The Twelve Trials Starting from Zero

"Because of me, the dojo has been targeted by many demons. I must rush back to deal with it immediately. Would you like to come with me?"

"..."

"Then I'll go back myself and resolve this as soon as possible. You stay here and don't move around?"

"..."

"Hey, don't you have anything to say? Why are you just staring at me like that?"

She was silent for a moment, then finally said, "I hope you can make it in time."

So you mean you don't want to go back with me?

You should know my answer.

"Tsk, man proposes, God disposes. Are we destined to never travel together?"

Su Qi sighed softly, a hint of regret and reluctance in his voice, as he packed his bags. "There's nothing I can do but part ways with you for now. I hope we'll meet again someday. So, is there anything you'd like to say to me before we part?"

The two looked at each other for a moment, and Kikyo nodded slightly and said softly, "Thank you for taking care of me during this time. Have a safe journey."

"Sigh, after more than ten days, all I got in return was a thank you. I've really lost out big time."

Su Qi shook his head, finally turned and left the house, gradually disappearing into the distance along the country path outside.

Kikyo didn't say anything more. She silently watched his figure slowly disappear, then picked up the bow and arrows beside her and stood up.

She didn't doubt the truthfulness of Su Qi's words, because he had insisted on following her that morning, and nothing had happened between them. He wouldn't change his mind so quickly and suddenly. So it was obvious that something had really happened to him, and that it was so important that he was willing to abandon her to rush over immediately.

Kikyo, who hadn't fully trusted Su Qi yet, was naturally happy to see this happen.

"Inuyasha... I've come to find you..."

Soon, she also left the house and headed towards the place she knew so well.

……

On the other side, after leaving Kikyo's sight, Su Qi's lips curled up slightly as he looked up at the sky and muttered to himself, "Sorry, Kikyo, since you can't help, don't blame me for playing the double agent."

He's certainly not a simp. Although as a reader he has a natural affinity for Kikyo, he wouldn't waste his time and energy without expecting anything in return. If Kikyo fails to meet his expectations or help with his plans, he wouldn't mind using some underhanded tactics to steer the plot in the direction he desires.

So Su Qi immediately changed his direction and headed towards Maple Village.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Don't be nervous, I'm not a bad person (draws sword)

Without a doubt, as a martial artist, Su Qi's movement speed was much faster than Kikyo's, so he arrived at Maple Village first.

Upon arriving at the location, he didn't hesitate. He immediately asked a villager where the person was and then went to find Kagome. He had already considered that if he didn't want Kikyo and Inuyasha to perish together, the most crucial person was this female protagonist.

In the original story, this scene involves Kagome awakening Inuyasha's consciousness at a crucial moment, dispelling the dead spirit within Kikyo, and forcing Kikyo to leave empty-handed. Therefore, Su Qi's task is actually quite simple: just ensure that Kagome is present when Inuyasha and Kikyo meet.

As for how Er Gouzi will get through this hellish situation, that's none of Su Qi's business.

……

"what……"

Beside the Bone-Eater's Well behind the village, Kagome, carrying a backpack, was about to use this ancient well, which connects the Warring States period with five hundred years in the future, to go home when she suddenly noticed the aura of two Shikon Jewel pieces approaching her.

"What's wrong, Kagome..." Inuyasha, who was carrying many bags, asked curiously, "Didn't you say you were going home? Why are you suddenly spacing out?"

"The Shikon Jewel, two pieces of the Shikon Jewel are coming this way."

"The Shikon Jewel?" Miroku, standing to the side, frowned slightly. "Why would it suddenly appear here? Is it here for us?"

As they were talking, Su Qi, who was walking briskly, finally came into everyone's view.

"That's the person! He has two Shikon Jewel fragments on him."

"It's actually a human?"

Miroku was slightly surprised, because those who could obtain the Shikon Jewel shards undoubtedly possessed some strength, and overall, the yokai were much stronger than the humans.

"Whether it's human or monster, since it's delivered right to our doorstep, why not just snatch the Shikon Jewel?"

The simple-minded Inuyasha didn't think much of it. He immediately threw down his bags and strode towards Su Qi.

"Wait, perhaps that person isn't our enemy."

"Hmph, anyone who tries to steal the Shikon Jewel is my enemy, and... for some reason, I feel really annoyed whenever I see that guy's face, and I want to punch him hard."

As he spoke, he raised his paw, his face showing eagerness, but the next moment...

"Inuyasha, sit down!"

Suddenly, the rosary around Inuyasha's neck lit up, his body swayed as if a heavy weight was hanging around his neck, and his head slammed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Kagome, what are you doing all of a sudden!?"

With his thick skin and tough flesh, he immediately revived on the spot, looking at Kagome with a dissatisfied expression.

“Master Maitreya is right. You shouldn’t always be thinking about fighting with people or stealing their things.”

Just then, Su Qi finally came to the group and smiled kindly, saying, "Don't be nervous, I'm not a bad person, and I have no ill intentions towards you."

"Hmph, how could a bad person admit to being a bad person..." Inuyasha was still unwilling to give up, staring at him and saying, "Who are you? Hand over the Shikon Jewel right now, do you hear me?"

"Inuyasha, don't be so barbaric!" Kagome glared at Inuyasha, then looked at Su Qi, "Um... hello, excuse me... did you come here specifically to find us?"

“To be precise, I’m here to see you, Kagome.” Su Qi said, casually drawing his long sword from his waist. “But before that, to prove I have no ill intentions towards you, let’s have a fight first.”

"Kagome, get out of the way!"

Upon seeing him draw his sword, Inuyasha immediately became alert. He shielded Kagome behind him, drew his Tessaiga, and glared at Su Qi with hostility, saying, "You really are an enemy. Now your true colors are showing."

"Kagome, Shippo, go to the back."

Miroku also stepped forward, gripped his staff, and stood side by side with Inuyasha.

"Further words are useless." Su Qi raised his knife, reminding, "Are you ready? It's time for a head-on confrontation."

As soon as the last word was uttered, the raised long sword struck Inuyasha's head like a thunderbolt from the sky.

Wow, so fast!!

The latter's pupils contracted, and he instinctively raised his knife to block, but he had only raised it halfway when the enemy's blade had already sliced ​​through the vacuum and reached his forehead.

The chill seeped into my skin, raising goosebumps.

Just as Inuyasha was about to be slain, a tin staff suddenly appeared from the side and pointed at the blade.

But in the next instant, the blade, which should have been at its limit and exhausted, suddenly changed like a dragon and fish, skillfully dodging the staff. The blade light swirled up like a thousand piles of snow, and then, following the momentum, attacked Maitreya.

hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss...

Amidst a series of tearing sounds, Maitreya retreated in horror, his entire sleeve shattering into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.

"Maitreya!!"

Seeing this, Inuyasha was shocked and enraged. He roared and swung the Tessaiga, which was half the size of a human, at Su Qi.

Are you a butcher?

The latter slightly shifted his body, and the iron-clad blade slashed down close to his body, splitting a crack over ten feet long in the ground at his feet with a loud bang, but it failed to harm him in the slightest.

"How pitiful..."

He took a half-step forward and easily cut into Inuyasha's arms.

"It's clearly a good knife, but it's ended up in the hands of someone who just smashes things randomly."

As he spoke, Su Qi twisted his wrist, and with a bang, the hilt of his sword struck, sending Inuyasha flying, while the Tessaiga remained in place.

"Inuyasha, get further away!!"

Just then, Maitreya, who had just been repelled, shouted a warning while releasing the seal on the prayer beads on his right hand, preparing to use the Wind Tunnel.

"too slow."

Su Qi immediately turned his head and swung his sword wildly. In an instant, the sword light danced wildly, and more than a dozen sword waves shot through the air, crashing down on Maitreya like a storm.

"What!?"

The latter's pupils contracted, and he hurriedly withdrew his hand and leaped to the side. Looking at the place where he had just been, which had been bombarded and cracked with more than a dozen shocking knife marks, cold sweat couldn't help but seep out of his forehead.

So strong... Although this person is stronger and faster than Inuyasha, he doesn't have the overwhelming advantage of Sesshomaru. However, his swordsmanship and control over the battle are superb, making him more difficult to deal with than Sesshomaru in some ways.

Sesshomaru might be affected by emotions like carelessness or anger, creating openings, but this person before me has almost no weaknesses in battle. Moreover... he seems to have held back; otherwise, that last strike would have completely shredded my arm.

Let's stop here.

Just as he was about to press his advantage and crush the two men in one fell swoop, Su Qi suddenly sheathed his sword and signaled a ceasefire.

"You bastard, you attacked us from the shadows!" Inuyasha scrambled to his feet, his face contorted with resentment. "We haven't lost yet, let's go again!"

"No, Inuyasha, we have already lost." Miroku remained calm, looking at Su Qi and saying, "You seemed to have held back just now. I want to know, why did you do that?"

"As I said, I'll fight you guys first to prove myself."

Su Qi clapped his hands, calm and composed, as if he had never experienced a battle. He said calmly, "Now, I have proven that I am capable of defeating you all. If I harbored malice, I could even kill you directly. Of course, I will not harm you, so does that prove that I have no malice towards you, or at least no direct malice?"

Maitreya was speechless. What the other party said made a lot of sense, and he was speechless, but... wasn't this method of proof a bit too direct?

"It seems you understand. Now... I'd like to speak with Miss Kagome alone. Please do me that."

"No way!" Inuyasha still objected, glaring at her. "Absolutely not! I will never let Kagome be alone with a dangerous person like you!"

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Adding Bricks and Tiles to the Asura Field

"I think I have proven that I will not harm Miss Kagome."

Su Qi remained calm. He knew what kind of person Er Gouzi was: simple, brave, but also reckless, irritable, and stubborn, almost like a big kid.

"Hmph, I won't believe you so easily."

"Inuyasha, let's trust him this once and for all."

As the team's strategist, Miroku had a clear understanding of the situation. The other side had just proven that they had no power to stop them from doing anything, so instead of provoking them, it was better to feign compliance for now and see what their true intentions were.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, about to refuse again, but Su Qi looked directly at Kagome and smiled, "Regarding this question, I think it's best to let Miss Kagome answer it herself."

"Huh?"

Kagome, who was hiding behind the two, was taken aback. She looked at Inuyasha, then at Miroku, and then back at Su Qi. After hesitating for a while, she finally said somewhat hesitantly, "Okay... alright, I'll talk to you."