590: Chapter 590 Questioning King Zhou, Understanding King Zhou, Becoming King Zhou!

Behind the hidden door was a small secret chamber.

In the center of the chamber, three ancient wooden boxes were enshrined.

The wooden boxes were pitch black, carved with intricate patterns, and emitted an ancient, mysterious aura.

Wasunoko Ruozhi walked into the secret chamber, picked up the first wooden box with both hands, and opened it.

Inside the box lay a sword—it was the kusanagi-no-tsurugi.

The foremost of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan, a divine sword rumored to have slain the Yamata no Orochi.

Wasunoko Ruozhi lifted the kusanagi-no-tsurugi and placed it on a nearby tray.

Then, she opened the second wooden box.

Inside the box lay a mirror—it was the yata no kagami.

Rumor had it that an ancient ghost king was sealed within the yata no kagami, possessing power enough to destroy heaven and earth.

Finally, she opened the third wooden box.

Inside the box lay a magatama.

The magatama was crescent-shaped, emerald green throughout, as warm and smooth as jade, emitting a soft glow.

It was indeed the yasakani no magatama.

Rumor had it that this magatama could communicate with heaven and earth and connect Yin and Yang, making it the most mysterious of the Three Sacred Treasures.

The three sacred treasures were lined up in a row.

Seimei Kangyue stepped forward, his hands trembling slightly as he brushed over the edges of the three wooden boxes.

"Good."

"With these three items, that little bastard is as good as dead!"

He took a deep breath and suddenly pressed his right hand onto the yata no kagami.

The mirror's surface suddenly lit up, and a dark, eerie light poured out from within.

Seimei Kangyue bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of essence blood onto the mirror's surface.

As the blood seeped into the mirror, the ancient patterns seemed to come alive, moving, twisting, and reorganizing on the surface to form a complex magic circle.

"Come forth!"

Seimei Kangyue roared, slamming both hands onto the mirror.

Boom!!!

A pillar of black light shot up from the yata no kagami, piercing through the ceiling of the secret chamber and soaring straight into the clouds.

The entire Imperial Palace was trembling.

The ministers inside the hall turned pale; some collapsed to the floor, while others screamed in terror.

The black pillar of light gradually dissipated.

In front of the yata no kagami, a figure appeared.

It was a man, over three meters tall, wearing a suit of ancient great armor with a pair of massive black wings growing from his back.

His face was hidden behind a ferocious Tengu mask, revealing only a pair of blood-red eyes.

Those eyes were filled with violence and slaughter.

Great Tengu.

The strongest great Yokai in Japanese legend, the foremost of the three great ghost kings.

Rumor had it that he was once an Emperor who was demoted to a Yokai for violating heavenly laws, transforming into a Tengu and falling into the demonic path.

His power was far beyond that of Tamamo-no-Mae.

His fearsome reputation had intimidated Japan for thousands of years.

Seimei Kangyue looked at Great Tengu's figure and smiled.

The smile was full of madness and triumph.

"Ye Chen, so what if you subdued Tamamo-no-Mae?"

"Great Tengu is the true King of a Hundred Demons!"

"Today, I want to see how you survive before Great Tengu!"

Great Tengu slowly lowered his head, his blood-red eyes fixed on Seimei Kangyue: "Was it you who summoned me?"

Seimei Kangyue hurried to bow, saying respectfully.

"Precisely."

"Lord Great Tengu, a man from the Dragon Country has broken into Japan, killed my compatriots, destroyed our shrines, and even dared to lay hands on the Three Sacred Treasures."

"I implore you, Lord, to take action and execute him!"

Great Tengu was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

The laughter was as piercing as a Night Owl, making one's scalp tingle.

"A person from the Dragon Country?"

"I haven't tasted the blood of a Dragon Country person in a long time."

He turned around and walked toward the outside of the hall.

With every step, the ground shook, and dust from the wooden pillars fell in showers.

Hattori Senjun lay prostrate to the side, watching Great Tengu's back with eyes full of awe and excitement.

There was hope!

With Great Tengu taking action, Ye Chen was as good as dead!

However.

Just as Great Tengu reached the hall entrance, his footsteps suddenly halted.

His brow furrowed slightly, and his blood-red eyes looked toward the night sky outside the hall.

In the distance, the faint sound of gunfire could be heard.

The faces of everyone in the hall changed in unison.

Wasunoko Ruozhi's brow furrowed sharply, her voice carrying a hint of anger.

"What's going on?"

"Where is the shooting coming from?"

A guard came stumbling in from outside the hall.

"Te... Tenno-heika!"

"There's a Yokai!"

"A nine-tailed fox demon is carrying a person on its back; it killed our guards and broke straight in!"

"That Yokai is too strong; our guns are completely useless against her!"

"The guard unit has suffered heavy casualties and can't stop them at all!"

"They've already broken through three palace gates and are about to reach the main hall!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall erupted in chaos.

"What? A nine-tailed fox demon?"

"Could it be... Tamamo-no-Mae?"

"Isn't Tamamo-no-Mae the State Preceptor's shikigami? Why would she be carrying someone else into the Imperial Palace?"

"baka! What on earth is happening?"

...

Fear and confusion were written on the faces of everyone present.

Only Seimei Kangyue's face had turned completely dark.

Tamamo-no-Mae.

It really was her.

That old vixen had not only betrayed him but even dared to carry Ye Chen into the Imperial Palace?

Bakayaro!

Wasunoko Ruozhi's expression wasn't much better.

She suddenly barked: "Don't panic, prepare to meet the enemy!!!"

Just then.

A loud bang came from outside the hall.

Bang!!!

The doors of the main hall were slammed open by a massive force; the two heavy wooden doors crashed down, hitting the floor and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Through the dust, a white figure slowly walked in.

It was a giant fox.

Snow-white all over, its nine tails swayed gently behind it like nine white silk ribbons fluttering in the night breeze.

On its back sat a person.

A young man.

He was wearing a black casual jacket, sitting cross-legged on the nine-tailed fox's back, looking very relaxed and at ease.

It was Ye Chen.

Tamamo-no-Mae walked into the great hall, and with a gentle flick of her nine tails, Ye Chen landed steadily on the ground.

Then.

Her form shifted, transforming from the giant fox state into a human form, wearing a Mamian skirt, standing respectfully behind Ye Chen.

Well...

That's right.

Ye Chen said the kimono didn't look good, so he made her change into a Mamian skirt.

The master liked it, and as a slave, how could she dare to disobey?

But.

When Tamamo-no-Mae's gaze swept around and she spotted Great Tengu, a look of surprise appeared on her face.

"Oh?"

"Emperor Sutoku, you actually crawled out of the mirror?"

Everyone's faces changed drastically.

Emperor Sutoku!

That was one of the most famous vengeful spirits in Japanese history, an Emperor of the late Heian period who died in bitterness while in exile after failing to seize the throne, swearing a poisonous oath before death to become a Great Tengu and bring chaos to the world.

Legend had it that his resentment did not dissipate after death, and he became the foremost of the three great ghost kings of Japan.

But that was just a legend...

They had always thought that Great Tengu was Great Tengu and had nothing to do with that Emperor.

But looking at it now...

It seemed to be true?

Otherwise, Tamamo-no-Mae wouldn't have called out that name!!!

Great Tengu lowered his head, his blood-red eyes fixed on Tamamo-no-Mae, and spoke coldly.

"Useless thing, you actually let a Dragon Country man ride on your back?"

Upon hearing this, Tamamo-no-Mae gave a dainty, charming smile.

"What? Are you jealous?"

"Back then, you wanted to ride me, but I refused, and you started getting angry out of shame?"

The entire place fell into a dead silence.

Everyone's brains completely stalled at this moment.

What did they just hear?

Tamamo-no-Mae said Great Tengu wanted to ride her?

And was rejected?

In Great Tengu's blood-red eyes, killing intent suddenly surged.

"You seek death!"

His voice was like thunder, exploding in the hall; several guards were shaken so hard they bled from their facial orifices and fainted on the spot.

Wasunoko Ruozhi's face was as pale as paper, her legs went weak, and she barely managed to stand by holding onto the back of her chair.

A flash of crazed joy crossed Seimei Kangyue's eyes.

Fight!

It's best if they fight!

Ideally, they'd both be wounded, allowing him to reap the benefits!

However.

Tamamo-no-Mae showed no intention of making a move.

"Oh my~"

She covered her chest with both hands, pretending to be scared, and hid herself behind Ye Chen.

"Master, save me, I'm so scared~"

That voice was dainty and as sweet as honey, a complete contrast to when she was mocking Great Tengu just now.

Ye Chen's mouth twitched, and he gave her an annoyed glare: "Be normal."

Tamamo-no-Mae blinked her blood-red eyes, looking innocent.

"How am I not being normal?"

"I'm just a weak woman, after all."

A weak woman?

This was the powerhouse who had ruined three dynasties, and she was actually calling herself a weak woman here?

But truth be told.

That smile really had a sort of allure that could captivate all living beings, making one lose their senses.

They even dazed for a moment, beginning to question King Zhou, understand King Zhou, and become King Zhou...