My personal opinion on Gensokyo

"If the shogunate sends samurai to capture the shrine maiden guarding the Shikon Jewel, our clan is worried that those ordinary samurai might not be able to apprehend the shrine maiden, who is protected by magic. If something goes wrong and the shrine maiden escapes from Kyoto, even if we can force the shogun and the imperial court to issue a decree to all daimyos to hunt down the shrine maiden, I'm afraid that in this turbulent Warring States period, the imperial court and shogunate's orders will not be of much use, and will also easily attract the attention of other aliens."

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the young heir of the Jiuchuan family was stunned for a moment, then calmly bowed to his grandfather who was sitting on the main seat.

"Indeed, I wonder if Grandfather has any advice for you?"

Hearing his grandson's words, the elderly family head did not answer directly, but turned his attention to the family elder beside him and gave instructions in a calm tone.

"We must proceed with caution. Elder, you will select your clansmen and then accompany our family to the shogunate palace at Nijo Castle. We will request the general's permission for our Hisakawa clan to send troops alongside the shogunate's samurai to apprehend the miko guarding the Shikon Jewel. The general requires the support of our clan's senior members at the imperial court, and the general will grant this."

"I see……"

Upon hearing the old family head's instructions, the young heir of the Hisakawa clan bowed to his grandfather again with an expressionless face.

"The shrine maiden guarding the Four Souls Jade will find it difficult to see through the sorcery of our Hisakawa clan and perceive our true nature. This will also ensure that the shrine maiden cannot deceive our clan, who are not ordinary humans, and escape from Kyoto."

"Even if the witch discovers our clan's purpose..."

Suddenly, a casual voice interrupted the young heir of the Jiuchuan clan.

"...With the power of the Hisakawa clan, you should be able to launch a sudden attack and attack the miko when she's off guard."

"That shrine maiden is still human after all. Facing the numerous and powerful demons of the Hisakawa clan, as long as we deplete her spiritual power, the Four Souls Jade will naturally be within our grasp."

Volume 5: Miko of the Warring States Period: Chapter 268: Elimination

"Now that Hagoromo Kitsune has led the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons and has departed for the West, and His Highness the Guardian of Kyoto has also left Kyoto, after successfully seizing the Four Souls Jade, you and the Hisakawa clan can easily eliminate all ordinary people who witnessed this. Hmm, a very good plan, and it makes the most of the information that Hagoromo Kitsune and His Highness the Guardian of Kyoto are not in Kyoto."

Before the young heir finished speaking, accompanied by the sound of slow applause, a young man with gray hair walked into the main hall shrouded in darkness and "praised".

"Chief of the Jiuchuan clan, your character has become increasingly sinister as you age. I'm afraid a large part of your reason for personally leading the clan is because you yourself want to obtain the Four Souls Jade first."

"Because Your Excellency is worried that anyone other than Your Excellency would have to obtain the Four Souls Jade first..."

Suddenly seeing this mysterious young man who appeared silently in the core of the Hisakawa clan, everyone, whether it was the elderly clan leader, the family elder who was a senior official of the clan, or the young heir of the clan, changed their expressions.

Without paying attention to the three people's completely different thoughts, Shang Yang glanced at the three people who were in doubt with interest, speaking casually.

"You and the Hisakawa clan have truly made a great resolution this time. Furthermore, the miko guarding the Four Souls Jade is truly unaware of the existence and true nature of your Kyoto Hisakawa clan."

"If I allow you to do what you want, although I have great confidence in her sharpness and decisiveness, she is also likely to be seriously injured by you and the Kyoto Hisakawa clan due to insufficient intelligence."

Having said that, the mysterious young man looked calm.

"However, you, the Kyoto Hisakawa clan, have only considered how to deal with the miko guarding the Four Souls Jade, but have not considered how to deal with me, a 'half-demon' who is insignificant in your eyes."

"However, what you don't know is that I know the existence of your clan and the true nature of your Jiuchuan clan."

"Your determination and planning ends here, demonic wolves of Kyoto!"

Upon hearing the words "Kyoto's demonic wolves", the three "nobles" in the main hall lost their inquiring expressions and all turned violent!

Coincidentally, the old head of the Hisakawa family, the elder of the Hisakawa family who is also a senior official of the family, and the young grandson of the head of the family, the young head of the Hisakawa family, all showed anger and viciousness on their faces.

"You weak half-demon! How dare you peek into the secrets of the Jiuchuan clan!"

The old head of the Hisakawa family suddenly stood up with a palm slamming on the table in front of him. Although he tried to maintain a solemn expression, he could not hide the anger hidden in his face.

"The actions of the Jiuchuan clan are not the business of a weak half-demon! The Four Souls Jade must belong to us, the Jiuchuan clan! Unfortunately, you can no longer see this scene!"

Following the furious roar of the old family head, the clan members who had sensed the commotion and were still in the mansion rushed to the main hall from all over the mansion. The pupils of every member of the Hisakawa clan were not black like those of humans, but strange, terrifying eyes that shone with a dark green color!

"Is it?"

Shang Yang, a young man with gray hair, nodded slightly and seemed to be thinking about something. He did not show any other emotions, but just stated lightly.

"However, since your clan chose to live as ordinary humans hundreds of years ago, you shouldn't have any unnecessary thoughts."

There was a flash of indifference in the young man's dark eyes.

"As an ordinary human, you want to intervene in the fight between monsters again. This is restless."

puff! ! !

After a few short minutes.

In the main hall of the aristocratic mansion where the Jiuchuan clan was entrenched, a severed arm was casually thrown on a mat woven from high-quality orchids. The dark red blood that seeped out stained the orchid mat, making it a glaring black and red color.

Shang Yang ignored the member of the Jiuchuan clan who had his right arm torn off by him and was unconscious due to severe pain. He just cast his eyes on the old Jiuchuan clan leader who was coughing non-stop and seemed to have been seriously injured and exhausted in the chaos and killing just now; the Jiuchuan clan elder who was also seriously injured and barely covered his torn right shoulder with an extremely ugly and painful expression; and the young heir who was next to the old Jiuchuan clan leader with blood still on the corner of his mouth. He casually asked these three people.

"At this point, shouldn't you all let go of your greed?"

"No, it's unbelievable... Just a half-demon... We, we... cough cough!"

Looking with embarrassment and resentment at the clan members who had their arms or legs cut off one after another by the mysterious young man with gray and messy hair in front of him, lying on the ground with mutilated limbs and seriously injured, the old family head couldn't help but cough violently before he could finish his angry words.

Similarly, the face of the family elder, who was an important retainer of the Hisakawa clan, was also extremely embarrassed.

Not only the old family head and elders had embarrassed and resentful expressions, but the young heir, with blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, also looked embarrassed and gloomily as he glanced at the messy main hall and the clan members lying unconscious in all directions.

Similarly, Shang Yang shrugged his shoulders and continued to speak nonchalantly, ignoring the embarrassed expressions and subtle movements of the three people.

"You are all so unwilling to accept this. If you had not dispatched the most outstanding and elite members of the Hisakawa clan to the post station where I am staying with the shrine maiden who guards the Four Souls Jade, I would never have been able to disrupt this nest to this extent."

"I don't deny this. If all the members of your clan were still in this house, it would be much more difficult for me to achieve the current level. However..."

Having said this, Shang Yang smiled with interest and spoke slowly.

"Even if all members of your clan remain in this mansion, with the power of a 'mere half-demon' like me, it would not be difficult to take the lives of the head of the family, the elders of the family, and the young head of your clan."

"Please remember this objective fact firmly."

Hearing Shang Yang's threat, the elderly head of the Hisakawa clan, the family elder, and the heir of the Hisakawa clan became more embarrassed.

It was not because of the sarcasm of the mysterious young man that they were embarrassed, but the nearly one hundred people of the clan who fell to the ground, whose lives and deaths were unknown, had definitely proved the truth of the mysterious young man's words.

After glancing at the embarrassed expressions of the three people, Shang Yang nodded slightly.

Yes, it can also force everyone to suppress their evil nature and calm down.

"...Very good. It seems that you have all given up your desire to seize the Four Souls Jade. Well then, I have a few suggestions for you all. Please follow them."

Late at night, the next day.

The sky was getting light, and a thin mist filled the entire Kyoto Heian-kyo.

At the gate leading in and out of Kyoto's Heian-kyo, the transferred foot soldiers, led by lower-ranking samurai, replaced the foot soldiers who guarded the gate last night and slowly opened Kyoto's old, tall gate.

In the crowded towns and cities, merchants from the traveling caravans also led their mules and horses out of the post stations where they stayed, loaded with the goods they wanted to sell, and drove them out of Kyoto in the mist, heading for commercial gathering places in Sakai, Saigoku, Kyushu, or the daimyo's territories where business was more developed.

There are more lively towns and markets there, which can allow merchants in traveling horse caravans to reap greater profits.

Not far from Kyoto, on a deep mountain road in the Nara area.

Walking on the mountain path with few pedestrians, the fog that seemed thin in Heian-kyo, Kyoto, became much thicker at this time.

Because it is deep in the mountains, the fog will not completely dissipate until noon, and the biting chill of the spring morning also makes the mountains and forests seem silent.

Just as Kikyo said yesterday, she had no intention of staying in Kyoto any longer. Early this morning, Kikyo and Shang Yang, along with the first group of merchant horsemen leaving Kyoto, left the city gate of Kyoto and left the capital of the world - Kyoto Heian-kyo.

Volume 5: Miko of the Warring States Period: Chapter 269: The Monster Clan Pretending to Be Human

The mountain road in front of them was more of a shortcut taken by the nearby mountain folks when they went up the mountain to chop firewood than a road, so it was naturally not flat or wide. However, in order to return as soon as possible, there was still a long way to go. Kikyo and Shangyang still chose this shorter but hard-earned mountain road to Maple Village, located in the remote countryside of Musashi in the eastern part of the country.

Few people would take this mountain road to save time. After all, in the uninhabited mountains, there might be some evil demons and creatures that could harm people's lives.

Of course, this is not something our Lady Miko needs to worry about.

"...By the way, Kikyo, we left Kyoto a little too early?"

Shang Yang yawned loudly, stretched his arms slightly, turned his head and asked casually.

"There's no need to rush back to Maple Village, right? The protective barrier you left behind won't lose its effectiveness."

"no need."

Shaking her head, Kikyo spoke softly.

"If I stay any longer, maybe something else will happen."

Hearing this, Shang Yang, who had just asked casually, was stunned for a moment and asked subconsciously.

"...Uh, you know?"

Hearing this, Kikyo calmly turned sideways, looking at Shang Yang, who had a puzzled look on his face, with clear eyes, and spoke in a soft tone.

"Yeah, I noticed that last night."

"Besides, the traces left by the blood clots are not so easy to remove..."

"I see...my mistake."

Upon hearing this, Shang Yang nodded slightly in understanding and admitted it generously.

"Sorry, I forgot to handle this carefully and thoroughly last night."

"No need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one thanking you."

Shaking her head again, the witch's expression remained the same, but her tone seemed a little softer.

"It is my responsibility to protect the Four Souls Jade."

"Uh, don't worry about it. Just like you said, no need to thank me."

After hearing what Kikyo said, Shang Yang rubbed his hair and comforted her.

"Besides, it's not appropriate for you to deal with those people last night."

"……Is it."

After a brief silence, Kikyo spoke softly, as if she wanted to say something.

However, in the end, she just whispered these two words, which were somewhat meaningless.

Platycodon understood what Shang Yang meant.

Last night, the most direct 'enemy' she faced was humanity, and she knew full well that the thieves and bandits who robbed and murdered were not to be reasoned with. In a sense, Shang Yang's response last night was the right one, but it was also something she didn't want to see.

I don't want to see Shang Yang kill anyone else.

Noticing Kikyo's hesitant expression, Shang Yang just sighed silently.

Shang Yang also understood very well that Kikyo did not want to see him killing people like those brutal monsters and demons, but it was precisely because of this that he did it first.

So, Shang Yang changed the subject and asked casually.

"Of course, those bandits with ill intentions last night were just the ones being exploited. Coincidentally, I know who the masterminds behind the exploitation of those bandits are."

"……Ok, I know."

Hearing this, Kikyo nodded slightly, her tone gentle.

Obviously, Shang Yang's explanation did not surprise Jie Geng, and she waited quietly for Shang Yang's explanation.

"The one who coveted the Four Souls Jade was the noble family of Kyoto—the Hisakawa family."

Shang Yang shrugged and stated nonchalantly.

"However, the Hisakawa family, members of the Kyoto Imperial Court, are not ordinary humans."

"The true identity of this clan is the Kyoto Demon Wolf Clan."

"In the past, the demon wolf clan that occupied the Kyoto area was a group of demons that had lived deep in the mountains near Kyoto Heian-kyo since ancient times."

"However, as the number of monsters in the western region continues to increase, the survival of the Wolf Clan near Kyoto is becoming increasingly difficult. In addition to the Birds of Paradise, which prey on the Wolf Clan and are their natural enemies, there are countless other monsters that threaten the Wolf Clan."

Having said that, Shang Yang shrugged and continued his statement.

"There are many powerful monsters who are ready to launch a bloody massacre against the weaker wolf clan at any time. The reason might even be simply to use the wolf's fur to make a beautiful fur cape for themselves. Therefore, from the moment they are born, monsters like wolf demons must constantly survive in extremely dangerous environments."

"In the distant past, the Kyoto Demon Wolf Clan, like their counterparts elsewhere in this land, could only struggle to survive, constantly running, running, just to stay alive."

"However, unlike the demon wolves in other places, the demon wolves living near Kyoto Heian-kyo have witnessed countless times over the past few hundred years the luxurious lives of the human nobles living in Kyoto Heian-kyo."

"The comfortable and luxurious lives of the nobles deeply tempt these Kyoto demon wolves."

"Hundreds of years ago, the powerful leader of the Kyoto Demon Wolf clan was seriously injured in a battle with other demon clans, and the elite demon wolves of Kyoto also suffered heavy losses."

"Seeing that the Kyoto Demon Wolf Clan was about to be attacked and destroyed by the various demonic clans that had been eyeing them for a long time, the severely injured and dying leader of the Kyoto Demon Wolf Clan tried a desperate and almost bizarre method."

"Under the orders of the dying Wolf Leader, the Kyoto Wolf Clan, signed by the Wolf Leader's descendants and the powerful Wolf Clan, on behalf of all of the Wolf Clan, presents a petition of mercy to His Highness Konoe Teru, the Guardian of Kyoto, appointed by the Supreme Monster Commander of the World."

"The content is very simple. The Kyoto Demon Wolf Clan is petitioning His Highness Konoe Teru, the "Guardian of Kyoto," and the Supreme Commander of all demons. We are willing to give up our demonic identity and lifestyle and request to be allowed to live as weak mortals in Kyoto Heian-kyo, the capital of humanity."