I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but chuckle.

"Mr. Kiryu, how did you know I had reached this level?"

"I can tell just by looking at it."

After saying that, he reached out his hand to Qingdeng, wanting to help him up.

However, Qingdeng shook his head.

"Mr. Kiryu, no need, I can get up by myself."

As he spoke, he leaned on the ground with his knife, slowly stood up, and then walked straight to the door next to him.

Upon seeing this, Kiryu raised an eyebrow.

"Do you still have the strength? Don't you need me to help you?"

"unnecessary."

Qing Deng answered without hesitation.

"Since we came here standing upright, we should leave standing upright as well."

After saying that, he flipped his right wrist, twirled the sword, shook off the bloodstains on the blade, and put the Vairocana sword back into its sheath at his waist.

Kiryu paused for a moment, then put on an expression of utter helplessness:

Are you sure? You really don't need me to come along for a while?

Qingdeng smiled nonchalantly.

"I have the wind and the moon with me."

He walked through the door and down the stairs.

Along the way, unfamiliar faces came into view.

Judging from their appearance, they do not resemble the Yakuza of the Shimizu clan.

It must be the men that Kiryu and Makimura brought.

Suddenly, a swordsman covered in blood appeared before them. The men were taken aback at first, then quickly assumed a fighting stance.

Just then, Kiryu's shout rang out:

"Don't move, he is 'Niou', he is an ally."

Upon hearing the word "Niou," their expressions were immediately filled with shock, curiosity, and reverence.

Even though no one had ordered them to do this, they all simultaneously put away their weapons and moved to the side of the road.

"Tachibana-kun? Are you... are you alright?"

As Qingdeng was leaving the water tower, he encountered Mucun, who was rushing toward him.

"I'm fine. Not only physically, but also in a good mood."

Having said that, he bypassed the pastoral village and continued on his way.

Mucun stood there, dumbfounded, watching Qingdeng's receding figure.

"Tachibana-kun, where are you going now?"

Qingdeng paused for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, familiar faces flashed through his mind.

Sanako, Souji, Kinoshita Mai, Tenshōin, Elodie, the Nie sisters, the friends from the Shieikan...

"...Now I'm going back to those who are waiting for my return."

With a cheerful and sunny smile on his face, Qingdeng strode forward with his head held high.

Makimura stared at Aoto as he walked away, looking utterly incredulous.

Covered in wounds and with skin torn and bleeding, it was easy to see that Qing Deng had just gone through an extremely fierce battle.

Despite suffering heavy injuries, he achieved a hard-won victory, but instead of basking in the afterglow of victory or lying on the ground groaning and waiting for rescue, he walked away from the battlefield alone with a nonchalant and unrestrained gait.

It was as if the deadly battle he had just experienced was just a trivial matter.

Even though Makimura had lived for over ninety years and was considered quite worldly, he had never seen such a sight.

At that moment, Makimura inexplicably felt that Aoto's back view overlapped with the figures of two old friends he knew well.

Those two old friends, one an aging horse still eager to gallop, the other unparalleled in the world.

Upon thinking of this, Mucun felt a chill run down his spine, straightened his back, stood still, and watched Qingdeng go with a respectful gaze.

Soon, Qingdeng returned to the door he had smashed.

At this very moment, a noisy commotion was taking place outside the gates of Shimizu Residence.

The commotion caused by Qingdeng had already alarmed the nearby residents and government officials.

Onlookers, officials maintaining order, and magistrates sent to investigate but too afraid to enter the Shimizu residence... men, women, children, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants thronged together.

The crowds surged like a tide, standing shoulder to shoulder, chanting in unison.

"Look! Someone's coming out!"

"It's 'Nioh'! 'Nioh' Tachibana Aoto!"

"Tachibana Aoto? So the one who stormed into the Shimizu residence all by himself was Niou?"

"No way... he actually accepted the invitation from the Shimizu clan..."

"So what's going on now? Now that Tachibana Aoto has appeared, does that mean... he won?"

"Is he... is he still alive?"

……

Qing Deng stopped in his tracks, his calm, unwavering gaze sweeping over the throng of people in front of him.

"Get out of the way."

Although his voice wasn't loud, it drowned out all the noise at the scene.

People looked at each other blankly.

Then--

Splash... splash...

Like the rustling sound of wind blowing across the fields, officials and commoners alike scrambled to part to the left and right, making way for a straight road.

Without hesitation, Qing Deng stepped forward and strode straight ahead, under the watchful eyes of the crowd lining the streets.

They were unaware of what Qingdeng had been going through recently.

They had no idea that Qing Deng had just created such an outrageous historical achievement.

However, they noticed that Qing Deng exuded a sense of power and authority, emanating an aura of sacred inviolability with every gesture.

When Qingdeng gave the brief command, their legs moved involuntarily, retreating to the side of the street, their eyes uncontrollably casting awe-inspiring and timid glances at him.

The moonlight shone on his path, carpeting it with a magnificent light.

The night breeze brushed against him, bringing him humble attendants.

Just like a triumphant king.

Qingdeng felt extremely happy, and his steps became lighter and lighter.

Not only because he had just accomplished the magnificent feat of "sweeping away the enemy's stronghold and defeating them," but also because he could finally return to his comrades and loved ones.

Thinking of this, Qing Deng inexplicably felt the urge to chant something.

At this moment, he began to understand why people in ancient times would want to write poems and lyrics when faced with major events such as funerals and celebrations.

When people are full of enthusiasm and their thoughts are boiling, they really need to say or do something to express their feelings.

Qingdeng certainly didn't have the ability to compose a poem in seven steps.

However, he suddenly recalled a Tang poem that he had loved in his previous life.

In a moment, the crowds lining both sides of the road all heard a melodious male voice, rising and falling, melting into the deep night—

"The powerful force of wealth leaves one with no freedom; the soaring dragon and phoenix's momentum is hard to contain."

"A hall full of flowers intoxicates three thousand guests; a single sword, its frost chills fourteen provinces."

"The drums and horns sound to the heavens, the auspicious air is cold; the wind and waves shake the earth, the sea and mountains are in autumn."

"His name will be inscribed on the Lingyun Pavilion in his later years; why should he envy the marquises of ten thousand households at that time?"

His shadow stretched out long and long, pressing down like a mountain on the street and in the hearts of everyone present.

The moonlight shone on it, creating a brilliant color that flowed between silver and the gleam of a sword.

……

……

Just as Qingdeng was about to leave Tonan Town—

Rolling around and around...

He suddenly heard the sound of wheels turning, approaching from afar.

Looking closely, a very familiar carriage came into his view.

"Gauze weight?"

Qing Deng couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

At the same time that Aoto discovered Sae, Sae also discovered Aoto.

"Mr. Tachibana?"

Sajiro hurriedly stopped the carriage.

Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, a beautiful figure hurriedly darted out of the carriage and rushed to Qingdeng's side.

Qingdeng was taken aback, showing a surprised expression, which soon turned into an apologetic and hesitant look, and finally replaced with a relieved smile.

Although no one explained the whole story to him, he roughly guessed what had happened.