My personal opinion on Gensokyo

Bang! ! !

The intense flames instantly engulfed the monsters who were unable to escape...

P.S. Hakusan Daigongen, also known as Kikurihime-no-Mikoto, is a Japanese deity who governs connections, connecting the living and the dead, and gods and humans. He is also the ancestor and patron saint of shrine maidens. During the Warring States Period, due to the integration of deities and Buddhism, he was considered an incarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva and was known as Hakusan Daigongen, or Hakusan Daibosatsu. Three renowned samurai warriors of the Warring States Period, Masayuki Sanada, Nobuyuki Sanada, and Yukimura Sanada, a father and son, worshipped this deity.

PS2: The Nine-Character Mantra (the Secret Blessing of the Six Jias) is written as "When approaching the enemy, all the soldiers shall march forward in formation" in China, but as "When approaching the enemy, all the soldiers shall march forward in formation" in Japan. The reason for this slight error is probably the result of the incorrect transcription by the Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty during the Tang Dynasty.

PS3: The account has been restored, some readers may have noticed.

Volume 6: Thoughts Across Time and Space: Chapter 447: Conversation at the Shrine

The raging flames summoned by the spell engulfed several terrifying monsters filled with evil energy, and in the process also burned and purified the surrounding evil energy.

After casting a spell to eliminate the last few monsters that attacked the monster-extermination village, the young Onmyoji with gray hair nodded slightly with satisfaction. However, after turning around, he met the slightly surprised and clear gaze of the shrine maiden beside him.

Looking at Shang Yang beside him with a little surprise, Kikyo asked softly.

"...You can use the power of the Onmyoji in Kyoto at will?"

"Yes, it is the magic power gained from the practice of Onmyoji."

Seeing that Kikyo was a little surprised by this scene, Shang Yang explained casually.

"For you, there's an insurmountable gap between the spiritual and magical powers gained through the practice of onmyojis, shrine maidens, and monks, and the divine and demonic powers of gods, monsters, and other inhuman beings. But from my perspective, there's no difference. I can also use the spiritual power of your shrine maidens to destroy evil."

Also looking at the thoughtful Kikyo, Shang Yang also gave some advice casually.

"But don't try to contain other powers right now. It's dangerous. Once you reach a certain level, doing this will become a natural process. Well... with your outstanding talent, you will understand this in about three hundred years."

Upon hearing this, the witch frowned slightly and her tone became a little more complicated.

"...So, the injuries you sustained from the Demon-Breaking Arrow and my defensive dagger weren't caused by the Demon-Breaking Power, but rather... were you 'intending' to be injured?"

...Miko-sama, could you please not be so sensitive...

Facing the witch who still had a cold expression, Shang Yang twitched the corner of his mouth and was speechless.

Kikyo...Aren't you a little too smart?

By the way, I think Kikyo won't think I'm deceiving her because of this...

Shang Yang felt a little worried and helpless in his heart.

However, facing Shang Yang who was feeling a little helpless and worried, Kikyo only expressed her speculation in a slightly complicated tone, but did not insist on Shang Yang's answer. Instead, she walked towards the villagers of the monster-extermination village who were stunned on the other side, and apologized softly in a soft tone.

"I'm sorry, everyone. Your village needs the fur and bones of monster remains to make armor and weapons, right? But these monsters are..."

"Ah? No, no, what are you talking about, Miko-sama?"

These slightly dazed demon hunters of the demon extermination village, upon seeing the beautiful and cold priestess in front of them apologize to them in a gentle manner, immediately interrupted the priestess's apology anxiously.

"If it weren't for the timely assistance of you, Miko-sama, and Onmyoji, who happened to arrive and help us, those abominable monsters that suddenly attacked our village would have injured many people, and there would have been even more serious consequences. It's us who should be thanking you and apologizing. We are truly sorry that you, Miko-sama and Onmyoji, had come to our village, only to have you witness such a disrespectful situation."

"Please wait a moment. Our village chief will be here to greet you two soon."

"It's nothing. We, the 'husband and wife', have been traveling and practicing for many years. Exterminating monsters is also one of our training. Don't take it to heart."

Seeing the demon hunters responsible for protecting the village sincerely apologize to Kikyo, Shang Yang, who was very immersed in the role of the young Onmyoji, naturally and casually added "identity" settings for himself and Kikyo.

As for Shang Yang's somewhat impolite supplementary setting, the cold-tempered witch seemed to think that saying so would save her the trouble of explanation, and chose to approve it without caring.

At the same time, after saying the word "husband and wife", Shang Yang seemed to realize that the eyes of the young men in the village who were watching Kikyo's monster exorcism were more or less filled with disappointment and regret, while the eyes looking at him were obviously filled with a little more envy.

...It's human nature.

In response, Shang Yang shrugged nonchalantly.

Later, the monster retreats to the village's shrine.

"Miko-sama, Onmyoji-sama, please take a seat at the shrine."

After a while, the middle-aged village chief led Shang Yang and Platycodon and warmly invited them to the village shrine for reception.

"Hakusan Mingshen..."

Upon arriving at the shrine, the shrine maiden noticed that the main deity of the shrine was the patron saint of the shrine maidens in this land.

After paying a respectful obeisance to the statue of Hakusan Daigongen, the miko-sama became lost in thought.

This village seems to have a clear respect for the shrine maidens... Is that the reason?

Compared to Kikyo, who paid a brief visit to the statue of Baishan Bodhisattva because of his status, Shang Yang directly asked the middle-aged village chief, the leader of the monster-extermination village.

"Village Chief, those fragments on the altar are the fragments of the Four Souls Jade, right?"

"That's right, Onmyoji-sama."

Seeing this young but powerful Onmyoji from Kyoto asking about the fragments of the Four Souls Jade, the middle-aged village chief answered frankly.

"This is the Four Souls Jade that my clan has kept for generations. Due to some reasons, only these fragments are kept in our village now."

"The Four Souls Jade was accidentally discovered by our clan in the past, and for hundreds of years, it has been kept by our village for generations. However, the power of this jade was contaminated by contact with filthy evil spirits, turning it into a calamity-inducing evil jade."

Speaking of this, the middle-aged village chief looked somewhat gloomy and helpless.

"Our clan doesn't have the spiritual power to purify the jade from its evil spirits like some powerful shrine maidens. Therefore, fifty years ago, the leader at the time took the complete Four Souls Jade to the countryside of Musashi Province and entrusted it to a powerful shrine maiden there for protection."

"But fifty years ago, that shrine maiden died unexpectedly for some reason, and the Four Souls Jade disappeared, right?"

After glancing at the witch who seemed a little lost after hearing the middle-aged village chief's words, Shang Yang took the initiative to continue the middle-aged village chief's words and told her what happened next.

"...Indeed, that miko died unexpectedly, and the Four Souls Jade disappeared for fifty years."

The middle-aged village chief sighed and continued slowly.

"But fifty years later, the Four Souls Jade reappeared on this land, shattered into countless tiny fragments, bringing much disaster to the people of this land."

"Ultimately, this is the legacy of this village and our clan. Therefore, after learning about the fragments of the Shikon Jade, our village began to deliberately search for the fragments of the Shikon Jade and temporarily kept them in this shrine."

"However, simply searching for and keeping the fragments of the Four Souls Jade will hardly be of any use."

After explaining the cause and effect of the Four Souls Jade fragments, the middle-aged village chief looked solemn and asked Shang Yang and Kikyo seriously.

"Forgive my rudeness, Onmyoji-sama, Miko-sama, but for some reason, the Four Souls Jade needs a Miko-sama to purify and protect it. It can only be protected by a Miko-sama with deep spiritual power who can purify the evil spirits from the Four Souls Jade fragments."

"Miko-sama, could you please give it a try and see if you possess the power to purify the evil spirit of the Four Souls Jade and protect it?"

PS1: To make up for yesterday’s post.

Volume 6: Thoughts Across Time and Space: Chapter 448: Fragments Difficult to Purify

"That's not necessary. That's why we came here."

Faced with the middle-aged village chief's solemn request, Kikyo agreed softly in a gentle tone.

"If I could try now..."

"of course can."

Seeing that the shrine maiden with profound spiritual power, cold and noble temperament was willing to agree, the middle-aged village chief was extremely happy. After apologizing to the young Yin-Yang master beside him, he immediately stood up and asked the shrine maiden to come closer to the altar placed in front of the Bodhisattva statue.

"The fragments of the Four Souls Jade that were kept in this village are now all here."

"This is……?"

Approaching the cypress altar placed in front of the Bodhisattva statue of Hakusan Myojin, Kikyo seemed to be surprised by something and frowned slightly.

"Besides the telekinetic energy left by the villagers' long-term worship of Hakusan Myojin, there seems to be a pure and obscure power guarding the altar..."

Having made an unexpected discovery, the shrine maiden turned sideways and looked at the young "Onmyoji" who accompanied her here, with a questioning look in her eyes.

"Is this the cause and effect of 'fate' that you told me about?"

"It doesn't want me to touch the fragments of the Four Souls Jade?"

In response to Kikyo's questioning gaze, Shang Yang shook his head slightly, denying Kikyo's inquiry.

At present, Kikyo has only partially broken away from the constraints of the "script" and does not yet have the ability to see the traces of cause and effect.

……I see.

Noticing Shang Yang's denial, the witch carefully observed the barrier-like power remaining on the altar again and confirmed her speculation.

It was the shrine maiden Tsuiko who created the Four Souls Jade. A trace of thoughts left here was mixed with the thoughts of the villagers.

It seems that the shrine maiden Tsuiko...

While she was lost in thought, the witch no longer hesitated and gently picked up several fragments of the Four Souls Jade on the altar with her jade-white hands.

Several fragments of the Four Souls Jade, emitting a dim glow, lay quietly in Kikyo's palm.

The cold face of the witch-sama revealed a hint of complexity.

After a long time, the witch who guarded the Four Souls Jade once again picked up the Four Souls Jade, the source of all disasters.

Pure spiritual energy slowly enveloped the several dull fragments of the Four Souls Jade in his palm, which were tainted by the evil spirit.

"……strangeness."

The witch frowned slightly.

The stream of spiritual energy continued to infuse these four soul jade fragments, but these four soul jade fragments, which emitted a dim light, were not purified...

Even deeper spiritual energy flowed and poured into the interior of the Four Souls Jade fragments.

...Crack.

One of the dim Four Souls Jade fragments made a slight crackling sound...

The right hand of someone traveling with her gently patted the miko's shoulder.

"Stop for now."

Patting the witch's delicate shoulders lightly, the young man with gray hair came to her side and whispered to her.

"The karma of fate is hindering you."

As Shang Yang finished speaking, the master of Yunzhongting used some unknown method to let the witch see a similar scene as the one reflected in his own eyes.

Silk threads, countless white silk threads, are interwoven inside this shrine.

Numerous white threads entangled everything inside the shrine, and the white threads extending from several fragments of the Four Souls Jade in the palm of the shrine maiden pierced straight into the middle-aged village chief beside Shang Yang and Kikyo, who was unaware of it.

Those white threads pierced into the body and soul of the middle-aged village chief...

On the surface of one of the dull Four Souls Jade fragments, tiny cracks appeared, as if it could not bear the weight.

The scene reflected in the eyes of the owner of the Cloud Courtyard was also reflected on the shoulder of the middle-aged village chief, who seemed unaware of it. A light cracking sound also appeared on his shoulder, and cracks appeared on the surface of the shattered glass...

"If you continue to use your spiritual power to forcibly purify the Four Soul Jade fragments, the Four Soul Jade fragments that refuse to be purified by your spiritual power will completely shatter due to being unable to bear the burden."

The young man with gray and white hair spoke to the witch in a serious tone, slowly and softly.

"It's more difficult to handle than I expected. These are abnormal causes and effects with the ability to react externally."

"It sensed that you were not the Higurashi Kagome, destined to be the miko who purifies the fragments of the Shikon Jewel in this era, so it relied on the fragments of the Shikon Jewel to resist you and refused to let you purify the fragments of the Shikon Jewel."

"……it is good."

Gazing at the countless dazzling white threads, the witch thought for a moment, then obeyed the young man's words, dispersing the flow of spiritual power and no longer trying to purify the fragments of the Four Souls Jade.

The scene filled with pure white silk threads quietly dissipated before Kikyo's eyes.

"Miko-sama, your power seems to be...?"

Seeing that the dim light of the Four Souls Jade fragment in Kikyo's hand had not changed, the middle-aged village chief's face seemed to have some regret. It seemed that the middle-aged village chief seemed to have guessed the result.

"Well, I'm sorry, but it seems difficult for me to purify these fragments of the Four Souls Jade again."

Facing the regretful middle-aged village chief, the witch apologized softly.

"The fragments of the Four Souls Jade are resisting me."

"Alas, there's nothing we can do about it. Thank you for your hard work, Miko-sama."

Seeing the witch frankly admit that it was difficult for her to purify the Four Souls Jade, the middle-aged village chief shook his head regretfully.

"However, without a shrine maiden who can purify the jade's power, this village and my clan will continue to keep these fragments of the Four Souls Jade. Perhaps one day, a terrible disaster will befall us..."

"Master Chief! Master Chief!"

Just when the middle-aged village chief was feeling very regretful, a villager wearing armor and holding a bow and spear broke into the shrine and shouted anxiously to the middle-aged village chief, who was the leader of the monster extermination village and had made a living from monster extermination in this generation.

"Countless monsters suddenly attacked our village!"