I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

Without even thinking, Uesugi Tetsu shook his head: "This is for Jia."

"Is that so? What a pity."

The blacksmith carefully returned the spirit gold to Uesugi Tetsuya, adding, "Of course, but unfortunately it's only for me."

"However, it's a masterpiece..."

The blacksmith looked at the suitable spirit metal, hesitated for a moment, and then reluctantly spoke up.

"I may have met one before."

Even if he couldn't use this exceptionally precious spiritual gold for himself, he hoped it would end up in the right hands and be put to good use.

At this moment, Imagawa Yoshimoto, who had been listening quietly for a long time, spoke up: "Master blacksmith, if you can tell Yu Che the details of this 'master craftsmanship,' I can grant you a request."

Although she didn't quite understand the use of spirit gold or the meaning of the words "heavenly craftsmanship".

But Imagawa Yoshimoto knew one thing.

She noticed that Uesugi Tetsu's expression became more serious than ever after the words "Heavenly Craftsmanship" were mentioned.

This is important to him.

The blacksmith was delighted to hear this, as he was already prepared to recount the whole story in detail.

Now, to receive the goodwill of the head of the Imagawa family for nothing is such a good deal.

After pondering for a while, the blacksmith slowly began to speak.

"The location is in a deep mountain in Mikawa Province... There is a dilapidated temple in that mountain."

I was young then, so I can't remember all the more detailed things. I only remember getting lost in the mountains and ending up at the entrance of that dilapidated temple. After I fell asleep, she found me and took me into the temple.

According to her, there seemed to be a mountain whale demon king causing chaos in the mountains at that time, so I stayed in the temple for an exceptionally long time, more than ten days.

During that time, I heard her mention the Heavenly Craftsmanship many times.

At this point, the blacksmith smiled nostalgically: "In fact, many of the key forging techniques were taught to me by that person back then."

I still vividly remember her tirelessly forging iron day and night, as if she would never tire... Now I am focused on this too, perhaps thanks to her.

In the Three Rivers Kingdom, in the mountains, in a dilapidated temple, there once lived a demon king who caused chaos.

The information provided by the young blacksmith was already quite clear.

But what is a "mountain whale"?

Whales in the mountains?

This is truly an unheard-of demon.

Uesugi Tetsuya pressed further, "What does that person look like?"

"Appearance..."

The blacksmith frowned and pondered for a long time before shaking his head: "I can't remember. I only remember that she was a forthright and robust woman."

"Apart from that, I can't remember anything else."

Uesugi Tetsu wrote down everything the blacksmith said: "This is more than enough. Thank you, blacksmith."

"You're welcome."

The blacksmith grinned at him: "If Mr. Che can find that person, please thank him for taking me in."

"Will do."

After asking the last question, Uesugi Tetsuya prepared to leave the blacksmith shop with Imagawa Yoshimoto.

Before leaving, Imagawa Yoshimoto suddenly stopped and turned to look at the apprentice in the corner, whose expression had changed countless times but who had remained silent.

"Master blacksmith, could you lend out your apprentice for a while? I'd like him to take Mr. Che to Yuan Xin's house."

"It's alright, it's alright! Please feel free to borrow it, sir!"

The blacksmith, who had already turned around, casually waved his hand behind him, and then disappeared back into the curtain, seemingly to continue focusing on his blacksmithing.

The apprentice, who had been unjustly assigned the task of leading the way, bowed and smiled without the slightest dissatisfaction: "I am willing to serve you, sir."

Imagawa Yoshimoto, however, took out several dozen coins' worth of loose silver from his inner lining and placed them in the apprentice's hand.

"Hard."

Upon seeing this, the apprentice quickly waved his hand: "Sir! This is not necessary!"

Imagawa Yoshimoto said calmly, "I'll give it to you, so just accept it."

The apprentice immediately shut his mouth, and after a moment said, "Sir, please leave with peace of mind."

"That's good."

Imagawa Yoshimoto walked up to Uesugi Tetsuya and whispered to him, "Then, Tetsuya-kun, we'll say goodbye for now. See you when we get back."

"Take care, Lord Yiyuan."

Uesugi Tetsu wanted to give Imagawa Yoshimoto some items for self-defense, but after searching around, he realized that both the bell and the bloodstained crown required spiritual power to operate.

Otherwise, they won't be of much use.

If she were to ask the Second Master to accompany her, it would seem somewhat presumptuous of her to do so.

He had no choice but to give up.

Within Sunpu Castle, there should be no need to be too concerned about Imagawa Yoshimoto's personal safety.

After watching Imagawa Yoshimoto slowly depart and merge into the crowd, Uesugi Tetsuya finally looked at his apprentice, whose face was beaming with satisfaction.

"Please lead the way, sir."

The apprentice pocketed the windfall and patted his chest heavily: "Don't worry, Mr. Che! I will definitely take you to Lord Okabe's residence. Just tell me if you need anything along the way!"

……

Even though it was on the way, Okabe Motonobu's residence was surprisingly far from the blacksmith's shop.

Uesugi Tetsu followed the apprentice for almost forty minutes, walking further and further away from the crowd until the crowds were so thin that they could hardly be seen, before he saw the apprentice stop.

He asked with some doubt, "Lord Okabe lives here?"

The apprentice replied unsurprised, "Because Lord Okabe prefers a quieter place."

He pointed to the only courtyard in the area that was enclosed by a wall.

"Mr. Che, that is Lord Okabe's house."

Uesugi Tetsu nodded, walked to the door, and gently knocked: "Excuse me, is Mr. Okabe home?"

No one responded.

Next, Uesugi Tetsuya waited for a while longer and repeated the process several times, but he still found that no one opened the door.

Does that mean no one is home?

To avoid flying into the air, Uesugi Tetsuya had Nisha-sama float up first, wanting her to observe the situation from mid-air.

The two-foot-tall man holding the sword slowly floated up, leaving the apprentices behind him speechless with astonishment.

A moment later, the two-foot-tall man's somewhat complicated voice came out.

"Lord Che, I think you should open the door and check... Hmm, nothing will happen."

Uesugi Tetsu blinked, not doubting what the man in the second row had said.

He tentatively raised his hand and slowly pushed open the unlocked wooden door.

Then, just like the two-foot-tall adult in mid-air, he stood frozen in place with a blank expression.

This...this...this...

You're telling me this is Motonobu Okabe?!

This is wrong!

Chapter 166 A Thorough Completion of the Breathing Technique! An Unexpected Truth, [A Taste of Defilement (Scattered)] (65k)

Once you push open the door, the entire courtyard is laid out before you.

The two-foot-tall man, holding his sword and floating in mid-air, remained silent, only slightly opening his mouth, revealing a complex and perplexed expression.

Tetsuya Uesugi stood there blankly, a thoughtful expression on his face.

As for the blacksmith's apprentice, he knew his place and what he should and shouldn't look at. He stood on one side of the wall and focused his gaze on the other houses not far away.

Anyway, if it's watchable, Mr. Che will speak up, so it won't make a difference if we wait a little longer.

Having served important figures in the blacksmith's shop for several years, the most important lesson the apprentice learned, besides memorizing their information, was "propriety."

Every inch and every bit of discretion is extremely important.

When interacting with those in high positions, one must know when to get too close and when to back down.

In terms of distance control, the apprentice, while not quite a master, was far superior to his rudimentary forging skills.

What strange and peculiar "scenery" appeared in this otherwise empty courtyard...?

In Uesugi Tetsu's eyes, the tall, sturdy, short-haired woman wearing very little clothing was simply "swimming" unconsciously in the middle of the courtyard covered with pebbles, her eyes closed.

The woman lay sprawled on the gravel, uncovered, her wheat-colored arms and legs rising and falling repeatedly, scattering pebbles everywhere.

As for why swimming is mentioned...

Naturally, the continuous "plop plop plop" sound of splashing water was rhythmically and regularly emitted from the woman's mouth, marking the surging waves with three beats.

"No, is this the legendary Okabe Motonobu?"

It took Uesugi Tetsuya a while to finally get his attention and ask the same question to the two-footed man.

Actually... he just wanted to find someone to vent to.

“There’s no one else in the courtyard.” The Second Master blinked silently. “If the address is correct, then it should be her.”

Actually, Okabe Motonobu wasn't the muscular, tough guy she had imagined; instead, she was a "fierce woman," which surprised Uesugi Tetsuya, but it wasn't entirely unexpected.

After all, even Imagawa Yoshimoto has become like this.

What truly stunned him was Okabe Motonobu's performance, which could be described as a work of art.

At first glance, Okabe Motonobu in the courtyard had his eyes tightly closed and showed no reaction to their arrival; he was undoubtedly asleep…

In other words, all of this was actually caused by her sleepwalking.

"Two feet."

Uesugi Tetsu looked away from the few sparse pieces of cloth, rubbing his temples as he said, "Let's wake up Lady Okabe first, lest she freeze to death outside."

—Tsk, aren't the people here supposed to eat poorly? How did they grow up like this?

—Or is it something that grows bigger through training? Can this thing really grow bigger through training?

Standing in mid-air, comparing sizes for a while, the two-foot-tall adult, then filled with self-doubt, landed on the ground and ran into the yard.

As she turned her head to dodge the incoming pebbles, she spoke softly and gently.

"Lord Okabe? Lord Okabe? Please don't sleep here, you'll catch a cold."

It took the two-foot-tall man several minutes of patient calling before Okabe Motonobu, who was swimming on his back in the pile of pebbles, finally managed to twitch his eyelashes and open his eyes with difficulty and exhaustion.

A barely perceptible gap was visible through the messy strands of hair.

"Well……"

Motonobu Okabe felt as if she had finally been pulled out of an endless sea. She turned her head but did not see any familiar faces or figures.

Only this strange girl, carrying a vermilion katana and dressed in water-soaked clothes, was present.

She mumbled somewhat confusedly, "Thank you, little one."

"But I'm so sleepy I can barely keep my eyes open, so it's okay if I continue sleeping here..."

Seeing that Okabe Motonobu was about to fall asleep while still sitting up, the man in the second row quickly said, "Lord Okabe! My master came here specifically to solve your sleeping problem!"

These words gave Motonobu Okabe, who had already finished yawning, another dose of sobering effect.

She widened her eyes slightly and turned her head: "Am I seeing things? Why can't I see anyone else?"

The man with the two feet looked at the woman in front of him, who was dressed as lightly as if it were midsummer even though it was late autumn, and hesitated to speak.