novelraw Chapter 210-2: Failed Shrine Maiden, Ancient Heavenly Enma (2)
Chapter 210-2: Failed Shrine Maiden, Ancient Heavenly Enma (2)
[Remaining in stealth, you return to the first-floor hall. Another courtesan is now singing and dancing on the stage, and the room remains just as lively.]
[While no one is paying attention, you quietly slip behind the stage…]
[Behind the stage, there is no one at all, dim and unlit. In one unremarkable corner, a folding screen hides a small door.]
[You realize this must be the entrance to the basement. You step around the screen and are just about to push the door open when an invisible force stops you.]
[This sensation is exactly the same as when you were blocked by a barrier on Tisi Island’s rear mountain.]
[You are prevented from entering by a barrier!]
“What are they hiding under the pavilion that it needs a barrier to protect it?”
Lin Xun knew there had to be some secret or treasure down there.
The Chunin shell hadn’t learned any ninjutsu for breaking barriers. If he switched to the Corrupted Earth Giant shell to smash it apart with a greatclub, it would almost certainly cause unwanted trouble.
According to earlier information, the most common way to pass through a barrier was to carry a specific object or possess a particular aura…[You climb to the top floor of the pavilion. At the end of the corridor are the quarters of the proprietor and several senior attendants.]
[Light shines from each room. You press your ear to one of the doors and hear unmistakable sounds from within.]
[Holding your breath, you quietly slide the shoji door open a crack. Inside, an elderly attendant and a beautiful courtesan are engaged in indecent activity.]
[The two are so absorbed that they do not sense anything amiss.]
[You silently slip into the room. Just as you’re about to kill both of them, the shoji door suddenly slides open.]
[The noise makes the attendant twitch violently and immediately foam at the mouth.]
[You, about to strike with the Golden Roc Raptor Claws, also pause. Another elderly attendant steps inside, sounding very angry. He complains that he was never meant to be on basement duty tonight, he was only filling in temporarily. The man who was supposed to be there claimed he had to relieve himself, but instead was shirking responsibility here.]
[With that, he tossed something onto the mattress, turned, and strode out.]
[You see clearly that the object is a wooden talisman tied with a red cord, painted with tadpole-shaped runes.]
[The attendant on the mattress cursed as he picked up the talisman, shooed the courtesan away, and began getting dressed…]
[Now that you are alone with him, you do not hesitate. You creep up behind and drive your claws into his back.]
[Since you had not yet fully mastered the Golden Roc Raptor Claws, your movement stirred a slight gust of air.]
[The Fire-Worshipping Pleasure Quarter Attendant flickered aside, kicking up his long hakama to block your view.]
[Just as you raised the claws to tear the garment away, a flash of brilliant sword light swept in, slicing the hakama apart and continuing straight at you!]
[You crossed both claws to block, feeling a tremendous force slam into you, driving you back several steps before you could finally neutralize it.]
[The attendant’s deeply wrinkled face twisted into a sneer. What manner of ninja dog dared to make trouble in the Pleasure Quarter? Very well, he hadn’t finished venting his lust earlier. He would use your death to soothe his malice!]
[The gleaming blade slashed again, black flame flickering in its wake.]
[You possess the shell of the Knowledge-Seeking Primordial Hermit!]
[One hand caught the sword edge, while the other flicked out the chain blade. The sharp short knife buried itself completely in the man’s chest, leaving only the hilt visible.]
[The attendant looked at you in disbelief, whispering the word ‘demon,’ before slowly collapsing to the floor, face darkening as he died…]
[You have defeated the Fire-Worshipping Pleasure Quarter Attendant. Your experience has increased slightly.]
[You have obtained Indomitable Large Chunk of Spirit Essence *1.]
[You have obtained Barrier Talisman (Key).]
[You look down at the corpse before you…]
[Fire-Worshipping Pleasure Quarter Attendant shell…]
Lin Xun knew the commotion just now would certainly draw attention.
With no time to read all the text carefully, he quickly chose to possess the shell.
[You possess the Fire-Worshipping Pleasure Quarter Attendant shell!]
[The shoji door slid open again. The attendant who had left earlier returned, finding the room a mess, with you standing there holding the sword.]
[He was about to ask a question, but you spoke first: moments ago, you had been at the height of your pleasure when he interrupted you, leaving your malice unspent, so you had vented it with your blade, and now felt much better.]
[The attendant cast you a cold glance with his pitch-black eyes and reminded you that you had better hurry down to the basement. If the proprietor discovered you had left your post, both of you would be punished.]
[You nodded, and when he left, you took a fresh set of clothes from the cabinet and changed…]
Lin Xun opened the panel and found this attendant’s attributes exceeded the samurai shell he’d used before.
He also possessed knowledge of how to use Qi.
It was known that samurai were responsible for keeping order in the city, their strength considerable. That a mere brothel overseer’s power surpassed theirs showed that whatever was hidden beneath the pavilion was anything but ordinary.
[Once you were properly dressed, you took the Barrier Talisman and left the room…]
[…]
[Behind the stage was still utterly dark. You circled around the screen once more and pushed open the small door.]
[You are carrying the Barrier Talisman and can pass through this barrier unimpeded!]
[You feel as if you are pushing through a curtain of water, and then the sensation vanishes.]
[You descend the staircase behind the small door…]
[The space excavated beneath the pavilion is vast, covering far more area than the building above. It seems the underground levels of all the pleasure houses along the street have been connected, forming a gigantic basement.]
[The basement is brightly lit, and in its center stands an enormous divine statue.]
[It is a stone sculpture of a mass of pitch-black flames, just like the idols you saw before, only this one is magnified countless times.]
[The strangeness of the statue doesn’t end there. You look up at the basement ceiling and see wisps of black smoke seeping down from above.]
[The statue, like a magnet, draws all the black smoke into itself, its dark surface growing even deeper and more lustrous.]
[As you watch the statue and the drifting smoke, malice wells up unbidden in your heart.]
[This malice is not so overwhelming as when you stared into burning Karmic Fire, forcing you to act against your will, but it lingers around your mind, refusing to fade.]
[You realize the malice contained in this statue far exceeds that of the Karmic Fire, it is simply that here, the malice is held within and does not spill outward, sparing you immediate madness.]
[Suddenly, you notice a flicker of black radiance at the tip of the flame-shaped sculpture.]
[You hurry closer to examine it and see that part of the stone at the statue’s apex has crystallized into a black gem the size of a clenched fist, reflecting dark light in the lamplight.]
[All the black smoke the statue draws in flows toward this black crystal at the top, making it grow even darker and glossier.]
[A faithless Apostle is like a rootless weed. What will you do next?]
[1. Switch to the Corrupted Earth Giant shell, smash the statue with your greatclub, and purge all malice from this world.]
[2. Devoutly kneel before the statue in worship, beseech the god to grant you pious faith, and swear an oath.]
[3. Take the crystal of concentrated malice from the statue and slip away quietly, hiding your accomplishments and fame.]
“Hm? Why does this scene feel strangely familiar? Could it be…”
Lin Xun recalled something and decisively chose the third option.
[With one hand gripping the scabbard and the other on the hilt, you hold your breath in concentration…]
[Suddenly, you give a loud shout and leap into the air. A gleaming blade arcs out in a swift Iai slash!]
[The pitch-black crystal falls from the top of the statue.]
[You sheathe your sword and exhale slowly…]
[You have obtained Malice of Ten Yama (Epic-grade Item).]
[Malice of Ten Yama (Epic-grade Item): Countless strands of malice drawn into the statue caused the sculpture of Ancient Heavenly Enma to congeal a trace of strange, warped divinity, forming a black crystal. When used, you will gain 1 point of Divinity.]
“Ancient Heavenly Enma… So this is the god of this chapter?”