I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

Tamamo pointed at Yagyu Akira, who gave him a somewhat stiff smile.

"The number of Mumulian is increasing over time. If we don't exorcise them soon, they will become a strange tale and a phenomenon. That will be a real problem... Of course, it won't just be a few of us."

Tamamo sighed, the toes of her two small shoes, stained with mud and blood, collided.

"In the past, we always failed to completely eliminate the threat because we didn't have enough manpower or enough strong people. Most of us couldn't keep up our spirits halfway through."

She clasped her hands together and bowed slightly: "This time, I'm counting on you, Uesugi-nii."

Yagyu Chi bowed his head along with her, but it almost turned into a deep bow.

"I will follow the organization's arrangements."

Uesugi Tetsu readily accepted good advice.

—Mumulian is a kind of eye-shaped demon that attaches itself to paper or wooden doors. In legends, it is not very harmful.

However, according to Tamamo, it is likely that a large number of Mumokuren gathered together, which then caused an unknown mutation, even forming a "maze".

That doesn't sound like a good solution.

But Uesugi Tetsu didn't find it troublesome.

Although Hyakume is currently upgrading towards Epic+ quality, how could he possibly complain about having too many eyeballs in his pocket?

When Hyakume was of Rare quality, he thought he could just upgrade her to Epic quality. But once Hyakume was actually Epic quality, he kept working towards Epic+...

Currently, Hyakume's quality has reached the Epic+ level he had hoped for, making it the highest quality among his three demon incarnations.

"But how can human desires be so easily satisfied?"

Uesugi Tetsuya, who was already looking forward to the [Super Epic] quality Hyakume incarnation, sighed silently in his heart, wondering how powerful it would be after being drawn.

People are always like this: once they have a hundred, they want a thousand; they say they'll be content with a hundred thousand, but when they actually have a hundred thousand, the number in their hearts grows exponentially.

Tamamo's voice came through: "As for the reward, I remember it should be a water-attribute material."

“A piece of Hai Yiguang’s scales,” Liu Shengchi pointed out. “It is a very precious and difficult-to-obtain water-attribute extraordinary material that can be obtained simply through ordinary contributions.”

“It’s this one,” Uesugi Tetsu confirmed.

So Tamamo started typing furiously on the screen: "Also, Uesugi-nii, the tunnel incident is on a separate charge."

I've already reported the task details truthfully, and we'll reimburse you for that part. You'll definitely receive all the compensation you're entitled to!

Uesugi Tetsu nodded: "Thank you."

"Oh, no need to thank me."

Tamamo shrugged, turned off the screen, and casually tossed her phone aside.

Liu Shengchi skillfully pinched the phone between his fingers, letting it spin in mid-air before it fell to the ground.

"We're all working people, so working people should help each other."

She stretched and, after a short rest, began to explain some information about the Mumu Lian Maze to Uesugi Tetsuya.

This includes, but is not limited to, their previous experiences entering the facility, precautions to take, and items to prepare before entering.

In short, Tamamo's explanation was very detailed and easy to understand, almost like she was speaking to a complete novice who had never encountered demons before.

Nearly half an hour later, Tamamo's explanation finally came to an end.

“I have noted down all the key points.” Uesugi Tetsu bowed slightly to the girl earnestly this time. “Thank you.”

Putting everything else aside, Tamamo's meticulous and rigorous spirit alone is enough to earn his gratitude.

If all the clerks in the Special Affairs Department were as dedicated as Tamamo, accidents like the one that happened in the tunnel today might not be completely eliminated, but at least the accident rate could be reduced by half.

Tamamo, as usual, said that no thanks were needed.

Suddenly, Yagyu Akira spoke up: "Uesugi-kun, would you like to rest at the Yagyu Dojo for a while? There are private rooms available, and you don't need to worry about safety."

Uesugi Tetsuya was somewhat puzzled: "Safer than the Special Affairs Bureau?"

Tamamo crossed her arms and scoffed, "The strongest person in Numazu City's Special Affairs Department is probably only on par with you, Uesugi-nii."

That is indeed unsafe.

Yagyu Chi continued, "Our dojo has a teacher training instructor, so it's much safer than the special affairs department here."

"Then go ahead."

Uesugi Tetsu immediately raised his hand, and in doing so, transformed back into human form from his four-tailed fox form.

He immediately understood that this Daoist master was no ordinary person.

They're either sword masters or demon gods.

There will be no third unexpected event!

……

The chassis of the recovery vehicle was very stable, with almost no shaking.

So, in the blink of an eye, Uesugi Tetsuya arrived at the dojo of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school in Numazu City.

As soon as he got off the car and saw the towering dojo sign, Uesugi Tetsu heard a unified shout coming from inside the dojo, even from a distance.

Peeking in slightly, you can see dozens or even hundreds of disciples in Taoist robes practicing swordsmanship, holding bamboo swords, right in front of the open gate of the dojo.

He raised an eyebrow: "Yagyu-kun, there are quite a lot of people at your dojo."

Yagyu Chi shook his head: "It's not that... it's just that most dojos still follow the principle of 'the law should not be passed on lightly,' while the master is willing to teach swordsmanship and breathing techniques to everyone."

"Is it okay to teach breathing techniques like this?"

Uesugi Tetsuya was somewhat surprised—the importance of breathing techniques was almost equivalent to a ticket to enter the extraordinary world.

At a glance, he could tell that although the hundreds of disciples in the dojo had only a rudimentary level of cultivation, there was no doubt that each of them had practiced breathing techniques.

It seems to be a breathing technique with a completely different attribute from the Corona Breathing Technique, leaning more towards the "water" attribute.

But it is at least on par with, or even higher than, the completeness of the Corona Breathing Technique he first practiced.

Liu Shengchi nodded and led them inside: "As for the teachers' college representatives, they still have this much power."

These words truly piqued Uesugi Tetsu's interest in the "teacher training assistant" he had mentioned.

"Teacher's representative" means "acting on behalf of the teacher's school" and is not even the actual owner of the dojo. It is just a temporary management in the absence of the "teacher's school".

Yet this very teacher was able to arbitrarily grant the public the breathing techniques of the Yagyu Dojo—at least a portion of them.

And what do the general public need to pay?

Uesugi Tetsu didn't think it was that much.

At least, he saw quite a few junior and senior high school students among them, with youthful faces and average physiques, who didn't seem to be children from wealthy or powerful families.

Because the disciples in the dojo were all in training, no one came to talk to Uesugi Tetsuya and his group.

As they walked, Yagyu Akira casually remarked, "Everyone here practices the [Kind Flow Breathing Technique]... Uesugi-kun, you practice the Corona Breathing Technique, right?"

Uesugi Tetsu nodded.

It's understandable that Yagyu Akira could recognize the Corona Breathing Technique; it's extremely common within the Special Affairs Department.

"The Yin Flow Breathing Technique is about one level higher than the Corona Breathing Technique, and can be considered a [Secret Realm] level breathing technique, but the part in the dojo is incomplete."

Next, Yagyu Akira wanted to take Uesugi Tetsu to find Shihandai, but after searching all three dojos—the large, medium, and small—they still couldn't find him.

On the contrary, Uesugi Tetsu thought the training environment here was quite good.

At least from what he saw, everyone in the dojo genuinely wanted to practice swordsmanship and become stronger.

Uesugi Tetsu thought to himself, then looked at Tamamo beside him, who had no internal energy at all: "So... in such a good environment, why don't you learn some swordsmanship to defend yourself, Tamamo?"

"Wow! You're really hitting a nerve!"

After a long silence, the usually quiet Tamamo suddenly bristled. She raised her hands and gritted her teeth, saying, "Because you have no talent, you bastard!"

Tamamo made a fist in front of her chest with her right hand and spoke angrily.

"You talented idiots can't possibly understand my pain... I've tried Yin-Yang techniques, swordsmanship, and breathing techniques at least a hundred times, but no matter how I learn them, they're useless!"

The girl grabbed her hair and shook her head violently.

"Forget it, I'm not talking to you guys anymore!"

Tamamo let out a sigh of annoyance and strode towards another path, as if she were returning home.

She shook her phone, and the sound came from the front.

"I'm tired, I'm going to take a nap. See you in three hours!"

Uesugi Tetsu said "oh" and wished her a good night's sleep.

— Tamamo, an ordinary person, has been on edge for so long, she should have rested a long time ago.

After the girl's figure had completely disappeared, Yagyu Akira spoke softly, "Uesugi-kun, come with me."

"—The teacher's representative is very interested in you and would like to meet you."

Yagyu Chi paused for a moment, then asked, "Is that alright?"

Uesugi Tetsuya understood that this was him seeking his personal opinion.

“Of course, no problem.” Uesugi Tetsu raised the corners of his mouth. “Actually, I am also somewhat interested in this teacher’s assistant. I’ll have to trouble Yagyu-kun.”

"It's me who should be troubling you, Uesugi-kun."

Yagyu Chi lowered his head apologetically, then led Uesugi Tetsu toward the room where he remembered the teacher's representative would definitely be.

Two minutes later, in front of a relatively secluded and quiet room.

Yagyu Akira stepped forward first, knocked on the wooden door with his finger, and returned to Uesugi Tetsuya's side after receiving a silent response.

“Uesugi-kun, Shihan Dai is among them.”

Yagyu Chi took two steps back and gestured for him to enter.

"He wanted to see you alone, so I didn't go in with him."

Uesugi Tetsu responded, opened the wooden door, and went inside.

The furnishings in the quiet room were very simple, almost nonexistent.

A plaque with the inscription "Heart as Fire and Water" hangs on the wall.

Besides that, there was only an old man and a bamboo sword.

The old man, dressed in a plain-colored Taoist robe and with a long, loose braid, knelt quietly under the plaque, with a bamboo sword on his lap that was no different from the ones used by the disciples in the Taoist temple outside.

His snow-white beard swayed in the breeze.

The old man had a rugged face, with deep, rough lines that seemed to be a concrete representation of the hardships and suffering he had endured.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Shihan." Uesugi Tetsuya paused slightly before kneeling down as well. "I am Uesugi Tetsuya."

The old man lowered his eyes, his voice hoarse yet unusually strong: "Young friend, there's no need for formalities. Just call me Saionji..."

"Then, Lord Saionji."

Uesugi Tetsu stared directly at the old man who, just by sitting in front of him, made his sword sense tremble. He took a deep breath and asked, "What brings you to meet me alone?"

—This teacher, Saionji Shihandai, is very strong, so strong it's frightening.

—But it wasn't the kind of pressure that came from a powerful being at the level of a demon or god.

Rather, it is a different kind of power, a power that makes Uesugi Tetsuya's sword principles irresistibly compelling, based on the very essence of swordsmanship.

I wonder how far this person has come on the path of combining skill and reason...

"Since you, young friend Uesugi, have spoken, then I will not stand on ceremony."

Teacher Fan Dai looked up, revealing a pair of blurry eyes shrouded in darkness.

He went straight to the point: "Young friend, have you ever heard of the Warring States Secret Realm?"

Uesugi Tetsuya inwardly uttered a strange "hmm," but outwardly replied calmly.

"I just found out recently."

“In that case, I will speak frankly.” Every word Shi Fan uttered was clear and forceful. “That Warring States Secret Realm is just a facade.”

"—Behind it all lies a wager between our Yagyu Dojo and the Hojo clan from the Sengoku period."

The sheer volume of information contained in those two short sentences caused Uesugi Tetsuya's expression to stiffen slightly.