I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

Tamamo snapped her fingers: "Then let's set off now and go to the Sengoku Secret Realm in Hamamatsu City. You've been very interested in that place, haven't you, big brother?"

"I just happened to hear that the secret realm is a place where one can hone their strength and swordsmanship almost without any cost."

She tapped her phone: "And although it's dangerous there, no one has died there so far. I believe we're not so unlucky as to be the first one to die."

After finishing her explanation in one breath, Tamamo asked the two of them again,

"So, are you going?"

Yagyu nods silently.

Uesugi Tetsu chuckled: "Is that even a question?"

Tamamo immediately made the decision.

"Elbow, make the arrangements!"

……

"Brother Uesugi, send me your personal information so we can book a train ticket."

"train?"

"The express train will take you to Hamamatsu City in an hour and a half."

Uesugi Tetsu countered, "Aren't we not allowed to take the train recently?"

Tamamo blinked, not understanding at first.

Uesugi Tetsu explained, "The Kisaragi Station is a place of ghost stories, and there's also a train that can send people into the world of the living."

"Holy crap, this is actually true?"

Tamamo's face paled, and she quickly cancelled all the pre-booked e-tickets: "Forget it, I'd be doomed if I got sent to the Tokoyo-bu at this time."

"Then, Brother Uesugi, please have the Special Affairs Department send a special car to take us."

The girl pointed to the line that required 200 contribution points and said, "With your gold-level noble rank, you should be able to call a car for free."

Uesugi Tetsuya took a look and found that it was indeed true.

He was initially delighted, thinking that he would no longer need to spend money on rice when he went out, and would even have a private car and driver to pick him up and drop him off.

But then another worry arose: how come I only discovered this treasure app now? Wouldn't I be a huge victim of the rip-off I got from that old taxi driver?

Twenty minutes later, a seemingly ordinary black sedan, which was actually reinforced with bulletproof steel plates and had exorcism spells carved on its interior, pulled up in front of the dojo.

The three of them got into the car.

The sedan's seats are soft and comfortable, far superior to the steel plates of a salvage vehicle or the seats in a van that can't even be fastened with a seatbelt.

Tamamo lay down, holding her phone up with both hands to continue chatting, not afraid that if she let go, the phone would hit her face.

Uesugi Tetsu leaned back and began to squint at the changes on Kaga Kiyomitsu's panel.

His eyes lit up quickly.

The synergy effects I mentioned earlier are indeed not just empty promises.

[Your Kaga Kiyomitsu has gained a new effect—Slashing Expert!]

[Effect 3: Slashing Specialization → Slashing Expert. Using slashing sword techniques will deal massive additional damage. Kaga Kiyomitsu will also become an "expert in the field of slashing."]

[Because Kaga Kiyomitsu has mastered both "Thrust Expert" and "Slash Expert," a new characteristic, "Technique," has emerged!]

What Kaga Kiyomitsu gained was a "characteristic," not an "effect."

Features are like extra buffs, and they are generally divided into temporary and permanent ones.

—Similar to the characteristics that Uesugi Tetsu received when he was blessed by Huijue, and the "wholeheartedness and spirit" that Kaga Kiyomitsu received after being cared for, both belong to the temporary category.

But this "skill" is clearly a permanent characteristic.

[Skill: Kaga Kiyomitsu - Separation Blade] He has gained a deep understanding of swordsmanship and is able to master various sword techniques more skillfully.

At the same time, being near Kaga Kiyomitsu will also grant you a bonus to your swordsmanship comprehension.

After reading the introduction to the "techniques", Uesugi Tetsu suddenly felt his mind become clear, and at the same time, he felt that something more fundamental had happened.

The hint will answer his question—

[Because you have grasped Kaga Kiyomitsu, your trait - Sword Skill (1%) has changed!]

Your trait, Sword Skill (1%), has been changed to Sword Skill (3%)!

Even with Uesugi Tetsu's strong mental fortitude, he couldn't help but reread the prompt at this moment.

Simply by grasping the present Kaga Kiyomitsu, he actually took two steps on the incredibly long road of "sword skills".

easy.

"This is really..."

Uesugi Tetsu stared at the gleaming silver blade that sprang from its sheath, staring at it, and also staring at himself reflected in the blade's light.

"Xiaojia."

"Ok?"

"I'd like to ask you to continue walking this road with me from now on."

"Ok!"

Despite the coldness of the hilt and blade, Uesugi Tetsu could feel the warm and fiery core of Kaga Kiyomitsu within them.

Uesugi Tetsuya, his heartstrings tugged, chatted casually with Kaga Kiyomitsu.

The latter mostly just listens, because it still cannot say a lot of complex words at once.

But the willingness to listen quietly is enough.

On the left-hand seat, Yagyu Chi had already glanced at the side several times.

He wanted to talk to Uesugi Tetsu about his previous teaching experience and their exchange on swordsmanship.

—But Yagyu Akira felt that they weren't very familiar with each other yet, and Uesugi Tetsu was talking to the sword called "Xiao Jia," making him feel embarrassed to interrupt them.

Do not interrupt others' conversations unless it is important.

This is basic courtesy.

So Yagyu Akira wanted to speak several times, but then swallowed his words due to a strong internal struggle.

Uesugi Tetsu was busy chatting with Kaga Kiyomitsu while looking up information on his phone, so he didn't notice Yagyu Akira's movements beside him.

He first tried to find relevant information about the Warring States period on the Special Affairs Bureau's APP, but found that information from at least a hundred years ago was not allowed to be included.

The app prompted him to go offline to find physical materials to view.

pity.

Next, Uesugi Tetsu looked up some information related to Hamamatsu City.

—For example, the old tortoise's mansion is actually right here; and there's even a huge red torii gate built on the lake in the city.

There is one more thing.

Uesugi Tetsu's gaze silently swept over the 2ch forum.

—The origin of the Kisaragi Station ghost story from twenty years ago seems to be in Hamamatsu City.

Hey.

My phone vibrated, and a reply from Huijue popped up on the screen.

[Huijue: Although I have witnessed several instances of being influenced by vows, the effects of different vows are drastically different.]

[Huijue: Each situation requires specific analysis. As to how and when to do it, this humble monk must personally observe the situation closely.]

Uesugi Tetsu sat up straight abruptly, startling Yagyu Akira who was standing next to him.

His fingers gripped the phone tighter unconsciously.

As expected, every profession has its own expertise.

A true Buddhist master like Huijue can certainly solve such a small problem!

[Huijue: However, Uesugi, this humble monk is currently in Kyoto and it is not convenient for me to go out. Would it be alright if I came to visit you when I return in a few days?]

[Tsuki-suna-chan: Thank you, Master!]

Uesugi Tetsu immediately sent a "no rush" and "thank you" emoji.

Huijue ended the brief conversation with an emoji that looked like it came out of the style of more than ten years ago, saying "Thank you for understanding".

His profile picture immediately went black, indicating that it was indeed inconvenient.

Uesugi Tetsu breathed a sigh of relief.

With Huijue's assurance and Shenghai, who might bring unexpected joy... the problem of Master Erchi is already half solved.

At times like these, you still have to rely on the network of contacts you've built up along the way.

A huge weight was lifted off his shoulders, and the atmosphere around Uesugi Tetsuya also became much more relaxed.

He held Kaga Kiyomitsu's hand, closed his eyes with a sense of peace, and let his thoughts wander.

Seeing that he seemed to be resting, Yagyu Chi didn't want to disturb him, so he went through another internal struggle.

……

Compared to the express train, the driving speed is indeed slower.

But the advantage is that it can accurately reach the vicinity of the destination.

"The three of you, I have an important mission notification waiting for me nearby, so is it alright if I drop you off here?"

The uniformed driver, who had been silent since boarding the bus, spoke for the first time.

Here, it's only a little over two kilometers from the marked location of the Warring States Secret Realm, which can be covered in less than twenty minutes if you walk quickly.

"It is the only right thing to do."

Uesugi Tetsu led the way by opening the car door and getting out.

He turned his head, looked at the somewhat low and desolate buildings around him, and then expanded his perception circle a little, saying strangely...

"There's hardly anyone around here."

Upon hearing this, Tamamo spread her hands.

"The officials from the central government must be used to crowds of people... This is what the suburbs of ordinary cities are like, no different from the countryside."

This is true.

Uesugi Tetsu rubbed his temples, remembering that the vast majority of Japan's population was concentrated in a few major metropolitan areas.

Among these, the populations of several large cities are particularly high.

Under such a strong siphon effect, the number of people scattered on the outskirts of the remaining cities naturally decreased.

"It's actually quite nice to have fewer people; it's quieter."

Uesugi Tetsu looked around at the peaceful scenery, stepped on the edge of the old gray asphalt road, and slowly walked towards the Warring States Secret Realm.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a suburban area.

As he walked along, Uesugi Tetsu didn't see any pedestrians, and he didn't even see many cars.

The only thing I could see was a yellow bus that wobbled along in the middle of the road, with not even a tenth of its seats occupied.

But once you get within 800 meters of the Warring States Secret Realm, it gets lively.

This "lively" does not refer to a bustling crowd.

On the contrary, the surroundings were so quiet you could hear a pin drop, making one wonder if there were really people in those brightly lit buildings.

The bustling atmosphere here was Uesugi Tetsu's senses telling him that there were countless powerful individuals in this area!

There were at least a dozen different types of qi, powerful spiritual energy, the Five Elements Yin-Yang Technique, barriers and spells belonging to the four paths, and many more chaotic yet powerful auras that Uesugi Tetsuya couldn't recognize.

These people must have all come for the Warring States Secret Realm.

Yagyu Chi suddenly laughed and said, "You've come to the right place."

Uesugi Tetsuya, whose lines had been stolen, nodded: "Then let's start..."

He suddenly stopped speaking, turned his gaze, and his indifferent, sharp eyes swept across the surroundings inch by inch.