It was early summer at Kuoh Academy, and sunlight filtered through the lush branches, casting dappled shadows on the tree-lined path leading to the old school building.
Inside the Occult Research Club's clubroom, however, the atmosphere was somewhat out of sync with the bright afternoon, carrying an unusual solemnity.
Rias Gremory sat at the head of the sofa, her slender fingers gently tapping a report spread on the coffee table, her crimson brows slightly furrowed. Akeno Himejima sat quietly beside her, elegantly brewing black tea, though her eyes occasionally darted to the document with a hint of amusement. Kiba Yuuto stood nearby, his expression slightly serious. Asia Argento, who had just finished club activities, sat uneasily in a corner. Koneko Toujou remained curled up on her designated sofa, focused on her handheld game console, though her ears seemed to twitch slightly.
Shin sat by the window. After nearly a month of complete rest and recovery, his current state was no different from an ordinary person's. His complexion was ruddy, his breathing steady, and although the wisp of True Qi within him had not returned to its peak, it could now circulate smoothly like a stream, nourishing his entire body. However, Rias's ban had only recently been lifted, and he hadn't yet engaged in any substantial cultivation or talisman making, spending more time on nurturing and consolidating his foundation.
"So," Rias put down the document, looked up, and scanned everyone present. "What do you all think of this report from the Student Council Disciplinary Committee?"
She pushed the document to the center of the coffee table. It was a request for help from the regular Student Council, concerning some "abnormal phenomena" that had frequently occurred recently in the northwest wing of the old school building—an area not used by the Occult Research Club.
The report described that over the past two weeks, more than one student responsible for cleaning or passing through the area claimed to have heard faint, indistinguishable crying or whispering sounds at dusk or night, felt an inexplicable chill, and some even claimed to have seen blurry, fleeting white shadows. These phenomena caused panic among some students, making them afraid to approach the area, and daily cleaning and maintenance work were also affected.
The regular Student Council attempted to investigate without success, and could only, as per custom, report such inexplicable incidents to the Student Council branch responsible for "special affairs"—namely, the Occult Research Club.
"Sounds like low-level phantoms, or bound spirits," Kiba Yuuto spoke first, his tone steady. "The old school building has a long history, so it's not strange for some residual thought-forms of the deceased or negative energy aggregates to remain. Usually, they are very weak, without clear consciousness, merely repeating fragments or obsessions from their lives."
"Oh my~" Akeno handed the freshly brewed black tea to Rias, smiling. "It seems like some lost little darlings. However, if left unchecked, while not very dangerous, it's not good to scare ordinary students. Moreover, if negative energy accumulates too much, it could breed more troublesome things."
Rias nodded, a flicker of thought in her crimson eyes. "Yuuto, Akeno, if you're free this afternoon, could you handle it? It should just be a minor issue—purification or dispersal will suffice."
"Understood, President." Kiba nodded in response.
"I'm fine with it too~" Akeno gently inclined her head.
Just then, Shin, who had been listening quietly, felt a slight stir in his heart. He recalled the records of "wandering spirits" and "foul qi" in the miscellaneous chapters of the basic Daoist canon, as well as several low-level Daoist magic methods for dealing with them, such as the Purity Talisman and the Soul-Soothing Incantation. These methods required very little spiritual power and focused more on fine-tuning and guiding environmental and energy levels, perfectly suited for his current state of needing gradual adaptation and recovery.
Perhaps… this was an opportunity to practice? He could both test the applicability of Daoist magic in this world and help the club with some trivial matters.
He pondered for a moment, then asked, "President, regarding the handling of such… 'low-level spirits,' what usually needs to be paid attention to? I'm just a bit curious."
He asked somewhat euphemistically.
Rias glanced at him and explained, "It's usually very simple. If it's a harmless thought-form, it's generally purified with gentle light magic or holy water, guiding it to rest. If it carries resentment or negative energy, it needs to be dispersed or sealed first, then purified. The key is to perceive its core and judge its nature. It's not difficult for us."
Shin nodded thoughtfully, then tentatively said, "President, if it's just this level of incident… perhaps you could let me try?"
At these words, the gazes of several people in the clubroom focused on him.
Rias raised a delicate eyebrow. "You? Advisor Shin, your body…"
"My body is fine, but my strength has not fully recovered," Shin explained calmly. "However, some of the Eastern Arts I have inherited happen to have gentle methods for dealing with such 'yin energy aggregates,' requiring minimal consumption and focusing more on guidance and purification rather than forceful expulsion. I think this might be a good opportunity for practice, and it can also help the club with some work."
He wasn't exaggerating. Daoists indeed had many methods of overcoming hardness with softness and adapting to nature when dealing with low-level ghosts, which were suitable for his current state.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of interest passed through Rias's crimson eyes. She knew Shin's unique abilities. His previous performance had already proven his value, and seeing him volunteer now with a valid reason, she was inclined to test him, wanting to see what distinctive methods he could display in handling such "minor matters."
"Oh? Eastern Arts, you say?" Her lips curled slightly. "Sounds interesting. Alright, then I'll leave it to you, Advisor Shin. Yuuto, Akeno, assist him from the side, but unless necessary, do not interfere. Let Advisor Shin lead."
"Understood."
Kiba and Akeno responded in unison, curiosity also showing in their eyes. They had both witnessed Shin's astonishing performance in the great battle and were equally eager to see how he would handle such "small problems."
Asia looked at Shin with some concern. "Classmate Shin, please be careful…"
Koneko also looked up from her handheld screen, her amber eyes glancing at Shin. Although she didn't speak, her attention was clearly drawn.
"Don't worry, I'll act within my limits." Shin smiled at Asia, then turned to Rias. "President, I need to prepare some simple materials."
"What do you need? The club's reserves should have everything." Rias said readily.
What Shin needed was simple: some good quality yellow paper, cinnabar, a new calligraphy brush, and a small bottle of clear water (preferably dew collected in the morning, but it wasn't essential). These were all materials for drawing basic talismans, and the club indeed had them in stock.
The materials were quickly gathered. Shin didn't avoid anyone. He spread out the yellow paper on the clubroom's coffee table, ground the cinnabar, and focused his mind. Although he hadn't used a brush in a long time and his True Qi hadn't fully recovered, drawing the lowest-level Purity Talisman and Soul-Soothing Talisman didn't require much spiritual power, focusing more on precise brushstrokes and concentrated intent.
He held his breath, concentrated, and his wrist steadily guided the brush. The tip, dipped in crimson cinnabar, smoothly outlined complex and mysterious runes on the yellow paper. As the brush moved like a dragon, a sense of tranquility and purification subtly emanated from the runes.
A moment later, three completed talismans lay on the table. The runes' spiritual light was contained, yet they possessed a unique charm.
"Alright." Shin gently blew dry the ink on the talismans and put them away.
In the afternoon, as the sun had slightly begun to set in the west, Shin, accompanied by Kiba Yuuto and Akeno Himejima, arrived at the northwest wing of the old school building. Asia and Koneko also followed—the former out of concern, the latter seemingly just passing by, still playing her handheld game but keeping a moderate distance.
This area was indeed older and more secluded than the main section where the Occult Research Club was located. The hallway light was somewhat dim, and the air was filled with a faint smell of dust and a subtle, elusive chill. Occasionally, the sound of wind blowing through dilapidated window frames easily sparked imagination.
"The abnormal phenomena mostly occur in a few abandoned classrooms at the end of this hallway and the nearby stairwell," Kiba Yuuto pointed ahead, his senses already open. "I can feel some faint, scattered negative energy fluctuations, very thin, indeed like unconscious low-level spirits."
Akeno also nodded. "Hmm, the energy is very weak, with a yin and cold nature, carrying traces of sadness, not appearing malicious."
Shin closed his eyes. Unlike them, he didn't directly perceive magic or energy fluctuations. Instead, he quietly circulated a wisp of faint True Qi, supplemented by a simple "Spiritual Sense" method. In his perception, the surrounding scene was slightly different. He could "see" extremely faint, grayish-white misty energy threads floating in the air, drifting aimlessly, emitting a subtle chill and fragments of sorrowful emotions. The core of the energy seemed to gather at the entrance of the locked, abandoned music classroom at the end of the hallway.
"I understand now." Shin opened his eyes, having already made up his mind. These "spirits" couldn't even be called ghosts; they were more like faint phenomena resulting from residual thoughts combined with yin energy in the environment, not even possessing consciousness, at most considered "energy dust."
He walked to the entrance of the music classroom and said to Kiba and Akeno, "Would the two seniors please step back a bit? I need to set things up."
Kiba and Akeno retreated a few steps as instructed, watching curiously.
Shin didn't immediately use the three talismans. He first took out the Purity Talisman. Without activating it, he used it as a guide, stepping in a simple Bugang (a Taoist ritualistic footwork, here merely simulating its intent to mobilize sparse True Qi to resonate with the surroundings), drawing in the air with his fingers, and softly chanting fragments of the short "Heaven and Earth Purification Incantation":
"Heaven and Earth are natural, foul qi disperses…" "Profound emptiness within the cave, illuminating the Great Primal…"
As his low and rhythmic chanting and footsteps moved, an indescribable, tranquil and peaceful aura slowly spread out from him. It wasn't a powerful magical fluctuation, but more like a frequency adjustment and resonance, like a gentle breeze sweeping away impurities. The faint chill in the hallway actually began to dissipate amidst this chanting! The floating grayish-white energy threads, as if soothed, calmed down and no longer emitted negative emotions.
Behind him, Kiba Yuuto and Akeno's eyes simultaneously flashed with surprise. They could clearly feel that the scattered negative energy in the surrounding environment was being "resolved" and "purified" in a gentle and fundamental way, rather than being forcibly dispersed or neutralized by magic! They had never seen this method before.
Next, Shin walked to the crack of the classroom door, where the energy was most concentrated, and gently affixed the Soul-Soothing Talisman to the door. He didn't activate its full power, but merely used a faint wisp of True Qi to guide it, causing the talisman to emit a tranquil, soothing fluctuation, like soft moonlight, enveloping the area behind the door.
Finally, he took out a small bottle of clear water and the last Purity Talisman. He gently waved the talisman over the mouth of the bottle, and the talisman spontaneously ignited without fire (ignited by extremely faint True Qi), turning into a small pinch of white ash that fell into the clear water. The clear water instantly became incredibly transparent, as if containing a faint spiritual glow.
Shin dipped his finger into the talisman water and gently flicked it around the hallway, while silently reciting the intention of soothing souls. "Dust to dust, earth to earth, obsessions gone, return to peace…"
The talisman water, like fine rain and dew, sprinkled into the air and onto the ground. Wherever the talisman water touched, the last trace of coldness and discomfort completely vanished, replaced by a transparent cleanliness and tranquility.
Throughout the entire process, there was no dazzling light, no powerful magical burst, only a subtle peace and tranquility that permeated everything silently. Yet, the atmosphere in the hallway underwent a dramatic change. The previous oppressiveness and chill were swept away, the air became fresh and clear, as if thoroughly cleansed, and even the light seemed a few shades brighter.
"Done." Shin finished everything, exhaling softly, not even a drop of sweat on his forehead, indicating extremely minimal consumption. He turned and smiled at the somewhat stunned Kiba and Akeno. "It should be resolved. The residual thoughts and negative energy have been purified and soothed, and will no longer cause interference."
Kiba Yuuto carefully sensed it, a look of genuine admiration on his face. "Incredible… Classmate Shin, you didn't even 'disperse' them directly, but rather… 'resolved' them? The feeling is completely different, very gentle, very thorough!"
As someone with the power of a holy sword and sensitive to darkness and negative energy, his perception was the most profound.
Akeno also covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "Oh my, oh my~ What a miraculous method~ It's like a deep cleaning and aromatherapy massage for the entire space~ It feels so much more comfortable! Advisor Shin always brings surprises~"
Even Koneko, who was leaning against the wall not far away, seemingly playing her handheld game, looked up. Her amber eyes glanced at the bright and clear hallway, then at the calm-faced Shin, a hint of undetectable curiosity flashing in her eyes.
Asia, even more relieved, showed a happy smile. "That's great! Classmate Shin is amazing! It feels so comfortable here all of a sudden!"
Shin humbly shook his head. "Just some rudimentary soothing techniques, quite effective against these unconscious energy remnants. If there were true evil spirits or powerful vengeful entities, it wouldn't be so simple."
However, his effortless and unique handling of the situation left an extremely deep impression on Kiba and Akeno. They meticulously recorded it and reported it to Rias.
Rias, after hearing the report, her crimson eyes gleamed with satisfaction and contemplation. She looked at Shin, who was washing his brush, and a meaningful smile played on her lips. "Solving problems fundamentally with minimal consumption and the gentlest methods… Advisor Shin, your 'Daoist Magic' seems to have a unique advantage in handling such delicate matters."
Though this matter was small, it was like a pebble dropped into a calm lake. Soon, the news that "the new Eastern Advisor of the Occult Research Club easily resolved the old school building's ghost stories with a peculiar and gentle method" began to quietly spread within Kuoh Academy and even the town's limited supernatural circles, attracting some subtle curiosity and attention.
Shin's Daoist Magic, for the first time, quietly made its mark in the mundane affairs of this other world.
...
📢 Author's Note
The full completed version of High School DxD: The Quiet Immortal Who Guides Devils (Part 1) is now available on Patreon!
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✅ Part 1 Complete — 116 Chapters
🔥 I also have additional **18+ fanfics** available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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