169: Sakura might destroy the country!

Chapter 169: Sakura might be annihilated!

Evolution?

Lu Ran's eyes lit up. He asked, “Can Shikigami evolve?”

Lu Ran clearly didn't know this.

Nanasheng nodded.

She explained, “There are only two ways for Shikigami to become strong. The first is unchangeable: the Shikigami’s innate talent and quality. All Shikigami are graded. For example, my Kinnara and Tamamo-no-Mae are S-rank Shikigami, while a Shikigami like Koi Spirit is B-rank. It’s not terrible, but in the eyes of Onmyoji who possess S-rank or even A-rank Shikigami, they are essentially trash.”

Upon hearing Nanasheng call Koi Spirit trash, Lu Ran immediately frowned.

Nanasheng continued, “Talent and quality are inherent and cannot be altered by any acquired means. Therefore, a Shikigami’s innate talent and quality directly determine an Onmyoji’s future growth potential and combat power.”

In short,

Although Onmyoji is a profession,

This profession is different from others.

For instance, Undead Mages, apart from the anomaly that is Lu Ran, are all identical.

Whether it's skills, attribute growth, or anything else.

The only subtle difference lies in the innate attributes upon awakening the profession, but it's negligible.

However, the Onmyoji profession is incredibly diverse.

Based on different Shikigami, different qualities, and different combat types, Onmyoji are categorized into various types: powerful, weak, ranged, melee, and even defensive or healing…

“To put it bluntly, it’s all about inherent talent. An Onmyoji’s strength depends entirely on luck?” Lu Ran asked.

“That’s right. Onmyoji contract Shikigami, and this process cannot be interfered with by external forces. It’s all predetermined. Even for me, contracting Kinnara and Tamamo-no-Mae was destined,” Nanasheng nodded and said.

Finally,

As if remembering something, she added, “Only in some special circumstances can Shikigami be chosen, but the cost is quite high.”

Lu Ran immediately understood.

He glanced at Nanasheng and said, “Like your Yamata no Orochi, a reverse contract, selling your body and soul?”

Nanasheng froze.

Then, she gritted her teeth and nodded.

Lu Ran didn't dwell on this question, but continued to ask, “Go on, what’s the second way?”

Nanasheng took a deep breath, collecting herself.

She continued, “The second is evolution. Shikigami can evolve, but the method is extremely cruel. It requires killing other Shikigami to obtain the magatama they drop upon death. Magatama contain some of the Shikigami’s attributes. A living Shikigami consuming a magatama can gain attribute bonuses, and upon reaching a critical point, it can evolve.”

Lu Ran’s eyes lit up.

So, Koi Spirit can evolve this way!

Moreover…

“If that’s the case, couldn’t Sakura easily create terrifying Shikigami?” Lu Ran asked.

“Theoretically, yes, but in Sakura, magatama are taboo. Hunting other Onmyoji’s Shikigami, if discovered, will result in execution by Shintoism,” Nanasheng explained.

That's understandable.

After all, although it's hunting Shikigami, Onmyoji can recall their Shikigami to their Shikigami space at any time.

To continue hunting, one would first have to kill the Shikigami's master, the Onmyoji!

Hunting national professionals is a serious crime in any country!

But Lu Ran looked at Nanasheng with a profound gaze.

With a smile, he asked, “That’s what’s said, and that’s what the law stipulates, but as the Divine Child of Shintoism and the Chief Priest of Chi Nai Grand Shrine, you must have used magatama to strengthen your Kinnara and Tamamo-no-Mae, right? Even if it didn't reach the point of evolution, they must have been strengthened, correct?”

Upon hearing this,

Nanasheng’s pupils suddenly constricted.

Lu Ran chuckled and said, “Don’t try to hide it. You know, whether you’ve told the truth or not, Yamata no Orochi can sense it.”

Nanasheng looked at Lu Ran.

Finally, she exhaled slowly and said, “I have.”

Indeed!

No matter the country, laws only target ordinary people.

It's impossible for a pillar of the nation like Nanasheng not to use other means to become stronger.

But at this moment,

Nanasheng then added, “Although I have used magatama, they were all circulated from the black market. I never arranged for anyone to hunt other Onmyoji’s Shikigami. And it’s not just me; Inari Grand Shrine and various other Grand Shrines have also used the same method.”

But Lu Ran waved his hand.

He said, “How would you high-ranking officials know how your manipulators behind the scenes obtained the magatama? Were they really circulated from the black market? But it doesn’t matter, it has nothing to do with me. I just want to know, I can also use magatama to evolve Koi Spirit, right?”

Nanasheng looked at Koi Spirit, nodded, and said, “You can.”

“To what extent can it evolve?” Lu Ran asked again.

“Theoretically, it can evolve infinitely, but that would require an immeasurable amount of magatama, which are almost impossible to obtain. Moreover, even if someone took the risk, they wouldn’t evolve a Shikigami of Koi Spirit’s quality; it would be too wasteful,” Nanasheng said.

“Almost impossible to obtain? What do you mean? Didn't you say that you can get magatama by killing other Shikigami?” Lu Ran asked.

“Yes, but in Sakura, hunting other Onmyoji’s Shikigami is illegal,” Nanasheng said.

“What does illegal have to do with me? I’m not from Sakura, I’ll kill if I want to,” Lu Ran shrugged, saying indifferently.

Upon hearing this, Nanasheng suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

Because she suddenly realized she had made a foolish mistake!

She had actually told Lu Ran how to obtain magatama, and Lu Ran was completely unbound by Sakura’s laws!

A person like him wouldn't care if Sakura was annihilated just to evolve Koi Spirit!

Sakura, which was already on the verge of being sanctioned by Dragon Xia after its rise, would now be even more precarious!

But then again,

Lu Ran had already asked.

Did Nanasheng have the right to refuse to answer?

Clearly not!

Now, because of Yamata no Orochi, she was completely controlled by Lu Ran!

“By the way, before, your Sakura, like Eagle Nation, also arranged for people to infiltrate Dragon Xia to kill me, and they arranged it even earlier, and with fewer numbers. At that time, who arranged for that group of Onmyoji?” Lu Ran suddenly asked.

“It was me,” Nanasheng said casually.

“Oh?” Lu Ran raised an eyebrow, glanced at Nanasheng, but was not surprised.

After all, the pressure Nanasheng felt in the Endless Tower was too intense.

It was inevitable that she would lose her composure.

“At that time, all those Onmyoji were killed by me, and their Shikigami also died, but why didn’t I find any magatama or anything like that?” Lu Ran asked curiously.

“The ones sent to kill you were ordinary Onmyoji, and the Shikigami they controlled were of average quality. To obtain magatama, you can only get them by killing A-rank and above Shikigami,” Nanasheng said casually.

Lu Ran’s eyes widened.

He said, “You sent people to kill me, but you sent a bunch of small fries? You really look down on me, an Undead Mage.”

Nanasheng looked at Lu Ran.

She sighed.

To be honest, the Nanasheng of that time truly didn’t take this conventional profession, Undead Mage, that seriously.