"So... What now?" Minato drank the cup of tea.

He and Carter sat on the porch of the Shrine drinking tea on a bamboo table.

"How are your Primal Art?" Carter asked.

"I am developing it steadily, Master Ginro. I must say. Even though I am a Champion and you’re not, you are the Master and I am the student." Minato bowed deeply. "I now understand Ranks don’t mean anything. It doesn’t one’s potential and his wisdom."

"Please, Second Guardian. If we were to fight, I would have lost. I am embarrassed to call myself your Master. A temporary teacher perhaps." Carter said.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I’ve seen many miracles from your Sect. Lady Mikoto reached a realm that I can never imagine. She was an Elite but she could easily subdue me. I feel the same thing from you. Different but also enlightened." Minato said. "If we were to actually fight, I am not confident that I will win."

Minato was obviously referring to Transcension and Spiritualization. The level of enlightenment that he didn’t even touch upon.

"You sure are wise, Second Guardian. Much more than you were before." Carter said.

Minato shrugged, "Fate has given me years to reflect on my wrongdoings. Then Lady Mikoto showed me the correct path. This tiny wisdom was what I received from her."

Carter nodded. He stood up. "Mikoto should return soon. I should take my leave."

As Carter turned around and left, Minato spoke up.

"Master Ginro... Can I ever reach the enlightenment level of you and Lady Mikoto?" Minato said.

"Certainly, you can. Just like how Seija was able to become a River Spirit. You can, also, go through transformation that you can never imagine."

Carter tapped on his heart. "Primal Art digs into our deepest desires and fears. Learn yourself and the world around you. One day, you will also transcend the mind of a mortal."

"Yes, Master Ginro." Minato bowed. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

He continued to bow until the silver-haired man disappeared from sight.

Kazou appeared beside him. "I am really curious. What kind of Sect could teach such great students. Lady Mikoto. Master Musashi. Both of them were able to find their own path."

Minato adjusted himself and stood up. "It must be the most gracious and holy sect there is out there."

Carter didn’t return to Giyaku right away. Instead, he went out into the woods to farm a bit more Yokai Shards and completed Shrine Maiden’s 10,000% Synchronization.

His Shrine Maiden Skin had reached 8598.0%. only 1,500% left to reach 10,000%.

At 100%, the skin gave him Star Level and one retained aspect.

From 100%, each hundred points of synchronization gave a Token. Each thoudand points gave a Champion Seed. Naturally, at the mark of 10,000%, he should get something else.

[SHRINE MAIDEN EQUIPPED]

The silver-haired man disappeared and the Shrine Maiden of white-haired returned.

’From what I understand, there should be a total of Four Champion Yokais in Giyaku. One was the Tiger God that I have turned into an Eldritch Arms. The other three were unknown... I should spend this time to get them all.’

Carter found a secret spot to sit down and took out his Destiny Deck.

The Destiny Deck gave a much clearer response to the future than the Destiny Coin and was still the best Divination Tool Carter had.

Through the power of Transcension, he looked into the past, the present, and the future.

’Show me the remaining three Champion Yokais.’

The cards told him what he needed to know. Surprisingly, one of the three Champion Yokais had a concealing power that prevented Carter from learning its location.

Somewhere deep in the mountain of Giyaku area, Dairei Kitsune woke up from her slumber. Her entire body trembled in fear.

’Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!’

The Fox Yokai jumped out of its hiding cave and rushed as quickly as she could. The blue Foxfire around her blocked the Divination of whoever was investigating her.

’Why can’t you idiots leave me alone? I didn’t want to meddle in your business!’

Of all the Four Beasts Gods, Kitsune was the weakest. But no Yokai underestimated her. Because Kitsune had many tricks up her sleeves.

She was also the only one that knew about the danger of Divination and put on blockage to prevent people from investigating her.

Kitsune ran because she knew the farther away she was from the source of Divination, the weaker it would be.

But whoever was investigating her was relentless. The Divination plunged into her being much quicker than before.

’Damn it! Why don’t you leave me alone?’

The Fox Champion had to stop and focused her power. More blue Foxfire appeared around her to fight against the Divination. But her attempt was futile. The power that was looking for her belonged to a much higer level she could anticipate.

Not even Carter knew the truth rank of Transcension.

The Foxfire exploded like balloons. Kitsune couldn’t stop the inevitable. The Divination found her.

For a split moment, she saw a pair of holy azure eyes looking directly at her.

’This is power beyond Champion!’

Kitsune gave up on resisting and bolted away. She turned into a human and went into a human city.

Humans were weak. But their stench could hide her and the Fate of all these intertwined people might be able to mess with whoever finding her.

Kitsune became an ugly girl that sold stinky Tofu.

No one came for her for a few days. Not even ordinary people would glance toward her ways.

There was nothing less inviting than an ugly woman in this world that sold stinky food.

Kitsune finally felt a tiny bit of relief. But she still kept her guards high. She knew that the one that tracking her was impossibly powerful. Or so she thought.

One day, when Kitsune was cleaning up her shaft, she saw a white-haired human girl sitting accross the street. The girl was blind and she set up a fortune-telling shaft.

Kitsune felt insecure immediately. She scanned the girl but found out that she was just an ordinary human.

’Just a mortal? But why I feel like she’s special?

Kitsune’s guts told her she needed to leave now. But she ignored it

This was the time that she always looked back in the future and told herself, ’Never ignore your hunch.’