He changed Tiwat

Kujo Sara felt anger, but also a deeper sorrow.

She clutched the memorial tightly and tucked it into her bosom.

"I want to see the General and let him see the truth."

At that moment, Zaoyou, who had been keeping watch from the roof beam, warned: "Watch out, someone's rushing over, and they're moving very fast!"

Almost at the same time that Zaoyou issued her warning, the partition door of the study was blown open by a burst of wind.

Before them appeared a tall and imposing Inazuma samurai dressed in full tunic.

Unlike ordinary samurai, this samurai was over two meters tall, and each of his shoulders was covered with half a long-horned demon mask.

Each demon mask was as tall as a person and connected to the samurai's shoulders by silver puppet threads, making them look like two strange shields.

"This is?"

"who?"

Ying and Wanye, among others, raised their weapons and demanded an explanation.

But the tall warrior remained silent.

Only his eyes, hidden beneath the mask, gleamed with a cold, blue light.

As if in a dream, Sha Luo looked at the tall warrior covered in a ghost mask: "They even mobilized you... Lord Dao Yin."

"'Daoyin'?" Goro and Ying looked at each other, this was a new name they had never heard of before.

Man'yō, however, had heard of him: "Iwakura Michitane, the founder of 'Iwakura-ryū' and the swordsmanship instructor of the Kujō family... But, he was a person from five hundred years ago?"

The man named Daoyin remained silent.

Sara shook her head: "It is not a human, but a mechanical puppet. The disciples of the 'Iwazo-ryu' school call it the 'Demon Puppet Sword Demon'."

"It is said that it was created by the shogun with divine technology to protect Inazuma, and it contained all the skills of the swordsman Iwakura Doin from five hundred years ago. For some unknown reason, this mechanical doll was abandoned by the shogun and was invited back by the Kujo family to serve as the swordsmanship instructor for the Tenryo magistrate."

"However, due to its age and aging mechanisms, the puppet Daoyin has not been used for a long time. In my memory, I only saw it once ten years ago during the 'Martial Arts Transmission Competition,' where it taught the winner Daoyin's secret sword technique, 'Tengu Shou'..."

"What is 'transmitting the heart through martial arts'?" Ying asked Wan Ye in a low voice.

"It's a kendo competition organized by the Tenryo Magistrate. Its full name is the 'Enbu Denshin Kendo Tournament,' similar to the 'Southern Cross Martial Arts Tournament' you participated in. Samurai who achieve a ranking in the tournament have the opportunity to be selected to serve in the 'Three Magistrates.' The various sword styles of Inazuma will also showcase their skills at the tournament in hopes of recruiting disciples," Manyo replied.

A somewhat aged voice abruptly interrupted their conversation: "With a compassionate heart to protect the world, and wielding a blade to intimidate all directions, to show the world, this is the original intention of 'Martial Arts Transmission of the Heart'."

"This magical swordsman embodies the will of the General and spreads his prestige. My Heavenly Territory Servants are the agents who protect the Heavenly Territory for the General. My ancestors of the Kujo clan collected this magical puppet to support the General's followers."

The person speaking slowly walked to the door.

This is an old man, dressed in a magnificent haori, with white hair and beard, but still full of vigor.

As the head of the Kujo family, the Heavenly Leader obeys and Kujo practices filial piety.

Beside him was a silent personal guard, Takatsukasa Tokibei, the Kujo clan's chief steward who was almost always by his side.

Kujo Takayuki stood behind the Demon Puppet Sword Demon, a hint of fanaticism in his eyes.

"No matter how exquisite the martial arts or how beautiful the memories, they will wither away with the decay of the body. Perhaps only by replacing one's limbs and torso with sturdy mechanisms, and ultimately replacing one's heart with a sophisticated 'mechanical core,' can one get closer to eternity than mortal flesh and blood... Isn't an eternal heavenly realm and an eternal warrior a perfect match?"

"You are already wanted criminals by the Shogunate, and you have even trespassed on the territory of the Heavenly Territory... For your crimes of offending the Heavenly Territory, please let this puppet swordsman act on behalf of the Shogun."

"..." Sara stared at Kujo Takayuki without saying a word.

Kujo Takayuki seemed to only notice her at this moment: "Sara, now that you have seen the head of the family, why do you not bow?"

Sara slowly shook his head: "Kujo Sara has already died in Nashiina. The one standing here today is Kageshita Tengu Sara."

“Oh.” Kujo Takayuki was not surprised. He calmly issued an order to the puppet in front of him, “Then, Iwakura Puppet Swordsman Doin, in the name of the Tenryo Magistrate, I order you to kill these traitors.”

With a "hum," something inside the Demon Puppet Sword Demon began to operate, and its eyes suddenly shot out red light.

Then it pulled out the knife.

Even with Sara's dynamic vision, she only caught a fleeting afterimage.

The moment she realized that the demon sword demon had already drawn its blade, a bright flash of light was already in front of her.

This is the "Ichimonji - Iaijutsu" of the "Iwazoryu" style.

Manyo, who also practiced Iaijutsu, swung his sword to block the Demon Puppet Sword Demon's starting stance, but he was too far away and his reach was insufficient.

Goro subconsciously summoned the rock creature to try to create an obstacle, but the speed of the Demon Puppet Sword Demon far exceeded his expectations—how could such a huge body move so quickly?

The blade had already struck Saro, and at the same time, a golden flash appeared before Saro.

With a "clang," a simple, bladeless sword clashed with the longsword of the Demon Puppet Sword Demon, the sound like the ringing of a bell.

“…Thank you.” Kujo Sara took a step back and thanked Yingmei.

Ying turned around and smiled, a smile that was both confident and arrogant: "But this mere puppet... is far inferior to that Thunder General."

Her words seemed to enrage the Demon Sword Demon, who withdrew its longsword and attacked again in an instant—"Ichimonji: Sword Stance".

Its Iaijutsu can even transform into a sword technique, flowing continuously and densely like mercury spilling onto the ground.

An ordinary person's Iaijutsu consists of only one strike. After all, no matter how fast a person's sword-drawing action is, there are always intervals between the actions of sheathing, retracting, and drawing the sword. Even a school like "Niwa Isshin Den," which specializes in Iaijutsu, can only amplify the power of that single strike, but cannot execute consecutive Iaijutsu strikes.

However, the Demon Puppet Sword Demon is a puppet, not bound by human conditions, and continuous Iai Slashes are nothing more than repetitive mechanical actions controlled by a program.

Even with such a powerful strike, it couldn't break through the defense of the bladeless sword.

Ying's expression was relaxed and at ease. She moved her bladeless sword with minimal movements, yet always managed to block the longsword's attack path perfectly—as if she were the kendo instructor in the dojo, and the demonic sword demon opposite her was the student being trained by her.

"I thought 'Ganzory Stream' was something amazing? Is that all?"

Ying even had the leisure to free one hand to cover her mouth and yawn.

"Hey, don't you guys have a sword technique called 'Tengu Shou'? Show it to me."

After all, he had sparred with General Raiden. Human swordsmanship was utterly insignificant to Yingyan. However, the "Tengu Tsukai" technique sounded quite interesting.

However, this is not a "martial arts demonstration" arena, and she is not fighting alone.

Goro and Sara both drew their longbows, and two arrows flew straight at the head of the Demon Puppet Sword Demon. At the same time, Manyo also moved in to the Demon Puppet Sword Demon's side, swinging his Tiger Fish Blade towards the sword demon's waist.

The three attacks came almost simultaneously, one after the other.

Just then, the little raccoon tumbler, who was watching the battle from the roof beam, noticed that the ghost faces on the sword demon's shoulders were glowing white—the ghost eyes on those faces were actually moving!

The demon mask suddenly spun, creating a bluish-white whirlwind mixed with biting frost. It not only deflected Goro and Sara's arrows but also forced Manyo back.

A face marred by the pain of a wrongful death, weathered and worn!

Please take a few days off

Last month marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and there were so many things to do that my sleep schedule was completely messed up... You may have noticed that I've been updating around 5 a.m. for a while now.

For a while now, I've been in a state of constant sleepiness and difficulty getting up, and my shoulders and neck are extremely sore. I basically have to get up and move around after sitting for a short time, and I need to go for physical therapy.

Please allow me a few days to rest and adjust. Thank you everyone.

Chapter 161 The Sleepers of Eternal Calamity Cannot Sleep, Dawn Approaches in the Kingdom of Long Night [4k]

"Everyone be careful! This puppet can use elemental power!" Goro shouted.

He was already surprised that a puppet could move on its own and had such powerful swordsmanship, but what surprised him even more was that this puppet could even use elemental power—and not just one, but two elemental powers at the same time.

The "Face of the Unjustly Dead - Frost and Wind" used by the Puppet Sword Demon was a fusion of wind and ice elements. The fierce ice storm it summoned had already covered the floor and walls of the study with a thick layer of frost.

If everyone present weren't powerful individuals with elemental abilities, the study would have been filled with ice sculptures in no time.

So far, Goro has only seen one special case, Yingmei, who can use more than two elemental powers. He never expected to see another one at Kujo's mansion.

...If this demonic sword demon were to appear on the battlefield, this single move could inflict massive area-of-effect damage on ordinary soldiers. As a general, Goro immediately felt a sense of dread.

Of course, such a move is indiscriminate, and this demonic sword demon probably lacks the intelligence to distinguish between the rebel army and the shogunate army, so it shouldn't normally be deployed to the battlefield. But Goro has no doubt that a person like Kujo Takayuki would never care about the lives of his soldiers, and the demonic sword demon will appear on the battlefield sooner or later.

Sara also spoke up to warn, "This is the 'Twelve-Layered Imperial Carriage,' try not to get close to that demon mask!"

The "Twelve-layered kimono" was the court dress of noblewomen in ancient Inazuma, and also the formal dress worn by noblewomen in Inazuma during celebrations such as religious ceremonies and weddings. It was known for its complicated way of wearing it, and was generally composed of 5 to 12 layers of clothing, hence the name "Twelve-layered kimono".

The "Twelve-Layered Robes of the Imperial Carriage" that Sara mentioned is a sword technique passed down from the oni heroine, Mikoto Chiyo.

It is said that Mikoto Chiyo loved kimonos and would wear a magnificent "twelve-layered kimono" wherever she went, even on the battlefield. Her martial arts skills were so high that she could dance wildly amidst a thousand swords and spears in battle, and her torn twelve-layered kimono would fall like violets, yet her body would remain unharmed.

The wide-range attack that the Demon Puppet Sword Demon just used was originally a sword technique used by the Demon King Mikoto Chiyo to fight against many opponents. With the arrival of the gale, a single sword strike could pierce through a thousand pieces of armor. It was the supreme secret of the Mikoto Demon Clan's sword technique.

The Demon Puppet Sword Demon transforms the gale into wind blades and frost swords. While its technique may not be as refined as that of Mikoto Chiyo, its power is equally formidable.

Upon hearing Sara's warning, Manyo halted his advance, preparing for a second attack, and switched to a defensive posture.

Ying didn't care at all and took the initiative to step forward—the Thunder General also knows that move of the Puppet Sword Demon.

The gale force generated by that Thunder General wielding his naginata was far stronger than any frost or snow, and I've never been afraid of it.

At this moment, the raccoon watching the battle from the roof beam made an uneasy sound, like a little squirrel calling out—this was Yozu warning her companions below, especially Ying, to be careful of the enemy's attack.

Almost at the same time she issued the warning, the Puppet Sword Demon and its demon mask split into two groups, left and right, and attacked Ying together.

The sword of the Sword Demon flickers with a blue light of wind element, and the sound of ghostly wails is hidden as the sword is drawn—this style is also known as "Tiger Chiyo Wind".

In the famous Kabuki play "Konozomeyamagetsu Kogami," the demon Torachiyo is depicted having a horn and an arm cut off by the shogun. Like a wounded beast, he flees into the forest and howls at the moon. Later, the people of Inatsuma associated the sound of the wind passing through narrow alleys and canyons with the howl of the wounded demon and named it "Torachiyo Wind."

If this move were used by a human like Genjiro Mikoto, it would simply be a regular wind-breaking sword technique. While it possessed power, it wouldn't quite reach the standard of the so-called "Torachiyo Wind." However, the Demon Puppet Sword Demon's sword unleashed a vacuum-slashing gale, and the invisible wind blade, accompanied by a ghostly wail, instantly rushed towards Hotaru, determined to cleave her in two.

Its demonic face seemed to possess self-awareness, and the frost spewed from its massive fangs, combined with the sword demon's "Tiger Chiyo Wind," launched a Frost Chase Shadow Strike at Ying from another direction.

The two powerful techniques combined make it impossible to avoid.

Caught between two forces, Ying finally... stopped fighting with only one hand.

With a light clench of her left hand, Ying unleashed the Wind Breath Surge - Heaven and Earth's Mighty Wind, creating a vortex that easily shattered the frost on the ghost's face. Meanwhile, she pointed her bladeless sword at the ground, and the Rock Tide Overlapping Peaks - Eternal Rocks rose like a wall, blocking the sword demon's deadly wind blade.

Having two attributes is impressive, right? I have that too! And I have more than just two attributes!

While defending against the sword demon's attack, purple lightning lit up beneath Ying's feet—Raikage Sword: Swift as Lightning!

As the lightning-transformed Ying passed by the Puppet Sword Demon, everyone in the arena only saw a purple afterimage.

Then a "ding" sound rang out.

Ying flicked her wrist slightly, performing a sword flourish—in Inazuma swordsmanship, this movement is called "blood shake," a gesture a samurai makes after slaying someone, where he shakes the blood off his blade.

There was no blood on her sword, but it had already struck the demon opposite her.

Only after she finished sheathing her sword with "Blood Vibration" did the mask on the face of the Puppet Sword Demon silently crack and fall to the ground.

Beneath the mask was the face of an old man—with a single horn on his forehead, a face as red as a jujube, and fangs like those of a demon mask in his mouth, making him look even more like a demon than Araki Ichito—it was none other than Iwakura Doin, the sect leader of the "Iwakura-ryu" sect five hundred years ago.

"Dao Yin...!" Wan Ye couldn't help but exclaim.

As a martial artist who had studied swordsmanship since childhood, he had seen the portrait of the "Iwazo-ryu" sect leader several times. The face in front of him was exactly the same as that of Doin in the portrait.

A thought flashed through his mind—this "magical puppet" was actually made from the body of Iwakura Doin.

"Ha...ah..."

The puppet sword demon made a series of sounds, like a wail or a sigh.

Its eyes glowed red, scanning the faces of the crowd as if it had just woken up, and then... fixed on Sara's face.

"……Light."

It uttered a word whose meaning was unclear.

"Huh? It can talk?" Yingmei was also stunned when she heard the voice of the Puppet Sword Demon.

Sara instinctively raised the Demon-Slaying Bow, and a black-feathered arrow flew straight out, shooting towards the demonic sword demon that looked exactly like Iwakura Doin.

Surprisingly, the Demon Sword Puppet did not dodge, and Sara's arrow struck the Demon Sword Puppet squarely between the eyebrows.

Then came the explosion.

Sara's black feathers are not physical arrows, but Tengu Curse Thunder · Fu. The elemental power hidden in the black feathers will explode when they hit the opponent—Goro knows this very well.

If it were a human, being hit by such a cursed lightning arrow would definitely result in their head being blown apart.

However, after the explosion, the Puppet Sword Demon did not fall; although its face was injured, it did not bleed.

It has long since lost all its flesh and blood.

Such injuries did not defeat it, but instead fueled its ferocity.

"……Light!"

The Demon Sword Puppet suddenly accelerated, its longsword pointing directly at Saro.

"Hey, your opponent is here!"