General Dog's visit was just a small episode in ordinary life. As he left, Horii quickly forgot about him. Apart from occasionally remembering that noble young master's demonic youth, she had practically put all of her spiritual energy into cultivation.

Strangely enough, ever since Reiko had nurtured Horii as her successor and taught everything to Horii. Horii had discovered that her spiritual power had started to grow rapidly. The growing speed had almost reached a terrifying level.

Horii was a little worried that something would happen to her body, so she stopped cultivating.

However, her ShiKi (Shikigami are conjured beings, made alive through a complex conjuring ceremony) didn't care about it, and her ShiKi even paid more attention to Horii’s cultivation. Horii finally managed to find a reason to pull the ShiKi out, but not long after she lay down, ShiKi’s pretty face appeared in front of her again.

"Master."

"MaSu(The name of Horii’s ShiKi)." Horii rubbed her temples and sat up helplessly. "Has your mission been completed?"

"It's just a few frustrated monsters. There's no need to waste time." She pursed her lips and smiled, "Master, if you are lazy, you will never become the number one witch of the Warring States Period."

Horii sighed, "When have I ever said such a thing?"

After witnessing the magnificence and strength of the‎ Sesshoumaru that night, she did have the desire to become stronger. However, she was sure that she had never said anything like becoming the number one witch.

ShiKi smiled at her. Her body did not move much. In the blink of an eye, she had already climbed up the tree and sat down beside Horii with her sleeves rolled up.

"Isn't that what Master thinks?" ShiKi raised her sleeve to cover the smile on lips. "Master was very unhappy that Yokai called ‎Sesshoumaru ignored you at that time."

Horii silently recalled that she did feel a little disappointed because of being ignored, but it was definitely not as exaggerated as the ShiKi had said.

MaSu continued, "That was unacceptable. He refused to even give a single glance and completely ignored you."

"…"

"If I can become strong, I will be able to make that fellow face me head-on. Is that what Master thinks?"

"MaSu" Horii raised her head gloomily. "Did I ever tell you that a too noisy ShiKi is not pleasing?"

"Everything I say is your heartfelt wishes." ShiKi covered half of her face with her sleeves and looked at Horii with watery eyes.

Horii picked up the etiquette fan and said in embarrassment, "Enough!"

'"Yes, yes, master, I shouldn't have teased you," ShiKi said, stretching out a finger to press against the fan.

Horii pulled back the etiquette fan and laid down on the big tree again with her messy witch costume.

As if she had thought of something, she suddenly asked, "What's going on in the northwest recently?"

"Yokai from the west and local Yokai have clashed there. The northwest has become the second battlefield after the southeast battlefield."

"What's the cause?"

"I'm not sure. I only heard that Western Yokai is looking for something."

"Then how is the situation now?"

"It has been two battles, and the local monsters are currently in an advantage … Oh, right, the leader of the local monsters is the dog general who visited Lord Reiko last time."

"Western Yokai" Horii repeated. Suddenly, she turned her head and said, "MaSu, do you remember when Western Yokai appeared on a large scale?"

"At that time, I didn't become a Shiki yet. I didn't know very well, but it was about seven years ago."

"In other words, that was the year when I was picked up by Reiko." Horii raised a hand and touched the scar on her neck. It was left behind by the Yokai three years ago, and now it was so faint that it was almost invisible.

"Maybe we should check it out if we have time …"

…

A few months later, when the weeds in the back mountain passed through Horii's calves and the summer solstice was approaching, Horii suddenly sensed the demonic aura of Sesshoumaru one day.

The demonic energy appeared in the back mountain without warning and stayed there for a long time.

Originally, Horii didn't want to meddle in other people's affairs. After all, Reiko was out, and she didn't have any friendship with Sesshoumaru. If she rushed over, she might make him felt unhappy.

However, after noticing that Sesshoumaru hadn't left for a long time, Horii still couldn't control her curiosity and sneaked to the back mountain to avoid the ShiKi.

The cherry blossoms in the back hill were more beautiful than usual.

Under the largest cherry blossom tree, the young Yokai dressed in luxurious clothes leaned against the tree trunk with his eyes closed like he was sleeping. When the breeze blew, the petals fell all over his body.

However, Horii realizes that he was not sleeping. There was a bowl-sized bloody hole in his chest. Horii didn't know what had caused it, but it was still bleeding.

Horii carefully took two steps forward.

Horii could tell that Sesshoumaru was in a very bad state. If the serious bleeding cannot be stopped in time, even if the son of a powerful Yokai, he would die from excessive blood loss.

In the end, she only moved a little and the Sesshoumaru opened eyes.

His fierce golden eyes looked straight at Horii with a murderous aura that carried the impression that he would kill her if she took another step forward.

Seeing his precautions, Horii raised a hand in embarrassment and waved, "I was just passing by."

It's her.

The human who hid behind his father's old friend last time. She seemed to have grown taller, and her spiritual power had also increased by quite a bit.

But no threat.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her again, restrained his killing intent, withdrew his gaze, and closed eyes again.

Seeing that he didn't react, Horii said boldly, "Your injury …"

"Fuck off." The young dog Yokai said expressionlessly with his eyes closed.

Obviously, the dog Yokai wasn't very grateful.

Horii thought silently. Then she obediently turned around and walked back to the shrine.

Back at the shrine, Horii casually flipped through a book, but her mind couldn't help but recall Sesshoumaru's pale face.

After all, it was such a serious injury that even he wouldn't be able to endure it.

"I'm so annoyed!" She scratched her hair in frustration, "Sure enough, I still can't be at ease!"

She jumped up from the ground, brought along the herbs she usually collected and rushed towards the back mountain under the puzzled gaze of her Shiki.

Sesshoumaru was still there, and because of the severe injuries, he had already fallen into a semi-unconscious state. It wasn't until Horii walked to his side that he noticed it.

He opened eyes and was about to throw the poisonous whip, Horii's body automatically responded before her consciousness could react.

She crushed Sesshoumaru.

To be exact, at that instant, she grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand with and pressed down on his chest, her knees against his lower abdomen, suppressing him to the ground without moving.

The world was silent for an instant.

Horii raised head to face the pair of golden eyes that were overflowing with killing intent and were about to turn red. She secretly cried out in her heart, "Bad Luck"

She looked away guiltily, not daring to look at Sesshoumaru's furious gaze again.

"Well… just an accident."