Uchiha Yoru had flown here directly through the sky, so he knew very well that the straight-line distance from this place to the shrine in the Land of Demons was between seven and eight hundred kilometers.
The Land of Swamps had complicated terrain, and there was no straight road across the ground at all. After all the necessary detours, the actual marching distance exceeded twelve hundred kilometers.
Even if the enormous Terracotta Army marched day and night without rest, it would still need at least ten days to reach its destination.
The Konoha shinobi Uchiha Yoru had left behind would need at most another five days to reach the Land of Demons.
The Sunagakure shinobi were closer, so they should need roughly the same amount of time, while even the farthest Iwagakure shinobi shouldn't take more than eight days.
The priestess had calculated the timing perfectly.
And it wasn't only the priestess who had performed brilliantly. The government of the Land of Demons had done equally well.
While flying here, Uchiha Yoru had seen civilians preparing to relocate, supplies being stockpiled in temporary mountain shelters, information being passed between regions, civilians being gathered together, and all manner of other preparations.
Everything had begun at exactly the right time.
If Mōryō could be successfully sealed, the people of the Land of Demons would only need to hide away for fifteen days before everything was over.
It wouldn't even delay this year's spring planting.
As expected of an event that had continued for a thousand years.
Every step of the process had become second nature.
However, the obedience displayed by the civilians of the Land of Demons, along with their calmness in the face of sudden changes, also greatly pleased Uchiha Yoru.
The Land of Demons really was a pretty good place.
And the threads of faith extending from every civilian stirred Uchiha Yoru's greed even further.
He wanted this wealth.
The people of the Land of Demons were supposed to devoutly worship the priestess, yet their faith hadn't gathered around the priestess herself.
Neither had it gathered around Mōryō or Yomi, whom he had just seen.
Where had such an enormous and stable amount of faith gone?
It seemed he would still have to ask the priestess for the answer.
Uchiha Yoru narrowed his eyes.
If he asked that question, it would be equivalent to telling Miroku that he understood the power of faith.
In that case, he might as well pull Miroku into the Divine Court.
That would also settle the identity he would present to her.
He would simply play himself as a favored servant of His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor.
I worship myself.
I favor myself.
Nothing wrong with that.
If Miroku believed that the one she had submitted to wasn't Uchiha Yoru, but rather an ancient and mighty god, her loyalty would surely rise by a great deal.
She would probably also be much more willing to openly explain where all that faith was going.
Besides...
Doing it this way would be much more interesting.
The thunderous footsteps grew louder and louder.
By the time the first Terracotta Warriors had marched ten kilometers away, more than half of the clay figures were still waiting to set out.
More than two hours had passed.
Uchiha Yoru felt that he had completely grasped the structures of both the Terracotta Warriors and the clay figures.
So he finally made his move.
Whether they were Terracotta Warriors or ordinary clay figures, both were combinations of Earth Release chakra and the earth element.
Their surfaces were hardened by a ninjutsu structure similar to Earth Release: Earth Spear.
And when dealing with such large-scale puppets, the best method was naturally...
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!
A new rumbling erupted from the earth, instantly throwing the marching Terracotta Army into chaos.
The ground rose and fell like ocean waves.
The neatly arranged Terracotta Warriors became like small boats caught in raging surf, tumbling helplessly across the ground in an instant.
As the waves of earth reached their peak, enormous trunks and roots burst through the ground.
Amid the creaking and groaning of twisting wood, towering trees stretched their bodies and surged upward.
New branches and green leaves sprouted from the thick trunks.
Flexible rootlets grew from the rough roots below.
Branches attacked from above while roots assaulted from below, launching a pincer attack against the Terracotta Warriors.
Uchiha Yoru was pleasantly surprised to discover that although the Terracotta Warriors were completely powerless before the assault of the sea of trees, they really were fighting individually.
Each one stubbornly resisted to the best of its ability.
Unfortunately, the forest created by Uchiha Yoru and driven by a mixture of natural energy wasn't something that could be compared with Mōryō's strange and loosely structured chakra.
The Terracotta Warriors' resistance was futile.
Once seized by roots or branches, the chakra inside them was rapidly drained away.
Then, with a casual twist, they shattered into broken chunks of earth.
The Terracotta Warriors weren't merely hard.
They also possessed the ability to revive and regenerate.
Unfortunately, every one of those abilities required chakra to function properly.
Wood Release's ability to absorb chakra perfectly countered the Terracotta Army.
Every Terracotta Warrior destroyed by Wood Release remained permanently inactive.
The enormous armies of clay figures and Terracotta Warriors were completely swallowed by an even greater sea of trees.
In the blink of an eye, their forces collapsed.
Mōryō was finally exposed before Uchiha Yoru's eyes.
Indeed.
The Yomi he had seen earlier was a fake.
It was merely a transformed clay figure used as a disguise.
The real Yomi had instead disguised himself as one of the Terracotta Warriors and hidden among the vast army, more than three hundred meters away from the decoy.
This Yomi was rather cunning.
Judging from his plump body, this incarnation of Yomi had possessed a merchant and inherited—and further developed—the merchant's crafty personality.
Perhaps Miroku's sealing failure in the original history had happened precisely because this fellow had been cunning enough.
As the Terracotta Army collapsed, Mōryō's power plummeted severely.
Yomi let out a shrill howl.
Layers of trees seized him and effortlessly tore off all four of his limbs.
Even after being defeated, he had no idea where his enemy was.
At this moment, Mōryō began proactively devouring Yomi.
The plump Yomi rapidly shriveled.
All the fat covering his stomach was sucked away in the blink of an eye.
Sinister violet-black chakra visibly poured from the ruptures in his skin.
Strangely, this chakra couldn't be absorbed by Wood Release.
It contained an enormous quantity of negative emotions.
It even tried to infiltrate the Wood Release constructs and seize control of the high-quality timber in reverse.
Naturally, Mōryō failed.
It immediately turned toward the ground instead, infecting the earth and transforming vast quantities of soil and stone into its own body.
An enormous clay giant rose from the sea of trees.
Just as it knocked aside the surrounding trees and threw back its head with a roar, a brilliant white streak flashed through the air.
The clay giant's head was severed cleanly.
Miwa Masayo had seized the opportunity perfectly and succeeded with a single strike of Sage Art: Pure White Claw.
But Uchiha Yoru didn't stop.
He clapped his hands together, producing a crisp sound.
Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!
The trees throughout the forest began twisting together.
They intertwined and fused, forming an equally enormous wooden giant.
Unlike Senju Hashirama's Wood Golem, the one developed by Uchiha Yoru overflowed with vitality.
Thick bark covered its entire body, while its head and back were covered in lush green leaves.
The Wood Golem clenched a fist the size of a small hill.
Carrying the howl of wind and thunder, it smashed viciously into the clay giant's newly regenerated head.
With that single punch, the clay giant's head vanished.
Even half of its body was smashed apart.
Wood Release: Cutting Technique!
Given the Wood Golem's enormous size, the Cutting Technique released from its right hand was equally terrifying.
Hundreds of wooden spikes, each thick enough that ten people could barely encircle one with their arms, erupted from inside the clay giant.
The gigantic wooden spikes naturally branched apart, dismantling the enormous clay body layer by layer and peeling Mōryō out from within.
After all that torment, Uchiha Yoru had also gained enough time to divide his attention between two tasks.
His consciousness entered the Purple Mansion world.
He sat upon the golden dragon throne and, using the natural connection between himself and himself, opened a vortex of divine power.
Then a tiny octopus whose head was covered in holes was tossed out.
It landed squarely upon Mōryō's violet-black chakra.
The irrational Mōryō acted entirely on instinct.
All of its attention was focused on the enormous Wood Golem, so it didn't notice the tiny Hole-Hole Octopus, Little K, which was insignificant as dust.
But the instant Little K merged into the violet-black chakra, it became wildly excited.
Mōryō was actually an aggregation of negative emotions.
Such emotions were Little K's favorite food.
They suited it even better than the power of faith.
It was like a mouse falling into a rice bin, or Sun Wukong entering the Peach Garden.
Little K couldn't suppress its greed.
Opening its parrot-like hooked beak, it began desperately devouring Mōryō's essence.
Now Mōryō finally realized the danger.
It began struggling madly, twisting and deforming as it tried to squeeze the enemy out of its body.
It could no longer spare any attention for the Wood Golem before it.
Uchiha Yoru immediately seized the opportunity.
He controlled the Wood Golem and had it pound Mōryō relentlessly, absorbing the chakra that was completely scattered by the blows and steadily weakening the demon.
Caught between attacks from within and without, the instinct-driven Mōryō couldn't handle both threats at once.
Before long, Little K had devoured more than ten percent of Mōryō's essence.
Such a tremendous amount couldn't possibly be digested immediately.
As a result, the Hole-Hole Octopus Little K and Mōryō temporarily fused together.
And that was exactly the opportunity Uchiha Yoru had been waiting for.
The Heavenly Emperor seated upon the golden dragon throne reached out and lightly pinched his fingers together.
He caught Little K, who had long resided within the Purple Mansion, and pulled it back into the Purple Mansion world.
Instantly, Mōryō, which had fused with Little K, came under the influence of the Law of Cause and Effect.
Its life essence and spiritual essence were extracted from its enormous mass of chakra and dragged toward the Purple Mansion world in a movement that appeared slow yet was actually incredibly fast.
The collapsing chakra was naturally absorbed completely by the sea of trees.
However, the negative emotions that couldn't be cleansed were absorbed into the Wood Release trees as well, staining their trunks violet-black.
Uchiha Yoru noticed the change in the forest.
After trying and failing to cleanse it, he simply severed his connection with the ninjutsu and allowed the sea of trees to develop freely.
There was no one living nearby anyway.
With the small amount of energy Mōryō had left behind, the mutation could only remain within the forest.
It wasn't enough to expand its territory.
Sure enough, the sea of trees mutated.
The leaves completely fell away.
The bark became black with a violet tint.
The trunks twisted into gnarled forms covered with strange burls.
An area spanning more than ten kilometers became permanently shrouded in dim gray fog, never seeing sunlight throughout the year.
Anyone entering the area would immediately feel intense mental oppression.
Even worse, they would begin experiencing all kinds of hallucinations.
Although these intruders would somehow inexplicably wander their way back out, they would continue suffering nightmares afterward.
After ten or so days, they would inevitably fall seriously ill.
The Forest of Mōryō became a forbidden region of the Land of Swamps.
At the exact moment Uchiha Yoru's Purple Mansion world swallowed Mōryō whole, several hundred kilometers away, the priestess seated in the shrine hall suddenly sensed something.
She seemed to enter a mysterious world.
It was an endlessly vast world.
A blazing sun hung high above, magnificent and boundless.
Above white clouds stood majestic structures radiating an aura of holiness.
Miroku suddenly understood.
This was what Mōryō was seeing.
Somehow, it had entered an unknown and mysterious world.
What it saw and heard transformed into vague impressions that were transmitted to her through their mysterious symbiotic connection.
This wasn't something ninjutsu could accomplish.
Nor was it something sealing techniques could accomplish.
That Uchiha with the Mangekyō Sharingan had truly dealt with Mōryō.
And through some method she couldn't understand, he had actually removed Mōryō from the shinobi world entirely.
Tears suddenly flowed from Miroku's eyes.
She knew she didn't have to die anymore.
Mōryō had been completely dealt with.
There would never again be any need to seal Mōryō.
Even her daughter would never have to consider such a thing.
The Priestess Miroku silently cried for a while before suddenly jolting in alarm.
She realized she had actually forgotten Uchiha Yoru's name.
She hurriedly called in her attendant priestess, found the mission documents and related paperwork, and carefully examined them.
She firmly engraved the name into her memory.
Then she ordered, "Pass down my command. If Lord Uchiha Yoru returns, notify me immediately. I will personally go to welcome him."
The attendant priestess was startled.
She raised her head in shock and looked at Miroku, only to see the priestess smiling brightly.
Miroku happily explained, "Lord Uchiha Yoru has already dealt with Mōryō. Our crisis is over."
The attendant priestess froze completely.
The news violated everything she understood as common sense.
But she knew Priestess Miroku would never lie.
Her shock instantly transformed into wild joy.
"Yes! I understand, Lady Priestess! I'll notify everyone immediately!"
Miroku raised a hand and stopped the attendant before she could leave.
"One more thing. Remember to inform Priest Kanzaki Himezuki. If any other shinobi arrive, he will receive them and explain the situation."
She spoke faintly.
"I won't meet with them."
The attendant priestess didn't think too deeply about it.
She acknowledged the order and hurried away.
Before long, the entire shrine erupted into celebration.
Even though it was already deep into the night, the cheering continued without end.
Amid the joyous atmosphere, Priest Kanzaki Himezuki hurried over seeking an audience.
Excitement covered his face, but so did intense worry.
After meeting Priestess Miroku, he asked, "Lady Miroku, are you truly no longer going to meet the other shinobi?"
Miroku nodded.
"I won't."
The priest worriedly said, "But if we do that, we'll offend three great shinobi villages. Once the war in the shinobi world ends, they may act against the Land of Demons."
The priestess sneered.
"Priest Kanzaki Himezuki, how old are you?"
The priest immediately heard the dissatisfaction in her voice.
He hurriedly prostrated himself and respectfully answered, "This subordinate is already sixty-three years old."
Miroku's tone became extremely cold and stern.
She rebuked him without mercy.
"Sixty-three. That certainly isn't young."
"So why is your head still filled with thoughts no different from those of a three-year-old child?"
Dense beads of sweat instantly appeared across the priest's forehead.
He didn't dare raise his head.
Stammering, he said, "Please... please instruct me!"
Miroku stood and walked in front of him.
Looking down at the man, she said, "As long as I possess my current power, and as long as Mōryō continues threatening the entire Land of Demons from time to time, what does it matter if I offend those shinobi?"
"Do those shinobi have the ability to assassinate or defeat me?"
"Of course not, because they cannot beat me."
"Would their Kage make up their minds to attack the Land of Demons?"
"They wouldn't."
"Because dealing with Mōryō would cost them dearly."
"Mōryō was the greatest threat to the Land of Demons, but at the same time, it was also the Land of Demons' greatest protector."
Priestess Miroku picked up her folding fan and lightly tapped it against the priest's shoulder.
She quietly said, "This time, Mōryō wasn't sealed."
"It was completely dealt with."
The priest abruptly raised his head.
His expression contained both shock and delight, so mixed together that it became difficult to describe.
His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
"Yes. Our greatest threat—and also our greatest protector—is gone."
The priestess turned around and returned to her seat, lazily reclining against it.
She lifted her head and looked at the brightly painted beams above the hall.
Helplessly, she said, "So we need a new protector."
"When seeking another's protection, one must understand one's own position."
"And when it comes to such matters, the greatest taboo of all is surely wavering between sides and trying to serve multiple masters, isn't it?"
Priest Kanzaki Himezuki still couldn't agree.
Trembling, he argued, "No... it shouldn't be like this. Those who possess the Way receive many supporters, while those who lose the Way receive few. To protect ourselves, we should make more friends rather than..."
Miroku's expression instantly became as cold as ice.
With a sweep of her hand, she unleashed a gust of wind that blasted Kanzaki Himezuki away.
The old man's body spun through the air before crashing heavily near the doorway.
Even his tall hat went rolling far out into the courtyard.
The priestess coldly ordered, "Seize him."
"Lock him away!"
Several guards immediately grabbed the old man and dragged him away.
What awaited him would either be a long imprisonment...
Or a swift death.
Priestess Miroku was the true ruler of the Land of Demons.
Religious authority, political authority, and military authority were all concentrated in her hands.
At this critical moment, when the Land of Demons was about to undergo a fundamental transformation, she wouldn't tolerate any dissent.
"Priest Takashima Shigenori, come see me."
The priestess's command echoed throughout the entire shrine.
She issued the order openly and directly rather than having an attendant convey it.
Through this direct method, she displayed her determination and authority to everyone.
Soon, another middle-aged priest appeared before her.
Miroku's voice continued echoing through the air above the shrine.
"Kanzaki Himezuki has become senile."
"He dared oppose my decision, so he is no longer the chief priest."
"He is no longer a priest at all!"
"Priest Takashima Shigenori, I appoint you as the new chief priest."
"You will take over all affairs of the Land of Demons."
"Receiving the shinobi from the other nations will be your highest-priority duty."
"Do you understand?"
"I understand!"
"Thank you for your trust!"
After Priest Takashima Shigenori left with a face filled with apprehension yet unmistakable satisfaction, Miroku suddenly seemed to lose some of her strength.
She leaned backward and murmured,
"I hope my choice wasn't wrong."
"I hope the future I saw won't change again."
"Oh?"
"What kind of choice did you make?"
"And what kind of future did you see?"
Uchiha Yoru suddenly appeared inside the hall with Miwa Masayo.
Clearly, he had left behind a Flying Thunder God mark before departing, allowing him to return so quickly.
Miroku froze when she heard his voice.
Several seconds later, no one knew what new future she had seen, but a radiant smile bloomed across her face.
She rolled upright, stood, and once again performed a full prostration before Uchiha Yoru.
"I chose to submit to you."
"I have decided that the entire Land of Demons will submit to you!"
"Lord Uchiha Yoru!"
Uchiha Yoru nodded in satisfaction.
"A very wise choice."
"But I refuse."
Miroku stared at him in stunned disbelief.
Uchiha Yoru smiled.
"Because there is a great existence who will protect both you and the Land of Demons."
Miroku's expression changed dramatically.
She asked in horror,
"Who are you talking about?"
Before the words had even finished leaving her mouth, Miroku's vision blurred.
In the next instant, the world before her had transformed into a magnificent, majestic hall.
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