novelraw Chapter 279-1: The Corrupted Statue of Enma, Glazed Pure Fire (1)
Chapter 279-1: The Corrupted Statue of Enma, Glazed Pure Fire (1)
The divine domain power of Tenmei Grand Shrine far surpassed that of the No-Illusions Shrine. Lin Xun would not only be facing an unknown, powerful boss but also numerous clergy whose strength was amplified by the divine domain.
Conquering the shrine would clearly be a colossal challenge.
However, being talked out of it without at least trying to see the dangers firsthand was not Lin Xun’s nature.
He decided to wait until deep night and attempt to enter the Main Hall alone…
Feigning a calm reassurance to Senior Sister, he left the Sessha Shrine.
Lin Xun withdrew to the periphery of the shrine complex, away from the many pilgrims, and tested the Ninja Master’s invisibility skill.
In the No-Illusions Shrine, when the Ninja Master activated his concealment technique, he became a vaguely discernible transparent silhouette.
But outside Tenmei Grand Shrine, even an Epic+ concealment could only make his figure slightly blurry, unable to achieve true invisibility.
Though he had prepared himself mentally, he could only sigh in resignation.
Time slipped by until the dead of night. He revived the shikigami Nurarihyon, switched into the Greedy Wolf Star Lord’s shell, and infiltrated the shrine again…[Dark clouds veiled the moonlight and starlight of the night, casting everything into a chilling, oppressive silence.]
[You flew high in the sky by sword, overlooking the summit of Tenmei Mountain. The shrine was no longer bustling as it had been by day, leaving only a mute, shadowy gloom.]
[Gathering your true essence into your eyes, you peered down. Inside the shrine, only a few attendants carried lanterns as they made their rounds…]
[For such a vast Tenmei Grand Shrine, merely a handful of attendants patrolling left countless blind spots, unable to serve as any real warning to intruders.]
[But this was not surprising. Tenmei Grand Shrine stood at the pinnacle among shrines, enshrining the sole true god, Ancient Heavenly Enma. The faithful and pilgrims hardly had time to offer reverence, who would dare defile the shrine?]
[As for the remnants of demonic heretics, most had long vanished without a trace. Even if a few survived, they hid deep in the wilderness, cowering in terror, and would never dare set foot in Kyoto.]
[Soon, the attendants finished their patrols and returned to their lodgings to rest…]
[It was now the latter half of the night. It would not be long before the ‘worship ceremony’ Tsukishiro Murasakiyo had spoken of would begin.]
[You silently descended, landing by sword…]
[You hid in the shadow of a corner outside the Main Hall. In the pitch-dark night, so long as no one with a lantern purposefully came this way, your presence would remain undiscovered.]
[Suddenly, you sensed something and looked toward the distance…]
[You saw a dense crowd of silhouettes gathering in the direction of the clergy lodgings, numbering close to a hundred by rough estimate.]
[They made not a single sound, approaching the Main Hall in utter silence. Apart from their orderly, faint footsteps, you could hear nothing.]
[As the crowd drew near, you saw the one at their head wearing a white robe and white hakama, with the dignified crest of the dark gray Eightfold Wisteria emblazoned upon the ceremonial attire.]
[In a top-ranking shrine like Tenmei Grand Shrine, only the chief priest who commanded all affairs could wear such garments.]
[You had discovered the Extreme Evil Chief Priest of Tenmei Grand Shrine!]
[The chief priest advanced without a single change of expression. Not only the priest, every clergyman behind him was the same. Nearly a hundred people bore identical blank faces, filling you with an inexplicable oppression.]
[As the chief priest neared the Main Hall doors, he raised a hand to dispel the invisible Mizugaki barrier. Under his lead, the entire group filed into the hall…]
[You quietly circled back to the Main Hall entrance, only to see the doors shut tight. The shadows undulating on the shoji screens wordlessly declared that the worship ceremony was about to begin.]
[Stepping lightly, making no sound whatsoever, you seized the moment when the barrier was down and crossed into the Main Hall’s perimeter.]
[You entered the Mizugaki barrier, circled around to the rear of the Main Hall again, and waited in silence for the ceremony to end.]
[Once the chief priest and the others departed, you would be able to sneak into the Main Hall.]
[However, when the chief priest left, he would inevitably restore the barrier. Once that happened, you would most likely be trapped inside the Main Hall, unable to escape…]
[Do you want to continue waiting in hiding, or retreat now?]
Lin Xun didn’t particularly mind. A one-way trip was fine too, if he couldn’t get out, he would simply die and respawn back in the city for free.
He fixed his eyes on the game text, silently waiting.
He had no idea how much time passed before the text changed.
[Suddenly, an invisible hand settled on your shoulder. You started in alarm and were about to whirl around, sword raised, when Tsukishiro Murasakiyo materialized, standing right behind you.]
[Tsukishiro Murasakiyo stared at the Dragon Sword Masamune in your hand, cautiously asking in a low voice, Benefactor?]
[She had once seen you in the phantasm of No-Illusions Shrine, transformed into a giant and fighting alongside the Ninja Master. She knew your foreign sorcery was immensely profound, able to take the form of a sorcerer or a warrior at will.]
[Though you now wore the guise of an unfamiliar swordsman, she had recognized you by the Dragon Sword Masamune in an instant…]
“Damn! What’s Senior Sister doing here?”
This time, Lin Xun had come to the Main Hall fully prepared to risk his life in exchange for intelligence clues. So long as he could gauge the strength of the boss inside, dying once would be worth it.
He could die and revive, but Senior Sister could not. If she perished, it would truly be over.
[You wanted to send Tsukishiro Murasakiyo away and face the danger alone, but she raised a hand gripping her great naginata, the other holding a golden Kagura bell, and resolutely shook her head.]
[Tsukishiro Murasakiyo quietly reminded you that the divine domain of Tenmei Grand Shrine surpassed all other shrines. Like the rest of the clergy, she too could receive its power boost, ‘Benefactor, you must not underestimate me.’]
[Besides, she said, on that night when she had hidden by the Main Hall door and been discovered, she had nonetheless been safe the next morning… With her covering you, even if the chief priest noticed, you might still have a chance to escape.]
[You were about to continue urging her to leave when Tsukishiro Murasakiyo gestured for you to be silent.]
[You looked toward the Main Hall. The dense shadows on the shoji screens had vanished, and from the front of the hall came the creaking sound of the doors sliding open.]
[As the measured footsteps gradually receded into the distance, you felt an invisible, solid force slowly closing in around you, enveloping the entire Main Hall. You knew the Mizugaki barrier had risen again, sealing the two of you inside.]
[At this point, you had no choice but to explore the Main Hall together with Tsukishiro Murasakiyo.]
[Once everything fell completely silent, you peeked out. The shrine grounds were deathly still, not a soul in sight.]
[You returned to the front of the Main Hall…]
[Do you want to push open the Main Hall doors and explore the unknown within?]
Lin Xun immediately summoned his three powerful companions: Valkyrie, Snow Woman, and Nurarihyon.
He then fully armed the Greedy Wolf Star Lord shell, flying sword at the ready, Dragon Sword Masamune in his right hand, Uzuki-Kiri in his left, the Ancient Dragonfang Greatclub slung over his back, clad in the Regenerating Scale Armor of the Dragon Rider…
“To keep Senior Sister alive, I really am going to absurd lengths.”
At this moment, he had transformed into a walking arsenal, paying no mind to the dumbfounded Senior Sister at his side.
Taking a deep breath, he pressed the ‘Open Door’ option heavily.
[With a creak, you slowly pushed open the Main Hall doors…]
[The Main Hall was brilliantly lit, the candles never extinguished. In an instant, you took in everything within.]
[On the altar deep inside stood a massive shadow wreathed in black mist.]
[Countless branches as thick as giant serpents coiled around each other, adorned with lush, pitch-black blossoms that bloomed with a beauty both seductive and grotesque.]
[The branches writhed, revealing faint flames within, this was the soon-to-be-extinguished Calamitous Fallen Karmic Fire, and the main divine statue trapped in the mire of malice!]
[Your gaze was utterly locked upon the statue. You could not look away even a fraction.]
[Endless malice sprouted from the depths of your heart, flooding your every thought.]
[All you wished for was to wield your blades and slaughter every living thing within the hall!]
[…]
“Damn!”
Lin Xun started in alarm, Senior Sister was right beside him…
[Valkyrie immediately pulled out the Little Demon Shikigami Bell. As the bell rang, eighteen blue-faced, fanged little demons swarmed to encircle you.]
[You formed a sword seal, your blade light flashing in all directions, and cut down over ten little demons in an instant.]
[The malice surging in your heart instantly receded like a retreating tide. Just as you were about to breathe a sigh of relief, you saw Tsukishiro Murasakiyo beside you wearing a twisted smile, swinging her great naginata to strike!]
[Not only that, behind you, the Snow Woman and Nurarihyon wore the same expression, launching their attacks in unison!]
[You wielded the Dragon Sword Masamune, deflecting Tsukishiro Murasakiyo with one slash before retreating at speed!]
[You possessed the shell of the Fire-Worshipping Palace Master of Iya Palace!]
[You formed seals and chanted, freezing the two treacherous shikigami in place, then brandished the Purifying Exorcism Wand to activate Exorcism Decree, dismissing their summons.]
[Tsukishiro Murasakiyo swung her blade again, this time with exceptional speed and ferocity. She was clearly striking with all her might, empowered by the divine domain, even you dared not meet the blow head-on.]
[Valkyrie rang the bell once more. Eighteen little demons appeared, intercepting the deadly arc of her blade.]
[Tsukishiro Murasakiyo’s figure flickered like a wraith, and in moments she had slain all eighteen little demons…]
[At last, she jolted awake, her eerie smile vanishing. She hastily averted her gaze, not daring to look toward the god-statue in the depths of the hall.]
[The two of you withdrew from the Main Hall at once, careful not to let that evil, fiery light touch you.]
“Thank goodness Senior Sister was here, or I wouldn’t have summoned Valkyrie and her auto-wake-up skill. Otherwise, I’d probably be back in town already.”
“So that’s why she fainted the last time she saw the statue, it wasn’t unconsciousness, it was mind control.”
“But…how did she snap out of it herself?”
Lin Xun felt a creeping dread and quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts.