The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 548 Fellow Sect
Lu Wushuang frowned.

Previously, when they were at Hirado Castle, Matsuura Takanobu said that Japanese swordsmanship is divided into two types: one is the Shinto swordsmanship that is mastered and involves visualization, and the other is the Hon-i swordsmanship that is self-taught or self-created and involves breathing techniques.

Li Miao had killed a Japanese swordsman who practiced the Benyi Sword Technique during his time in Da Shuo. The swordsman was supposedly a "Sword Saint," and his style was indeed completely different from the martial arts of the Central Plains. Later, as more and more information was unearthed about the Zun Shen Sword Technique, nothing related to the Benyi Sword Technique was discovered. So, he put aside this thing that rivaled the Zun Shen Sword Technique.

However, the "true essence of swordsmanship" that Ryota Miyoshi mentioned contains a great deal of information.

Li Miao has confirmed that Miyoshi Ryota does not practice Japanese swordsmanship, because he has internal energy and has practiced internal skills, and these skills are from the Central Plains, which share the same origin as Shaolin internal skills.

As a result, when Lu Wushuang entered the true energy, Miyoshi Ryota not only did not feel strange, but also immediately concluded that she was also a practitioner of "True Original Swordsmanship".

In other words, in Miyoshi Ryota's eyes, anyone who practices internal energy cultivation and has true qi in their body is practicing this "True Original Swordsmanship".

This is interesting.

Lu Wushuang's eyes darted around, and she smiled slightly.

"You finally recognized me."

She was planning to trick Ryota Miyoshi.

Ryota Miyoshi couldn't tell the difference. Overjoyed, he stood up abruptly as if he had finally found his family.

"That's great! Master, did you see that?!"

"I found it! I found it!"

He even forgot that he was in danger and spoke excitedly to Lu Wushuang.

"Which family are you from?"

"Nianliu, Yinliu, or Anmaliu?"

He suddenly pulled a short knife from his bosom and then drew a long knife from his waist, crossing them in front of him.

"My name is Miyoshi Ryota, Niten Ichi-ryu!"

Lu Wushuang smiled and brushed him off, secretly analyzing the situation in her heart.

"Therefore, among the sword techniques of Japan, there is also the True Original Sword Way, which cultivates the internal energy of the Central Plains. Judging from what this kid said, it seems that only four schools can be included, and they should be closely related to each other, perhaps even from the same lineage."

“Nianliu, Yinliu, Anmaliu”.

"Never heard Nanako mention it. It seems that these four so-called true essence sword styles are quite declining, or even not openly circulated... Is it because someone is deliberately suppressing them, or is there some other reason?"

"Since this kid's internal energy shares the same origin as Shaolin's, does that mean that these four sword styles are related to Bodhidharma or Master Jianzhen?"

Ryota Miyoshi was excited for a moment, but then his gaze fell on a charred corpse. He suddenly remembered that there was still a crisis to be resolved, and hurriedly said...

"This is not the time to talk about this... Come with me first!"

He turned around and led Li Miao and his group forward.

Lu Wushuang took a few slow steps, stepped back to Li Miao's side, and told Li Miao everything that Miyoshi Ryota had said and her deductions, and then said in a low voice.

"Sir, what do you think is going on?"

Li Miao said with a smile.

"It's not entirely unexpected."

“After my battle with Bodhidharma, I have confirmed that the swordsmanship of Japan, whether in its original form or in its divine essence, is essentially a product developed from the final stage of spiritual cultivation.”

"Therefore, there is no martial art in Japan that is completely different from that in the Central Plains. Since the Shinto sword technique is a lineage passed down by Shintoism, that is, by the murderer of Bodhidharma, then the Benyi sword technique, which is the opposite of it, should also have the shadow of Bodhidharma behind it."

"It came to me without any effort; I've always been lucky."

During their conversation, Ryota Miyoshi, who was in front, finally spoke up. Now that he knew that Li Miao and his group were "fellow disciples," he could finally say things that he had been hesitant to say before due to his concerns.

"The situation at Akutagawa Castle, to put it bluntly, is still caused by the conflict between Shintoism and Buddhism," he said in a low voice as he led the way.

"Enryakuji Temple extended its influence to Akutagawa Castle and, through an extremely bizarre means, controlled the daimyo of Akutagawa Castle... Miyoshi Nagayoshi."

“From that day on, the warrior monks gradually took over this place. Until half a year ago, when Shintoism and Buddhism officially went to war, Enryaku-ji Temple, as the last pass through Settsu, took over this place by extremely despicable means.”

"At first they were villains, then Shinto believers, and finally just ordinary people who were unwilling to convert to Buddhism. As long as the monks thought you wouldn't convert, they would kill you immediately and hang your body in the city to intimidate those who weren't loyal enough."

Listening to Lu Wushuang's translation, Li Miao suddenly chuckled.

"An extremely bizarre method?"

"Controlling the Daimyo... why does that sound so familiar?"

“Little Deer, ask him. He just said that we killed those warrior monks who massacred civilians. Even without witnesses, the other warrior monks would quickly and accurately pursue us. Is that the kind of ‘extremely strange method’ used to control the daimyo?”

Lu Wushuang also sensed something and relayed Li Miao's question to Miyoshi Ryota.

Ryota Miyoshi sighed and gave an affirmative answer.

"Yes."

"It is indeed the same method—the Gu worms of the Miao region in the Central Plains."

Li Miao's lips curled up.

It's finally all connected.

What initially drew him to Japan were some Japanese who had come to the Central Plains seeking witchcraft and sorcery. These Japanese were not ordinary bandits, but subordinates of several Japanese daimyo.

It seems that these powerful figures realized they were already under control, or about to be controlled, so they sent their subordinates to the Central Plains to search for the inheritance of witchcraft in order to protect themselves, but they did not expect to attract such a living ancestor as Li Miao.

And thinking further, where did Japan get its witchcraft from?

It was all Ji Tianrui's doing; even the timing perfectly matched the time she left the Central Plains.

But she had already infiltrated the Ise Grand Shrine of Shintoism two years ago, so why would she hand over witchcraft to Buddhism? What kind of scheme is she setting up, and is she smilingly waiting for Li Miao to jump into the trap?
Ryota Miyoshi's voice continued.

"In short, as the successors of the true essence of swordsmanship, we should avoid appearing in the eyes of Buddhism, and even more so in front of Shintoism."

“Otherwise, we have already killed Buddhist monks, and the Shintoists hate us to the bone, wishing they could wipe out all four of our families. Apart from each other, we can no longer trust anyone.”

"But as long as—"

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Wushuang suddenly grabbed him and pressed him onto her shoulder. Before he could react, footsteps came from around the corner ahead.

A burly monk, carrying a naginata, peeked out from around the corner and glanced at the group with a blank expression.

At the same time, countless figures suddenly rose from the rooftops of the surrounding houses, each holding a crossbow and aiming it intently at Li Miao and his group.

Behind them, the door of a house suddenly shattered, and warrior monks in robes and armor poured out, blocking Li Miao and his companions in the middle.

The burly monk glanced at the group, his gaze settling on the two swords that Miyoshi Ryota hadn't yet sheathed, and he frowned.

"Niten Ichiryu?"

"Why would the enemies of Shintoism target my Buddhist disciples?"

"Forget it, it's better that way. It's precisely because of these few stray dogs that we don't have to worry about the consequences when killing them."

He stared at Li Miao and the others, then suddenly swung his hand downwards.

"Fire arrows!"

(End of this chapter)