Under One Person: Dressed as Lü Liang, with vests all over

Chapter 192 Shamanic Spirit vs. Spirit Binding
In the hotel's conference room, several people sat around a round conference table.

In the center of the table was a long wooden box containing the demon sword.

Lu Ci frowned, glanced at the wooden box, and said:

"Is this demonic sword truly only resistant to equally skilled swordsmen, and no other method works?"

“That’s right, Patriarch Lü.” Ishikawa Shin nodded affirmatively. “After the demon sword appeared, many people wanted to destroy it, but so far no one has succeeded.”

Hearing this, Xu Xin raised his eyes and slowly said, "I heard that this is because something is residing inside the knife..."

"Ha, a spirit?"

Lu Ci raised an eyebrow, let out a sneer, and the scar that ran across half his face twitched slightly. He said sarcastically:

"If that's the case, I can find someone to help me."

"Thank you for your kindness, Patriarch Lü. However, back in Japan, some people tried to attack spirits, but not only did it have no effect, the Onmyoji who made the move ended up with a miserable end."

"Ha! That depends on what level the person is and what methods they use to do it."

Lu Luci's eyes were full of disdain, and a slightly crazy smile curled up at the corner of his mouth.

"Besides, isn't this a good thing? I won't lose out no matter which one dies, hahahahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chulan couldn't help but show a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

The method that Lü Ci just mentioned is clearly the same as the Wang family's method of summoning spirits and commanding generals.

When Lü Ci and Wang Ai interrogated him together at the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony, they seemed to have a close relationship. I never expected that their friendship would be so superficial.

I wonder how Wang Ai will react to these words.

……

Ishikawa Shin was unaware of the intricacies involved, so he simply stood up, bowed to Lü Ci, and thanked him.

"Patriarch Lü, we are very grateful for your kindness, but please let us resolve this matter using our own foolish methods."

Having said that, he straightened up, looked at the wooden box, a fleeting look of reminiscence flashing in his eyes, and continued:

"There is indeed a soul residing within Hirumaru. He is a genius who appears only once in a century, but also a soul filled with sorrow."

"He was born for the sword and should have become the best swordsman in Japan, but he died because of a despicable scheme. After his death, his angry and resentful remnant soul merged into the sword he used in life, and this is the origin of Hirumaru..."

At this point, Ishikawa Shin paused briefly, composed himself, and then continued:
"I won't go into the details of this genius's feud with our Ishikawa family. The 'Buddha Sword' developed by our Ishikawa family was specifically designed to counter Hirumaru."

"And defeating Hiruma head-on with the Buddha Sword has become the greatest mission for us, the descendants of the Ishikawa school."

Ishikawa Shin raised his hand and pointed to Ishikawa Ken beside him, "This is the person we prepared to break the sword."

Lu Ci looked at Ishikawa Ken with a skeptical gaze. "Him? Is he even capable?"

Before Ishikawa Shin could explain, Ishikawa Ken had already stood up.

He first bowed to everyone present, then stood up, drew the sword from his waist, turned slightly, and swung it into the air in front of him.

The sword light swiftly drew a line in the air; the light was extremely thin, yet it gave the feeling that space itself was being torn apart.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Chulan's expression instantly turned serious.

Although he had no good feelings towards this group of Japanese, he had to admit that the sword strike that Ishikawa Ken had just swung was indeed extraordinary.

The sword light looked thin, but it was incredibly powerful.

An ordinary weapon would certainly not be able to withstand the impact of this sword strike.

Moreover, the sword that Kenichi Ishikawa was holding did not appear to have any particularly outstanding features.

This shows that the key to that powerful sword light just now was swordsmanship, not the sword itself.

Zhang Chulan asked curiously, "Ishikawa Ken, how did you do that?"

Ishikawa Ken had just suddenly displayed his swordsmanship to prove his strength. Now, hearing Zhang Chulan's question, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, and his eyes revealed a hint of undisguised pride.

"This is a unique skill of Buddha Sword, and it cannot be done by people who have not received formal sword training."

Ishikawa Ken held his sword with both hands, slightly raised his chin, and slowly said in somewhat broken Mandarin:
"However, since you helped us find the demon sword, as a way of repaying you, I am willing to share this technique with you."

With that, Ishikawa Ken handed the sword in his hand to Zhang Chulan, gesturing, "Zhang, please deliver the strike you are most satisfied with."

Zhang Chulan stood up with a slight sense of doubt.

He was about to take the sword and try it out when a hand reached out from the side and took it first.

“I’ll do it!” Feng Baobao said, her eyes brimming with eagerness.

Ishikawa Ken looked in the direction of the sound, his expression changed drastically, and his brows furrowed tightly.

His gaze fell on Feng Baobao, his eyes filled with shock: How come it's this girl with messy long hair and a somewhat slovenly appearance again?
Previously, in the cave, her powerful and majestic Qi had left a very deep impression on everyone present.

Just now, she held the demon sword in her bare hands, seemingly completely unaffected by it.

Could it be that she is actually a hidden swordsman?
Ishikawa Ken pursed his lips, remained silent, and gripped the hilt of his sword tightly for a moment.

But in the end, he still handed over the sword.

"Sister Bao'er?"

Zhang Chulan cast an inquiring glance.

Feng Baobao stared intently with her sharp eyes, carefully examining the sword in her hand, and commented:

"This sword is even more powerful than my Okamoto 0.01. I wanted to learn how to use it just now..."

"What Okamoto?" Ken Ishikawa didn't hear clearly and asked with a puzzled look.

Feng Baobao replied calmly and casually, "Oh, it's just to match my Ah Wei Eighteen—"

Before she could finish speaking, Zhang Chulan hurriedly interrupted her, "It's nothing! It's nothing! Let's talk about sword techniques!"

"Oh." Feng Baobao nodded obediently and continued to examine the sword in her hand intently.

Seeing that Ishikawa Ken didn't intend to press the matter further, Zhang Chulan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he reacted quickly; otherwise, if the conversation had continued like this, the company's prestigious image would have been ruined.

……

Feng Baobao examined the sword in her hand for a long time before finally gripping the hilt and forcefully swinging the sword into the air.

This sword strike was fierce and carried an indomitable momentum; however, the sword light that Ishikawa Ken had previously displayed did not appear in the air.

"what?"

Feng Baobao tilted her head, first looking at the sword in her hand, then casting her gaze at the air where she had pointed the sword, her face full of doubt.

She thought for a moment, adjusted her posture slightly, and tried to imitate Ishikawa Ken's movements as she swung her sword again.

This time, the sword's momentum was clearly stronger than before, and there was even a faint whistling sound in the air, but the magical sword light still did not appear.

Seeing this, Kenichi Ishikawa secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his expression regained some confidence.

He reached out and took the sword back from Feng Baobao, saying, "Watch my movements carefully."

The next instant, he turned sideways and swung his sword swiftly. The sharp sword light, which seemed capable of splitting space in two, flashed again, instantly slicing through the air with a soft "hiss".

Upon seeing this, both Zhang Chulan and Zhang Lingyu showed expressions of surprise.

Zhang Chulan couldn't help but whisper, "Look closely, there's definitely something special about this movement; it's different from Bao'er's."

Ishikawa Ken's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of pride, and he began to explain:
"Compared to my strike, her attack just now was actually stronger in both speed and power, but what I could cut through, she might not have been able to do with that attack."

"The key lies in the way you hold the sword."

As he spoke, Ishikawa Ken raised his arm high, holding the sword in front of everyone so that they could see every detail clearly.

Zhang Chulan looked closely and saw that Ishikawa Ken was holding the hilt of the sword firmly with four fingers, his elbow precisely perpendicular to the blade...

Ken Ishikawa continued to explain: "The core element that determines the power of a slash is whether or not the blade can be adjusted to perfectly match the trajectory of the striking force."

"Laymen often think that as long as they swing a bladed weapon, they are chopping. But in reality, if they do not control it, the angle between the blade and the trajectory of the force formed unintentionally when wielding the blade will cause a significant loss of power."

"Such a swing is more of a strike than a chop; it merely has a superficial imposing manner and no real killing power."

With that, Ken Ishikawa once again focused intently on the sword in his hand, raised it again, and slashed!
A very thin stream of light appeared, accompanied by the sound of air being torn apart.

"This is the true strike!"

Ken Ishikawa's voice was filled with excitement and pride.

"A true chop should make the trajectory of the blade and the force of the swing infinitely close to the same, and what is ultimately revealed is only the dazzling streak of light left by the blade as it cuts through space."

"Wow, that's amazing!" Feng Baobao exclaimed, her eyes wide with amazement.

With a string of praises, Ken Ishikawa's confidence swelled rapidly once again.

With a smug smile on his face, he said:

"Hehe, this is both the foundation and the essence of swordsmanship. When it approaches perfection, it is said that one can unleash a strike that can be described as 'bladeless'!"

As Ishikawa Ken spoke, he glanced at Feng Baobao, who was reaching out for the sword, and handed it over again, adding as he did so:
"Even if you can't do it, you don't need to feel inferior. This is a secret I've practiced since I was a child..."

He looked at Feng Baobao, "However, you are already very strong. As long as you practice diligently and correct some of your previous habitual movements, your sword light will become more and more—"

Before Ishikawa Ken could finish speaking, he stopped abruptly, as if frozen in place, staring blankly ahead with shock written all over his face.

Because after Feng Baobao swung her sword again, a flash of sword light appeared in the air.

Feng Baobao swung her sword repeatedly, the sword light becoming thinner and stronger...

This time, not only Ishikawa Kenjiro, but also his companions Yagyu Aiko and Utada Ringo showed expressions of disbelief, muttering:

"Is this girl already self-correcting? Doesn't she need any adjustment period at all?"

Three minutes later.

Feng Baobao finally swung the sword to her heart's content. She casually returned it to Ishikawa Ken, saying:
"I've learned it, here you go!"

Ishikawa Ken seemed to have lost his soul, mechanically taking his sword with a blank expression on his face, exuding an aura of "I want to be alone".

……

Ishikawa Shin noticed the awkward atmosphere and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

He stood up again, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Zhang Chulan, and said respectfully:

"Zhang, I wonder if this Mr. Feng could be our knife-wielder?"

"Furthermore, I hope she can return to Japan with us and help us complete the trial of the broken swords."

As he spoke, he stood up, bowed deeply in the direction of Feng Baobao, and requested:
"The Ishikawa family has been preparing for this day for a long time, and we hope that you will grant our request."

Before Feng Baobao could respond, Zhang Chulan immediately stood up, walked out from next to Ishikawa Shin, and gestured with his hand:

"President Ishikawa, please don't be in a hurry. We're sitting here today to discuss this matter."

Ishikawa Shin slowly sat down, his gaze fixed on Zhang Chulan.

Everyone else present also looked at Zhang Chulan.

Zhang Chulan straightened his back, cleared his throat, and said:

"Since Mr. Zhao has asked me to represent the company in this matter, then I will share my thoughts."

His gaze first fell on Ishikawa Shin.

"Since destroying the demon sword is the long-cherished wish of the Ishikawa clan, then let's do it the way Chairman Ishikawa said." "However, Sister Bao'er will not go to Japan, and the location for the sword-breaking trial must be within China."

As he spoke, Zhang Chulan pointed to the seats where Xu Xin and Lü Ci were sitting.

"After all, the blood debt owed by this demonic sword is not limited to the Ishikawa family! The Tang Clan and the Lü family also have the right to observe and supervise this matter."

"Hmph! What you said is quite right, kid." Lu Ci nodded at Zhang Chulan, speaking with a hint of approval.

Xu Xin nodded in agreement, then turned to Ishikawa Shin and said with a cold expression:
"President Ishikawa, we've come all this way, not just to watch you take the demon sword away."

"Ha!" Lu Ci stared intently at Ishikawa Shin and retorted sarcastically without any politeness, "Who can guarantee that after you take the demon sword back to Japan, you will actually destroy it, and instead of passing it on to someone else?"

"You want to take the demon sword back to Japan? Even if the company agrees, I, Lü Ci, will not let you leave!"

"Either you leave the demon sword behind and we'll find a way to destroy it ourselves, or you stay here and finish up the broken sword matter as soon as possible. Ha! We don't have that much time to waste with you!"

……

Seeing everyone's resolute attitude, Ishikawa knew in his heart that it was no longer possible to bring the demon sword back to Japan.

However, while he did want to take the demon sword back to destroy it, he also harbored a selfish motive: to break the sword on the Ishikawa family's territory so that the spirits of the family's ancestors could also see it.

After a moment of contemplation, Ishikawa Shin made a decision:
"Then let's destroy the demon sword right here!"

His gaze fell on Zhang Chulan, and he sighed softly:

"I hope the company can arrange more people to guard the site at that time. This demon sword is the faith of those Higanbana ninjas, and I am worried that they will try to steal it."

"Then let's set the date for tomorrow," Zhang Chulan suggested. "Even if Bihe Ren gets the news immediately and takes action, it's too late for him to come from Japan now."

Lu Ci scoffed, "What if someone has already made preparations on our ground?"

Upon hearing Lü Ci's words, Xu Xin frowned, stroked his disheveled beard, and said in a deep voice:

"We can't rule out that possibility. Back in the Battle of Kulong, we did let a few bastards slip through our net."

"You know, the defining characteristic of a bastard is its prolific reproduction."

These words immediately caused a brief silence to fall over the room.

……

Zhang Chulan glanced sideways, subtly glancing at Old Zhang, then stood up and said:
"If those bastards dare to cause trouble, we might not only be able to avenge our past grievances, but also eradicate the hidden dangers in this land. That would be a good thing."

"Hehe, so we shouldn't worry, we should be happy instead."

"Hahaha, well said, we should be happy." Lü Ci laughed heartily a few times.

Xu Xin smiled and agreed, "Then maybe tomorrow we old folks can stretch our muscles a bit."

"Alright! It's settled then!" Zhang Chulan made the final decision. "The Sword Trial will be held tomorrow morning."

Ishikawa Shin nodded and promised, "I will be fully prepared tonight."

"However, where exactly should we choose as the venue?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhang Chulan looked at Old Zhang and asked, "Old Zhang, you're familiar with this place, do you have any suggestions?"

“Three kilometers away from the hole in the sky, there is a piece of abandoned woodland that can be used. It is flat and open, and not many people go there usually, so it is just right.”

After thinking for a moment, Lao Zhang gave his answer.

“Okay, let’s settle on this spot.” Zhang Chulan said as he stood up. “Everyone’s been busy all day and must be tired, so let’s all get some rest.”

Everyone got up and left their seats.

Zhang Chulan was the last to leave the conference room, his gaze fixed on Old Zhang's departing figure.

……

As soon as Zhang Chulan returned to his room, he immediately dialed Gao Lian's number.

"Brother Gao, Old Zhang should have already reported today's events to you, right?"

"Okay." Gao Lian responded, then said, "The venue is fine. I'll arrange for people to be stationed around the perimeter tomorrow to prevent ordinary people from breaking in."

"As for the troublemakers, you don't need to worry too much. Not many people know that the Demon Blade has been found. Even if someone leaked the news, it won't be so easy for them to cause trouble on our turf."

Zhang Chulan listened silently to Gao Lian's words.

After Gao Lian finished speaking, he suddenly asked:
"Brother Gao, are there any other people around you right now? If it's convenient, I'd like to talk to you about temporary workers in Northeast China."

Upon hearing this, Gao Lian's expression immediately hardened, and he said, "Wait a moment."

Immediately afterwards, there was a slight noise from the other end of the phone, as if Gao Lian had moved to a different location, and then the surroundings became completely quiet.

Gao Lian's voice turned serious, and he asked coldly, "Zhang Chulan, what do you want to say?"

"Brother Gao, don't be nervous." Zhang Chulan quickly reassured him, "Actually, I didn't want to talk about Erzhuang. I just said that because I was afraid the people around you would become suspicious."

"Is what you're talking about related to my people?" Gao Lian immediately realized.

"Yes, so we can't let the people around Brother Gao find out, because what I'm talking about is Bi Heren's undercover agent in the Northeast region."

"An undercover agent?!" Gao Lian exclaimed in surprise. "Someone close to me?"

“Yes,” Zhang Chulan said, “It’s Old Zhang, the one you sent, Brother Gao.”

"Today I specifically asked him to join us for a meeting and to select the venue for the Sword Trial."

"He will definitely inform those hidden Higanbana ninjas of this information, and they are very likely to take action."

"As long as we make preparations in advance, we can catch them like turtles in a jar."

"Zhang Chulan, are you sure that undercover agent is Lao Zhang!?" Gao Lian asked again to confirm.

“Yes,” Zhang Chulan said with certainty, “I noticed that the way he looked at the demon sword was very strange.”

“Brother Gao, you can have Erzhuang investigate. He’s definitely going to pass on a message tonight, and he’s very likely to slip up.”

"I see."

Gao Lian responded, his voice still clearly filled with disbelief.

He sighed and remarked:

"Why Lao Zhang? He's been with me for so many years, and his resume is absolutely flawless!!"

"Moreover, putting everything else aside, just look at his methods. He's a henchman, and I know the people in his gang well!"

"Even if he's secretly working for the Higanbana, those people on his side absolutely cannot help him!!"

Gao Lian's voice was full of doubt, "Could it be... that there's something about him that I don't understand?"

Upon hearing Gao Lian's words, Zhang Chulan retorted, "Brother Gao, have you personally witnessed him being possessed by a spirit?"

Gao Lian nodded and recalled:

"Yes, I saw him when I was on a mission. However, the five great immortals he summoned were not 'Hu, Bai, Huang, Liu, and Hui,' but they were undoubtedly spirits, not disguised by any other means."

“Brother Gao, I also witnessed the ability to summon spirits during the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony… Spirits are not necessarily from immortals; they may also originate from ordinary people,” Zhang Chulan reminded him.

Upon hearing this, Gao Lian frowned deeply.

He suddenly realized that what Zhang Chulan said was very likely.

Because during a previous mission, the spirit that possessed him had shown obvious dislike for the spirit that Old Zhang had summoned.

At the time, he thought it was just Hu Tianbiao's arrogant attitude, but now that he thinks about it carefully, Old Zhang probably really has a problem.

……

After figuring out these points, Gao Lian felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

He had always trusted Lao Zhang implicitly, and had even almost decided to send Lao Zhang to take care of Er Zhuang.

At this moment, he was filled with gratitude that he hadn't done that back then; otherwise, if things had really come to that, he would have been filled with regret.

"Zhang Chulan, thank you for telling me all this."

Gao Lian's voice carried a hint of seriousness, "If you have any plans, I will fully cooperate."

"However, I hope that I can handle Lao Zhang when the time comes. I want to see what his reasons are for betraying me."

"No problem," Zhang Chulan readily agreed.

……

After hanging up the phone, Gao Lian immediately contacted Er Zhuang and instructed her to keep a close eye on Lao Zhang's every move.

Immediately afterwards, Gao Lian muttered something in a low voice, and his body began to undergo an astonishing transformation.

His nose and mouth seemed to be pulled forward by an invisible force, gradually becoming like a wild beast; his ears also slowly grew upward, eventually becoming long and pointed.

At the same time, sharp claws slowly grew from his fingertips, gleaming coldly and exuding a chilling aura.

At first glance, it looks like a fox.

"Ha, why did you ask me to come out?"

A rough, deep voice came from deep within Gao Lian's throat, completely different from his usual voice.

"Brother Biao." Gao Lian spoke again, this time in his usual voice, his tone full of respect, "Last time you said Old Zhang smelled bad, could it be because the spirit he summoned was strange?"

"Hmph! It's not just smelly, it's absolutely stinky!"

"What? You called me out just for such a trivial matter?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Lian couldn't help but think to himself: This is no trivial matter. If Lao Zhang, who has followed him for so many years, is actually Bi He Ren's undercover agent, then it would be a huge joke.

However, for Hu Tianbiao, the spirit master who possessed him, this was nothing.

Just as Gao Lian was about to apologize and respectfully escort Hu Tianbiao back, Hu Tianbiao suddenly spoke:

Just as Gao Lian was about to apologize and respectfully see Hu Tianbiao off, Hu Tianbiao suddenly spoke.

"By the way, be careful lately, there might be an unusual person here."

"An unusual person?" Gao Lian asked, full of doubt.

"Yes, I sensed a threat," Hu Tianbiao said succinctly.

"threaten?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Lian immediately showed a shocked expression.

It should be noted that the spirit he summoned to possess him at this moment was no ordinary being.

Fox spirits are the head of the five major shamanic families, and are considered the most human-like and highly cultivated. Most of them have the surname "Hu".

The Hu family is a large clan, with members who have already attained godhood and those who are still diligently cultivating.

The eldest patriarch of the Hu family was named Hu Tianzu. Legend has it that he died in battle during the reign of King Wu of Shang and his conquest of King Zhou of Shang at the end of the Shang Dynasty. After his death, he was deified by Jiang Ziya.

Hu Tianbiao also belongs to the "Tian" generation of the Hu family.

Something that could make even Master Biao feel a sense of danger...

Gao Lian's expression suddenly tightened, and a guess popped into his mind—

Could it be that extraordinary skill?

(End of this chapter)