Of course, mental attacks could also cause significant damage to his mind, but compared to physical destruction, he was fully capable of defending against mental assaults!
His power could be used to defend against enemies, strengthen himself, and even resurrect himself. However, precisely because of this, when he used this power to fight enemies, he also consumed his own vitality! It was like a game class with no mana bar, only a health bar. Although he wouldn't truly die if it hit zero, every time he used a skill, it cost HP. Resurrection was a skill with an extremely high HP cost! For him, it was a choice between using his health bar to attack or to revive!
After that incredibly powerful attack, the demon's power had greatly diminished. Even the protective black mist around it had faded considerably, and its mobility was no longer what it had been at the beginning! But a demon was still a demon, irrational and insane. It didn't know how to prioritize survival over confrontation. Even with its power weakened, it still tried to kill with its physical body!
"Hmph! That last hit really hurt! But, I've completely analyzed your black mist now, so, I'll return everything to you!" Ryougi Raku laughed wildly, regardless of whether the monster could hear or understand him. A bloodthirsty glint flashed in his Ghost Eyes as he charged straight forward!
Although the demon didn't understand his words, it could sense the contempt in Ryougi Raku's laughter. As if humiliated, it grew even more frenzied! Seeing this villain daring to charge directly at it, its instinct told it that the opponent's body couldn't be stronger than its own, so it rushed forward without any fancy techniques!
"Bang!" A dull sound echoed as Ryougi Raku's fist, without any elaborate moves, collided with the demon's head. This was a pure contest of strength! The demon was incredulous. Its meager intelligence couldn't comprehend how this tiny being, so different in size from itself, could possess such formidable power. As if insulted, its rage intensified. Using all its strength, it pushed Ryougi Raku's head forward, forcing him to slide back!
Ryougi Raku channeled the Power of Origin throughout his body, making his punch carry a force a hundred, a thousand times greater than his own. But it was like crashing into a speeding subway train. He was the man who stopped the train with his bare hands! His feet left two deep grooves in the ground, yet his strength was still inferior to the monster's!
Although he used all his strength to push back, Ryougi Raku wasn't discouraged in the least—in fact, he was very satisfied! Using this monster as a benchmark, he finally had a rough idea of his own strength. As for comparing himself to a monster, that would be foolish.
Having learned what he wanted, Ryougi Raku didn't hesitate. He clawed out with one hand. The black mist protecting the monster was like paper, utterly useless. It was torn apart, and most of the countless eyes on the monster's head were destroyed in an instant!
This time, the monster couldn't remain calm. It seemed its eyes were its weakness. With most of them destroyed, it began running around like a mad dog! The deafening sound echoed through the valley!
Ryougi Raku, with his small body, grabbed the leg of the huge monster and, using all his strength, swung its entire body around like a windmill.
With a loud bang, the monster was embedded into the wall—tit for tat!
If others had seen this scene, they would surely have been stunned. Such terrifying power was hidden within such a petite body!
However, it was still impossible to kill the demon this way. It shook its body, causing the small mountain to tremble, and still managed to stand up!
"Tch! I've had enough of this!" Ryougi Raku spat. With a burst of flames, he thrust his hands straight in! His hands were like knives, piercing completely into the monster's head. Without giving it time to react, he shouted loudly, pouring all his power into his hands. The flames surged into the monster's body!
After a moment of concentration, he let out a roar! His face flushed red as he exerted all his strength. Swish! The monster's body was torn in two like a worn-out rag by Ryougi Raku. Endless blood-red flames seemed to emerge from the void, igniting the entirety of the monster's torn body!
He took two steps back and caught his breath. "So cool! So refreshing! Although I don't particularly like this way of fighting, it's really exhilarating! A real man! Ha!" Ryougi Raku exclaimed excitedly. The sensory thrill of tearing an enemy apart with bare hands, with blood and internal organs flying, was the most beautiful experience for a soldier on the battlefield!
However, this time, he was tearing apart a monster infinitely more powerful than a human. There was no blood, only the shattered remains of the monster's corpse. Ryougi Raku wasn't disappointed. Although he enjoyed fighting strong opponents, he wasn't a pervert. If the situation called for it, he would naturally do such things—it was indeed extremely satisfying—but he wouldn't actually tear people apart just for that perverted pleasure! Those who did were probably, as Aoyama Yahiro said, possessed by demons.
"A demon is a demon. Though powerful, it lacks intelligence and combat experience, relying solely on instinct. Even if it's strong, that's all it is!" Initially, Ryougi Raku's frantic clawing didn't harm the demon but instead ignited his flames within it. However, the flames were merely analytical and not harmful. A human, out of caution, would have expelled the Origin Flame at great cost, not leaving such a vulnerability. When Kamo no Meihin's own barrier was burning, he couldn't do anything about it because the flame hadn't reached him, so he let it burn within the barrier.
The demon, relying solely on instinct, was completely unaware of the flames' harm. Aside from the initial attempt to extinguish them, it subsequently allowed itself to burn to conserve energy. During the fight, when Ryougi Raku saw it exhaust its black orb and weaken, he had already analyzed its black mist and entire body, making its demise effortless! In truth, he could have simply expanded the flames to consume the demon, but Ryougi Raku suddenly felt the urge to deliver a truly manly kill, hence this approach.
The Ghost Eyes receded, returning to normal. He looked at the shattered Cursed Stone on the ground, which had completely lost all power. It had been utterly destroyed by Ryougi Raku and could never resurrect again.
"This demon was a product of a significant portion of the Nine-Tails' power. Considered extremely powerful by the entire island nation, it's nothing compared to the real Nine-Tails. While it possesses power, it lacks the crucial element of wisdom. Even if it had wisdom, it still wouldn't be able to do anything to me, but the chance of me killing it would be extremely low." Ryougi Raku pondered the pros and cons. If this demon had wisdom, knew how to repel the flames, and fled when outmatched, Ryougi Raku wouldn't be able to do anything to it. He had only killed it so easily because he had analyzed the black mist. A different person, without a powerful weapon against that strange mist, would be completely helpless!
"My strength is still far from perfect! But I'm still young and have great potential. One day... I will definitely be able to..." As if remembering the blonde figure again, Ryougi Raku secretly clenched his fists.
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"Are you back?" Deep in the dense forest, Aoyama Yahiro was drinking tea he had taken from his disciple. Seeing Ryougi Raku's figure appear, he spoke slowly.
"Yes, old man, I've done everything you asked me to do."
"Slaying demons," he paused, "and killing people!"
"Mm, I know everything. Well done! What are your thoughts on that monster?" Aoyama Yahiro didn't explain how he knew the whole process but simply asked.
Ryougi Raku didn't question it either and replied straightforwardly, "Although powerful, it lacks wisdom. In a way, it's vulnerable!"
"Well, old man, can I be considered a master now?" Ryougi Raku said with a smile.
"Mm, you've already become a master. I have nothing left to teach you."
"What about the final secret technique you promised?" Seeing the old man hadn't mentioned it, he hurriedly asked. It wasn't that he was eager to learn it, but this was the reward for completing the mission, and he naturally had to claim what was rightfully his.
Aoyama Yahiro slowly sipped his tea, glanced at Ryougi Raku with a half-smile, and said, "Haven't you already learned it?"
Ryougi Raku frowned and thought to himself, this old man always spoke cryptically. If he said he had learned it, then he must have, but he just hadn't realized it yet.
"Old man, are you saying that... the task you gave me is the so-called ultimate secret?" Ryougi Raku asked doubtfully.
Aoyama Yahiro nodded appreciatively, "That's right. In fact, this is exactly what I wanted to teach you! Before you set off, I told you that anyone who stands in your way should be slain without hesitation. What I wanted to tell you is that no matter what happens, don't ask what is good or evil, just follow your heart. There's no need to hesitate; just follow your heart!"
"And this is also the ultimate secret that has allowed me to overcome all obstacles and navigate the world for so many years!…"
Aoyama Yahiro paused for a moment before saying quietly, "The sword that kills."
Ryougi Raku nodded. This taught him the heart of a strong warrior and the sword that could kill. It was indeed the ultimate secret, surpassing any style or technique!
"Kid, I still can't see through your ability, but I can feel its power. I don't know how to improve it, so you'll have to master it yourself!" Aoyama Yahiro said, as if suddenly remembering something.
Ryougi Raku thought to himself, How could this transcendent Power of Origin not be powerful? If I could fully master it and comprehend all the principles of the world, then I would truly be invincible! However, Ryougi Raku had never told anyone the specific effects of this ability, not even Aoyama Yahiro. After all, this was his ultimate trump card. If others knew, how could he survive?
He could only agree superficially while secretly wondering what this old man was up to. He rarely spoke much before, and when he did, it was mostly about training. The only time he had talked a lot was before sending him on this mission.
"Kid, your tea is quite good. I'm very satisfied!" Aoyama Yahiro said with some intoxication after taking a sip of tea.
Hearing this, Ryougi Raku smiled wryly and said, "As long as you like it."
"This is tea obtained by the Ryougi family, with an extremely small annual output. I've hardly ever had it, so how could it be bad!" Ryougi Raku regretted this deeply. One day, he was accidentally discovered by Aoyama Yahiro while drinking tea. Unexpectedly, Aoyama Yahiro was also a tea lover. He smelled the fine tea and snatched it away, saying it was a tribute from his disciple to his master. Ryougi Raku was helpless and couldn't fight him, so he had to hand it over!
Thinking of the sword he used in the battle, Ryougi Raku hurriedly asked, "By the way, old man, do you know if there are any good swords in this world? I really can't use those common swords. I have to change swords every time I fight. If the sword breaks halfway through a battle, as your disciple and a master of swordsmanship, always using a broken sword would damage your reputation, right?" More flattery wouldn't hurt, so Ryougi Raku hurriedly buttered him up.
Aoyama Yahiro glanced at him and said, "What reputation do I have? Even if I did, it wouldn't be a good one... Besides, I'm not from this world. How would I know where the good swords are?"
When Ryougi Raku heard this, he laughed out loud. This old guy was so powerful he had forgotten he wasn't from this world.
"Looks like I have no choice but to ask the Ryougi family if they have any information. If not, with the Ryougi family's power, it shouldn't be a problem to find some clues."
'Uh, it seems I haven't contacted my family since I started training with this old man...' Thinking of this, Ryougi Raku felt a little guilty. The Ryougi family was also his family in this life. Making his parents worry about their child was a great sin. He made up his mind to contact his family as soon as he finished talking with the old man, so they wouldn't think something had happened to him.
"By the way, kid." Aoyama Yahiro looked meaningfully at Ryougi Raku.
"Huh? What is it?" Ryougi Raku asked in confusion.
"I just realized, you've been my apprentice for so long, but you've always called me 'old man' instead of 'Master'. You're so disrespectful! I should cut you down with my sword!"
"This..." Ryougi Raku thought about it, and it seemed true, but he couldn't find any words to defend himself. As a former citizen of Huaxia, respecting teachers was a necessary virtue.
Ryougi Raku straightened his clothes, poured a cup of tea from the teapot in front of him, handed it to him with both hands, bowed respectfully, and said, "Master!"
Although his clothes looked a bit tattered from the previous battle, he still maintained a formal demeanor.
Aoyama Yahiro also straightened his usually slightly hunched back, took the tea, and drank it all in one go as if it were wine.
Bang! After drinking, he smashed the teacup.
"Hahahaha!!! Good, good, good! Good disciple!! Heaven has been kind to me, allowing me to take in such a good disciple before I die!" Aoyama Yahiro suddenly laughed wildly, his face full of joy, and there seemed to be tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.
Seeing Ryougi Raku about to say something, he waved his hand to stop him.