Why can't humans do it too?

“That’s right. After that ancient battle came to an end, the fragments of Ashihara no Naka de that fell from Amaterasu’s body landed directly in this sea area, forming these islands of various sizes. And it is probably because Lady Jibril eventually descended from the sky with the radiance of the Milky Way that the humans who were preserved in Izumo Castle seem to regard her as Amaterasu and worship her,” Yukari Yakumo nodded and said.

"Although I was also curious, the remaining gods of the Izumo pantheon and the oni clan simply accepted this, which led to many humans having Amaterasu Omikami in this winged form with a small sun hanging above her head after countless years... Many newly born youkai also hold this view."

What else could it be? In that situation, it was most likely to continue the bloodline and rule in this small land surrounded by demons. After all, if Jibril were established as the faith of Izumo, even the boldest demons would restrain themselves when they wanted to harm Izumo. As for the years that followed, it probably became a habit, and even the newborn offspring with divine blood and the demons were unaware of the intricacies of the past.

How can we record the ugly state of our ancestors when they were forced into a corner?

This was a simple scheme that even Sue could see through, let alone the overly clever Xinke and Jibril. Jibril, in particular, had developed a strong aversion to such inexplicable worship practices after her visit to the Twin Souls Shrine in Nara, and she felt no sympathy even now that she knew a prestigious shrine was holding such a ceremony.

After all, the person being worshipped there is Amaterasu, not Jibril... so what does it have to do with her?

"Would you gentlemen like to visit the Ise Grand Shrine? I can help create a direct passage there; it will only take a few breaths to get there," Yakumo Yukari snapped her folding fan shut and swept the handle through the air around her from top to bottom.

The edge was as dark as the gap in Suer's memory, but this gap no longer contained those eyes of all sizes. Apart from two cute ribbons tied at both ends, the other end of the gap was a sunlit ancient forest, where one could vaguely see the vermilion pillars and dark gray tiles.

There's no need to walk through the gap; you can reach the other side simply by crossing this slit. Sull also believes that Yakumo Yukari definitely didn't play any tricks on this gap; you can reach the shrine where Jibril is worshipped as Amaterasu simply by crossing it... But why do they need to go there?

“You seem to really want us to leave,” Xin Ke said with a sneer as she revealed herself. “Is it because our presence here will hinder you from doing anything? There’s no need to be so secretive. Let me, a genius, help you out.”

"How could that be? I just thought you all would like to visit a shrine that enshrines you. If you're not interested in such places, that's fine too." Yukari Yakumo's expression didn't change. She simply waved her hand, and the huge gap disappeared into thin air, directly showing that she didn't care about this matter and simply wanted to help.

But it was precisely because of this that Suer finally noticed something was wrong with the female demon... She was still nervous after all, but compared to herself in ancient times, Yukari Yakumo was now able to hide her emotions very well.

If it weren't for the obvious purpose in those few words, Suer probably wouldn't have realized that deliberately bringing up the topic of Ise Grand Shrine was actually a way to lure Suer and the others away. After all, how many people can completely ignore the glory of being worshipped and having temples built and worshipped by others?

Even going there out of mere curiosity is considered falling into Yakumo Yukari's trap. This blonde youkai's style of doing things has become more gentle and tactful over the years.

“I think I know where you got your inspiration,” Su Er nodded to himself. To create a story about two souls to guide humans in establishing a shrine for the god of marriage, perhaps Yakumo Yukari got her inspiration from the events at Ise Grand Shrine.

"My lord?" Not understanding what Suer said, Yakumo Yukari tilted her head curiously.

"Stop with the nonsense," Queen Jibril waved her hand dismissively. "Just tell us the truth, or we'll force you to do something nobody wants to see."

Jibril, who has never been afraid of the retribution she would suffer if she recklessly wielded her power, is at least 6,000 years old and seems to fear that the world is not violent enough.

To enhance the persuasiveness and reliability of her threat, the pink-haired Skywing simply raised her hand and summoned a light gun. The rapidly spinning and compressed energy was flung out after reaching a brief limit, instantly flattening a small hill in her sight.

The implication was clear: if you don't tell the truth, I'm going to lose my temper, and you'd better not regret it if I do.

"..."

Silent, Yukari Yakumo's gaze shifted from Jibril to Shinko, pausing only briefly before settling on Sul, looking at him intently. To be honest, if Jibril were to do something truly heinous and horrific, Sul would definitely stop her. However, given the unspoken understanding in the current situation, Sul wasn't stupid and naturally wouldn't undermine Jibril.

"May I ask one more question: what brings you all here?" Yukari Yakumo finally relented.

“Actually, there’s nothing strange about it. I’m studying the huge cherry blossom tree at the Saigyouji family’s house. Putting everything else aside, it’s lived way too long. And with such a long lifespan, it doesn’t even have the intelligence to barely respond to emotions, let alone become a youkai. It’s really too strange… Do you have any clues?” Su’er asked astutely.

He had noticed that when he mentioned the huge cherry blossom tree, or rather, when he mentioned the three words Saigyouji, Yukari Yakumo's face showed surprise and astonishment for a moment, which quickly turned into helplessness. Even though she quickly realized this and opened her folding fan to cover her face, she could not erase the fact that had already occurred.

“Then I’ll take you there,” Yakumo Yukari finally put down her fan and sighed in despair. “That cherry blossom tree, and the Saigyouji family’s affairs… I may need your help.”

It seems that Yakumo Yukari's weak point has been exploited.

Chapter 52 Yakumo Yukari's Achilles' Heel

It was a strange feeling. In fact, ever since they saw that statue at the Twin Souls Shrine, Sue and the others had been prepared to give Yakumo Yukari a good beating. However, this youkai was hiding too well in modern society, so much so that even when Sue asked the Nura Clan to search for her, they couldn't find her.

As for the Yukari Yakumo we see now, she is not the Yukari Yakumo who has lived to the present day, but the ancient version of her. This ancient Yukari Yakumo should not know anything about the Twin Souls Shrine, otherwise her reaction when she saw them would not have been so indifferent.

So here's the question: wouldn't it be a bit too despicable to beat up Yakumo Yukari from the past because of future crimes?

Suer hadn't made up her mind yet, but Yakumo Yukari could feel the unfriendly, eager gaze from Jibril behind her, which made her extremely vigilant.

For Sull, it wasn't actually that long a separation, but in Yakumo Yukari's eyes, they were already beings who needed to be re-acquainted with and compared to the impressions in her memory.

“That cherry blossom tree is indeed not a youkai… at least it doesn’t have the ability to become one yet,” Yakumo Yukari casually changed the subject, trying to divert the pink-haired woman’s attention away from herself. “The Saigyouji monk who planted it hundreds of years ago was able to suppress the mountain range and the earth’s veins because of its existence, which is why this area has always maintained a state of good weather and benevolent people.”

"An ordinary cherry blossom tree?" Suer questioned.

“At first it was just an ordinary cherry blossom tree… but as you know, after living for so long, it is already extraordinary enough,” Yakumo Yukari chuckled twice.

Several people were walking in the courtyard of the Saigyouji family. It was clear that Yukari Yakumo was a regular visitor here. The servants, who were either invited by the Saigyouji family or simply adopted and raised in the courtyard, cast curious glances at the group led by Yukari Yakumo, but in the end, they simply bowed respectfully and said nothing.

This blonde female monster walks around a family whose main job is exorcising demons and monsters with such ease that it's as if she's in her own home, creating a comical contrast.

"Just call me by my name, there's no need to be so formal."

"Then I shall respectfully comply."

Xin Ke has already begun to examine the various spells hidden in this courtyard. Perhaps when this cherry blossom tree was first planted, the spells used to guide and suppress the ley lines were quite obvious. However, after hundreds of years of natural development, to be honest, if Yakumo Yukari hadn't mentioned this history, Xin Ke wouldn't have noticed this without careful examination.

Before long, Yukari Yakumo led them to the deepest part of the Saigyouji family compound, which was also the place with the most protective and restrictive barriers, and the place where the cherry blossom tree, which had theoretically benefited the area for hundreds of years, was located.

Yes, Suer had come here secretly before, but now she appeared openly with someone leading her, and also met someone she hadn't seen before—a descendant of the Saigyouji family.

She wasn't very old, only in her early twenties, with pale skin that had lost its color due to living at home all year round. Her pale skin was made even more noticeable by her long, light pink, cherry blossom-like hair.

Thin and frail—that was Su'er's first reaction upon seeing this descendant of the Saigyouji family. He looked weak and sickly, and even spoke softly when introducing himself.

Saigyouji Yuu, it sounds like a boy's name, but it is indeed the name of this delicate and sickly beauty. If she has lived in the Saigyouji family's courtyard since birth and has never gone out, then the name Yuu is quite fitting for her.

"So you were the one hiding her all along?" Su Er asked, glancing sideways at Yakumo Yukari with a hint of exasperation.

The last time he came here, he was secretly wondering why there were houses built on the other side of the huge cherry blossom tree. There was not a speck of dust on the corridors of the houses, and there were traces of human life inside the rooms. But where did the people go?

Looking back now, it's probably because this female demon discovered their presence and secretly hid Saigyouji Temple away.

Tsk, making him look like some kind of thug who forcibly abducts women, has this female monster gone mad?

"I'm so sorry, Yu has grown up here alone since she was little and has never interacted with anyone else, so she seems very shy," Yakumo Yukari said with a smile, patting Saigyouji Yu's hair beside her, pretending not to see Suer's disdainful look.

"Does she have some secret? Or did the Saigyouji family do something to her?" Xin Ke asked curiously.

“If it’s a disability, we can definitely help. If you’re really worried, you can watch from the side. To be honest, it’s much easier to take her soul out and put it into a healthy body than to cure the disability directly. As for the body’s cultivation, it will use her own cells, so there’s no need to worry about her not being able to adapt,” Suer comforted Yakumo Yukari, who seemed a little off.

There are indeed not many good people like him these days.

"Disabled? What are you talking about?" Yukari Yakumo didn't understand.

"Huh? Isn't this the ancestral home where the Saigyouji family's disabled children are housed?" Surbi was even more puzzled than Yakumo Yukari. "Aren't there some problems with the people here who bear the Saigyouji name? It's alright, don't be afraid to admit your problems. Only by speaking out can you cure your illness. Isn't that why you brought us here?"

Old Su is a good man.

"...", Yakumo Yukari's expression twisted for a moment, "...No, that, Yu's body is fine, she has no disabilities."

“Really? But she doesn’t look healthy at all right now,” Jibril said, her words sharp as knives.

“Yes…sigh,” unable to deny it, Yakumo Yukari sighed deeply, “That’s because of the secret that Lady Shinko just asked about.”

“Yu is special… and this specialness is not only for the Saigyouji family, but also plays a very important role in the entire region centered around this cherry blossom tree.” Yakumo Yukari’s gaze shifted to pity and heartache as she ran her fingers through Saigyouji Yu’s hair.

Perhaps thinking that since she couldn't hide it from Suer and the others anyway, she might as well just tell them the truth. Yakumo Yukari's current vulnerable appearance, which made no attempt to hide her emotions, even drew strange looks from Shinko, who knew her somewhat.

Has the female monster changed her gender?

Chapter 53: Chronicles of Saigyouji Temple

"I love beauty more than power"—for some reason, this phrase popped into Su's mind when she saw Yakumo Yukari's unintentional display of such an attitude.

Is Yakumo Yukari abandoning her original grand vow and choosing to walk a different path?

"Um, please don't blame Yukari... If I understand correctly, you all came to treat me at her request, right?" The girl named Saigyouji Yu smiled gently. "Actually, I'm not sick at all, and I don't need any treatment right now. Thank you all for your kindness."

"Yu!" Yakumo Yukari suddenly raised her voice, but after Saigyouji Yukari chuckled, grabbed her hand and held it in his arms, there was no further response.

Although she has hair color similar to Jibril's, this girl named Saigyouji Yuu seems to be the complete opposite of Jibril in personality. Although she didn't use much force when holding Yakumo Yukari's hand, Yakumo Yukari was speechless because of this simple action.

Let's leave this topic here for now... at least we won't talk about it in front of Saigyouji Yuu anymore. Even though Yakumo Yukari seems to have softened over the years, Sue still doesn't think that her personality has become the kind that would stand by and watch someone she cares about get into trouble.

It's obvious that if this continues unchecked, something will happen to Saigyouji Yuu, which is why Yakumo Yukari is acting so urgently.

Suer and his party were guests at the Saigyouji family as friends of Yakumo Yukari. The servants prepared food and served wine. The only thing that bothered Suer was that the servants refused to bring the food in directly, no matter what they said. Instead, they would leave it at the entrance of the inner courtyard and then bow and take their leave.

According to Yukari Yakumo, Yuu Saigyouji grew up in such an environment to reach this age. She knew that other humans lived just a wall away from her, and that the meals she ate every day were prepared and delivered by the people in the courtyard. However, apart from the monks who returned from her family, she had not seen many other humans.

Her only companions every day, filling her loneliness and emptiness, are the various books in her room and the small animals that occasionally appear under the cherry blossom tree... Only in recent years has Yakumo Yukari joined her.

"Won't it be boring?" Jibril offered advice, considering they had similar hair color. "Human life is so short, isn't it? Why worry about it so much? You want to go out and have fun, don't you?"

Jibril couldn't imagine being locked up in one place all day without being able to go out; just imagining it was a nightmare.

But no matter what she said, Saigyouji Yu simply smiled and remained silent after expressing her gratitude, the meaning of which was already quite clear.

She wasn't physically strong; more accurately, she was thin. After only a few drinks at the banquet held to celebrate the arrival of her friends, Saigyouji Yuu was already drunk and passed out at the table under Yakumo Yukari's deliberate pleading with her to drink, muttering Yakumo Yukari's name.

"Now you can tell me, right? What exactly happened?" Xin Ke asked, tapping on the table.

But don't misunderstand, what Lady Nirbalen cares about is not the life of this human girl, but whether this matter is related to the opened portal of time and space. You see, according to her observations over the past few days, the mirage-like cloud-like portal connecting the past and present has not shrunk with the passage of time, but has instead expanded.

If this expansion trend doesn't slow down, it probably won't be long before it spreads directly from the back mountain of Higurashi Shrine to other parts of the city, and many people will wake up to find that the view outside their window has turned into a primeval forest—after all, Higurashi Shrine is built directly in the city.

How many people will be transported to ancient times, and how many monsters will infiltrate modern society, is an unknown quantity.

Suer didn't want to see modern society descend into chaos, nor did he want to test the dark side of humanity. In this world, human resentment and ambition, even the corpses and souls after death, could potentially transform into monsters.

"...Where should I begin?" Yakumo Yukari asked, taking a big gulp of her sake. Her gaze drifted. "Let's start with the monk Saigyouji who established all of this."

“Even I have to admit that, for humans, he is a hero who protected many humans from the clutches of yokai,” Yukari Yakumo recalled the figure who stood in front of her hundreds of years ago, confronting her. Her voice also lowered. “Compared to the situation back then, where yokai could still roam the earth, it is unimaginable that now the number of human villages that can be seen far exceeds the number of yokai.”

"I suppose you're not interested in hearing about the history of these youkai and humans constantly vying for dominance, so I'll just tell you what I discovered here in Yuu," Yakumo Yukari said, lowering her eyes and not looking at the others' reactions. "Back then, the monk Saigyouji found the ley lines that connected the fragments of Ashihara no Katsuyuki to this planet, which is where we are now. He then planted this cherry blossom tree at the node of the ley lines and poured all his spiritual power into the tree until his death."

"From that time on, this became the destiny of the successive heads of the Saigyouji family. When they felt that their bodies were approaching their limits, they would return here and follow the example of their ancestors by pouring all their spiritual power into the cherry blossom tree. Because of this, the spiritual power flowed into the earth's veins along the tree, just like adding one type of bean to two cups of mixed beans of different colors until, in the end, it looked almost entirely like the latter type of bean."

"So that means the monsters will be suppressed in this land?" Xin Ke nodded knowingly.