A person in Japan, a sword that soars to immortality.

Two years later, in 1868.

What can happen in two years? For ordinary people, nothing might happen at all, except for the addition of a new life to the family or the appearance of another wrinkle on their forehead.

But this is just how ordinary people feel. For the Shinsengumi swordsmen, they only felt that the past two years had been too long and too many things had happened.

"Times are changing too fast. I never thought our decisive battle with these rebels would begin so soon."

In the Fushimi region near Kyoto, Hijikata Toshizo, standing in the middle of a large army, had a blade of grass he had casually broken off from the roadside dangling from his mouth. He squinted at the Satsuma and Choshu soldiers opposite him, who were already in a defensive stance, his eyes radiating murderous intent.

Around this time last year, Emperor Komei, who was in the Kyoto Imperial Palace, suddenly passed away for unknown reasons.

The news shocked the entire cherry blossom region.

But the most distressed were undoubtedly the nobles of the shogunate, especially the newly appointed Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu.

Emperor Komei was a supporter of the union of the court and the military, and his attitude towards the shogunate was always one of full support.

The so-called "Kōbu-gatai" (公武合体) was actually a policy that combined the Imperial Court and the Shogunate into one entity. While the power to govern external affairs returned to the Imperial Court, the Shogunate was still in actual control.

There was nothing inherently wrong with this policy, but for reformers, it was utterly impossible.

Just kidding. Although they used the slogan of "Revere the Emperor and Expel the Barbarians" to attack the shogunate, the shogunate pulled a move of "union of the court and the military" and directly announced that power would be returned to the imperial court. So what excuse did they have to overthrow the shogunate?

Therefore, the rumors circulating outside were that Emperor Komei's death was caused by the Meiji Restoration faction.

However, Kenshin had a different opinion on this matter, because after Emperor Komei died, he absorbed a wisp of soul from Mi Niang, which made his cultivation speed even faster.

Emperor Komei's death disrupted the shogunate's plans, and the Meiji Restorationists entered Kyoto in force, seized control of the government, and expelled all the pro-shogunate factions remaining in Kyoto, including Matsudaira Kayou, the lord of the Aizu Domain, as well as the Shinsengumi who lived in Nishi-Kōdai-ji Temple.

The struggle between the two sides did not stop there, but instead became more intense. Just after the New Year this year, the shogunate decided to send troops to Kyoto to regain control of the emperor.

Just as they were about to enter Kyoto, the allied forces of the Satsuma and Choshu domains blocked the shogunate army's path to Kyoto (that is, to meet the emperor) at Toba and Fushimi.

What if they won't let you leave? Of course, you fight!

"Kenshin, this is the final stage of your training."

"If you can win this battle, not only will you be able to complete your martial arts training and become the greatest warrior in the land, but you will also be able to help your Choshu Domain gain control of the land."

The white serpent goddess Mimi, who had accompanied Kenshin for two years, was still hovering behind Himura Kenshin.

However, at this moment, she no longer maintained her usual calm and composed demeanor; her lively eyes held an unknown expectation.

"Really? My God, if I win this war, I will be able to complete my cultivation and wander the world?"

Upon hearing what Mi Niang said, Kenshin immediately perked up.

The relentless training day and night, coupled with the occasional longing for Yukishiro Tomoe that welled up in his heart, led Kenshin to ask Miyako several times when he could sheathe his sword so he could take a proper rest and properly guard Yukishiro Tomoe's grave.

Mi Niang made only one request: to become the greatest warrior in the land.

Kenshin was puzzled. He could split a small mountain in half with a single slash and shatter the ground with a single punch. Such strength should be the best in the world.

Mi Niang simply smiled and remained silent, telling him that the true number one in the world could only be achieved by standing amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, after surpassing all the masters.

Kenshin merely pursed his lips; though he appeared displeased, he still obeyed Mi Niang's orders.

There's nothing we can do; they're gods, after all.

And Mi Niang smiled kindly, saying that he was a child who would never grow up.

boom!

"Kill!"

"Let's crush all the remnants of the old era and let the tide of the new era revitalize this land!"

"Now is the time to make a name for ourselves! Charge!"

Kenshin was still standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking defiant, but the sudden sound of cannons and the roar from the commander brought him back to his senses, making him realize that the war had begun.

"Go, Kenshin, and create your own legend in this battle."

"Just like Yamada Asaemon Taichi back then, during the Imperial Examination, he won the title of the best in the land, even among the heroes of the world!"

"Yes, my divine being, watch as I take their heads!"

Kenshin turned around and grinned, then his whole body suddenly burst forth with boundless true energy. Ignoring the fact that the surrounding Satsuma and Choshu soldiers were blown off balance, he himself immediately transformed into a ball of red light and plunged straight into the Shogunate army's formation.

"Kill! Improve your skills! This battle is also the time for me to reign supreme!"

Mi Niang's eyes shone brightly with pink light. At the same moment, the real Sakura Dragon, far away in the Immortal Realm, was also sitting atop the Evergreen Cherry Tree, its aura constantly rising.

A pinkish-red light transformed into a pillar of light that rose from the Sakura Dragon's body. As she revealed a pained expression, the power she had cultivated for a thousand years was also incorporated into this pillar of light.

After shooting into the sky, the light pierced through the clouds and even punched a large hole in the seal of the Heavenly Rock Cave.

Naturally, sensing the power to disrupt the grand formation, the sky over the entire Immortal Realm suddenly darkened, a fierce wind howled, and the ground trembled.

At the same time, the Yin energy accumulated over thousands, or even tens of thousands of years, is overflowing wildly from all directions.

In particular, the evergreen cherry tree beneath the Sakura Dragon's feet had thousands of vines extending from its canopy, wrapping around the Sakura Dragon's primordial spirit.

Roar! ! !

The beautiful woman who had been meditating disappeared, and in her place appeared a giant dragon thousands of feet long, roaring angrily and painfully at the sky.

Even so, the pillar of light rising from her body did not disappear and continued to pour outwards.

hum...

The space trembled, and the mist that had originally enveloped the entire northeastern region of Sakura rapidly contracted towards the location of the fairyland.

The large formation that had just been breached began to shrink as the sealing power concentrated, until it was completely healed.

Roar! ! !

With another roar, the dragon vanished, and in its place, a beautiful woman with a graceful figure and alluring curves reappeared atop the evergreen cherry tree.

The vines that were wrapped around her seemed to sense that she was no longer trying to escape, and began to slowly retract into the evergreen cherry tree.

“Hiss…ha…”

"Damn it, I didn't expect the sealing power to be so strong. Is it trying to tie me to this place for the rest of my life in order to maintain the yin and yang balance of this world?"

"However, I have already separated half of my primordial spirit. Hahaha, once my half of the primordial spirit has completely merged with this body of Jianxin, we will work together from the inside out to completely break this damned seal!"

Sakura Dragon said with a ferocious expression.