Chapter 126: Demigod
After a fierce battle that lasted for half a day, both of them were left exhausted and lay weakly in the dojo, having fought fiercely in the imagined world.
Both physically and mentally exhausted, but at the same time feeling a strong sense of fulfillment, they experienced inch by inch of joy.
Moreover, they could vividly feel their own strength soaring, coming closer to breaking through that cocoon with only a little distance remaining.
"Maybe, it's just missing one special moment..." murmured Yagyū Simozi to herself.
After they arrived at the bathhouse, the two girls soaked themselves in warm water.
Yagyū's house had a very large bath, and they used an old-fashioned bathtub for soaking. The two girls sat down in the tub, and the water reached up to their shoulders, while their knees touched each other.
"Just right," smiled Hokusinn Kichyō.
"Because you are thinner," Yagyū Simozi replied casually.
"?" Hokusinn Kichyō asked with a serious expression. "Are you saying that you have been crowded in here with other people?"
"Um, my friend."
Before, she also brought Jingūji back and Jingūji insisted on bathing with her, claiming it would deepen our bond. But in reality, Jingūji just wanted to get close to her and see how her breasts had developed after growing up. Before entering the bath, Jingūji hugged her and said jokingly, "There's absolutely no change!" Yagyū, annoyed by this, playfully smacked Jingūji's bottom with the bathing basin.
Saki Jingūji, who had a nice figure but leaned towards being curvy, sat in the tub. The tub felt crowded as she got in, causing the water to overflow. Her chest even floated on the surface, and her long legs made it difficult for her to rest her knees comfortably.
Hokusinn Kichyō let out a sigh of relief and said, "So, you do have friends."
Yagyū Simozi rolled her eyes and said, "You really don't have good social skills for chatting... If I hadn't answered your question just now, you would probably have been tangled up all night, unable to sleep, thinking about something."
Hokusinn Kichyō, didn't pay attention. She simply soaked in the bath quietly. There was a moment of silence in the bathroom, and Hokusinn Kichyō shifted her sitting position. A rustling sound came from the edge of the bathtub.
This caught Yagyū's attention, and she asked, "What was that sound you just made?"
"What?"
"Stand up so I can take a look."
"Huh? If I stand up, you'll see everything. I... I don't want to." She crossed her arms protectively around herself.
"Now why are you feeling shy? And I don't mean to see your... I'm talking about your back."
Hokusinn Kichyō walked out of the bathtub and hesitated before turning around. Her back was shining and clean, but Yagyū Simozi still noticed something. There were shiny, hard objects on her side, neck, and elbows.
"This... is it scales?" Yagyū Simozi asked. "Why do you have them growing on your body? Do you have a different kind of bloodline?"
"How is it possible? I noticed these scales before," Hokusinn Kichyō said, not worried. "They usually disappear on their own after about half an hour, so I didn't pay much attention to them. Maybe it has something to do with the White Snake Shrine?" She paused, then continued, "Speaking of which, I do feel my powers getting stronger, but I'm not sure why. There have been some changes in my body, it's hard to explain, but I think..."
Related to the previous soul swap.
She intentionally avoided explaining clearly, then half truthfully and half playfully pretended to feel shy, quickly drying her body and leaving the bathroom.
After quickly changing clothes, she went to the bathroom and saw Bai Wei pouring a drink for himself. It was already past one in the afternoon.
"Mr. Bai," she sat on the opposite side, "would you like a cup of tea?"
Bai Wei nodded and his gaze stopped at Hokusinn Kichyō's head, where a purple and white exclamation mark, split in half, was floating. The status bar displayed...
[Divine Protection]
[Half-human God, level 24]
The words in this entry may seem intimidating at first, especially with the mention of the word "god." However, this kind of god could be a very common type of god, and in essence, gods, demons, and immortals are not so different after all. Ghosts can become enlightened, and humans can become immortals. So-called "gods" are not necessarily more noble than immortals.
The Land God is a god. The King of the Underworld is also a god. Nüwa and Fuxi, who are both deities and demons, are also gods. However, the ancient gods held even greater mysteries.
And Yingzhou, there are so many gods, those who are willing to protect a place are considered gods, while those who bring trouble are called demons, but it all depends on whether they have good or evil intentions.
In present times, most of the gods that people can worship are predominantly Land Gods, also known as the Land God. The Mountain God is also a type of Land God. In the history of the Ming Country, there were numerous changes of dynasties. Many Land Gods experienced prosperity and decline along with the fortunes of the dynasties and the popularity of worship among the people. The success or level of achievement of a Land God is determined by the fortunes of the dynasty and the devotion of the people, making it difficult to determine their strength.
Only a few deities could surpass the limitations imposed by the dynasty's fortune and worship. Their strength depended on their ancient origins. For instance, this fox worshipped at the Inari Shrine, it is not known where this old creature truly comes from. It is definitely not an ordinary Land God, nor is it a native species.
The ancient chronicles of Yingzhou, known as the Kojiki, were orally narrated by Hieda no Are and reviewed by Emperor Tenmu. Compiled around 700 years after the year 1 AD, these myths were primarily intended to establish the legitimacy of the imperial family and solidify the divine status of the current imperial lineage in Yingzhou. Therefore, even in today's time, although the imperial family is regarded as a symbol of good fortune, they still hold a certain position. As living deities representing the imperial bloodline, they bear the responsibility for the nation's destiny and serve as revered Land Gods in the Shinto religion of the country.
Lacking the weight of history, naturally lacking in mystery, how can a mere 2,000-year-old myth possess the power to create the heavens and the earth... It simply cannot bear the burden of certain ancient mysteries. Take, for example, the Yamata no Orochi, known by its aliases, Ame no Oyamazumi and Kaichuura. Another example is the characters of Su Daji and Tamamo-no-Mae... In ancient times, various species would occasionally seek refuge in Yingzhou from the lands of Ming Country. Those who managed to thrive would gain a reputation as gods, while those who struggled would simply disappear. It can be said that this was quite a common occurrence.
In the partially true and partially fictional retelling of history, many things were anchored and have continued to this day.
Yingzhou's Shinto religion is very adaptable. In the past, it transformed from traditional Shinto to Confucian-based Shinto, then to Buddhist-based Shinto, and later evolved into the national Shinto religion. They crazily borrowed and selected cultural elements and myths from other places, all in an effort to sustain Shinto and ensure the stability of the Land Gods. However, this constant change has also led to the situation where even with the entire nation's effort, Yingzhou can barely sustain a few living gods.
Wild Land Gods were hardly sought after by anyone. They would either refuse to cooperate or simply vanish... Only a handful of ancient races with innate power remained.
Without a doubt, the white snake clinging to this exclamation mark is indeed one of these ancient creatures.
Yingzhou, even with all the power of a whole country, couldn't raise very strong Land Gods. They themselves understood this deep down, so they gave up supporting the Emperor who was an expensive burden. Instead, they chose the shogunate system to ensure the independence of the nation, preventing it from becoming a complete vassal of the East or the West.
Bai Wei offered Hokusinn Kichyō a cup of tea, deep in thought.
After he had some free time that day, he finally noticed that there was some kind of connection between Simozi and Kichyō. That's why he voluntarily entered the imaginative scene, just to find out what was going on. As a result, he naturally discovered something interesting.
He didn't know where this white snake came from, nor did he understand why it, being both an ancient creature and a Land God, took an interest in Hokusinn Kichyō and even bestowed her with divine power.
This was all the accumulated cultivation from many years. It gave its divine power to her just like that, which was incredibly generous, instantly raising Hokusinn Kichyō's spiritual power by several levels.
Even because they were worried that she wouldn't be able to eat so much in one go, they chose a gradual method of trial to deliver it to her. They wanted her to strengthen her spirit until she could bear such immense divine power and truly transform into a divine being.
Oh, such special treatment, just like a loving mother!
Bai Wei questioned himself deeply and realized that he hadn't been taking care of Yagyū Simozi to this extent. He wondered if there might be some hidden scheme. Who would be so kind to a stranger?
But for now, there didn't seem to be any issues, as her level was quickly catching up to his.
There was nothing he could say, so he decided to just keep an eye on things for now and observe closely.
Bai Wei organized and shared his deductions with Hokusinn Kichyō, making sure to explain everything clearly and carefully.
"If you have any trouble, you can come and find me for help. Even though I may not always have the solution, it's still better than keeping it all to yourself."
Hokusinn Kichyō's eyes immediately brightened up upon hearing this caring offer. It made her feel very reassured.
Silly girl, oh dear.
I'm just worried that if you get into trouble, it might involve Simozi. Besides, I only mentioned the incident with the exclamation mark on your head because I wanted to win the reward, not because I care about your safety.
After all, I am an emotionless emperor, and my life motto is to neither initiate nor refuse anything.
Bai Wei took a sip of tea, and his heart became calm and still like water.
Before long, Yagyū Simozi finished washing up and came out. She then handed a hairdryer and comb to Bai Wei.
As her older brother, he reluctantly but happily blew her hair, gently untangling any knots. He had become quite skilled at it, having done it countless times before.
And Hokusinn Kichyō, watching this scene, widened her eyes in amazement. She felt a strong sense of envy and desire to join in, but her hair had already dried naturally.
Yagyū Simozi just relaxed, squinting her eyes while basking in the sun. She didn't even realize it. This was her privilege as the younger sister. She even wondered about it.
"What happened? Don't make such a fuss... Haven't your family members ever blow-dried your hair for you?"
This, this is such a lavish display!
"She is indeed spoiled."
Hokusinn Kichyō sipped on a bitter tea and thought it tasted strange. She added two pieces of dried plum. Now the taste was just right - bitter and sour at the same time.
Bai Wei smiled and said, "If Jingūji comes again, it will be even more lively."
"She won't be coming here lately," Yagyū Simozi shook her head. "She took a whole week off, it seems like she went out for duty. Being a sword witch, she has work to do. Although she had an unwilling face, she was still caught and made to work extra... She'll be back lively in no time."
"Same here," said Bai Wei as he combed her hair.
At Yagyū's home today, everything was calm and peaceful.
However, the mood of each person in the house was slightly different.
Yagyū Simozi thought about the invitation letter, her lips pursed involuntarily. She tried to speak a few times, but her feeble thoughts were drowned out by the roaring of the hairdryer.
Hokusinn Kichyō thought about when she was a child and her mother used to blow-dry her hair after washing it. She felt a sense of nostalgia for the past.
Bai Wei thought about having Sichuan cuisine for dinner tonight. He planned to add extra chili peppers later.
