Duanmu Huai carefully observed before entering the shrine just now. He didn’t see any animal statues like foxes or wild boars, which ans this shrine is definitely not dedicated to the spirit of animals like foxes.
So... what exactly is enshrined here is very questionable.
"Ah, there’s an introduction about the history of this shrine over there."
Manager Bai Mu was already prepared for this. He went to a nearby self-service kiosk and took out several brochures...
Gotta admit, it’s truly a craftsman spirit.
Duanmu Huai silently gave a thumbs up, then reached out to take a brochure and started flipping through it.
According to what’s written, this shrine is related to the story ijia told them before. The brochure states that this shrine initially worshipped that demon (which Duanmu Huai doesn’t find surprising, as all these things enshrined in Japanese shrines would be considered demons in China, the kind you’d casually slay for a drink on a Journey to the West). The owner of the shrine was also an accomplice of the demon, helping it choose villagers to devour each year.
Later, a high monk arrived and defeated the demon and its minions, sealing the demon. A family saved by the high monk decided to replace the fallen previous owner of the shrine after the battle with the high monk and guard the shrine for generations, watching over the sealed demon.
The high monk, because he exhausted his life sealing the demon, passed away not long after. This shrine enshrines the skull of that high monk.
"......"
A shrine enshrining a monk’s head, this sort of bizarre ritual can only be seen in Japan. In Duanmu Huai’s opinion, it would be better to demolish this shrine and build a temple... worshipping Buddha is better than praying to a skull.
Isn’t this ominous?
Next, Manager Bai Mu led everyone to the worship hall—commonly known as the place where people co to pray. Generally, by convention, people first wash their hands at the hand water pool before approaching the offering box in front of the worship hall for prayer. In simple terms, it’s just like in many anis, where you throw a coin into the offering box, shake the bell hanging on it, then bow twice, clap twice, and bow once.
In essence, you’re telling the deity worshipped here, "I’ve given you money, please help fulfill my wish..."
To be honest, with the small amount of money they give, it’s unlikely they’ll fulfill any valuable wishes.
After all, what’s the value of a coin?
If Duanmu Huai were a deity enshrined in a shrine, he wouldn’t fulfill these believers’ wishes for just a few coins. Am I so cheap?
At least they should take a page from Shaolin or sothing, spend a fortune to burn an incense stick!
So every ti Duanmu Huai hears people say that Japanese are superstitious, he finds it a bit laughable.
Superstitious? Have you seen superstitious behavior as reckless as this? Even in Chinese rural areas, when elders pray, they offer sacrifices as a token of sincerity, promising to slaughter cattle or sheep if their wishes co true.
If you tell them not to do so, to just throw a few coins in the local temple, see if they don’t spit angrily at you.
So the Japanese being superstitious? I think they don’t really believe at all!
Who derides gods and Buddhas like this? Do you think your retribution isn’t enough?
Alright, I digressed, let’s get back to the point.
The worship hall is now completely unrecognizable, it looks like it’s been burned down, charred black. It’s turned into a pile of ruins. And in the courtyard, there’s a thick, toppled tree, judging by the divine ropes wrapped around it, this should be the sacred tree of the shrine.
However, the tree now looks like it’s been uprooted, lying directly on the ground.
"According to the villagers at the ti, they ca early in the morning to pray, then discovered the sacred tree in the shrine’s courtyard had fallen, and the worship hall was destroyed. They were shocked, hurried to find the shrine host and his family, but they were nowhere to be found, so the villagers thought of looking for the village chief, but when they got to the village chief’s house, they found that his family had also disappeared..."
"So, these were actually two disappearance cases, one of the shrine’s family, and one of the village chief’s family?"
"Yes, the shrine host’s family had three mbers, while the village chief’s family was him and his inept son."
Saying this, Manager Bai Mu frowned too, seemingly not having a good impression of that son.
At this mont, everyone had bypassed the burnt worship hall and arrived at the main hall, which was also burnt into charcoal and collapsed completely. Or perhaps this was where the fire initially started, and the worship hall was just collateral damage.
"When did the fire occur? Didn’t anyone notice?"
"No one."
In response to Duanmu Huai’s inquiry, Manager Bai Mu shook his head.
"The police also investigated, but strangely, no one knew when the fire started, and even stranger, there were no signs of firefighting at the scene. It’s bizarre, for a fire that big, capable of destroying the whole main hall, would have spread without soone fighting it, but none of that happened, which is quite odd."
Looking around at the sea of trees surrounding the shrine, Duanmu Huai noted that it made sense; in this sort of place, without soone fighting the fire, even a tiny spark could turn into a mountain blaze, which wouldn’t be a joke.
Yet, oddly, from the scene, the fire seed confined to the main hall, only affecting the front worship hall, not even burning the surrounding walls, which is very strange...
"......"
Just then, Duanmu Huai felt soone tugging at his sleeve. He glanced down to see dea looking at him, so Duanmu Huai nodded knowingly, then turned and gave Shajuye on the other side a silent glance. The latter paused but then turned to look at Manager Bai Mu.
"Can we take a look at where the shrine host lived?"
"Of course, please follow ..."
Manager Bai Mu didn’t perceive anything unusual, he nodded and then continued walking with Shajuye and ijia.
Only after they left did Duanmu Huai retract his gaze and look at Alice Phil and dea.
"What’s wrong? Did you find anything?"
Originally, as heroic spirits, Alice Phil and dea could use ntal induction to communicate with Duanmu Huai, but upon reaching this world, they beca just like humans, unable to spiritualize, naturally unable to communicate telepathically, so they had no choice but to send others away.
"Sothing seems off here."
Alice Phil first spoke up.
"Based on the investigation conducted by and dea, this shrine should be located at the center of a spirit vein."
"A spirit vein...?"
Duanmu Huai was familiar with spirit veins since magician families in the Type-Moon World would build their workshops on spirit veins.
"Yes, in fact, using the power of a spirit vein to imprison or seal sothing isn’t exactly uncommon."
dea also interjected.
"Or rather, this thod has been used worldwide throughout history. After all, relying on humans for a seal isn’t safe, but using a spirit vein’s power ensures stability."
"Honestly, the most reliable way in my opinion is just to kill it outright, eliminate the risk forever."
Duanmu Huai held a poor attitude towards sealing in general.
"So what’s the problem?"
"The problem is, we haven’t found any seals here whatsoever."
Alice Phil continued, and upon hearing her words, Duanmu Huai was taken aback.
"None?"
"Yes, which ans there isn’t any seal here, and aside from that..."
dea paused for a mont.
"Based on the residual traces of mana here, it seems more like sothing absorbed the spirit vein’s power."
"......"
Hearing this, Duanmu Huai was rendered speechless.
"You’re not seriously suggesting sothing in the shrine not only wasn’t sealed, but has also been growing stronger by leeching off the spirit vein’s power?"
Facing Duanmu Huai’s question, the two exchanged glances and nodded.
"It’s very likely."
"Alright then."
Duanmu Huai rolled his eyes and sighed.
This situation seems to have gotten a lot more complicated now.
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