The Demon-Slaying Grandmaster

Chapter 263 The Prelude to the Invasion and the Giant Transformation Technique

Li Jingxiao saw that Shuten-dōji was still struggling to get up.

He couldn't help but grin, then lifted his foot and stomped down hard again without saying a word.

They stomped on it more than a dozen times.

They stomped the demon's head directly into the ground.

Seeing that it could not defeat Li Jingxiao, the evil spirit instinctively tried to turn into a wisp of black smoke and escape.

However, after several attempts to cast the spell, his body failed to transform into black smoke.

Seeing this, Li Jingxiao couldn't help but sneer. The reason why the Immortal Binding Rope was so powerful was that this treasure could not only bind the target, but also restrict the target from using transformation techniques.

Whether you grow bigger or smaller, or transform into water, fire, or wind, it doesn't matter.

The Binding Rope will change size accordingly, or restrict your transformation.

The only way to escape was to use brute force to break free of the Immortal Binding Rope.

Li Jingxiao lifted Shuten-dōji, whose head was already buried in the ground.

He took out his plum blossom silver hammer and began to smash it down on her head again.

After being hit more than a dozen times, the guy still didn't pass out.

Frowning, he simply took out the towering white jade pillar and struck it down.

That's when they finally knocked the evil spirit into a daze.

Another blow from the stick finally knocked him completely unconscious.

Having knocked out Shuten-dōji, Li Jingxiao didn't waste any more words and recalled all the hundreds of golden-armored warriors who were lying in ambush around them.

Holding a corner of the Immortal Binding Rope, he flew up into the sky, carrying the evil spirit towards the Central Plains.

What Li Jingxiao didn't notice was a hilltop in the distance.

Su Mei, that vixen, looked uneasy, with a hint of fear in her eyes, as she watched him fly away.

I used to think this young Taoist priest was just a newbie who relied on his powerful magic weapon but wasn't very strong.

But today I saw with my own eyes that he first launched a series of attacks with wind and fire, and then burned Shuten-dōji's mountain castle to ruins.

Three thousand elite demon warriors were burned to death without even a chance to resist.

Even Shuten-dōji was ambushed by this young Taoist priest and knocked down in just a few moves.

Moreover, Su Mei only needs to think about the towering white jade pillar, the Five Fires and Seven Birds Fan, the Demon-Suppressing Sword, and the thousands of flying swords transformed from the Myriad Swords Technique in Li Jingxiao's hands.

My heart started pounding wildly.

He couldn't help but secretly rejoice that he hadn't fought with Li Jingxiao.

But after the initial fear, I had a second thought.

If he could establish a connection with this young Taoist priest, he could not only return to the Central Plains openly and legitimately.

It's even possible that they could unify the demon realm of Japan.

The thought of returning to the prosperous Central Plains and never having to stay in the barbaric land of Japan filled Su Mei with excitement.

Thinking about becoming king and ruler of Japan in the future, this vixen would be willing to be Li Jingxiao's woman.

They even felt like they had gotten a great deal.

After all, Li Jingxiao is so strong and so young, it seems like he's the one who benefits.

However, Su Mei couldn't decide how to get closer to Li Jingxiao after much deliberation.

Since he is a Taoist master, he is naturally not as easily fooled as a novice.

If you're not careful, and someone sees through your ulterior motives and intentions, you'll immediately incur their hostility.

They even came to blows.

This was not Su Mei's intention, nor was it the situation he wanted to see.

Moreover, there's a high probability that I can't beat that little Taoist priest.

After much deliberation, a thought suddenly struck me.

That fool Shuten-dōji has occupied many mountains and lands near Osaka.

Therefore, he has always been a thorn in the side of many samurai and daimyo.

In order to divert the attention of samurai and daimyo, and because the country was about to be truly unified.

For the past year or two, Shuten-dōji has been planning to shift the attention of various powers to Korea.

Even the Celestial Empire.

And his idea was the same as that of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, that monkey.

It was a perfect match, and we've been making preparations ever since.

They even sent a letter to the King of Goryeo, saying they wanted to use Goryeo as a route to attack the Great Zhou.

Even if the King of Goryeo was foolish, he would never actually allow the Japanese army to enter Goryeo.

This matter caused a great deal of unpleasantness between the two parties.

There have been several minor skirmishes recently.

Following this line of thought, Su Mei quickly came up with an idea after only a short while.

It transformed into a gust of wind and flew towards Osaka Castle, which was not far away.

A few years ago, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered the construction of Osaka Castle, which consumed a lot of manpower and resources. In just a few years, the new castle had reached a certain size.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi not only lived in Osaka, but his family also lived there.

Su Mei disguised herself as an old woman. With her cultivation and abilities, it wouldn't be difficult for her to get close to Cha Cha, also known as Asai Cha Cha.

She even easily gained the appreciation of the favored Chacha, and was often called over by Chacha to learn tea ceremony and flower arrangement.

During the exchange, Su Mei would occasionally bring up the matter of China and Korea, which to some extent did influence Cha Cha's views on China and Korea.

When he was young, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was nicknamed "Monkey" and he was deeply in love with Oda Nobunaga's sister, Oda Ichi.

Unfortunately, monkeys back then were not only black and ugly, but also had a low social status.

He only started to make a name for himself in his thirties.

In order to win over other forces, Oda Nobunaga would not marry his sister to any of his subordinates.

For monkeys, what they can't have is always the best, let alone their beloved from their youth.

Chacha Asai is not only the daughter of Oda City, but she is also said to look very much like her mother when she was young.

For a while, the monkey lost his appetite and couldn't think about anything but getting tea.

He even sought advice from his legal wife on how to win Cha Cha's heart.

Su Mei's purpose in approaching Cha Cha was simple: to influence Monkey through this girl.

You don't even need to say anything too obvious. Just talk to Cha Cha about how great the Central Plains is.

Let's talk about the bad things about the Koreans, especially considering that the monkey is about to become the number one person in Japan and has ambitions.

It's easy to provoke even greater ambitions in the monkeys.

Moreover, the monkey already harbored ambitions to invade Goryeo and the Central Plains.

When the monkeys actually send troops to invade Goryeo, Su Mei plans to take the initiative to inform Lee Kyung-hyo.

Even during future major wars between the two countries, more intelligence would be passed on to Li Jingxiao from time to time.

Given Li Jingxiao's status as the Duke of Zhou, he would naturally feel grateful.

If Su Mei were to engage in a major battle with other powerful demons from Japan in the future, it would be inevitable that Li Jingxiao would help this fox demon.

Perhaps, because of the camaraderie forged in battle, they might even be captivated by this fox spirit, leading to an exchange that transcends species.

As for whether Toyotomi Hideyoshi will be affected by Chacha, this guy occupied most of the land in Japan and forced other daimyo to submit.

And indeed, they have become ambitious and arrogant.

This is probably an experience that no powerful figure can avoid after reaching the top.

Moreover, the chaotic Warring States period in Japan has lasted for more than a hundred years.

The common people and the powerful, though their hearts yearn for peace.

But peace also means that lower-ranking samurai can no longer earn merit through force.

Without military achievements, there is no land, and no way to acquire more wealth.

After tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years of fighting, samurai who have risen in rank and status through war will almost certainly turn their attention to their lord or the territory of their lord's allies once their source of income and upward mobility are gone.

If Li Jingxiao were a monkey, facing internal conflicts, external expansion would be inevitable.

They used foreign aggression as an outlet for their frustrations.

Moreover, for the sake of his own rule, he might also secretly desire the support of his samurai and daimyo.

They squandered their energy, manpower, and wealth on foreign wars.

If we conquer Goryeo, we will have a larger territory and greater power and strength.

They could also acquire more land to reward meritorious officials.

The conflict can naturally be alleviated.

If we are defeated.

The loss of his subordinates is not entirely a bad thing for the monkey.

At least it will keep his subordinates in line for a while.
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If Li Jingxiao were to find out that this vixen actually wanted to provoke a war between Japan and Goryeo, he would be furious.

Not only would he not blame Su Mei, he might even hug her and kiss her.

Once the Japanese army entered Goryeo, Goryeo, a society that had been relatively stable for many years, would be in danger.

The Goryeo army had little chance of stopping the Japanese, who had been waging war for many years.

If Japan were to launch a surprise attack without declaring war...

The chances of winning are much greater.

When Goryeo can no longer hold out, the Great Zhou will definitely come to its aid.

The vanguard of the Great Zhou army entering Goryeo will most likely not make good progress.

At that time, the probability of Li Jingxiao leading troops into battle will be high.

Given his personality, he would definitely try every means to annihilate a large number of Japanese troops in Goryeo.

Then they launched a counterattack against Japan.

At that time, we will bring the Koreans and soldiers who have been ravaged and harmed by Japan into Japan.

If military discipline is relaxed even slightly, tens of thousands of Goryeo soldiers and generals will surely retaliate against Japan.

Given the opportunity, Li Jingxiao would certainly dismantle Japan.

This would allow Japan's chaotic Warring States period to continue for several more decades or even a hundred years.

Or, whoever is powerful enough to unify Japan, then we'll eliminate them.

Then, Tsushima Island, isolated between Japan and the Korean Strait, was given to the Koreans.

In the future, Goryeo and Japan will definitely have to fight several more wars.

Of course, this is the ideal situation; reality will not follow Li Jingxiao's ideas.
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When the Heavenly Lake Dragon Girl learned that Shuten-dōji had also been captured, she was filled with panic.

After much deliberation, he finally decided to submit himself to the powerful and wealthy in order to avoid possible arrest.

He even thought that to rescue his grandfather and father, he would have to force Li Jingxiao to compromise.

With this idea in mind, he actually set his sights on that monkey, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, just like Su Mei.
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When Li Jingxiao carried the unconscious Shuten-dōji back to the Maoshan Demon-Locking Tower on his sword.

The two old Taoists, Xuancheng and Xuanjin, couldn't help but marvel at Shuten-dōji's demonic appearance and Japanese attire.

However, the two old Taoist priests still had some objections to Li Jingxiao's trip to Japan to exorcise demons.

To avoid being nagged too much, Lee Kyung-hyo immediately promised to spend more time in Da Zhou in the future.

Try to capture a few powerful demons within the Great Zhou territory and imprison them.

Upon hearing this, the two old Taoists, Xuan Cheng and Xuan Jin, immediately rolled their eyes.

The number of demons that can be imprisoned in this Demon-Sealing Tower is not only limited.

If two demons who don't know each other and have no connection are imprisoned on the same floor, there's a high probability that only one will survive in the end.

Moreover, after devouring another demon, the survivor's strength will increase significantly.

That would only cause trouble for Maoshan.

Li Jingxiao chatted with the two old Taoist priests for a while before carrying Shuten-dōji into the first floor of the Demon-Locking Tower.

When Kang Yi saw him bring in a demon, his face lit up with joy.

Transforming into human form, he looked at Li Jingxiao expectantly and asked, "My lord, can I leave now?"

Li Jingxiao nodded, took out a second token from his inventory—the one that allowed him to enter and exit the Demon Locking Tower—and tossed it to Dang Kang.

"Is there anything I need to pack?"

Kang carefully took the token and shook his head.

Li Jingxiao didn't waste any time. He retrieved the +3 Binding Immortal Rope from Shuten-dōji, not caring when the guy would wake up.

Once inside the Demon-Sealing Tower, unless one possesses extraordinary strength, they cannot break through its defenses.

Only then will it be possible to break through.

Moreover, once the two elders and eight elite disciples outside discover that a demon has breached the defenses of the Demon-Locking Tower, they will immediately activate the Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire formations.

Not only is its defense stronger, but it can also attack demons that charge into the Demon-Locking Tower.

That's why Li Jingxiao ignored Shuten-dōji.

I glanced at Dang Kang and saw that the guy looked excited and was walking with a slightly unsteady gait.

They couldn't help but laugh and were the first to exit the Demon-Sealing Tower.

As soon as the two old Taoist priests outside the tower saw Dang Kang come out, they flew up and appeared in front of Li Jingxiao.

Seeing the token in Dang Kang's hand, and considering that the sect leader had personally come and mentioned this matter a few days ago, he was immediately struck by the sight.

Then he smiled and bowed politely to Dang Kang.

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on the completion of your merits. From now on, may you soar freely in the sky and leap freely in the sea."

Kang was taken aback, but then his face lit up with joy.

Although I don't like the Taoist priests of Maoshan, being freed from this predicament is indeed a happy event.

Moreover, once I join the City God system, I will still need to maintain good relations with Maoshan.

So as not to let the patriarchs of Maoshan in the underworld think he was dishonest and come looking for trouble.

To some extent, if one wants to live better in the City God Temple in Beijing, one should actively gravitate towards Maoshan.

So when Kang hesitated for only a few seconds, he returned the greeting with a simple smile.

He said he was grateful to Maoshan for helping him reform and turn over a new leaf, which is why he has such good fortune today.

The two old Taoist priests were relieved to see that Dang Kang clearly did not harbor any resentment towards Maoshan.

Looking at Li Jingxiao again, he couldn't help but think to himself.

With my junior brother here, even if this wild boar demon still harbors resentment towards Maoshan, he won't be able to cause any trouble.

Moreover, once those sect-protecting artifacts were repaired, many of the ancestral treasures of the fellow disciples were also repaired.

Let alone one Kang, even if there were ten more, Maoshan wouldn't be afraid.

Li Jingxiao chatted with the two old Taoists, Xuancheng and Xuanjin, for a while before taking the token back from Dang Kang and flying to the capital with him.

On the way, the wild boar monster also showed off the Giant Transformation Technique it knew.

He also passed on his innate supernatural ability, the "Spring Breeze and Rain Technique," to Li Jingxiao.

The name "Spring Breeze and Rain Technique" tells you what this spell does.

Li Jingxiao rolled his eyes at the wild boar monster after hearing this.

Li Jingxiao had always thought that the wild boar monster's innate ability to recover from injuries relied on consuming its own fat reserves.

In reality, it is just a Taoist technique that uses magic to heal injuries.

However, innate supernatural abilities are indeed more effective and powerful than when others use the same Taoist techniques.

As for the "Giant Transformation Technique," Li Jingxiao pondered and practiced it along the way, not only quickly mastering it but also easily reaching the minor completion level.

These two skills cannot be considered supernatural powers.

Therefore, after learning it, it will not only appear in the skill bar, but also show up as a proficiency level.

Li Jingxiao suddenly transformed from a height of 1.76 meters into a giant over five meters tall.

(End of this chapter)