"Yura is only eight years old?"
Luo Shu finally lost control of his expression upon hearing Kurumi Tokisaki's quiet laughter nearby.
While he had indeed hinted in that direction, was there something wrong with Hidemoto Keikain?
What kind of ancestor immediately jumps to proposing an eight-year-old for marriage?
"Could the Keikain family really not find a single sixteen-year-old girl?"
Luo Shu's face twitched slightly as he struggled to suppress his expression. Gradually, his features stilled into an impassive mask, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on Hidemoto Keikain.
Under such scrutiny, Hidemoto appeared somewhat uncomfortable. He unfurled his folding fan to cover the lower half of his face, offering an awkward smile as he explained:
"Ahem, Mr Luo Shu, as you know, I'm already deceased. Were it not for the Keikain family's Familiar Spirit technique 'Hagun', I might not even retain consciousness."
"And the Hagun technique can only be practised by successive family heads."
"Yura happens to be such a candidate for headship."
"So, isn't it perfectly reasonable that among the Keikain juniors, I only know of Yura?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu merely frowned:
"Why are you so certain I'm looking for Yura Keikain?"
"Don't play games with me. You should understand that the Abyss Artefact I possess for divination far exceeds any limits you could impose."
Hidemoto's composure faltered, knowing this matter couldn't withstand scrutiny - any exposure would invite Luo Shu's relentless pursuit.
How could a long-dead Onmyoji, only manifesting through a Familiar Spirit, possibly know Luo Shu's thoughts?
Even with divination, such techniques require prior intelligence and capability. Though formidable in life, Hidemoto had only been Hero Rank - utterly incapable of divining information about Luo Shu, who was protected by a Demigod Rank Abyss Artefact.
Therefore, someone must be aiding Hidemoto from the shadows.
Someone capable of bypassing the Mysticism Encyclopaedia's divination blockade to discern Luo Shu's related activities.
Even if such divination might be imprecise, Luo Shu remained deeply wary. Without identifying this hidden player, how could he rest easy?
Seeing Luo Shu's persistence, Hidemoto's lips moved slightly as if conversing with someone unseen. Finally relaxing, he glanced up at Luo Shu with evident relief:
"My, my. I hadn't expected her to have no intention of concealment. What a fortunate turn - I'd feared I'd bungled matters completely."
"?"
Luo Shu narrowed his eyes at Hidemoto.
He didn't know who this "her" might be, but since Kurumi Tokisaki beside him gave no warning signal, the situation presumably wasn't dangerous. Thus, he remained seated, awaiting Hidemoto's explanation.
At that moment, Hidemoto snapped his fan shut and lightly tapped the low table before them:
"Director Luo, which family would you say currently possesses the strongest Yin-Yang Arts in the world?"
"The Asakura family." Luo Shu answered without hesitation.
Though the Tsuchimikado family controlled the Onmyou Way as administrators of the Onmyou Agency, their actual strength fell short of the shadowy Gokadoin Family's. Yet neither Tsuchimikado nor Gokadoin could claim supremacy among Yin-Yang Arts lineages.
Above them stood the thousand-year Asakura dynasty.
The family that had produced Hao Asakura!
"It seems you're already somewhat informed."
Hidemoto appeared relieved by Luo Shu's response before continuing with a smile:
"Although the Tsuchimikado hold sway over the Yin-Yang Arts and the Gokadoin Family secretly controls the order of yokai, when it comes to the accumulation of Yin-Yang Arts and sheer strength, only the Asakura family stands at the pinnacle."
"Hmph. Even though the current Asakura family members, including non-direct descendants, number fewer than ten, they remain the strongest lineage of Yin-Yang Arts practitioners. And the most crucial reason for this..."
At Hidemoto Keikain's prompting, Luo Shu immediately realised the existence of one thing:
"Guardian Spirits?"
"Exactly, Guardian Spirits."
Hidemoto Keikain lightly tapped the low table, and beams of white light enveloped the tea set, causing it to float slowly in the air.
This was achieved by Hidemoto Keikain communicating with the spirits in the atmosphere and borrowing their power.
"Shamans, who can directly communicate with gods, spirits, and even the souls of the deceased, form contracts with these divine beings, spirits, or wraiths—these are Guardian Spirits."
"And the reason the Asakura family, with fewer than ten members, is regarded as the strongest lineage of Onmyoji is that their clan has amassed an immense number of Guardian Spirits!"
"Zenki and Goki, the Guardian Spirits once held by the founder of Yin-Yang Arts, En no Ozunu, were relied upon by Yohken Asakura to defeat Hao Asakura five hundred years ago. The thousand-year-old cat yokai Matamune, the mountain god spirit of Mount Osore, and the ancestral spirits of generations of the Asakura family, along with great spirits that have existed for over five hundred years..."
"Possessing these powerful Guardian Spirits and treasures accumulated over a millennium."
"One could say the Asakura family alone has the power to suppress the entire Japan."
"In fact, Mount Osore, the earthly netherworld connected to Hell, has been guarded by the Asakura family for generations."
As Hidemoto Keikain elaborated on the Asakura family's power, his expression showed no fear, only quiet reflection:
"Though the Keikain family has the Familiar Spirit Hagun, which accumulates the power of our ancestors through generations, we still pale in comparison to the Asakura family."
"With the legacies left by Hao Asakura and Yohken Asakura, each generation of the Asakura family produces formidable Shamans. After their deaths, they, along with the Guardian Spirits they contracted in life, continue to protect the family for generations."
"With such a millennium-long accumulation, the Asakura family's foundation is unimaginably deep. Anyone aware of their existence knows that the true ruler of Japan doesn't reside in the tiny Imperial Palace but in the desolate Mount Osore."
Listening to Hidemoto Keikain's lengthy explanation, Luo Shu paid no mind to the envy of fourth place for first, simply asking:
"How did the Asakura family divine my circumstances?"
"Anna Kyōyama, the girl adopted by this generation of the Asakura family."
Hidemoto Keikain divulged the information without hesitation:
"That girl came into contact with Yura during her studies at the Onmyou Agency. It was then that she detected my presence, leading to some... minimal interaction."
"And Director Luo's situation was also revealed through divination by that Miss Anna."
At this, Hidemoto Keikain wore a wry smile, as if admitting defeat:
"That girl is likely the most powerful shrine maiden I've ever encountered in my life!"
Recalling the sight of Anna Kyōyama commanding Zenki and Goki, Hidemoto Keikain shuddered.
Even the Guardian Spirits of En no Ozunu, the founder of Yin-Yang Arts, were obediently at her beck and call like dogs.
That girl is probably one of the strongest Shamans in the world today, possibly second only to Hao Asakura himself.
Although it was unclear why such a person would take notice of Luo Shu, this ordinary five-hundred-year-old spirit had no business getting involved in battles between deities.
"Anna Kyōyama?"
Hearing this familiar name, Luo Shu couldn't help murmuring to himself.
Why would she pay attention to him?