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

The sound of horses' hooves rang out.

Taiichi's battle with the Nezu ninja ended, and Sakichi finally arrived with two horses.

"Taiyi-ge, could you please say goodbye before you leave next time?"

After dismounting, Sōkiri glared at Taiichi and complained.

They hadn't even finished their noodles when they suddenly disappeared. This kind of departure without saying goodbye is really annoying.

“Junior Sister Zuoqie, Taiyi came here to help us.”

Yuan Si walked over, straightened his clothes and hair, and said with a serious expression.

At the same time, his eyes secretly glanced at Taiyi.

Taiyi, I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. I owe you so much for what you did for me...

When Sorcerer was interrupted, he paused for a moment, looked at Genji, and said nothing, as if he didn't recognize the person in front of him. Then he turned his head back and began to criticize Taiichi again.

Damn it! Taiichi! I will never forgive you!

The Yamada family members around him looked at Genji standing there, head tilted back, tears streaming down his face, and shook their heads helplessly.

Goodness, they used to be able to greet each other when they met, but after moving in with Taiichi, they don't recognize each other at all now!

Taichi laughed heartily, then patted Sakichi's head before walking towards the place where Kikuro and Yamanosuke had turned to ashes.

The person disappeared, but their belongings remained.

"Sometimes killing doesn't necessarily require unleashing your full power. When dealing with opponents who possess a large amount of Yang energy, weakening their soul can also cause their bodies to collapse."

Ignoring the continued complaints from Zorche behind him, Taiyi stretched out his palm, made a grasping motion in mid-air, and drew another small bottle into his hand.

Just as he used his sword technique, a thought suddenly occurred to him: to change his attack method.

Since I have developed divine consciousness and can easily activate the power of my soul, why not try to launch a divine consciousness attack the moment the sword pierces into the opponent's body, and weaken the opponent's soul power?

As he predicted, Yamanosuke and Kikuro's bodies collapsed and dissipated because their spiritual power was weakened and they could no longer maintain the balance of Yin and Yang within their bodies.

This move was something I instantly grasped after using the effect of my power for the first time.

"Indeed, only through battle can progress be made!"

Taiyi patted his chest, his eyes burning with thought.

I now have two bottles of Transformation Water. I just smelled it and then converted it, and I gained a lot of Essence and Blood Points. If I drink them all, I can gain at least a thousand points.

However, there is a problem: if too much of this stuff is taken, will it be affected by the Sakura Dragon?

The Dragon's Heir is the vessel for a wisp of the Sakura Dragon's soul, used to expand its influence and absorb more life force.

According to the setting in Wolf, the Rejuvenating Water is actually something that the monks of Senpou Temple developed by mixing and blending the Fountainhead Water as the main ingredient.

However, this thing has side effects. Although it grants immortality, it can affect one's mind, cause physical deformities, and even more deadly, cause dragon cough.

After being tainted by the power of the Sakura Dragon, one will gain immortality. However, those who gain immortality are not unkillable; they will simply be resurrected after death.

However, once revived, there is a chance of contracting dragon's cough.

Furthermore, this type of cough is contagious. People who contract it will gradually lose their vitality and eventually die, making it a rather terrible disease.

If the Dragon Cough were to break out in Edo, it wouldn't be long before there were hardly any survivors left in Edo.

The Sakura Dragon can also gain a lot of life force, and its injuries may even be healed.

"Let's keep it for now and bring it to Tamayo and the others to study when we get back to Edo. We'll only feel at ease using it once it's completely safe."

Furthermore, Taichi had a plan: even if Tamayo and the others couldn't figure it out in the end, he wouldn't discard the Rejuvenating Water.

If it's too bad, I'll just not absorb it and use it as a consumable.

Because after yin and yang combine, magic can be used.

Taiyi was very much looking forward to seeing what kind of magic he could use after developing it.

Time flew by, and after everyone had recovered, Taiichi and Shujian's group joined forces and headed towards Himeji Domain.

Meanwhile, a hundred meters away on a treetop, a petite female ninja with a ring of flying needles wrapped around her arm and dressed in revealing clothes also put away her monocular binoculars.

"Unexpectedly, both Shan Ying and Lin Ying failed, and neither of them left behind a complete corpse."

"This samurai named Yamada Asaemon Taichi is ridiculously strong!"

"However, the stronger he is, the more likely I am to break free from Nezu's control over me."

......

As sunset approached, Taichi and the others finally arrived at the Himeji Domain.

Instead of resting in the castle town, Taichi and Shuken immediately took their "signatures" and went to meet the daimyo of the Himeji Domain, Sakai Tadagami.

Unlike Edo Castle, which was never rebuilt due to lack of funds.

Himeji Castle has a very comprehensive range of buildings.

It has castle towers, moon-viewing turrets, Fuji-viewing turrets, and so on. The construction of the main keep, the second and third navies is also very complete.

When Taiichi first met Tadashi Sakai, he didn't see any panic in his eyes.

Instead, they prepared a banquet and warmly welcomed him and Shujian.

Da Guangjian.

Tai listened to the conversation between Sakai Tadamasa and others while drinking his wine.

Half an hour passed, and he was almost full, but he still hadn't heard anything about quelling the rebellion.

They weren't discussing local customs or traditions, but rather talking about how he visited several courtesans in Yoshiwara when he went to Edo.

The Yamada family members listened attentively, sometimes offering praise and agreement.

But Taiichi was getting impatient. He tilted his head back and downed the wine in the pot in one gulp, took the towel that Sakiri handed him, wiped his mouth, and then turned to say:

"Lord Sakai, now that the shogunate's support has arrived, please tell us what to do next."

Sakai Tadakatsu, who was craning his neck and busy boasting about himself, waved his hand casually and said with a smile when he heard Taichi say this:

"No rush, no rush. Those mud monkeys are still far from Himeji Castle, and the other samurai families of the Himeji Domain are fighting against them. We have nothing to worry about."

Ok?

Upon hearing this, Taiyi raised an eyebrow and then tentatively asked:

"Those are all your retainers, sir. Wouldn't it be a great pity if they were to sacrifice themselves like this?"

"Taiichi." Sakai Tadamasa put down his sake cup, the smile fading from his face. He then looked calmly at Taiichi and said softly:

“Since they enjoy the lord’s salary, they should be loyal to me.”

"Although you are the strongest in military affairs, you still need to learn more about governance so that you can offer useful suggestions for the development of the Aizu Domain in the future."

Ha ha.

Taiichi grinned, watching Sakai Tadakatsu resume his drinking and merrymaking after speaking, and couldn't help but sneer.

On the surface, what I just said was admonition, but the real meaning behind it was that I was just a warrior, and I should not forget the hierarchy between lord and subject, and should not presumptuously discuss the lord's decisions.

Furthermore, even if you are skilled in martial arts, it's useless if you can't govern; you'll never become a leader.

Tai nodded and did not continue the argument.

Because verbal disputes can never compare to the shock and unforgettable impact of a punch landing face-to-face.

He also suspected that, given the methods of the Nezu ninja, the retainers and samurai families of the Sakai clan would be no match for them.

Once these samurai families are wiped out or defeated, the daimyo can relinquish his status, reclaim his fiefdom, and reduce his stipend, thereby lowering the expenses of Himeji Castle.

This tactic is already commonplace.

After all, even the most famous aren't exactly wealthy these days.

"Since you put it that way, I'll get a good rest tonight!"

With his divine sense extended, he detected more than twenty people moving back and forth on the rooftops and walls of various buildings in Himeji Castle, and there was also a powerful being watching from the rooftop of the castle tower.

Taiyi sneered inwardly, and he planned to do nothing but eat, go back to rest, and then wait for the show to begin.