Crossover: A Different Inuyasha.

Chapter 73 With unparalleled strength, he offered his soul to Inuyasha.

"My father once said that the hands of demons are hands of protection. My mother once said that the hands of humans are hands of nurturing."

"With hands clasped together, the door is opened; within the red lotus, you are returned—"

The clear songs echoed through the mountainside, their sounds gathered and then released by the rock walls, like a stream meandering through the cracks in the rocks.

Asagi walked ahead, her steps light and quick.

The shadow of the Four War Gods dissipated, and the half-demon girl revealed a radiant smile befitting her youthful beauty.

As they walked forward, the melodies their parents had taught them flowed from their lips.

The song was clear and melodious, carrying both sorrow and a faint longing for the future.

Inuyasha listened quietly from behind, while Ran, whom he held tightly to his clothes, had tears welling up in her eyes and was sniffling.

Feng and Jieluo did not come along.

Under Inuyasha's arrangement, they took Kikyo's sleeping clone and led the shrine staff back to the eastern country ahead of them.

Asagi stayed behind to lead the way, while Ran jumped into the dog's arms and acted like a spoiled child.

Under the horrified gazes of Yura and Kaede, Inuyasha reluctantly took Ran away.

You know what, this is the age when girls are at their cutest and most clingy.

After rounding the last bend, the view suddenly opened up, and bright light poured down from the cracks at the top of the cliff, refracting and dancing on the rock face, illuminating the trails of floating dust, and turning the air into a layer of ethereal mist.

A huge furnace stands in the center of the mountain, so abrupt it is almost solemn.

The furnace is several thousand feet tall, its surface covered with layers of vines and dark green moss.

A dilapidated stone path extends outwards from the bottom of the furnace.

The broken sections of the stone steps were filled with moss and soil, and the edges were worn smooth and rounded, as if they had been trodden by countless footsteps and washed away by wind and rain over countless years.

Asagi led Inuyasha up the steps, and only turned around when they reached the front of the furnace.

She had her hands behind her back, tilted her head slightly, and her hair swayed gently with the movement.

Sunlight slanted down through the cracks at the top of the mountain, shining on her face.

The fear that once filled those eyes was gone, replaced by a bright, slightly shy clarity.

"Brother Inuyasha, this is the Cauldron of the Roaring Blade. If it weren't for you—"

Asagi paused, glanced at the Roaring Cauldron, then turned back, her gaze fixed on Inuyasha, a sweet and clean smile on her face. "The next one to be sacrificed—that's me."

Thank you so much!

"Thank you, brother!"

Lan in her arms shouted loudly, her voice crisp and clear, with a nasal tone like snot bubbles.

Inuyasha raised his hand and patted Ran's head, then walked over to Asagi, who was bending over, and pressed his palm on the top of her head.

"No need for thanks, just work hard for me from now on."

Asagi straightened up, smiled with her lips pursed, reached out to tidy her hair that he had ruffled, and there was still a little tear in the corner of her eye.

Inuyasha put Ran down from his arms. The little demon's feet touched the ground, and it looked up at him with its eyes still sparkling.

He turned and strode up the broken stone steps to the front of the Resonating Cauldron.

Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the dome, bathing the back of his crimson robe in a warm golden glow.

Asagi caught up and stood beside him, saying, "Brother, the Roaring Cauldron is opened only once every fifty years, and there are still twenty-five years until the next opening."

"Twenty-five years?"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, then waved his hand dismissively.

"It's alright. I haven't figured out how to use this big furnace yet, so I'll take it with me first. I can't just leave it here and wait for the next Four War Gods to pick it up."

As he spoke, he pulled out the Tessaiga, and with a flash of light, destroyed the base of the Roaring Cauldron, then cleared away the vines clinging to it.

Then Inuyasha bent down, gripped the bottom of the furnace with both hands, and the muscles in his shoulders and back were clearly outlined under his clothes.

A deep, muffled sound came from underground, like a groan emanating from the entire mountainside.

He lifted the resounding cauldron with both hands.

Vines trembled and drooped from the furnace, moss fragments fell in a rustling sound, and sunlight shone down from above, casting his figure and the creaking cauldron onto the rock wall, like an ancient and magnificent mural.

His strength could uproot mountains, and his spirit could cover the world!

"Wow—!"

Lan let out a long exclamation, her little mouth opening into a round shape as she craned her neck to look at the furnace in mid-air.

Asagi's mouth dropped open. "—Inuyasha-nii-san, what are you doing?!"

Inuyasha leaped up, carrying the giant furnace, its bottom several feet off the ground.

He lowered his head slightly, his silver hair fluttering in the wind stirred by the drooping vines, and a smug smile spread across his lips.

"What are you waiting for? Get up here, let's go home!"

"Let's go home with my brother~"

Lan was the first to react, cheered, and took off running.

Asagi paused for a moment, then burst out laughing and quickly followed, muttering to herself.

"Brother Inuyasha, you're such a—such a weirdo—"

"Haha, weirdos are fine, as long as they don't give you the 'friend zone' treatment!"

"Brother, what's a 'friend card'?"

"Children don't need to know."

"My brother is stingy!"

One day before early winter, the mountains and forests were desolate.

Fallen leaves carpeted the winding forest path, rustling underfoot, while withered branches crisscrossed overhead in a sparse net.

The wind blew in from the other side of the mountain ridge, carrying the scent of pine resin and earth, with the crispness and dryness of winter approaching.

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Inuyasha walked through the forest, accompanied by a beautiful white figure.

Iris, a girl from the demon wolf tribe.

A white wolf fur shawl wrapped around her slender shoulders, and her bare feet made almost no sound as she walked through the fallen leaves, like a small animal moving through the forest.

A calamus flower is tucked in her hair, its beauty mirroring the wolf girl's emotions; the flower blooms when she is happy and withers when she is sad.

He's just a bit listless right now.

Inuyasha knew why.

Sweet flag was a "tribute" sent by the wolf demon clan, with the aim of making her a half-demon woman.

Don't assume that there are no marriage alliances among monsters. Ayame was betrothed to Koga since childhood, but was later ordered to find him and complete the marriage due to a crisis in her clan.

In the original storyline, she successfully married Steel Teeth, but in this world—

Even braces have to take a backseat.

Inuyasha wouldn't be embarrassed.

Accepting the calamus would bring him pleasure and also appease the wolf demon clan—a win-win situation that required no hesitation.

So, after tormenting Naraku today, Inuyasha, having nothing else to do, took the girl out for some fieldwork.

Love grows over time, as they say.

Ayame twitched her nostrils slightly, her gaze falling on the depths of the forest ahead, then she turned her head to look at Inuyasha, her voice light and cheerful.

"Lord Inuyasha, according to intelligence and scent, the Black Priestess Tsubaki is nearby."

"Let's go then."

Inuyasha raised his chin and took a step in the direction Ayame pointed.

The two walked through the sparse woodland and along a narrow path, almost completely obscured by weeds, into the depths of the mountain valley.

The further you go, the denser the trees become, the dimmer the light, and the wintery scent in the air is gradually replaced by a heavier, more profound aroma.

It smelled like the musty odor of something long forgotten being turned over, mixed with a chilling, eerie scent that sent shivers down your spine.

"The breath stopped here."

Upon closer inspection, Changpu noticed fluctuations in the barrier a few steps away. She focused her gaze—

The barrier resembled a thin wall formed by solidified air, its surface gleaming with a dull gray sheen.

"Lord Inuyasha, it's a barrier."

"Can you handle this?"

"This level is fine!"

Faced with the half-demon's question, Changpu, remembering her grandfather White Wolf's admonition to perform well, raised her hand and made a clenching motion in front of her. Dozens of green leaves with sharp, blade-like edges flew out from her sleeve.

It spun into a vortex tornado in mid-air, cutting towards the barrier.

The green leaves touched the barrier wall, making a very faint, crisp sound.

The cracks then spread rapidly in all directions, collapsing and dissipating like a shattered glass curtain wall, turning into countless tiny gray light fragments that fell among the withered leaves and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

After the barrier dissipated, the two walked another ten meters or so, and a wooden house appeared in front of them.

The wooden house was small, about the width of two or three shipping containers side by side, and the door was closed.

Thick layers of fallen leaves covered the eaves, and spiderwebs hung from the corners, making it look like an abandoned house that had been abandoned for many years.

The evil aura that seeped out from the cracks in the wooden house, thick enough to materialize, clearly told visitors: the people inside are not to be trifled with.

Don't be nervous, don't be afraid!

"Go, Iris, for the sake of our community!"

Ayame stood with her tail held high, blocking Inuyasha's path.

"Sweet flag, step back."

Inuyasha didn't bother Ayame.

Although he was somewhat interested in watching "women fight," the thought only flashed through his mind.

Today, business is more important.

After making way for him, Inuyasha raised his hand and gripped the Tessaiga at his waist, his five fingers gripping the hilt tightly, and the blade was drawn from its sheath.

Demonic power seeped from his palm into the blade, flowing along its spine. The blade tip dipped to the ground, then slowly rose again.

Perception is like a net being stretched out.

I peered through the walls and windows of the wooden house, trying to catch a glimpse of what lay inside.

"Tsubaki, aren't you coming out?"

After failing to get an answer, Inuyasha flicked his wrist—the tip of his sword drew a clean arc.

The wound of the wind.

Golden claw-like blade energy burst forth from the blade, skimming along the ground like a wind blade compressed to its limit.

The walls of the house were torn and shattered like paper by the blade's energy, with fragments flying in all directions. The thatched roof was lifted into the sky by the shockwave and then crushed into powder by the aftershocks.

In the blink of an eye, the house split in two, turning into countless fragments that fluttered down in the sunlight.

A figure appeared in the center of the ruins.

Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, her face was plump like a peach blossom, and her eyes held an eerie and beautiful charm.

Her blueberry-colored eyes shone with a cool light amidst the debris and sunlight, and her skin was as white and smooth as a freshly cut white radish, making the cherry-colored lips even more vibrant.

She wore a black shrine maiden outfit with a green rosary around her neck.

A silver-white serpentine spirit coiled on the ground behind her. Its body was as thick as an arm, its triangular head was slightly raised, and its forked tongue flickered in and out of the air.

The black priestess Tsubaki looked at Inuyasha with a gloomy expression. "Inuyasha, I have no interest in you whatsoever. Why are you forcing me like this?"

To be honest, she was actually tempted when Luo Shengjing first sent someone to deliver the invitation.

The Eastern Kingdom is powerful, and the unprecedented co-governance between monsters and humans makes it better to be on that ship than to build a career alone.

But when she found out who created Rashomon, that half-demon, that half-demon Kikyo had liked, she immediately felt like she had swallowed a fly, so disgusted she couldn't get up or down.

Just thinking about it makes Kikyo's cold and arrogant face float before my eyes again, carrying that kind of pity that makes my teeth itch.

Because of Kikyo, he failed to become the guardian of the Shikon Jewel and angrily betrayed his sect.

Feeling resentful, he attempted to ambush Kikyo, only to be disfigured in retaliation.

The series of setbacks felt like an innate nemesis, driving Chun to despair and madness.

So when she heard that Kikyo had died, she was overjoyed.

Now, in order to maintain their youth, they are willing to sell their souls to monsters.

But as a shrine maiden, how could she be controlled by a yokai? Instead, she refined the yokai into shikigami.

This can be described as eating the fish two ways.

Tsubaki is happy that Rashomon values ​​her signature skill.

But the disgusting Inuyasha is someone you can't afford to offend. All these years, Tsubaki has been either pulling in different directions or hiding from him. It's only natural that the main culprit has come knocking on her door in this tug-of-war.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Inuyasha's patience had been completely exhausted by the black priestess, so he got straight to the point.

"Either come with me standing up, or come with me lying down. Or—offer me your soul."

Chun's pupils contracted for a moment, a fleeting glint of light flashing in her eyes.

She lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment, as if weighing something.

Then she raised her head, a gentle and submissive smile curving her lips.

"Since you've said all that, sir—" Tsubaki clasped her hands in front of her, bowing her head respectfully.

Then the camellia will offer its soul to you.

As she spoke, she made a hand gesture with her fingertips.

A dark aura emerged from between her brows, the light carrying the essence of her soul, like a peeled fruit pit, drifting towards Inuyasha's face.

She was secretly delighted.

Based on her own strength, Chun knew she couldn't withstand the unreasonable half-demon.

However, when it comes to her strengths, Chun doesn't think she will lose.

She had done this far too many times—throwing out a tiny fragment of a soul.

It's like scattering bait on a trap, waiting for the other party to take the bait and lower their guard before suddenly tightening the noose from the shadows.

The monsters that she had previously refined into shikigami were gradually devoured, suppressed, and consumed by her.

But the moment that wisp of dark light touched Inuyasha, it stopped as if it had hit an impenetrable wall.

"Do you really think I can't do anything?"

"I haven't been wasting my years learning the art of soul resurrection!"

Inuyasha looked at the Black Priestess as if she were an idiot, his golden eyes filled with mockery.

Raise your right hand, spread your five fingers, and make a loose fist with your palm facing the floating dark spiritual light.

Source power burst forth from his palm.

Like a giant net descending from the sky, it swallowed the dark spot of light entirely.

The source energy surged backward along the trajectory of the spiritual light, flowing into the depths of her consciousness through the pathway that Chun had actively opened.

Chun's expression changed instantly.

She felt her soul being gripped from the depths by a force far stronger than herself, like a giant hand pinching the wing of a struggling moth.

Unable to break free, unable to resist, and before even anger could take shape, it was crushed into submission by that force.

"----you--!"

Inuyasha lowered his hand, and the dark aura in front of him completely dissipated under the influence of the source energy.

He looked down at the black witch. "From now on, what should you call me?"

Chun's hands were on the ground, her long black hair falling from her shoulders, covering most of her terrified, struggling, and rather ugly face. The words that came out of her mouth were...

"—Inuyasha—Master."

Even she herself felt unfamiliar with those two words when she said them.

But she couldn't control it—the connection deep in her soul was like a brand, and if Inuyasha wanted it, he could make her do anything without even saying a word.

Including telling her to die.

The serpentine spirit coiled behind Chun sensed the reversal of the master-servant relationship. Its triangular head slowly drooped down, its forked tongue retracting into its lips and curling into a circle.

Ayame, who had watched the whole thing from the side, shrugged her shoulders, too scared to make a sound, fearing that Inuyasha might also attack her.

"Mission accomplished, time to head home."

After saying that, Inuyasha started walking back the way he came.

As if thawed, Changpu came to her senses and jogged after him.

Chun got up from the ground, her eyes lowered, and followed at the very back.

Along the way, only Inuyasha asked Ayame questions and chatted about some interesting things about the wolf demon clan.

In the evening, we returned to Rashomon.

When the demons on the street saw Inuyasha, they all bowed their heads in respect.

Inuyasha stopped at the crossroads, turned his head and waved to Ayame.

"Go back first, and report to the manor tomorrow. I'll have Jieluo arrange a job for you."

Overjoyed, Changpu nodded and replied "Yes," then turned and hurried towards the direction where the wolf demons lived. She wanted to report the good news to her grandfather.

Inuyasha led Tsubaki through the front courtyard of the castle lord's mansion, around the corridor, and up the wooden stairs to the top floor of the castle tower.

The room was brightly lit, with windows on all four sides open, and the evening breeze blowing in from outside, causing the pages on the desk to flutter slightly.

He took his seat in the main seat and leaned back in his chair. Chun stood a few steps away, with her hands at her sides.

Inuyasha looked up at her. "Tell me the essentials of the method of sacrifice."

The Black Witch's greatest value lies in her magic that grants her eternal youth.

This set of equipment can only be truly valuable when it's in his hands.

Since you're going to sacrifice your soul to a monster anyway, you might as well sacrifice it to him.

At the Ruri Shrine, there are many human shrine maidens, and Kaede is in her prime, but she cannot escape the cruel hand of time; those little shrine maidens will also face the same path in the future.

Fertilizer does not flow into outsiders' fields.

Inuyasha might be planning to extract all of Tsubaki's knowledge and use it for his own people.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have given Tsubaki a third option. If it were anyone else, even a beautiful woman, they would have burned her to a crisp with Kagu's Fire long ago.

Recently, even Naraku couldn't stand it anymore and started shouting surrender all the time.

But Inuyasha didn't believe it.

Chun bowed slightly. "The core of the sacrificial technique lies in unequal exchange, which can be seen as a variant of the spirit summoning technique."

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