How did I, an Onmyoji, become the Lord of Yokai?

"Indeed, this is a very good method."

"The monsters just helped them, and now they're providing food as aid. In any case, this is a way to bring monsters and humans closer together."

If the yokai (supernatural beings) step in to save people and then help them, and if they do it well, the people around Heian-kyo will change their opinion of the yokai in an instant, and even regard the yokai as their closest companions.

—Don't doubt the authenticity of this matter.

"However, I'm afraid some people will be unhappy about this."

Seimei stroked his chin, frowned, and said, "Making the imperial court provide grain has already made those guys unhappy. Now, if we let the demons steal their popularity... they'll definitely be even more unhappy."

“Even if Chaoyang can still keep them in check now, it can’t keep them in check forever. So, once Chaoyang stops paying attention, if they make a move in secret, the situation will be even worse.”

"Moreover, if we were to make the relationship between monsters and humans close all at once, many problems would likely arise."

Hagoromo also spoke up, continuing Seimei's words.

"The most direct change is in people's mindset."

"They believe in monsters and trust monsters, but they cannot distinguish between good and evil."

"If any man-eating monsters come here, they will only face certain death."

"Taking too big a step is not a good thing."

Although Hagoromo gives the impression of being very lively and innocent, how could the child of the great demon Tamamo-no-Mae really be anything but intelligent?

This guy just never liked playing these games.

He believes even more in treating people with sincerity.

However, his sincerity towards others is based on the premise that he possesses absolute strength and that nothing others do can affect him.

Therefore, he also has his own insights on this matter.

"..."

The two men's words made Kamo no Yasunori fall silent for a moment. As the head of the Onmyōryō and the son of Kamo no Tadayuki, he was naturally not without real talent. After hearing this, he understood what Hagoromo and Seimei were wary of.

"Indeed... I was a bit too hasty."

He remained silent for a while, but ultimately decided to give up the opportunity.

This is an opportunity, but also a crisis. If used correctly, they might be able to bring about a world where humans and demons coexist sooner. But if used incorrectly, the whole world will return to its original state.

Therefore, this step must be taken slowly; we must not rush it under any circumstances, and we must lay a solid foundation.

Only in this way can they talk about other things.

"No...it might not be impossible."

However, just as they were about to give up, Shimizu Asahi suddenly spoke up.

He let everyone listen to the discussion about the matter, and then narrowed his eyes.

"The biggest problem with this plan is how to distinguish between good and bad monsters."

"In fact, this is the most important step in the future we are looking forward to. Once we can solve this problem, our subsequent actions will be much easier."

“But this is not an easy task... In fact, we haven’t found a feasible method yet, Chaoyang.”

Seimei offered a reminder, indicating that they were currently at a loss.

Shimizu Asahi understood his meaning and nodded slightly, saying, "I understand what you mean, Seimei. However, I don't say things like that casually."

"Since you've mentioned it, there must be some progress."

He paused slightly, thought for a moment, and finally said, "This matter is of great importance. I will go home and discuss it with my sister. Once I have a conclusion, I will come back to discuss it with you."

In the end, Shimizu Asahi did not tell Seimei and the others his thoughts. It was not that he did not want to tell them, but explaining it here would definitely waste a lot of time, and they might not be able to give him a definite answer.

To be honest, this method was something that Shimizu Asahi just came up with unintentionally.

Therefore, he wasn't sure if this method would work; if it didn't, then all his efforts would have been in vain.

He's disappointed, and he might bring disappointment to everyone here as well.

Therefore, it's better to figure it out yourself and have a definite answer before talking about these things.

"Since Chaoyang says so, then there shouldn't be any problem... I'll leave it to you."

Kamo no Yasunori thought about it for a moment and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, then I'll go back and discuss it with my sister."

Having said that, Shimizu Asahi left the Yin-Yang Bureau. Chapter 877: This is Courage

Shimizu Asahi quickly returned home. He briefly explained the matter of the monsters and then steered the conversation toward serious business.

"The teacher's unintentional act has created a great opportunity for us. If we can seize this opportunity, the coexistence of humans and demons will surely come sooner."

"But the problem that has been bothering us before has reappeared... no, it should be said that it has always existed and has never been solved."

"Without a way to distinguish between good and evil monsters, we will never be able to move forward quickly..."

"So, I've come up with a method..."

As he spoke, Shimizu Asahi took out a mirror from his pocket.

A very simple mirror, which can only reflect the images of those facing it.

But... the girls couldn't help but pause for a moment.

"This is... the Cloud Mirror?"

Looking at the mirror, Ibuki and the others were stunned for a moment, and then a hint of doubt appeared in their eyes.

Is this the solution Chaoyang was referring to? Using a cloud-penetrating mirror?

Did he want the Cloud Mirror to replace that magic and illuminate the entire Yamato Kingdom?

But does the Cloud Mirror truly have the ability to distinguish between good and evil?

The power of the Cloud Mirror—capturing space and reversing yin and yang—is indeed terrifying, but this power cannot make the Cloud Mirror a central figure, can it?

Moreover, even if the Cloud Mirror could distinguish between good and evil, it would be impossible for it to cover the entire Yamato Kingdom.

Admittedly, Yunwaijing's expression was even stronger than Shimizu Mio's. With him in charge, the entire Heian-kyo could be completely covered without any problems.

However, that was just one city. Besides, Heian-kyo already had Shimizu Mio's divine weapon, so there was no need for the Cloud Mirror.

At most... send the Cloud Mirror to another location.

But this is just one place, and there's absolutely no way to solve the problem.

"I plan to have the Cloud Mirror guard it..."

Shimizu Asahi paused slightly and said, "When I was at the Demon Plains, I saw the power of the Cloud Mirror. The power that sealed off the Demon Plains at that moment was absolutely genuine. Even if it were twice as powerful, the Cloud Mirror would probably still be able to seal it off."

"The Cloud Mirror alone is enough to protect Heian-kyo and the villages within a hundred miles of it."

Even so, the area that the Cloud Mirror can protect is only the region around Heian-kyo, which is no different from the divine artifact that Shimizu Mio took out.

Shimizu Asahi smiled and, without keeping them in suspense, said directly, "I know you sisters are wondering why I'm saying these things, but can we look at it from a different perspective?"

"The area covered by the cloud-like mirror is inappropriate or unnecessary in many places."

"So, could we transfer this part of the scope to other regions?"

"For example... formations."

The girls in the room were taken aback by Shimizu Asahi's words, but they quickly understood what he meant.

However, they couldn't help but frown.

"So, Chaoyang, you mean to make the power of the Cloud Mirror be used precisely in every place?"

"Indeed, it is undeniable that this is a good method, but for Chaoyang, this method may not be applicable."

"Let alone whether we can create such a formation, even if we could, it would be a massive formation covering the entire Yamato Country, and the power and spiritual energy required would be no joke."

"Even if Mio has the power to support such a formation, she absolutely cannot sustain it for too long. One year, two years... ten years would be the limit."

The method that Shimizu Asahi mentioned was actually something that Shimizu Mio and the others had already thought of, but they hadn't told Shimizu Asahi because it didn't work. They just didn't expect that Shimizu Asahi would also come up with this method.

“I know, so that’s not what I meant.”

The boy was silent for a moment, as if he was reorganizing his words, before he spoke seriously.

"My idea is to set up a formation within the village."

"There's no need to create a massive array that covers the entire Yamato country; it's enough to ensure that the array actually exists in every village and town."

"Just as the Cloud Mirror cannot cover the entire Yamato Country, we also cannot cover the entire Yamato Country with an array. So, instead of using it all at once and wasting so much power, why not concentrate it on the right places?"

“This method does work, but Chaoyang, you should understand the connections between formations better than we do.”

Ali blinked and continued Lingzi's words.

“There can be connections between formations, but these connections cannot be too far apart, and they must be activated by someone. Spanning villages throughout the entire Yamato Country is probably even less reliable than the previous one.”

Just as the formations of Heian-kyo could not be connected with those of Kyohara, Shimizu Asahi's formation was not merely a link between one or two, but rather a project that spread from Heian-kyo to the entire Yamato country. The scale of the project, as well as the materials and costs involved, was unprecedented.

Even Ibuki, who had never doubted Shimizu Asahi, didn't think that Shimizu Asahi could accomplish this task.

"...Although it didn't exist before, that doesn't mean it won't exist in the future."

While the girls were all gazing at the clear water and rising sun, the black-haired boy finally revealed his true purpose!

"If this didn't exist before, then let me create it!"

"I will create a system that can connect all the arrays, allowing the power of the Cloud Mirror to spread to every piece of land in the Land of Yamato!"

The voice echoed in the girls' ears, and their expressions turned somewhat astonished, as if they hadn't expected Shimizu Asahi to say such a thing. But after regaining their senses, they couldn't help but show expressions of shock.

"Wait, Chaoyang, are you serious?"

"Improving formations isn't such a simple matter. Yin-Yang techniques have only been around for three hundred years. Although they've developed rapidly, no one dares to claim a true understanding of them. Besides, Chaoyang, you weren't even using barriers and formations at the beginning..."

The girls' conversations, one after another, and the expressions in their eyes, even if not explicitly stated, made it clear to Shimizu Asahi that they were worried about him.

His words just now almost made it clear that he wanted to change his approach.

If the Yin-Yang arts used solely for combat cannot bring this world to its feet, then he will find another path—arrays, barriers, whatever they may be—he will persevere until he finds his own answer! Chapter 878, Section 876: The Suffering of the People