Chapter 28

After Xin Xin and Jian Xin set off, they encountered quite a few troubles along the way. After all, during the Meiji period, there was a ban on carrying swords, and the master and apprentice were chased by the police multiple times. If it weren't for their superior skills, they probably would have been locked up before they even met Shishio. On the road, the two of them accidentally met Makoto Makoto, who was out looking for Aoi. However, the reason they met was that Makoto was short on money and had the idea to rob Xin Xin and Jian Xin. The plan was good, but the outcome was tragic. Not only did he not get any money, but the money he had was also partially taken by Xin Xin as a penalty for robbing them. When they passed through the Crescent Moon Village, the three of them accidentally found a police spy and his younger brother Eita lying on the road. The spy, before dying, detailed the situation in Crescent Moon Village to the three of them. It turned out that Crescent Moon Village had already been occupied by Shishio. The government had abandoned the place, and under Shishio's oppression, the people only cared about survival, having given up their dignity. When Xin Xin and the others arrived at Crescent Moon Village, the bodies of Eita's parents were still hanging at the village entrance, with no one to claim them. The villagers, fearing Shishio's power, even prevented Xin Xin from putting down the bodies. However, Jian Xin cut the wooden frame holding the bodies with one stroke, and at that moment, his eyes revealed a startling aura. The villagers, seeing Jian Xin's eyes, did not dare to approach. At this time, Saito Hajime also arrived at the scene. Saito, Xin Xin, and Jian Xin decided to go to Shishio's residence together, leaving Makoto and Eita to bury the bodies.

On the other side, Shishio was soaking in a hot spring in a mansion in Crescent Moon Village, with Yumi and Tenken Sōjirō by his side. Kneeling before Shishio was the spy who had lost track of Xin Xin and the others.

"This time, I'll spare your life, but if this happens again, I'll kill you," Sōjirō said to the spy with a smile, though his words and expression were completely at odds, making him even more terrifying. At this moment, another spy came to report to Sōjirō. After hearing the news, Sōjirō immediately informed Shishio.

"A man with a scar on his left cheek, a man in a light blue coat, and a sword-wielding police officer are approaching this mansion."

"I haven't even greeted them, and they've come to me. Impressive, as expected of my senior. But who is the man in the blue coat? I don't remember him," Shishio said, admiring Jian Xin's abilities. However, he knew nothing about Xin Xin, who had done a good job of hiding his identity.

"He is said to be the owner of a famous tofu shop in Tokyo, who displayed remarkable strength during several incidents in Tokyo," Sōjirō said, though his information was not comprehensive. After all, Xin Xin rarely showed his face, and the only times he acted were when some of Takeda Kanryū's private army survived and provided information. However, these people were just street thugs and had no clear understanding of Xin Xin's strength, only that he was very powerful.

"Then let's ignore him for now. Sōjirō, go welcome them and have Zankotsu prepare," Shishio ordered. After giving the order, Shishio got out of the hot spring and had Yumi help him rewrap his bandages...

At this point, Xin Xin and the others had already arrived at the mansion's entrance, and Sōjirō had been waiting for a long time. Although entering the mansion might lead to an ambush by Shishio, they decided to enter, knowing that one must enter the tiger's den to catch the tiger. In the mansion's room, they met Shishio.

Shishio explained to Xin Xin and the others that he was not rebelling because the Meiji government was trying to assassinate him, but because the current government was too corrupt and lacked the courage to send troops to pursue him. Therefore, he believed the current government did not have the right to rule the country. Jian Xin, on the other hand, argued that Shishio's rebellion and attempt to seize power were for his own benefit, causing countless innocent civilians to suffer.

"This world is inherently a place where the strong prey on the weak, senior," Shishio said.

"Shishio, I won't let you sacrifice the lives of so many innocent people for your own desires," Jian Xin said, drawing his reverse-blade sword and pointing it at Shishio.

"What do the two of you think?" Sōjirō asked Xin Xin and Saito.

"I have no interest in that guy's lofty ideals, but getting rid of Shishio here suits my taste," Saito replied.

"As for me... I hate trouble, so it's more convenient to deal with Shishio here," Xin Xin said.

"Very well, since the three of you are so eager, then," Shishio clapped his hands, and the tatami in front of Xin Xin and the others was instantly lifted, revealing a giant figure over three meters tall. "Let Zankotsu, the manager of Crescent Moon Village, play with you." With that, Zankotsu swung his short blade (a weapon similar to the front end of a halberd with a handle, for which there is no exact name, so it is referred to as a short blade) at Xin Xin and Jian Xin. The sound of breaking wood echoed as Jian Xin was slammed into a sliding door.

"The legendary Himura Kenshin is nothing more than this," Zankotsu said arrogantly, but the next moment left him speechless. He saw his short blade being cut by Jian Xin's reverse-blade sword, with the entire blade embedded in it. Zankotsu tried to twist his arm to make Jian Xin drop his sword, but despite Jian Xin's small stature, his strength was formidable, and Zankotsu's arm was almost broken. Realizing his left arm was no match for Jian Xin's two hands, Zankotsu began to use his right hand to strike Jian Xin with his short blade, but he couldn't move it. Zankotsu looked to his right and saw Xin Xin extend his right hand, grabbing the short blade with just one hand. Despite Zankotsu's desperate struggle, he couldn't move the blade at all. Xin Xin then exerted force, and cracks spread from the blade's edge to the body, causing the short blade to shatter, and Zankotsu finally broke free from Xin Xin's grip.

"How... is this possible?" Zankotsu said, looking at his heavily damaged short blades, shocked.

"You're surprised," Xin Xin said, walking forward with a mocking look. "Is this level of strength enough to surprise you?"

Hearing Xin Xin's words, Zankotsu was overcome with anger and charged at Xin Xin, striking with his short blade. However, the attack was too slow, and Xin Xin sidestepped, closing in on Zankotsu. With a punch from his right hand, Xin Xin struck Zankotsu's chest, and a clear sound of a broken bone echoed. Zankotsu's massive body was sent flying five meters away, landing heavily on the tatami.

"Dealt with the trash. Jian Xin, Shishio is yours. This is your generation's business, and I'm just here to back you up. I'll try not to interfere with your feud," Xin Xin said after dealing with Zankotsu, then walked to the sliding door where Xin Xin and the others had entered and pulled it open, causing Makoto and Eita to fall into the room.

"If you want to watch, come in and watch. Don't be sneaky," Saito said, seeing the two enter.

"Draw your sword, Shishio," Jian Xin said, pointing his reverse-blade sword at Shishio.

"I was going to use Zankotsu to make you draw your sword, but Mr. Takeda directly knocked him out with his fists," Shishio said, looking at Zankotsu. "You're really useless. I'll kill you with my own hands."

Hearing this, fear appeared on Zankotsu's face, and he ignored the pain in his chest, charging at Jian Xin.

"Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki (Heaven-Turning Dragon Flash)," a blue energy blade shot from Jian Xin's sword, striking Zankotsu's neck. The pain and difficulty breathing caused Zankotsu to fall to the ground again, this time unconscious and unlikely to wake up soon.

"There's no need to show mercy to such a person. Your excessive kindness will eventually lead to your downfall," Saito said, frowning at Jian Xin's actions.

"I don't care. Besides, there's no need to be overly cautious when dealing with a junior."

"The Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki you just used, it should be a technique that uses the sword to create a sharp energy blade to cut the opponent in half, right?" Shishio asked, looking at Jian Xin.

"…Yes."

"I didn't expect you to really retire. The current you can't beat me. I don't want to engage in a pointless struggle," Shishio said, standing up and walking to a secret passage in the room, picking up a sword and throwing it to Sōjirō.

"As a return for seeing the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki, let me show you my Tenken," Shishio said, and he and Yumi quickly left through the secret passage.

Jian Xin and Sōjirō faced each other, but due to Sōjirō's lack of emotional connection, he did not generate things like killing intent or fighting spirit, making Jian Xin's ability to read his moves ineffective. Therefore, Jian Xin planned to take the advantage in the first strike, and the faster the first strike, the more advantageous it would be. Currently, the fastest sword technique Jian Xin knew was the sword-drawing technique. On the other side, Sōjirō, seeing Jian Xin's stance, also adopted the sword-drawing technique. As they approached each other, they both struck simultaneously. The reverse-blade sword and the Tora-Tei collided, resulting in the reverse-blade sword being cut in half, while the Tora-Tei was left with cracks all over its blade, more damaged than Jian Xin's reverse-blade sword. If they collided again, the Tora-Tei would likely disintegrate. Both weapons were damaged, so it was a draw. Sōjirō left through the secret passage, leaving Xin Xin and the others behind.

"The reverse-blade sword is broken. This is probably a turning point, Jian Xin," Xin Xin said, walking forward, picking up the broken reverse-blade sword from the ground, and taking the one from Jian Xin's hand. He then handed his cane to Jian Xin, "Jian Xin, use my cane sword for the next few days. Although it's a normal sword, the cane itself is made of fine steel, so it can still be used as a reverse-blade sword. However, it's quite heavy, about ten kilograms, ten times the weight of a reverse-blade sword. You might not be used to it, so try to find a new sword as soon as possible."

Jian Xin took Xin Xin's cane, feeling it was a bit heavy but still manageable. "Although the reverse-blade sword is broken, the outcome is still good. At least we've reclaimed this village, Master."

"Yes," it was already dusk, and the slowly setting sun in the distance seemed to foreshadow the arrival of disaster. "Jian Xin, we should continue on our journey. We can't stay here for too long, or things might change."

The group's figures disappeared into the sunset, leaving Crescent Moon Village behind...

Physical Condition:

Heart Coins: 1080

World: Rurouni Kenshin

Name: Xin Xin (Liu Tianyin)

Gender: Male

Physical Attributes:

Physical strength is about nine times that of an average person.

Detailed Attributes:

Strength: 91 (10) - Affects burst strength, pure strength, and strength beyond limits.

Agility: 100 (10) - Affects speed, reaction time, and intuitive strength.

Endurance: 95 (10) - Affects stamina, recovery speed, and the ability to withstand certain techniques.

Abilities:

Sword Technique: Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki

No-sword style

Mastery of all cold weapons

Mastery of all firearms

Martial arts master

Acquired Heart Powers:

Killing Heart Level 2: Does not waver in most situations when killing others, has resistance to certain illusions, and gains a small amount of recovery from killing.

Mercy Heart Level 2: Mercy is a necessary quality for a strong person, has resistance to certain illusions, and gains a small amount of recovery from helping others.

Ordinary Heart Level 1: Daily life can cultivate one's character, has resistance to certain illusions, and can gain the favor of ordinary people.

Equipment:

Kikyo Sen no Miko: A long sword condensed by the power of the Infinite Heart, surpassing the limits of human craftsmanship in the Rurouni Kenshin world. It comes with the ability to perform ultimate techniques without the need for a life-or-death decision.

Special Items:

Broken Reverse-Blade Sword: The sword Jian Xin used in the battle at Crescent Moon Village, crafted by Arai Seikō. It can be repaired by paying 5 Heart Coins.

Note: This is the second update. The use of the broken Reverse-Blade Sword will be explained in the future.

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