From God of Lies to Lord of All Worlds

Chapter 291: There Is a Great Yokai Named Yuzamozen

What exactly was the Sesshō-seki?

Anyone with even a basic understanding of Japan's Myths and Legends knew the answer. It was a peculiar stone that indiscriminately slaughtered any lifeform in its vicinity, endlessly sustaining its own murderous intent and desire to kill!

The true nature of this rock was not some extraordinary treasure. Rather, it was the physical manifestation of Yuzamozen, a great Yokai renowned throughout the entire East Asian continent!

According to numerous legends, after Yuzamozen was defeated by Abe no Yasuchika, a humiliated and enraged Emperor Toba dispatched soldiers to hunt her down, eventually cornering and slaying her in Nasuno!

Yet even then, she did not truly die. Instead, she transformed into the Sesshō-seki, remaining rooted in that very spot and becoming a Nightmare for the entire region!

It was not until centuries later, when the Buddhist Monk Genno Hoshi, the founding abbot of Aizu Gengen-ji Temple, took action that the massive Sesshō-seki was finally destroyed. But even then, the Sesshō-seki merely shattered into countless smaller fragments that scattered across the nation. It still had not met its true end!

Rumors even suggested that these Sesshō-seki fragments harbored the deep resentment of the great Yokai, Yuzamozen. If someone were to gather all the pieces, the great Yokai would be resurrected, once again taking the form of that peerlessly beautiful enchantress, the fox demon, the Nine-tailed Fox—Yuzamozen!

In truth, Cangqiao Qingci had little interest in such matters. After all, he was merely an Onmyoji Apprentice. The gap between him and legendary Onmyoji like Abe no Seimei or Abe no Yasuchika was far more than a mere Natural Chasm.

"Huh?" Hearing Cangqiao Qingci's muttering, the Zashiki-warashi tilted her head in Curiosity. She did not seem to understand his words as she offered the stone to him once more. "For you!"

Left with no other choice, Cangqiao Qingci had to accept the stone. Not daring to touch it with his bare hands, he unfurled the Painted Fan in his grasp, allowing the Little Girl-like Zashiki-warashi to gently place the stone upon the Fan Ribs.This scene fell into the eyes of the surrounding Police officers. They watched in astonishment as the Zashiki-warashi, appearing in much higher spirits after handing over the stone, skipped happily away from the area.

As she walked, she began to sing a nursery rhyme:

"A Little Girl, a little head, woo-woo!"

"A Little Girl, a big head, woo-woo!"

"A Little Girl, a human head, woo-woo!"

"Little toes at the bottom of the rice vat, the sound of dropping chopsticks in the dead of night..."

"Three grains of rice in the corner of the pantry, the dotted prints of wooden clogs on a sunny day..."

"Quickly close the window and let the child go home, watch the red string drift into the sparrow's nest..."

Woven into the melody was both a terrifying tale of a girl's revenge and the legendary stories of the Benevolent Spirit known as the Zashiki-warashi.

The song drifted through the air, finding its way into the ears of everyone present, causing them to lose themselves in a momentary daze.

"Master Qingci!" Shiratori Hayato stepped forward, speaking with utmost respect. "Why didn't you subdue it? It killed so many people..."

"Subdue it?" Cangqiao Qingci shook his head. "She is a Benevolent Spirit. If it weren't for the overwhelming Hatred concentrated here, she never would have appeared in the first place!"

"A Zashiki-warashi is a Yokai meant to bring people both mischief and good fortune... Why would I subdue her?"

Cangqiao Qingci left his thoughts unfinished and had no intention of elaborating. In truth, he did not feel the spirit had done anything wrong. A Yokai was not bound by human Law, and their urge to kill was entirely unrestrained.

Besides, this family truly got what they deserved!

You reap what you sow. That principle held true no matter where you went.

Having settled the matter, Cangqiao Qingci carried the stone on his fan and began walking toward the exit. "There are no other Yokai left in this house," he called out over his shoulder. "You can go ahead and Clean Up the Corpses!"

Staring at the departing back of the Onmyoji, the group of Police officers finally snapped out of their lingering daze, their eyes wide with lingering shock.

After all, unlike those charlatans who were merely Swindling by Bluffing, the phenomena and supernatural displays they had just witnessed were definitely not the work of a fraud!

They looked at Shiratori Hayato. "Captain, you're amazing! How did you manage to find an Onmyoji like him?"

"Yeah, Captain! I heard the chief and the others visited several temples and shrines but couldn't find a single solution. They eventually had no choice but to leave empty-handed. How did you find a real Onmyoji so quickly?"

"Exactly! Now we can finally live in the city with peace of mind. With an Onmyoji here, Kyoto is still the peaceful capital of old!"

"But didn't people just die here?" one squad member asked in Curiosity.

"This family deserved to die. Think about all those Little Girls—whose daughters were they? They died right here in this house. Don't tell me this family didn't deserve it?" another officer spat with resentment. "Didn't you notice that even the Onmyoji didn't care?"

Those words resonated deeply with everyone. Murders always left people feeling uneasy, and Yokai killings were even harder for most to stomach. However, in a situation where the victims were far more wicked than the killer... well, good riddance. The world was a cleaner place without them.

It was a simple, pragmatic sense of justice that most people shared, prompting many to nod in slow agreement.

Suddenly, someone chimed in. "Hey... I heard a Zashiki-warashi can bring good fortune to a household. What if I go home today and leave my window open to welcome her?"

"Aren't you afraid she might strike again?"

"Oh, what's there to be afraid of! The Onmyoji clearly said she is a Benevolent Spirit. If this family hadn't been so evil, things never would have escalated like this..."

"Captain, you know this Onmyoji. Do you think that would work?"

Hearing their banter, Shiratori Hayato found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Did he really know the Onmyoji? Perhaps...

"It should be fine, I suppose?" he replied casually. "But haven't any of you noticed the stench? Hurry up and get the forensics team over here to collect evidence so we can Clean Up the scene!"

The weather wasn't too cold yet, and the sunlight still carried a fair bit of warmth. If they didn't clear out these Corpses soon, they would start to rot!

Thinking of that, they almost began to miss the scene they had witnessed at the official's villa that morning. At least the Yokai there had the decency to both kill and incinerate its victims—a convenient all-in-one package. That was much better than dealing with this mess!

......

Meanwhile, Cangqiao Qingci, who had just stepped out of the estate and was preparing to head back for some rest, suddenly heard an unfamiliar, seductive voice whisper in his ear:

"What an interesting man. You carry the same Bloodline as me... You are a descendant of the spirit foxes!"

Hearing this, Cangqiao Qingci's head snapped up. "Who's there?"

He abruptly snapped his fan shut, holding it defensively in front of him. He pulled out his Bell, and even gripped the Book of the Golden Crow and Jade Rabbit tightly in his hand. The only thing he discarded was the stone, letting it fall to the ground.

"My, my... What a heartless man. You're exactly like the rest of them! I have no way of moving right now, you know!"

As the voice echoed, Cangqiao Qingci sharply detected a faint glimmer of Spiritual Power. He locked his gaze onto the Sesshō-seki before him. "It's you? Yuzamozen?"

"It is indeed I. Hehe!" The seductive chuckle wafted through the air, prompting the young Onmyoji to abruptly turn on his heel, intent on leaving the area immediately.

"Hey, don't go!" the female voice cried out with a hint of urgency. "If you don't take me with you, I'll just have to find someone else! That young Police officer from earlier seemed like a fine choice!"

Hearing her threat, Cangqiao Qingci turned back around in sheer exasperation. He was a good person, which unfortunately made him susceptible to this kind of extortion.

He had to admit she was right. If he didn't take custody of the stone, innocent ordinary people would be forced to bear the risk.

He placed the stone back onto his fan. He decided to store it within a Shrine at the Onmyōryō. It would be much safer there.

The voice continued to echo. "Don't be so tense! I simply wish to have a little chat with you! Don't you want to know what's happening to this nation right now? I know all about it!"

"What are your conditions?" Cangqiao Qingci asked slowly after a long moment of silence.

"My resurrection, of course!" The woman's voice brimmed with immense resentment. "I merely wanted a piece of land to live on, yet those people captured me and tried to offer me to their King... When I refused, they sent an army to hunt me down!"

"I've been stuck in this miserable state for so many years! Of course I want to be revived! Once I regain my true form, I'll leave this place and return to my own lands!"

Cangqiao Qingci didn't believe a single word of it. This woman was legendary for being a great Yokai who had wreaked havoc across all of Asia. If she hadn't harbored some sinister scheme, how could she have possibly ended up in this situation?

However, remembering what she had just said about the kindred Bloodline running through his veins, the young Onmyoji ultimately chose to compromise. "I will temporarily allow you to reside in the Onmyōryō, but I absolutely will not help you resurrect. You're no saint, and the countless people who died because of you certainly wouldn't think so either!"

"Hehe! You caught me! But I'm not angry, because you carry... the scent of my kin!" the woman's voice trailed off with a carefree lilt.

The great Yokai Yuzamozen had grandly made her debut!