Gacha games can't save this bizarre world.

The Hundred-Eyed Demon was finally defeated, and the group, covered in wounds and exhausted, breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, their spiritual energy and other aspects began to grow rapidly.

However, the entire secret realm began to change. The rules in the sky collapsed and disintegrated, and the entire secret realm began to disintegrate from the edge. Although the central town has not felt it for a while, the entire secret realm probably will not last more than a week.

Of course, this is all on the premise that Zhao Hao didn't drag the secret realm into the dream. In reality, he had already made his move! When the Five Poisons Barrier was broken, Zhao Hao had already begun to take over the secret realm, to the point that Ashiya Doman had to personally show up.

Although this secret realm belongs to Ashiya Doman, it will now belong to the Zhao family. Consider it payment for sparing his life!

Finally, the cursed spirit shikigami named Ashiya Dōman returned to the real world with his bloodline descendant, Moto and Nakano...

Afterwards, the young monk Zongchun approached Zhao Hao to ask him questions, as he had many doubts.

Zhao Hao said, "It's a good show. As for the initial scheme, who knows!"

Chapter 436 Ping An Jing

Zong Chun didn't quite understand Zhao Hao's words. How could it be just a game?

We fought so hard!

Especially when fighting that extremely disgusting Hundred-Eyed Demon at the end, to be honest, Zong Chun would have lost all hope of victory if he hadn't known that Yasuo, the great swordsman, was behind him.

Too powerful, too bizarre!

But even so, Lord Yasuo actually said this was just a game?

Although he had guessed that Ashiya Dōman, the monk who had left his mark in historical records and legends of the underworld and was said to be able to rival Abe no Seimei, must have played some role in this secret realm and this matter.

But he still couldn't figure out how it worked. He was even a little dizzy at how this famous Onmyoji from seven or eight hundred years ago had suddenly appeared before him.

After all, even the smartest and most thoughtful person needs information to make the right judgment.

Standing high in the sky, Zhao Hao surveyed the entire plan, his knowledge extending even to the workings of the secret realm's rules, thus gaining a comprehensive understanding of the whole situation. Zong Chun, on the other hand, could only rely on his keen intuition to speculate. He knew the whole affair was suspicious, but he had no idea how. That's why he came to ask his lord.

Zhao Hao was patient and explained with a smile, "Think about it, Ashiya Michimitsu was a figure from seven or eight hundred years ago. Although he might have been a Bronze 4 or 5-star at the time, he still had to die eventually. How could someone like that be willing to die quietly like that?"

Zong Chun suddenly realized something, since the foundation of solving a case is the motive.

After Zhao Hao's explanation, he roughly guessed Ashiya Dōman's motives. It was nothing more than his unwillingness to die before achieving the Great Dao!

Although we still don't know exactly what he did, the general outline is clear.

Zong Chun asked, "So, in the end, did the monk Dōman follow his descendant, Gen'wa Nakano, back to the surface world and continue to exist as a shikigami?"

There must have been a reason why Nakano and Nakano were chosen to be dragged into the secret realm of the underworld during this special period, and why they received great help from that Mao Shenping Tadatsuru.

In Japan, if someone suddenly rises to fame, gains great strength, and makes many achievements, they are most likely of noble lineage.

What about the son of a fourth generation, the son of a revolutionary leader, the offspring of a Quincy and a Shinigami, the last descendant of a prestigious family, and so on?

Bloodline theory is very serious here, and a strict class system has been formed even in the underworld.

It's true, it's very difficult for extraordinary people from ordinary backgrounds to rise to the top, unless they are truly talented, have good luck, and are appreciated and guided by a benefactor. It might take two or three generations for them to have a chance to improve their family's status and join the privileged class.

In ancient Japan, commoners did not have surnames. Everyone lived in small circles near their hometowns, and a name like "Dog Egg" was enough.

As society gradually opened up, more and more people shared the same name, which began to cause inconvenience.

By the 17th century, during the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Edo period, the social hierarchy was very strictly defined.

Apart from the emperor, nobles, and monks, the social population was divided into four social classes based on birth and occupation: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. These classes were inherited and could not be changed.

Only the "shi" (士) class, or warriors, had the privilege of carrying a surname and a sword, while the other three classes—farmers, artisans, and merchants—were not allowed to carry surnames or swords.

However, after the Black Ships incident, Japan was impacted by Western values ​​and began the Meiji Restoration. In early 1870, the Meiji government began to promulgate a series of decrees, from allowing commoners to use surnames to mandating that commoners must use surnames.

This was for the convenience of management, taxation, conscription, and the like. It marked the beginning of the household registration system.

In fact, why did the reformists emerge in China three or four decades ago, wanting a constitutional monarchy? It was because they were inspired by their subordinate, Japan.

Some people genuinely believe that things are no longer stable, but now that psionic energy has resurfaced, it only adds more uncertainty...

As a result of these laws, Japanese people without surnames began to meet with relatives to discuss and decide on their own surnames.

Therefore, those who lived near the bridge were called "Hashimoto" or "Hashio", while those who lived on the riverbank or coast were called "Kishi".

Other surnames are derived from one's occupation, such as "釰" (tiāo) for fishermen and "左官" (zuǒguān) for wall painters, and so on.

It's not like you get your surname from this little pillow, or whatever you get pregnant with, like Matsushita, Watanabe, or Yamamoto. It's not like that at all!

However, many commoners in the early Meiji period were not enthusiastic about having surnames, nor were they proud of it, since everyone had a surname and there was nothing to be proud of.

More often than not, it was because having a surname meant being registered in the household register, which brought with it the burden of taxation and conscription. Therefore, they were not only unenthusiastic but also wary.

Because of these people's delays and shirking of responsibility, local officials and yamen stewards could only lead carpenters to inspect each household, nailing wooden plaques to the doors of houses without surname signs. Then, they would write surnames that these officials arbitrarily came up with to complete their task.

That's right. Many surnames used by Japanese people today were actually made up by officials to complete their tasks. If someone was terrible at naming things, they'd probably be driven crazy with worry!

Ashiya Dōman's descendants adopted the surname Genwa, thus clarifying the relationship between Genwa Nakano and Ashiya Dōman.

But Zhao Hao estimated that someone like Ashiya Dōman would definitely not put all his eggs in one basket.

What if the lineage dies out? Who can control that?

Back then, to keep his secret plans hidden from others, he only focused on planting the seeds and ignored everything else. He was much like those guys who planted seeds all over the world to create Saint Seiya characters!

In ancient Japan, it was common for ordinary people to die or have their families wiped out.

So, find a few more baskets!

Zhao Hao estimated that Ashiya Dōman must have planted the seed on the radio back then!

Zhao Hao wasn't just guessing, because he discovered that the lord of Yashiki Castle was also one of Ashiya Dōman's descendants!

"What?" the little monk exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

"This, this... how could this be..." He didn't know what to say.

Zhao Hao laughed and said, "Do you think an ordinary person can serve as a sealing vessel for this Hundred-Eyed Demon? Can they be used as a talisman to suppress the center of the disaster-stricken secret realm? Being a Jinchūriki isn't so easy!"

By using one of his own descendants as a consumable for sealing, Ashiya Dōman, the monk, can hardly be called benevolent!

"Then..." the little monk asked hesitantly, "Why did Master Daoman go to such great lengths to create this secret realm and seal the Hundred-Eyed Demon?"

"For resurrection!"

"Resurrected?!"

“Of course,” Zhao Hao said. “Someone as proud and ambitious as him, who once almost reached the pinnacle of an era, how could he possibly want to eke out a living as a ghostly shikigami? A spirit that has endured countless calamities can hardly become a saint; there’s no future in that! So, his initial goal must have been resurrection! As for how to resurrect… well, don’t he have two bloodline descendants?”

"Two bloodline descendants? Could it be... could it be that he..." Zong Chun's eyes widened in disbelief.

Zhao Hao nodded: "If a descendant of humans has better talent and a higher starting point, then he will choose humans. Otherwise, isn't there still the Hundred-Eyed Demon as a second choice?"

Ashiya Dōman may have sensed that humanity has its limits, which is why he decided to cease being human.

The crimson magatama that merged into Genwa and Nakano's bodies was formed from Ashiya Dōman's own blood and spiritual energy.

If one progresses, one will be reborn as a human genius or extraordinary being. After breaking through five barriers and killing the Hundred-Eyed Demon, one's strength may directly break through to Bronze 1-star.

If he retreats, he will be reborn as the Hundred-Eyed Demon, a great demon who has transformed into a monster. Although he is no longer human, his strength may be much higher than that of a Bronze 1-star monster.

You could say that you're happy whether you advance or retreat, but when will you be unlucky? They would surely say, "Meeting Yasuo is truly an orphanship!"

It is quite remarkable that they were able to set up such an exquisite secret realm seven or eight hundred years ago and keep it hidden until today.

What a pity! Man proposes, God disposes; there are too many variables in seven or eight hundred years!

He successfully waited for the revival of psionic energy, and his descendants arrived one after another. Using the "breeding poison" tactic, he selected the one he favored the most and set up enough "opportunities" for him, but he also encountered Zhao Hao.

Given Zhao Hao's current strength and status, even Ashiya Dōman at his peak couldn't have calculated it. How could a plan from hundreds of years ago possibly include him?

Small fry like Yoshino Rei, who foolishly wandered in, were no match for the secret realm; they became nourishment for it.

But when they encountered Zhao Hao, a roc like Kunpeng, who could soar three thousand miles into the water one moment and fly ninety thousand miles into the next, his carefree and unrestrained nature completely shattered their plans. He didn't even have to personally intervene.

The saying goes that destiny cannot be changed, so perhaps Zhao Hao was the human tribulation that the Spirit Energy Sea arranged for Ashiya Doman!

Forced into a corner, Ashiya Dōman had no choice but to take the worst possible path – becoming a shikigami of Genna and Nakano, thus returning to the human world.

As for his future plans and actions, that's none of Zhao Hao's business.

Finally, Zong Chun pondered for a moment, as if he had made up his mind, "Lord Yasuo, in our team, there's Miss Chika..."

"Shh~" Zhao Hao put his index finger to his lips and smiled, "You don't need to overthink it, I have my own plans."

……

Now, that secret realm has become connected with Zhao Hao—this item is connected with my dream.

That would naturally mean taking it into our possession and developing it further.

As more and more "deep internet addicts" spiritually bind themselves to Zhao Hao, and then die suddenly in the real world due to various improper operations, they become residents of Zhao Hao's dream, making the area of ​​this dream a bit cramped.

It's not that it's crowded, but there are far fewer large areas of unoccupied open space like before.

Now, apart from the settlements established in the Dream Center, players can often encounter "player spirits" with spiritual dolls capturing and hunting nightmares in similar sea areas or other places.

To be honest, although nightmares are an inexhaustible resource, as long as there are humanoid intelligent beings dreaming, they will continue to be created.

But seeing their attitude, Zhao Hao really wanted to say, "Pay attention to sustainable development; we can't exhaust the resources!"

Now, having acquired such a large territory to expand and stabilize the Dream's core cards, things are very comfortable. The Dream realm is already very stable on the psionic sea!

On the surface world side, the Yoshino family received Zhao Hao and his party with great ceremony and thanked Zhao Hao for saving the Yoshino family's heir.

While it's unlikely that Yasuo, with his swordsman status and strength, could demonstrate the Yoshino-kai's sincerity, he still has plenty of disciples and servants! They need to bring out the good stuff! If they can't curry favor with their teacher, they'll curry favor with their disciples!

As agreed beforehand, Zhao Hao handed over Ashiya Dōman's legacy, "Jade Rabbit Collection," to Yoshino Rei.

Zhao Hao looked at this thing. Although many of the techniques were exquisite, they were the kind of precious ancient spells passed down through generations. However, it had techniques but no core principles; it lacked the essential mental cultivation method. It could only be described as a skill tree.

Moreover, this should be half of the "Golden Crow and Jade Rabbit Collection" that Ashiya Dōman obtained from Abe no Seimei. He must have had other techniques and mental cultivation methods himself. He was giving away other people's things as gifts without feeling any remorse.

Zhao Hao has already been delayed for two days and plans to continue his journey.

Traveling in the real world is much easier now. Japan built its first Shinkansen (bullet train) twenty years ago, and it's very fast. It's almost as fast as flying.

As the local power, Yoshinoya naturally had everything arranged perfectly.

Zhao Hao had never known that you could charter a Shinkansen!

The last two carriages were occupied by Zhao Hao and his group. One carriage was for them to sit in, while the other carriage had more than a dozen people serving them, providing them with food, supplies, and entertainment. There were even geishas dancing, playing instruments, and singing ditties. It was truly the treatment of the nobility!

Zhao Hao couldn't help but sigh: Japan has learned bad things from the West! They're using these capitalist dregs to corrupt and test their cadres!

Yoshino Rei followed, saying that he had promised to communicate with the influential person behind the organization to help Zhao Hao make a breakthrough in Kyoto, so he had to personally go to great lengths.