Swallow Return

The dilapidated temple was empty and covered in dust. A lantern hung from the central pillar, and a mat was laid out in the dim light, on which a woman knelt.

The woman was beautiful, tall and lithe, with long hair that reached past her shoulders. She wore a tight-fitting purple nightsuit, and her chest, abdomen and arms were wrapped in soft armor that did not hinder her movement. A short knife was worn on her waist and back.

Judging from her posture, she should be a skilled female samurai or ninja.

In a world where supernatural powers exist, it would be unsurprising that women would find it easier to overcome their natural physical disadvantages.

—That's what Liu Yun thought in her heart, and she wasn't surprised.

Although it was indeed my first time seeing it, it was quite a novel experience.

Upon closer inspection, the woman, alone in the rainy night, appeared calm, composed, and confident, with a spirited air about her, clearly not a delicate, ordinary woman.

However, her feminine characteristics were much more prominent than those of ordinary women.

The large areas were impressive and well-proportioned, tight and rounded, yet still seemed ready to burst forth even when wrapped in close-fitting armor.

In its small parts, it is slender and straight, without any excess or embellishment, and stands out exceptionally tall when upright.

This stark contrast forms a magnificent curve, a biological anomaly, a gift from the Creator.

It makes it impossible for men to take their eyes off it.

Previously, Lady Iori had also amazed Ryuun the moment she emerged from her bath.

However, that was under specific circumstances.

Most of the time, Lady Iori's temperament is admirable and approachable, so that she doesn't harbor too many ill intentions.

But the woman I met today was completely different.

She sat there motionless, showing no intention of actively seducing anyone, yet she exuded an aura that made people want to commit crimes.

My mind is wandering, and I'm having all sorts of wild thoughts!

After the group drove their carriage into the dilapidated temple, the monster from Qingtianfang glanced at them, then blushed and turned away, shrinking back. The five peasant soldiers instinctively covered their heads and squatted down, not daring to look up.

Only Liu Yun, having experienced the information bombardment of the internet age and seen too much chaos, had long since developed immunity. He snapped back to his senses in an instant and greeted the woman seriously: "Walking in the rain at night, I can only trouble you."

Under the dim light, the woman smiled and replied, "This dilapidated temple doesn't belong to anyone, so how can it be said that anyone is disturbing anyone?"

Her voice is gentle and sweet, with a slightly deep and magnetic quality; to use a word from a past life, it's the voice of a mature, sophisticated woman.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun nodded: "Indeed, it makes me seem too formal."

Then he found a slightly cleaner spot on the ground and sat down to rest against the wall.

The woman's face showed a hint of surprise. Her gaze lingered on Liu Yun for a moment before she suddenly said, "It seems that Sasaki Liu Yun is gentle and refined, a man who can be reasoned with."

This seemingly uninvited guest suddenly called out Liu Yun's name.

Qingtianfang and the five peasant soldiers immediately tensed up, each grabbing their weapons in a flurry, staring at the woman as if facing a formidable enemy. They could no longer care about her alluring appearance and figure, knowing only that she was up to no good.

Liu Yun wasn't surprised.

He simply shook his head and sighed softly, feeling regretful.

As expected, the ideal scenario of encountering a beautiful woman in a dilapidated temple on a rainy night in the middle of nowhere and starting a romantic encounter is simply not possible.

They came specifically targeting me.

Most likely, it's the same group of the tengu from earlier that day.

Liu Yun was always vigilant and quick-witted, rarely taking chances. The moment he saw the woman, he felt there was something seriously wrong.

Nevertheless, it was still a bit disappointing to find out that there really was a problem.

Just like when you buy a lottery ticket and know that the odds of winning are extremely small, you still feel a sense of loss when you scratch off the "Thank you for your patronage" message.

but--

Although the other party was an enemy and not a friend, they did not attack immediately, and even said that "Sasaki Ryuun is a reasonable man".

It's quite interesting; let's not rush into action, but communicate first.

The main interesting thing is that it was said by a stunningly beautiful woman.

If he were a rough and tough guy, he would have already grabbed a knife and attacked. Who would bother to waste time talking to you?

So, facing this woman who called out his name, Liu Yun replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: "If you are also a reasonable woman, you should state your name first."

“Not bad.” The woman nodded readily and smiled. “I am the leader of the first group of the ‘Taimanin’. You can call me—Igawa Asagi.”

Upon hearing this, the peasant soldiers couldn't help but cry out in surprise, and Qing Tianfang was eager to step forward and challenge them to a fight.

But Liu Yun stopped him with a wave of his hand.

Seeing this, Igawa Asahi smiled warmly and gently tucked a few stray hairs behind her shoulder. She said gently, "It seems that what I said is true. Sasaki Ryuun is a reasonable man and won't resort to violence as soon as we meet. To be honest, although I am a woman with a knife, I don't like to see unnecessary bloodshed. It would be better to resolve the issue with words."

Liu Yun nodded and said, "I can tell at a glance that you are very good at reasoning with men."

"Is that so?" Ikawa Asagi pondered, "I don't think I'm very good with words. Every time I try to reason with a man, I usually end up having to resort to swords."

Liu Yun chuckled, "That's not right. With your looks, you should be able to convince men of whatever you say."

Hearing this sarcastic remark, Igawa Asagi frowned, but was not angry. She just looked helpless and shook her head with a bitter smile, saying, "In any case, even if we have to fight in the end, I still have something to say."

Liu Yun's expression darkened slightly, and he sighed, "Everyone has their own stance; what's the point of saying more?"

Igawa Asahi immediately replied, "What if the reason we, the 'Anti-Demon Ninja,' attacked the Oda clan was not because of our stance, but because of something else? We, the 'Anti-Demon Ninja,' got our name because we were enemies of Oda Nobunaga, that warmongering, bloodthirsty demon king."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun sneered, "Which powerful family isn't warlike and murderous? Only he is a demon king?"

Igawa Asagi's expression immediately turned serious: "Oda Nobunaga is called the Demon King because he colludes with the demons that were sealed away by the holy monk Jianzhen, intending to destroy temples and shrines, overthrow Buddhism, break the seal, and release the demons. If he succeeds, the people of the world will be plunged into misery."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun, though unable to discern the truth from falsehood, instinctively found it utterly absurd and smiled without replying.

Seeing this, Igawa Asahi continued, "These words may sound absurd, but they are facts that I have witnessed with my own eyes, and I have evidence to back them up. If you are willing to go to Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, you will definitely understand."

Liu Yun didn't take it seriously: "In the end, it's nothing more than luring someone into a trap."

Ikawa Asagi looked puzzled: "Why are you so wary? Isn't the reputation of Buddhism more trustworthy than that of any martial arts family? This should be a fact recognized by all the people in the world."

“I see…” Liu Yun nodded in realization, then couldn’t help but laugh: “I probably don’t include the people of the world.”

Igawa Asahi was silent for a moment, then said, “I understand what you mean. It is undeniable that in the various countries of Japan, many monks have become corrupt and degenerate, forgetting the teachings of the holy monk Jianzhen. But Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei is not among them. My fiancé was a member of the temple before he was killed by Oda's army, so I personally witnessed Enryaku-ji Temple's actions to exorcise demons and protect the righteous path.”

The term "Dōshū" refers to samurai who serve temples and shrines in their secular capacity.

Liu Yun had once been a monk; he understood this basic fact.

No wonder this Jinghe Asagi looks at least twenty years old, yet she doesn't look like a woman at all; instead, she looks like a virgin.

It seems that she has been at odds with Oda ever since her fiancé died, and has no time to think about personal matters.

Hearing this explanation, Liu Yun found it even more amusing, stroking her chin and sighing, "Don't believe everything your fiancé says! Many women are clearly smart, yet they're easily fooled by their men. Whether it's hiding money or fooling around with friends..."

"I thought Sasaki Ryuun was a reasonable person, but it seems he won't believe what I said." Igawa Asahi shook her head, her face showing regret and disappointment.

Liu Yun jokingly said, "One-sided statements should neither be readily believed nor readily doubted. Let me investigate carefully, and perhaps one day I will come to agree with your statement."

"Really?" Igawa Asahi exclaimed in surprise, "As expected, you can still be reasonable. I know it's unreasonable to ask you to immediately become an enemy of the Oda clan. But I only have one request—could you please return the head of the anti-demon ninja colleague you killed this afternoon? He was no longer human, and his death was deserved. However, if his head falls into the hands of the Oda clan, it might hinder our great cause of eliminating demons and protecting the righteous."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun's expression gradually turned cold.

Igawa Asagi looked doubtful.

Liu Yun lowered his head and stroked the scabbard in his hand, coldly saying, "If my martial arts were not good enough, I would already be a corpse by now. You kill people during the day and try to negotiate at night. Although Miss Jinghe Asagi is indeed exceptionally beautiful, you can't assume that men are fools who don't hold grudges."

"This has nothing to do with appearance; it's about eliminating demons and protecting the righteous, saving the people! It's for the greater good of the world!" Igawa Asagi slowly stood up, revealing a firm yet regretful expression, and said in a deep voice, "When that fellow demon ninja attacked you during the day, he should have said that our enemies are merely the Demon King and his minions, and we will not easily resort to violence against someone like you who has not yet been involved."

Liu Yun recalled, "Hey, I think I really did say that!"

The man in black said, "You don't have a repulsive smell, so you're probably not the Demon King's loyal lackeys. As long as you honestly hand over your valuables, we can be lenient with the Demon Ninja and spare your lives."

However, since they did draw their knives on each other, does it really make a difference just because they said a few polite words before drawing their knives?

Asahi Igawa's words do not become more convincing as a result.

Phrases like "saving the people is a matter of righteousness for the world" are really too empty.

Based on experience, people who repeatedly use such slogans are either huge swindlers or victims of swindling.

Judging from Ikawa Asagi's fanatical appearance, she is most likely the latter.

In short, communication was impossible.

But her body is quite tempting...

But no matter how much you crave it, it's still an enemy.

I only finished speaking this rambling nonsense because of her health.

From now on, only swords and spears can decide the outcome.

Liu Yun stroked his sword, nodded, and said calmly, "Further words are useless."

Igawa Asagi was very disappointed and muttered to herself, "As expected, I'm still not good at talking! In the end, I can never reason with people and have to be forced to the point of violence."

Chapter Seventeen: Night Battle with the Female Ninja

Negotiations failed.

Igawa Asahi slowly stood up.

Liu Yun then realized that the woman opposite him was really tall, only about half a head shorter than him.

He is at least 128 centimeters tall, which is outstanding in this era and even surpasses most men in Japan.

Beneath the purple, tight-fitting nightsuit, her body was remarkably agile and powerful, yet without a trace of excess muscle or fat. Her physique perfectly conformed to the aesthetic standards of later generations.

The dim, flickering light obscures the details, but it leaves ample room for imagination.

It's a pity that such a beautiful woman is now an enemy wielding a knife, ready to take her life. We can't discuss lofty matters like philosophy of life, ideals, and values ​​together...

Igawa Asahi gripped the hilt of the sword, and the smile on her face vanished instantly.

Then her entire demeanor changed.

It has a clean, decisive, and ruthless appearance.

This feeling is hard to describe. Liu Yun instantly felt that the woman in front of him was like a curved sword or longbow standing upright on the ground, existing only for war, exuding a chilling aura.

The five peasant soldiers who had been brought from Sasaki Village were already squatting in the corner, trembling with fear.

Clearly, they could also sense the danger signals.

Only the horses pulling the cart did not yet understand the gravity of the situation.