"Sorry, it took so long to see you." The blue figure pushed himself out of the door and walked in, "How are you recovering? The Taohua Demon told me that you will be able to move freely in a few days."

As if he was forced to make a relaxed tone, he walked to the tatami not far from me and sat down. His face was a little tired, but he still sat upright and waited for me to answer.

My pale fingertips were still on the pages, and the words on the pages seemed too obscure in my eyes.

After hesitating for a while, seeing that he had no intention of leaving, I thanked him: "Thank you."

The sound unexpectedly sounded soft, even surprised him.

Then he got up, walked to the low table in front of me, took out a book from his arms and placed it on the low table in front of me: "Takimomae said, your mother and my mother are good friends. This book has been kept in my house, and now the things are returned to the original owner."

That's a book called "Strange".

It turns out that the stories my father said - all the stories told to us were written by my mother. All the ones my mother wrote on them were experienced by my father.

After understanding this, I couldn't help but take back my hand that wanted to get the book.

"……unnecessary."

"No, let's keep it. When you are cultivating, at least pass the time."

After leaving the cycle of reincarnation that day, I was almost numb. The peach blossom demon said that she had never seen a monster like me who could survive without any incompleteness. At that time, the Ah Xi I saw was not much better than me. I couldn't tell how long my brother's original body could last, but... according to my own situation, it should not be optimistic.

"Then, A Zi will have a good rest these days." Faced with my silence, he finally chose to leave, "Even a monster... he must take good care of his body."

I looked up at him, and the white-haired Onmyoji looked a little confused, but it was still gentle, which made me involuntarily remember Aye's once gentle gaze.

"Thank you."

I lowered my head just to stop thinking about him. My eyes touched his turn, but I called him uncontrollably-

"Qingming..."

"What's wrong?" He turned around without hesitation.

I lowered my head and opened my mouth, but couldn't say what I wanted to say. Even the thought of why I called him disappeared at this time.

I shook my head.

“…”

I saw him hesitating for a moment, and finally showed a gentle smile: "Don't worry, I will be in the dormitory tonight. If you have anything, you can come to me at any time."

After a moment of trance, I couldn't help but ask myself why things have become like this now...

After Qingming left, I could no longer hold back my tears. Is it because of longing or grief that I can't tell the difference between myself?

Holding the purple||yang||flower and wood sculpture tightly, I gradually sink into the memories of the past.

When I came to my senses again, it was already the night when the full moon was shining on the ground. There were food on the low table, which must have been brought in by peach blossoms...

The room was so quiet that I could only hear the crying sound of cicadas in the mid-summer. It was so quiet... so quiet that I could think of every moment of that summer in the samsara.

I raised my hand and then moved my legs that were still recovering. It was a little painful, but I could bear it. I picked up the "Monster" placed on the low table and walked slowly out the door.

After I opened the door, I found Xiaobai curled up and lying at the door. His ears moved, as if he was still in a state of anxiety. Just as I was about to step out of the door, Xiaobai suddenly jumped up-

"A Zi?! Why are you... why are you coming out? Do your feet still hurt? Are you hungry? Where are you going so late? Do you need Xiaobai to accompany you?"

Xiaobai asked me so many questions in one breath, but I opened my mouth but didn't know how to answer.

"Ah... I'm sorry, Xiaobai shouldn't have asked A Zi so many questions... Xiaobai was just worried..." Xiaobai seemed to realize it, so he hurriedly explained, "So, it's so late, what is A Zi going to do?"

After looking at the book in my arms, I lowered my head: "...Can you take me to find Qingming?"

"So it's looking for Lord Qingming..."

“…You look a little lost.”

"No!" Xiaobai turned into a human form with a "puff" sound, holding me with his hands, "It's just that Lord Qingming fought with the sirens these days...ah, nothing, A Zi, come with me quickly."

The fox boy in front of him was still the same as before, but he was half a head taller than him.

It was late spring when I returned to Arakawa. Is it already late autumn now... I was in the Sunshine City... in countless reincarnations, the summer... I thought about everything there, and even my breathing became rapid and my thoughts became chaotic.

"A Zi?" As if I noticed something was wrong with me, Xiaobai turned around and looked at me, "Are you... okay?"

Under the moonlight, his fur was very smooth and smooth, and his eyes also seemed extremely clear.

I was about to make excuses, but I thought of what my mother said at that time.

"...I'm fine." I exhaled, "It's just a little cold."

"Ah, cold?" Xiaobai blinked, then walked to me and surrounded my waist with his tail, "This way it won't be cold! Xiaobai's tail is very warm."

"... At that time, Xiaobai wanted to give me a gift...what was it?" He asked almost clumsyly because I couldn't find any other questions.

"Hey? Ah... Did Ah Zi say a birthday gift?" Xiaobai turned to look at me and smiled embarrassedly, "Hehe, does Ah Zi want it? But... Ah Zi's birthday has already passed?"

He secretly glanced at me again: "But Xiaobai would not be stingy with preparing gifts for A Zi!"

"... Sure enough, birthdays and other things... it's only meaningful for humans to celebrate?" I still wanted to refuse, "I'm just a monster now."

"This..." Xiaobai scratched his head in distress, then immediately let go of his tail, ran to me, and stood in front of a push door, "Sir Qingming is here!"

...The topic was shifted.

As I walked towards Xiaobai's position, I pushed the door open.

"Xiaobai? Is there anything wrong with it so late?" Qingming walked out in her clothes.

"A Zi said she was coming to find an adult... But she should go to bed early..." Xiaobai sighed and looked at me again, "Then, Xiaobai will leave first!"

Xiaobai turned back into a fox with a "slap", and then jumped into the courtyard and ran away.

"Xiaobai is just..." Qingming turned around and wanted to explain.

"...I'm just here to return the book." I took out the book in my hand and said, "I'm disturbing."

"But this book is—"

"Please take it back." I walked forward a few steps, then stood in Qingming's shadow, "...I memorized the story inside, so I didn't need it at all."

"But you don't understand them." Harui's dispersed silver hair was blown by the breeze.

"It's okay, one day, you'll understand."

My mother's gentle eyes and words squeezed into her mind together.

"...You are right, I don't understand at all. It is because I don't understand that I returned it to you. Aye is no longer here. You and him were good friends before... From the beginning of my arrival in Kyoto and were taken home by you, you've found out about me..."

“…”

"Although I know everything, even though you saved me, I still can't believe you. But I will try to do it..." I almost mustered up unprecedented courage, and I couldn't help but press my chest with my hand.

It seemed that I was still forced to cry by the sadness of the past, but since I returned to Kyoto, I knew that if I kept going like that, I would be able to do nothing.

"That's it." Qingming's tone was still gentle, but he reached out to put the book away. "However, A Zi came to me so late, not just to return the book."

I calmed down my beating heart a little: "Well, I still want to know why Haiguo...invaded Kyoto."

Qingming pondered for a while before she opened the door: "This matter is a long story, come in first."

This is indeed a fierce battle. If Ogata Maru was not an existence who wanted to protect something, if so, the battle would not break out. However, he was firm in his heart, a beloved young master, and a monster who would never give up easily.

After listening to what Qingming said, I noticed that he showed fatigue. After noticing my eyes, he smiled apologetically: "Sorry... I'm a little thirsty, I'll pour a cup of tea."

I saw that he forced himself to be energetic and didn't say anything else, just wondering if he should talk to him about my affairs next.

Qingming just walked past me, but her body couldn't help but fall forward. I quickly supported his body with the demonic power and laid his head on my legs.

"Sorry..." he whispered.

After hesitating for a moment, I still covered his eyes with my hands: "I'm here to disturb you."

"You used to..."

"What?"

"...Because I hardly remember the matter with you when I was a child, I just feel that you are very important. So, I can't answer the question why I immediately asked about you."

I was really reluctant to recall what happened in the past, so I was a little angry: "What a static fool. The reason why I say those words is just to show that I still don't trust you. However, it doesn't make any sense for me to pursue these things now. Compared to this, you should go to bed soon."

"... Then, are you leaving again?" He reached out and grabbed my hand, and gently pulled my hand away.

For a moment, an inexplicable joy surged into my heart. I was surprised by my feeling, so I pulled out my hand: "It has nothing to do with you."

“…”

...It's so difficult. How can I be as good as A Ye, I have a good temper and gentle to everything...

"...I mean, I can handle my own affairs." I avoided his eyes, "Speaking of it, are you really not going to sleep if you lie down like this?"

"..." Qingming closed her eyes after all, "Then let's sleep for a while."

In a short while, he fell asleep. He seemed to have not slept for several days... Abe Haruma... is such an incredible Onmyoji. Even if he completely separates his "evil", he still retains his thoughts...

I gently lifted him up with my demonic power, placed it on his bed, then went out and closed the door.

Without further ado, go there quickly...

After ensuring that my strength has been restored, I set off to that place. According to what Harumaki said, if Ogata Maru was really in the Blood Sacrifice, then Dajiangshan would be the last line of defense in Heian Kyo. Before, whether it was Qijiao Mountain, Dark Night Mountain, or Arakawa, one of the lands of the Demonic Land was occupied, and there were other places as defense places.

Now, there is only one last big country left.
To be continued...