The Twelve Trials Starting from Zero

In short, whether you choose to be a couch potato or fight against Naraku, power is indispensable, and perhaps this is an opportunity...

As Su Qi pondered this, he walked out from behind the wall.

Chapter Fifteen: Better to be a modern animal than an ancient fish

What a coincidence...

After talking with the samurai, Su Qi couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

It turns out that this samurai was named Muto Ishii, from a declining samurai family. He had a younger sister named Muto Roka. Because of their poverty, their father had married her off to a wealthy family in the village in exchange for their financial support, and she began to do business with them.

Without a doubt, the wealthy man in that village was from Kohina's father's lineage. And Muto Ishii was the uncle she had mentioned before, the one who studied swordsmanship at the dojo in the city and seemed to be very skilled.

Ishii and his younger sister Roka were very close. Yesterday afternoon, upon hearing that the Red Demon gang was roaming the area, he wanted to invite his brother-in-law's family to the city for temporary refuge, but it was too late at the time. So he rode over early this morning, only to arrive a step too late.

"Thanks to your righteous intervention, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable. I will repay such a great kindness."

Upon hearing the whole story in the main hall of the mansion, Ishii immediately bowed deeply in gratitude.

It seems these two siblings have a really good relationship. This gives me hope for my path to becoming stronger...

Seeing that the other party's gratitude seemed genuine, Su Qi, while calculating in his mind, chatted with Ishii over tea. After a few words, he steered the conversation to the monster from earlier. "I just saw Ishii-san fighting that monster. His swordsmanship was exquisite, truly breathtaking. Could you tell me what school of swordsmanship it was?"

"You flatter me. What I have learned is only superficial." Ishii was very respectful to the benefactor who had saved his sister and niece. "As for the sword style, it is the Fudo Myoshin-ryu sword style, which I learned from the Chōkō Dojo in the castle."

"The Immovable Mind School?"

Su Qi looked puzzled, because he had never heard of this school of thought before.

"According to Master Chōko, the 'Fudō Myōshin-ryū' style originated from the esoteric Buddhism of Tang China and was used to train monks to protect the Dharma and subdue demons. It was later brought back to Japan by the Shingon sect master Kūkai, modified, and then circulated within the Shingon sect. Not long ago, it was passed down to my master by a high-ranking monk from Sōtōya. Because it has not been widely publicized, it is not well-known."

"I see..." He nodded slightly, then asked the main question, "So, I wonder if Changgu Dojo is still accepting disciples?"

Ishii was slightly taken aback, then quickly realized what was going on. He carefully examined Su Qi's physique and asked, "Do you intend to enter the Changgu Dojo to learn swordsmanship?"

"what happened?"

"Of course, you can study at the dojo as long as you pay a certain tuition fee. But to learn the true teachings is not an easy thing."

"It's alright, as long as there's an opportunity. Now, could you please explain in detail about joining the dojo, Mr. Muto?"

"Of course, I'll handle the arrangements for your enrollment in the dojo. As for the details within the dojo..."

According to Muto Ishii, the head of the Chogo Dojo was named Chogo Hachirin, but he was often away on the move, and the dojo was mainly managed by his daughter, Chogo Ruri. The disciples at the dojo were divided into two categories: those receiving instruction and those receiving the lineage.

Apprentices can become disciples by paying a certain tuition fee each month. They only receive basic swordsmanship training and guidance and cannot reveal their school's name when fighting with others. Lineage disciples receive advanced swordsmanship guidance and can also learn the school's unique sword techniques, but they need to be recognized by the master and the master's representative before they can be transferred from apprentices to lineage disciples.

Disciples who inherit the lineage no longer need to pay tuition fees. After being recognized by the master and the master's representative, they can announce the name of the school in battle. However, if they accept a demon-slaying commission in the name of the dojo, they need to pay a commission. Moreover, without the master's consent, they must never pass on the secret techniques of the school.

In addition, according to Ishii, Changgu Dojo is the only dojo he knows that can teach swordsmanship for fighting monsters, so if there are no other options, Changgu Dojo is Su Qi's only choice for the time being.

Afterwards, when Xiaochu and Luhua returned from collecting their family's remains, Su Qi and Shijing helped them pack their things and left the village together, heading towards the city.

Japan is a small country, and due to the prevalence of monsters and bandits, communication was difficult, so villages couldn't be too far from cities. Therefore, despite dragging carts and carrying large bags, and stopping frequently, the group arrived at the nearest castle to their village—Kame Castle—in the afternoon.

Compared to the cities in China that are surrounded by high walls, Japanese castles are more like towns than cities. Their castles are mostly composed of a lord's castle and a castle town. The castle is usually located in the center of the town and is surrounded by a moat and a castle town. There is no high stone wall surrounding the outermost layer, so when you approach from a distance, you can see a large number of low wooden houses spread out along the terrain.

Kame Castle is named so because it is built on a lake. The highest point, the castle tower, is located on an island in the middle of the lake, surrounded by a moat, and further out are the castle town and farmland.

It was midday, and the sun was high in the sky. Su Qi looked up and saw the lake surface shimmering, like a jade ribbon swaying in the breeze, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and green trees along the shore—a truly beautiful sight.

However, after traveling for half a day, he was exhausted and had blisters on his feet, so he had no mood to appreciate the scenery at all.

I never imagined that ancient roads were in such poor condition, that traveling was so exhausting, and that you had to be wary of bandits and monsters. There wasn't even toilet paper when you needed to use the restroom, and the food was either bizarre or truly meager. Forget about watching anime or playing video games... This kind of life is completely unbearable!

Having traveled to the present day in less than a day, Su Qi's beautiful fantasies about ancient times have been completely shattered by the cold reality.

No... absolutely not... let alone five hundred or a thousand years, even ten years would be too much for them...

At this moment, after much hesitation, he finally made up his mind: even if he had to code until he died, he would never stay here and be a lazy bum.

So let's just kill Naraku... Successfully conquer him as soon as possible, then figure out a way to return to modern society, unless we can use Kagome's Bone-Eater's Well to sneak into the modern world...

With this in mind, Su Qi felt a little anticipation for his trip to the dojo tomorrow.

Afterwards, he followed Ishii and the others into the city and temporarily stayed at the Muto family's old house in the castle town. In the afternoon, everyone else had their own things to do, so he said hello, noted the location of the house, and then, with the purpose of gathering information, wandered around the castle town alone.

Unfortunately, after spending the afternoon exploring, although I learned more about the common knowledge of this era, I didn't find out any more valuable information—for example, anything related to the Shikon Jewel.

As dusk approached and darkness fell, he turned to head towards the Mutō family's residence, and then... he suddenly realized that he was lost.

"My lord, are you lost? Would you like me to show you the way?"

Just then, a beautiful woman with fair skin and long hair, dressed in gorgeous clothes, stood by the roadside carrying a lantern, her red lips slightly upturned, and smiled sweetly at him.

Chapter Sixteen: The Explicit Female Monster

Su Qi carefully examined the woman by the roadside.

She wore white socks and wooden clogs, her dress undone to her chest, revealing her delicate and sexy collarbone and shoulders. Her face was covered with a layer of fine, bone-colored powder, her beauty was alluring, her eyes were captivating, her long, black hair was tied up with a hairpin, her neck was long and slender, her breasts were full and her waist was slender, her attire made her look like a courtesan.

Then, turning her gaze to the lantern in her hand, it was also a wooden lantern with carved flowers, jade inlaid at the top, and exquisite and luxurious in the style of a palace lantern with four corners. The lantern surface was painted with gold and colorful paintings, depicting very explicit erotic scenes.

It wasn't a red-light district, yet such a stunning woman appeared, carrying a lantern before it was even completely dark, and she even struck up a conversation with a stranger like me...

Although the woman exuded a certain alluring charm, Su Qi immediately noticed something amiss, so he expressionlessly withdrew his gaze, ignored her, and walked straight past her.

Instantly, the charming smile froze on the beauty's face.

"Tsk, what an unromantic man..." Staring at Su Qi's retreating figure, her smile gradually faded, and she said coldly, "Just wait, you'll be back."

……

A few minutes later, Su Qi, who was lost, found that the sky was getting dark quickly. The shops and houses on both sides of the street were gradually soaked and swallowed by darkness. He didn't know when, but there was no one on the road. Only his footsteps echoed in the empty street.

This is bad, is it trying to get on my good side?

An ordinary person would probably have panicked by now, but he had the ability to return from death, so he was able to barely maintain his composure, remaining vigilant and continuing forward with his eyes slightly narrowed.

Soon, guided by the light, Su Qi arrived at a familiar intersection. Here, he saw that woman once again.

"My lord, would you like me to show you the way?"

With a knowing smile, she asked the same question again.

It really is a monster, but since it didn't kill me outright, perhaps there are some restrictions...

Su Qi pondered for a moment, then remained silent once more. He walked past her decisively, chose another path, and headed into the darkness on his own.

This time, he took the initiative to walk out of the street and wandered around in the darkness for a few minutes. He found that the houses on both sides of the street had disappeared, and the places that should have been there were empty.

As time went by and he walked further, the light grew dimmer and dimmer until he could no longer see his own feet. For a moment, he felt as if he were walking alone on an endless plane of darkness, until a warm light appeared ahead of him once again.

Su Qi walked towards the light and saw that the world was pitch black, except for a beautiful woman standing quietly at the crossroads, the lantern in her hand emitting an orange light.

"My lord, would you like me to show you the way?"

She asked the same question for the third time, but this time, the smile on her face seemed a little stiff.

Sure enough, I can try again, but no matter what, I absolutely cannot let her lead the way...

Su Qi skillfully ignored it and stepped into the darkness once again.

This time, the situation was basically the same as last time, but when the light appeared, he did not go that way. Instead, he avoided the light and wandered around aimlessly. After walking for a while, he still could not get out, so he simply sat cross-legged in place and waited quietly.

A moment later, the lights reappeared in sight, but this time the woman took the initiative to come looking for them with the lantern.

"Sir, are you sure you don't need me to show you the way?"

The beauty was barely able to maintain her smile after asking the question for the fourth time.

"Shh..." Su Qi, who already had a guess in mind, put his finger to his lips to signal for quiet. Then, his gaze slowly swept across the surrounding darkness, and he said softly, "Don't you think it's very quiet here? You can even hear people's heartbeats."

What are you saying?

"I was saying that the night is long and it's rare to find such a quiet place with only the two of us. Why don't we sit down and talk about life, discuss our ideals, and get to know each other better?"

"Enough!" The woman finally realized she had encountered an oddball. Too lazy to pretend any longer, her face turned cold, and she said directly, "Human, let me tell you the truth, you can never get out of here. Only I, only this lantern in my hand, can take you out, but you must pay a price."

"Oh." Su Qi looked up at the woman expressionlessly and said in a monotone tone, "Well, you're really great."

Hearing those sarcastic words, the woman felt an inexplicable urge to beat the other person up, but she held back and said in a deep voice, "Human, aren't you afraid? You should know that if you can't get out, you'll starve to death here."

Su Qi sighed deeply, "As the saying goes, life is like a sea of ​​suffering; what joy is there in living, and what bitterness in dying? Miss, you are too attached to appearances."

Is this guy really not afraid of dying?

Unable to comprehend the other's thought process, the woman simply reached out and smeared her face, instantly transforming her alluring features into a skeleton with its jawbones clattering together. She cried out in a strange voice, "Human, I'm actually a man-eating monster! I love to devour men's hearts and livers raw. Aren't you afraid?"

Surrounded by darkness, and suddenly seeing the pink and white skull, Su Qi felt a chill run down his spine, but he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he said seriously, "Of course I'm not afraid. The Tang Monk once said that humans are born of human mothers, and demons are born of demon mothers. If a demon has a kind heart, then it is no longer a demon, but a human-demon hybrid. In that case, wouldn't humans and demons be able to coexist peacefully?"

"I'm going to eat you!!" the monster roared, and its robes suddenly slipped off, revealing a pale skeleton.

"Eat it." Su Qi put his hands together, like a high-ranking monk, with a solemn and dignified expression. "In ancient times, Buddha cut off his own flesh to feed an eagle. Now I offer my own flesh as alms. I only hope that after you eat me, you will be able to lay down your butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot. Then this life's karma will not have been in vain."

"You despicable humans! You'll remember this!!"

Suddenly, the world went dark and then bright again. The monster disappeared before Su Qi's eyes, and he reappeared on a street in the castle town.

In the blink of an eye, the evening breeze was cool, voices could be heard near and far, the Milky Way stretched across the sky overhead, and lights shone from thousands of homes in all directions... Suddenly returning to the human world from the realm of ghosts, Su Qi was slightly taken aback, then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness there was no rollback, otherwise I wouldn't want to walk all the way back from the village again."

He dusted off his clothes, stood up, and once again identified the path. He quickly found his way back to Muto Ishii's house.

……

"That's probably a monster called 'Hualengyin,' which often appears at dusk and night. Once you're entangled by her, you'll get lost, gradually lose your sight, and enter the illusion created by the monster. In the illusion, she often appears dressed in gorgeous clothes as a beautiful woman, offering to guide you. But once you're blinded by lust and follow her, you'll be lured into the darkness and eaten."

After dinner, Ishii explained it this way after listening to Su Qi's account.

"I never expected to encounter monsters as soon as I entered the city."

"Alas, in this world, demons and monsters roam everywhere, even in the city. In fact, some monsters prefer to hide in the human world rather than in the wilderness. Also, dusk and night are the times when demons appear, the times when monsters are most likely to appear, so please be very careful."

"Thank you, I'll remember that..."

Next, at Su Qi's request, Ishii explained a lot of knowledge about monsters to him. Finally, when talking about the dojo, he told him that he had already made arrangements for him and that he could go there to learn swordsmanship the next day.

In addition, he had already paid the tuition for entering the dojo, which could be considered as one of the gifts of gratitude for Su Qi saving Luhua and Xiaochu.

The Mutō family owned several shops in the city, and their business was doing well, neither rich nor poor, so paying this tuition fee was not difficult for them; Su Qi himself was penniless, so he readily accepted their kindness.

The next morning, Su Qi was led by Ishii to the front of the Changgu Dojo.