How did I, an Onmyoji, become the Lord of Yokai?

Upon seeing this, Shimizu Asahi immediately channeled his spiritual power to manipulate the seawater. The unfrozen ice condensed into his power, and then, the slowly moving ship was propelled forward with a roar, as if it had crashed into a jet engine!

In the blink of an eye, the ship broke free of its restraints!

"Phew... thankfully we made a decisive decision, otherwise we would have been trapped in the center of the vortex."

Watching the vortex recede into the distance, the boy breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the blue-haired girl beside him, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Qingnvfang... Hmm? What's wrong? What happened again?"

However, compared to his relaxed demeanor, Qing Nufang appeared extremely solemn, her pale yellow eyes fixed intently on the front.

"Now... is not the time to relax. We're in trouble, Chaoyang."

Qing Nufang raised her arm, her slender, fair fingers pointing forward. Qing Shui Chaoyang followed her gaze, but the moment his eyes met hers, his pupils suddenly contracted.

"Damn it, we've been tricked again! This is the real test!"

Clenching his teeth, the boy's face showed an unprecedented solemnity, for before him lay countless enormous whirlpools!

This is the largest and most terrifying whirlpool that Shimizu Asahi has ever seen. Compared to this, the fifty-meter-long whirlpool that Umibozu created in Kyoto Port is nothing!

—Even the smallest ones here are over a hundred meters long!

"The vortex in this second level is also a formation. The vortex we just saw was only meant to cut off our retreat. The person who set up this formation never intended to use it to defeat us!"

"Chaoyang, what should we do? This whirlpool is too terrifying for our ships to withstand. If we encounter it, it will surely result in the destruction of the ship and the loss of life!"

The vortex, hundreds of meters long, was terrifying. Although it didn't have the overwhelming force of the first level, the sense of oppression it brought far exceeded that of the first level!

too difficult!

"Charge! I will do my best to minimize the impact on the ship. Qing Nufang, freeze the surrounding water to clear a path for the ship. Ali, use your demonic power to protect the ship. We cannot let the ship be destroyed here!"

Almost instantly, the black-haired boy made a decision that no ordinary person could make. With a firm and tenacious gaze, he solemnly looked ahead.

"This is our only option."

"...Since you put it that way, then leave it to us!"

A-Li and Qing Nufang exchanged a glance. This method was crazy. As demons, they knew best how terrifying the power of nature was. The only ones who could fight against natural disasters were the Demon King and the gods.

Although Qingnvfang and Qingshui Chaoyang joined forces to break through the towering waves in the first stage, that could only be considered a shortcut. What they need to do now is to truly fight against the natural disaster!

If anyone else were here, they would surely think that Shimizu Asahi had gone mad and would deny his decision. But Ali and Qingnvfang would not. They believed in his judgment and his decision!

Faced with such a momentous event, they all listened to him!

As the whirlpool drew ever closer, the three men's aura grew increasingly heavy. The sailors behind them gripped the ropes tightly, afraid to let go, lest they lose their hold forever.

Suddenly, a loud "boom" resounded, and the stable boat immediately began to shake violently. The sound of the water constantly hitting the hull was like the muffled thunder in the dark clouds, making people tremble with fear!

Shimizu Asahi's figure, as steady as Mount Tai, swayed violently the instant the two collided.

Pressure... He felt unprecedented pressure. The enormous impact from all directions crashed into his body like a savage monster. Even though he tried his best, he still felt like he couldn't control himself!

Fortunately, this feeling didn't last long.

The moment the ship entered the whirlpool, Qing Nufang tried her best to freeze the seawater. However, the whirlpool that had already formed was too terrifying. Even if she used all her demonic power, she could only barely freeze the surface seawater. Moreover, once she relaxed, the unparalleled twisting force would shatter her ice in an instant!

"The demon who set up this formation must be at the level of a demon king... Only a demon king could set up such a powerful formation!"

The boy gritted his teeth, once again deeply experiencing how terrifying the three trials of Suzuka Mountain were. If it weren't for his mastery of the Water Spirit Talisman and the assistance of Qing Nufang and A Li, he probably wouldn't have been able to pass this test even if he tried his best!

After exhaling a deep breath, Qing Shui Chao Yang looked at Ali beside him.

"Ah Li, how are you feeling? Can you hold on?"

Among the three of them, the one under the most pressure was Ali.

Even with him and Qingnvfang suppressing the impact of the seawater, the ship could hardly withstand such terrifying pressure. The demonic power that A-Li needed to protect the entire ship was far beyond imagination.

If she can't hold on, then he'll send someone to call Ibuki up; one more person means one more force.

Despite saying that, A-Li didn't seem too stressed. She gave a forced smile and said, "Don't worry, Asahi. Shiranui's power is very strong. There won't be any accidents in the short term."

As a yokai that burned the entire ocean, Shiranui may not be the strongest yokai, but she is definitely the yokai with the most yokai power. In a battle of attrition, she fears no one.

"Is that so? That's good... Qingnvfang, what about you?"

"It's a bit of a stretch, but we can hold on for now."

Although Qingnufang is not under as much pressure as Ali, she is already feeling the strain because she has already used up some of her demon power. However, she will not face the problem of insufficient demon power for the time being.

"That's good... Then I should speed things up on my end too!"

Taking a sharp breath, Qing Shui Chaoyang's eyes blazed, and the spiritual power within his body erupted like a volcano, causing the massive ship to begin its frantic advance!

......

At that very moment, while Shimizu Asahi and his companions were doing their utmost to overcome this obstacle, Ibuki was sipping her sake in the cabin. Feeling the ship's vibrations, her lovely face broke into a charming smile as if she had witnessed something amusing.

"Hehehe... Master and the others are really working hard. I feel embarrassed to stay here."

"Hey, little guy from Suzuka Mountain, tell me, should I leave you here alone?" Chapter 224, Section 227: Ibuki: Little guy, is it fun?

In the quiet room, Ibuki-doji and Sasori-onna looked at each other. Although the whirlpool and the crashing waves made the sea noisy, the small room remained silent.

It was as if no one existed.

However, in this quiet environment, a sense of oppression was quietly emanating from the Scorpion Woman.

She stared intently at Ibuki, her calm and distant face filled with solemnity and vigilance.

"Who are you! What brings you to Mount Suzuka!"

"Oh dear, aren't you going to conceal your identity? I thought you would argue with me."

A playful laugh rang out as Ibuki sipped her sake with an air of nonchalance, her relaxed expression suggesting she didn't care about Sasori at all.

...In fact, she really didn't take the Scorpion Woman seriously.

Although the great demon was strong, she was still far inferior to the Demon King. Killing her would be as easy as turning her hand!

"Answer my question!"

Her lovely and delicate face took on a frosty look, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in her eyes.

"Hehehe...Little guy, are you planning to use this to threaten me?"

"It's no use. I am half-god and half-ghost. No matter what kind of poison it is, it can't reach me. Your proudest tricks are completely useless in front of me."

The girl stretched out her slender, fair fingers and gently touched the poisonous tail that had somehow appeared behind her.

When her hidden methods were discovered, the Scorpion Woman's pupils shrank instantly. She couldn't help but grit her teeth, and a trace of determination and decisiveness emerged.

Now that we've been discovered, let's attack directly!

This monster... is very dangerous!

Because she has fought against her own kind since childhood, the Scorpion Woman has an extremely strong sense of danger. She can judge whether a stranger is a threat to her at first glance.

The moment she saw Ibuki, she understood that Ibuki was dangerous, more dangerous than anyone else she had met in all these years. Ibuki's attitude and darkness, which were like a demon god toying with humans, made her unable to muster even a shred of courage to take action.

Almost instinctively, she made the decision not to let Ibuki set foot on Mount Suzuka.

Yes...she plans to stay here and find an opportunity to kill Ibuki...

Of course, that plan is now obsolete. If Ibuki didn't recognize her, she could still use her status as a wounded soldier to seize an opportunity. But now that Ibuki has recognized her, no matter how she did it, she has to act. If she misses this chance, she won't have another one!

And so, the poisoned needle was inserted!

But just as the poisoned needle pierced her skin, Ibuki smiled softly, a dangerous glint appearing on her alluring face...

She sat there, seemingly oblivious and motionless. However, before the poison needle could strike, an inexplicable force came from the void, like a vast and boundless sea, and instantly imprisoned her tail—the space itself was frozen!

"That's quite a dangerous move, little one. Isn't Suzuka Mountain supposed to be very friendly to its guests? With what you've done, I can't see any friendliness at all."

"Suzuka Mountain...welcomes guests, but not...enemies!"

"Oh dear, how heartbreaking! I'm such a good person."

As Ibuki spoke, she suddenly felt that something was amiss, then paused, thought seriously for a while, and finally added, "Yes, I am a good person now."

As soon as she finished speaking, her dangerous smile transformed back into a charming one, and the terrifying power, as vast as the ocean, loosened its grip on the Scorpion Woman's tail. The tense and serious atmosphere vanished in an instant.

"what do you mean?"

The girl's eyes widened, her gray pupils revealing astonishment and confusion. Why didn't you kill her?

"Didn't I say that I'm a good person now? Although we demons always act based on our intuition, intuition isn't always right, is it? Sometimes, we should trust what we see with our eyes more."

"..."

However, these words did not gain the approval of the Scorpion Woman. Her eyes were still filled with extreme vigilance and murderous intent when she looked at her!

She could sense that Ibuki had already decided to kill her...

"Although I do have thoughts of killing you, don't make it so obvious... Hehehe, alright, I won't tease you anymore. If I keep teasing you, you won't listen to anything I say."

Sensing her distrust and wariness, the girl grinned and bluntly admitted her murderous intent. However, the next second after her admission, she suddenly waved her hand like a friend, indicating that she was no longer playing the game.

This sudden action put the Scorpion Woman on high alert. She focused all her attention on Ibuki, ready to break out of the ship as soon as she sensed danger!

But this time... she didn't realize the danger.

In her perception, the unparalleled darkness and evil within Ibuki's body had quietly fallen into hibernation, and the sensation of needles stimulating her skin had also quietly disappeared.

What... is going on?

The Scorpion Woman looked surprised; she didn't understand why Ibuki-dōji had done this.

"Hehehe, don't be so surprised. I was just playing a game with you."

Taking a leisurely sip of her drink, Ibuki said with the contentment of a little girl, "During this time on the ship, all I did was drink and sleep, which was quite boring. Although my master would occasionally take some time to keep me company, it wasn't nearly enough time for me to finish. So, I've come here to tease you."

"Teasing... So, you deliberately showed hostility just now to lure me into attacking?"

The Scorpion Woman frowned. As the hostility dissipated, the expression on her face softened slightly. However, she did not let her guard down.

As a yokai, one who has fought and bled among its own kind, the most important thing is to always be vigilant.

Those who let their guard down because of a single remark from someone else are long dead!

"Yes, your reaction is really cute... It's been a long time since I've teased you like this... Oh, no, it should be 'flirting'."

"..."

Looking at the smiling, cheerful Ibuki-dōji, Sasori-onna clenched her fists tightly. Her ferocious demonic nature gradually awakened within her, and she instinctively wanted to kill the demon who had been toying with her.