"Big sister, do you also have Yin-Yang Eyes?"
The little girl, Baoyue Yexiao, placed her hands on her hips, staring in amazement at the emerald-green eyes of the older girl after she removed her white eye mask.
Those with Yin-Yang Eyes could sense others of their kind simply by being nearby.
And so, the moment the two met, they instinctively recognized one another.
"Hello, let me briefly introduce myself. I'm the Strongest Genius Elementary School Student in History. You can just call me Baoyue Yexiao."
"Hello. I'm Kurosawa Ren, and this is Jian Qiming," Ren replied, introducing himself.
However, the little girl pouted and said, "Saber Brother, you brought this big sister along without telling me. That wasn't part of the agreement."
Seeing her displeased face, Ren scratched the back of his head and replied sheepishly, "Trust me—she's strong."
"Hmph. I was a bit annoyed at first, but since Sister Jian Qiming is like me, I'll forgive you," Yexiao said, nodding with mock seriousness like a miniature adult.
That counted as her accepting the explanation.
"It's hard to believe she's only nine," Jian Qiming commented as they walked and talked, exchanging information.
Even the usually stoic Jian Qiming was impressed that this nine-year-old dared to go out alone to hunt spirits.
In truth…
Despite her age, Baoyue Yexiao was a certified genius with an IQ of 160.
She wasn't just born with Yin-Yang Eyes—she was a formidable exorcist in her own right.
In the original timeline, she had nearly single-handedly subdued several notorious vengeful spirits.
Several of her "graduates" (refined evil spirits forged through a deadly ritual of survival-of-the-fittest) were frighteningly powerful.
(This ritual involved letting evil spirits devour and destroy one another—those that survived became extremely strong and were dubbed "graduates.")
31: Quest Arc – Demon Tales: Chapter One Begins!
It was clear that this girl's intelligence, ambition, and courage far exceeded most children her age.
Baoyue Yexiao had lost both her parents in a car accident when she was very young.
However, due to her Yin-Yang Eyes, she had witnessed a terrifying spirit named "Kongwang" take her mother away from the scene.
Since that day, her eyes gained the ability to perceive both the human world and the underworld. She had since traveled to many haunted locations in search of clues about her missing mother.
Driven by the hope of saving her, she repeatedly put herself at risk—diving into dangerous supernatural realms, alone.
Even Kurosawa Ren respected her fearlessness.
"I've investigated thoroughly. The evil spirit in this place is called Guizi Mu Shen. It's powerful and extremely dangerous. If you're going to back out, now's the time," said Baoyue Yexiao, pulling a small panda doll from the children's backpack on her shoulders and pressing it against her chest.
She looked seriously at Ren and Jian Qiming.
"Don't worry—we're staying," Ren assured her.
His gaze fixed on the panda doll.
Using his Heroic Spirit base's heightened senses, he immediately detected a strange, cursed energy emanating from it—sinister and dissipating slowly into the air.
"That's a shikigami?"
"A form," Yexiao corrected. "It seals an evil spirit. You can use it as a substitute to take damage or absorb misfortune on your behalf."
Seeing Ren's gaze linger on the panda, the little girl began explaining further:
"But when you only have one substitute spirit, and it's attacked in a spot it doesn't cover… you get hurt instead. Also, the effectiveness of the shikigami entirely depends on the strength of the sealed spirit."
"Whether it can block multiple attacks depends on how powerful the spirit is. That's why I need to collect powerful ones—like catching Pokémon."
"Brother Ren, that's why I invited you. The spirit in there is far too dangerous for me to handle alone."
In this ghost-infested world, if she didn't have evil spirit "Pokémon" to die in her place, even someone with psychic abilities like her could easily end up dead.
Ren exchanged glances with Jian Qiming.
The idea of using ghosts to fight ghosts sounded strange—but clearly, it worked.
In Wano Country, a Torii gate marks the entrance to a sacred space.
It represents the divide between the realm of the gods and the human world.
Crossing through it means stepping into divine territory—where every action might trigger a taboo if done carelessly.
As Ren and the others crossed beneath the gate…
A ding echoed in Ren's mind. His dormant quest tracker suddenly refreshed.
[Quest Instance Activated…]
[Weird City: Demon Tales – Chapter One]
➤ Objective: Assist NPC Baoyue Yexiao in defeating or sealing Ghost Mother Goddess.
➤ Reward: 5x Saint Crystals, 1x Five-Star Special Gift
"A story quest?" Ren muttered, noticing that his previously gray quest menu had turned blood red.
The warped, crimson text pulsated ominously—as if warning him that things would only get worse from here.
He narrowed his eyes. "The Ghost Mother Goddess... She's one of the 24 protector deities in Buddhism. Her original form should be in India. This abandoned shrine in Wano is likely just a fragment—a pseudo-god."
"And they expect me to take that on right away? Not exactly a warm-up mission," he grumbled. "And only five saint crystals as a reward?"
As they ventured deeper into the woods, the moonlight above dimmed.
A cold wind whistled through the treetops.
Then—a chilling sound.
Children sobbing.
"We're here," Baoyue Yexiao announced, stopping abruptly and motioning for them to halt.
"What is that...?" Jian Qiming's left eye opened, revealing her spiritual vision.
Suddenly, a surge of icy dread rushed down her spine, and goosebumps rippled across her skin.
Before them stood rows of Jizo statues—carved in the shape of children.
The expressions on their faces were ambiguous—somewhere between smiling and crying. Around their necks were red scarves, seemingly soaked in blood. They lined both sides of the path.
At the end stood a decrepit shrine.
"So many spirits… I've never seen anything like this," Jian Qiming whispered, her voice shaking. Cold sweat soaked her palms.
Even her shadow spirit, Misaki, emerged unprompted—sensing the overwhelming malice.
Since awakening her Yin-Yang Eyes, Jian Qiming had never encountered such dense spiritual presence.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The Red Dragon Heart within Ren's chest beat rapidly.
Red Dragon Factor surged through him, releasing an invisible wave of pressure.
The surrounding statues recoiled slightly, as if intimidated by his aura. Jian Qiming, who had been on the verge of collapse, suddenly felt a little lighter.
"Take my hand," Ren said gently. "Don't be afraid. I'm right here."
"Thank you..." Jian Qiming murmured, her face flushed.
She placed her soft hand in his, feeling a strange comfort and security as her heart raced.
As they walked closer to the shrine, the number of statues multiplied.
Dozens of blank, eerie eyes watched them. The oppressive atmosphere made their skin crawl.
According to legend, the Kishimojin was a demon who once devoured infants.
But after losing her own child, she repented and became a protector of children.
Unfortunately, this shrine's "Ghost Mother Goddess" had been corrupted—overwhelmed by too many infant spirits. The result: a twisted, malevolent deity.
She commanded a horde of minor spirits—an army of spectral minions.
Even if this Kishimojin was just a fragment of the original deity, her power was considerable.
By Jujutsu Kaisen standards, she was likely beyond special-grade.
32: Battle with the Kishimojin – Baoyue's Shocking Plan!
"See that building?" Yexiao pointed at the shrine ahead.
"Brother Ren, I have to tell you the truth. I came here to steal the divine statue inside. Its Dharma body is incredibly powerful—even a fragment of it is equivalent to a special-grade cursed object."
"It has potent exorcising effects."
"So I need you to distract the Ghost Mother Goddess while I sneak in."
"No problem. Just be careful," Ren nodded.
"I know I'm getting the better deal, so I'll give you the full reward. I only want the statue," Yexiao added, sincerely.
Ren's generosity made her feel a little guilty.
After all, even with multiple shikigami, she couldn't face the Kishimojin directly.
Yet this stranger—Ren—was willing to risk himself for her goal.
"Xiao Yexiao, it's too dangerous for you to go alone. I'm going with you," said Jian Qiming.
She summoned Misaki and merged it with her body.
Dark symbols spread across her face like tattoos. Obscure energy cloaked her in a black shroud.
"Wait. Shendong, Trimmawu—you two protect them both," Ren ordered.
Though both girls had means of defending themselves, he didn't want to take chances.
"Yes, Master." ×2
Two mature female voices echoed.
A bluish whirlwind swept through the clearing, and emerging from its heart was the ice spirit: Yukino Shendong, the Ringwraith Snow Woman.
Then, the other guardian formed—a sentient construct called Trimmawu, made from the [Magic Gift: Moon Spirit Marrow].
Silver mercury condensed in the air. In moments, a shapely female form took shape, stunning the three girls.
Though Ren lacked Lanis's analytical magic eye from the Second World Case Files, his red dragon lineage and magic grimoire knowledge were enough to give Moon Spirit Marrow a human body.
The newly-formed Mercury Maid weighed nearly 140kg, wore a traditional British maid outfit, and had a strikingly elegant figure.
Too bad her core substance was still highly toxic mercury.