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Shoko withdrew her hand, walked back to her desk, and took out a syringe and a small bottle of pale green medicine from the drawer: "Turn around and pull your clothes down a little."

Yu Ren did as instructed. A cool alcohol swab was applied to the back of her neck, followed by the insertion of a needle. The medication was injected, bringing a cooling sensation that spread down her spine.

"This is a specially made nerve repair agent," Shoko said as she injected it. "It can accelerate the recovery of damage in your body. Be careful next time, and don't always leave yourself covered in injuries. Although you can heal yourself, you're the one who suffers the pain."

The injection was complete. Nisu pulled out the needle and pressed a cotton swab against the puncture site: "Keep it in."

Yuuto raised his hand and pressed it against the cotton swab. The medicine was very effective; he could feel the subtle discomfort in his body rapidly subsiding.

“Thank you, Dr. Glass,” he said.

“不用谢我。”硝子坐回椅子，重新拿起病历，“我只是不想以后每次见你都是治伤。像五条那样多好，来我这儿从来都不是为了治伤(第1卷第40章路与理念)。”第1卷第40章第40章第40章1

悠人失笑。他想起第一次见硝子时，她也是用这种刻薄但关心的语气说话(第1卷第40章路与理念)。第40章第40章1

“Oh, right,” Shoko suddenly remembered something, “how is your sister Sora doing lately?”

"It's alright," Yuuto said. "The Void Technique has improved, but it's still not stable enough."

“Developing rare spells takes time.” Shoko picked up her coffee and took a sip. “Tell her not to rush. The path of a sorcerer is long, and building a solid foundation is more important than anything else.”

"I will tell her."

The two chatted for a few more minutes. Shoko mentioned several seriously injured patients recently admitted to the infirmary, all of whom were sorcerers from various regions who had been injured while on missions. The activities of the cursed spirits were becoming more frequent and intense, putting immense pressure on all frontline personnel.

“This era…” Shoko sighed softly, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Yuuto didn't reply. He understood what Shoko was worried about. Beneath the calm surface of the jutsu world, undercurrents were surging.

It was already 10 p.m. when he left the infirmary. Yuuto didn't return to Kyoto immediately, but went to the library at the Tokyo campus instead.

He needs to look up some information about "Cursed Spirit Symbiotes".

Daisuke's cursed power reminded him of certain special cases.

The library was brightly lit, but completely empty. Yu found the relevant category in the index, and sat down by the window with a heavy stack of ancient books in his arms.

He opened the first book, a research notebook from fifty years ago belonging to a sorcerer. It recorded a rare phenomenon of magical power.

When some humans awaken their spells, their magical power resonates strongly with the natural environment, forming a symbiotic state. In this state, the spellcaster's magical power fluctuations are extremely unstable, but their potential is enormous. If properly guided, the spell's growth ceiling can be very high.

“Resonance…symbiosis…” Yuuto murmured to himself. He brought up the system panel and used his points to redeem a one-time “Advanced Spell Power Analysis” function.

This is a new feature he recently discovered that can perform in-depth analysis of the spell power of a specific target, but it requires 500 points to use each time.

The analysis results came back quickly. Daisuke's spell energy frequency was indeed different from that of ordinary spellcasters; his spell energy contained a kind of "natural attribute," as if it had formed some kind of invisible connection with the surrounding vegetation, water, and soil. This explained the instability of his spell energy—his power was not entirely his own, but was also influenced by the environment.

“Interesting.” Yuuto closed the panel. If guided properly, Daisuke’s technique might develop the ability to manipulate natural elements. But if left uncontrolled, this unstable magical power could go berserk at any time, harming himself.

He continued perusing the ancient texts. The second book was a biography of an ancient sorcerer, detailing how he guided a "ley line resonator" to control their power. The method was ancient, but the principles were worth considering.

Through specific meditation and mantra cycle training, the resonator learns to distinguish between "their own mantra power" and "the mantra power of the environment," and gradually masters the method of guiding the latter.

Yuto wrote down these methods, planning to try them out when he met Daisuke over the weekend.

After finishing processing the data, it was already one in the morning. Yu Ren left the library and strolled around the campus. Moonlight shone on the stone path, casting long shadows. The hooting of an owl could be heard in the distance, and the night wind rustled through the treetops.

He walked to the training ground, the place where Gojo Satoru had competed a few days earlier.

The barrier has been repaired, and the cracks in the ground have been filled, but a faint trace of the curse's power still lingers in the air.

Although the battle was fierce, it also gave him a clearer understanding of his own abilities.

Feng Hou Qi Men, Shen Ji Bai Lian, Ju Ling Qian Jiang, Tong Tian Lu, Shuang Quan Shou, Ni Sheng San Chong, Liu Yun Jian... These abilities in his hands are no longer independent skills, but have been integrated into his combat instincts, forming a complete system (Volume 2, Chapter 132, Operation Begins).

But he knew that wasn't enough. He was filled with a sense of helplessness and despair.

The system points panel flickered in his mind. He currently had enough points to exchange for the next of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques, but he was still hesitant about which one to choose. The Six Treasures Immortal Thief's "Perfect Digestion" could greatly improve his endurance, the Great Luo Cave Observation's "Observing the Future" was invincible in intelligence warfare, and the Qi Body Source Flow's "Return of All Laws to One" was the legendary source of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques…

"Wait a little longer," Yuuto told himself. He needed more intelligence and more real-world testing before making the best choice.

My phone vibrated. It was a message from Qiong: "Brother, aren't you back yet?"

Yuuto replied, "Soon, I have some things to take care of at the Tokyo campus. You go to sleep first."

"Wait for you."

Those two simple words warmed You's heart. He put away his phone, a faint light flashed at the "Xun" position of the Qimen Dunjia divination chart beneath his feet, and his figure blended into the night wind, speeding towards Kyoto.

On Saturday morning, Miwa Kasumi brought her younger brother Daisuke to the Kyoto school. Daisuke is twelve years old, thin and small, wearing a slightly oversized school uniform, his eyes filled with nervousness and curiosity. He held his sister's hand tightly, his gaze sweeping around the campus.

"Don't be nervous," Miwa Kasumi gently comforted her. "Mr. Kasuga is a very nice person; he's here to help you."

Daisuke nodded, but his hand remained clenched tightly.

Yuuto waited for them at the training ground. When he saw Daisuke, he carefully examined the boy—the fluctuations of his cursed power were indeed very unstable, like a ball of flame that could explode at any moment, but deep within the flame was a strange "vitality" that resonated faintly with the surrounding environment.

“Daisuke, right?” Yuuto crouched down, his gaze level with Daisuke’s.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Kasuga." Daisuke's voice trembled slightly.

"Relax," Yuuto smiled. "I just want to see your magical power. Can you try to gather a little magical power in your palm? Just a little bit."

Daisuke looked at his older sister. Kasumi Miwa nodded encouragingly.

The boy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he slowly raised his right hand, and a pale green light, flickering like a firefly, appeared in his palm. The light was very unstable, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, and the moisture in the surrounding air began to condense, forming tiny water droplets around the light.

“Very good,” Yuuto said. He stretched out his finger and gently touched the ball of light. The cursed power flowed into his senses through his fingertip—indeed, as the analysis showed, Daisuke’s cursed power contained strong natural energies of “water” and “wood” attributes.

"When you awakened your spell, was it by the river or in the woods?" Yuuto asked.

Daisuke's eyes widened in surprise: "How did you know? I... I was playing by the river behind my house when I suddenly felt something 'awaken' inside me..."

“Because your magical power resonates with the natural environment.” Yuuto withdrew his hand. “This is not a bad thing, but rather a talent. But you need to learn to control it, otherwise the rampage of your magical power will hurt you.”

Daisuke lowered his head: "I...I've tried to control it, but I fail every time. Sometimes the curse power suddenly becomes very strong, wetting everything around me or making strange grass grow..."

Kasumi Miwa looked at her younger brother with worry. This was exactly what she feared most—uncontrolled cursed power could harm others, and more importantly, it could make Daisuke a "dangerous person" in the world of cursed arts.

“I can help you,” Yuuto stood up, “but I need your cooperation. The process might be a little tough, are you willing?”

Daisuke nodded vigorously: "I do! I don't want to break anything anymore. Last time I even broke my sister's favorite vase..."

Miwa Kasumi gently ruffled her younger brother's hair, her eyes slightly red.

Yuuto led the two to a quiet room in a corner of the training ground. This room was usually used for meditation training; the environment was quiet and there was little interference from magical energy.

"Daisuke, sit down." Yuuto pointed to the futon. "Close your eyes and feel the flow of your magical energy. Don't try to control it, just feel it."

Daisuke did as he was told. He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and his breathing gradually became steady.

Yuuto stood behind him, his right hand resting on the boy's back. His blue hand, wielding both hands, reached out and gently seeped into Daisuke's body, guiding his magical power to circulate along specific meridians.

“Your magical power is like a river.” Yuuto’s voice was soft, carrying a soothing quality. “The river contains your own water, as well as water flowing in from the mountains, the soil, and the air. What you need to do is not to block the water from outside, but to learn to channel it—to let all the water flow according to the river channel you have planned.”

Daisuke frowned slightly. He could feel a warm power coursing through his body, guiding his chaotic magical energy. The energies that had been clashing in all directions began to slowly converge and circulate along a specific path.

"Can you feel it?" Yuuto asked. "That's a 'river channel.' Remember that feeling."

The training lasted an hour. When it ended, Daisuke was soaked in sweat, but his eyes were bright. He opened his palm, and this time, the condensed magical power was no longer a flickering ball of light, but a stable, bluish-green water sphere, with tiny leaf-like shadows floating on its surface.

"I...I did it!" Daisuke's voice was full of surprise.

“This is just the beginning.” Yuuto withdrew his hand. “Meditate for half an hour every day using the method I just taught you, and practice the circulation of your incantation power. After a month, I will teach you how to use your incantation power to cast simple spells.”

"Thank you, Mr. Kasuga!" Daisuke stood up and bowed deeply.

Miwa Kasumi also bowed deeply: "Really... thank you so much."

“You’re welcome,” Yuuto said. “Daisuke is talented. With proper training, he can become an excellent sorcerer in the future. However…” He looked at Miwa Kasumi, “before he has fully mastered control, try to keep him away from situations that might trigger strong emotional fluctuations. Spell power in the resonance state is easily affected by the environment.”

“I understand.” Miwa Kasumi nodded vigorously.

After seeing off Xia and her brother Sanlun, Youren returned to his office.

There were two new emails on the table. One was from Nishimiya Momo, confirming the time and place for the evening's dinner.

The other letter was from Kenji Kamo, saying that the elders of the Kamo family had agreed to the terms of cooperation and inquired when the handover could begin.

Yuuto replied to Nishimiya Momo first: "Seven o'clock, Italian restaurant, no problem."

Then he replied to Kenji: "I will bring people to Kamo's house next Monday at 10 a.m. to prepare a catalog of ancient books and documents."

After finishing his emails, he leaned back in his chair to rest. The sun shone brightly outside the window, and maple leaves swayed gently in the breeze. Such peaceful daily life was especially precious in the world of sorcery.

He knew this calm wouldn't last long. But at least for now, he could catch his breath.

At 6:30 PM, Yuuto changed into a casual dark gray suit and left the vocational school for Shijo-dori. The Italian restaurant was located on the second floor of an old-fashioned building, elegantly decorated with soft lighting. When he arrived, Nishimiya Momo was already waiting by the window.

Chapter 171 Nothing More Told Overnight

The two spent the night in a restaurant or hotel without saying a word...

It was late when Yuuto left the restaurant. Nishimiya Momo insisted on seeing him to the door, and the two walked side by side down the wooden stairs of the old building, their footsteps echoing softly in the empty corridor.

The neon lights on the street cast a warm glow on her profile, and her orange pigtails swayed gently in the night breeze.

"Thank you for today." Nishimiya Momo stopped at the restaurant entrance, looked up at him, her eyes bright. "I had a great time."

“Me too.” Yuuto nodded. “The restaurant was a great choice.”

Nishimiya Momo smiled, a smile tinged with satisfaction and a barely perceptible hint of disappointment. "Take care on your journey," she said. "See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow." Yuuto turned and walked towards the street corner. He could feel Nishimiya Momo's gaze following his back until he turned the corner, at which point the gaze disappeared.

The streets of Kyoto are quiet at night.

Occasionally, pedestrians hurried by, and most of the shop shutters were down, with only convenience stores and izakayas still lit. Yuuto didn't call a taxi and chose to walk home.

He needs this time to sort out his thoughts.

Dinner with Momo Nishimiya was pleasant. She chatted about the funny things that happened during recent training, how Maki had once again crushed all the boys in physical training, and how Panda had recently become obsessed with knitting sweaters, even knitting a pair of gloves for everyone.

Although the sizes weren't quite right. She also asked about Yuuto's experiences in Aomori, and Yuuto picked out the parts he could talk about, omitting the bloody and dangerous details.

But there were certain topics they tacitly avoided. For example, the increasingly obvious affection in Nishimiya Momo's eyes, the heavy responsibilities on Yuuto's shoulders, and the undercurrents of threat in this era. They simply ate and chatted quietly, like ordinary friends.

That's good. Yuuto said to himself. Some boundaries are not yet ready to be crossed.

Turning the familiar street corner, the lights of her own courtyard came into view. Warm yellow light shone through the living room window, revealing the silhouette of Qiong sitting on the sofa.

Yu Ren pushed open the courtyard gate, where the light pink slippers were still neatly arranged in the entryway. He changed his shoes and went into the living room.

Qiong was nestled on the sofa reading a thick, hardcover book. Hearing the noise, she looked up, her reddish-brown eyes sweeping over him before returning to the pages. "You're back," she said calmly, her voice devoid of emotion.

"Hmm." Yuuto sat down next to her. "What are you looking at?"