I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1064 The Secret to Perceiving the World: Listening to the Earth [4600]

The official operation is scheduled for tomorrow, which means that until tomorrow, Qingdeng will be in a state of "nothing to do".

Suddenly having half a day of free time... Qingdeng didn't know what to do for a moment, so he could only look up at the sky and stare blankly.

"Tachibana-kun, what's wrong? Why are you staring at the sky in a daze?"

Ogata stepped forward and patted Aoto on the shoulder.

Qing Deng gave a bitter smile:

"I've been very busy lately. Ever since I received the report of 'anomaly in the north,' I've hardly had any rest. Today, I suddenly have some free time, and I feel inexplicably lost."

How do you usually spend your days off?

"I usually spend time with my wife and children."

Qingdeng spoke with a look of longing on his face.

Ever since his children (Tachibana Masatomi and Tachibana Mako) were born, he has suffered from a kind of "homesickness".

Whenever he's away from home for a while, he really wants to go home.

After Souji fell ill, his homesickness became even more severe.

He wondered how the commander-in-chief had fared during his absence from the capital... The thought made his chest tighten.

Ogata glanced at Aoto and smiled:

"Being bothered by free time...that's a unique kind of trouble. Since we have these rare 'days off,' let's not waste them."

"There may be many tough battles to fight later, so it's best to take advantage of the time now to rest and relax your mind and body."

"For martial artists like us, it is absolutely not advisable to be constantly on edge."

"The human body is truly amazing."

"A short period of intense stress can unleash the body's extraordinary potential."

"However, prolonged periods of tension can make the body tired."

"A martial artist who doesn't know how to rest is definitely a martial artist with limited skill."

"Changing one's mood from time to time is one of the best ways to master martial arts."

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng was taken aback as he recalled past events.

When he first met Chiba Eijiro, he said something similar to Aoto.

There was a time when Chiba Eijiro was stuck in a rut, unable to break through for a long time.

At that time, he accepted Chiba Sadakichi's advice, temporarily put aside martial arts, and went to work as an official in the Mito Domain.

One night not long after, he suddenly had an epiphany.

He suddenly understood the problems he couldn't figure out before, and he could do the actions he couldn't do before. His martial arts level has risen to a new level.

When Chiba Eijiro shared his martial arts experience with Aoto, he solemnly said: When you feel that your strength has stagnated, you might as well change your mindset, and maybe there will be a turning point.

At this moment, Ogata turned around and faced the center of the village of Murokonkara.

"Since we're just killing time anyway, let me show you around the village. This is a very rare opportunity to visit an Ainu village; once you miss it, you might not have another chance."

Qingdeng is quite interested in the culture and customs of the Ainu people.

Considering Ogata's suggestion to "change one's mood," Aoto pondered for only a moment before nodding to Ogata:

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

……

……

“That’s ‘Nushashan’, you can think of it as an altar, where brown bear skulls and such are worshipped.”

Following the direction Ogata pointed, Qing Deng saw several wooden pillars standing on the eastern outskirts of the village, with ferocious brown bear skulls stuck on their tops.

The stark white bones and intricate decorations... at first glance, they evoke a sense of horror and terror, yet also a feeling of solemnity and sanctity.

Qingdeng muttered:

"The Ainu people greatly revere bears."

Ogata's explanation:

“Bears are the most powerful animals on this land, and respecting the strong is one of the instincts of humankind.”

From the village layout to the style of the houses, everything is full of strong exotic flavor.

Qingdeng looked around with great interest.

As Ogata led Aoto on a stroll through the village, they were constantly surrounded by a large number of children.

Wherever they went, many children followed closely behind them, casting curious glances at Qingdeng.

Upon seeing this, Qingdeng murmured to himself:

"The villagers of Shikongkala aren't really afraid of me..."

To be honest, before landing in Ezo, he was mentally prepared to be "coldly received".

Given the historical grievances between the Horen and the Ainu people, it is not surprising that the villagers of Shikongkala disregard Qingdeng.

Ogata said calmly:

“The Ainu people live deep in the heart of the country and rarely interact with other people. So to the villagers of Shikunkala, you are like an alien from another planet. Moreover, the Ainu people are very curious and love novelty.”

Because they are still in a tribal civilization, the Ainu people live a primitive life of men hunting and women weaving.

According to Ogata, Ainu women either go out to pick wild fruits and vegetables or stay at home to weave cloth, rarely venturing too far from the village.

Many young men who went out hunting in Unkamui have not yet returned, so currently, apart from the elderly and children, there are only a large number of women in the village, including many young girls.

Aside from children, the villagers most curious about Qingdeng are the unmarried young women.

Many girls were hiding in the corners, secretly peeking at Qingdeng. Their gazes, filled with different emotions, were focused on Qingdeng, and their silvery laughter rang out from time to time.

Ogata once told Aoto that Ainu women mostly like tall, strong men who are good at archery and look like they can hunt well—Aoto is exactly that kind of man.

When Qingdeng repelled the enemy yesterday, his unparalleled archery skills were witnessed by many villagers in Shikongkala.

For this reason, when Qingdeng wandered around the village, he was like a walking gold brick, receiving a warm welcome wherever he went.

Upon seeing Qingdeng, the villagers praised his archery skills, calling him a first-rate hunter.

Just now, a middle-aged woman even grabbed Qingdeng's sleeve in a very bold manner and enthusiastically "promoted" her daughter.

"Hissam (Kazuto), would you be interested in becoming my son-in-law? My daughter is very beautiful!"

Qingdeng truly understood what it meant to be "overwhelmed with gratitude".

Thanks to Ogata's repeated rescues, he was able to walk safely on the village road of Murokonkara.

Ogata turned his head and glanced discreetly at the girls who were still secretly watching Aoto:

"Kid Orange, you're quite popular. How about it? Have you found someone you like? If you do, I can help you propose. The Ainu don't forbid intermarriage; there are many Ainu people of Lucia descent in the north."

Faced with Ogata's teasing, Aoto smiled helplessly:

“No need for that. If I bring an Ainu girl home, I feel like Sanako will yell, ‘How many women are you going to marry?’ while hitting me on the head with her bamboo sword.”

His true relationship with Tenshōin remains a secret; they continue to present themselves to the public as "merely a ruler and his subject with a good relationship."

Before he had received official recognition from Tianzhangyuan, he really didn't want to bring another wife home; the thought alone gave him a headache.

At that moment, Qingdeng suddenly heard a hoarse, familiar voice:

"*&%￥#@&".

Qingdeng was startled and went to look in the direction of the sound.

Just to his side sat an old man—the very elder who had watched over his guardian spirit the night before, Tukara.

Tukara was sitting cross-legged on the ground, leisurely smoking a cigarette.

He just said 'Good afternoon'.

"Oh, good afternoon to you too."

Aoto asked Ogata to translate his greeting.

Tukara stared intently at him, just as she had the night before.

—Is my guardian angel really that special?

As Qingdeng pondered this, he subconsciously touched the back of his neck.

Suddenly, Tukara said something out of the blue.

Ogata raised an eyebrow, his expression changing slightly.

"Mr. Ogata, what did he say?"

He said your 'inspiration' is very high.

"Huh? 'Inspiration'? Me?"

Qingdeng scratched his head and chuckled to himself.

This unconventional evaluation was truly unexpected.

This was the first time in his life he had ever heard someone say that he had a high level of "inspiration".

"He's mistaken. I can't see other people's guardian spirits."

Ogata shook his head:

"No, the 'inspiration' he was referring to probably doesn't mean that."

As Ogata spoke, he silently adjusted his position, moving to the side of Qingdeng so that Qingdeng and Tukara could face each other.

Tukara took a deep drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled. Through the translucent smoke, his cloudy eyes showed no emotion as he looked at Qingdeng without any joy or sorrow.

"Human, you must have seen the 'spirit' of all things quite a few times, right?"

In an instant, Qing Deng felt a chill.