Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1518 1490. Temple
The development of martial arts in this world seems to have resulted in these techniques having incredible control over physical strength.

[Zanxin] can quickly stimulate one's own life energy, allowing the physical strength that has not been completely consumed to quickly recover. In this process, the fluctuation of life energy can also suppress the power of the underworld and break [Changshi].

There are also many other techniques that can weaken and attack the physical strength of others and monsters.

Ah Xiu's dual sword technique [Wind God] seems to be very good at this technique.

The turning kick after the slash may seem ordinary, but it can make the enemy lose a lot of their physical strength out of thin air, or even make them completely exhausted!

The bandit who staggered backward, couldn't even stand steadily, and finally fell on the stone steps because his legs were too weak and he couldn't get up is an example.

The twin swords showed no mercy to the enemy lying on the ground unable to resist.

Just like how Ah Xiu executed the hungry ghosts before, he held the two blades upside down and stabbed them into the body, and when pulling them out, he held the handles and turned them half a circle.

The two people and the cat rushed directly to the vermilion and green-tiled Torii gate without any pause, and then rushed upwards.

The closer you get to the shrine in the deepest part of the village, the closer you get to the mountain wall that supports Jusanzakura Village.

The upward stone steps are built between the mountain walls on both sides.

Just as Lan En took a step up a dozen steps, he tilted his head slightly to the left.

The next moment, it was as if responding to his action.

"Whoa whoa!"

A hungry ghost, screaming wildly, suddenly climbed up from the sunken platforms on the mountain walls on both sides of the stone steps without any warning, then opened its mouth and pounced down!
These little ghosts from the hungry ghost realm of the underworld become as active as crazy when they have something to eat.

If they have nothing to eat, they will lie on the ground like dead things, and the negative energy on their bodies can also be used as a good cover-up.

It’s a pity that the demon hunter’s senses are not at the same level as ordinary people.

"Meow?!"

The fluff ball didn't have as sensitive a perception as Lan En, and it was actually startled by the hungry ghost that suddenly pounced on it.

The other person's wide-open arms and impatient mouth clearly showed that he was coming for Lan En.

The kitten was positioned on Lan's shoulder, facing the hungry ghost.

So when the hungry ghost who had just pretended to be dead pounced down, the kitten's first subconscious reaction was to quickly hold down his kitten helmet, hold his head and crouch down to defend, ready to withstand the impact.

But even though Fluffball, a follower cat and apprentice cat, didn't notice it, Lan En would definitely notice it.

His arms shot up.

The kitten that was crouching on his shoulder with its head in its hands was suddenly knocked away.

"Meow?"

The kitten was still a little confused, but Lan En raised his hand and grabbed the hungry ghost's deformed and thin arm in mid-air.

"Pong!"

As the footsteps continued, there was a muffled sound!
Lan En grabbed the hungry ghost's hand and threw it like a sack, directly onto the stone steps in front of him!
The hungry ghost's scream for food was drowned out by the dull thud of impact and the crisp sound of cracking stone steps.

The originally ancient but complete stone steps suddenly had a dent with a spider-web-like crack after being hit.

And from beginning to end, Lan En had no intention of stopping.

After the fall, his next landing point happened to be the hungry ghost's deformed and swollen head!

The heavy and solid body and armor, as well as his own muscle strength, allowed Lan En to take the next step.

It's like a heavy artillery!
There was a loud bang! The entire stone staircase could feel the force of the vibration, and the ancient bluestone steps were shaken loose at the joints.

All around, the soil in the cracks where weeds and moss had taken root was shaken out.

And that hungry ghost?
It wasn't just its deformed and enlarged head that was stepped on by Lan En.

In fact, Lan's soles directly covered its upper body!
Amid the sound of bones breaking and flesh bursting, a large amount of golden light mist was squeezed out from the soles of Lan En's boots.

And also after taking this step, everything in Lan En's vision suddenly turned gray and white.

Another piece of [constant darkness]!
But even so, this [Chang An] couldn't even slow down Lan En's pace.

In mid-air, the fluff ball that was shaken backwards stretched out its body, with its four little paws facing outward, nestling in A Xiu's open arms behind Lan En.

Like holding a child.

Both Velvet Ball and A-Xiu were stunned for a moment. The kitten looked up at the demon hunter and meowed softly with a bit of embarrassment.

Ah Xiu's blue eyes lit up.

"Eh?"

She made a sound of doubt.

Although she is mute, Ah Xiu can undoubtedly make sounds. After all, the [Sword Qi] she had before is essentially the combination of exhaling and making sounds.

But considering the urgency of the current advance, she suppressed the urge to rub the ball of fluff.

He followed Lan En and rushed upward without stopping.

Because of her stride, Ah Xiu lagged behind a little, but soon, she also stepped into the [Eternal Darkness] with the flannel ball in her arms.

The pair of small, crystal-clear golden ghost horns also reappeared on her forehead.

They are not normal people, they just rush forward like the wind.

In just a few breaths, the gate of the courtyard surrounding the sacred cherry tree at the end of the stone steps was right in front of them, and it was closed.

But on the side of this stone staircase, the village chief's residence and the priest's temple had its door open in tatters.

In the [Eternal Darkness] which was quieter, darker and more monotonous than the normal world, a roar of monsters was coming from this portal. There was also some warm light that seemed abnormal and abrupt in the normal darkness.

Lan En rushed forward without any thought of slowing down. He pushed his shoulder armor forward and aimed it at the pillars at the door.

In the silent darkness, there was a sudden loud 'boom'!
The wooden door of the village chief's house was blown away like a piece of paper in the face of Smaug's strength and Lan's power!

But because of this, Lan En was able to complete the turn without losing speed and face the depths of the village chief's house and the temple!

Compared with the ordinary houses in Jusanzakura Village, the houses here are visibly neater and more luxurious.

But there is nothing to blame. After all, this is not only the village chief’s residence, but also a Shinto religious site that has been worshipped by the villagers for generations.

Not to mention that in this world, religion is indeed obviously useful and is a practical product.

At this time, on the ground in front of the house, a man wearing a tall Shinto priest's hat had fallen backwards.

Two hungry ghosts surrounded his body and emptied his stomach, at the deepest part of the house.

The warm light that was abrupt and conspicuous in the darkness came from here.

There was a small shrine about one meter tall, and the village chief, whom Lan En knew, was holding a gobi (a ritual implement made of paper pendants tied to a wooden stick) and chanting Shinto blessings loudly.

The feet and body also dance rhythmically.

The fundamental theory of Shintoism is animism, and the village chief's blessing was obviously passed down from his family of priests, and was specifically for the sacred cherry tree in the backyard.

This will be able to effectively draw in the divine power of the Sakura Sacred Tree.

The steps he takes are part of the Shinto ritual, the so-called Kagura.

Through the coordination of shrines and rituals, he was able to support such a small circular area of ​​warm light in the constant darkness.

Several of his family members, probably grandchildren, huddled around the shrine.

There was a big hole in the roof of the house. Something jumped from a high place onto their roof and broke through the roof and came in.

And that thing is now outside the warm light circle, baring its teeth and jumping up and down towards the inside.

It was an extremely violent ape ghost.

Its size was similar to the one Lan En had seen before, but through his [spiritual vision], Lan En could see an even stronger demonic aura on it.

The illusory flowers of the other shore bloomed luxuriantly at its feet, and then quickly withered.

It is the core of this ever-darkness!

At this moment, it was holding a spear that it had gotten from somewhere, and was swinging it wildly towards the warm light circle.

Every time it hit, the aperture would vibrate noticeably.

But even if it doesn't crash, the brightness of the aperture is slowly decreasing.

The village chief's heavy priest uniform was soaked through, and he was so exhausted that he turned pale and lost consciousness.

But he still had no choice but to persist in performing [Kagura] and the blessing.

This warm light circle draws the power of the sacred cherry tree, but it is always dark here after all. Even a well-trained warrior may die of exhaustion in this environment that is similar to the underworld.

What's more, there was a very dark ape ghost in front of him, drooling and staring at him and his grandson hungrily?

Can an old priest like him stop it?
Yi Lan's analysis of the change in brightness of the warm aperture at the moment it comes into view.

Even if the village chief didn't die of exhaustion while dancing the Kagura and chanting the prayer, another fifteen minutes of this aperture would definitely be the limit.

Does this mean that the sacred cherry tree is also under attack and is about to be destroyed?

There was no time to think about it. The huge noise of Lan En blowing up the door frame instantly attracted the attention of everyone in the yard, including the ape ghost.

The ape ghost, who had been drooling at the light circle for a long time, turned around and saw such a big living person outside. He subconsciously grinned and made a somewhat happy monkey cry.

But the next moment.
"bass!"

The ape ghost's face was frozen, and a tall figure with a violent momentum was almost standing in front of it!
After this sharp sound of the air being pulled, the sound of the wooden floor of the house being crushed was followed by a 'crack'.

The ape ghost was hunched over due to knocking on the aperture, and was now a head shorter than Lan En who was of the same size.

And now, it just looked up blankly at the terrifying guy who suddenly appeared in front of it!
The man was still far away in the last second, and the horror appeared right in front of him in the next second, scaring the ape ghost so much that his happiness disappeared without a trace in an instant!

It even let out a sharp monkey scream and tried to jump back to create some distance.

But even if it didn't get this close, it wouldn't be able to escape from Lan En.

What’s more, they are already face to face now?
"Click."

The scabbard leaf spring opens crisply.

Immediately, two sounds of pulling the air into rapid white lines were heard!

"呲呲!"

[Water-Shaped Sword·Cross Slash]!
Different from the [Cross Slash] performed with two swords in Ah Xiu's hands, this is a technique that can be done with just one sword!
Two straight, perfect, thin and sharp lines intersect each other.

A golden horn cut across the ape-demon's head.

The crystal ghost horn was cut apart cleanly.

The second knife cuts vertically!

Along with the long spear that had been assimilated by the evil spirit for a long time, it evenly cut the ape ghost into two pieces.

(End of this chapter)