readytorunbook Chapter 361 Everyone's Second Identity
Chapter 361 Everyone's Second Identity
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"This time it seems to be quite short."
Shen He saw that Xu Ning had opened his eyes and gently helped him up.
Xu Ning walked to the roots of the Divine Cherry Tree and smiled, "As expected."
"This is where Mikoto Chiyo recuperated. Over the past few hundred years, Yae no Miko has probably paid the most attention to this place, so the accumulated miasma is naturally the least."
"All five locations have been exorcised. Is that the end of it?" Shen He asked.
Xu Ning led Shen He out of the cave and looked towards the direction of Yingxiang Mountain.
"We've only completed part of the preparations; to be precise, the exorcism has only just begun."
"However, before we are fully prepared, we don't need to travel back and forth like this for the time being. Besides, my experience in my memories is not lonely. It would be too boring for you to keep guarding me like this."
Shen He shook his head. “It’s not boring. It was much more boring for me to hone my magic in the mountains with my master. But back then, I was just trying to protect myself. But if you stay away from the world and don’t get involved in worldly affairs, the cultivation itself loses its meaning. But since I started following you and working to save others, it seems that these magic skills have found a purpose. I’m very happy.”
Xu Ning was extremely happy to hear Shen He say so much at once.
"Let's go back to Narukami Shrine to rest for a while. I also need to study the documents left by Harunosuke Tadakami carefully to see if I can find a way to break the seal on the tanuki."
Although they were supposed to rest at Narukami Shrine, everyone eventually gathered at the Dust-Hidden Cave.
Since it was Lord Yae no Kami's suggestion, no one raised any objections. Moreover, Lord Yae no Kami kindly invited a certain raccoon dog that had recently been under strict guard by the shrine maiden, which made the completely uneasy Kano Nana join the feast in the cave.
Following the principle that more debts don't matter, Xu Ning simply invited Inashiro Hotaru and Gento Ringo as well.
Inashiro Hotaru readily agreed, but Gendou Ringo declined somewhat flusteredly. Xu Ning sensed that she was quite looking forward to it, but was too timid to get too close to the crowd.
However, I have more important things to do recently, so I can't worry about this person's feelings for the time being.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, everyone was feeling a bit tipsy. At the urging of the goddess, Qingyi and Qiandai started drinking again, while a group of beautiful women cheered them on from the sidelines.
Xu Ning watched as Wendy mingled happily among the women without any awareness, yet it didn't seem out of place to outsiders. He shook his head, gave an explanation to Shen He, who was sitting quietly meditating by the Ganlin Spring, and then left the cave with the scroll left by Yuishin Seinosuke.
As was his habit, Xu Ning leaned back under the cherry tree, casually laying the scroll on his lap. By the light of the lamppost, he carefully examined the secret techniques described inside.
Although it's called a secret technique, Xu Ning is very familiar with everything that Yuijin Seinosuke described in detail above. Whether it's shikigami magic or enchantment magic, he has better options and doesn't need to learn Yuijin's stuff at all.
Xu Ning's only need was to release the seal on Wu Baizang and the other tanuki, since Wu Baizang, the great tanuki demon, would be an indispensable part of the upcoming Great Exorcism.
Xu Ning finally found the way to break the seal in an inconspicuous corner, in a casual remark.
"...we can break open the rock layer and release it..."
You placed a "seal," not a "walnut curse." What do you mean by cracking it open and letting it out?
If it were that simple, the tanuki would have broken free long ago...
Thinking about this, Xu Ning really felt there was something wrong.
In terms of demonic power, Gohyakuzo should be the most powerful among the tanuki. There's no reason why Jihoshi and Shojo would break the seal first.
If Ichizou, as the leader, was given special attention, then the other tanuki should be of similar strength, so why were only a few of them shown up?
However, if we compare the stone shells that seal the tanuki to "reins," then even if the reins are thin, the horse will think it is tied to a stake and will not run away.
Similarly, because the tanuki believe they are sealed away, they can never escape unless the seal is broken.
So most of them just stayed inside peacefully, waiting for the seal to break or for them to be freed.
The little raccoons that managed to escape were probably all restless creatures who accidentally broke free of their "restraints" and ran away.
Xu Ning rubbed his forehead and smiled bitterly, "What a mess! If I had known earlier that it was just a walnut shell, I should have cracked it all out to play with when I first saw Wu Baizang. Sleeping in there probably wouldn't be comfortable at all!"
"Although it's not too late to rescue them now, breaking the seal must be taken seriously. It needs to be done with a grand ceremony and a sense of ritual. If the method is too simple, it will make us seem like we treated the tanuki too lightly back then, and it would be bad if we angered them."
Just as he was fretting, Xu Ning suddenly caught a glimpse of a white-clad shrine maiden appearing by the pond south of Narukami Shrine.
Who would be standing by the pool so late? Is it Crape Myrtle?
Xu Ning turned his head and glanced at her, just as the witch turned her head to look at him as well.
What came into view was a white fox mask with red stripes.
is her?
Xu Ning tossed the scroll in his hand and immediately gave chase.
The white-clad priestess didn't seem to be moving very fast, but she reached the southernmost cliff edge in just two steps, and then disappeared in a flash.
Without hesitation, Xu Ning rushed off the cliff, searching for the white figure in mid-air.
Beside a blue stone halfway up the mountain, a white-clad shrine maiden stood out conspicuously in the night. Her graceful figure seemed to have stood there for countless years, waiting for her arrival.