Right.

Zhou Huai's trump card was none other than his loyal Demon Slave, Nakamura Shinichiro.

Choosing to form a contract with him back then was also with the thought that when a war broke out with Sakura Country in the future, he could become his insider within Sakura Country.

He hadn't expected it to come in handy so soon.

He had to admit that his past self was truly quite visionary.

Without wasting words, Zhou Huai looked at Nakamura Shinichiro, who was reverent to his very core, and commanded in a calm voice: "Get in the car first, we can talk on the way."

"Yes, Shifu!"

Nakamura Shinichiro respectfully acknowledged, not even waiting for Zhou Huai to make any move before stepping forward quickly to personally open the back door of the black sedan for Zhou Huai.

His movements were so natural, as if he had rehearsed them thousands of times.

Following that, he walked over to the driver's seat and coldly waved his hand at the driver inside the car.

"Get out."

The driver did not dare to delay in the slightest, hurriedly turning off the engine and getting out of the car to give up the seat.

Nakamura Shinichiro sat in the driver's seat and personally started the car.

The guard at the entrance's jaw almost dropped to the ground.

He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.

Aside from his Shifu, the Divine Artisan Omiya Yoto, he had truly never seen Lord Nakamura be this polite to anyone else.

Personally opening the car door and even dismissing the driver to drive himself?

This… what on earth was the background of this man wearing a plain windbreaker?

The vehicle slowly started and steadily drove into the heavily guarded gates of the club.

Zhou Huai leaned against the soft back seat, looking at the exquisite garden landscape rapidly receding outside the window, and quickly made arrangements.

"Find a room for me."

"It's best if it's secluded, and don't let anyone disturb us."

Looking through the rearview mirror at Shifu's ordinary-looking face, Nakamura Shinichiro's heart was filled with boundless reverence.

He nodded immediately, his voice steady: "Understood. Besides these, do you have any other instructions?"

Zhou Huai thought for a moment, his gaze falling on the huge black suitcase in his hand.

"You must already know about the battle between Qin Ze and Soma Kosuke yesterday, right?"

"What is Soma Kosuke's current condition?"

Omiya Yoto came from the Omiya Family. As his most proud disciple, Nakamura Shinichiro naturally belonged to the Omiya Family faction as well.

Furthermore, it was the kind with a fairly close relationship.

Through the Information Bug, Zhou Huai had long since learned that Nakamura Shinichiro was now the fiancé of the Omiya Family Head's eighth daughter.

Even though that eighth daughter was only nine years old this year.

But this did not delay the Omiya Family from booking this marriage in advance, which could completely bind this Genius blacksmith to their chariot.

It was evident how much importance Omiya Yoto and its Clan Head attached to Nakamura Shinichiro.

Zhou Huai had also considered using the Information Bug to sneak into the core area of the Omiya Family to investigate the situation.

But just like the Ise Grand Shrine, those truly important places often had powerful Formations protecting them.

The Information Bug simply could not enter.

Therefore, directly obtaining intelligence from Nakamura Shinichiro's mouth was undoubtedly the most efficient and safest method.

Hearing Zhou Huai ask this, Nakamura Shinichiro did not conceal anything in the slightest.

He parked the car in front of a secluded courtyard, turned off the engine, and then turned around to answer respectfully.

"Replying to Shifu, Lord Soma Kosuke did indeed suffer quite a heavy injury."

"However, fortunately, it can be healed."

"He has currently fully recovered."

Zhou Huai nodded; this result was within his expectations.

An SS-Rank Expert was not that easy to die.

He continued to press: "Then what are the Omiya Family's plans for next?"

Hearing this, a bitter smile appeared on Nakamura Shinichiro's face, and he gently shook his head.

"This... please forgive me, Shifu. Although I am a person of the Omiya Family, I am merely a lifestyle-class profession. Therefore, your subordinate is not very clear about the specific situation."

Afterwards, his tone changed:

"However, an emergency meeting was held within the Omiya Family last night, and I was not qualified to attend."

"But the batch of equipment recently forged by my Shifu was also completely distributed overnight."

"Judging by the looks of it, it seems they have made preparations to go to war with the Kujo Family at any time."

Zhou Huai leaned against the back of the chair, his fingers gently tapping on the armrest.

"Even if the Omiya Family goes to war with the Kujo Family, I'm afraid it will be very hard to have a chance of winning, right?"

"As far as I understand, the Kujo Family currently has three SS-Rank Experts."

"And your Omiya Family only has Soma Kosuke alone."

Zhou Huai's gaze grew sharp.

"He can't even beat Qin Ze, let alone Wada Hirayama and that Chong Wenguma."

Nakamura Shinichiro said:

"Shifu does not know."

"Although they have many SS-Rank Experts, they still have to fear the Divine Artifact Yasakani no Magatama in our hands."

"Furthermore, although that Chong Wenguma is a person of the Kujo Family, he only guards inside the Ise Grand Shrine and never goes out."

"Even Kujo Koji cannot order him."

Zhou Huai understood in his heart.

No wonder there was such a huge commotion last night, yet that Chong Wenguma was not seen appearing at all.

So the other party had been staying inside the Ise Grand Shrine all along.

Zhou Huai grew even more curious in his heart.

Since the Divine Artifact was in the hands of the Omiya Family.

Then just what kind of treasure was inside the Ise Grand Shrine that was worth an SS-Rank Expert guarding it there all the time?

If the Pendulum of Life was inside the Ise Grand Shrine, it would be completely reasonable for Chong Wenguma to guard it there.

But now it was confirmed that the Kujo Family did not place the Pendulum of Life in the Ise Grand Shrine.

Instead, it was Qinze Taichiro who was resurrected by it.

Then what reason did this Chong Wenguma have to continue guarding the Ise Grand Shrine?

Zhou Huai's thoughts spun rapidly; he felt as though he had touched upon a huge secret.

He spoke out his question.

Nakamura Shinichiro hurriedly said:

"Shifu, do you still remember the ruins I once told you were discovered in Sakura Country?"

"Those ruins are right inside the Ise Grand Shrine."

Zhou Huai suddenly realized.

So that was how it was.

The Ise Grand Shrine turned out to be the entrance to those ruins.

He looked at Nakamura Shinichiro and asked the doubt in his heart.

"Since the Omiya Family has already obtained Yasakani no Magatama from the ruins."

"Why would the Kujo Family still send an SS-Rank Expert to guard an empty shell?"

"An empty shell?" Nakamura Shinichiro shook his head, a trace of reverence in his voice.

"Shifu, those ruins... they are far more complex than you imagine."

"Although Divine Artifacts are important, the ruins themselves are even more important."

"Inside there, there are countless resources, materials we have never heard of, and even... a complete ancient civilization is sealed away."

"Every set of ruins is a Small World."

"It forms its own faction inside, has a unique ecosystem, and even has independent Laws."

"Although the Omiya Family was fortunate enough to obtain Yasakani no Magatama from inside, the area they explored probably doesn't even amount to one percent of the entire ruins."

Zhou Huai's fingers tapped lightly on his knees.

So it was like this.

It seemed that the Abyss of Mist beneath Donghai City should also be like this; his exploration of it was still far too little.

"Since that is the case, why doesn't the Omiya Family continue to guard this precious land?"

"Instead letting the people of the Kujo Family take advantage?"

Zhou Huai pressed further.

Nakamura Shinichiro sighed, his expression somewhat complex.

"Because they couldn't guard it."

"Back then, after the Omiya Family obtained the Divine Artifact, their strength was greatly impaired. The Kujo Family took advantage of their weakness and united with several other families to forcibly seize control of the Ise Grand Shrine."

"In order to protect the Divine Artifact, the Omiya Family could only choose to concede."

"And after the Kujo Family took over, Lord Chong Wenguma volunteered to guard there year-round, which has already been over a decade to this day."