I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 328 and 329: Sacrifice to the Lord of Mount Tai, Reincarnation in Impure World

The Taishan Prefecture Lord's Sacrifice Ceremony.

The Lord of Mount Tai is a very ancient deity in China, existing even before the formation of Taoism and the introduction of Buddhism in the pre-Qin period. However, he gradually declined after the Tang and Song dynasties and became little known.

However, while the flower blooms inside the wall, it is more fragrant outside. In Japan, which is separated by a narrow strip of water, Taishan Fujun became famous because of the great Onmyoji Abe no Seimei.

According to the Yin-Yang Dao, the worship of Taishan Fujun was brought back to Japan by the Japanese envoy Abe no Nakamaro, who worshipped him as the head deity of his family.

According to genealogical records such as "Genealogical Records of the Inheritance of the Supreme Being" and "Genealogical Chart of the Abe Family", Abe no Seimei was the eighth-generation descendant of Abe no Nakamaro, and the worship of Taishan Fujun was also carried forward by Abe no Seimei.

The earliest Japanese document about the Taishan Fujun Festival comes from the Heian period diary "Sho-Uki". Abe no Seimei persuaded the monk Enryū to hold the first Taishan Fujun Festival to cure his son, Emperor Ichijō, who was suffering from nightmares.

Afterwards, the Taishan Fujun Festival became very popular among nobles and officials. People would hold the Taishan Fujun Festival to pray for good health, cure diseases, and even to wish for a smooth career in government.

Finally, even the Emperor repeatedly used the Mount Tai Lord Festival to pray for national peace and long-term stability.

In official historical records, the Taishan Fujun Festival is a ceremony held to pray for blessings and ward off disasters. However, in occult legends, the Taishan Fujun Festival is the highest secret technique in Yin-Yang Taoism, capable of defying fate, prolonging lifespan, and even bringing the dead back to life!

The Konjaku Monogatari, written at the end of the Heian period, records that a high-ranking monk at Mii-dera Temple was seriously ill and about to die. He asked Abe no Seimei to hold the Taizan Fukun Festival. Abe no Seimei chose one of the high-ranking monk's disciples to save the monk's life in exchange for his own.

As Abe no Seimei has been continuously mythologized in later literary works and portrayed in a variety of modern film and television productions, the Taishan Fujun Festival has become increasingly mysterious and famous.

"You want to bring the dead back to life?"

When Uchiha Senmon uttered the phrase "Mount Tai Lord's Sacrifice," Jiraiya immediately understood his meaning.

Jiraiya, who was originally somewhat nonchalant, stared sharply at Uchiha Senmon.

"Lord Jiraiya, do you mean... that the Mount Tai Lord Festival can really bring the dead back to life?" Uchiha Senmon asked, not surprised but delighted.

The idea that the Taishan Fujun Festival can bring the dead back to life is just a folk legend.

"Tsk."

Jiraiya then realized he had accidentally let something slip and clicked his tongue.

"Lord Jiraiya, please enlighten me."

Uchiha Senmon bowed deeply to Jiraiya, and seeing that Jiraiya remained unmoved, he was about to kneel down without hesitation and make a dogeza (a form of prostration) request.

"I originally admired you quite a bit, how could I so easily kneel down to someone?"

Jiraiya reacted quickly, grabbing Uchiha Senmon's arm to prevent him from hitting his knees.

"This is my lifelong request!"

Uchiha Senmon bowed his head with a resolute look in his eyes and utmost sincerity.

"You're really stubborn. The resurrection of the dead is a taboo subject in the age of gods, where the mortal world and the underworld have not yet been separated."

Jiraiya pursed his lips, his expression somewhat helpless, and hesitated for a while before slowly saying:

"You just met the Lord of Mount Tai, how did you feel?"

"Invincible under heaven," Uchiha Senmon immediately declared.

"Anything else?"

Jiraiya seemed dissatisfied with this answer.

Uchiha Senmon pondered for a long time, recalling the scene of the black sun breaking out of Rashomon and soaring into the sky.

The sun roams the heavens, majestic and domineering.

He killed Afei in one move, so the first impression is naturally that he is powerful and invincible.

However, upon closer reflection, the impression given by the deity Lord of Mount Tai is completely different from that of all the Shadow-level powerhouses or even gods encountered so far.

Princess Kaguya and Princess Konohanasakuya are also deities, some cruel and tyrannical, others gentle and kind, but both are personified deities.

The Lord of Mount Tai is like a celestial body such as the sun or the moon, standing indifferently in the sky even as the world changes.

The course of Heaven is constant; it does not exist for Yao, nor does it perish for Zhou.

The Chinese phrase flashed through Uchiha Senmon's mind, and after carefully considering his words, he said:

"Divine power is like a prison."

"I'd say you passed."

Jiraiya stroked his chin and said:

"Heaven and earth are impartial, and the gods are all-seeing. They do not bestow blessings for offerings, nor do they bring calamities for breaches of etiquette. How could a deity of the highest rank, such as the Lord of Mount Tai, possibly bend the law for the sake of mere human sacrifices?"

"But, Abe no Seimei's Mount Tai Festival is not..." Uchiha Senmon's heart sank.

"Abe no Seimei was indeed a genius. His Taizan Fukun Festival, which he developed, could confuse the secrets of heaven and steal a portion of the lifespan of the dying, which was a given."

The Toad Sage chuckled and said in a carefree manner.

"But even if Abe no Seimei were the most powerful Onmyoji in history, he could never truly bring the dead back to life."

Uchiha Senmon felt a chill run down his spine, his spirits plummeted, and the faint hope that had risen before was instantly extinguished.

But Jiraiya's next words took an unexpected turn.

"Even if Abe no Seimei personally presided over the Taizan Fujun Festival, he could only summon the souls of the deceased to the mortal world, where they would temporarily reside in the prepared offerings."

Bringing a corpse back to life?

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Senmon frowned deeply.

So the Taishan Fujun ritual was such an evil ritual? But in a way, it could also be considered a resurrection.

However, meeting only once is not unacceptable...

"You little brat, you're not really planning to steal from the Mount Tai Lord's Festival, are you?"

Jiraiya keenly noticed the subtle change in the expression of the Uchiha Immortal Gate and immediately warned:

"The Taishan Fujun Sacrifice is based on the principle of exchanging one life for another, which is against the natural order and is also a great desecration to the deceased."

"Lord Jiraiya, what do you mean by that?" Senmon Uchiha immediately pressed.

"After Abe no Seimei, there were others who wanted to use the Taizan Fukun Festival to summon back the souls of their relatives and friends, but the vast majority of them played with fire and got burned."

Jiraiya sneered, "If it were a complete failure, that would be one thing. But the most terrifying thing is that a half-baked fool with poor skills managed to hold a half-successful Taishan Fujun Festival."

His eyes seemed to be recalling something.

"If only a portion of the deceased's three souls and seven spirits are summoned back, they will transform into wicked spirits that do not recognize their own family members, and will even kill their closest relatives. They will be unable to attain Buddhahood and will eventually be scattered and destroyed."

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Senmon's heart skipped a beat, and then a strong sense of déjà vu surged within him.

What Jiraiya-sama was referring to is Type B of evil spirits that have appeared since the 19th year of the Heisei era, isn't it?

Evil spirits have no reason, no emotions, and cannot communicate.

The three ironclad rules of Type B were summarized by the Uchiha Sage Sect from the details of multiple case files and their on-site investigations.

Are those Type B individuals in Japan unable to attain Buddhahood because their souls are incomplete...?

"Lord Jiraiya, I was just asking."

Uchiha Senmon said, his eyes darkening, as if he himself didn't believe what he was saying.

I wonder if Jiraiya took Uchiha Senmon's words seriously.

"That would be for the best. But you can't persuade a fool with kind words. I'm only saying this much because of Princess Mokuhana Kaiya. If you're courting death, it's none of my business."

Jiraiya pursed his lips and said somewhat listlessly.

"Moreover, the ritual of the Taishan Fujun ceremony has long been lost, so even if you wanted to learn it, there's nowhere to find it."

If the Mount Tai Lord Festival truly has such great drawbacks as Jiraiya-sama said, then it is indeed an untouchable taboo.

But this is the last glimmer of hope, even if it's as tiny as a spider's thread in purgatory, he will do everything in his power to fight for it.

Uchiha Senmon thought to himself.

However, it's almost unbelievable that Jiraiya-sama is so familiar with the Taishan Fujun Festival, the highest secret technique of Yin-Yang Dao.

It's just like Jiraiya-sama saw it with his own eyes...

However, it's best not to disclose information about the Taishan Fujun Festival to the Metropolitan Police Department or the government.

The Uchiha Sage Clan was well aware of the greed and darkness in human nature. Even if they could not be resurrected, the ability to extend their lifespan through the Mount Tai Lord Sacrifice was an irresistible temptation for many.

To avoid fostering unnecessary ambition and trouble, one should keep quiet.

After saying all that, Jiraiya seemed rather indifferent to the Uchiha Senmon.

He went to the spot where Ah Fei had fallen, shook his head, and looked somewhat complicated.

Seeing this, Uchiha Senmon temporarily put aside his myriad distracting thoughts and followed behind Jiraiya, looking down at Tobi's corpse.

Ah Fei's mask had fallen off; his left cheek was intact, but his right cheek was covered in terrifying wrinkles, disfigured.

However, judging from the other half of his face, he looks surprisingly young, probably only around twenty years old.

Although life had completely vanished from Afei's face, his right eye, now open and gleaming with crimson Sharingan, was filled with resentment and grief.

Uchiha Senmon felt a complex mix of emotions towards this Uchiha who also possessed the Sharingan; it was a feeling that was difficult to describe.

While some may feel sorrow at the death of a rabbit and a fox, most feel a sense of relief.

"If the news hadn't leaked out, I, the immortal, would have been able to seize the initiative, gather my forces, and set up the Four Red Sun Formation. It would have been virtually impossible to trap you."

Jiraiya reached out and stroked Tobi's face, closed his right eye, and sighed.

"Although you are an enemy of Akatsuki, I must admit you are a formidable foe! In the end, I, the sage, will collect your corpse."

Jiraiya beckoned to the Uchiha Sage and gave the order without any hesitation.

"Kid, use your Wood Release to create a coffin."

what?

Uchiha Senmon's expression was somewhat subtle as he racked his brains to recall the technique that Konohana Sakuya had given him.

Wood Release: The Four Pillars Technique?

Well, while this technique can create a wooden house in an instant, it can't create a coffin.

There is also the Four Pillars Prison Technique, which can create wooden prison cells.

This one is quite close.

Based on this, make some slight adjustments.

"Understood, Jiraiya-sama."

Uchiha Senmon nodded, meticulously manipulating the chakra within his body, and formed a hand seal.

"boom."

A wooden coffin, its top protruding above the ground, rising abruptly from the earth.

"Lord Jiraiya, what do you think of this coffin?"

Uchiha Senmon pointed to the appropriately sized, two-meter-tall coffin standing beside him and said.

Who knew that when Jiraiya turned around and looked at him for the first time, his expression immediately changed drastically!

"this!"

Uchiha Senmon was also startled by Jiraiya's reaction and took two steps back slightly.

The wooden coffin lid, which was perpendicular to the ground, fell off, revealing the empty coffin inside.

A false alarm!

"Hey kid! Why are you putting the coffin upright?"

Once Jiraiya had recovered his senses, he immediately kicked the coffin over, his face still somewhat grim, and then he began to rage.

"It's all your fault! You've brought back such terrible memories for this immortal!"

Uchiha Senmon felt completely bewildered.

Just then, the roar of helicopter rotors filled the sky, and three helicopters sped toward this direction.

"Lord Jiraiya!"

Before the helicopters had even landed smoothly, the people on the first helicopter jumped out impatiently, as if they were afraid that the person would disappear without a trace at any moment.

The helicopter was filled with political celebrities and dignitaries, including the Superintendent General of Police and the Governor of Tokyo, who had appeared in public before. The leader of the group was none other than the Deputy Prime Minister.

"Lord Jiraiya, you are truly awe-inspiring and your contributions are immense!"

"Without you, Jiraiya-sama, Tokyo really wouldn't have survived this disaster."

They swarmed around him, bowing and scraping, showering Jiraiya with endless, unsolicited flattery.

"Uchiha-senpai!"

Yuki Mineko stepped out of the second helicopter, waving her arms excitedly and calling out, then tried to run over.

Then, as if remembering something, she pursed her lips, adopted a dignified posture, and slowly approached.

The same helicopter was carrying newly minted superhumans and individuals connected to superhumans, who were actually in the hands of the Japanese government.

Of course, there were also escorts in the helicopter, fully armed American soldiers.

Besides Mineko Yuuki, there's also Mr. Tosu, Inspector Kanbara, and...

Dr. Satomi!

Uchiha Senmon's gaze sharpened.

Dr. Satomi, who possesses extraordinary healing abilities, has always been tightly controlled by the Yone-san regime, and has never left the gates of Yokosuka Port.

Why would the US allow him to come out this time?

"So noisy."

Jiraiya-sama disdained the endless flattery from the powerful and influential, and gave them no pleasantries.

He took out a scroll from behind him, unfolded it, placed it on the ground, and put Afei's body into the coffin.

A few people in the crowd unconsciously revealed a strange look in their eyes.

The value of a Kage-level powerhouse's corpse is immeasurable, especially since Tobi possesses the Sharingan, which greatly interests them.

However, these were the spoils of war of the Toad Sage, and they were not so audacious as to ask Jiraiya to give them to humans for dissection and research.

"Lord Jiraiya, you are unaware of the Absolute Intersection of Zetsu and Tenchu..."

The deputy prime minister, having been snubbed, displayed a rather magnanimous attitude, bowing and scraping obsequiously as he asked the question with a servile demeanor.

Jiraiya waved the imperial edict bestowed by Lord Taishan in his hand, a half-smile on his face:

"This immortal has good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"

(End of this chapter)