Resurrection... is the ritual?
Hearing this, Luo Shu froze for a moment before abruptly realising that this was indeed a highly plausible scenario.
"Kurumi, you mean..."
"Remember the three conditions we deduced using the Encyclopaedia and the Divine Pantheon's internal records?"
At Kurumi Tokisaki's words, Luo Shu's expression immediately turned grave.
After becoming a Demigod, aside from holing up in the Hidden Management Zone, Kurumi had also collaborated with Luo Shu to research the sealed Almighty God Class within the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System.
Their goal was to deduce the method of advancing to Demigod—and beyond.
Based on the results of their continuous divinations using the Mysticism Encyclopaedia on the Divine Pantheon's internal records, becoming a Demigod roughly required three conditions.
The first condition was to forge one's own Class—unique or inheritable, either would suffice.
For instance, Yukino Yukinoshita's Fairy of Knowledge was an inheritable type, a Class created by a Divine Rank existence.
Meanwhile, Luo Shu's Calamity Bringer Class and Kurumi Tokisaki's Supreme Mother were both refinements of their higher-tier Classes—Calamity Monarch and the Almighty God, respectively.
As for self-created Classes, like Hao Asakura's Shaman, they needed to be cultivated to a sufficient height—the pinnacle of Hero Rank—entirely on one's own.
That was the first condition.
The second condition was materials corresponding to the essence of the Class—or rather, kindling.
The Calamity Jar and Order Garland required for Luo Shu's advancement to Calamity Priest, as well as the Holy Shroud needed for Sharon's advancement, served as such kindling.
Their primary function was to provide sufficient energy for the Hero Rank's existence, undergoing advancement.
As for the third condition, it involved using the kindling to sublimate one's own Class, forming the embryonic form of Divine Authority.
Based on this third condition, two methods emerged.
One was to activate the power contained within the kindling through complex rituals, rapidly mastering the power in tandem with oneself.
The other was to undergo prolonged self-tempering, gradually absorbing power to form kindling, igniting and sublimating the Class to shape the embryonic form of authority.
Only by fulfilling the first two conditions and mastering one's power through the third—preliminarily sublimating one's abilities to form the embryonic authority—could one become a complete Demigod, a being truly wielding a fragment of divine might and transcending the mundane!
Kurumi Tokisaki now spoke with equal seriousness:
"According to existing intelligence, Abe no Seimei was already a Great Onmyoji who completed the Taizan Fukun Ritual in his lifetime. Meanwhile, Abe no Ariyuki, who partially completed this ritual, was very close to the limit of Hero Rank."
"You're saying that a thousand years ago, before his death and descent into hell, Abe no Seimei had already reached the peak of Hero Rank?"
At this point, Luo Shu couldn't help but suspect that Abe no Seimei had completed the forging of his Class.
After all, regarding the kindling required for advancement, his thousand years of cultivation in hell and the accumulated darkness of Kyoto over the years both pointed in that direction.
"If that's the case, though his Class remains unclear, the ritual aspect..."
As Luo Shu spoke, he turned to gaze at Hagoromo Gitsune, who had remained silent all this while, his eyes lingering on her flat, smooth, snow-white abdomen.
Even the Gokadoin Family could rely on the Taizan Fukun Ritual to make successive family heads into beings with extremely long lifespans, so it wasn't impossible for Abe no Seimei to use the Taizan Fukun Ritual to resurrect himself.
Or rather, the original purpose of developing the Taizan Fukun Ritual was to revive the dead.
Yet despite this, Seimei still chose the complex and troublesome method of having Hagoromo Gitsune absorb Kyoto's millennium of darkness to give birth to him.
A thousand years of tempering, a convoluted and unnecessary resurrection method.
At this moment, Luo Shu had to admit that Kurumi Tokisaki's speculation was likely the truth.
"So what I'm actually doing now is disrupting a Hero Rank's ascension ritual to Demigod?"
Realising this, Luo Shu felt both exhilaration and wariness.
Enemies in the midst of ascension were the most troublesome.
If he hadn't already offended them, Luo Shu wouldn't be inclined to provoke such dangerous individuals.
After all, who knew what contingencies these ancient beings on the verge of becoming Demigods might have prepared?
But now, Luo Shu had already crossed them - he'd even poached Nue's mother Hagoromo Gitsune and disrupted the plans of their ally Minagoroshi Jizō.
In this situation, Luo Shu only had one choice.
Strike first.
Thinking this, Luo Shu looked up at Kurumi Tokisaki.
Noticing his gaze, Kurumi narrowed her eyes and flashed that familiar smile:
"My, my, just a Hero Rank ascension ritual and you're already facing someone about to become a Demigod?"
"Is this misfortune or fortune, I wonder?"
"Cut the act..." Luo Shu rolled his eyes, glaring at Kurumi irritably.
Dealing with a potential nascent Demigod was frustrating enough without Kurumi teasing him about it.
This girl really needed to be taught a lesson.
"It seems you've reached a conclusion?"
From within the black lake, Hagoromo Gitsune's hollow black eyes watched Luo Shu as she floated in the water.
Luo Shu sighed in response:
"Your intuition was correct. Abe no Seimei - that is, Nue - would likely have attained Demigod Rank power if born according to plan."
This was practically pointing out Kurumi's Demigod status to Hagoromo Gitsune while also reminding her that her son was attempting to ascend to the Demigod Rank.
On one hand, Luo Shu - who had already marked Seimei as a hypothetical enemy - wanted to confirm Hagoromo Gitsune's stance to ensure no future complications.
On the other hand, he aimed to deter any ill intentions she might harbour, preventing the need to eliminate her.
Unless absolutely necessary, Luo Shu didn't want to kill Hagoromo Gitsune.
For one, this woman truly suited his tastes. Moreover, a Familia candidate already at Hero Rank might obtain a Class upon becoming a Familia member, potentially even ascending to Demigod like Kurumi.
Though such ascension was improbable - perhaps unique to Spirits like Kurumi - it was still significant enough for Luo Shu to value.
"So then, what are your thoughts?" Luo Shu asked. "Will you abandon our previous agreement? Or amend it?"
"Of course, my preference would be maintaining our original agreement unchanged."
Hearing this, Hagoromo Gitsune frowned slightly, appearing to seriously consider Luo Shu's words.
After a long silence, she finally asked in a low voice:
"I will continue to uphold our previous agreement, but I want you to answer one question for me."
At this point, Hagoromo Gitsune fixed her gaze on Luo Shu's face, asking with earnestness and a hint of pleading:
"I hope you won't lie to me or mislead me with ambiguous answers."
Luo Shu fell silent for a moment before asking:
"What do you want to know?"
Hagoromo Gitsune lowered her eyes, letting her hair veil them as she asked:
"Is Nue truly my child?"