Tokyo Knights: The Odd Jobs X Files

Li Xin thought that the creator of this sword move must have been a compassionate person with great love for the world.

(Yinyue Dynasty: Keep cursing!)

Looking at the "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" from the perspective of someone who has practiced three sword techniques, Li Xin's evaluation of this sword technique can be summed up in just four words: flawless.

The sword techniques are practically flawless, progressing from simple to complex, yet each move contains endless variations and is exquisitely ingenious.

If the "Eight Forms of Famous Swords" excels in sword energy, then the "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" emphasizes sword moves and sword intent, with each move and intent advancing layer by layer, unstoppable.

Li Xin quickly memorized the sword techniques and incantations, closed his eyes and concentrated, deduce the sword techniques in his mind. The more he deduced, the more he felt the extraordinary nature of this "Holy Spirit Sword Technique".

No longer satisfied with mental deduction, Li Xin immediately left the room under the cover of night and went to a park near the firm, where he began to practice swordsmanship in the quiet and deserted park.

The naming of the moves in this "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" is extremely simple: the first move is called "Sword One," the second move is called "Sword Two," and so on.

Li Xin unleashed the "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" move by move. Although it was his first time actually using it, he had already rehearsed it in his mind many times. Moreover, Li Xin's swordsmanship had reached a very high level, so he used it with great skill on his first attempt, as if he had decades of experience.

"Sword One", "Sword Two", "Sword Three"...

Li Xin unleashed the twenty-two forms of the "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" one by one. After the first use, he immediately followed with the second, then the third, the fourth...

Li Xin's sword strikes became faster and faster, his sword techniques more and more urgent. In a short time, he had performed dozens of moves. The fast sword cut through the air, and even though Li Xin did not use his internal energy, the sword energy still gave the green trees in the park a haircut, causing countless branches and leaves to fall.

After performing the forty-ninth time, Li Xin suddenly stopped, took a deep breath, sheathed his sword, and stood still.

Something's not right. These twenty-two sword moves don't seem to be the ultimate form of the "Holy Spirit Sword Technique." The twenty-two variations are more than enough; there should be one more move to summarize the previous twenty-two moves and bring this sword technique to a close.

However, the sword manual that Yuan Bin gave to Li Xin only recorded twenty-two sword moves, and there were no more.

Li Xin didn't think Yuan Bin would hold back anything against him; it would be completely pointless. So, it was the person who created this sword technique who deliberately didn't hold back, or perhaps this move, like the eighth move of the "Eight Famous Sword Styles," depends entirely on individual comprehension.

Unable to figure out the reason, Li Xin simply stopped thinking about it. After all, these twenty-two sword moves were already quite powerful, and besides…

Li Xin gripped his sword tightly and swung it out. It seemed like a simple stroke, but the sword energy was sharp and fierce, and it actually cleaved through the dark clouds on the horizon.

Sure enough, using the sword energy condensed from the "Eight Forms of Famous Swords" to unleash the "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" can multiply the power of the "Holy Spirit Sword Technique"!

Li Xin was slightly pleased.

The clouds parted, and moonlight streamed through the gaps, illuminating the park and revealing Maurice's figure.

"Ah Xin, congratulations on your great improvement in swordsmanship!"

Mao Lixia congratulated Li Xin.

Li Xin was not surprised by Mao Lixia's sudden appearance; he had sensed her following him when he went out.

"Lisha, come, come with me and try out some sword moves."

Li Xin drew his sword.

Mao Lixia's "Phantom Sword Technique" is also an extremely powerful sword technique. Before Mao Lixia became a transcendent expert, Li Xin thought this sword technique was very exquisite. Now that Mao Lixia is a transcendent expert, her sword technique should be even more remarkable. By using the "Phantom Sword Technique" to train Li Xin's "Holy Spirit Sword Technique", it will surely make Li Xin's "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" even more refined.

Mao Lixia usually responded to Li Xin's requests without question, but this time, she refused.

Mao Lixia's pretty face turned red. She bit her lip and whispered to Li Xin, "Xin, I can accompany you to practice your moves, but only after you've done one thing with me."

"what's up?"

Li Xin quickly asked.

“Um, Ashin, you know that the ‘Knowledge Sutra of the Root of All Dharmas’ can enable us to have telepathic connections.”

Mao Lixia spoke to Li Xindao.

Li Xin nodded, then asked in confusion, "What does this have to do with what you need me for?"

The "Scripture of Wisdom that Exhausts All Dharmas" can indeed enable Li Xin and Mao Lixia to have a telepathic connection, allowing them not only to exchange thoughts but also to share certain feelings.

Mao Lixia lowered her head, her pretty face blushing, and quickly buried her head in her chest: "So, last night when you and Sister Xiaolei... I, I could feel it."

Li Xin was taken aback.

Yes, because of the "Knowledge Sutra of the Root of All Dharmas," Li Xin and Morishia can communicate telepathically within a five-kilometer radius. While it seems like it takes several bus stops to get between Lai Shengrui's apartment building and her office, the straight-line distance isn't far. In other words, Morishia used telepathy to communicate with Lai Shengrui all night…

Even Li Xin couldn't hide it anymore, and his face flushed red.

However, Li Xin was also a little puzzled. Mao Lixia could sense that he and Lai Sheng Lei were doing things, but why couldn't he sense anything unusual about Mao Lixia? Could it be a one-way channel?

"Forget it, now's not the time to think about that," Li Xin said to Mao Lixia. "How about we practice our swordsmanship first?"

Based on his understanding of Morishia, he knew that by the time he finished, Morishia would most likely be completely limp. Although Morishia's body was more robust than that of Rui Kisugi, her skills were far inferior. Overall, her fighting ability was not as good as Rui Kisugi's.

In a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, Mori said, "No, I... I'm already warmed up..."

What? You're already warmed up? Then we absolutely can't delay!

Li Xin sheathed his sword and prepared to draw it.

Chapter 717 "Walnuts"

In an antique shop, a slovenly-looking young man held up a black and gold box and said to the chubby shop owner, "Boss, I'm pawning this. Help me see how much this thing is worth!"

The antique shop owner pushed up his glasses, squinted slightly with his small, focused eyes beneath them, and immediately recognized the extraordinary nature of the box.

This is lacquerware!

Lacquerware originated in the Central Plains of China, but its craftsmanship flourished in Japan and is one of the most prized crafts of Japan. In English, the Central Plains is "China," which originally meant porcelain, while Japan is "Japan," which originally meant lacquerware.

It can be said that lacquerware is a craft that serves as a calling card for Japan.

Upon seeing that the other party was carrying something in lacquerware, the antique shop owner immediately perked up and said to the sleazy-looking young man, "Come, sir, please have a seat!"

The young man tossed the lacquerware box onto the table and casually said, "Let's see the price!"

Seeing the young man carelessly toss the box aside, the antique shop owner felt a pang of heartache. What if it got bumped or chipped? Regardless of what was inside, this lacquerware was quite valuable!

With the antique shop owner's discerning eye, he could naturally tell that this lacquerware was an antique, and an antique from before the Edo period, making it very valuable.

"Go, go, go."

The antique shop owner opened the lacquer box, only to find it empty, and looked at the young man with a puzzled expression.

"I'm just showing you the box. If I dare to steal everything out of the box and sell it, my father will beat me to death!"

The young man spoke frankly.

Just the box... that's fine too.

The antique shop owner didn't take it seriously. High-end antique lacquerware might actually be more valuable than what was inside the box. He had only glanced at it briefly when he saw that the lacquer box was made using a technique called "maki-e".

This craft originated from the gold-painting technique in the Central Plains during the Warring States period. After being improved by Japan during the Nara period, it formed an independent system. The craft reached its peak during the Heian period. According to the professional eye of the antique shop owner, this lacquer box should be an antique from the Heian period.

The antique shop owner held the lacquer box in his hand and examined it carefully.

Judging from the craftsmanship, this is a product of the Heian period, but the lacquer box is as bright and new as ever.

This is normal. Under normal preservation conditions, lacquerware will hardly fade or change color. Lacquerware unearthed in the Central Plains from the Warring States period still retains its rich color after more than two thousand years, which is a major reason why lacquerware is so sought after.

The wood grain is faintly visible under the glossy black surface, like a lake under the night sky. The gold decorations are elegant and of high artistic value. The antique shop owner can almost tell that this is a lacquerware antique of extremely high value.

"Your thing isn't worth much."

The antique shop owner casually put down the lacquer box, then sighed, "I can only give you 50,000 yen at most."

"Fifty thousand yen? I wouldn't sell it for five million yen, and for less than fifty million yen, you can forget about it!"

The young man shouted, "Do you really think I don't know what's good for me?!"

The antique shop owner's eye twitched. This damn kid, who seemed to be ignorant and incompetent, had surprisingly accurate valuations. Of course, it was also possible that he wasn't knowledgeable, but rather that a knowledgeable elder in his family had told him that the kid knew this thing was valuable, so he secretly took it out to sell.

However, the antique shop owner wouldn't offer the same price as the other party. This lacquerware might really be worth 50 million yen, but if he bought it at that price, how would he make a profit?

"Five million yen, that's the most I can ask for."

The antique shop owner cut off the price at the ankle, reducing it to one-tenth, but it was still a hundred times his original asking price.

"you……"

"Jiro, Jiro, are you in there?!"

Hearing the noise from outside, the young man's expression changed, and he immediately grabbed the box and said, "Pretend I was never here!"

Then, with nimble hands and feet, she opened the window at the back of the antique shop and jumped out.

"Hey……"

The antique shop owner was somewhat annoyed at missing out on a big deal. Then, an old man with white hair walked in, staring at the antique shop owner with bloodshot eyes and asking, "Did a young man come in just now?"

"I... I see and greet people every day, so I don't know who you mean by 'young people'!"

The antique shop owner was almost certain that the old man was the young man's elder, and that the young man had stolen the lacquer box to sell, which was why the old man ran away as soon as he arrived.

"You really don't know?"

The old man stared intently at the antique shop owner.

The antique shop owner shook his head nonchalantly: "I really don't know!"

The old man glanced around the antique shop and then said, "They're all fakes; not a single one is real."

Then he shook his head and muttered, "That kid Jiro shouldn't be so blind as to sell things here... Could it be that I was mistaken? Was the person who walked in not Jiro?"

The antique shop owner's eye twitched. How did this old guy know that these things were all fakes... He has such a sharp eye!

After a moment of contemplation, the old man said to the antique shop owner, "Hey, if a young man comes to you to pawn a lacquer box, you absolutely mustn't accept it. That's our family's treasure, passed down from the Heian period, priceless. If you dare to accept it, I'll sue you to death!"

"Yes Yes Yes."

The antique shop owner gave a perfunctory reply, but immediately sneered after the old man left, "What a joke! What can you sue me for? I didn't steal or rob!"

The antique shop owner was filled with endless sorrow, heartbroken at losing the lacquer box—he could have made a lot of money from it!

Just when the antique shop owner thought he had lost the chance to own that antique lacquerware forever, a voice came from outside the window: "Hey, is that old man gone yet?"

The antique shop owner turned around and saw that the young man from before hadn't left, but was hiding under the window.

Overjoyed to have his treasure recovered, the antique shop owner feigned anger and said, "You little rascal, you stole something from home and tried to sell it here, are you trying to get me killed?!"

"How can you call it stealing things from home!"

The young man shook his head, then climbed through the window and slammed the lacquer box back onto the table: "One price, forty million yen, cash only. I'll take the money and head to Southeast Asia, not giving that old man a chance to find me."

Based on the antique shop owner's assessment of the lacquer box, he could make a profit even if he bought it for 50 million yen, let alone 40 million yen.

But the question is, if he can earn more, why wouldn't he earn more?

The antique shop owner shook his head and said, "Twenty million yen, that's the lowest I can go."

He was certain the young man would compromise, and the old man was lurking nearby. If the old man discovered him, the young man would lose both his money and his life.

Sure enough, the young man got angry, his eyes turning as red as the old man's: "Hiss... thirty million yen, any lower and I'd rather go back and get beaten up by that old man!"

After another round of back and forth, the antique shop owner and the young man finally reached a deal for 25 million yen.

Just as the antique shop owner was about to close the deal, he suddenly remembered something and said to the young man, "Let me take one last look at the box."

After all, it's a deal worth 25 million yen, so he needs to be careful.

The young man generously handed the item to the antique shop owner, when suddenly a voice called "Jiro" came from outside the door. The young man's expression changed, and he immediately hugged the lacquer box to his chest, ready to run away.

Fortunately, the second "Jiro" rang out, but the sound was much farther away, which made the young man breathe a sigh of relief. He handed the lacquer box to the antique shop owner and said to him, "Hurry up and take a look. If that old man comes, none of us will have anything to play with!"

The antique shop owner swallowed hard. That sudden movement had given him quite a fright. Knowing the situation was urgent, he picked up the box, glanced at it briefly, and then nodded, saying, "Come with me, I'll go with you to get the cash."

He couldn't possibly leave such a large sum of money, 25 million yen, in the shop. Fortunately, there was a bank nearby, and since he was a VIP at the bank, withdrawing the money was convenient.

After withdrawing the money, the antique shop owner and the young man exchanged money for goods, settling the matter completely.

Holding the precious lacquer box, the antique shop owner returned to his shop in high spirits, carefully admiring the texture of the lacquer under the light.

The texture is beautiful!

The antique shop owner liked it more and more as he looked at it, and was thinking about which customer he knew would offer the highest price, when he suddenly felt that something was wrong.

April of the ninth year of the Heisei era

At the very bottom of the lacquer box, these few small characters are faintly visible under the black lacquer layer.

"April of Heisei 9... This is from last week!"

The antique shop owner loosened his grip, letting the precious lacquer box fall from his hands. He angrily ran outside the shop, shouting furiously in the direction the young man had left: "Liars! You two liars! How dare you cheat me, a big star like Koganei Taro! You'll both die a horrible death!"

As the antique shop owner cursed, the owners of the surrounding shops also stuck their heads out. When they saw that it was the antique shop owner, they all smiled knowingly.

The owner of this "Amitabha House" got scammed? Serves him right!