Curse Returns, a gamble from the start, I awaken dual spells

Chapter 171 The Guide

As Rito stared at the golden characters gradually dissipating in the air, a complex and indescribable emotion welled up within him.

The guide.

This identity label was far heavier than he had imagined.

"The guide... does that mean me?" Rito's voice carried a hint of uncertainty.

Tong nodded, an ancient light gleaming in his deep eyes: "Yes, it's you. Everything you did before sealing the core has proven that."

"Only you can touch the core of the seal; only your 'Entropy-Free' technique can resonate with the seal."

"Then what do I need to do?" Rito asked.

Tong's gaze deepened. She remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "What you need is to survive."

"Survive?" Itajō frowned. "What kind of guidance is this?"

"Because only by living can we move forward." Tong's voice carried a hint of heaviness.

"Although the seal has been reinforced, Fujiwara Koichi is right, its foundation has been shaken."

"The depletion of resources over the past millennium, plus the power you just injected, has only temporarily slowed the collapse. The real threat lies in the forces lurking in the shadows."

She raised her hand and pointed into the distance: "Beyond the Death Return Barrier, an even greater conspiracy is brewing. Fujiwara Koichi is just the tip of the iceberg."

"The core of the seal is not just this tower, but the balance of magical power in the entire world. Once the seal completely collapses, not only the world of magic, but the entire world order will be overturned."

Rito clenched his fist; he could feel the weight in Hitomi's words.

"Where should we go now?"

"Leave here." Tong's voice was calm yet firm. "Return to the outside world and seek the truths hidden in history."

"The key to the seal is not only bloodline and spells, but also forgotten knowledge. Perhaps the method to completely solve the seal problem is recorded in ancient texts."

She paused, her gaze falling on Xiaoye: "Some fragments of memories are sealed within her bloodline. When she awakens, they might provide you with more clues."

Rito looked at the unconscious Yoru on his back. Her breathing had become more steady, but her face was still pale.

"We will take good care of her," Rito said earnestly.

Tong smiled slightly, a hint of relief in her smile: "I believe in you. Now, I'll send you away from here."

She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing a line in the air, and a golden light condensed in the air, forming a huge teleportation array.

"This teleportation array will transport you to a safe location outside the barrier. Remember, everything you experience within the barrier will become your strength for moving forward."

Rito carried the unconscious Yoru on his back and silently walked into the teleportation array. Itadori and Fushiguro Megumi followed closely behind.

Golden light began to circulate, enveloping them.

Just as the light was about to fade, Tong's voice came again, carrying a meaningful reminder: "Beware of the Guardians."

A burst of light suddenly erupted, and Rito's vision was instantly engulfed by gold.

The next second, they found themselves standing in an unfamiliar forest.

The evening breeze swept away the oppressive feeling within the barrier, replacing it with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Itadori looked around, his face full of confusion: "Finally out. By the way, what did Hitomi mean by her last words? 'Beware of the Guardians'?"

"I don't know." Rito shook her head. "But since she specifically reminded me, it means this matter is important. Perhaps I should check if there are any clues in the family tree."

Fushiguro Megumi leaned against a tree, her face still pale: "Let's find a place to stay first. Saya needs to rest, and I need to recover my magical power."

Rito nodded, and the three of them dragged their tired bodies along the forest path.

After walking for about half an hour, a dilapidated old house appeared in the woods ahead.

It was a typical Japanese mansion, with mottled wooden walls, a roof covered in moss, and weeds in the yard almost as tall as a person.

Strangely, a faint fluctuation of magical energy permeated the area around the mansion.

"Is anyone living here?" Itadori asked warily.

As Rito sensed the fluctuations of the cursed power, his brows furrowed slightly: "I'm not sure, but at least it's a place that can provide shelter from the wind and rain."

He pushed open the gate of the old house.

The door hinge emitted a piercing groan.

The yard was overgrown with weeds, but a path had been cleared and led to the main house.

Just as they were about to enter the main house, an old voice suddenly came from deep within the mansion.

"Who goes there?"

Li Ren stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed intently on the direction of the main house.

A hunched figure slowly emerged from the darkness; it was an elderly man with white hair and a face etched with the marks of time.

But a strange golden light shone in his eyes.

The old man looked at Rito, his gaze falling on Sayo, and his expression suddenly turned serious: "You've seen her?"

Li Ren was startled: "Who did you see?"

"Tong." The old man slowly uttered the name, "She is one of the guardians of the old house, and also the key to the seal's core."

Rito stared at him warily: "How did you know?"

The old man was silent for a moment, then took out an ancient badge from his pocket.

The badge is engraved with intricate patterns, identical to the incantations on the core of the seal.

"Because I am the guardian of this mansion, and the last line of defense for sealing the core."

He raised his head and looked directly at Li Ren.

"The entropy-free spell within you, and the girl on your back... you've entered the core of the seal and successfully reinforced it, haven't you?"

The person in question neither answered nor denied the allegations.

The old man sighed deeply: "No wonder Tong sent you to me. You need to know the truth about the seal, and the secret that has been hidden for thousands of years."

He turned around and gestured for them to follow: "Come with me, I'll show you the real secrets hidden in this mansion."

Rito glanced at Itadori and Fushiguro Megumi, then followed the old man.

The interior of the old house is much larger than it appears from the outside. Ancient paintings and calligraphy works are hung on both sides of the corridor, and the air is filled with a smell that is a mixture of dust and sandalwood.

The old man stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.

"Inside here lies something my family has guarded for a thousand years." He pushed open the wooden door.

Behind the door was a huge library, with bookshelves reaching the ceiling, filled with all sorts of ancient books and scrolls.

The old man walked to the deepest part of the library, where there was a desk with a yellowed book lying open on it.

"This book is a manuscript written by the most powerful sorcerer a thousand years ago." He reached out and gently stroked the pages.

"It contains the complete structure of the seal, as well as the method to completely solve the seal problem."

Rito stepped forward, his gaze falling on the cover of the book.