CHAPTER 6 â DERELICT TEMPLE AND STRANGE MONK (PART 1)
In the group, a towering warrior monk wearing a flat bamboo hat and dressed in tattered gray-black clothes stepped forward in front of Hakure. Hanging from his waist was a constantly trembling cloth bag.
Untying the bag, the warrior monk revealed its contentsâa human head. The lower half of the head was submerged in a strange yellow liquid, and despite the gruesome state, it remained alive.
The samuraiâs face wore a wretched expression as he cried out, filled with pain and hatred. âKill me! KILL ME!â he pleaded.
Hakure seized the bag, gazing coldly at the samuraiâs severed head within and sneered. âSuch a pity. If only you had cooperated obediently, I might have considered accepting you as my subordinate.â
âDream on! Even in death, I wonât swear loyalty to a beast like you!â
âHah! You have only one mouth left to curse and scold,â Hakure retorted, bursting into laughter. âAhahaha!â
âKill me! If you have the guts, kill me!â the samurai screamed in agony.
âDonât worry, once we find the lunar crystals, weâll send you on your way,â Hakure assured him.
âThe lunar crystal⊠that sacred artifact will bring disaster upon you! It will surely lead to your regret! You will rue the day you laid hands on it!â the head howled.
âHahahaha! No need to worry about that! The path of advancement is fraught with peril. Just like you, who thought we couldnât capture you in Yomi Hirazaka? Once a majestic single-soul Big Dipper expert, and now reduced to nothing more than a helpless head.â
The head writhed in extreme anguish and despair, its eyes growing dim. âIâve already disclosed the crystalâs whereabouts. Why wonât you kill me?â
âYes, you have indeed shared the information, but I am a naturally suspicious man. Whoâs to say you havenât deceived me? If you dare to trick me⊠I will take your head and visit your descendants in Kansai, making you witness the consequences! The men will be slaughtered, and the women will be subjected to unspeakable acts and sold as slaves! If you dare deceive me, rest assured, I will make you pay!â
âDevil! You beasts who wield the power of the underworld, you are more wicked than demons! If you spare me, you will come to regret it! I will personally witness your demise!â
âPfft! Pfft!â Hakure drew a short sword and ruthlessly stabbed the headâs eyes, rendering him blind.
âAghhâAggâ!!!â The head screamed in agony.
âAh, my apologies. It seems you wonât be able to witness my demise,â Hakure replied sarcastically.
âŠâŠ
At nightfall, Lily and Ayaka pressed on along the ancient road.
âSister Ayaka, I sense a stronger and more potent spiritual energy here compared to other places. It seems to grow more abundant the deeper we venture,â remarked Lily, her attire still the red short-skirted kimono and white knee-high socks.
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âNaturally so, as this is the ascending road leading to the Ise Heavenly GateâŠâ Ayaka, clad in her crimson shrine maiden attire, found herself entangled in vines, causing her clothing to snag.
âLily, please wait a moment,â Ayaka requested.
âMm?â Lily turned her attention to Ayaka, who had positioned herself behind a sizable boulder. In the moonlightâs shadow, Lily observed a slender figure removing shrine maiden attire.
âŠâŠ
âHuh, does she have to use the bathroom?â Lilyâs face turned crimson, and she quickly averted her gaze. Even though they were both women, it felt awkward to watch another woman in such a situation. But why did Ayaka need to remove her attire just for that? It seemed peculiar.
âŠâŠ
After a while, Ayaka emerged, exuding a cheerful aura. She had tied her hair back with her favorite white headband, giving her a more dignified and mature appearance. But the most notable change was her attire. Gone were the loose scarlet shrine maiden garments, replaced by a form-fitting white miko outfit. The top extended to a length that could pass as a short skirt, while she wore sleek black pantyhose underneath.
Seeing Ayaka, a mature woman, donning black pantyhose under her top wasâŠunexpected. Lily couldnât help but feel a bit flustered. âWhat? Is it that strange? Youâre wearing something just as short,â Ayaka remarked, though her cheeks betrayed a hint of bashfulness.
âNo, itâs nothingâŠâ Lily hastily glanced around. âBy the way, what can you tell me about the Ise Heavenly Gates?â
âIâm not sure. Iâve never seen them myself,â Ayaka admitted. Her spiritual palace had suffered severe damage, leaving her five big dipper souls dimmed. Currently, she could barely match the strength of a double-soul big dipper expert if she pushed herself. Nevertheless, in Ashihara, double-soul big dipper experts were considered formidable beings.
Lily gazed at the night sky and a realization dawned upon her. âSister Ayaka, a day has passed. Is it timeâŠ?â
âFor the body inspection?â Ayakaâs face reddened, and she hesitated. âI donât think itâs necessary.â
âMm? But didnât you teach me how to use the acoustic jade for examination on our journey? Luckily, Kimiko had some acoustic jades at her house. Didnât you use one to examine Sister Uesugi?â Lily retrieved a warm yellow-green jade, about the size of a small stone, from her pocket.
âWe canât afford to be careless. Iâm concernedâŠâ Lily insisted.
âFine, since thereâs no one around,â Ayaka reluctantly agreed. As a medical practitioner, understanding the state of her own bodyâs recovery was crucial. However, the problem was that the acoustic jades couldnât affect the person using them, so Ayaka couldnât examine herself.
Ayaka scanned the surroundings and motioned for Lily to follow her. They veered off the road and sought shelter under a colossal tree. Ayaka unbuttoned her miko outfit, allowing it to slide off her delicate shoulders. Underneath, she wore nothing.
Of course, Ayaka covered her bosom with one arm, though it could only conceal the middle, and if she pressed down, her hand would sink into her ample curves. With her other hand raised high, she stretched it behind her, fully exposing her armpit.
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âCome thenâŠâ Ayaka beckoned to Lily.
Lily approached Ayaka, feeling a tinge of embarrassment. Ayaka exuded an aura of maturity, yet her presence carried a youthful and divine fragrance. It seemed that only women who diligently protected their bodies and possessed a celestial maidenâs physique would possess such a scent.
Carefully, Lily placed the acoustic jade against Ayakaâs exposed armpit and activated it with her spirit energy.
âMmmâŠnnâŠâ Ayaka felt a tingling sensation, causing an itchiness and numbness, but she endured it without complaint. As Lily pressed the jade firmer into Ayakaâs armpit1, Ayakaâs breath hitched, though she swiftly attempted to conceal any signs of discomfort by adjusting her breathing.
The color of the acoustic jade shifted from yellow-green to a combination of half blue and half purple. âDone,â Lily declared, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. âAccording to what you explained, blue signifies good health, but what does half purple mean?â
Ayaka, still blushing, responded, âItâs fine. Being healthy is what matters.â She resumed her composed breath and swiftly readjusted her attire.
Lily persisted, her gaze dropping to a lower area. âThen, sister Ayaka, donât we need to check the other area?â
Ayakaâs face flushed deeper. âThereâs no need!â
âButâŠâ Lily began, her curiosity getting the better of her.
âThatâs enough. Letâs continue,â Ayaka interjected, her tone tinged with irritation.
Unsure why Ayaka was upset, Lily obediently followed behind. Her eyes involuntarily trailed along Ayakaâs miko outfit, gliding down to her legs clad in black pantyhose and the scantily covered rear. She couldnât help but wonder, âIs it really okay not to check?â
âŠâŠ
On a hillside, ten miles ahead along the road, stood a dilapidated temple. Several imposing men guarded its entrance. Accompanied by a group of experts, Hakure and the red-robed onmyoji made their way into the temple.
Boom! Crash!
The mountain god statue was forcefully toppled and smashed onto the floor. Hanging cloth strips were torn, and objects shattered, filling the temple with billowing smoke and dust.
âYoung master, please be cautious. Although the temple may be in ruins, it still holds significance on the ascending road. Itâs not appropriate to destroy the statue like this,â the onmyoji expressed concern.
âDonât be so timid! These statues are not gods, just piles of dirt!â Hakure continued to wreak havoc, relentlessly destroying the temple.
Finally, one of the samurais discovered a small black box hidden behind the shattered statue.
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âYoung master!â
The samurai retrieved the box and handed it to Hakure, whose eyes gleamed with anticipation. A talisman adorned the surface of the box.
The onmyoji approached and examined the talisman, placing a finger upon it while reciting an incantation.
Crack!
The talisman shattered, causing the black box to open by itself.
Inside, resting on a velvet cloth, was a translucent, colorless ore of extraordinary purity. It exuded an ancient and noble aura, unlike anything they had seen before.
A lunar crystal!â Hakure exclaimed in excitement.
âSo, this is a lunar crystal?â the onmyoji inquired.
âIt seems that man was telling the truth. He truly hid the lunar crystal here!â Hakureâs eyes gleamed with ferocity. âWhen we return, send a few subordinates to annihilate his clan. Spare no one!â
âYoung master, if weâve already obtained the lunar crystals, why exterminate his family?â the onmyoji questioned, surprised by Hakureâs declaration.
âWho knows if he shared this secret with his clan? Anyone who knows of the existence of this lunar crystal must die!â Hakureâs eyes turned cold and merciless.
Suddenly, a powerful pressure descended upon the temple.
WhooshâWhooshâ
Gusts of wind, filled with terrifying resentment, swept through the temple. Bricks, tiles, and tattered remnants were carried in the chaotic currents.
âWhatâs happening?!â
âYoung master, the source of this resentment is immensely powerful! We must flee this place immediately!â The onmyojiâs face turned pale, twisted in panic.