Chapter 86: White Hair Light: I said let Musachi become an apprentice, Master, do you think this is meeting the parents? (Patreon)

After leaving Scott Outpost, Musachi drove straight to a hospital under the municipal government, with Yixuan riding along.

Yixuan had originally been brought out by the municipal people, but once she ran into Musachi she was happy to switch to his car.

Still, looking at Yixuan in the passenger seat, Musachi felt oddly conflicted.

Strictly speaking, this car was something Hoshimi Miyabi had given him…

Driving the car Hoshimi Miyabi gave him, leaving Hoshimi Miyabi behind, and giving Yixuan a lift on the side…

The more he thought about it, the heavier the guilt got.

Next time, he'd make it up to Hoshimi Miyabi properly. With her personality, she probably wouldn't sulk about it.

Right? She wouldn't?

Musachi mulled it over. That woman wouldn't stick his photo on a straw dummy and spend a whole afternoon on slash-cutting practice, would she?

"Since Ye Shunguang was chosen by the Qingming Sword, has her body changed in any special way?"

Musachi was still very curious about Void Hunter weapons.

After all, he was an Enchainer himself, with his Karma Core still inside him, and his Nirvana was a bit different from the usual kind.

Musachi's Nirvana wasn't the traditional sort of weapon, forged by humans from the Karma Core of an Enchainer they'd slain in a large Hollow.

It had come about through a stroke of luck.

Back when Musachi became an Enchainer, he broke free of the Creator's shackles. The Creator couldn't influence him directly, so it could only use what little sway it had left over the Hollow to stir up trouble, hoping to defeat Musachi and drag him to its side.

For some reason, Musachi always felt the Creator had been on guard against something back then, as if it were afraid of him turning into someone else.

As for Nirvana, it came from the Creator's strongest offensive at the time. Using its own Authority, it had forcibly spawned an Enchainer wielding the Authority of destruction, hoping to have it defeat Musachi.

Everybody knows how that ended. After a great battle, Musachi won by a hair, and everyone who's wielded the Authority of destruction swears by it.

Then, once Musachi started moving about in the human world, Hollow Zero began to expand…

Come to think of it, could the Creator's targeting of him have been part of the reason for Hollow Zero's expansion back then?

Compared to other Hollows, Hollow Zero was easily the most special. In size and in the quality of its Ethereals, no other Hollow could compare.

"Changes?"

Hearing Musachi's words, Yixuan pondered for a moment, then shook her head lightly.

"Physically, there's nothing so far. The hospital's test results will tell us more, but overall I don't think there's been any physical change. It's just…"

As she spoke, Yixuan's expression turned strange.

"What is it?"

Seeing that, Musachi couldn't help being curious.

"Nothing. I couldn't explain it to you anyway. Once we get there, have a chat with Ye Shunguang and you'll see."

A smile crossed Yixuan's face. She shook her head again and didn't say more.

"Talking in riddles is a bad habit, Shifu Yixuan."

Musachi shot her a sideways glance, but Yixuan only answered with a smile and wouldn't say what was going on.

When had Yixuan picked up a mean streak like this?

Musachi grumbled to himself.

No, come to think of it, maybe she'd always been like this? It was just usually covered up by her grandmaster facade.

She probably had a bit of an imp in her too. Now that she was a shifu, she was simply hiding that side.

"Fine, don't tell me, then."

Musachi rolled his eyes and stomped on the gas, pinning an unprepared Yixuan firmly against her seat.

Yixuan shot him a displeased look.

Musachi pretended not to see it.

A moment later, Musachi and Yixuan parked in front of the hospital.

"I've never heard of this hospital before."

Musachi raised an eyebrow, looking at the building before him. Compared to New Eridu Central Hospital, it wasn't big, and that made him curious.

"It's closed to ordinary people. Everyone who comes here for treatment is either military or government staff, so it doesn't need to be large. But the equipment here is some of the best around. They say that ten years ago, a man whose core was about to sprout was cured by the doctors here."

"What kind of frog-eyed doctor is that…"

Musachi couldn't help grumbling. As long as someone had one breath left he could bring them back? What was he, the Heaven Canceller?

"Hm? Has your divination improved again?"

Hearing that, Yixuan looked at Musachi with interest.

"What do you mean?"

Musachi raised an eyebrow.

"How did you know the best doctor here has a face like a frog? Oh, and don't say that when you meet him. It would be disrespectful."

Yixuan blinked and said it with a smile, though she did add a reminder at the end.

"Damn, there really is one? I was just talking off the top of my head…"

Musachi broke into a cold sweat.

"And here I thought your divination had gotten so good you could skip even the finger-counting step…"

Yixuan raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Come on. I haven't used divination since then. Mine isn't like your kind, the fortune-telling sort. Whatever I calculate is bound to happen, but I pay the same price for it. Last time I calculated that a pizza would fall into a Hollow, and a delivery guy accidentally dropped one in. If I calculated gold bars falling from the sky, I'd probably end up with some gold-transport plane breaking apart in midair… Forget it. Unless it's critical, I'd better not use that ability."

Musachi said, a faintly odd look in his eyes.

Was his talent a good thing or a bad one?

It was only a simple divination, yet under his ability it could blow up into something this extreme…

"If your ability affects other people, then sealing it away really is better."

Yixuan nodded in agreement.

Chatting, the two of them walked side by side into the hospital.

In the corridor, Musachi saw many patients.

"I think you need to be prepared. The patient's corrosion symptoms are already severe. Even if we use all our best equipment and resources, his vital signs still can't be kept stable. Whether he survives is up to fate, and even if he does, there's a high chance he'll never wake up."

The doctor, wearing a grave expression, spoke to the people nearby who seemed to be the patient's family.

"Doctor, please, you have to save him. He's our only son."

"Doctor, do whatever it takes to keep him alive. This young man saved my daughter, and I still want to thank him in person."

Two men stood to one side, speaking to the doctor.

One was plainly dressed; the other wore a suit and had a distinguished air.

Beside them stood a pretty young girl.

She had to be the second man's daughter.

"What are you calculating?"

Listening to the doctor and the family, Yixuan suddenly noticed Musachi counting on his fingers.

"Whether the young man in that ward will live," Musachi said with a grin.

"And the result?"

Yixuan was curious.

"The result is… one who survives a great calamity is bound for good fortune."

The moment he finished, the door of the ward behind them was flung open by an excited nurse.

"Doctor! Doctor! The patient's awake! And all his readings are stabilizing!"

"What? Holy shit, a miracle actually happened?"

Hearing the nurse, the doctor couldn't hide his shock, and he even forgot himself and swore.

He knew exactly how badly the man inside had been hurt.

More than a dozen broken ribs, from being rammed head-on by an Ethereal.

A slash across his back from shoulder to waist that had nearly cut him in two.

That was Flash Bro's sneak attack.

Even his left kidney had been run through by Tyrfing, leaving a hole you could see through.

Normally, a doctor wouldn't call a corpse that was still breathing a patient.

But there was no choice. The man who'd come in held an important post in the municipal government, and the kid had just saved the man's daughter in the Hollow, so the doctor had done everything he could.

But honestly, the injuries were far too severe. On top of that, he hadn't been brought in fast enough, and he'd long since lost too much blood and fallen into a coma, with infected wounds and internal bleeding on top of that.

Even if he survived, he would most likely end up a vegetable.

The doctor had been about to tell the family to prepare themselves, and now you tell me the patient's readings are returning to normal?

Holy shit, once I cure this patient I'm damn well writing a paper. I'm about to be famous!

The doctor roared inwardly. Then he entered the ward and saw the patient's eyes open.

"It usually costs me something, but a probability-based thing like this I can pull off easily."

Musachi smiled at Yixuan beside him, his mood visibly much better.

Seeing that, Yixuan paused as she looked at him, then broke into a beautiful smile.

"You really are kind-hearted, Musachi."

Yixuan said it with a laugh. She'd met plenty of people over the years and dealt with her share of politicians. In a world of nothing but interests and scheming, someone as pure as Musachi had suddenly appeared, and honestly, that was rather novel to her.

"Kind-hearted? Not really. 'When poor, look after yourself; when successful, look after the world.' I can't look after the world yet, but giving someone a hand when they're struggling is fine."

Musachi said with a grin.

"Can you tell me why you do it?"

Yixuan looked at Musachi, a touch of curiosity in her eyes.

"Why what?"

Musachi paused. "Because I want to. It's like when someone's about to fall and you steady them on reflex. What's with all the whys? The dumbest thing these days is when a good person helps someone and a bunch of people nag about being a saint or whatever. Since when is helping others wrong? I'm happy to do it, the person helped is happy, and the bystander who did nothing is the one who's unhappy? Worthless mutts. I'll hit every one I see."

Musachi curled his lip and let out a few crude remarks.

But Yixuan, looking at the sour-faced Musachi, only smiled.

For some reason, her heart, usually calm as still water, rippled slightly at that moment.

She'd spent plenty of time with Musachi before and thought well of him, but she had to admit that seeing him now, she really did feel a flutter.

Hm, this way of thinking suits me quite well.

"We're here."

But Yixuan's thoughts didn't last long. Soon they reached a ward at the end of the corridor.

"Ye Shunguang, I'm here."

Yixuan knocked, waited a second, then pushed the door open.

Once inside, she gave a cheerful wave with the osmanthus cakes in her hand.

She'd spotted them on the way to the hospital and bought them specially for Ye Shunguang.

"How was it? Are the tests done?"

Yixuan and Musachi walked in and saw Ye Shunguang sitting on the bed. Yixuan asked.

Ye Shunguang had changed into a patient gown, but her complexion was rosy and she sat bolt upright, showing no sign of illness.

Or rather, she'd never been ill. Yixuan simply couldn't set her mind at ease, so she'd sent her for a checkup.

"They're done, Shifu. The doctor said I'm perfectly healthy, nothing wrong at all."

Ye Shunguang said, a trace of helplessness on her face.

As children raised by Yixuan, neither Ju Fufu nor Ye Shunguang could possibly have health problems.

Yixuan cared a great deal about her disciples' health, so alongside their training, their nutrition was always kept up.

Ye Shunguang had to drink milk every day.

Though she didn't much like the taste of plain milk…

Come to think of it, Ju Fufu liked milk too. She'd heard that drinking it made you taller, so she drank it eagerly.

But in height and other respects, Ye Shunguang had come from behind and overtaken her…

What a sad story.

"As long as you're fine, I can rest easy, then."

Yixuan paid no attention to Ye Shunguang's grumbling and just nodded to herself.

"Where's the Qingming Sword? You don't have to carry it with you?"

Musachi asked, curious, from the side.

He'd been planning to take a look at the Qingming Sword.

"I don't need the Qingming Sword for a checkup, of course. But why are you here too, Shopkeeper?"

Ye Shunguang asked, looking at Musachi with curiosity.

"I ran into Shifu Yixuan on the way and came along to see you. What's it like, being bound to the Qingming Sword?"

Musachi looked at Ye Shunguang and asked.

"What's it like? Nothing special, really. I just feel… like I've taken on more responsibility? She chose me, so I have to make good use of this power."

Ye Shunguang said, rubbing her chin.

"What responsibility? Don't listen to those people. The Qingming Sword was always meant to be sealed away. Back then, we only used it because we had no choice. Now that you have me and your Martial Aunt, what need is there for you to use the Qingming Sword?"

Yixuan said, frowning.

"Heh, but I want to help share your burdens, Shifu. With the Qingming Sword, I can do even more."

Ye Shunguang smiled.

"The side effects are huge. If you can avoid using it, do. Your shifu has no Void Hunter weapon either, and she's still a Void Hunter-level figure. As Yixuan's disciple, your future achievements won't fall far short of hers. There's no need to throw away your prospects for a shortcut like this."

Musachi leaned against the wall, looking at Ye Shunguang as he spoke.

"Exactly, exactly."

Yixuan nodded, chiming in.

"But…"

Ye Shunguang was about to say something, but Musachi cut her off.

"What's with all the buts? The Qingming Sword chose you. You didn't choose the Qingming Sword. So what if you don't use it? Don't tell me you still buy into that 'with great ability comes great responsibility' line?"

Musachi curled his lip and went on.

"Strictly speaking, that line is wrong. The right version is: the greater the power, the greater the responsibility. Power and responsibility are matched, but ability isn't. If you're strong and want to be a good person, you can help others of your own accord, but that isn't your responsibility. Do you understand?"

Musachi looked at Ye Shunguang earnestly.

The girl was young and couldn't see through many things clearly yet, so her attitude toward the Qingming Sword was a bit ambiguous.

But Musachi was different. 'With great ability comes great responsibility' was just moral blackmail. Musachi was a good person who helped others on his own, but he hated moral blackmail.

"I see…"

Ye Shunguang lowered her head, seemingly thinking over his words.

"How come your words work better than mine? This girl, I've told her for ages and she keeps agonizing over it. The only people Ye Shunguang listens to at all are you and my sister."

Yixuan looked at Ye Shunguang, a little helplessly.

At that, Ye Shunguang twitched the corner of her mouth…

"Actually, I don't fully agree with what Martial Aunt says either."

"Then why don't you argue back at your Martial Aunt anymore?"

Yixuan glared at Ye Shunguang.

"I'd love to, but every time Martial Aunt realizes she can't convince me, she goes to spar with Elder Lu Hengzhou and beats him black and blue… If I keep arguing, Elder Lu Hengzhou will get beaten to death by Martial Aunt sooner or later! For his safety, I'd better be good."

Ye Shunguang said earnestly.

Yixuan, beside her, struggled to keep a straight face at those words.

So that was what had been going on? No wonder every time she saw Lu Hengzhou he was black and blue and said he'd just fallen. It was her sister beating him up…

"Why does Lu Hengzhou take the beating for your back-talk?"

Musachi twitched his mouth. I'm starting to lose track of what you people at Yunkui Summit are about.

"Because when Ye Shunguang was chosen by the Qingming Sword, Lu Hengzhou said something about her needing to take on responsibility… My sister kept thinking he was pressuring Ye Shunguang, and lately she's been irritated with him. And she isn't like me. She has a bit of a temper, so every time she goes to heart-to-heart with Ye Shunguang and gets talked into silence, she can't bear to hit her, so she runs off to vent on Lu Hengzhou…"

"Your sister's a real piece of work. Pure Ultra Instinct."

Musachi gave a thumbs-up, and Yixuan, watching him, couldn't help holding her head.

"Honestly, this really is what I think, and it has nothing to do with Elder Lu Hengzhou… But Martial Aunt won't believe me."

Ye Shunguang muttered under her breath.

Ye Shunguang remembered that at first Lu Hengzhou had stuck to his view, but after Yixuan beat him, his attitude softened quickly.

By the end, when he saw Ye Shunguang, he all but knelt and begged, saying please stop insisting on responsibility, I was only joking back then.

"All right, I'll go find the doctor. You two wait here a bit."

Yixuan checked the time. If nothing was wrong, she could take Ye Shunguang home today.

Musachi nodded, saw Yixuan to the door, and shut it behind her.

"By the way, come eat at my place tonight. You're both here anyway."

Musachi suddenly remembered something and said.

"Sure~"

Ye Shunguang answered lightly.

But hearing that voice, Musachi paused.

What was going on? When had Ye Shunguang's tone become so much like a mature older sister's?

Puzzled, he turned his head and suddenly found a pretty face right up close, staring straight at him.

It was still Ye Shunguang's appearance, but the corners of her eyes, once softly curved, now tilted up slightly, giving her gaze a much sharper edge.

At the same time, a pointed horn had sprouted from the top of her head, and her brown hair had turned white in an instant.

"Hm?"

Musachi blinked, looking at Ye Shunguang in confusion.

"You transformed, too?"

Musachi reached out, grabbed Ye Shunguang's shoulders, and moved her aside.

"Naughty. Trying to startle me?"

After saying it, he looked her over.

Yes, her aura really was different. Compared to the original Ye Shunguang, this one was far more cutting and seemed… even more unrestrained?

"Another personality? Is this a side effect of the Qingming Sword?"

Musachi raised an eyebrow. A person's temperament couldn't change this drastically otherwise, he guessed, looking at the Ye Shunguang before him.

"Hm? I didn't expect you to guess so easily. I've wanted to meet you for a long time, Shopkeeper~"

Ye Shunguang said with a smile, leaning in close and staring into Musachi's eyes as if to brand his face into her mind.

"What's so interesting? From how you're acting… your memories are shared with hers, right?"

Musachi twitched his mouth, looking at White-Haired Guang, who was all easy familiarity with no trace of shyness around strangers, and answered with some helplessness.

"It's not the same. We're essentially one person, but our way of doing things is quite different. For example… she's very timid, but I'm much more unrestrained."

White-Haired Guang said with a smile.

Unrestrained, huh… He could see that, all right.

But just then, Musachi remembered something.

Back when Yixuan was talking, he'd already found it odd. With Ye Shunguang's personality, she shouldn't be the type to talk back to the elder Yixuan, should she?

Now that he thought about it…

"You're the one who talks back to the elder Yixuan?"

"Hm? You could guess even that?"

White-Haired Guang looked at Musachi in puzzlement.

"I just couldn't picture the original Ye Shunguang arguing back. She's always been soft, like a little cake."

"Right? Right? She's just too soft. A personality like that is sure to get bullied."

White-Haired Guang agreed suddenly.

Hm?

Musachi looked at White-Haired Guang, puzzled.

Something's off. You're basically the same person as Ye Shunguang, so why do you sound like you agree with Ye Shunguang completely?

I praised her a little and you gave yourself away…

Seeming to realize she'd been a bit too eager, White-Haired Guang coughed lightly and went back to her usual manner.

"For some reason, I feel a very close connection to you. Do you have any idea why, Shopkeeper?"

White-Haired Guang raised a slender finger, lightly stroked her smooth chin, and looked at Musachi with curiosity.

As she spoke, White-Haired Guang felt puzzled herself.

In essence, White-Haired Guang and Ye Shunguang were one person, a reflection in Ye Shunguang's heart.

So she did things Ye Shunguang would never dare to do in daily life.

Still, the two did have small differences. For example, right now White-Haired Guang could sense a very comfortable aura coming from Musachi.

Ye Shunguang couldn't.

"Ye Shunguang, pack up. We can go now."

While the two were talking, Yixuan came in from outside and spoke to Ye Shunguang.

But upon seeing the mirror self in the room, she paused, then broke into a smile.

"So this is the surprise you were holding back on the way here?"

Musachi smiled at Yixuan.

"I was pretty shocked the first time I saw Ye Shunguang like this too. What do you think?"

Yixuan said with a laugh.

"Not bad. It feels totally different from the usual Ye Shunguang."

Musachi clicked his tongue in amazement as he looked at White-Haired Guang.

"Right? But Ye Shunguang is too soft-natured usually. This form isn't bad. This way I don't have to worry about her being wronged because of her temperament."

Yixuan looked at White-Haired Guang with satisfaction and said with a laugh.

She didn't treat White-Haired Guang as some outsider who'd suddenly appeared.

In Yixuan's eyes, both Ye Shunguang and White-Haired Guang were her good children, so she simply treated them the same.

Seeing Yixuan like this, White-Haired Guang sighed.

Even White-Haired Guang, who followed her heart's truest wishes, wouldn't do anything too outrageous in front of Yixuan.

After all, her disciples knew best how good Yixuan was to them.

"But… Shopkeeper, when will you go to Yunkui Summit with Shifu to meet Martial Aunt Yixuan? You've known each other for a long time, haven't you?"

White-Haired Guang said suddenly.

"Where did that come from?"

Yixuan paused.

"Because Shifu likes the Shopkeeper a lot, right? So it's about time Martial Aunt Yixuan gave her approval."

"What nonsense! You girl, do you think I can't bring myself to hit you?"

Yixuan glared at White-Haired Guang.

Damn. From now on, at any banquet, who'd dare touch their chopsticks before Ju Fufu and White-Haired Guang do?

Musachi glanced at White-Haired Guang and muttered inwardly.

What fine disciples Yixuan had raised! They'd already started setting up assists!

"I meant taking the Shopkeeper as a disciple! What did you think I meant, Shifu? You've taught the Shopkeeper arts. Doesn't that mean accepting him as a disciple?"

Looking at the flustered Yixuan, White-Haired Guang said with a smile, blinking and gazing at Yixuan with an innocent look.

"Oh, so you meant taking me as a disciple. I thought we were meeting the parents already! Should I change how I address you from now on? Shifu Yixuan becomes Mama Yixuan or something… After all, once a teacher, always a mother."

Musachi teased from the side.

"What nonsense! You're joining in the fun too, are you?"

Yixuan glared at Musachi.

At the same time, she looked at White-Haired Guang with some helplessness.

This girl was good in every way, except that she was a little demon.