Swallow Return

However, deep down, I couldn't help but feel a little curious.

What will happen then?

Dozens of priestesses who have long served the gods... even those who aren't very devout and have promiscuous private lives are at least outwardly respectable priestesses. This scene is not something you see every day.

Moreover, the purpose of holding the ceremony was actually to help the nine-tailed fox escape, which might indirectly be related to Oda Nobunaga's actions in the Kinai region...

It's a serious matter at heart, and we can't just consider romantic or frivolous factors.

So now the question is, given the seriousness of the matter, should we do it or not?

The nine-tailed fox once said, "Nobunaga is doing something terrible, and I am not the only one who will be harmed by him." Although there is no concrete evidence for this, it sounds plausible.

Ryuun had previously considered returning to the Kinki region because he heard the news of the Oda clan massacring 100,000 people, which was different from the agreement they had made beforehand.

On second thought, while Nobunaga was indeed a ruthless and ruthless ruler, he wasn't so accustomed to killing for pleasure. The fact that he took so many lives suggests he probably had some other motive.

For example, they might hold some kind of strange ritual—which might even be related to some "bet" from back then.

From this perspective, it would be only right for Ryuun to step forward, save the Nine-Tailed Fox, and thwart Oda Nobunaga's plans.

however……

Who can guarantee that the nine-tailed fox is telling the truth?

That's a great demon widely regarded as "the most skilled at manipulating people's hearts."

Even if Oda Nobunaga had truly fallen into evil and committed heinous acts, it doesn't necessarily prove that the nine-tailed fox was an innocent victim.

If both are wicked people with malicious intentions, helping either one would be pointless.

Who knows, after performing this so-called "seventh secret ritual," I might fall into the trap of the nine-tailed fox!

Liu Yun hesitated for a moment, unable to make a decision.

He tried to consult the knowledgeable Nagafune Nagamitsu, but the latter was unable to offer any constructive advice.

The Demon Blade Princess's opinion was: "I believe that the master should follow his heart and not worry too much about the pros and cons. For a warrior, courage and decisiveness are perhaps more important than wisdom."

It was a very impressive but meaningless answer.

Iori, who had also transformed into a sword and was sheathed, was not so calm. She couldn't help but complain, "I know that a man as extraordinary as Lord Ryuun must have many romantic encounters, but what happened today seems to be a little too far beyond what a normal person can imagine!"

For the dignified, virtuous, gentle, and quiet Iori, this was a rare outburst of composure.

Actually, Liu Yun himself also felt it was a bit outrageous and didn't know how to respond.

However, Iori's maternal grandmother, the demon sword princess Osafune Nagamitsu, who had lived for hundreds of years, remained calm and comforted her granddaughter, saying, "It might seem a bit unbelievable in today's world, but that's only because samurai don't fall into the same level of depravity as court nobles. This was commonplace for nobles in the Heian period. Back then, even... well, never mind, these are not things I should say to the younger generation."

Nagafune Nagamitsu didn't say anything, so Iori didn't know what the next part was about.

However, Ryuun, who holds a dominant position in the mental link, can read the Servant's mind at will.

He immediately saw many disgusting and absurd scenes in Yaodaoji's memories.

The content included all sorts of unimaginable driving postures and locations, and the participants' identities were quite bizarre, ranging from homosexuality and immoral acts to parent-child meals... It's likely that the last point was what caused Nagafune Nagamitsu to suddenly stop talking.

As a seasoned player who's seen it all, Yaodao-hime is alright, but if Iori knew that such things existed, she might have some strange thoughts.

……

When Liu Yun was talking with Nagafune Nagamitsu and Iori, he appeared to be silent to outsiders.

The nun Huizhen interpreted this as a willingness to participate in the ceremony.

Optimistically speaking, if no one objects, let's take that as tacit agreement!

Concerning the "Mother Goddess" worshipped at Izumo Taisha Shrine, nun Huizhen was extremely anxious and arranged things in the shortest possible time.

In just a short while, the main hall was already filled with a crowd of people.

There are at least sixty or seventy of them.

There were about forty girls standing on the left, all dressed in brightly colored, specially made tight-fitting shrine maiden outfits that showed off their graceful figures. They wore unique accessories and had just the right amount of light makeup. They were like lotus flowers emerging from the water, radiating youthful energy, and most of them seemed to be under twenty years old.

These girls, just by standing there, seem to bring a cheerful atmosphere to the room, making people feel happy and relaxed subconsciously.

The others, standing on the right, were all dressed in simple, dark gray monk's robes, with no ornaments other than prayer beads and Buddhist hats. Their faces were completely obscured by the heavy clothing; they were a group of nuns in their thirties or forties. But upon closer inspection, it was not difficult to discern their former beauty.

The marks of time are not too deep, at least not to the point of destruction, which may actually be a plus for some people with unusual sexual preferences.

Under the guidance of nun Huizhen, everyone knelt down and paid their respects to Liuyun, the "Great Envoy".

The shrine maidens on the left were mostly shy and bashful, their expressions revealing a timid reluctance.

The nuns on the right were much calmer, and you could even read a sense of anticipation in their eyes as they looked at each other.

In addition, there was a group of male priests and monks praying and performing rituals about several dozen steps away from the door to assist in the effectiveness of the ceremony—they were not important and not worth mentioning.

"Let's get started without delay!"

The nun Huizhen issued the order.

Then, setting an example by herself, she resolutely unbuckled her belt, took off her monk's robe, and removed her undergarments, revealing her voluptuous and mature body.

While doing all this, Huizhen, the nun, had a lingering blush on her face, but there was no sense of lewdness in her movements. Instead, they had a kind of sacrificial sacredness.

"My humble believer, Myo-ku, begs Your Excellency to grant me the honor of dedicating myself to Her Majesty the Mother Goddess."

The nun Huizhen recited these words devoutly, then knelt naked on the floor and crawled towards Liuyun using both hands and feet.

Many parts of her body trembled and rolled, like the surging waves of the sea.

He walked up to her and kissed Liu Yun's toes with utmost respect, then slowly moved his head upwards, as if he wanted to kneel down and use his lips and tongue to help her undress.

Next, the witches and nuns, one after another, imitated her lines and actions, doing exactly the same thing.

The scenery at this moment was something even a man with many wives and concubines like Liu Yun had never seen before.

Flowers bloom red and willows turn green, plump women and slender beauties abound, wine pools and meat forests, and jade bodies lie prostrate.

Not to mention Liu Yun, even Iori, who had transformed into a sword, couldn't help but lose control, her mind becoming chaotic. If she still had a body, she would be breathing rapidly, her eyes glazed, her forehead burning, and her face flushed.

Despite his repeated attempts to persuade his granddaughter to remain calm, Nagafune Nagamitsu was unsuccessful. Instead, within the mental link, Yoto Hime, influenced by Iori, gradually lost her composure as well.

And what about the flowing clouds?

Following the true nature of a martial artist, the answer at this moment is naturally—4

Chapter 290 Invading the Divine Kingdom's True Form

As her body went through cycles of relaxation and tension, Liu Yun's mind gradually became clear and lucid.

A thousand beauties unfold before my eyes, soft singing fills my ears, yet my spirit enters a state of serene tranquility, detached from the world and transcending worldly concerns. 2

Liu Yun knew that with a flick of his wrist, he could easily plunge the witches and nuns into extreme ecstasy and madness, or make them experience the despair and torment of wanting something but not getting it around the peak.

The believers knelt on the ground, offering not only their bodies but also their souls.

Perhaps some do so willingly, while others are bound by rituals and forced to comply. What they have in common is that their sensibilities and perceptions have become like slush, which can be kneaded and manipulated at will, shaped into whatever they find interesting.

At this moment, Liu Yun's state of mind was no longer limited to vulgar biological desires.

Instead, they felt a kind of "divine" radiance.

He instantly understood many of the causes and consequences.

Although he initially made the choice to "draw his sword and meet the enemy" in accordance with his "heart," at that time, reason and intuition were fighting their own battles, resulting in a somewhat discordant split.

Simply put, it's a subconscious feeling that you absolutely have to do something, but you can't explain why.

Now I know.

From receiving the gift "Suzuka-san Ōtakemaru" to being influenced by an ancient trap at Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei and then the events related to the "Shinsengumi" in Nagashima Bay, due to these experiences, he gradually became inextricably linked with a certain ancient yokai clan.

The nine-tailed fox is a representative of this ancient monster clan.

This relationship is similar to the entanglement between Oda Nobunaga and the image of the "Demon King," and between Hashiba Hideyoshi and the concept of the "Monkey God."

Now, by sheer coincidence, they have arrived at Izumo Taisha Shrine, which has brought the nine-tailed fox the most timely life-saving assistance.

Was it really just a coincidence?

Or is there some unobservable, powerful force remotely controlling things behind the scenes?

unknown.

What is certain is that through extensive "communication" with believers, Liu Yun shared many of the Nine-Tailed Fox's memories.

Most of them involve love, hate, and grudges spanning thousands of years, involving Xu Fu, Jianzhen, and many powerful figures familiar to the Japanese people, such as the Great Tengu and Shuten-dōji. They even include historical political figures such as Prince Shotoku, Sugawara no Michizane, and Minamoto no Yoritomo, who were originally human.

However, Liu Yun was only slightly curious about it and didn't care much about it.

He is more concerned about recent events.

That is--

Oda Nobunaga, under the pretext of suppressing peasant uprisings in the Kinai region, carried out massacres and destroyed temples and shrines, and used strange magic in an attempt to destroy and devour the nine-tailed fox.

His motive was probably... that he lost a bet and wanted to renege on his debt, so he killed the creditor?

To be honest, he almost succeeded.

At least significant progress has been made.

The nine-tailed fox has been severely injured.

I don't know how Oda Nobunaga, a mere human, managed to do that. Did he perhaps borrow some other power? In any case, he was still quite capable.

It was only at this moment that Liu Yun realized that if the Nine-Tailed Fox were eliminated, he would also be greatly implicated.

The "resonance" I felt earlier was actually just a distress signal.

Originally, Izumo Taisha was too far from Tsushima Island for the nine-tailed fox's voice to travel, but it just so happened that the nun Hyejeong was on her way to sell people by boat, which connected the dots.

Thinking about it this way, things might not really be a coincidence but a conspiracy.

But it definitely wasn't designed by the nine-tailed fox.

As his communication with the priestesses and nuns deepened, Liuyun became increasingly serene. The process of sharing happiness with those who deserve it, rather than seeking it from others, brought him immense satisfaction and peace.

This must be what is called "divinity".

Then Liu Yun felt that his spirit had entered a space that did not exist in the material world, a space purely constructed by belief.

It was a space shrouded in a pale pink mist, where everything was indistinct and ethereal, exuding an ambiguous atmosphere. The faint, almost imperceptible, soft moans and coquettish whispers of a young girl lingered in the air. Although no particularly suggestive scenes appeared, it was impossible not to feel one's heart flutter and let one's mind wander.

Ordinary wildflowers and grasses grow on the ground, with a group of bees and butterflies hovering and dancing above them; not far away are two cherry trees, their petals fluttering in the air; beyond that is a delicate and exquisite pond, in which many enchanting lotus flowers bloom.