The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

Gods, monsters, and humans.

As time went by, the former two gradually faded from the stage of history, while humanity began to shine brightly.

Unlike the weak gods who perished due to the decline of their faith, the monsters living at the bottom of society mostly adopted a way of sticking together for warmth.

Faced with this crisis concerning their very survival, some of them gradually went mad, while some ambitious individuals wanted to take advantage of the situation to rise up in rebellion.

Unlike the undercurrents that flowed among the gods, the situation among the yokai was undoubtedly much more brutal. Countless battles broke out for survival. Even the reappearance of the yokai sage who had mysteriously disappeared for hundreds of years could not change the overall tone of survival among the yokai.

Under these circumstances, places that were exposed and known to the demons, such as the Demon Mountain and the Demon Realm, naturally became the target of everyone's attacks.

The history of human development is a history of war, and so is the history of the development of monsters. Places like Monster Mountain didn't seem too important in the past, but in the current environment, they have become a battleground for all strategists.

—After the war, everything was rebuilt.

The Demon Realm was sealed off again, and the gate that once led to it disappeared from this world. Although the Demon Mountain was also unscathed, it was also in ruins. Moreover, the human powerhouses who seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity dealt a heavy blow to the demons, and the losses on the demon side were nothing short of devastating.

However, the impact of the changes in the world on monsters goes far beyond this.

Gensokyo was originally a desolate border region of the Eastern Country, a sparsely populated area inhabited by youkai, and was previously known as "the borderland of the Eastern Country far from human settlements".

People feared monsters, and often some brave people would try to eliminate them. Some people settled in Gensokyo to keep the monsters away from human villages, which was the precursor to the human village in later Gensokyo.

The intermittent battle between humans and yokai has lasted for over 1000 years, with humans always in a state of suppression. It wasn't until this cataclysmic event in the world that humans saw hope of completely eliminating yokai. With the prosperity of human civilization, the human population in Gensokyo began to increase dramatically.

The depletion of spiritual energy between heaven and earth has a far greater impact on humans than on demons and gods. With this ebb and flow, the fragile balance of symbiosis between demons, humans, and gods will inevitably be broken.

In order to deal with this situation, after the wars that broke out between the monsters had basically ended, the monster sage proposed a plan called the "Monster Expansion Plan".

The “boundary between illusion and reality” is a crucial component of this “monster expansion plan,” a barrier that only the sage yokai could create.

The creation of this plan was inspired by the situation in the Demon World and Takamagahara. It means setting up Gensokyo as a phantom world and the outside world as the physical world, automatically attracting and taking in the youkai whose power in the outside world is gradually weakening.

—To create a boundary between illusion and reality around Gensokyo is, in theory, to create a world.

If everything goes smoothly, the youkai in the outside world will disappear, the youkai in Gensokyo will become stronger, the outside world will be dominated by humans, and Gensokyo will be dominated by youkai.

That sage-like monster wanted to create a world of monsters.

However, even the sage of the yokai did not expect that this seemingly win-win plan would be resisted by most of the yokai, including those from Yokai Mountain, as soon as it was proposed.

No one knows what the sage demon did in the end, or what kind of deal he made with the strongest demons, but this plan, which was resisted by most demons, was still successfully implemented in the end.

For the first time, the top-tier yokai, including some powerful deities, joined forces. Under their deliberate guidance, the human monks pooled their power to create a massive barrier that sealed Gensokyo, thus establishing a boundary between illusion and reality.

This is a massive undertaking. The demons' show of weakness has forced the human warriors to gamble everything. Even if they vaguely sense that it might be a trap, they have no choice but to seize this rare opportunity that has come knocking on their door.

While humanity was the last to perceive the anomalies in the heavens and the shifts in the world order, there were still wise individuals among them. The depletion of spiritual energy will make human cultivation increasingly difficult, and it's unlikely that powerful figures will emerge continuously as they do now. After all, human lifespans are finite, while the lifespans of demons are much longer. If this rare opportunity isn't seized to seal away most of the demons, once a generation of powerful humans is cut off, this precious opportunity may never return.

Humans don't really have a better choice.

Creating a powerful barrier capable of sealing so many monsters within such a large area is no easy task. So, while humans were busy preparing for this important event, monsters and gods were also involved... This was probably the first time the three of them had worked together.

It took a full twenty years to complete. Humans worked themselves to the bone, and countless precious materials and resources were exhausted. The savings accumulated by powerful monsters over the years were poured into this bottomless pit of building the barrier until it was completely emptied. Finally, an unprecedentedly huge barrier was formed.

This enormous barrier completely covered the area of ​​Gensokyo. After consuming countless precious materials and the power of those powerful beings, the barrier completely imprisoned all the youkai in Gensokyo, permanently resolving this great thorn in people's side.

—Of course, that's how humans see it.

As for the youkai, Gensokyo will be their home from now on. Humans have helped them build a home that will definitely allow them to escape this great calamity between heaven and earth.

That powerful barrier ensured that the youkai within Gensokyo could no longer freely venture out to harass humans. The boundary between fantasy and reality attached to that barrier ensured that Gensokyo would be a paradise for youkai. This outcome was the best possible result that was acceptable to both the youkai and humans.

Thus, Gensokyo began to take shape.

"Is this the origin of the original barrier? But the current Gensokyo only has the form, not the spirit. At best, it can only be considered a refuge hastily built. It is still missing the most crucial element..."

Standing amidst the dilapidated green hills and tiles, gazing into the distance, Shi Bai shook his head slightly.

Because of the boundary between illusion and reality that was attached to the barrier, the former Gensokyo has changed from reality to illusion, completely disappearing from the world. Everything has become untraceable, and the place where Gensokyo was originally located has become a continuous mountain range.

"Transforming real things into illusions...that legendary sage monster?"

Feeling a faint sense of something that seemed to exist in another dimension, Kazami Yuuka narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Leaving aside this strange power that can reverse reality and illusion, the barrier that can perfectly isolate the influence of the present world is already astonishing enough. The power of humans, the power of monsters, the power of gods... Interesting."

Nodding slightly, Kazami Yuuka turned to look at Tokihaku beside her.

"You just said that something is missing here? But I don't think anything is missing. This barrier, created by combining the power of gods, demons, and humans, is already a near-impossible masterpiece."

"What you consider perfect is precisely what I consider imperfect. If all that effort is put in and this is all that can be achieved, then it cannot be called a masterpiece at all."

Shi Bai held up a finger and shook it in front of him, looking regretful.

"This barrier right now is really just a prison. A paradise for monsters? More like a prison for monsters. It can't even be called a complete world. If building a self-deceiving little house to protect oneself on the spot can be called a masterpiece, then that's just too ridiculous."

"You mean...the Demon Realm?"

Kazami Yuuka quickly understood the meaning behind someone's words. She first frowned slightly, then suddenly realized what was going on.

"Indeed, if such a huge investment only yields this result, then it is truly a failure. Do you intend to elevate it into a world independent of this one, like the Demon Realm? But doing so would inevitably attract the Dragon God..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Kazami Yuuka shook her head with a slightly self-deprecating tone.

"I miscalculated. The Dragon God's words are not a problem at all, after all, she is yours..."

"Fairness, impartiality, and transparency are the most basic rules of this world, even for the Dragon God. Even if it's obvious that you're going to let the water flow freely, you can't openly let the water flow freely like an ocean."

Shi Bai had a serious expression on his face.

"The Gensokyo we see now is nothing more than a half-finished product of self-deception. If we want it to become more complete, we still need... um?"

Stopping what he was saying, Shi Bai looked up and stared ahead.

Accompanied by a ripple like water, a woman with golden hair and nine tails appeared before him with a cold expression.

"Self-deception? Half-finished product? You're being far too arrogant."

"Well, I'm a very honest person. I didn't say anything wrong. I was just speaking the truth in a moment of being straightforward."

Looking at the woman in front of him, Shi Bai spread his hands, his face completely innocent.

"By the way, where's Yukari Yakumo? You were able to sense my arrival, she couldn't possibly not know..."

Before Shi Bai could finish speaking, Kazami Yuuka suddenly stepped forward and raised her hand to block an attack aimed at him.

“Those who are disrespectful to Lord Zi must be punished.”

The woman's face was icy cold. She raised one hand in the air as if making a grasping motion, and a powerful demonic force, almost tangible, emanated from her without any attempt to conceal it.

"Lady Yukari's achievements are not something that lowly people like you can casually comment on. You'd better remember this lesson! The one who punished you is none other than the Nine-Tailed Fox, a shikigami under the command of the Sage of Yokai—Yakumo Ran!!"

Shi Bai: "..."

Yuuka Kazami: "..."

"...My impression of that sage has changed somewhat."

After a moment of silence, Kazami Yuuka closed the parasol she had been holding and handed it to Shi Bai, then spoke without a word.

"Uh……"

One minute later.

"You despicable bastards, I absolutely will not take you inside!!"

Yakumo Ran, unable to move as her hands, feet, and even her entire body were entangled in vines, lay on the ground with a face full of shame and indignation. Even so, she still acted quite rudely, her resolute expression almost as if she were ready to die to prove her point, leaving Shi Bai speechless.

"I'm a good person, not some villain. Yukari... Yukari Yakumo, she should have mentioned me to you, right?"

Squatting in front of this nine-tailed fox spirit who remained loyal to him until death, Shi Bai pointed at himself with a slightly speechless expression.

“My name is Shi Bai, you must have heard of me before.”

"Hmph, Shi Bai? That's a name that sounds malicious. I've served Lord Zi for hundreds of years and have never heard a single word about your name!"

After realizing the huge gap in strength between the two sides, Yakumo Ran, who was knocked down within a minute, stopped struggling and just lay on the ground looking at Shi Bai, who was squatting in front of her, with a cold smile on her face.

"Don't even think about it! I will never betray Lord Zi, and your conspiracy will absolutely not succeed!!"

"So, who exactly made you betray us, and what conspiracy was it all about? Can you come up with something more positive and uplifting?"

Rolling his eyes, Shi Bai stood up from the ground.

"It was such a trivial matter, all you had to do was inform Zi Ma, but it turned out like this... Never mind, I'll take you there myself."

"Don't even think about it... Ughhhhh!!!"

Yakumo Ran was furious and seemed to want to fight back, but before she could finish her sentence, a vine quickly covered her mouth.

"It's too noisy. This is much quieter."

When Shiro cast a glance her way, Kazami Yuuka nodded calmly.

"Uh……"

Looking at the nine-tailed fox demon on the ground, who was filled with shame and indignation, Shi Bai unconsciously broke out in a cold sweat.

P.S.: Good morning!!!

Chapter Twenty-Two: Flower Mom, Purple Mom, and Time Dad

Fantasy town.

—Or rather, it shouldn't be called Gensokyo yet; it would be more appropriate to call it the interior of the Great Barrier.

As soon as Shi Bai stepped into the great barrier, he felt the chaotic aura that seemed to permeate the air everywhere, and he couldn't help but frown slightly.

It was completely different from the place he remembered. Perhaps it was because it was filled with a large number of monsters of varying quality, or perhaps it was because not much time had passed since the great barrier was completed, but the atmosphere inside the great barrier gave him a rather uncomfortable feeling.

To put it simply, it's lifeless and devoid of any vitality. In fact, given the current situation, the interior of the Great Barrier is indeed a cage imprisoning a large number of monsters.

Just as Shiro glanced at the nine-tailed fox spirit bound hand and foot behind him and was about to question her further, a purplish-red rift silently opened in the air, and a slightly tired figure, holding a purple folding fan, stepped out from it.

"Although I should start with 'Long time no see'..."

After glancing at Yakumo Ran, who was tightly bound and unable to move, Yakumo Yukari gently patted her forehead with her folding fan and sighed with what seemed like a lot of helplessness.

"...But is it really necessary to tie up my shikigami right away? Did Ran offend you in any way?"

"Well... actually, strictly speaking, this is just a misunderstanding..."

Shi Bai glanced at the other person's obviously tired face, then looked up at the gloomy, rain-threatening sky, his expression thoughtful.

"Were you hibernating... no, sleeping? Did my arrival wake you up?"

"It's okay to wake up briefly, but I'll feel a little mentally tired."

With a slightly subtle glance, Yakumo Yukari pointed to the gap behind her with her folding fan.

"Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, could you please release Lan for the time being? If there is anything important, feel free to come here and discuss it in detail."

The original intention behind the establishment of Gensokyo was to provide a safe haven for the youkai during this great calamity.

There are indeed places outside that are suitable for monsters to live in, but those places are too small and too limited in size to accommodate many monsters. The once vast Demon Realm might have been able to fulfill this responsibility as an ark, but because of the evil deeds of those monsters, the Demon Realm unilaterally cut off its entrances and exits.

So in a sense, Gensokyo is actually a place prepared for the weaker youkai.

"Unfortunately, most of the youkai that enter Gensokyo are of mixed character. Because there are no unified rules or laws to manage them, Gensokyo is currently in a state of considerable chaos."

Within the gap, deep within the gap, the youkai sage Yakumo Yukari let out a soft sigh.

"I originally intended to manage these things, but as a price for maintaining the Great Barrier of Gensokyo, I have to fall into a deep sleep for a considerable period of the year. During my sleep, some of my related matters are handled by Ran... This will continue for a long time to come."

"So you really were hibernating just now..."

Shi Bai nodded thoughtfully.

Yukari Yakumo: "..."

With a rather subtle glance across the face of the person in front of her, Yakumo Yukari looked at the green-haired woman who had been sitting quietly next to him since the beginning.

Seemingly noticing her probing gaze, the other person nodded calmly at her.

"Nice to meet you, sage among youkai? Yakumo Yukari. I am Kazami Yuuka, the lord of the blooming of the four seasons. I look forward to your guidance. As for the one beside me, he is the legendary supreme, benevolent, virtuous, and powerful... Hmm? Why are you two looking at me like that?"

The person stopped their impromptu voiceover, completely oblivious to their own actions.

"...After all these years, you're still the same as ever."

She pressed her folding fan against her forehead slightly, a hint of helplessness lingering in her voice.

"Lan is still quite immature. I apologize for her previous rudeness towards you. Thank you for your leniency."