[...]

"Could it be that Shuten-doji killed and ran away?"

Lin Xun furrowed his brow.

Although he only had one ’Tooth of Disaster Fight’, and therefore could only subdue one top-grade yokai. But whichever one he subdued, the other yokai could join in the final battle against the Daishogun as a powerful aid.

Already without a ’Great Tengu’, Lin Xun didn’t want to be without the Shuten-doji either.

If he could add some weight to the balance of victory, he must do his best. He couldn’t slack off.

[After asking the villagers for more information, you finally learned something different from a rice-selling farmer...]

[The farmer, accepting the thousand points of Lingxi you gave him, quietly told you that he, like the other villagers, had not seen the legendary sake-buying child...]

[However, a handsome-looking herbalist in the mountains has a bafflingly large appetite and purchases an enormous amount of rice for his semi-annual mountain trips.]

[The quantity of rice would be enough to feed an eight-person family for three to five years, far more than the herbalist could possibly consume during his short mountain retreats.]

[Even stranger is that the herbalist purchases only rice and refuses any other vegetables and fruits – even if they are being given to him for free...]

[You quickly inquire when the farmer last saw the herbalist.]

[The farmer thought for a moment and then told you that he last saw the herbalist about a month ago. The herbalist had bought nearly a cartload of rice from him and then disappeared into the mountains...] 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

At this point, Lin Xun was convinced that the herbalist was none other than Shuten-doji!

Do yokai eat rice? Definitely not.

Shuten-doji is known for his love of sake, and the brewing skills of the village at the foot of the mountain is terrible. The ’Shequan Sake’ they brewed is of waste product level, which could hardly satisfy Shuten-doji.

The primary raw material for brewing sake is rice. Shuten-doji buys rice and heads into the mountains, where there is excellent mountain spring water. What he is doing is undoubtedly—brewing his liquor!

[You return to the sake shop and inquire about the specific location of the sake-making spring in the mountains. Under the force of your money, the owner of the sake shop tells you all.]

[Soon, you know where the mountain spring water used for sake brewing is collected.]

[You leave the village and set out on foot to ’Mount Ōe of the Capital’...]

[You follow the mountain path and step into the mountains...]

[...]

[After a long journey, you finally reach the sake brewing spring.]

[The area around the spring is lush, with flowers and leaves in abundance. In a deep mountain and valley, a clear spring flows down from the mountain, forming a pool of water.]

[The spring water in the pool is clear and cold. You stoop to scoop up a handful of spring water to drink. As soon as it enters your mouth, it is sweet and refreshing.]

[This place is undoubtedly perfect for collecting spring water for brewing sake. You pull out the ’Yokai-Seeking Compass’ and search for nearby yokai...]

[The pointer on the compass keeps spinning, showing no signs of stopping.]

Lin Xun gives a faint smile, and clicks on the Shequan Sake in his inventory.

It’s not the fake ’Daiginjo Sake’, but the treasure-level glorious brew ’Shequan Sake’.

[You pull out the ’Shequan Sake’ and pull off the cork with a jerk. The rich aroma of sake immediately wafts out.]

[For a moment, the smell of sake is overwhelming. The aroma is dense, mellow, and the mountain forest is filled with the rich smell of sake.]

[The breeze carries this rich aroma of sake into the depths of the mountain forest...]

[You hold the sake bottle in one hand and the ’Yokai-Seeking Compass’ in the other, quietly watching the pointer on the compass spin continuously.]

[...]

Having set the bait and cast his line, seeing everything is ready, Lin Xun simply decided to make a stakeout.

After waiting a long time, the in-game text finally begins to change.

[...]

[Suddenly, the pointer on the compass swings briskly, pointing deep into the forest.]

[Shortly thereafter, a young herbalist appears, striding purposefully towards you.]

[He wears a straw hat, his red hair hanging loose, a hoe in his hand and a bamboo basket on his back. He approaches you with determined strides.]

[The herbalist has an exceptionally handsome face. All the while, he keeps sniffing the air, taking in the rich aroma of the sake.]

[You have found the ’Original Shuten-doji’!]

[The Shuten-doji, disguised as a herbalist, comes to you. He eyes the rare liquor in your hand, constantly swallowing his saliva.]

[He opens his mouth and sincerely asks you if you are willing to sell your precious liquor.]

[As he says this, Shuten-doji takes out a gold piece, indicating that you can have it as soon as you nod.]

[You shake your head slowly, rejecting Shuten-doji’s offer.]

[Seeing this, he takes out another gold piece - this one the size of a fist. You can tell at a glance that it’s worth a considerable sum.]

[Again, Shuten-doji sincerely asks you if you would sell your rare liquor.]

[You shake your head once again to decline, and Shuten-doji sighs deeply with regret and turns to leave...]

[You suddenly call out to the herbalist, loudly stating that if he wants the bottle of sake in your hand, he doesn’t need to give gold or treasures...]

[All Shuten-doji has to do is accompany you to the Capital and slay the Daishogun!]

[As you say this, you reveal yourself to be the ’Dragonoid’ who is embodied in the shell of the ’Knowledge-Seeking Primordial Hermit’.]

[The herbalist stops in his tracks, turns to look at you, his eyes filled with disbelief.]

[He stares at you for a long time, then strides over, takes the ’Shequan Sake’, and drinks it up in one gulp.]

[Shuten-doji smashes the sake bottle with a crash, kneels before you, and roars with laughter, expressing his willingness to follow you, the ’Dragonoid’, to the Capital and take the head of the Daishogun!]