Retsu did not linger. He quickly placed the contaminated shard back into the bamboo tube, infused it with Chakra to reseal it, and put it back into his ninja tool pouch.
"This is a shard of the shikon jewel after it has been contaminated.
I can only temporarily seal it; I have no way to completely purify it.
As far as I know, there is currently only one Priestess who can purify it."
"This thing is too terrifying..."
Only when the evil aura had completely vanished did Karan slowly calm down and sit back in her chair, her face still etched with lingering fear.
"That is why I cannot give the shard to you."
Retsu looked at her, his tone serious. "Your plan to use it to resurrect the Leopard Cat Lord is simply seeking your own destruction.
The one who is eventually resurrected won't be the Lord you are familiar with, but a monster controlled by evil energy that knows only slaughter.
When that time comes, forget about defeating the Dog Demon Clan and restoring your nation; you members of the Panther Tribe will be the first targets it slaughters."
"I... I will find a way to convince the Big Sister Leader."
Karan's expression became heavy, and she nodded vigorously.
Though impulsive, she could distinguish between what was important and what wasn't, and she would never gamble with the safety of her entire tribe.
"Don't be so nervous, kitty."
Retsu reached out and stroked her head. This time, Karan didn't dodge, allowing him to smooth her hair.
"Even if you can't convince your Big Sister Leader, it doesn't matter.
If the resurrected Leopard Cat Lord really becomes a monster, just use the Summoning Technique to call me, and I'll help you hack it to death again."
"Mhm! It's a promise!"
Hearing Retsu's words, Karan instantly cheered up. The heaviness on her face vanished, replaced by her usual cheerfulness as she nodded hard.
Worst comes to worst, they'd just kill the resurrected Lord again. With this guy around, there was nothing to fear.
She knew Retsu's strength was freakishly high.
For a while, she had been brooding over her previous easy defeat and had challenged Retsu several more times. The result was a complete loss every single time, without even a margin for resistance.
Now, she was full of confidence in Retsu's strength.
Karan stood up and said with a solemn expression, "I will do my best to convince the Big Sister Leader. If she insists on resurrecting the Lord, I'll have to ask you for help."
Retsu smiled and nodded. "Be safe on the road. Call me whenever you need help."
"Alright, I'm off!" She waved to Retsu and walked toward the door, impatient to return to her tribe.
She stopped at the door and looked back at him. "Oh right, when I summon you in the future, don't forget to bring me fresh fish!"
"Don't worry, there'll be plenty!" Retsu agreed with a laugh.
As he put the shard of the shikon jewel back into his ninja tool pouch, Retsu thought of something and quickly called out to her: "Wait, there's one more thing I need to tell you."
"What is it?" Karan's hand paused on the door as she turned to look at him in confusion.
"If you really use the shikon jewel to resurrect your Lord, there's a high probability you'll run into a girl named Kagome. When that happens, you absolutely must not harm her."
Retsu stared at her, instructing her with a serious tone.
"Oh—?" Karan drew out the sound, suddenly revealing a gossiping smile, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. "Who is this girl to you? For you to specifically warn me like this?"
"You curious cat!" Seeing her gossiping look, Retsu stepped forward, pressed his hand on her head, and spun it back and forth a few times.
He explained, "She isn't anyone special to me. She's the reincarnation of the Priestess Kikyo who died fifty years ago, and she's the Priestess of this generation guarding the shikon jewel.
She is also currently collecting shards of the shikon jewel. If you want to use shards to resurrect your Lord, you'll run into her sooner or later."
"Kikyo's reincarnation?" Karan was spun until she was dizzy. She shook her head and said, "Do I look like I'm tired of living to go pick a fight with her?"
"She hasn't fully awakened Kikyo's power yet, so her strength isn't that great."
Retsu let go and warned her seriously again.
"But she is currently the only person who can purify the shikon jewel! Anyway, just pay attention when the time comes. Protect her safety and don't let anything happen to her."
"Understood!" This time, Karan completely put away her joking mood and nodded seriously.
"Alright, I'm really leaving!"
Karan waved to Retsu and rushed out without hesitation, her red figure instantly disappearing onto the forest path.
Retsu looked at her departing back and shook his head with a smile.
This was probably the difference between humans and demons.
Human lifespans were short, so they couldn't help but feel sentimental about partings.
Demons, however, possessed long lives. Meeting and parting were the norm, and in the endless years to come, there would always be a chance to meet again. Thus, they never brooded over separations.
"Alright, I've stayed here long enough. It's time to set out."
Retsu turned back into the room and stored the bedding, daily necessities, and even the fur cushions and kitchenware he had prepared into his Kamui Dimension.
Supplies were scarce in this era; these things were hard to buy even with money. Fortunately, he had the Kamui Dimension; otherwise, he would have to travel with a giant storage scroll filled with pots and pans, which was a troublesome thought.
Once everything was packed, Retsu pushed open the door of the small wooden building and walked toward the distant mountain forest. After he had taken just a few steps, the sound of wood collapsing with a "rumble" came from behind him.
As he left, he manipulated the trees and soil that had formed the house, causing the entire wooden building to collapse instantly. It was then completely buried by rolling earth, returning to the original appearance of the mountain forest.
He did this because if the house were left alone, it wouldn't be long before it was occupied by mountain demons and turned into a nest. It was better to simply destroy and bury it.
---
"Rumble—!"
In the forest at dusk, Retsu was sitting by a campfire preparing to rest when a deafening roar suddenly pierced the night sky.
He snapped his head up to see a brilliant light erupting from a distant hill, accompanied by the demonic aura of numerous minor demons being annihilated in the explosion. Clearly, a fierce battle was taking place there.
"Hmm? Some excitement to see. Maybe I can even pick up some scraps."
A flash of interest crossed Retsu's eyes, and his figure instantly turned into a black shadow, racing toward the site of the explosion.