Seeing Blazing Hoof lower its head in submission, the killing intent in Midoriko's eyes slowly faded. With a casual motion, she dismissed the Summoning Technique of Banryū.
A cloud of white smoke burst forth, and the massive blade instantly vanished from her hand.
Blazing Hoof stood obediently beside her, no longer resisting. Midoriko leapt lightly and landed firmly on the Yokai horse's back.
Even without a saddle or reins, she remained perfectly steady, supported by her control of chakra.
Blazing Hoof did not dare to resist. It stood still, allowing its new master to ride it.
"Let's go find your former master… the one called Purgatory Ghost," Midoriko said calmly, her tone cold and commanding as she lightly tapped its neck.
Despite the recent battle, Blazing Hoof was far from fully recovered. While its external wounds had barely healed through its yokai power, the internal damage was still severe.
Even so, it did not hesitate.
It let out a low neigh, flames igniting once more around its hooves. In an instant, it rose into the sky and sped off in the direction where Purgatory Ghost had been sealed.
"Sigh… that miko has taken Blazing Hoof away. I only hope it won't bring disaster upon the world again…"
Monk Shinsen watched their figures disappear into the distance, his voice filled with worry.
Midoriko, already far away, naturally did not hear him.
Seated atop Blazing Hoof, she watched the landscape rush past beneath her while quietly remaining vigilant.
She did not trust the Yokai beneath her.
This creature was inherently cruel. The moment it encountered a more wicked and bloodthirsty master, it would not hesitate to betray her.
Just like in the past—when it met the incarnation of Naraku, the White Child, it immediately abandoned Purgatory Ghost and chose to follow him.
It did not follow strength alone.
It followed malice.
Only those more vicious, more cruel, more bloodthirsty than its current master could gain its loyalty.
When Midoriko had severely injured it earlier, its first instinct had not been submission—but escape.
Even Monk Shenquan, who had defeated and sealed it for years, had never earned its loyalty.
Midoriko's gaze grew colder.
Once she returned to the shrine, she would place a curse mark upon it.
If it dared to resist—
She would kill it.
Its corpse would still be useful.
If not for possible consequences, she would have even considered asking Kikyo to turn it into a shikigami directly.
Blazing Hoof, unaware of her thoughts, suddenly slowed down.
It had sensed something.
Its body tilted downward as it began descending from the sky.
Soon, it landed at the foot of a remote cliff.
From atop its back, Midoriko looked ahead.
Not far away stood a massive stone, bound tightly with shimenawa, similar to the one that had sealed Blazing Hoof.
The method was identical.
This was clearly the seal of its former master—
Purgatory Ghost.
Through the perception of the Rinnegan, the stone emitted a dense aura of ghostly energy and malicious power.
The spiritual power within Midoriko's body stirred instinctively, reacting to the overwhelming evil.
The land surrounding the seal was barren.
Nothing grew.
Only silence and decay remained.
Her gaze shifted.
Beside the sealing stone was a long-bladed naginata, radiating a chilling light.
Even after all these years, it still carried a strong presence.
This was no ordinary weapon.
It was a yokai blade.
Midoriko extended her hand.
"Banshō Tenin."
The naginata trembled violently before being ripped from the ground and pulled into her grasp by an invisible force.
She swung it casually once… then twice.
The blade cut through the air with a sharp whistle.
A faint nod followed.
"Not bad. This will do."
Compared to Banryū, this weapon suited her form far better.
Without hesitation, she infused it with miko spiritual power.
A brilliant white blade of energy formed instantly.
She struck.
The sealing stone shattered on impact, exploding into fragments.
At that very moment—
A grotesque hand burst from the ground.
Veins bulged, claws sharp and twisted.
Then—
A massive figure crawled out from beneath the earth.
Green skin.
Bulging muscles.
Blood-red eyes filled with savagery.
A horn protruded from its forehead, and its mouth stretched wide, revealing jagged fangs.
Clad in grotesque armor, it radiated pure violence.
Purgatory Ghost.
"Ugly…" Midoriko said flatly, her voice cold and indifferent. "Are you a goblin… or something worse?"
The newly freed Yokai lifted its head.
Its gaze immediately fell on Blazing Hoof.
"Blazing Hoof… you came to greet your master?" it sneered, its voice rough and cruel. "That old monk—did you kill him?"
Then its eyes shifted to Midoriko.
They slowly traveled from head to toe.
A disgusting grin spread across its face.
"Woman… who are you?" it asked, before its expression twisted with lust. "Be my wife. I will conquer this world—"
"Heh… so it really is a goblin."
Midoriko cut him off without hesitation.
Her pale purple Rinnegan were filled with cold disdain.
"Banshō Tenin."
A tremendous gravitational force erupted instantly.
Purgatory Ghost was violently dragged forward.
"What—what is this?!"
Shocked, it hastily gathered yokai power and spat out a sphere of energy toward her.
"Hmph."
Midoriko raised her hand.
A burst of repulsive force exploded outward.
The energy sphere was instantly deflected, crashing into the mountainside and detonating in a violent explosion.
At the same moment—
Her naginata moved.
A blur.
Before Purgatory Ghost could even react—
The blade passed cleanly through its neck.
"Pfft—"
Blood sprayed into the air.
Its massive body collapsed heavily at Blazing Hoof's feet.
Its severed head rolled across the ground, eyes wide with disbelief and hatred.
"How… could I…"
Before the sentence could finish—
Its life faded completely.
"Trash."
Midoriko stepped down from Blazing Hoof and pulled out a sealing scroll from within her robes.
She approached the corpse calmly.
With a practiced motion, she sealed both the body and the head into the scroll.
Although she had killed it instantly, Purgatory Ghost had once been the master of Blazing Hoof.
Its strength was not insignificant.
Not every Yokai in this world could compare to Inuyasha… or Sesshomaru.
Its corpse would serve well as material for an Animal Path summon.
Nothing would be wasted.
"Let's go. We're returning."
She stored the scroll, picked up the naginata, and mounted Blazing Hoof once more.
At her command, the Yokai horse neighed.
Flames reignited beneath its hooves.
It rose into the sky once again—
And sped toward the shrine.