Mechanical Alchemist-Chapter 332 - 331: Begging the Gods, Sensoji Temple, Izanami

Su Lun had previously read in the annals some legends saying that the Netherworld is the final abode for the dead.

Therefore, ghosts under normal circumstances wouldn’t "die." Even if they were killed, they would only lose some of their cultivation, and then they would be reincarnated and their bodies recondensed under some special laws.

However, Su Lun also felt that this was the general situation.

In dealing with various types of ghosts proficient in revival, his abilities were exactly the antidote.

If a Soul Shard was stripped away, there was a high likelihood of no resurrection.

Su Lun skillfully stripped the soul mist from the Shuten-doji.

"You have stripped the soul of the Ghost King of Hundred Demons ’Shuten-doji’ "

"You have comprehended a special Gang Qi body protection secret technique ’Imperial Flow Overbearing Body’."

"You have gained a piece of information: ’The Yomi Country Lord Izanami is the supreme being...’"

"You are now aware of: ’Some history of the Netherworld’..."

"Spiritual power +..."

"..."

Since Alchemy and demons aren’t from the same system, he didn’t choose to strip away some cultivation insights, but he did want to understand the Netherworld through this channel to find a way out.

The intelligence gained was indeed substantial.

Keywords: Yomi Country Lord, Izanami?

Su Lun vaguely felt that he might have found the key to breaking the situation.

Many "deities" manifested in this cursed space, but in the heart of Shuten-doji, a great demon at this level, there was only one supreme being above all others, and that was Izanami.

Su Lun didn’t know if it was the one from the legends.

After all, that’s a "Mother Goddess" even more ancient than Amaterasu Omikami.

A true True God.

No mortal could depict deities; hence they were called "indescribable."

Therefore, Su Lun also felt that She wouldn’t appear in this cursed space.

Stripping memories would scatter a small part of the soul. Su Lun was ultimately curious about why his black scythe hadn’t smoothly cut the target for the first time, and casually stripped another horizontal training secret technique ’Imperial Flow Overbearing Body’ from the ghost child.

Upon inspection, he learned that apart from the creature’s inherently strong body, the most important factor was a sophisticated technique of using "Qi" to protect the body.

Upon stripping, it was an unexpected delight.

This was a very advanced and insightful skill that was still outside of Su Lun’s accessible knowledge.

Under normal circumstances, this would be an area only a sixth-order professional would explore.

Su Lun couldn’t use it.

Because his "Qi" hadn’t yet reached the level needed to utilize this secret technique.

Condensed Demonic Qi ≈ A type of Gang Qi ≈ Overbearing Qi?

Because Mr. Jing had always said that "Qi" is a key to advancing to higher levels for professional careers, Su Lun could vaguely understand some of it.

Although the carriers were different, it seemed that the essence was the same.

But now, his "Qi" was like a thin mist that would disperse upon the slightest touch.

In that secret technique, the "Qi" must be as solid as steel and not scattered at all. It was like being fully proficient in controlling the transitions between the three states of metal; solid, liquid, and gas.

Exceptionally difficult.

In the future, once he has mastered "Overbearing Qi," the secret technique seemed usable.

By then, it would be ’Rune Vajra Tyrant Body,’ which seemed like a rather good survival ability?

A flurry of thoughts passed through Su Lun’s mind, but he didn’t dwell on it.

Because at that moment, something even more strange happened before his eyes.

The body of the Shuten-doji unexpectedly turned into wisp after wisp of black Qi, which was absorbed by his body!

No,

More precisely,

It was absorbed by the Death’s shadow behind Su Lun!

....

Qianniao, who was nearby, also witnessed this bizarre event and before she could deal with her own roiling qi, she cried out sharply, "Su Lun, are you alright?"

Su Lun knew she was concerned about him but shook his head.

Because he too clearly felt the Death’s shadow absorbing a type of energy that made him feel extremely, extremely euphoric.

The All-Seeing Eye identified at a glance that the black Qi from the corpse displayed was "Demonic Qi mixed with the Power of Faith."

"This black Qi can actually solidify Death’s shadow?"

Su Lun was both shocked and overjoyed in his heart.

He had previously guessed that the creatures of Mountain Hermit were bodies of collective faith, and it turned out that this was indeed the case.

But what he didn’t expect was that the faith-infused demonic Qi was essentially the same kind of thing as Death’s shadow.

In the instant of their conversation, they watched as the beheaded corpse of Shuten-doji was completely absorbed, vanishing from sight.

In just that moment or two, Su Lun also distinctly sensed a tremendous change.

Death’s shadow visibly became more solid!

Previously, the face beneath Death’s cloak was completely foggy, but now the facial contours were faintly visible. On a closer look, although the features were unclear, the outline vaguely resembled Su Lun himself.

Furthermore, the external changes were secondary.

Su Lun strongly felt that his understanding of the laws of death and some indescribable abilities had grown enormously!

He estimated that if he were to naturally comprehend the laws of death himself, he might not see this degree of progress in five years, or even ten years.

"Powerful!"

A glimmer flashed in Su Lun’s eyes, unable to conceal his amazement: "Such faith-infused demons... can directly enhance the understanding of Death’s shadow!"

Innate abilities generally could only be strengthened through one’s own comprehension, yet because he had been sucked into this cursed space, he had discovered a shortcut.

An S-ranked talent was already rare to awaken; progressing further and developing abilities required not just time but also great fortune. Just like how Su Lun had to die once before to awaken the second stage of his talent. Now, the development of his ability was crawling like a snail, with increments like 0.001%, 0.002%, 0.003%...

Yet now, there was a leap of a whole 1%!

This showed Su Lun that a window had been opened and before him was a whole new world.

"If this growth continues, after the second stage of talent awakening, might there be a third stage?"

However, Su Lun also clearly felt that the absorbed demonic energy was impure, containing a strand of negative energy.

That was demonic power.

The negative impact was not on the body, nor on spiritual power, but it made his entire demeanor slightly eerie.

But compared to the gains, this minor negative side effect was negligible.

....

Having killed Shuten-doji, Su Lun discovered a great opportunity hidden within this dire situation, which was a blessing in disguise.

However, now was not the time to ponder over those gains.

Because their crisis was not over, and their situation had become even more dangerous.

The surrounding evil spirits, having seen Shuten-doji killed, all froze on the spot. Especially upon seeing the Death’s shadow behind Su Lun, it was as if time had stopped, and the ghosts looked at each other in bewilderment. But then, a shrill, ear-piercing screech, like a tidal wave of wailing, erupted from the nearby streets.

Without the Ghost King’s deterrent, those minor spirits fell into madness and swarmed in.

"Run!"

Qian Tiao shouted sharply, drawing his blade and charging ahead.

"Right!"

Su Lun didn’t dare to delay and turned to make a run for it.

But he hadn’t expected that just as he moved, a burning sting spread through his muscles, and he staggered, nearly falling.

He immediately understood what was happening.

The activation of stage four hormonal overload had caused his body to fight in an overburdened state, resulting in massive damage.

Muscle ruptures, bone fractures, although he didn’t die on the spot, he still needed time to heal.

However, these ghosts certainly wouldn’t give him time to recover.

"Body’s at its limit, huh..."

Su Lun’s face turned ugly.

This was his first time facing an unknown enemy of this caliber. Even being extremely cautious, it was impossible to completely calculate the opponent’s damage.

Being able to kill it was merely a result of the two gambling with their lives and not having bad luck.

Especially with that hand blade strike to the abdomen, though he had tried to avoid vital points, the surge of Red Lotus demonic energy also made his blood and Qi chaotically violent.

Su Lun was very aware that his body was already on the verge of collapse and utterly incapable of sustaining intense combat any longer.

Escape was no longer an option.

Having rapidly analyzed the pros and cons, Su Lun was a decisive person.

Seeing various ghosts surging from all around, his gaze turned cold, and he took out the scroll to unseal the Mecha battlesuit, preparing to tear it open, "Huff... It’s the final stand."

The Mecha battlesuit had strong defenses, and its operation in combat wasn’t heavily dependent on the user’s physical condition; it might be able to hold out for a while.

But Su Lun also knew that once he entered the Mecha, there would be almost no chance of escape.

The Mecha lacked the capacity for Spatial Displacement, and its speed was somewhat clumsy; it was impossible to escape from the city amidst the encirclement of hundreds of thousands of ghosts.

He took it out only because he thought that in a fight to the death, maybe he could distract some monsters and give Qian Tiao a slim chance for survival.

However, the moment the scroll was taken out,

Qian Tiao’s peripheral vision caught sight of it and she seemed to immediately guess something, unhesitatingly turning back to kill her way back.

The speed of the swordfighter was even faster than Su Lun pulling at the scroll. With a flash of her figure, she scooped Su Lun up and burst out with him in tow.

Though being carried away, Su Lun still spat out a mouthful of blood, enduring the pain all over his body, he said gravely, "Sister Qian Tiao, I can’t make it. You go first!" "..."

Seeing his condition, Qian Tiao’s pupils narrowed, clearly understanding what Su Lun was trying to express.

She was already at her limit, and carrying another person meant almost certain death for them both.

So the most rational decision would be for those who could escape to do so.

But she didn’t even think about it and with a fierce shout exclaimed, "Hmph! Nonsense!"

Su Lun frowned upon hearing this.

The two of them had reached a level of familiarity where they could read each other’s thoughts. He knew well that this gambler of a woman was always led by her emotions; she would never flee alone even if it meant dying.

Just like he had chosen to stay behind just a moment ago.

Su Lun did not say more, merely lying silently on her shoulder and occasionally tossing out a few bombs to alleviate some of the pressure.

"Boom," "Boom," "Boom"...

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The fireworks from the bombs exploded with dazzling brilliance throughout the city.

Su Lun even took out his hidden high-explosive bombs.

Unfortunately, powerful as they were, many of the ghostly creatures weren’t affected by firearms.

Gasping for breath, Qian Tiao swung her sword slower and slower, and her Sword Qi grew ever weaker...

Their situation became more and more perilous.

....

In fact, since they had been discovered by Shuten-doji, they had been in a hopeless situation.

Whether they won the fight or not, with time spent and the surrounding ghosts having closed off all the exits, the likelihood of escaping had plummeted.

Even at their peak, getting out was a matter of luck; now that both of them were injured, the thought of breaking out was a mere fantasy.

Qian Tiao’s long sword hacked away until blood filled her vision.

On her shoulder, Su Lun controlled the only fingers that could still move to create a bit of chaos with a few puppet bombs.

Both of them couldn’t even maintain their second-tier talent states anymore.

Eventually, Su Lun and she encountered another formidable Demon King-level monster.

It was a Great Tengu with the combat power of a fifth-stage pinnacle.

The monster with wings on its back and a stature as imposing as a Minotaur’s had a ruddy face; it was a formidable swordfighter, too, equipped with famous swords and armor.

Even at her best, Qian Tiao wasn’t sure if she could win easily. In their encounter, after barely holding on for a few rounds, she was sliced down and sent flying dozens of meters, crashing into a heap of ruins. If not for the protection of the famous armor "Iron Red Scales Painted Five Panel Harness," both she and Su Lun would have likely been split in half by that blow.

....

In the midst of the ruins, Qian Tiao’s helmet had been knocked off by that strike; her blue hair scattered, with blood trickling down from her forehead, making her look ferocious and disheveled.

She propped her sword against the ground, kneeling on one knee, and only then did she manage not to fall.

Su Lun was just as disheveled beside her. Throughout the brutal battle, those ghostly creatures had left various wounds all over his body. If not for the runes drawn previously on his bones and skin, which greatly strengthened his physique, he would have likely been minced by now.

Escaping from the southern city gate had become hopeless.

At this moment, what entered their eyes were ghosts and monsters, with the black, towering spirit of the ghosts surging towards the sky like a tsunami. When it crashed over them, they would instantly be crushed to pieces.

Qian Tiao struggled for a moment, wanting to charge forward, but instead, a mouthful of blood spewed forth.

Su Lun glanced at her sideways.

Just moments before, he had thought there might be a chance, his spirits were highly tense.

Now, with all their options exhausted and no chance left, he seemed to have reached a state of resignation.

Qian Tiao felt that gaze as well.

Their eyes met, and there was no despair or sorrow in them, only a smile.

"Qian Tiao, there’s a slim chance we can kill it."

"Oh? Let’s give it a try then."

"Right."

After that brief conversation, both of them slumped down where they were.

Qian Tiao’s profile was beautiful, if a little sharp, but that was just nitpicking.

She sighed and asked, "Su Lun, you clearly had a slight chance to get away earlier. Why did you stay?"

In fact, Su Lun’s best chance to survive was when Qian Tiao was holding off Shuten-doji.

Su Lun panted heavily, and seriously replied, "Qian Tiao, I’ve always wanted to say that fighting side by side with you is something I’ve been looking forward to."

For the first time, he felt death wasn’t so... resistant.

Hearing this, Qian Tiao’s eyebrows arched, "Oh..."

It seemed many thoughts had become clear.

The lights in the city were like the afterglow of a setting sun, making their faces glow red. A very beautiful smile also appeared on her face.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have much time left in life.

The Great Tengu sensed the danger. It didn’t rush forward immediately, but it was slowly closing in.

Su Lun was gathering his strength for a desperate final strike, but the cautious delay made him choke on his breath, causing another mouthful of fresh blood to spurt out.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his lips revealing a bitter smile.

That was the best he could do.

It’s over.

All of a sudden, a thought occurred to him, and he suddenly turned his head, "Qian Tiao, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

Qian Tiao instinctively replied.

But then she looked at Su Lun’s eyes shifting and suddenly realized something, a glint of understanding crossing her eyes.

She guessed what Su Lun was going to ask, and an unnatural blush flashed across her imposing face for the first time.

Su Lun’s eyes were full of teasing as he directly asked, "Qian Tiao, are you really a virgin?"

At the end of life, they needed to find something to be happy about.

To him, there was no question more amusing than this.

"..."

As expected, it was that question. Qian Tiao shot him a look but did not respond.

"Hahaha..."

Seeing her reaction, Su Lun burst out laughing.

Even though Shuten-doji was a legendary demon, it still had a keen nose.

Su Lun thought....

So it was true!

Listening to that annoying laughter, Qian Tiao finally lost her composure and glared at him, complaining, "Hey hey hey... You’re really asking for a beating. Is it that strange to you?"

"Ahahaha..."

Su Lun laughed uncontrollably, blood still bubbling from his mouth.

Qian Tiao glanced at him, her eyes shimmering with emotion, but ultimately she let him be.

Just then, the overwhelming presence of the Great Tengu came bearing down; its five-meter-tall figure stood in front of them.

It swung its blade, slashing forward.

...

Sword Qi approached, kicking up dust and pebbles along its path.

Qian Tiao’s eyes were fierce with anger as she slowly drew the Demon Blade. She was ready to perform her final cut in the stance of a swordsman.

Su Lun’s body wasn’t nearly recovered enough to dodge abruptly. He felt certain this cut would seal his fate.

But suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind: "That prophecy from the Qin Master with the Heavenly Eye..."

The blind woman saw in her vision that Qian Tiao would laugh amidst burning flames...

This outcome was wrong.

Moreover, the death-predicting bird on his shoulder had stopped its cries.

Could there be a chance for a turning point?

Although Su Lun hoped for a turnaround, he couldn’t think of any means to change the situation.

The various seals and curses on his body were impressive, but they could only delay death, not save his life.

Could it be an external force?

For instance, a Princess descending from the heavens?

Su Lun thought of all possibilities.

He looked up at the sky, and indeed, just at that moment, a mysterious event unfolded.

However, what Su Lun saw was not a Shinfuku Mitsuko descending from the heavens, but a battered porcelain bowl that suddenly appeared there.

"???"

Su Lun found the broken bowl vaguely familiar.

But before he could further contemplate, the porcelain bowl was already blocking the Sword Qi.

"Clang," "clang," "clang"... A series of sparks and sounds erupted.

Watching a beggar’s bowl, seemingly fragile enough to shatter on impact, successfully block the Sword Qi was astonishing.

Witnessing the scene, both Su Lun and Chitose were stunned.

Though the "Netherworld" was filled with monsters, not many could block a strike from the Great Tengu.

Could it be that another powerful demon had come to snatch their "food"?

This was Su Lun’s first thought.

Before they had much time to think, a fierce wind suddenly whipped up around them, and dilapidated buildings formed a massive vortex. The howling wind and flying debris isolated all the monsters around them.

Then, two mud pills fell from the sky, landing before Su Lun and Chitose.

[Beggar God’s Mud Pills]

Explanation: A spiritual medicine imbued with the essence of the Netherworld, extremely rare; after consumption, the medicine’s effects can continuously conceal the living person’s Yang energy preventing them from standing out like a beacon in the night and attracting ghosts, but it won’t let you be assimilated by the Netherworld’s essence. The effects last for 30 days.

Su Lun felt somewhat baffled but, recognizing the mud pills’ effects, his spirits immediately lifted.

He finally remembered why the broken bowl with the blue-and-white pattern seemed so familiar.

Wasn’t it the bowl belonging to the two freezing beggar children he had encountered on the streets when he had first arrived at Mountain Hermit?

At that time, he remembered tossing a few Copper Coins into it.

It was an act without thought, yet it seemed he had received something in return?

Su Lun had a feeling of disbelief.

In a flash, he finally understood the bizarre words that the "demon" Abe Yasukazu had told him, "In our Mountain Hermit, there’s an old saying, ’Good intentions may not be immediately rewarded, but they are observed by the gods.’"

....

It was when the mud pills hit the ground that a voice came through the whirlwind, "I can’t hold on much longer... leave quickly."

A figure in tattered rags materialized.

"Thank you, Beggar God, for your assistance!"

Su Lun bowed respectfully in the Mountain Hermit’s customary gesture of thanks toward the apparition, and without hesitation, picked up the mud pills from the ground and said to Chitose, "Quick, eat it!"

The [Beggar God] is one of the many deities in Mountain Hermit, but to call him a deity might just mean a slightly more powerful demon. Now intervening amidst thousands of ghosts to save them, their chance of holding out was uncertain.

Chitose too, without hesitation, looked at the dirty mud pill that Su Lun handed her and swallowed it in one gulp.

It felt like swallowing mud, the pill scraping down her throat. Although it was hard to swallow, once the medicinal power spread, a minty coolness with a hint of floral fragrance swept through her lungs and infused her limbs and veins.

Su Lun didn’t notice any changes in his body, but he immediately no longer felt repelled by the chilly environment around him.

At that moment, he finally saw a glimmer of hope for breaking the stalemate.

The primary reason they had been relentlessly pursued by phantoms was their "Yang energy," which they simply could not hide. No matter where they fled, they shone like bright lamps, easily detectable.

But now, the mud pill had addressed the root problem!

Chitose also felt the changes in her body, but she was completely clueless about what had happened.

Why would a demon help them?

After glancing at Su Lun, she guessed that he must have brought about this miracle.

They both showed a flash of sharp brilliance on their faces, as they had narrowly escaped from a desperate situation.

In that moment, Su Lun had regained a bit of mobility. He formed sorcerer’s seals with his hands, and beneath his feet, a purple-black six-pointed star appeared, opening a spatial rift in front of him.

"Let’s go!"

He grabbed Chitose’s hand and stepped through.

.....

Su Lun, gravely injured, did not teleport far with Chitose.

But it was enough.

When they emerged from the spatial rift, they were inside an empty dwelling.

Able to sense the fires of souls, Su Lun perfectly avoided all ghosts.

Yet, he could clearly sense that just beyond the door, dozens of ghosts lingered.

The very instant they appeared, it seemed some ghosts sensed something, but without detecting "Yang energy," none entered to investigate.

They had truly evaded detection!

Looking at each other, Su Lun and Chitose shared the same realization: They were saved!

Soon after, the wild wind outside died down.

The monsters, unable to find their prey, cursed and grumbled.

"Damn it! Greedy God, where did you take those two humans!"

"That damned beggar, don’t think you can keep them to yourself..."

"Run, run, kekeke... No living person can escape the Netherworld, let’s see how long you can hide..."

"..."

Outside the house, the air was heavy with spectral energy. Ghostly creatures passed through the walls, glancing briefly at the two hiding inside before drifting away.

Fortunately, the "Gluttonous Grand General" Peion seemed to be holding strong, and the battle on the western side at the Ghost Lantern Night Market had not yet ended. The spectating ghosts as well were drawn there.

Su Lun and Chitose remained hidden, waiting until the sounds of the surrounding monsters faded into the distance before they dared to take a deep breath.

Since the ghosts were oblivious to their presence, there was no urgent need for them to attempt an escape from the city.

Chitose asked, "Where do we go now?"

After some thought, Su Lun replied, "Let’s recover a bit first then head over to the Senso-ji Temple to check the situation."

He had stripped some souls from the ghosts, and now he had a target.

If all went as expected, the Yomi Country Lord, "Izanami," could very well be the key to escaping the cursed space.

But given the current situation, where Su Lun and Chitose had nearly perished facing a Shuten-doji, seeking out the "King" was most likely a mission with no return.

They needed to find some other opportunity. Stay tuned for updates on novelbuddy

And Su Lun had also learned that the evil spirits were reluctant to approach the outskirts of the city near the "Senso-ji Temple," as it was imbued with divine power and would be safer.

Moreover, his intuition told him that Senso-ji Temple would be a critical place.

After all, the great literary figure Fujiwara Hayato had completed the [Death Novel] right there at the Senso-ji Temple!