Curse Reply: After choosing Nawa, the cursed spirit cursed me for being cruel.

Ichiji stood there holding the stack of documents, his pupils behind his glasses slightly dilated. Then he suddenly turned around, strode to his desk, slammed the documents on the table, rolled up his sleeves, picked up a pen, and began frantically making corrections.

He absolutely cannot let Senior Duanmu down!!!

In the kindergarten's activity room, several children were sitting in a circle.

Maki squatted at the front, her eyes wide open. Nanako shielded Mimiko behind her and whispered to Natsuyu-sama, "What is that?"

Xia Youjie stood to the side, his expression unusually serious.

Fushiguro Megumi stood in the middle, with two dogs lying on his left and right, one black and one white, their fur smooth and quiet at his feet.

Duanmu Yan squatted down in front of Hui, stretched out his hand, and Bai buried its head in his palm and rubbed against it, while its tail wagged happily.

He withdrew his hand, stood up, and exchanged a glance with Gojo Satoru.

“Ten types of shadow magic.” Gojo Satoru pushed up his sunglasses, his tone unusually serious. “The strongest technique passed down through the Zenin family. According to the Gojo family’s records, there was once a Six-Eyed who fought the holder of this technique to the death. Its upper limit is no less than that of the Six-Eyed.”

Duanmu Yan remained silent for a moment.

Hui is still young, but he has already awakened ten kinds of shadow magic. If the Zen family finds out, the Naobi people might be able to keep things stable, but the old faction forces under him that haven't been completely eliminated will definitely not let it go.

But he wasn't part of the elders' council. He had just told the three family heads at the meeting that afternoon that they should cultivate every outstanding junior fairly, regardless of their techniques, treating everyone equally.

If they were to turn around and hide Hui away, the Spellcaster's Union would be a joke.

“Hui.” Duanmu Yan squatted down again. “Would you like to come with me to your ancestral home? The place where your father grew up.”

Fushiguro looked up at him. The six-year-old child did not answer immediately. He looked down at the dog at his feet, then looked outside the door. Tsumiki was standing in the corridor, looking inside with concern.

He thought for a moment, then stood up.

“Teacher Duanmu, I’ll go with you. If this matter isn’t resolved, it will affect everyone.”

Duanmu Yan placed his hand on the top of his head and patted it gently.

……

Zen temple, council chamber.

Zenji Naoki raised his head and his gaze fell on the child between Duanmu Yan and Gojo Satoru.

"This is Shen'er's child?"

"Yes," Duanmu Yan replied. Gotiao Wu leaned lazily to the side, bent one leg and placed it on the edge of the cushion, holding a plate of fruit in his hand, picking up a piece of honeydew melon with a skewer and putting it into his mouth.

He is also Hui's guardian, so naturally he has to attend. Watching the excitement is just a side thing, that's right.

Zenji Naokijin stroked his beard and looked at Fushiguro Megumi. After a long pause, he exclaimed, "Truly, they are father and son, they are like two peas in a pod."

There were at least several dozen members of the Chanyuan clan sitting in the council hall. They had all seen Duanmu Yan on the night that Chanyuan Shan led the rebellion.

A top-tier fighter wiped out half of the family's fighting force with a wave of his hand. Right now, the two strongest fighters are sitting here, one eating melon seeds and the other drinking tea.

They sat upright behind the Jipi people, each breathing very softly.

But when the head of the family said that these two special-grade experts had come today for a six or seven-year-old child, all eyes turned to that small, thin figure.

Fukuro Megumi was seeing this kind of scene for the first time and was a little scared, his legs involuntarily shrinking back.

Duanmu Yan placed his hand on his shoulder and patted it gently. Gojo Satoru changed his posture and tucked his leg, which was stretched out to the side, behind Hui.

The two expressed their support in their own ways.

Fushiguro Megumi took a deep breath, straightened her back, and glared back without flinching.

Zenji Naoki stroked his beard, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "As expected of Shinji's child, not only does he resemble him in appearance, but his courage is also exactly the same. It seems he will definitely not be a coward in the future."

"Of course!" Gojo Satoru laughed, drawing a circle in the air with his skewer. "I will train Megumin to become the strongest sorceress!"

Naobito lowered his voice: "This won't do. You know how special the technique this kid awakened is, right? Ten types of shadow magic... In other words, for our Zenin family, he is the next head of the family."

The clansmen behind him, who had been holding their breath, exchanged surprised glances upon hearing the words "ten types of shadow magic," and then sat up straight in unison, gathering even closer to the clan leader.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"Don't make the atmosphere so tense." Duanmu Yan put down his teacup and said calmly, "We're not here to provoke anyone, but to discuss a solution that both sides can accept."

Zenin Naoki turned his gaze to him: "Chairman Duanmu, if this child stays in the Zenin family, we will devote the best resources to him. The manuscripts of the experiences of the ten shadow magic users throughout the ages are all in the family archives, which can save him from decades of detours and allow him to form combat power as quickly as possible."

Gojo Satoru crunched on a piece of melon, pointed with a stick at the clansmen behind the Jibi people, and said casually, "Is your so-called training like that group of juniors behind you who haven't even reached level one?"

"I remember the notes in your library, none of them could completely subdue the Ten Shadows. In the past thousand years, has anyone from the Zenin family successfully subdued the strongest shikigami? Not a single one."

The members of the Gibi tribe behind him became restless, and some clenched their fists and took half a step forward.

Jikiji raised his hand to stop him, took a deep breath, and slammed his cane heavily on the ground: "Of course I know that there are some things that need to be changed in the Zen-in family. But many things cannot be overturned and rebuilt overnight; they require time. I have already tried my best."

He turned to Gojo Satoru, his tone somber but not losing his composure, "Regarding the latter part of that passage, I also admit that no one in the Zenin family has successfully subdued the strongest shikigami in the past thousand years."

"But the experience passed down from generation to generation can still help this child avoid decades of detours in terms of usage techniques, shikigami synergy, and spell control. This is not empty talk."

Chapter 165 A Rare Holiday

(These few pages will be the leisure section. Some people say I can't write romance plots, but I started out writing this, how could I not?)

After listening, Duanmu Yan took his hand off Hui's shoulder and placed his fingers interlaced on his knees: "Senior Naobi, what you said is true. The insights from past generations do have their value. These are not in the library of the high school. Hui needs these things to develop techniques, and there is no way to deny that."

"But you also have to admit another fact: Hui needs a fair environment. I said at the meeting this afternoon that talent cultivation does not depend on bloodline. Whether it's the children of the three starter families or non-magicians without spells, the Federation will treat them all equally. I'll say it again in front of you."

Naobi looked up at him: "So you mean..."

"At Huiliu High School, the awakening and basic training of the ten shadow spells are personally overseen by Gojo Satoru, a special-grade sorcerer from the Federation, and myself. The highest level of practical guidance in the sorcery world is currently being provided here."

However, he changed the subject, "It's not that the Zen family can't teach, but you can teach a Ten Shadow Technique to subdue the demon Xu Luo. You won't have to wait a thousand years. The Zen family's manuscripts of Ten Shadow Technique users' experiences will be made available to Hui. Specialists will be sent to the high school regularly to provide theoretical guidance. The Federation will not obstruct normal contact between the Zen family and Hui."

He paused for a moment, looking at the upright clansmen behind the Jikui people, "Most importantly, Hui is of the Zenin family bloodline. Although his surname is Fukuguro, he also possesses the Zenin family's techniques, and the Federation recognizes his right to inherit the Zenin family's legacy."

"Whether he takes over as head of the family when he comes of age is his own choice, and no one can force him. Including you."

Naobi remained silent for a long time, then he raised his eyes and looked at the little boy who had been sitting up straight since he entered the room, his tone softening slightly: "Fushiguro Megumi, what do you think?"

Fushiguro Megumi stood up, looked at Naoki, then at Duanmu Yan and Gojo Satoru, and said, "I want to stay at the high school. Tsumi is there, Maki and Mai are there too. I will study the Zenin family's teachings diligently, and I will practice the ten shadow magic techniques well. But..."

He paused, a composure far beyond his years appearing on his young face. "I don't want to be the head of any family."

The Naobi's brows furrowed slightly, and the expressions of the people behind him changed as well.

"Then what do you want to do?" the Naobi asked in a deep voice.

“Chairman of the Federation,” Fushiguro said, her voice not loud, but steady like that of a six-year-old, “like Teacher Duanmu.”

Gojo Satoru almost choked on the grapes he had just stuffed into his mouth. He coughed twice, then slapped the floor and burst into laughter, "Hahahaha, old man from Nagahito, did you hear that! The future head of your Zenin family wants to be the chairman of the Federation! He looks down on your lousy headship, he wants to steal Duanmu's job!"

Duanmu Yan was also taken aback for a moment, then looked down at Hui. Hui looked up at him, her eyes serious, without the slightest hint of joking.

Zenji Naokijin remained silent for a long while. He looked at Fushiguro Megumi, then at Duanmu Yan, and finally sighed: "The chairman of the Federation is not a position that can be obtained based on bloodline."

“I know,” Hui said. “That’s why I want to stay at the college. Teacher Duanmu became the chairman not because he was a top-level expert, but because he changed the entire world of sorcery. That’s what I want to learn.”

Gojo Satoru stopped laughing, pointed at Megumi with the skewer, tilted his head and said to Duanmu Yan, "Hey, Duanmu, your student is something else, trying to usurp your position at the age of six."

Duanmu Yan squatted down and looked Hui in the eye: "Do you know what it means to be the chairman of the Federation?"

"I know. Every day it's about stamping documents, signing documents, attending meetings, and being surrounded by a bunch of people nagging me..."

Duanmu Yan could only manage a couple of dry laughs; his image was such that...

Wheaton paused, "But it can also protect everyone, not just sorcerers, but also ordinary people like Tsumiki. I want to be that kind of person."

Duanmu Yan looked into his eyes, remained silent for a few seconds, then stood up and placed his hand on Hui's head: "Then practice hard. Whether it's ten shadow spells, physical skills, or document organization, the skills required for the chairman of the Federation are far more than those required for the head of a Zen temple."

“I will.” Fushiguro Megumi nodded.

Zenin Naohito looked at the teacher and student, stroked his beard, glanced at Gojo Satoru beside him with a smug grin, and finally sighed, saying, "Fine, since this child has this intention, the Zenin family will not force him to take the position of family head, but the Federation still needs to report the progress of his training in the ten shadow magic techniques regularly."

“Okay. A written report every quarter,” Duanmu Yan said. “However, his training plan will be personally overseen by Wu and me, with the goal of subduing Mo Xu Luo.”

Naobi was silent for a moment, then stood up and nodded slightly to Fushiguro Megumi: "The gates of the Zen-in family are always open to you. The manuscript of your insights will be sent to the high school next week."

Duanmu Yan extended his hand, and Zhibi Ren also extended his hand. Their two palms clasped together in the candlelight of the Zen family council hall.

Gojo Satoru jumped up from the ground and patted Megumi on the shoulder: "Let's go, future chairman. I still have to report to your sister when we get back. She's asked me about it so many times through Jie's phone."

……

It's the weekend, and today is a rare cloudy day in summer with temperatures around 27 or 28 degrees Celsius, perfect for traveling.

The wind on the Tokyo Bay coast carries a salty, fishy smell, and waves crash one after another against the breakwater, the white foam rising up evaporating into fine mist under the sunlight.

Duanmu Yan stood at the entrance of the changing room waiting for Riko to change into her swimsuit, leaning against the wall and pushing his sunglasses up over his face.

More than a month of meetings and documents had left two light blue marks under his eyes. Even when Gojo Satoru bumped into him in the corridor yesterday, he didn't joke around. He just stared at his face for a few seconds and said, "You should get some sleep."

He does need a rest, but the current situation is special; he has to take care of the entire federation at all times.

At that moment, Riko poked half her body out of the locker room, her sandals clattering on the cement floor.

She was wearing a plain white short-sleeved shirt over a light blue swimsuit, and her hair was loosely tied with a hair tie, hanging down to her shoulders.

"Awaited!"

Riko jogged out of the dressing room, stopped in front of him, looked up, and her gaze moved from his chin to his eye sockets, lingering for a moment on the two light blue marks.

She frowned slightly, her lips moved but she didn't say anything. She just reached out and gently rubbed his eye socket before quickly withdrawing her hand.

"Let's go. The sun isn't too strong today, it's perfect." She turned around and walked towards the beach first.

A few parasols were scattered on the beach, and seagulls stood in a row on the breakwater.

Riko bent down, kicked off her sandals, and stepped barefoot into the sand. Her toes sank into the warm, sun-dried sand. She turned and smiled at Duanmu Yan, a smile that shone brightly in the sunlight and was deeply imprinted in someone's heart.

Chapter 166 The Strongest Wingman

"Hurry, hurry! The sand is so soft!" She reached out, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him toward the sea.

Duanmu Yan smiled slightly and followed her until the waves reached ankle height. The seawater surged up, submerged her insteps, and then receded.

The icy temperature made her hiss, and her toes curled up on the wet sand.

"It's so cool, but so comfortable. Duanmu, you should try it too!"

She released his wrist, bent down, scooped up a handful of seawater, turned around and splashed it on him. The water droplets splashed onto his shirt, leaving several dark stains.

She looked at the few water stains, covered her mouth with her hands, and her eyes curved into two arcs.