I'm a thankful fox in Tokyo

Chapter 230: Sky Blue Sword Style

This set of armor is of relatively high specifications and is exquisitely made. The armor plates are connected by dark gold silk threads and the edges are decorated with gorgeous brocade patterns. However, the armor is full of scars, with dozens of large and small damages caused by swords and guns, which gives us a glimpse of the fierce fighting at that time. It is probably the armor that Arima Tadayasu wore during his lifetime.

Arima Tadayoshi himself was sitting in front of the shrine, looking up at the calligraphy hanging on the wall behind the knife rack, his brows furrowed, with a look of anxiety as if he wanted to recall something but couldn't.

"Ancestor Zhongkang is reminiscing again. It will be over in a while. Let's wait." Arima Zemune said in a low voice, taking a few stacked brown mats from the corner.

The three of them knelt down in the guest seats and waited for him to return to normal. They had different expressions. Arima Norimune lowered his head in shame, Imagawa Kashiwagi looked at Arima Tadayasu curiously, and Higashino Yu's eyes were fixed on several old calligraphy works hanging on the wall.

These calligraphy works are all written in Chinese characters and are quite primitive. They should be valuable antiques.

The font has some flavor of Wang Xizhi's running script, and the content is more like a letter.

"The letter of wind and cloud comes from the sky. When you open it and read it, it is like unveiling the clouds and mist. It also teaches you the wonderful door of meditation and insight."

After reading silently for a while, Higashino Yu discovered that they were the three famous wind signals in the history of the island country.

Fengxintie is the general name for the letters written by Master Kukai to his friend and rival Master Saicho. It is named after the four characters "Fengyun Xinshu" at the beginning. They are respectively named Fengxintie, Hupitie and Huhuitie.

Kukai and Saicho were both important figures in the history of Japanese Buddhism. Both of them went to the Tang Dynasty to study Buddhist culture, but they did not meet during the Tang Dynasty.

After returning to the island country, they often communicated with each other. Their relationship could be said to be that of friends, but also that of rivals. There was both cooperation and competition - Kukai was the founder of the Shingon sect, and Saicho was the representative of the Tendai sect. The two had different understandings of Buddhist concepts, which could be considered a dispute over the orthodox doctrine.

The two also made great achievements in calligraphy. Dongye Yu appreciated it with great interest, then shifted his gaze and found that Arima Tadayoshi had turned his head at some point.

This sword master was probably considered an outlier in the island country. He wore a simple and even old-fashioned gray-white yukata. Although he was skinny, he had a big frame. His hands were longer than his knees and he looked quite tall. It could be seen that he had been a brave man when he was young.

His gray hair was shaved into a topknot, his face was crisscrossed with several scars and wrinkles, and he looked extremely old. His thick eyebrows were raised and his eyes were sharp, as if time had left no trace in his eyes, which were as bright and clear as a samurai sword reflecting the moonlight.

This person has a clear sword heart.

He was looking at himself, while Arima Norimune and Imagawa Kashiwagi lowered their heads and dared not look at him.

Arima Tadayasu's temper and patience are not good. Arima Norimune has been scolded a lot when he was instructed by his elders recently. Imagawa Norimune is actually a little scared because the person in front of him is a ghost.

Of course, as a general who has held a high position for a long time and has experienced many battles, as well as a sword master, Arima Tadayasu's words and deeds are dignified, so it is normal that ordinary people dare not look him in the eye in front of him.

"Can you understand it?" Arima Tadayoshi asked in a deep voice.

"I have indeed read the three famous wind letters in the history of the island nation."

Dong Ye Yu nodded slightly in response and looked into the eyes of the sword saint. He had a good impression of him. As a mortal, he was physically decayed but still had such a mentality and spirit. He was indeed not an ordinary person - even though he was now dead.

Good temperament and good looks! Arima Zhongkang looked at the young man in front of him. He didn't know why, but he felt a liking for him just by looking at him, as if even his decayed body had regained some vitality.

Maybe it was an illusion. Of course, Arima Zhongkang had to admit that the demeanor and appearance of the young man in front of him were something he had never seen even when he had traveled to Luoyang for several years. It was not an exaggeration to describe him as like a banished immortal.

I just don't know if it's all show and no substance.

His mind raced, his expression quite serious, he nodded slightly at Dong Yeyu, "You are quite studious."

He then introduced himself.

"I am the head of the Arima family, Arima Zhongkang. I wonder why you are visiting me?"

When he introduced himself, he did not follow the habit of the ancient people of the island country to mention their official titles.

Higashino Yu thought about it for a moment and thought that it was probably because Daimyo Fukuchiyama betrayed him that Arima Tadayasu was isolated and helpless, and was defeated and killed?

Even though he had lived in the mortal world for hundreds of years and was in an unclear state of mind, he had never truly forgotten his hatred, and subconsciously no longer considered himself a subordinate of Daimyo Fukuchiyama.

It is said that if the ruler treats his subjects like grass, then the subjects will treat the ruler like an enemy. This is indeed true.

Dong Ye Yu sighed in his heart, and out of respect for his friend and elder, he bowed slightly: "I am the junior Shi Yu Yue Ren, Dong Ye Yu. I came to visit you this time at the invitation of Arima Jun."

Imagawa Kashiwagi imitated Higashino Yu's self-proclaimed name, and subconsciously spoke in a somewhat awkward manner: "I am a Tokyo native, Imagawa Kashiwagi, and I was invited by Arima-kun along with Higashino-kun."

"Speak politely instead of imitating those dandy scholars."

Arima Tadayoshi corrected him with a frown, then asked.

"You just said, Tokyo?"

I have only heard of Kyoto, but when did Tokyo appear? Arima Tadayasu subconsciously began to think about the current situation.

Arima Norimune saw this and quickly reminded him in a low voice: "You forgot, I told you before that this is the modern era, and it has been hundreds of years since your time."

"Hundreds of years?"

The old man looked stunned for a long time, then suddenly thought of something and raised his head.

"This trick has been used so many times, maybe it's a little new?"

Arima Zhongkang asked with a smile and scolding to someone, then when there was no response for a long while, he snorted coldly.

Looking down, Arima Zezong and the others all had strange expressions. After thinking for a while, he continued with what he had just said: "It's nothing more than a struggle for power and the collapse of rituals and music."

"Alright, you have already paid your respects to me. The Arima family is a military family, and we don't follow so many rules and regulations. Zezong, you go and entertain the guests. I have something to do."

As he was about to send the guest away, Arima Norimune quickly said, "Ancestor Tadayasu, Norimune has something to say."

"What's the matter?" Arima Tadayoshi frowned. He always felt that he had forgotten something very important and had to remember it as soon as possible. He didn't want to be disturbed.

Arima Norimune stared at the floor for a while.

Arima Tadayoshi saw him like this and did not urge him. He just looked at him for a few times and shook his head with a sigh. A swordsman should never doubt the sword in his hand. Ze Zong would probably not achieve anything in his life.

The dull and dark Japanese-style room without even a window was filled with the only light from the windows of the second-floor corridor coming through a paper-pasted shoji door. The air was filled with the pungent smell of mothballs. Arima Norimune let out a breath, and it seemed as if he was also spitting out his persistence as a swordsman.

Although I had thought about it beforehand, it was still difficult to admit my incompetence in the end.

"It's about swordsmanship," he said.

"Haven't you always wanted to find a successor? Ze Zong doesn't have enough talent to inherit your divine swordsmanship, so I've found a suitable successor for you."

At this point, Arima Norimune looked at Higashino Yu, patted his shoulder and said with a smile: "It's this Higashino-kun." "He is not only physically gifted, but also smart. He is also a leader in Tachibana High School, where the elites of the entire island country gather. He will definitely be a dragon and phoenix among men in the future."

"Oh?"

When Arima Tadayasu heard Arima Norimune's praise for Higashino Yu, he felt suspicious. After all, they were friends, and it was normal for them to have high opinions of each other.

He observed Dong Yeyu for a moment, and first asked: "Dong Yejun, do you want to learn my Sky Blue Sword Style?"

Dong Yeyu nodded seriously: "Yes, senior."

"The Sky Blue Ittoryu is not easy to learn." Arima Tadayuchi said with some meaning.

In ancient times, any skill was not easy to learn. To be a cook, one had to wash rice and cut vegetables for several years, let alone swordsmanship, a precious martial arts killing technique.

"Junior is willing to accept the test." Dong Ye Yu replied in a deep voice.

Arima Tadayasu nodded, reached out to take the broken samurai sword from the sword rack, pulled out a piece and took a look. The blade had been oiled and still had the cold light of a famous sword that had been forged thousands of times, but the blade was full of gaps and curled edges, so it could only be considered a broken sword.

Arima Tadayoshi seemed not to notice it, nodded slightly, and asked, "Higashino-kun, do you have a sword with you?"

Do you want to try my sword skills?

Higashino Yu then took out the Sumime Ichimonji Nagamitsu from his sword bag. As if sensing the breath of a ghost, the whole sword began to make a slight buzzing sound.

Upon seeing this, Dong Ye Yu used his magic power to suppress the sword spirit and sealed it temporarily, turning it into an ordinary sword to prevent it from being accidentally cut by someone.

Arima Tadayasu took a look and exclaimed, "The sword that slays demons?"

Dong Yeyu stroked the exquisite blade of the sword in his hand and said with emotion: "Chengming Ichimonji Nagamitsu has helped me kill dozens of demons."

"It's a good sword. Whose demon hunter's son are you? Are you learning swordsmanship for the sake of slaying demons and monsters for the people of the world?" Arima Tadayasu asked again.

"I can say that I am a disciple of Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun. But whether it is cultivation, martial arts training, or slaying demons, it is not for the people of the world. Most of the time, it is just for myself and the people I cherish."

"it is good."

Arima Tadayasu didn't know who Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun was, but he was quite impressed by Dongye Yu's ability to face his own heart.

What's more, being able to have the perseverance and determination to endure the boredom of cultivation, and the courage and determination to face the bloodthirsty and man-eating demons, can indeed be considered a hero.

Maybe he can really pass on his sword skills.

Arima Tadayasu thought that even if this dream was just a deliberate design by that person to trick him into learning swordsmanship, he still wanted to see how far the boy in the dream could go.

As a sword master, he is not afraid of others deconstructing his swordsmanship.

With a clang, he casually pulled out the Bizen Osafune Kunimori who had followed him to kill the enemy on the battlefield, and assumed the lower part of the style that was more defensive: "Sky Blue Ittoryu, Arima Tadayasu."

Higashino Yu's sword skills are extremely messy, and he has not yet mastered any of the schools, so he is too embarrassed to reveal what he has learned. He holds the scabbard in one hand and the hilt in the other, making the posture of Katori Shinto-ryu Iai.

Seeing this, Arima Norimune and Imagawa Kashiwagi hurriedly took their cushions and sat in the corner of the room to watch the fight.

In the center of the Japanese-style room, the two men confronted each other for a moment, and Higashino Yu's brows were already frowning.

When spells are disabled, no superhuman powers are used, and the duel is purely swordplay, the pressure of facing a sword master can be said to be comparable to dreaming of the college entrance examination after graduating from college but can only stare at the math paper in a daze.

No matter how he attacked, the opponent seemed to have flaws, but Dongye Yu had a sense of alertness in his heart. If he attacked like this, he would definitely lose.

As soon as Dongye Yu hesitated, the combination of mind, sword, body and qi of Iai was briefly stagnant, and the accumulated momentum was also cut off.

Arima Tadayoshi seized the opportunity skillfully, and with a deep shout, he approached Higashino Yu like a flash, and slashed out two Tangzhu cuts at a speed that was difficult to capture with the naked eye, and the blade cut down without deviation.

The originally peaceful Japanese-style room suddenly became solemn and murderous. Arima Norimune and Imagawa Kashiwagi both looked pale, and their swords were as strong as a gale.

Dongye Yu was quick-witted and quick-handed. He simply gave up on Iai and swung his sword close to Arima Tadayasu's blade, directing the force diagonally to neutralize the attack.

Just as he was about to take advantage of the opponent's move to launch an old pursuit, a strong wind brushed past Higashino Yu's neck. Looking back, Arima Tadayoshi had already sheathed his sword.

After only three moves, Dong Ye Yu was defeated.

Hey, this is no longer the mundane realm, how can a mortal being send out sword energy?

Dong Ye Yu complained in his heart, but thinking back to what happened just now, he didn't seem to feel any essence, blood or anything like that - ghosts don't have these things.

Realizing that the man in front of him really used swordsmanship to slash out sword energy, he stood up straight and said with conviction: "I lost."

Arima Tadayasu casually put Bizen Osafune Kunimori back on the knife rack and said, "I heard that you demon hunters have a unique sense of danger?"

"Yes, we cultivators have refined our Qi and transformed it into spirits. Our spiritual awareness is sharp, and our Yin spirits have begun to escape from the ignorance of the world. We can sense the unknown dangers in our hearts."

Arima Tadayoshi nodded thoughtfully and reminded: "Don't rely on it too much. A swordsman must have the momentum to move forward. Sometimes he will lose the initiative because of being timid."

Is there such a saying? Dong Yeyu pondered for a moment and asked, "What would have happened if I had decisively used Iai just now?"

Arima Tadayasu grinned, "Then you'll be defeated in one move."

This smile has a bit of Ma Zezong's wretched feeling. Love is inherited from ancestors, right?
Dong Yeyu thought he was teasing her, so she pursed her lips and said nothing.

Arima Tadayoshi pounded his back and sat cross-legged, saying seriously, "When you feel that your rational judgment is wrong and you have to rely on your innate ability to sense danger, you are not far from failure. At this time, what you should do is not to draw your sword to meet the enemy, but to run away."

Is this something a swordsman who fights to the death can say? Dong Yeyu was a little surprised: "Don't they say that swordsmen should move forward courageously?"

"But it doesn't mean you have to die foolishly. Running away bravely is also possible." Arima Tadayasu laughed.

The two people who were watching the fight were still immersed in the flash of swords and sabers. When they heard the old man's laughter, they came to their senses and quickly dragged their mats to sit down in the same place.

"Ancestor Zhongkang, what do you think of Dongye Jun?"

Arima Norimune didn't think that Higashino Yu was weak. It was already amazing that he could take three moves from the Sword Saint. He couldn't even take one move.

Arima Tadayasu smiled but said nothing when he heard this. He opened his hands towards Dong Yeyu and said, "Give me some money."

(End of this chapter)