Chapter 69: The Mountain God’s Challenge

Bai Mengqi glanced at Sasaki, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. Then, she turned and departed the scene with light steps.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, bathing her in a radiant, golden glow.

Soon after she left, several figures swiftly approached from the distance. After a few agile leaps, they arrived at the area where Sasaki and Bai Mengqi had dueled.

Witnessing the devastation of the area, one person was utterly stunned. ‘What a ferocious battle it must have been to leave this place in such a state,’ they thought.

The newcomers were ninjas, clad in black bodysuits with their faces concealed by masks. They searched the vicinity and quickly spotted Sasaki lying on the ground, promptly gathering around him.

Their eyes conveyed a mixture of urgency and deep concern.

“Lord Sasaki, how—how do you feel?” the ninjas inquired, their voices hushed and urgent.

Evidently, Sasaki held an extraordinary position within the Sakura Society. He was a core member, and losing him here would mean a significant blow to their organization.

Sasaki struggled to prop himself up, his face ashen, a trace of undried blood still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

He took a deep breath, attempting to calm his erratic breathing, though a sense of confusion lingered within him.

“I’m not dying… Quickly, take me back for treatment.”

Upon hearing his words, the ninjas immediately sprang into action. Two of them helped Sasaki to his feet, while the others vigilantly scanned their surroundings, ensuring no potential dangers lurked nearby.

As for Bai Mengqi, she had spared Sasaki’s life not out of benevolence, but because she recognized him as a formidable opponent. He had dared to challenge her, even knowing he was outmatched.

Crucially, his character was decent, and their encounter hadn’t been during an attack on Zi Yanran. He had simply come to challenge her, without resorting to any schemes or tricks.

Such an opponent deserved respect, and there was no need for a fatal blow. Nevertheless, Sasaki would be unable to engage in combat for at least six months, which served as the price for his defeat at Bai Mengqi’s hands.

****

Meanwhile, Zi Yanran and her team had already set off again, arriving at the headquarters of Matsushita Group.

However, today’s negotiations seemed unusually smooth, as Matsushita Shinichi had surprisingly taken over as the lead representative.

This led Zi Yanran to wonder if Matsushita Suguru had been intimidated, or perhaps had finally come to his senses, deciding to stop wasting time and allow his son to represent him fully in the negotiations.

Matsushita Shinichi’s performance today was remarkably decisive and straightforward, devoid of any circumlocution. He readily agreed to sign the contract.

This meant that Zi Yanran and her team had finally achieved their objective for this trip. They would jointly develop new energy with Haicheng Sanhua Energy Group, with Zijin Group holding the dominant position.

Naturally, Matsushita Group would also dispatch representatives to participate in the research and development efforts.

With the signing of the contract, their trip to Japan was considered concluded.

In the afternoon, Zi Yanran and her team, escorted by Matsushita Shinichi and others, boarded a plane bound for Xia Kingdom.

The Sakura Society, left with no alternative, reluctantly abandoned their plan to continue assassinating Zi Yanran.

However, shortly after the plane took off, two beautiful women mysteriously slipped out of the airport, unnoticed by anyone.

They were Bai Mengqi and Zi Yanran! Both had altered their appearances.

“Whew…! That was truly exhilarating! Mengqi, where are we heading next?” Zi Yanran asked excitedly, dressed in a light purple dress and carrying a travel bag.

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation, as if something thrilling awaited them.

“Just follow me! This journey will definitely be exciting, as long as you don’t get scared,” Bai Mengqi reminded her with a playful smile.

Her words only heightened Zi Yanran’s anticipation for the upcoming journey.

The two had already entered the radar of Japan’s supernatural community, so their previous appearances were certainly no longer viable.

Using her superb skills, Bai Mengqi had disguised Zi Yanran, and the two had thus brazenly slipped out of the airport.

Zi Yanran had already arranged their itinerary in advance. They planned to spend another week in Japan, treating it as a vacation.

After all, the project had been successfully negotiated, and the subsequent tasks could be handled by the company’s various department heads according to standard procedures.

Moreover, she had asked her father to stay at the company for a few days to help oversee things, so she was certain nothing would go wrong.

At this moment, in Zi Yanran’s home in Xia Kingdom, Zi Ye had just hung up the phone, a wry smile gracing his face.

“That mischievous girl, truly, once she has someone in her heart, she abandons everything else. Her parents are forgotten, her children are forgotten, and now she wants to continue playing in Japan with Mengqi for a while, even asking me to look after the company for a few days.” He complained, shaking his head helplessly.

Su Xiaoshi immediately shot Zi Ye a glare upon hearing his words.

“Our daughter has worked hard enough all these years; don’t you, as a father, understand her plight? Besides, you haven’t retired yet; you’re still the company’s chairman.”

Her tone carried a hint of reproach and displeasure.

Zi Ye sighed deeply, saying resignedly, “You’re right… In that case, please take good care of the children these next few days.”

He knew he couldn’t win an argument with his wife and could only concede.

****

On the road leading to Mount Fuji, a taxi was moving at a steady pace.

Inside the car, Bai Mengqi was intently studying a Japanese map on her phone, while Zi Yanran gazed blankly out the window.

“What are you looking at?” Bai Mengqi asked curiously, noticing Zi Yanran staring out the window in a daze.

Zi Yanran snapped back to reality and smiled, saying, “Hmm, looking at this quiet forest path, it reminds me of walking along country roads when I was in elementary and middle school.”

Her eyes held a hint of nostalgia and sentimentality.

Bai Mengqi also glanced out the window, and indeed, a familiar feeling welled up within her.

“Yes, I feel the same way. It’s just a pity that development has been so rapid these past few years, and the countryside is becoming increasingly urbanized.”

Her voice carried a touch of regret and helplessness.

Just then, golden light suddenly flashed in Bai Mengqi’s eyes.

She saw something unusual. In the countryside, she spotted many dead souls floating everywhere.

However, Bai Mengqi had no intention of bothering with these dead souls. Her attention was quickly drawn to other beings: spirits!

These spirits, like the dead souls, were invisible to ordinary people. They were unique beings of the mountains and rivers, appearing in various forms and species.

Some resembled small animals, while others seemed like sentient plants.

A faint spiritual energy emanated from them, a manifestation of natural vitality. The Earth also possessed spiritual energy, but it was very thin. According to the Great Immortaless, the Earth’s spiritual energy seemed to be sealed by some power.

If the seal could be broken, then other cultivators could be born on Earth.

“Yanran, look at that—what is it? There are small animals. Can you see them?” Bai Mengqi suddenly pointed out the window to Zi Yanran, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Zi Yanran immediately followed Bai Mengqi’s finger, initially seeing nothing. However, as Bai Mengqi injected her power into her, strange and peculiar things instantly appeared in her vision.

“Eh? What—what are these?” Zi Yanran couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

Bai Mengqi smiled and explained, “These are spirits! They are beings of the mountains and rivers. Don’t be fooled by their strange appearance; they are actually very kind and won’t attack humans.”

Upon hearing this, Zi Yanran’s eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement.

“Really? Can we say hello to them?” she eagerly asked.

Bai Mengqi shook her head and chuckled, “They won’t pay attention to you. With your current abilities, you can’t communicate with them. I’m merely using my power to let you temporarily see them, to broaden your horizons.”

Her tone held a hint of pride and mystery.

Zi Yanran couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.

“Alright then… but being able to see these strange things is already satisfying enough,” she consoled herself.

The taxi driver couldn’t understand their Xia Kingdom language, but their odd behavior left him utterly baffled.

The taxi continued forward, soon arriving in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Japanese prefectures were not like Xia Kingdom’s counties; there was an indescribable tranquility here. The two found a guesthouse in Yamanashi Prefecture and decided to stay overnight before heading to Mount Fuji.

They arrived in Yamanashi Prefecture during the late afternoon, just as dusk was settling.

Soon, night fell, and all was silent.

Bai Mengqi and Zi Yanran had just finished showering and were preparing to rest.

But just as she was about to settle down, Bai Mengqi sensed something. She quickly opened the window and looked outside.

“What’s wrong?” Zi Yanran asked, startled by Bai Mengqi’s sudden action.

Bai Mengqi’s gaze swept through the darkness, and indeed, she spotted something interesting. “This Japan truly is unique. Yokai, which are rarely seen in Xia Kingdom, are quite common here. It seems… to be a yokai,” Bai Mengqi remarked with interest.

Zi Yanran was startled by her words.

“Yokai? What kind of yokai? Where is it? Let me see!” Zi Yanran quickly leaned over to look.

However, it was pitch black outside, with only the lights from some houses and streetlamps visible.

Bai Mengqi pondered for a moment before saying, “You rest first. I’ll go out and see what’s happening.”

With that, she dressed and jumped out the window. It wasn’t suitable to bring Zi Yanran along at night. Zi Yanran started to say something, but ultimately held back, sighing and sitting down.

‘Oh! I hope to gain extraordinary power soon. That way, I won’t always need Mengqi to protect me.’

Meanwhile, Bai Mengqi, following the yokai’s aura, arrived at a house. The yokai had infiltrated this home and was absorbing the life essence from a young child on the second floor.

Yokai on Earth seemed to enjoy absorbing human vitality. However, it didn’t directly drain the person to death; it merely took a breath of essence before leaving.

Taking just one breath wouldn’t endanger a life, at most causing an illness similar to a cold.

Bai Mengqi didn’t intervene but continued to track the creature. Since this yokai was native to the area, it might be able to provide information about the Immortal Crystal Shards.

Soon, Bai Mengqi followed it to a small shrine dedicated to a deity. This shrine was tiny, built beneath a large tree by the roadside.

Such shrines typically housed mountain gods, earth gods, or minor deities. Bai Mengqi had clearly seen the creature’s true form: a white-furred wolf, or perhaps a large white dog.

Looking at the stone statue inside the shrine, it also depicted a similar large animal. Many so-called deities in Japan took the form of wild beasts.

The large white dog suddenly seemed to sense something. It sniffed the air and sharply turned its head.

“Who’s there? How dare you follow this great god?”

Seeing that she had been discovered, Bai Mengqi didn’t hide any longer but calmly stepped out.

“A mere dog yokai dares to call itself a great god?” Bai Mengqi scoffed disdainfully.

In reality, the large white dog’s aura was complex, possessing both demonic energy and the essence of a deity.

Enraged by her words, the large white dog bellowed, feigning authority, “Impudent! I am the great mountain god of Yamanashi Prefecture! How dare a mere human speak to me with such disrespect?”

It truly acted as if it believed itself to be a deity.

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