Chapter 55 Unbreakable Kinship

Chapter 55 Unbreakable Kinship

Ranlu pondered for a moment and decided to meet Hanzhou alone this time. Just as she was thinking about how to tell Mikazuki, she turned her head and saw the meaningful smile on the face of the thousand-year-old swordsman.

As if she had been seen through, Ranlu chuckled twice and scratched the back of her head somewhat awkwardly.

"I understand. When you go this time, my lord, how about bringing back some good tea for the old man?"

"Don't worry, Lord Hanzhou definitely has good tea. Let me see if I can get some for you."

Hearing Ranlu's words, Mikazuki's eyes lit up. "Then I'll have to trouble you, my lord. If it's Lord Hanzhou's tea, the taste will naturally be superb."

Then he watched Ranlu run out of the main hall in a flash, and Mikazuki smiled helplessly.

Those beautiful eyes, shaped like crescent moons, flashed with longing and trust.

If Lord Hanzhou were to lead the effort to overthrow the three major families and clean up the political situation, he wouldn't be worried about failure at all.

That was his former master, and it was because of that master that he was able to radiate such dazzling moonlight.

Just as Hanzhou was about to leave the citadel, she saw three tsukumogami from the Samonji faction walking towards her. So she stopped in her tracks.

"Thank you for bringing Xiaoye back this time." Zong San had already heard Xiaoye's description of the mission and felt extremely frightened. If Han Zhou hadn't arrived in time, Xiaoye's fate would have been uncertain.

"Thank you very much," Jiang Xue said earnestly to Han Zhou.

"This... is for my lord." Xiaoye took out the small nine-tailed fox wood carving she had made earlier. The tips of the fox's ears, eyes, and tail were all decorated with rouge red.

Han Zhou first accepted Xiao Ye's gift, and upon seeing the colors, she understood. No wonder Xiao Ye had asked her for the dye made from cochineal insects last time; it was for this purpose.

It has a smooth feel and isn't prickly at all. Both the carving and the meticulous polishing demonstrate great care. Xiaoye isn't particularly skilled at wood carving, so creating such a piece must have taken a lot of thought.

"Thank you, Xiaoye. I will cherish it." She gently ruffled the short hair on the other's head and casually tossed him a dried persimmon.

Hanzhou looked at Xiaoye's two older brothers, a rare hint of helplessness in her expression. She finally understood why the Saniwa forum called Samonji "the grumpy family."

"I remember that the vase in the office seemed to be... missing some fresh flowers."

Zong San and Jiang Xue exchanged a glance and smiled simultaneously.

We understand.

Hanzhou understood their concerns; the disqualified Saniwa had a lasting impact on them, despite their trust in the other Tsukumogami and themselves.

But what they cared about most was still Xiaoye. Although she believed that saving Xiaoye was her responsibility as her lord, she didn't feel the same way about Zong San and Jiang Xue.

Hanshu knew that the Samonji faction was tending a flower garden in the citadel. If he simply gave a bland reply like, "No need to thank me, it's just my duty as lord," Kousetsu and Soza would definitely feel uneasy.

It would be better to give them a practical thank-you gift to put their minds at ease.

"I'll help too," Xiaoye said, holding a persimmon in one hand and tugging at Hanzhou's sleeve with the other.

"Well... I'll look forward to seeing that vibrant color in the office when I get back."

——

As soon as Han Zhou arrived at Wanwu, he saw Ran Luo. The little girl had her bright orange hair tied in a ponytail and was holding some snacks she had bought from a vendor. When she saw Han Zhou, she immediately waved.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Ranlu hadn't finished swallowing the pastry, and unable to speak, she shook her head, offering the pastry to Hanzhou.

She looked at what the other person was holding.

I don't like sweets.

"Alright then," Ranluo said, watching Hanzhou set up a barrier. "Do we need to keep our conversation a secret?"

"This trip isn't just about chatting with you. It's also about searching for clues left behind by the Saniwa who previously rebelled against the government."

"I see," Ranlu nodded, then ate another pastry.

Han Zhou, observing the little girl's eating of snacks, guessed that she had run away without eating. She extended her hand to the girl.

"Put your hand on mine."

Ranluo hadn't expected this sudden turn of events. She shook off the crumbs from her hands before placing them on the surface. She felt a warm, comforting sensation, like soaking in a hot spring.

really……

There is a hidden seal within you.

"Huh? A seal?" Ranlu subconsciously activated her spiritual power, which flowed smoothly without any abnormalities. What type of seal was it?

"Yes, it's a seal your father set up. He sealed away your demonic aura, no wonder neither the government nor the three major families detected your half-demon identity."

Is it my father...?

"Lord Hanzhou, how do we break this seal?" Ranluo was now increasingly convinced that her ability to see into other people's minds was something that had been deliberately left behind by the other party.

“I can untangle it, but I don’t recommend you do so right now,” Han Zhou said while surveying the surrounding area. “The current situation is not suitable for revealing your identity.”

"However... judging from the current situation, your father is very powerful. I suspect he sacrificed his soul to set up a powerful formation that can conceal himself from everyone and protect you and your mother."

She also knows this kind of formation, but... once used, she will not enter the cycle of reincarnation and will vanish from the world forever.

Hearing Han Zhou's words, Ran Luo remained silent for a long time. Han Zhou considerately refrained from speaking at this moment, as the barrier around them effectively blocked out noise.

"Lord Hanzhou... will I have another chance to see him?"

"The soul has vanished, never to be seen again."

"Is that so..." Ranluo's hands, hanging by her sides, tightened again and again.

While she was lost in thought and agonizing, Han Zhou had already found the clues left behind by the red-haired demon. A hidden array appeared, its dazzling and intricate patterns causing dizziness.

"What a complex formation!"

Seeing the pattern before her, Ranlu frowned, trying to find a way to decipher it. However, she was at a loss.

"Interesting. To break this formation, we're missing a key."

As for what the key was, Han Zhou already had a guess. The intricate patterns on the bell corresponded perfectly to the missing part of the formation. She took the golden bell from her earring.

The instant the bell touched the array, the entire array shattered, and scattered remnants of power transformed into starlight, dispersing in the air. The dazzling, dreamlike scene caused Ranluo to instinctively hold her breath; she reached out to touch the points of light in the air.

As if sensing her thoughts, the specks of light proactively approached Ranluo's fingertips before she could even touch them.

Despite never having sensed similar power fluctuations before, Ranluo unexpectedly felt that this power was very familiar, as if... it was inherited from the same source.

This scene didn't last long. After the power completely dissipated, two documents appeared on the previously empty ground. Han Zhou picked them up and casually flipped through them.

One of the documents listed the coordinates of five auction venues, along with detailed descriptions. What surprised Han Zhou was another document; she turned her gaze to Ran Luo and handed her the document.

Ranlu looked at the document handed to her with a puzzled expression, then glanced at Hanzhou and took it.

"Lord Hanzhou, what is this...?"

"Open it and take a look; this is for you."

What do you mean by "...left for me"?

Before opening the file, Ranlu hesitated and looked at Hanzhou. She saw him nod encouragingly.

Ranluo let out a breath and opened the file. The first thing she saw was a line of large characters:

If possible, please give it to my family.

A thoughtful photo was also included below, showing a woman with light brown hair looking gently at her lower abdomen. The angle of the photo made it seem like a typical snapshot of a wife.

So it turns out... Father really did a lot.