Crossover: A Different Inuyasha.

On the attic terrace, the charcoal fire was burning brightly.

Fine snowflakes fell from the sky, turning into water vapor before even reaching the edge of the charcoal brazier.

Inuyasha sat cross-legged beside the charcoal brazier, with a celadon wine cup beside him.

Jieluo sat next to him, pouring wine from the wine jug into the cup in front of him.

Across from them, the four Dong Lan siblings sat in a row, still carrying the chill of their journey.

Donglan sat upright.

Chunlan hunched her shoulders and warmed her hands, while Qiulan stared at the plate of salt-grilled fish on the table in front of her, her Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

Xia Lan's gaze was like two nails, fixed directly on Qiu Lan's face, her eyes filled with the words "You better hold back."

"In this climate, the most comfortable thing is to drink a glass of cloudy wine and lazily not think about anything."

Inuyasha picked up his wine cup, took a sip of warm wine, sighed softly, and looked at the ice cat. "Donglan, you've been running around for the past six months. Thank you for your hard work."

"It's my duty."

Donglan glanced to the side, while Chunlan cleared her throat and began to recount their separation.

The Corpse-Dissolving Immortal of the Western Kingdom, the Sorcerer of the Deep Mountains, the Water Mirror Witch of the Isolated Island, the Wandering Monk, the Earth Spider from the Depths of the Earth...

Occasionally, he would use illusions to recreate the scene, narrating it with great emotion.

As Inuyasha listened, he was somewhat surprised by how articulate and logical this cat was, and how it even used illusion magic to aid its presentation.

It's really a waste of her talents to have her work as a henchman for Dong Lan.

When Chunlan mentioned the eighth place, Donglan reached into her bosom and took out a small, palm-sized pottery jar. The jar was dark brown and covered with densely packed seal patterns.

She threw the clay pot at Inuyasha.

A strand of hair fell from the sky, rolling the pottery jar into Jieluo's palm.

"The demon woman Rito is sealed inside," Donglan explained calmly.

"The person has been subdued and sealed in a jar, to be dealt with by Lord Inuyasha."

Inuyasha glanced at Yura, who was playing with the pottery jar, but didn't care. He asked, "I'll accept the inner pottery. But..."

"How is the resurrection of your lord's relative progressing?"

The expressions of the four leopard cats darkened almost simultaneously, clearly indicating that the results were minimal.

Donglan lowered her eyes and shook her head. The warm light of the charcoal fire reflected in her icy blue eyes, but it was as if there was a thin layer of mist between them.

"Aside from the unused Li Tao Ghost Technique, we gained nothing else..."

Having gained a deeper understanding of the resurrection technique of the demon woman Rito, Donglan held no further expectations.

How can a body made of ceramic be used by a powerful demon with a strong physique?

Such a resurrection would only enrage those close to them; it's better to avoid it altogether.

"Um."

Inuyasha wasn't surprised; in the original story, the leopard cat lord also relied on the Shikon Jewel as a medium to devour souls in order to be resurrected.

It's not that easy to come by with just a handful of mud and a few bones.

"Good things come to those who wait; you will succeed sooner or later."

After offering a word of comfort, he glanced at the sky again. The snow was thicker than before, and the wind swept a few snowflakes into the terrace from the eaves.

Inuyasha casually remarked, "It's almost the end of the year. You've been running around for the past six months, why don't you stay and spend the New Year with us?"

Dong Lan's lips moved slightly, about to politely decline, but Inuyasha continued speaking.

"Besides exchanging feelings, I also need to learn about the art of resurrection."

"Eight resurrection techniques, taken individually, each have their shortcomings and are not a solution. But what if they were combined?"

Inuyasha raised his wine glass and gestured towards Donglan, "Perhaps there will be an unexpected surprise."

Monsters' thinking is mostly single-threaded; if one method doesn't work, they choose to discard it and look for the next one.

Monsters capable of using their brains are truly a tiny minority.

Inuyasha's words made Donglan's eyes light up, and he also raised his wine glass, "In that case, I'll take the time to disturb you from now on."

"Just make yourself at home."

The two laughed and drank it all in one gulp.

After a hearty meal, a maid led the four leopard cat siblings to the retainers' quarters.

The house is a separate courtyard with a main house and side rooms for servants and storage on both sides. In front of the door, an old plum tree is covered with snow buds and dark red flower buds are swelling on its branches.

"My lords, there are five main rooms in the house, and all the bedding has been prepared. If you need anything, please feel free to call me."

The maid pushed open the door to the main room, lit the lamps in the hall, and stoked the charcoal fire in the brazier. After finishing, she bowed and withdrew.

Slightly tipsy, Dong Lan, who usually exudes a more alluring charm, raised her chin.

"Sit down, everyone."

"Everyone, please share your thoughts today."

The four people sat cross-legged around a low table.

After Chunlan set up the barrier, she asked, "Big sister, do you think Inuyasha... is sincere, or just saying it casually?"

Dong Lan said, "Whether he meant it sincerely or just said it casually, what he said does make sense."

"Each of the eight techniques is unreliable on its own, but if we can put them together—it's definitely better than us searching aimlessly."

Xia Lan rested her chin on her hands, her tail swaying back and forth behind her.

"I actually think he doesn't seem as annoying as the last time we met. Well, just a little bit."

Qiu Lan, who ate the most tonight, stood with her hands behind her head, expressing everyone's thoughts.

"I'm curious, why is Inuyasha searching for a jutsu to revive himself?"

"Are you trying to revive the Dog General?"

"Besides, once the lord is resurrected, he will surely lead us to continue fighting against the dog clan. What is Inuyasha after?"

The room was quiet for a moment.

Chunlan said in a low voice, "But Inuyasha also said that he doesn't mind if we grow stronger, and he doesn't even mind if we resurrect the lord."

"If these words are true..."

"If it's true."

Donglan chimed in, "Then it's even more worthwhile to stay."

"The Great Dog has gone to the Monster Graveyard, so there's no possibility of him being resurrected."

"After the lord is resurrected, we will defeat the dog clan, spare the lives of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, and give them a chance to take revenge, thus repaying our debt of gratitude."

"We'll all listen to our eldest sister."

Donglan looked at her younger siblings who agreed and continued, "We're currently living under someone else's roof, so we still need to be careful."

The three nodded to each other.

Chunlan suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh right, at the banquet just now, I felt that Inuyasha's gaze towards me was a bit off."

Xia Lan blinked, raised an eyebrow, and teased, "Remember during our last battle, didn't Inuyasha sniff your scent? He seemed quite pleased with it then."

"Xia Lan! Don't talk nonsense!" Chun Lan shouted unhappily, "I would never be with Inuyasha!"

Qiu Lan chuckled, but Xia Lan and Chun Lan glared at her and shut her up.

Dong Lan didn't smile, but the lines at the corners of her mouth loosened slightly.

The snow fell silently outside, and the snow piled up on the eaves, growing thicker and thicker, with the occasional dull thud of a branch breaking under its weight.

The charcoal fire in the stove burned quietly, casting the shadows of the four people onto the paper door, like four branches of a tree.