Chapter 62: The Fierce Battle with the High Priest

Sensing three auras no weaker than his own, Xiao Yu knew the three who had arrived must be the priests from the Ise Grand Shrine. Without a moment's hesitation, he leapt away, swiftly disappearing into the distance.

No sooner had Xiao Yu left than three elderly figures slowly descended upon the scene. Without pausing, they rushed into the house. Upon entering and seeing the disorder within, fury erupted in their faces.

"Find him! Even if you have to dig three feet into the earth, you must bring this man out!" The leader among them, an elderly man, thundered, his rage echoing throughout the ruined room.

Under their watch, the Ise Shrine had been desecrated—an affront not just to the priests, but to the dignity of the entire Sakura Nation.

At his command, the other two flashed away toward different directions, their figures vanishing from the shrine. The speaker, too, disappeared in an instant, coincidentally heading in the direction Xiao Yu had fled.

Yet Xiao Yu had not chosen to depart; instead, he continued his rampage within the shrine. With Taishui and the others joining in, chaos and smoke spread throughout, drawing the attention of priests and ninja guardians alike.

Witnessing their sacred shrine ravaged by strangers, they flew into a fury, launching attacks against Taishui and his companions.

Xiao Yu, meanwhile, ceased his destruction, for before him stood an old man, his face grim, eyes locked upon Xiao Yu. This was the priest who had spoken earlier—the chief among the twelve priests of Ise Grand Shrine, Sakai Muramasa.

"You destroyed the statue of Amaterasu and desecrated the ancestral tablets of our Sakura Nation. Was it you?" Sakai Muramasa demanded coldly.

Xiao Yu met the priest's gaze without a word or hesitation; sword in hand, he lunged at Sakai Muramasa, aiming straight for his vitals.

Sakai Muramasa responded instantly, employing ninja techniques to vanish from sight, evading the attack. Xiao Yu, seeing his opponent disappear, smiled coldly, flashing to the left and thrusting his sword.

If others had witnessed this, they might have thought Xiao Yu mad, attacking empty space. But as his sword cut through the air, a powerful aura revealed an elderly figure, stunned, appearing before him.

Stunned as he was, Sakai Muramasa was a master, and he immediately counterattacked. He moved in close, gathering formidable power in his raised palm. Xiao Yu, eyes narrowing, gathered his own strength and struck out with his palm.

A thunderous sound echoed as their palms collided, a surge of energy radiating outward, devastating everything nearby.

The two separated, each staring at the other with grave expressions. Xiao Yu's strength was no longer what it once had been; previously, one strike might have sent Sakai Muramasa flying.

After a brief pause, Sakai Muramasa flashed forward, assaulting Xiao Yu. His hands transformed into claws, reaching for Xiao Yu's throat and abdomen.

Xiao Yu’s lips curled into a cold smile, responding instantly. With a push from his right foot, he leapt high, sword stabbing out, a murderous aura sweeping toward Sakai Muramasa.

Feeling the chilling intent, Sakai Muramasa recoiled in shock, hastily withdrawing and retreating. The icy killing intent emanating from Xiao Yu was so cold it made Sakai Muramasa feel as though he had fallen into a frozen abyss, leaving him shaken.

Seeing his opponent retreat in fear from one sword strike, Xiao Yu laughed heartily, his gaze filled with disdain.

Sakai Muramasa noticed the contempt in Xiao Yu's eyes, and rage flared within him. As the chief priest of five grand shrines, renowned for decades, he had never suffered such a look. Xiao Yu's gaze had thoroughly enraged him.

"Ah! Kill!"

With a roar, Sakai Muramasa charged at Xiao Yu. At some point, a pitch-black staff had appeared in his hand—his weapon.

Facing Sakai Muramasa's fierce attacks, Xiao Yu showed no hint of panic. His sword danced lightly before his chest, tracing a strange pattern that quickly appeared in front of him. Just then, Sakai Muramasa's staff crashed down upon the pattern.

A resounding crash erupted as the staff struck the pattern, a vast surge of energy spreading outward. At the center, both Xiao Yu and Sakai Muramasa were forced to the ground, their legs driven deep into the earth by the overpowering force. The wild winds produced by the energy left their hair disheveled, and blood flowed from their hands.

The magnitude of power unleashed in their last exchange was evident.

After a long moment, the shockwave faded. Both exerted their strength and forced each other apart, leaping up as the earth cracked beneath them and smoke billowed across the scene.

Sakai Muramasa, upon landing, did not pause. A powerful aura erupted from within him, a surge of energy shooting skyward. His hands formed complex seals, rapidly shifting, and an invisible pressure filled the space.

Xiao Yu felt the oppressive force around him, frowning. He sensed his own power slowing under the mysterious pressure.

Sakai Muramasa’s seals continued to change, and the force compressing the space grew stronger. Xiao Yu knew he could not let this continue. If he were subdued by this invisible pressure, he would be at Sakai Muramasa's mercy, helpless to resist.

With this realization, Xiao Yu slowly raised his sword, a vast aura bursting forth. Two powerful energies clashed, restoring the flow of strength within Xiao Yu.