Hunter: I became stronger even after I died.

Chapter 212 The Ability to Communicate with the Dead
Whether it's an Onmyoji or a Spirit Summoner...

It seems that they can all be associated with exorcists.

Ultimately, these defined professions are all based on the "Nen" system.

However, the old man in front of me seems to know a lot about Onmyoji.

That's why there's a reaction that "even an Onmyoji can't do this."

Indeed—

Even native Nen exorcists of Ryuo have to follow the Nen ability mechanism. When removing something that manifests after death, it shouldn't be that easy, not to mention the difficulty and risk.

Moro did not respond or explain in response to the old man's surprise and doubt.

Although I didn't get a weapon I liked better, I did absorb a lot of death energy.

It not only filled the second growth ring, but also brought about 12% of the energy to the third growth ring.

Judging from the energy efficiency, his previous speculation was correct: the higher the number of growth rings, the higher the energy requirement for energy charging.

Moro shook the scabbard in his hand, which emanated a gentle Nen aura, and said to the old man with a surprised and uncertain expression, "I'll take this with me."

He paused, then added, "As compensation, I can pay you a sum that will satisfy you."

The old man remained silent for a moment, the shock in his eyes gradually subsiding, replaced by a complex scrutiny.

“We practice asceticism here, severing desires and purifying our bodies. We do not need money or other material possessions.”

"Yeah……"

A hint of surprise flashed in Moro's eyes.

Abstinence, purification...

This concept is somewhat similar to that of Shingenryu, but it is even more extreme.

While the Xinyuanliu school emphasizes the cultivation of mind and character, it does not advocate completely severing desires.

After all, for Nen users, forcibly suppressing their desires is tantamount to self-torture.

The existence of Nen itself amplifies the personality, thoughts, and behaviors of those with abilities.

That's why there are so many corrupt Nen users in the world.

They wielded power, yet indulged their desires, ultimately succumbing to wanton plunder and destruction.

Therefore, Moro didn't really understand the old man's philosophy of practice. It felt to him like the old man had borrowed from the Shingen-ryu school of thought, but he hadn't grasped the essence of Shingen-ryu.

But then he thought, just as the soldiers of the Kingdom of Kakin could maintain their loyalty under the influence of thought, perhaps this old man in front of him could also be influenced by thought and become more steadfast in this path of spiritual practice of purity and detachment.

I don't understand, but I respect it.

Moro asked again, "Can I really just take it away like this without paying any price?"

"From the moment you drew the knife, it belonged to you."

The old man's slightly complicated gaze slowly fell on the scabbard in Moro's hand.

He wasn't fixated on the answer to how Moro could have done that, but it suddenly occurred to him...

As the knife in the prison cell was reduced to ashes in Moro's hands, his "duty" of guarding this place was also relinquished.

"Then I won't be polite."

Seeing the old man say this, Moro felt at ease sheathing his sword, then bid farewell to the old man and turned to leave.

The old man calmly watched Moro and the others leave.

Moro and his party descended along the blue stone path, passing through the dilapidated torii gate.

Menchi turned to look at the faint outline of the shrine at the end of the approach, then looked at the scabbard in Moro's hand, feeling somewhat annoyed.

She searched for so long in the Kingdom of Ryuo, and finally found a weapon that met Moro's requirements...

Unexpectedly, such a large knife disappeared with a snap under Moro's unreasonable Nen-expelling ability.

"So that dagger was something left behind after death. No wonder it had such a strong aura of death."

Menqi sighed deeply.

However, compared to the true form of the short sword, this was the first time she had witnessed Moro's exorcism ability, which possessed a power beyond her comprehension.

Moro laughed and said, "Aren't you disappointed?"

"Yes, a little."

Menchi frankly admitted it, then sighed.

But then she remembered the boning knife Morrow had given her before she left, and her mood brightened instantly. "But with the boning knife you gave me, it's not such a bad deal after all~~"

Seeing Menchi's expression brighten instantly, Moro couldn't help but chuckle: "You really do have a special fondness for the Seven Chefs' Knife. You could go to the Yorknew auction this September; you might find something you like."

"Will do."

Menqi answered decisively.

Ever since she learned that Moron's Red Jade Bird Knife was auctioned at Youkexin, she had already circled September on her calendar.

Moro looked at Menchi and asked, "What are your plans after this?"

"Of course, I'll continue to help you find weapons."

Menqi clenched her fist and said earnestly, "No matter what, I must get the bird knife back!"

For her, the functionality of the poultry knife was far superior to that of the boning knife.

If she had to choose one from them, she would choose the bird knife without hesitation.

This knife can meet her food preparation needs most of the time.

of course.

More importantly, she didn't want to see the Red Jade Bird Knife used as a murder weapon.

Moro nodded and said, "Then keep up the good work."

After absorbing the death thought, he considered giving the bird knife directly to Menqi.

But seeing how motivated Menchi is now, let's wait and see.

To be honest, the Kingdom of Ryuo does indeed have unique expertise in the forging of cold weapons.

So he was quite looking forward to seeing what kind of weapon Menchi could find for him.

If he could accept a long sword like "Senra," then Menchi could probably find him a lot of affordable alternatives.

Unfortunately, he couldn't wield a long sword; a short sword, similar to a dagger, would have been easier for him to handle.

The group left the vast bamboo forest without lingering.

--------

Several days later, two figures appeared deep within the bamboo forest.

The rustling of bamboo leaves around them startled several birds into flight.

The two figures walked along the winding path and finally stopped in front of the dilapidated torii gate.

The man on the left is wearing a red and white striped hunting robe and a tall, upright eboshi hat.

His face was covered in pale makeup, but his lips were painted with scarlet, which was the attire of a legitimate Onmyoji from the Ryuo Kingdom.

The person on the right was in stark contrast, dressed in a tight black outfit that accentuated his slender and tall figure, with a samurai sword hanging at his waist; he could barely be identified as a ninja.

What is most striking is half of his face, with a hideous burn scar extending from his forehead to his jaw, exuding an eerie aura in the dappled light of the bamboo shadows.

"The intention has vanished..."

The Onmyoji raised his eyes and looked towards the end of the path, his voice low and hoarse, with an unnatural buzzing sound.

Upon hearing this, the ninja beside him frowned and asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean?"

"..."

The Onmyoji didn't explain, but instead stepped onto the blue stone path, passed through the torii gate, and headed straight for the shrine ahead. The ninja's eyes were cold, and his right hand unconsciously reached for the hilt of the samurai sword called "Senra" at his waist. He then followed the Onmyoji without saying a word.

The two soon arrived at the end of the approach and saw the dilapidated shrine.

The shrine's doors were left open, and on the altar inside, only a pair of three-fingered bronze hands remained.

The ninja's expression changed upon seeing this.

That demonic sword from the prison...

gone!
Compared to the ninja's drastic change in expression, the other Onmyoji remained calm, carefully observing the altar but failing to detect any trace of the aura that had been missed.

this means--

They weren't just taken away from prison; they were completely eradicated.

Moreover, that person's abilities were quite formidable; after the purification, not even a trace of embers remained.

Otherwise, with his psychic abilities, he might have been able to follow the trail and extract a portion of the "power" contained within the resentment.

Thinking of this, the Onmyoji slowly turned his gaze to the outdated dojo building next to him.

Under his gaze, the wooden door of the dojo creaked open, and an old man with a wooden sword hanging from his waist walked out.

"Frosty Moon, it's been a long time."

Upon seeing the old man, the Onmyoji slowly began to speak.

The old man, called Shimotsuki, showed a hint of surprise when he saw the Onmyoji. He then glanced at the ninja next to the Onmyoji, and his pale eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Cang Ye, I never expected... you would get involved with the people of the Hidden Deer Clan."

"I was just doing it for someone else."

Cang Ye seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in the old man's words, or perhaps he simply didn't care, his expression remaining completely unchanged.

At this moment, the burn ninja from the Shikagakure school impatiently interrupted their pleasantries and asked directly, "Where did the 'Prison Chamber' enshrined in the shrine go?"

The old man of Frostmoon remained calm and said indifferently, "It has returned to where it belonged."

Upon hearing this, the ninja frowned deeply, while Cangye seemed thoughtful and asked curiously, "Who could purify the 'Prison' so thoroughly, leaving not even a trace of embers...?"

"A stranger."

Shuangyue did not hide anything and told the truth.

Immediately, a rare look of surprise appeared on Cang Ye's face. Before asking the question, he had thought of several senior Yin-Yang Masters and Spirit Masters who were on their deathbeds, but he never expected that it was done by an outsider.

Upon hearing Shimotsuki's words, the Shikagakure ninja was initially incredulous, then revealed an angry expression.

"You actually allowed an outsider to enter the prison?"

"..."

The old man ignored the Shikagakure ninja's questioning.

The evil thoughts contained within the prison are bound here, and anyone who can accept the risk of death has the right to touch them.

He ignored the ninja's reaction and looked at the Onmyoji with a probing gaze.

"Cang Ye, you came for 'The Prison'? Could it be... that you have already mastered the ability to 'communicate with the dead'?"

"Ah."

Cangye chuckled lightly, not intending to answer Shuangyue's question.

After confirming that the "prison" had been cleansed by a stranger, he simply swung his long sleeves and turned to leave.

Frosty Moon gazed intently at Azure Night's retreating figure.

Although he didn't get a clear answer, Cangye's reaction was practically tantamount to admitting it.

Having mastered the ability to summon the dead, he became entangled with the Shikagakure ninjas who sought to recreate their power using the relics of the dead…

Shuangyue shook her head slightly. This matter was none of her business, so she had no intention of investigating it further.

The Shikagakure ninja gave Shimotsuki a cold look, then quickly followed Souya, who had already walked some distance away.

The two followed the path they had taken and returned to the torii gate.

"Although the 'prison cell' has been cleansed by an outsider..."

Cangye stopped, turned back to look at the Shikagakure ninja, and said calmly, "But my promise still stands."

"it is good."

The Shikagakure ninja said in a deep voice, "Without the prison, I will find the Myriad Manifestations Blade that is attached to 'Mind' as soon as possible. I hope you can keep your promise and reserve one opportunity to summon the dead for this purpose."

"Yes, I will. I mean what I say."

Cang Ye glanced subtly at the Senluo Famous Sword at Lu Yinliu's waist.

All things in the universe.

If this legendary sword could possess the thoughts and intentions left behind by the person who wielded it in life...

Then he could use his psychic abilities to extract the power of the dead contained within his thoughts and directly fulfill his promise to the Shikagakure ninja.

Unfortunately not.

And this trip, which was supposed to be for the prison, turned out to be a wasted trip.

It is unknown how long it will take for Shikagakuryu to find another famous sword, Myriad Forms.

Until then, he could only preserve his psychic powers as much as possible to keep this promise.

Promises are such things—

It's no different from "binding".

Cangye thought to himself silently.

----------

After leaving the bamboo forest, Moro and his group did not leave the Kingdom of Ryuo immediately.

Instead, under Menchi's guidance, they explored the local food culture of the Ryuo Kingdom.

A few days down.

The most excited person was Kalto, who had the curiosity of a newborn about everything in the Land of Ryuo.

In contrast, Kurapika maintained proper restraint.

This orphan of the Kuruta tribe was initially filled with curiosity about the outside world, and thus earned the opportunity to travel through his own abilities.

However, the Phantom Troupe's actions ruthlessly shattered the boy's curiosity and yearning for the wider world, leaving him only with an unyielding hatred.

If that incident hadn't happened, Kurapika would probably have reacted the same way as Kalpaku.

Moro was able to sense this, but he didn't presumptuously try to "enlighten" Kurapika.

in fact--

Before resolving the Death Node, he was no different from Kurapika now.

As someone who has been through it, he believes that bearing mental pressure is not necessarily a bad thing.

Moro walked down the street, his gaze shifting from Kurapika's face, and raised the dumpling in his hand, taking a bite out of it.

In the past few days, without the pressure from the death node, he has been able to enjoy the feeling of "freedom" for once.

The problem is that the Phantom Troupe is still a threat...

Only by completely eliminating the Phantom Troupe can he freely experience the beautiful scenery unique to this world.

"The energy of the second ring is already full. It's a phenomenon of 'death and rebirth,' and there's simply no room for trial and error..."

Moro swallowed the pill, wondering if he should be more proactive and daring in hunting the Phantom Troupe now that his annual energy was full.

(End of this chapter)