I'm a thankful fox in Tokyo

Chapter 395: That's not how it's written in the Zhou Rites!
Higashino Yu was a little confused. Wasn't he supposed to have gone back to the shrine to heal his wounds? With Haruhara's cultivation level, he should have already returned to Inaho-hime's divine realm by now and been drinking tea at the shrine for quite a while.

The fact that He is here now only shows that He never left from beginning to end.

Higashino Yu pondered for a moment, and realized that He was indeed a god, and what happened in Tokyo could not be kept from Him. In other words, He knew about the Jinguji family all along.

Thinking about this, I was puzzled again. If they knew, why didn't they tell me sooner?

Higashino Yu's gaze fell on the fox mask of Haruhara, outlined with colorful lines. The conversation in the castle tower of Mount Oe still seemed to echo in his ears, and he instantly understood.

He was probably conflicted, after all, A-Kyo was, in a sense, the Emperor's enemy.

However, in the end, even though he was a messenger of the Inari Shrine and Miko's elder, he still stayed behind to help Miko save her love rival.

Hajiyuan, you rascal, could it be that Higashino Yu is rubbing his chin and starting to let his mind wander?

Of course, he quickly came to his senses and his gaze first met that of Shinji Jinguji, who was sitting in the passenger seat.

He sat there upright, his hands instantly gripping the hilt of his sword. As if realizing something, he didn't choose to look at Chun Yuan, but instead faced the rearview mirror, casting a probing look at Dong Ye Yu.

"Higashino-kun, could this be—"

"Yes, Mr. Jinguji."

Higashino Yu smiled with relief and introduced, "His name is Haruhara, the chief Inari of the Inari Shrine. He took good care of me and is a senior I respect."

He then politely introduced Haruhara: "Haruhara-senpai, this is Shinji Jinguji, the head of the Jinguji family."

Upon hearing this, Shinji Jinguji took a deep breath, shifted the position of his hands on the hilt of his sword, and, still not looking at Haruhara, nodded in greeting, "Nice to meet you, Haruhara no Mikoto."

Although he was the head of the Jinguji family, he had dealt with many gods and deities over the years.

But to be honest, I have never actually seen a single divine messenger in person. I have always communicated with these beings, whether in a friendly or unfriendly way, through various mediums.

Even Noragami Rikubo no Mikoto, who has a very good relationship with the family, only comes to the house to drink a cup of fine wine at a specific time each year and does not show his face—of course, the Jinguji family's rituals before the gods do not allow exorcists to look directly at the gods.

Only the sound of wind chimes on the Moonlit Terrace and the extra beautiful hot spring stone in front of the ancestral tablet of the one who was on good terms with Rikubo no Mikoto remind the exorcists of the Jinguji family that He had been here.

Therefore, Shinji Jinguji sometimes wonders, "What kind of beings are the gods?"

For Shinji Jinguji, actually seeing the divine messenger with his own eyes at this moment was quite a shock, and he had very mixed feelings.

Chun Yuan did not answer him, but simply nodded slightly, exuding a lofty and ethereal aura, with a cold indifference that kept people at a distance.

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the car became somewhat tense.

The driver remained calm, like a master, with an extremely focused expression, yet his hands steadily controlled the steering wheel. The engine roared, the speedometer read 100 mph, and the black Honda drew a perfect arc through the five consecutive hairpin bends.

He had no cultivation and could not see any gods or divine messengers, but having worked as a driver for the Jinguji family for decades, he had experienced many strange and unusual things and knew that the Jinguji family was very special. Therefore, he always adhered to the principle of being loyal to his duty, not seeing what he should not see, not saying what he should not say, and focusing on his work.

Shinji Jinguji didn't think anything was wrong. In his mind, most gods wouldn't even glance at mortals, and those who could nod in response like Haruhara were extremely rare.

He then turned his gaze to Higashino Yu, his expression pleading, the meaning of which was self-evident.

The reason this divine messenger appeared here is obvious. The Jinguji family is in dire straits, and for the safety of his daughter and family members, Jinguji Nobuyoshi knows he must win the help of this divine messenger.

However, the Jinguji family had a bad reputation among the gods, and Jinguji Nobuyoshi felt that he was not worthy of asking this divine messenger for help.

Please, Mr. Higashino!
Higashino Yu returned the gaze with unwavering determination. "Old Deng, don't worry. My senior, Chun Yuan, is invincible. Demons? Hmph, I'll make sure they never return!"
Then he turned to Haruhara-senpai with a kind and concerned expression: "Haruhara-senpai, how are your injuries? Are they serious? I was able to defeat the powerful enemy thanks to Haruhara-senpai's help earlier. I thought you had already returned to the shrine to recuperate after we parted. To be honest, I was very surprised to see you here. How could someone of your stature risk your life?"

Shinji Jinguji noticed the information about Haruhara's injury and assistance mentioned by Higashino Yu, and a sudden realization dawned on him.

So it was this divine messenger who helped Ayu defeat Princess Oboroguruma? No wonder. Perhaps He had existed since Ayu appeared, but his cultivation was not high enough to notice.

They breathed a slight sigh of relief. After all, Princess Oboroguruma was a great demon recorded in ancient books. It was quite astonishing that she was defeated by a young demon hunter like Higashino Yu. The demon hunters were not too shocked or astonished before, but they had just experienced a life-and-death battle and were somewhat numb and had not reacted yet.

After listening to Higashino Yu's entire speech, he immediately became anxious.

No, I told you to ask the gods for help, why are you advising people to go back?

Shinji Jinguji quickly turned to look at Higashino Yu, his expression almost pleading, "Yu, please, for the sake of how good I've been to you, try your best, okay? I'm getting old, and my wife and children are in dire straits—"

My wife is the same, isn't she? What's the panic?

Higashino Yu returned his gaze with a reassuring look.

Asking for help from the gods and asking for help from people follow the same approach. You can't just bluntly say "help me," can you? That's not how it's written in the Book of Rites! You should first visit with two cases of Mengniu milk, then chat to express your concern for your friend's life, gradually building rapport. Then, proceed step by step, from everyday family matters to world affairs, and finally, at the appropriate moment, express your willingness to help.

What? You don't understand?
Look closely, Education Bureau.

Higashino Yu wanted to continue preparing, but met Chun Yuan's increasingly indifferent gaze. "It seems that Higashino-kun isn't praying, but just toying with the gods."

Higashino Yu paused, his gentle smile replaced by a serious expression, and decisively sat up straight and bowed, saying, "Please help me, Haruhara-senpai!"

“A promise.” Chun Yuan’s voice was no longer as languid as before.

Higashino Yu's gaze shifted upwards, and the peach blossom eyes beneath the mask, which always carried a hint of allure, now possessed an aura of majesty that looked down upon all living beings.

Higashino Yu suddenly realized that what he was about to do was a promise to the gods.

(End of this chapter)