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

Chapter 173 The Return Journey

As soon as Li Ren finished speaking, the entire library fell into a brief silence.

Huzhang was the first to break the silence, his fist clenching unconsciously.

"Let's go then! Since someone dared to harm Lord Tianyuan, we'll fight back!"

Fushiguro Megumi didn't speak, but his gaze said it all.

Maki-senpai looked at them, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"That's more like the juniors I know. However, we can't just rush back recklessly."

She pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and spread it out on the desk: "This is what I found during my investigation."

That was a map.

The map marks several important locations: Tokyo High School of Sorcery, the cave where Lord Tengen's barrier core is located, and — four red dots.

"What are these red dots?" Rito asked, frowning.

"The attackers' stronghold." Maki's voice turned serious. "During my investigation, I discovered that these people are highly organized. They are not ordinary curse masters, but more like a well-trained army."

The old man's gaze fell on the map, a thoughtful glint in his golden eyes: "The army? That makes sense."

Yes.

"What do you mean?" Itachi asked.

The old man slowly walked to the bookshelf, took down a yellowed scroll from the top shelf, and unfolded it to reveal an ancient emblem.

It was a ring entwined with thorns, with an open eye carved in the center.

"This is the emblem of the 'Eye of Thorns'."

"A secret organization that existed a thousand years ago, whose goal was to break all constraints and return the world to chaos."

"After the strongest sorcerer set the seal a thousand years ago, the Eye of Thorns became the greatest threat to it, and they have been secretly working to break the seal."

Looking at the badge, Rito felt a surge of unease: "So, the one who attacked Lord Tengen was the one from 'The Eye of Thorns'?"

"I'm afraid so." The old man nodded.

"Moreover, the fact that they were able to pinpoint Lord Tengen's location so accurately suggests that they likely have spies within the world of sorcery."

"A mole?" Fushiguro Megumi frowned even more deeply.

"You're not the first person to think this way."

"During my investigation, I discovered some very strange things. The attackers were extremely familiar with the internal structure of the Pyromancy High School; they even knew about the backup passage to the core of the barrier."

Li Ren was silent for a moment, then looked up at the old man: "Do you know any more information about this 'Eye of Thorns'?"

The old man pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.

"I don't know much, but I can tell you an important clue."

The leader of the "Eye of Thorns" changes every hundred years, and the birth of a new leader is often accompanied by a large-scale sacrifice.

"A sacrifice?" Itachi's voice carried a hint of unease.

"Yes, they believe that only through large-scale killing and destruction can the power of the seal be weakened, creating conditions for the eventual breaking of the seal," the old man replied.

Rito took a deep breath, opened the manuscript in his arms, and turned to the section he had just seen about the "entropy-free" technique.

Does this book contain any information on how to deal with the "Eye of Thorns"?

The old man shook his head: "There's no direct record, but there's an important clue."

He pointed to a line of small print on the edge of the page: "Look here."

Rihime followed his finger and saw a line of text he hadn't noticed before: "When the light entwined by thorns fades, the sealed bloodline will awaken in the abyss. Only the guide can find the answer in the chaos."

"This is still a riddle." Itari scratched his head.

"It's not a riddle."

"This is telling me that if I want to completely resolve the seal problem, I need to find the root of the Eye of Thorns, and the answer lies hidden within Xiaoye's bloodline."

Rito looked at the still unconscious Yoru on his back, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart.

"So what should we do now?" Fushiguro asked.

Rito closed the manuscript, his gaze resolute: "First, return to Tokyo to check on Lord Tengen. Then, find the clue to the 'Eye of Thorns.'"

“But we’re short-handed right now, and you and Saya both need rest,” Maki said. “I know,” Rito nodded. “But we don’t have time. If the ‘Eye of Thorns’ really succeeds on Lord Tengen, the entire barrier system of the sorcery world will collapse. At that time, the sealing core will also be affected.”

The old man stepped forward, took out a golden token from his pocket, and handed it to Li Ren.

"This is a keepsake from the old house. If you need help, you can go to Tsukigaku-ji Temple in Kyoto and find a monk named Huikong."

"He is one of the few surviving people who know the truth."

Li Ren took the token, which had a pattern engraved on it that resembled the core of the seal.

"Thank you." He bowed deeply.

The old man smiled slightly: "Go, young people, the path of destiny has been paved, the rest is up to you."

Rito carefully put away the manuscript and token, then turned to Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and Maki: "Let's go."

The four of them, carrying the unconscious Xiaoye, embarked on their journey home.

Night falls.

They walked through the forest, following a secluded path. Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Halfway there, Fushiguro Megumi suddenly stopped: "Wait."

"What's wrong?" Rito asked, turning around.

Megumi Fushiguro crouched down and touched the ground with her hand: "There are remnants of cursed power, very fresh, and—very familiar."

Li Ren frowned, squatted down, and placed his palm on the ground.

Grayish cursed power surged in his palm, subtly resonating with the residual cursed power in the earth.

"This is—" His pupils suddenly contracted, "Fujiwara Koichi's cursed power."

"What?!" Itadori exclaimed in surprise. "Didn't he disappear at the core of the seal?"

"He has indeed disappeared, but the remnants of his curse power appearing here indicate that he is also tracking us." Rito's voice turned low.

Maki gripped the spear on her back tightly: "So what do we do now?"

Rito was silent for a moment, then stood up: "Let's keep going, but we can't go straight back to Tokyo."

"What do you mean?" Itadori asked, puzzled.

"Fujiwara Koichi knows our whereabouts. If we go straight back to Tokyo, he might ambush us." Rito's gaze deepened. "We need to change our route and go somewhere first."

"where?"

"Kyoto, Tsukikage Temple. We need more information before heading to Tokyo." Rihito looked at the golden token in his arms.

Card.

The four changed direction and headed towards Kyoto along a more secluded mountain path.

Under the moonlight, their shadows stretched long on the ground.

In the darkness behind them, a pair of blood-red eyes silently watched their departing figures.