Female Swordsman Training Dojo

"Isn't that a sign of insufficient power? Harunobu, you were the same, but in the end you successfully defeated that terrible great demon and even protected Hirako and the others."

"Unlike me, who became the sole survivor of the Test Guard Hall in an instant."

Yuan Xueying sighed, thinking of her deceased fellow disciples and teacher Fan. Although she didn't have a good relationship with the other disciples except for Teacher Fan, they were still acquaintances to some extent; suddenly, they were all dead, and she couldn't quite get used to it.

This topic was clearly not going to go anywhere, and Harunobu wanted to change the subject. But Minamoto Yukisakura continued, "Speaking of which, Harunobu, do you know why I survived? In that big explosion."

The author says:

Author's Note: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival in advance everyone! My plans have changed today; I'm visiting relatives and staying overnight, so there's zero chance to write. Tomorrow's bonus chapter will probably only be about 4 chapters of around 8,000 words. Please give me some urging votes within the corresponding word count! (；?д｀)ゞ

Chapter 404: The Reason

Harunobu knew why Minamoto Yukisakura had survived the Ueno explosion—because she had honestly submitted a report. However, the report seemed rather perfunctory, as if it were a fabricated story, so Harunobu even went to the reviewer to confirm it.

After all, the idea that one could survive a crisis by communicating with the heavens and earth and thus disappearing into another world is just too far-fetched, isn't it?

In the Ueno blast, most survivors were strong individuals located on the periphery, spared from the direct impact of the blast, and possessing considerable strength, at least defensive capabilities; or they were lucky enough to be spared by the shrine maiden and barely survived. Those like Harunobu and his group, who were in the very center and surrounded by explosions on all sides, were almost completely wiped out.

Harunobu himself survived thanks to the shrine maiden's painstaking rescue efforts, while Taira no Yukiko and the others owed their survival to Harunobu's Shikai (a form of healing/explanation). The Emperor and Princess Misuru were unaware of the reason, but given that he was the Emperor, it's possible he possessed some valuable treasures.

As for Yakumo Ran, Harunobu didn't ask, but it was definitely related to Sesshomaru. One can only say that yokai are incredibly resilient, especially those that are old, strong, and well-equipped.

The only odd one was Minamoto Yukisakura. She couldn't possibly have a treasure like the Emperor that could withstand such an explosion; nor was she protected by the Womb Realm Mandala like Hirako and the others, with Harunobu acting as her shield; and as a human, she certainly couldn't be as tough as Shiranui Ai, who had completely unleashed the power of the Killing Fox, yet she still survived.

Harunobu was silent for a moment before saying, "So, everything you wrote in the report is true?"

Yuan Xueying smiled helplessly: "Yes, to be honest, I find it very strange myself; but when the explosion occurred, the world that was previously clearly separated from me suddenly opened its doors... no, I should say that I suddenly became one with the world and nature. In short, it was as if I did not exist in Ueno Park, so I was naturally not harmed by the explosion."

"This..." Harunobu couldn't find the right words to describe it, so he could only shake his head. "But what does this have to do with how you've become? Rather, you're not weak at all, given that you have this ability."

Yuan Xueying's hands, clasped in front of her lower abdomen, trembled slightly, and her eyes became vacant; she said softly, "Qingxin, do you think humans, or even yokai, can compare with heaven and earth and nature?"

"Uh……"

Before Harunobu could answer, Minamoto Yukisakura continued, "When I entered that state, I was initially very happy, after all, I had avoided a fatal crisis; but then I felt an immeasurable vastness, the height of the sky, the breadth of the earth, the depth of the sea... In comparison, humans are really too weak; even you and Yakumo Kurenai at that time were nothing more than a grain of sand in comparison."

"What meaning do swordsmanship or law have in the face of heaven and earth?"

The ethereal, otherworldly female swordsman, like a celestial being, slowly exhaled, accentuating the now-silent atmosphere.

Harunobu is a bit of a muggle.

Wait, sis? Aren't you getting a little too hung up on this? Most people are just thinking about slaying monsters or maybe ironclad warships, but you're going straight for the natural world—what kind of strategy is that?

How can I persuade him? He doesn't know the Shattering Star Sword Technique either!

Or perhaps we should use philosophical knowledge to persuade Yuan Xueying not to get stuck in the dead end of nihilism, and to spout platitudes like "existence is its own justification" and "meaning does not lie in strength or weakness"—the problem is, she can genuinely comprehend the universe at any time.

Qingxin now suspects that one day Yuan Xueying might have a sudden change of heart and directly possess the body to achieve Dao and transcend all things—so she really is a potential cultivator, right?

Qingxin, who was originally drenched in sweat, now felt a chill all over her body. She regretted not having learned more about philosophy and psychology in her past life, otherwise she could have at least tried some talk therapy.

Right now... I have a headache.

Seeing Qingxin's helpless and overwhelmed expression, Yuan Xueying's lips curled up slightly, but the smile vanished in an instant.

She wasn't lying; she just had some thoughts she hadn't decided on yet, so she didn't say them aloud. For example, she had actually seen a powerful being capable of contending with heaven and earth—that storm, perhaps unable to destroy nature, had indeed shaken the heavens and earth, even if it was just a drop in the ocean.

Moreover, it wasn't an "unnatural" act like that of a spellcaster or a demon; Harunobu's swordsmanship was as if the very fabric of heaven and earth would naturally change because of it! This shows that heaven and earth are not eternally existing, unchangeable absolutes; rather, they can be manipulated...

Chapter 433

Yes, they are beings we can utilize and contend with. One day, humanity will surpass them!

That's enough; that's exactly what she was looking for!

—After all, Yuan Xueying went to university; she wouldn't really get stuck in a dead end. If that were the case, she would have given up on being a human being long ago.

It was precisely because she was unwilling to give up that she joined the Exorcism Division and Harunobu's team—after all, he was the strongest person she knew, the one most likely to give her the answer.

As for why she isn't telling the whole story now, that's just a young girl's little secret.

Simply put, she wants to become stronger, as strong as Harunobu, strong enough to shake the heavens and earth! But she is worried that Harunobu will reject her because of her previous rejection; and she also has to consider the thoughts of the Tennen Rishin-ryu school, she can't let the Tennen Rishin-ryu school be completely cut off in her hands.

More importantly, judging from Harunobu's consistent actions, it seemed that only by becoming his woman could she receive the best guidance, which made Minamoto Yukisakura hesitate. As a young girl, she certainly didn't want her marriage and love to turn out this way; not to mention, after spending time together, Minamoto Yukisakura was quite certain that Harunobu wouldn't like a woman who was only with him to learn swordsmanship.

It's so troublesome...

The girl was troubled, her cheeks puffed out slightly; her detached and otherworldly demeanor gradually faded, revealing her lively and adorable side once again.

Meanwhile, Harunobu was pondering whether there was any sword technique capable of destroying the world... but unfortunately, those techniques were more like spells than sword techniques, requiring corresponding extraordinary abilities to activate them in order to achieve such devastation.

He really didn't know anything about swordsmanship from a giant who loved life or the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation... swordsmanship alone could destroy the world.

This is bad luck.

Qingxin frowned and thought to himself, completely unaware that the opposing force did not intend to destroy the world, and even more unaware that he had already completed the basic strategy.

Neither of them expected that they were facing difficulties for the same thing, which shows the importance of communication. But it's not really a problem, since the problem is already solved; it's just a matter of when to eat it.

Finally, Fujiwara Kaguya, who had finished bathing first, broke the eerie silence with a flying tackle.

"Teacher's College"

Harunobu caught the impact of his little cowgirl's fleshy bouncing, and pinched her cheek as if he were disgusted: "Silly girl, can't you see I'm all sweaty? This is a waste of time."

Fujiwara Kaguya chuckled sheepishly, saying in a seemingly naive manner, "Then, could the teacher wash me again?"

"Dream on!" Harunobu saw through the cunning cowgirl at a glance, flicked her on the forehead, and put her in Hirako's arms.

Yuan Xueying, whose presence had instantly diminished, composed herself, her eyes flashing.

Yes, besides what I mentioned earlier, she also has a knot in her heart to untie—for an only child, accepting so many sisters is really difficult.

Chapter 405: Organizing the Task

With his wives in front of him, Harunobu had no interest in pondering a question that was destined to be difficult to answer, and instead got up and went into the bathroom.

In the smooth ceramic bathtub, the warm bathwater still carried the scent of Hirako and the other two. Harunobu soaked in as usual. In Japan, it was normal for a family to share a bathtub, especially now that there were no water heaters and heating was done by burning coal... Hmm, had he thought of another good money-making idea?

Harunobu noted down the inspiration, planning to discuss it with Tachibana Seiko later. He also opened the system panel to check his haul before heading out shopping.

Because of the side quest "Blood for Blood," Qingxin also gained a few hundred or so Diligence Points during the process of learning from the orphan of the god Tutu. In addition, the disciples did not slack off in their training during this period, and the accumulated Diligence Points reached 2122.

However, Harunobu wasn't planning to use the draw yet. With Lucky Kitten not around, he was a little skeptical of his luck. Using it to build or upgrade dojo facilities would be nice, but it wasn't enough to upgrade his already level four [Main Dojo] and [Training Arena]. He'd better save it for now.

Then Qingxin briefly browsed through the progress of each task, especially the three new main quests.

Main Quest: Expanding Territory

[Mission Description: The world's number one dojo cannot be confined to one place. It's time to let people outside of Tokyo bask in the glory of the world's number one dojo! Please establish branch dojos in at least three cities outside the city where your main dojo is located, and make them at least somewhat famous!]

[Task Rewards: 1000 Study Points, Dojo Level Up by 1]

[Challenge Reward: Achieve resounding reputation for all gyms in the local area, and receive the special gym facility blueprint 'Vanish' as ​​a reward]

[Current progress: 0/3]

Main Quest: Innovation and Renewal

[Task Description: As the number one dojo in the world, we cannot be complacent with our existing swordsmanship traditions. We should always maintain a spirit of progress, constantly refining and innovating our techniques. Please upgrade the number of swordsmanship traditions within our dojo to at least 20.]

[Task Reward: 1000 Study Points]

[Challenge Rewards: Create your own sword technique and inherit it. Rewards include one chance to draw from the corresponding shop (guaranteed sword technique). For more than 10 self-created sword techniques, an additional chance to draw from the shop (guaranteed SR-level or higher item or sword technique) will be awarded.]

[Current progress: 10/20]

Main Quest: Setting a Good Example for Students

[Task Description: As the instructor of the world's number one dojo, you are naturally a role model and a role model for your disciples. Please raise all disciples' favorability to Reverence or higher.]

[Task Reward: 1000 Study Points]

[Challenge Reward: Complete three or more disciple individual tasks to receive an additional disciple talent upgrade opportunity*1]

The difficulty of the three tasks has naturally increased a bit, especially the [Main Quest: Innovation]. Currently, Harunobu only has 10 sword techniques in total, which means that Harunobu must either draw 10 more sword techniques or create 10 more sword techniques himself—and they must be the kind that the system approves.

Even without considering challenge rewards or drop rates, completing this task would require 10 * 1000, or 10,000 Diligence Points. Qingxin did a quick calculation and realized that, without considering randomly appearing side quests, it would take about half a year to accumulate that many points solely through disciple growth and main quest rewards.

Of course, if the Tongxin Association has enough cadres and members who are also stubborn enough, then the time may be significantly shortened.

As for creating his own swordsmanship... if it were any swordsmanship, then Qingxin could give it a try, but since it needs to be approved by the system, Qingxin felt that it would probably take even more time.

In short, this will probably be a long task, so let's leave it for now.

Harunobu looked at the easiest one to complete—no, it should be said that it was already ready to be submitted and completed: the [Main Quest: Setting an Example for Others]. Although the name was a bit strange, it didn't matter. Anyway, Harunobu's affinity with his disciples was now far beyond admiration; they had all reached the level of deep affection. Once the quest was completed, it was essentially finished.

However, Qingxin is still trying to greedily take a wave of challenge rewards—since he can submit them at any time—but he doesn't know why it's become increasingly difficult to trigger personal missions lately.

Is it because of me?

Harunobu, who was practically spoiling his disciples rotten, lay in the bathtub, lost in thought.

Only after the water temperature began to drop did he look at the last main quest, "Expanding Territories." To be honest, it was a quest that was somewhat expected. After all, it's perfectly normal for various schools to open branches; in fact, it's quite unusual that the Natural Sunshine School hasn't opened any branches yet and is still raking in money.

To be honest, Qingxin didn't really want his disciples to go out, especially given the mission requirements and the need for reputation; he still needed to send out some capable fighters, not to mention those who were exempt from punishment.

Chapter 434

It should at least be an Okuden (a high-level or advanced level) transmission. The only ones at Aozorakan who meet that requirement are Harunobu's direct disciples, namely Taira Yukiko and her group.

If we're within Tokyo, it's fine; Tokyo isn't that big these days, and we can see each other every day. But if we're going to other cities, even by train, it takes quite a while.

Harunobu began to miss the high-speed rail of his previous life. Even the Shinkansen would have been better than the old green trains.

Or is there any other way to move quickly? Like magic... Come to think of it, the spatial magic in this world doesn't seem to be that low-level? Even the descendants of gods can use magic arrays to teleport tens of kilometers, so maybe if he spends a little more money...?

Forget it, let's put this on hold for now. Anyway, this main quest seems endless, and there's no penalty, so it doesn't matter if we stop.

Qingxin then soaked in the water for a while longer, checked the system, and ended her rest time after confirming that there were no problems.

After the bath, Kiyokage Uona would come to take care of things, so Harunobu changed into new clothes and returned to the dojo.

Having been waiting idly and playing with disassembling a gun, Fujiwara Kaguya's eyes lit up when she saw Harunobu emerge. She quickly reassembled the weapon, pouting and whining, "So slow~ Teacher~"

Qingxin smiled and said, "Are you in such a hurry? Are you a primary school student going on a spring outing? Don't wander off afterwards, or you might get kidnapped by bad guys."

"Don't treat me like a little kid! Really!" Fujiwara Kaguya protested, waving her little fist.

Harunobu nodded and said seriously, "Since you're an adult, walk properly by yourself—"

“PA~PA~”

Fujiwara Kaguya, without batting an eye, playfully pouted and leaped into Harunobu's arms. Harunobu chuckled and pinched her cheek: "How old are you? Aren't you shy?"

"I don't understand!" Kaguya-hime, now dressed in a red kimono, covered her ears and started to act spoiled.

Qingxin gently pinched her nose and picked her up: "Alright, let's go."

Hirayuki and Tachibana Seiko naturally walked to Harunobu's side, standing close to him on either side. Minamoto Yukisakura's eyes flickered, and she moved forward subtly, taking a few steps closer without making a sound.

Chapter 406: Shopping

While ostensibly going shopping, Harunobu actually had a destination in mind: the Susanoo Shrine where Sadako Ōtake resided. Now that the Ōtake family was extinct, the shrine's magical materials, magical artifacts, demon swords, and even cash and jewelry couldn't just be left to gather dust, could it?

As a kind-hearted and helpful person, Harunobu certainly couldn't tolerate such wasteful behavior! Moreover, the Department of Demonology already had the right to confiscate illegal gains, and Harunobu's visit to Osaka this time gave him the power to do so. It was only natural for him to plunder... I mean, to safeguard the criminals' black market assets.

As for why she's been so slow, only now going to collect the spoils, it's because Harunobu is fishing. Ootake Sadako isn't kind enough to help Tachibana Yuu conceal her existence; on the contrary, she proactively revealed the existence of Tachibana Yuu's faction, including this fishing plan, which was her suggestion.

Since Harunobu shouldn't possibly know about Tachibana Yu's group, the best way to avoid exposing his torture of Ootake Sadako is to make Tachibana Yu voluntarily come forward and risk his life. To get him to come forward, he needs a reason—a reason that would make him risk having his entire family killed by Harunobu.

That's the wealth accumulated by the Daibu Taisha and Yoru Taisha over a hundred years. This is no small sum. If Tachibana Yu could spend such a large amount of money on a ritual to invite the gods, then Daibu Sadako and Yoru Shinnosuke must have spent even more.

That's why they say murder and arson bring wealth and honor.

But there's no rush now. It seems that not all of Tachibana Yu's people have fallen into the trap yet, so it's a good time to really slack off for a while.

Harunobu wasn't worried about missing out; the tengu from the Wind Curse House were watching from above. Although they were greedy for money, they'd definitely do a good job. Their centuries-old reputation could still be trusted, after all, their relationship with Shiranui seemed quite close; they were even willing to help spread "rumors." Although, they weren't really rumors, since the footage they provided was genuine, just lacking footage of the beginning and end.

—Don't take things out of context. (Excerpt from "Don't Take Things Out of Context")

Moreover, it wouldn't matter if Tachibana Yu and the others really ran away. Harunobu only needed a plausible excuse to "discover" Tachibana Yu. As long as they went to the Daibu Shrine, Harunobu could pretend to have discovered them and go on a killing spree at Tachibana Yu's lair.

So for now, let's just enjoy the pleasant experience of shopping.

Harunobu, with Tachibana Seiko and Hirai Sachiko on his left and right, and the adorable Fujiwara Kaguya nestled in his arms, swaggered down the bustling streets of Osaka. As a "young" city that has only gradually emerged in recent years, Osaka, formerly known as "Namba," has long since pledged its loyalty to capitalism.

Compared to the relatively reserved Tokyo, Osaka is more Westernized, with Western elements everywhere—tutu skirts, top hats, gramophones, and bunny girls.

An old man in a haori (traditional Japanese clothing) with a shaggy, shaved head and a young man in a grey suit with a center parting were arguing fiercely; but the core of their discussion was not politics or tradition, but the price of a Siemens sewing machine. It wasn't until a bicycle, a horse-drawn carriage, and a car passed by that they barely reached a consensus; the old man took the young man's address and called for his workers to prepare the carriage for delivery.

“Speaking of which, should we get a couple of these at home?” Hirako asked with a smile as she walked beside Harunobu. “Everyone seems to be going through puberty lately, so we need to alter their clothes.”