Crossover: A Different Inuyasha

"That was the team I sent out. Their recent achievements have enabled them to communicate with the underworld or resurrect the dead in an alternative way."

Lei Ming's body jolted violently.

His gaze was fixed on the half-demon's face, and something deep in his pupils cracked and popped like ice breaking.

With Donglan leading the way, the arrogant and domineering leopard cat practically roamed the demon realm, searching the world for the art of resurrection. Its fame was comparable to that of the Shikon Jewel, which was known to everyone back then.

However, most people don't take it seriously—just like the heretical view holds that the dead cannot be brought back to life, which is common sense!

But after truly losing a loved one, common sense? To hell with common sense!

If there were truly such a straw in the world, a drowning person would cling to it desperately.

Inuyasha met Leiming's scorching and trembling gaze with composure.

"So, how about bringing the Thunder Beast clan along with me?"

His wife's last words, "Head of the household," came to mind. Lei Ming completely abandoned his pride, knelt down, and his armor collided with the gravel with a dull thud.

"The Thunder Beast clan is willing to follow Lord Inuyasha until the end of our lives!"

This is not betrayal. Even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance, as long as the resurrection technique is mastered, the other Thunder Beasts that died in battle can also return!

"good!"

Inuyasha clapped his hands and laughed, "Get up, take me to see your clansmen."

Deep within Thunder Valley, the view opens up.

Nestled amidst the mountainside, a cluster of houses built against the mountain unfolds along the terrain.

The walls are made of bluestone, and the wooden houses are stacked one on top of the other.

In the central courtyard, a few figures were gathered together.

Some sat, some stood, their armor tattered and their bodies wrapped in blood-stained strips of cloth. When they saw Lei Ming approaching, they all stood up and then saw the silver-haired half-demon following behind him.

Those thunder beasts that survived the front-line battle and saw the enemy's thunderous heads, including those of the Golden Calamity and the Silver Calamity, all bowed their heads.

"The Thunder Beast clan originally consisted of twenty-three people. Now only... eight remain."

"Now I will serve you..."

Lei Ming respectfully led Inuyasha to sit in the main seat in the center of the courtyard. Just as he was about to make introductions, a figure ran out from among the Thunder Beasts.

He was a handsome young man, tall and slender, with features somewhat similar to Lei Ming. He had a high, smooth forehead and a hairline that receded upwards to form a sharp widow's peak.

"Father!" He ran to Lei Ming, his voice filled with barely suppressed anxiety, "Where is Mother? She—"

Lei Ming reached out and pressed down on Fei Tian's shoulder, abruptly stopping the boy from speaking.

He looked down into his son's dark red eyes, his voice low and steady, "Feitian, Mom... has left us for the time being."

Feitian stood there, stunned.

A monster's one year is equivalent to ten to twenty years of human life. He has lived for nearly two hundred years and has had many girlfriends. How could he not understand the cruel meaning hidden beneath his father's gentle words?

"Hiten, this Lord Inuyasha is the savior who saved our Thunder Beast clan."

Before his son could react, Lei Ming's voice rang out again, "At the same time, Lord Inuyasha is also the current lord of our clan."

Feitian was once again awestruck.

He stared at the half-demon who looked to be about his own age—the other was casually leaning back in his chair, resting his chin on his hand, his relaxed demeanor completely at odds with his current somber and serious expression, and blurted out a sentence.

"He—a half-demon?! By what means?"

Before he could finish speaking, a resounding slap landed on his face.

"Shut up."

Lei Ming's palm struck Fei Tian's face, knocking him to the ground.

The room fell silent instantly.

Just as Mantian was about to run out of the Thunder Beast, which looked remarkably similar to the female Thunder Beast, it involuntarily shrank its neck.

Feitian slumped to the ground, raising his hand to cover his cheek, with obvious red marks showing between his fingers. His eyes were filled with shock and resentment, and his lips were pressed together until they turned white. He didn't dare to say another word.

Lei Ming scanned the entire room with an iron gaze, drawing everyone's attention to him.

He declared firmly, "Everyone—swear allegiance to Lord Inuyasha!"

Submitting to the strong is the nature of living beings.

A few breaths later, the first figure knelt down on one knee, followed by the second, the third... and so on. The thunder beasts bowed their heads in turn.

Feitian stood up and glanced at his father's expressionless and stern face.

She glanced again at the half-demon in the main seat who seemed to be looking at her, but didn't quite seem like it, and reluctantly knelt down as well.

Inuyasha sat on a stone chair, his bangs being lifted and then falling back down by the night wind.

He vaguely remembered that when Hiten and Manten obtained several Shikon Jewel shards and their strength increased greatly, they caused "himself," who had just obtained the Tessaiga in the original story, a lot of trouble.

In the end, he died by his own hand.

But now...

"All that is past, let us look to the present!"

Inuyasha chuckled, gathering his scattered memories, and gave instructions to Raimu, who stood respectfully to the side awaiting orders.

"There should be a water goddess nearby. Find her for me."

"Yes, sir Inuyasha."

Chapter 59 Water God

Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, walk along the ridges into the depths of the fields, passing through low hills, and at the end of your vision lies a deep blue lake.

The lake was wide and flat, with a deep blue color, and the aquatic plants near the shore were slightly bent by the evening breeze.

The villagers lined up, carrying bamboo pallets on which were placed rice cakes, salted dried fish, several jars of rice wine sealed with red cloth, and seasonal fruits and vegetables tied with straw.

Leading the way were the village's elderly residents. When they reached the polished bluestone platform by the lake, the group stopped.

"Everyone, please be quiet."

Following the old man's instructions, the villagers placed the offerings on a small boat on one side of the bluestone platform, then bent down, their foreheads pressed against the cool stone, and waited quietly.

This is a sacred ceremony in which the village worships the water god. It is performed every year and passed down from generation to generation, and it has always blessed the village with good weather and abundant harvests.

The wind swept across the water, rippling it in circles. Several water birds skimmed across the lake and then flew away in an instant.

The sky slowly darkened, and a thin layer of orange-red light shone at the edges of the clouds.

Suddenly, a string of bubbles rose to the surface of the lake.

At first, there were only a few scattered bubbles, but then more and more of them appeared, becoming denser and denser, as if something was rising underwater.

The water rippled outwards, shattering the reflected clouds and sunlight. Then, several figures emerged from the water.

Those were several half-human, half-fish monsters.

Its back was covered with scales of various colors, which gleamed with a moist, eerie light in the twilight.

A pair of clear, calm eyes gazed intently at the villagers and offerings on the shore.

The one at the very front looks like a carp spirit, or a chubby little girl, with its dorsal fin extending from the back of its neck all the way to the tip of its tail, opening and closing slightly as it swims.

"Respected messengers of the water god, this is the offering for this month. Please accept it."

The old man raised his head, looked at the messengers who had remained almost unchanged for more than a decade, and spoke in a clear voice.

The rest of the villagers remained kneeling on the ground, reverence flowing between their lowered eyelashes.

Only the next young village chief raised his head at the old man's prompting.

"I received the offerings."

The carp spirit nodded, its voice surprisingly clear and melodious.

She glanced at the old man and the young man, made a mental note of it, and then waved goodbye.

The fish demons behind them pushed the small boat carrying the offerings toward the center of the lake.

The lake gradually widened, and the fields and hills on the shore receded into the distance.

Deep red wooden pillars rise from the water, with shimenawa ropes, glistening from the moisture, wrapped around the beams. Several newly hung paper pendants are attached to the ropes, fluttering gently in the evening breeze.

The small boat passed through the torii gate.

The water ahead widened several times over, like a hidden channel concealed by reeds and mist that suddenly opened up.

At the edge of the water, a mansion belonging to the water god stands in the heart of the lake.

It was a spacious wooden building, its dark beams and columns glistening with moisture.

The gray-tiled eaves curve slightly upwards at the four corners, like a waterbird resting with its wings folded.

The house is supported by wooden piles driven into the lakebed, and the entire building is about one person taller than the water surface.

Several unlit paper lanterns hung under the eaves, swaying gently in the twilight. The main gate was open, and warm light shone from inside.

The small boat approached the mansion's pier.

The fish demons emerged from the water, tied their small boats to the wooden stakes beside the pier, took out offerings from the boats, and walked along the pier towards the main gate.

The main seat is located in the north of the hall. Behind a low lacquered table is a thick futon, on which are placed newly offered sacrifices: rice cakes, salted fish, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and rice wine.

The water god sat gracefully behind the table, his posture elegant, like a half-bloomed lotus flower.

She had long, straight, jet-black hair that fell smoothly over her shoulders and back, adorned with red coral from the lake.

Her skin was fair and soft, with a translucent, porcelain-like texture.

A long, wide-sleeved robe in a purple and pink color scheme, in the style of ancient Chinese architecture, hugged her slender figure, with two long white ribbons hanging down from the sleeves.

After swallowing a piece of rice cake, the water god looked up at the fish demons standing on both sides of the main hall and said in a gentle and casual tone, "Everyone, please share the villagers' goodwill and don't waste it."

In the first seat below, a thin figure with a snake tail sat upright.

The snake demon was dressed in priest's robes, with a gaunt face, prominent cheekbones, and a pale complexion that was not normal.

His eyes were long and narrow, with amber pupils.

He stared at the offerings he had been given—a small dish of salted dried fish and a few pieces of rice cake.

Then, expressionless, he picked up a piece of rice cake, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly.

The sweetness of the rice cake melted in his mouth, but the snake demon found it tasteless and had no interest whatsoever.

'We're all monsters, why are we eating human food? How boring.'

The snake demon's gaze fell on the water god's profile, which was outlined softly by the lamplight, before it was quietly withdrawn.

The chewing motion remains unchanged; the tongue grinds the rice residue inside the mouth, as if imagining another scene through them—

The taste of salt and blood, the sensation of a living creature struggling and trembling in the throat.

He tasted it and remembered the flavor.

He has climbed from a water snake to where he is today, swallowing many things along the way.

Compared to food made by humans, humans themselves are far more wonderful.

That was a gift from heaven to the monster.

'The gods are disqualified...'

The snake demon lowered its eyes, a faint, dark light flashing in them.

The power of the water god... it's time.

Whether it's offerings or protection, this woman has been in this position for far too long.

Over time, the fish demons became accustomed to living in harmony with humans, accepting monthly offerings and occasionally serving them.