Hei had provoked trouble, the other party hadn't resorted to lethal force. Instead, they'd sent Wu Garuda to advise him to have Wu Hei leave Kyoto promptly.
This likely indicated they'd already discerned Wu Hei's unstable mental state and wished to avoid reaching the point where killing him became necessary.
What does this demonstrate?
This is the mark of a true martial arts master.
They've already shown the utmost respect to the Wu Clan.
Noticing the shift in Wu Huiliyang's expression, Wu Garuda hid behind her great-grandfather and playfully stuck her tongue out at Ye Xing.
At first, Ye Xing didn't understand.
Wu Hei and Wu Garuda were relatives, weren't they?
He'd killed her relative, so why would Wu Garuda actively speak in his defence?
But upon reflection...
Was there any genuine familial affection between Wu Garuda and Wu Hei?
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say...
Even within the Wu Clan, Wu Hei wasn't exactly the popular type.
After all, he was a madman completely dominated by bloodlust, devoid of rational thought.
A madman isn't the most terrifying thing.
The most terrifying thing is a madman possessing terrifying strength beyond ordinary humans.
Objectively speaking...
Ye Xing killing Wu Hei had actually done the Wu Clan a favour by removing a potential threat.
"Alright then."
Ye Xing showed no interest in further conversation with Wu Huiliyang. After nodding at Wu Garuda, he turned to face Haruno.
"Are you free tonight?"
"Uh..."
A blush appeared on Haruno's delicate face, leaving her momentarily speechless.
I mean, that's rather direct, isn't it?
Of course, Haruno would love to go out with Ye Xing.
The problem was...
Her mother was standing right there!
"Not that..."
Haruno cautiously gestured towards Mrs Yukinoshita.
"My mother is still here."
"Oh, my apologies."
Ye Xing offered an apologetic smile before addressing Mrs Yukinoshita with perfect courtesy.
"Mother, would you like to join us for a three-way date tonight?"
Silence fell over the group.
Haruno's pupils trembled with shock.
Several seconds later, she heard her mother respond in that characteristically dignified manner - though her voice carried a slight tremor that suggested genuine interest:
"Perhaps not tonight."
At first, Haruno felt relieved.
But upon closer consideration... wait, what did that mean?
"Perhaps not tonight"?
So if it were another time, would she actually consider joining them?
"Alright, alright, let's go, let's go."
Flushing slightly, Haruno took Ye Xing's hand, too embarrassed to remain any longer. She practically dragged him away at a jog, leaving the newly renovated office building of Yukinoshita Corporation behind.
...
They ran several hundred metres before she finally stopped, panting heavily.
"Honestly, you..."
After catching her breath, Haruno looked at Ye Xing's amused expression and sighed in resignation.
She frowned slightly, retrieving a handkerchief from her pocket. Standing on tiptoe, she leaned in to wipe away the specks of blood staining his clothes and face, muttering complaints under her breath.
"You... how could you say something like that? Calling my own mother 'Mother'... I can't even..."
Haruno was genuinely stunned.
That Ye Xing would utter such absurd words had initially shocked her, but upon reflection, it did align with his character.
What truly left Haruno incredulous was her mother actually agreeing to let her go out with Ye Xing tonight?
This wasn't like her mother at all.
Had she been so bewildered by Ye Xing's abstract remark that she failed to react properly?
Haruno couldn't comprehend it.
"Tonight..."
After finishing cleaning the blood from Ye Xing's person, Haruno smiled playfully.
"Still planning to stay at a hotel?"
Ye Xing chuckled in response.
"Actually, I have other plans tonight."
Haruno's brow furrowed slightly at this, her expression darkening.
"Then what was the meaning of publicly inviting me out in front of everyone? Were you just toying with me?"
"Hey now, that's unfair."
Ye Xing replied with complete seriousness.
"I thought you wouldn't want to deal with those Kyoto Municipal Bank people either, so I rescued you. How can you bite the hand that feeds you?"
Hearing this, Haruno paused momentarily.
She truly detested social engagements - especially those with institutions like the Kyoto Municipal Bank, whose status surpassed even that of the Yukinoshita family. The more she had to feign courtesy, the more repulsive she found it.
Being skilled at something didn't equate to enjoying it.
Such was Haruno's predicament.
Though adept at navigating various social situations, her inner loathing for such hypocritical flattery matched Yukino's distaste.
If anything, having endured more of these occasions made her aversion even stronger.
Escaping tonight's ordeal was indeed fortunate.
"So you actually remembered my drunken ramblings last time..."
Haruno lightly bit her lower lip, her gaze at Ye Xing clearly moved as she murmured.
"I thought you weren't paying proper attention, just humouring me."
"Which is exactly why you should thank me."
"Thank you, is it..."
A mischievous glint flashed in Haruno's eyes as she smiled coquettishly.
"How about dinner together tomorrow night then?"
Before Ye Xing could answer, Haruno blushed slightly, stood on tiptoe and leaned close to his ear, her breath as fragrant as orchids as she whispered:
"I bought some very sexy sleepwear, and these next two days..."
"It's a safe period."
Ye Xing remained unmoved, his expression perfectly calm even as his words suggested the opposite.
"You could've just said that earlier. See you tomorrow night then."
"You're such a rogue."
"Flattery will get you nowhere."
Haruno chuckled and playfully slapped Ye Xing's shoulder before leaving.
The free time Ye Xing had secured for her tonight couldn't be considered completely wasted.
What Haruno most wanted to do in Kyoto was, of course, to see her younger sister.
These two sisters were really quite the pair.
One adored her elder sister but would rather die than admit it.
The other secretly indulged her younger sister's whims while similarly refusing to acknowledge it.
Like mother, like daughters.
"Hah... finally time to relax."
Ye Xing stretched with a long yawn, smiling faintly as if talking to himself.
"Bit boring at this hour. Might as well wander around."
As he spoke, he hailed a taxi on the street.
When the taxi had driven off into the distance, several small winged yōkai with sharp beaks emerged from the shadows.
"Follow where he's going, then report back to Lord Gyūki immediately."
"Understood."
...
Half an hour later, Kyoto outskirts.
After paying the taxi driver an exorbitant fare that even pained him to part with, Ye Xing arrived at the familiar dilapidated shrine.
"Raining, huh."
Feeling the drizzle land on him, Ye Xing checked his phone.
"Hmm... about one hour fifteen minutes to alter the weather across the entire city and maintain it this long. Her spiritual power really is formidable."
Ye Xing found it difficult to estimate Hina Amano's spiritual power level.
According to Rio Futaba's theory, psychics could be categorised into four tiers.
First tier: Individuals like himself and Light Yagami who spontaneously awakened "perception" abilities and achieved Soul Materialisation without external influence.
Second tier: Those like Miko Yotsuya who had no issues with "observation" but required proper guidance to awaken Soul Materialisation.
Third tier: Naturally referred to people like Rio Futaba herself, who needed a series of coincidences to first fulfil "observation" prerequisites before awakening abilities.
Fourth tier: Godmother Granny, old man Oda.
These were barely distinguishable from ordinary people - better off selling bracelets and talismans.
Which raised the question:
Where did Hina Amano fit in?
Her ability to form contracts with a weather-controlling god proved she possessed psychic potential - that much was undeniable.
What Ye Xing remained uncertain about was:
How much of her displayed abilities stemmed from innate talent versus divine assistance?
One thing was certain, though.
Hina Amano's contracted deity was on an entirely different level from the golden ram's head enshrined here.
That ancient god could influence weather patterns across all of Japan and, according to original accounts, had existed for at least several centuries.
At this thought, Ye Xing nearly let unworthy tears escape from the corner of his mouth.
He slowly approached the shrine's altar, spotting the shattered donation box he'd kicked earlier still lying quietly on the ground.
"Pathetic, really."
Ye Xing shook his head at the golden Goat-Headed Deity not far away, along with the two fox-faced little girl shrine attendants by its side, speaking with grave concern.
"How can this go on? No one even cares about you here. What's the point of being a god like this?"
The Goat-Headed Deity remained silent.
It remembered all too clearly what had happened the last time it spoke - receiving a slap across the face for every word it uttered.
This time, it absolutely wouldn't fall for that again.
Slap!
The pale ghost hand suddenly reappeared, delivering another resounding slap to the Goat-Headed Deity's face.
"Did you leave your vocal cords at home?"
The deity looked utterly dazed by the blow, its inhuman face displaying an expression of pitiful grievance.
Speak and get slapped. Stay silent and still get slapped.
Since when did such injustice exist?
The worst part was that the Goat-Headed Deity could only maintain a meek, submissive posture, not daring to move a muscle.
It could sense it.
This human had grown even stronger since their last meeting.
Moved to tears?
More like too terrified to move.
Just then, a middle-aged man's voice sounded behind Ye Xing.
"So it was indeed you behind these recent incidents in Kyoto."
Ye Xing didn't turn around, merely clasping his hands together as if praying to the shrine.
The golden Goat-Headed Deity lay sprawled nearby, thinking to itself that the very deity he might be praying to had just been slapped by him. Who exactly was he praying to?
Not that it dared ask. Even if it did, the human wouldn't understand, and it would just earn another slap. Better to remain silent.
At the shrine's entrance stood three strangely dressed "individuals".
At the forefront stood a cold-faced man with long hair covering his right cheek - clearly the leader.
Behind him was a short, tengu-like creature holding a monk's staff.
Then there was a handsome, seemingly normal young man with golden hair - though upon closer inspection, one would notice his head floated detached from his body.
All three wore expressions of extreme wariness, their eyes occasionally darting toward the Goat-Headed Deity and the two shrine attendants.
Ye Xing turned to face the three yōkai, shaking his head with a light chuckle.
"Just the three of you? Nurarihyon couldn't be bothered to come? I'm truly being underestimated here."
Hearing him directly address the Nura Clan's founding leader by name, the cold-faced middle-aged man - Gyūki, the clan's militant faction leader - immediately flashed a murderous glare as he spoke in a low voice.
"We'd like you to come with us. Our lord has some questions for you."
"Hmph."
Ye Xing responded with a disdainful sneer.
"Ever heard the story of Don Quixote?"
"This Don Quixote wore armour, carried a shield and sword, imagining himself some so-called knight who charged at windmills - those immovable giants of his delusion."
Gyūki's brows furrowed at these words.
"Are you suggesting you'll fight us to the death? Let me warn you first - we've investigated all your associates, including that woman who just left your side. If you don't want them harmed, you'll come quietly with—"
"You misunderstand."
Before Gyūki could finish speaking, Ye Xing interrupted with a smile.
A flash of undisguised malice flickered in his eyes.
"You are the Don Quixotes in this story, while I am the giant you cannot shake."
"It's truly commendable that you dared enter Kyoto and even sought me out proactively."
"Though that's the only praise you'll receive."
As he spoke, black evil spirit power began swirling around Ye Xing's body.
The bloodstains on his clothes vanished instantly.
Within a single breath, he had changed attire - a pure black mask once again covering his face.
Beneath the mask, his eyes burned with a mixture of murderous intent and exhilaration.
"Come then."
Ye Xing extended his right hand, drawing the famed blade Onimaru Kunitsuna from within the pale ghost hand once more.
The moon above was completely obscured by thick clouds, allowing not a single ray of light to penetrate.
All Gyūki and his companions could see were Ye Xing's eyes, blazing with madness like black flames.
"Let me see how much pleasure you can bring me before being destroyed."