Chapter 325: Caught in the Rain

Yang Chen walked into the house, not in a hurry to deal with Banre, who was too frightened to move. Instead, he bent down and picked up the Muramasa sword, examining it with some interest. This sword had once been something he yearned for as a child. Growing up in a den of assassins, a legendary weapon revered among killers naturally became an object of admiration.

However, now that this ancient, blood-soaked demonic blade was in his hands, Yang Chen found that he didn't have much desire to keep it. What was once an idol and a dream had now become a fallen soul beneath his feet and a toy in his hands. Who says life isn't a joke?

After looking at it for a while, he found that besides its remarkable resilience and its ability to cut through gold and jade, the sword's unique design was its only other notable feature. As for the overwhelming killing aura it displayed earlier, Yang Chen didn't think just anyone wielding it could unleash such power. The sword was indeed exceptionally well-crafted, but any notion of it being cursed was just a myth. Its true power depended on the user.

Casually tossing it aside, Yang Chen threw the Muramasa sword in front of Banre.

Banre, kneeling on the ground, saw Yang Chen throw the sword in front of her. Without much surprise, she picked up the demonic blade, placed it horizontally, and held it against her neck.

"Thank you, Lord Hades, for allowing me to take my own life."

With that, Banre prepared to slit her throat.

Yang Chen, who thought she might use the sword for something else, was dumbfounded to see her trying to commit suicide. Amused and frustrated at the same time, he flicked his finger, sending a force that knocked the sword out of her hand.

"I never said you should die. Why are you trying to kill yourself?" Yang Chen said with a smile.

Banre was taken aback. She looked up, her slightly faded, delicate face full of confusion. "Then this is...?"

"Keep it. I have a use for you," Yang Chen said, looking Banre up and down, as if he had found an intriguing prey.

Seeing Yang Chen scrutinize her like this, Banre thought of something else. Her face flushed slightly, but without much hesitation, she shyly began to undo her belt.

This time, it was Yang Chen's turn to be surprised. Banre untied her belt, causing her dark purple ninja outfit to fall open, revealing the pale skin of her chest to the air.

Between Banre's left shoulder and collarbone, a vibrant purple rose was tattooed. The delicate flower, set against her fair skin, looked as if it was about to bloom, lifelike and vivid.

After removing her clothing, leaving only the chest wrap, Banre lifted her head. Her black hair cascaded down, her brows like willow leaves, and her eyes glimmered like apricot blossoms, full of enchanting allure.

"What are you trying to do?" Yang Chen groaned inwardly once more.

"Lord Hades, no matter what you wish to do, I am willing to accept your favor," Banre said, clearly thinking that after such a battle, Yang Chen might want a woman to vent his energy or might see her as spoils of war.

This was a common mindset among women like her from Sakura (Japan). It was considered normal for the strong to pillage and for women to be treated as spoils of war. Banre had been raised by Tokugawa Zangji since she was a child, and with her extraordinary beauty from a young age, Tokugawa treated her both as an adopted daughter and as his plaything.

Now that Tokugawa was dead, Banre's deeply ingrained submissive nature hadn't changed. She didn't see anything wrong with submitting to a strong man like Yang Chen; in fact, she felt a mix of nervousness and joy.

Yang Chen, however, cleared his throat and turned away, saying, "Do you think I'm your brainless dead adopted father? I'm not interested in your body. I kept you around to ask you, if I give you the demonic blade, can you take control of the entire Yaqi Society?"

Banre let out an involuntary gasp and, realizing her lapse in composure, quickly said, "I'm sorry, Lord Hades. I thought... I thought you wanted that... I didn't mean to..."

Yang Chen smiled wryly. It seemed that this woman had been so thoroughly conditioned by Tokugawa Zangji that she had developed a deep-rooted submissive dependence. Killing Tokugawa only left her driven by the flames of revenge. If she encountered a powerful figure capable of controlling her, she would easily become that person's slave.

"Lord Hades, even without the demonic blade, it wouldn't be difficult for you to take control of the Yaqi Society," Banre finally understood that Yang Chen was interested in the vast ninja organization of Sakura (Japan). She replied, "Now that Tokugawa is dead, I am the most powerful person in the Yaqi Society. Ninjas are extremely loyal. All that needs to be done is to spread the news of Tokugawa's death, and the position of the leader of the Yaqi Society will naturally fall to me."

Could it really be that simple?

Yang Chen hadn't expected that taking over the Yaqi Society could be so straightforward. His interest in the Yaqi Society was mainly due to his concern that if it fell into the hands of someone else, especially under the control of other countries, it could make his life in Yanxia (China) inconvenient. Rather than face such a scenario, it was better to either destroy or take over the Yaqi Society now.

After all, if he had control over the Yaqi Society, it would be like having free rein in Sakura (Japan), making many things much simpler. At the very least, the Yaqi Society would be a significant help when he planned to cause trouble for the Liu family next week.

Yang Chen said, "Since that's the case, I'll spare your life and give you the Muramasa demon blade. You will take over the Yaqi Society in place of Tokugawa Zangji. I don't need you to be excessively loyal to me; just don't do anything foolish when I need your help. Of course, if someone tries to oust you and take over the Yaqi Society, I will support you."

Banre felt like she was dreaming. Not only did she not have to die, but she also got to become the leader of the Yaqi Society for free?! More importantly, it seemed Yang Chen intended to help her solidify her power.

"Lord Hades, what should I do now?" Banre asked, still in a daze.

Yang Chen rolled his eyes. "First, put your clothes back on."

Only then did Banre realize she was still in a suggestive position. She quickly dressed and shrank back, embarrassed.

Yang Chen felt a tinge of regret. To be honest, he had never been with a female ninja before. Unfortunately, he had just made himself out to be so righteous that it would be awkward to indulge in pleasure now. So, he decided to let it go for the time being. In a calm voice, he said, "This place was sealed off before. I assume you know how to handle the aftermath. My clothes are dirty. Go find me a suitable set to change into right now."

Banre, having regained her composure, immediately darted out of the courtyard to fulfill his request.

A few minutes later, Banre returned with a new set of clothes. She wanted to offer to help Yang Chen change but was afraid of being scolded, so she handed the clothes to him and stepped back.

After changing into the new outfit, Yang Chen said to Banre, "Can you transform into that tour guide 'Kawana' that the nine-tailed white fox impersonated?"

Banre nodded. "I can't mimic her as perfectly as the nine-tailed fox, but I can imitate her appearance closely enough."

Yang Chen recalled that Banre had previously disguised herself as Mo Qianni, which is why he brought it up. After all, with "Kawana" dead, there had to be a reason for a new guide. Having Banre transform into a new version of Kawana was perfect. Yang Chen could tell the difference, but the group of women would not.

After giving Banre some additional instructions on what needed to be handled, he realized that over an hour had passed. The group of women in the tea room at Nijo Castle must be getting anxious. He instructed Banre to disguise herself as the "new Kawana" and return to the tour group. They could discuss other matters later.

Fortunately, the transition of power within the Yaqi Association was straightforward and swift. When several key leaders saw the Youtou Village under Banri's control, they quickly submitted. Consequently, it didn't take much time. They sealed off the area of the conflict and dealt with it covertly.

Yang Chen and Banri, disguised as Kawana, rejoined the team separately, inevitably facing a round of questioning. Especially, Yang Chen changing his clothes sparked discontent among the women, accusing him of "going shopping without telling them," which they found quite unfair.

Liu Mingyu, being more perceptive, sensed that Yang Chen's outing wasn't merely for shopping. She asked, "Are you alright?"

Yang Chen, of course, couldn't reveal the truth, not because he feared Liu Mingyu would tell others, but because it was an issue from a completely different world, unnecessary to burden her with worries. "Do I look like something's wrong? It's just that my clothes got wet, so I changed into new ones," Yang Chen replied.

"You're running around and got caught in the rain, right?" Liu Mingyu gave Yang Chen a reproachful look but didn't press further, realizing he wasn't inclined to elaborate.

As Kawana, Banri spoke less than usual, but managed not to arouse suspicion. After all, being a Sakura woman and having undergone professional training, acting as an ordinary tour guide posed no problem.

Seeing that evening was approaching, the group decided not to linger in the scenic area and gradually returned to the minibus. However, as soon as Yang Chen sat down, he furrowed his brow. He felt stabbing pains in his heart and internal organs, accompanied by a slight dizziness!

Realizing these anomalies, Yang Chen glanced inward and immediately felt a sinking sensation. He had assumed that reaching the 'transcendence' realm would neutralize the radioactive substances in his body, but evidently, suppressing them hadn't eradicated them entirely. They persisted like a malignant tumor, albeit with diminished potency.

Yang Chen knew this was serious. Despite achieving mastery in internal energy, he couldn't purge these substances. The damn Dou Zang Er had managed to concoct a substance that countered his abilities.

After pondering for a moment, Yang Chen considered whether to consult Jian, the expert in pharmacology. Scientific matters were best left to scientists, and while he could detoxify himself using internal energy, eliminating radioactive elements might be beyond his capability.

With this thought, Yang Chen unlocked his phone. Although he couldn't make calls, he could send an email over the network—Yoshimoto allowed that much.