Hogwarts Summoning Guide

Bai Lin had heard of the story of the beautiful woman from the bridge before. He had read many miscellaneous books during his university years, and he had dabbled in legends from various countries, including Japanese monster stories.

Bai Lin was very familiar with the protagonist of this story; he was none other than Ibaraki-dōji, whom he had personally killed just a few days ago.

Ibaraki-dōji was originally human, but because his mother carried him for sixteen months before giving birth to him, the villagers believed he was a demon, and his father abandoned him. Perhaps it was this resentment of abandonment, along with the demonic energy of the wild, that corrupted his soul, planting the seeds of evil in his heart.

Later, he was taken in and raised by a barber, who was very strict with him. He was made to work when he was just a few years old. One day, while helping his adoptive father cut a customer's scalp, the razor cut the customer's scalp. Seeing the blood flowing out, he inexplicably went up and licked it, and found it incredibly delicious.

After this incident, his adoptive father and the villagers drove him away again. He went to the water's edge and found that his reflection in the water revealed a ghostly face. He then left the village and lived on Mount Tanba. When he reappeared a few years later, he had become a great demon who ate people. He was recruited by Shuten-dōji and became the leader of the demon generals of Mount Ōe.

What intrigued Bai Lin was how an ordinary person could transform directly into a demon. It seemed that this concealed the secret of demonic energy or the source of chaos.

Of course, there is a second part to the legend of Ibaraki-dōji. He transformed into a beautiful woman and went hunting at the Retsu Bridge. There he encountered Watanabe no Tsuna, a general under Minamoto no Yorimitsu. Watanabe no Tsuna was also fierce. Not only was he not eaten, but he also cut off one of Ibaraki-dōji's hands. His sword "Higakiri" became famous and was named "Onikiri", ranking among the famous ancient swords of Japan.

Seimei divined that Ibaraki-dōji should appear tonight, so logically Watanabe no Tsuna should also go to the Retsu Bridge tonight. Bai Lin couldn't help but feel quite sorry for Ibaraki-dōji's current situation. If he dared to show up, he would surely not return alive.

However, this raises another question: if Ibaraki-dōji died here, how did he appear in the 21st century, more than a thousand years later? What is the relationship between this fragment of history and the future? Bai Lin couldn't figure it out and didn't want to waste his brainpower on it anymore.

Seimei stopped the sedan chair in a small alley about a mile from Liqiao Bridge. It was already dark, and Bai Lin's stomach was growling with hunger, but Seimei seemed oblivious. He sent back the monks and attendants of the Yin-Yang Bureau, leaving only Bai Lin and a stern-faced guard. Bai Lin saw that although the man was not tall, he was strong and powerful, and there was a hint of extraordinary power hidden in his body.

Seeing Bai Lin's expression, Qingming explained, "Ali is a follower of Lei Zun, highly skilled in martial arts, and has been my bodyguard since childhood."

Bai Lin understood and nodded amicably to Ali, but the other party gave him a cold look without responding.

Bai Lin wasn't upset at all. On the contrary, he admired this loyal and single-minded warrior, and he was very curious about what kind of extraordinary power this person had gained by worshipping a certain god.

Based on his understanding of the many gods in Japan, if we're talking about the strongest in terms of direct combat power, it should be Susanoo, the god of destruction and the ocean (also known as Susanoo, the younger brother of Amaterasu, and the hero who slew the Yamata no Orochi). He has a volatile temper and acts without considering the consequences, similar to Ares in Greek mythology. Next is Takemikazuchi, similar to Thor in Norse mythology, although he doesn't have any particularly famous mythological achievements. But considering his ability to control lightning, he must be a force to be reckoned with.

Under the cover of night, the three of them carefully made their way toward the Liqiao Bridge. Seimei used a small spell that seemed to conceal their figures so that they would not be seen by ordinary people. Of course, after dark, Kyoto was under curfew, and apart from patrolling guards and the occasional carriage of a high-ranking official, there were no pedestrians on the streets.

A crescent moon had just climbed onto the treetops when it was obscured by thick clouds, not to mention the twinkling stars. In the distance, Bai Lin could already see a small wooden bridge spanning the river. Many maple trees were planted along the riverbank. It was early autumn, and the green maple leaves were gradually turning red. He believed that in another month or so, the trees would be covered in red, making it a beautiful sight in Kyoto.

Although it was night, it was still a long time before the noon of the Hundred Ghosts Parade. Waiting like this would be too boring. Bai Lin rubbed his stomach and really wanted to take out a can of beef to fill his stomach.

Seeing Bai Lin's little trick, Qingming covered his mouth and chuckled. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out two rice balls, handing them to Bai Lin and A Li.

Honestly, at this moment, only a delicious hot pot or roasted lamb chops could satisfy Bai Lin. Looking at the small rice balls he had made from white rice in his hand, Bai Lin almost rolled his eyes, but he had no choice but to follow local customs and stuff them directly into his mouth.

Surprisingly, it tasted pretty good. There was a piece of fish and sea salt in the rice ball. Bai Lin swallowed it in less than a minute. Strangely enough, a warm current spread throughout his body, and his wrists felt warm and full of strength.

By eating "Momotaro's Secret Rice Ball", you will gain a temporary buff of 5 Strength, lasting for about 4 hours.

Upon seeing the system notification, Bai Lin suddenly realized that it was actually the legendary rice ball from Momotaro's story—no ordinary thing! Not only did it stop him from being hungry, but it also increased his attributes. His gaze towards Seimei immediately became much more fervent; he absolutely had to get the recipe for such a wonderful item…

The three lay in wait for two hours, the streets and wooden bridges remaining quiet, until a series of hoofbeats approached from outside the city.

At this time, those who can still ride horses on the street are usually city garrison officers. Bai Lin suddenly realized that the person in question had arrived.

The newcomer was a man in his thirties with a shaved forehead, wearing light armor, a katana at his waist, and a long spear on his horse. He was clearly a man of exceptional skill. Without a doubt, he was Watanabe no Tsuna, the legendary man who had just happened to be there.

Watanabe no Tsuna was busy with military affairs today, and before he knew it, it was already 9 PM. He mounted his beloved horse and rode back to his residence alone. Although there was a curfew, which of the city guards didn't recognize the most valiant general in the Grand General's mansion? No one dared to stop him.

As Watanabe Tsuna rode his horse, he recalled his experience learning swordsmanship. He started laying the foundation at the age of four, learning the stance at the age of five, and practicing for at least two or three hours every day from the age of six, regardless of the weather. He began to hone his will at the age of fourteen, and after many years of arduous training, he was blessed by Amaterasu Omikami at the age of eighteen and was granted divine power. Apart from Minamoto no Yorimitsu, who was also a believer of Amaterasu Omikami, he was invincible.

Lost in thought, he arrived at the wooden plank bridge on his way home. Hearing the gentle patter of the river beneath, he suddenly felt extremely thirsty and dismounted to scoop up some water from the river.

As soon as I stepped off the bridge, I saw a woman dressed in red Wu clothing pacing anxiously back and forth along the riverbank in the dim moonlight.

Watanabe no Tsuna stared at her intently and was immediately struck by her beauty. He had been learning swordsmanship since childhood, joined the army as a young man, and was also the adopted son of the Genji clan (in terms of status, he was a retainer and had to follow his master around all day). He rarely had contact with women, but as a thirty-year-old man, he was full of vigor and couldn't help but feel a little excited and aroused when he saw a woman. It seemed that good luck was about to befall him.

The popular fantasy novel category rankings are updated weekly. Click to see the ranking changes.