Chapter 100 Merit, all merit!

Black Qi whistled as it surged out from within the hall, with an almost impatient feeling.

Abe Otsuka's face turned cold. Did these wandering souls really think that just because they called him 'Sir', they were actually something special?

Since a person from Huaguo had come to cause trouble today, he might as well show them some strength and kill the chicken to warn the monkeys, so they wouldn't harbor any improper thoughts in the future.

However, he sighed inwardly. With this happening, his plan to attend the Ghost Festival in Kyoto tonight—commonly known as the Obon Festival—was ruined.

It had been transmitted to the Island Country from Huaguo's Zhongyuan Festival during the Tang Dynasty, becoming the Obon Festival.

It was also the most important holiday for Yin and Yang practitioner families and the Buddhist sect.

Although he was an Yin and Yang practitioner of the Abe Family and the chief priest of Yasukuni Shrine.

In reality, he was just a marginal figure.

Yasukuni Shrine sounded prestigious, but it didn't actually enshrine any important deities; it might not even be comparable to an ordinary shrine.

However, in the hearts of some ignorant ordinary people, Yasukuni Shrine was the spiritual pillar of the Empire.

But in reality, its status among all shrines belonged to the lowest tier.

Therefore, for Abe Otsuka, the Obon Festival was a rare opportunity where he could meet many Senior Yin and Yang practitioners.

If he could gain someone's support, he might be able to return to Kyoto.

Moreover, it was said that this Obon Festival was different from usual, quite extraordinary. With the recovery of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, the major Yin and Yang practitioner families seemed to intend to join forces to revive a deity!

That's right, to revive a deity. Although Abe Otsuka, given his status, didn't know the exact details of which one it was.

But the news was definitely accurate; the chance to bathe in divine grace was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity!

But the chaos here today had caused all his previous plans to go down the drain.

However, Abe Otsuka only felt some regret. Being in Tokyo wasn't bad either; it was freer, and he could do as he pleased, it was just that Kyoto offered a broader horizon.

Furthermore, he was already old and didn't have the vigor of the youth, nor the desire to advance further.

He sighed slightly and prepared to summon his Shikigami to drive the escaped wandering soul back.

But the next instant, he watched in astonishment as the wandering soul, having just escaped, turned back around!

"I have lived here for a long time and have already formed a bond, so I suddenly feel reluctant to leave," it said.

Abe Otsuka remained stunned. That wasn't what you said a second ago!

Moreover, he vaguely noticed that the black Qi enveloping the evil spirit was somewhat scattered, and even the strength of its soul body seemed to have weakened significantly.

Could it be that it clashed with the Formation outside and lost?

That shouldn't be. Abe Otsuka understood the strength of this wandering soul; although the Talismans and Formation outside could block it for a while, they absolutely could not completely suppress it.

"Abe Otsuka, I am returning first. Please take care!"

With that said, the black Qi slipped back into the spirit tablet at the head of the hall.

Abe Otsuka slowly recovered from his bewilderment and looked toward the door, deep in thought.

At this moment, from the open gate, one could already see two young men standing in the courtyard, though it was unclear when they had arrived.

And the priest who had originally come to report the situation was lying on the ground, lifeless, with blood gurgling out through the gaps in the stone slabs.

"Junior Martial Uncle, so this is what you meant by doing good deeds and accumulating Karma!"

Jia He looked at the dense, countless spirit tablets and names in the Soul Summoning Hall, feeling the chilling ghost Qi, and didn't know what to say.

He didn't know how many fierce ghosts and remnant souls were in here; perhaps all the war criminal souls that the Island Country's Yin and Yang practitioners had summoned back over the years were all here.

This was truly great Karma. If he could transcend all these fierce ghosts, his performance quota for this lifetime would be met!

However, the number of these fierce ghosts was dense, likely numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

Just their aura alone made it hard for Jia He to breathe. If he were actually forced to face these fierce ghosts, his first choice would probably be to turn around and run.

"Junior Martial Uncle, can we handle this?" Jia He asked in a low voice. He knew Jiang Chen was very strong, but with such a large quantity—two fists are no match for four hands, and there were so many hands here.

"Just follow me," Jiang Chen said calmly.

At this moment, Abe Otsuka looked at Jiang Chen outside the door, then at the wandering soul cowering in the spirit tablet, and he finally understood, his face turning livid with anger.

Didn't you want to break free from your bonds earlier? If you have the guts, don't come back!

"Your Excellency, you are a mage from Huaguo. May I ask what is your business intruding into the Yasukuni Shrine today?"

Jia He's face twisted into a knot upon hearing this; he felt that the etiquette of the Island Country gave people a very awkward feeling.

It was as if it were intentional; clearly a bunch of people had already died outside, and the fight had reached their doorstep, yet the other party still had to ask what their business was.

If I said I was here for sightseeing, would you believe me?

"I came for sightseeing, and to do some good deeds along the way."

Jia He turned his head, staring at Jiang Chen in stunned silence, as if he were meeting him for the first time.

I was just thinking it, but you actually dared to say it!

Abe Otsuka's mouth also twitched. He had only asked politely to express his courtesy before force, but who told you to actually answer?

"Your Excellency, you killed over ten of my shrine priests without rhyme or reason. Do you not hold the Abe Clan in any regard!"

His voice gradually became stern as he shouted the name of the Abe Clan, hoping to use it to test Jiang Chen's attitude.

After all, Jiang Chen had been able to walk to the outside of the hall without him noticing in the slightest, had killed the shrine attendants, and had injured the strongest wandering soul in the entire Soul Summoning Hall; his strength was definitely extraordinary.

"Oh? You are a member of the Abe Clan?"

Although it was a question, Jiang Chen's expression was calm, his eyes as deep as the stars, revealing no abnormalities whatsoever.

"Previously, the Yamamoto Family took a Magical Artifact from Huaguo to the Island Country. You should know about this, right?"

Abe Otsuka's eye twitched. It was the Yamamoto Family causing trouble again.

Although the Yamamoto Family were retainers of the Abe Family, they were different; the Yamamoto Family were fanatics of the Empire and had directly participated in the war.

Because of this, the Yamamoto Family had always harbored hostility toward Huaguo.

"I do not know of any Magical Artifact. If you are here for this matter, you can go to Kyoto and find the Yamamoto Family."

Abe Otsuka said this as if it were normal, but in reality, he was already secretly activating the Formation laid out within Yasukuni Shrine.

"I came here not only to retrieve the Magical Artifact but also to accumulate some Karma."

"Karma?" Abe Otsuka asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I observe that this place is full of scurrilous evil spirits. Leaving them in the world only increases disaster..."

Upon hearing this, Abe Otsuka's pupils suddenly constricted.

"It would be better for me to transcend them and turn them into the firewood and stepping stones beneath my feet; it can be considered making use of waste."

Jia He couldn't help but turn his head to look at Jiang Chen again. He was puzzled in his heart: was the 'transcending' his Junior Martial Uncle spoke of somewhat different from what he had imagined?