My personal opinion on Gensokyo

"That's not difficult."

Shang Yang clearly understood what Yakumo Yukari meant, shrugged casually and agreed.

"I can handle it."

Seeing Shang Yang agree casually, Yakumo Zi smiled and then explained slowly.

"As for the second one, that's actually not our problem..."

Before Yakumo Yukari finished speaking, Shana, who had already calmed down, guessed the difficult question that the Monster Sage was talking about, and continued the Monster Sage's speech in a light tone.

"...Even if there were a way to allow the human shrine maidens of Gensokyo to harness the power of the Great Barrier of Gensokyo, using their bodies as vessels to carry the immense power of the Great Barrier of Gensokyo would inevitably place a huge burden on the bodies of future human shrine maidens of Gensokyo."

"Not only that, while controlling the power of the Great Barrier placed a huge burden on his body, he later accepted the 'Liang Yi Law' that I designed, which allows the Miko of Gensokyo to carry the Great Barrier of Gensokyo."

Shang Yang naturally followed up the conversation.

"A silken thread, the 'Yogi Thread,' remains within the body of the Miko of Gensokyo, while another thread connects to the Great Barrier of Gensokyo. This connects the human Miko to the Great Barrier of Gensokyo."

Having said that, Shang Yang paused for a moment.

"The 'Yin-Yang Line' is composed of the power of Yin and Yang. It is the 'Yin-Yang Law' that connects the human miko of Gensokyo to the Great Barrier of Gensokyo. And my Yin-Yang power is extremely poisonous to ordinary humans, with no antidote."

"Every time a future shrine maiden in Gensokyo harnesses the power of a great barrier, the toxicity of the yin-yang force seeps even deeper into her body."

"Constantly bearing the burden of the power of the Great Barrier of Gensokyo, and over the long years, the toxicity of the Yin-Yang force slowly seeped into his body."

"The life of a miko in Gensokyo is bound to be short."

PS1: Reimu is an exception. (Tucao)

PS2: Fan works based on the theory of longevity seem to be almost gone in recent years.

Volume 6: Thoughts Across Time and Space: Chapter 355: The Sage's Friend

Hearing the gray-haired young man in front of him casually talking about the fate of the priestesses of Gensokyo, the golden-haired monster sage became a little thoughtful.

The Youkai Sage naturally thought about the fact that the human shrine maidens of Gensokyo would have short life spans from generation to generation.

This is a very natural thing. Even if Shang Yang's yin and yang power is harmless to the body of the shrine maiden of Gensokyo, the shrine maidens of Gensokyo will probably have short lives from generation to generation.

The human shrine maidens use the spiritual power of the Great Barrier of Gensokyo to fight off monsters and maintain the balance of Gensokyo. While they use the barrier to gain inhuman spiritual power, the power of the barrier also puts a heavy burden on the shrine maidens' bodies, consuming their lives.

Compared to being damaged by the burden of the Great Barrier of Gensokyo and perishing in the horrific agony of organ failure, the result of being silently penetrated by the poison of the power of yin and yang and dying instantly may be a little better for future generations of Gensokyo priestesses.

There is nothing that can be done about it. After all, the future shrine maidens of Gensokyo are just simple humans.

If this fact were true for the Yokai Sage a thousand years ago, there would naturally be nothing wrong with it. However, since the end of the Heian period hundreds of years ago, the Yokai Sage has had some other opinions about mortals.

and……

The Monster Sage glanced at the Master of the Cloud Courtyard who seemed unconcerned.

At present, the Cloud Court Master hasn't expressed any particular orientation towards the tragic fate that the future Miko of Gensokyo will endure...

"Let's discuss this for now regarding the Miko of Gensokyo."

The Yokai Sage naturally opened the folding fan in his hand again, slightly covering his face.

"We've already determined a method for maintaining balance within Gensokyo. We can discuss the specific design later."

"Alright."

Shang Yang nodded slightly, seeming to agree with Yakumo Yukari's words without caring.

"Let's talk about the Miko of Gensokyo later. Let's talk about the other side first."

Having said that, Shang Yang paused for a moment and asked thoughtfully.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen His Excellency the Sage for hundreds of years. It seems that His Excellency the Sage has also gained something in terms of interpersonal communication in the other world."

"Oh... Lord Shang Yang already knows."

When Yakumo Yukari heard Shang Yang talking about a good friend he met hundreds of years ago, she was not surprised, but just had a slightly playful smile on her face.

"Youyouko is a very easy-going friend. Next time, I'll introduce her to you all."

"After all, I also have a 'young lady' from the other world here."

Hearing the playful words of the Youkai Sage, the young man with gray hair scratched his cheek helplessly.

"That world also has some connection with Yunzhongting. A certain Miss Yan Mo who visited Yunzhongting over ten years ago felt helpless towards the young lady friend of Your Excellency the Sage."

"Ah... Miss Yanma who visited the Cloud Courtyard is Miss Shiki Eiji from the "Right and Wrong Hall", right?"

Taking a sip of tea, the Youkai Sage smiled playfully with certainty.

"It's completely understandable that Yuyuko's abilities would cause the 'bigwigs' of the other world to worry. Hundreds of years ago, when I first met Yuyuko, I was also deeply amazed by her power."

"Miss Shiki Yingji mentioned it before when she visited Yunzhongting."

After Yakumo Yukari expressed his feelings, Gu Mingji Kakui whispered something that the monster sage and the Nine-tailed Strategist did not know.

"A hundred years ago, the 'Right and Wrong Office' of the other world proposed that the ghosts wandering in the other world be handed over to Miss Saigyouji for management."

"However, because Miss Shiki Eihime and the Enma-sama of the 'Right and Wrong Office' do not understand Lord Yakumo's attitude towards this matter, they have not yet visited Miss Saigyouji to discuss this matter."

"...Huh? Lord Kaku is saying that the Enma-donos of the "Right and Wrong Office" wish to entrust Miss Yuyuko with the management of the ghosts of the underworld?"

After hearing the information revealed by Komeiji Kaku, the Nine-Tailed Strategist asked some unexpected questions.

"But why did Lady Shiki Eihime and the Yama-sama of the 'Right and Wrong Office' come up with this proposal? Although Miss Yuyuko is a spirit, she is a complete 'outsider' to the Yama and Shinigami system of the underworld, right?"

"This matter is also related to the situation in the human world."

Hearing Yakumo Lan's question, Miss Jue sighed softly and explained.

"Since the end of the Heian era, this country's population has increased dramatically, and correspondingly, the number of souls traveling to the afterlife has increased dramatically. Over the past few hundred years, the prolonged wars have resulted in a large number of untimely deaths, and the souls with deep resentment have traveled to the afterlife. These souls with deep resentment find it difficult to reincarnate normally, and a large number of them remain in the pure land of the other side."

"The underworld system composed of Yama and the God of Death has fallen into a severe manpower crisis. In recent centuries, the monsters living in the underworld have frequently received requests from the "Rights and Wrongs Office" to hire monsters from Hell to assist Yama and the God of Death in dealing with the surging number of undead souls."

"Miss Saigyouji's ability allows her to easily control the ghosts that wander the sea of ​​red spider lilies along the Sanzu River. Miss Saigyouji's special death power controls ghosts more conveniently than even Enma and the God of Death manage the undead."

"It's not surprising that Ms. Shiki Eihime and the 'Right and Wrong Office' would entrust the ghosts that have been wandering the Sanzu River for hundreds of years to Ms. Saigyouji. "

"Furthermore, the Yama of the 'Right and Wrong Hall' has made numerous mistakes in its management of the Sanzu River, the underworld, and Hell over the past few centuries due to the dramatic increase in the number of undead. Over the past few centuries, the Yama have also intended to delegate certain matters outside of reincarnation to suitable 'outsiders' in the other world."

"Simply put, the Yama clan has a strategy of giving up some key positions in order to gain the support of some of the demons in Hell to assist the Yama clan and the Shinigami clan in managing the Pure Land of the Other World."

"Miss Shiki Yingji previously visited our Cloud Courtyard to convey the message that the "Rights and Wrongs Hall" hoped to gain the support of Jue, the eldest daughter of the Gumingdi family."

After Komeijikaku explained, Kaguya Houraisan also revealed.

"The 'Rights and Wrongs Bureau' hopes that Jue will agree to serve as a senior manager of the reformed 'Rights and Wrongs Bureau'."

"...Oh? The Yama seem quite sincere."

Hearing the information "revealed" by Kaguya, the Youkai Sage was not too surprised. He just nodded slightly in agreement, turned casually, and asked the girl with light purple hair and an expressionless face beside him.

"So, did Miss Komeichi accept it?"

"I refused."

Upon hearing this, Miss Gu Mingjijue replied as if nothing had happened.

"The power of the 'Rights and Wrongs Chamber' means nothing to me."

After explaining her reasons, the girl with short lavender hair asked calmly.

"Speaking of which, Miss Sage's friend, Miss Saigyouji, resides in the underworld. Many ghosts also roam the Sanzu River, drawn to her by her abilities. How about asking her to take over the management of the ghosts in the underworld? Hasn't Miss Sage always harbored the desire to intervene in the Pure Land of the Other Shore for centuries? Miss Saigyouji's position is a very suitable point of entry."

"That's true."

Hearing Jue speak of his plan nonchalantly, the golden-haired monster sage opened the folding fan in his hand again, half covering his cheeks, and spoke in a leisurely tone.

"However, although I do have some ideas about the Pure Land of the Other World,... it is difficult for me to use Youyouzi as a means to intervene in the Other World."

　"You have some ideas, don't you?"

After hearing what Yakumo Yukari said, Shang Yang spoke casually without caring.

"However, even if we bring this up now, I don't think it's the right time to intervene. According to the plan for the establishment of Gensokyo, over the next two hundred years, the underworld and hell of the Pure Land will gradually be affected by the changes. The monsters of hell, especially the enma, will also be concerned about Lord Yakumo and our Yunzhongting Hot Spring Resort."

The Monster Sage didn't care when he heard what the Master of the Cloud Courtyard mentioned.

"Hundreds of years from now, the normal lives of gods and monsters will be extremely difficult, and the Pure Land on the other side will be no exception and will inevitably be affected."

"It's just a matter of timing."

PS1: I am thinking about how to combine the settings of Sky Scepter and Ghost Beast.

Volume 6: Yearning Across Time and Space: Chapter 356: Higurashi Kagome's Melancholy

The subsequent conversation did not last long.

After finishing the discussion on matters related to the monster expansion plan, Gensokyo, the guardian shrine maiden of Gensokyo, and the otherworldly underworld, the Monster Sage, Shang Yang, and the girls present discussed some details and did not stay any longer. Instead, he said goodbye and left with his Shikigami Yakumo Aoi.

The matters that needed to be negotiated have been agreed upon, and the next step is to make corresponding preparations.

After the monster sage Yakumo Yukari and the shikigami Yakumo Arashi said goodbye and left the Yunzhongting Hot Spring Villa, the serious atmosphere in the main hall of the hot spring villa gradually dissipated with the departure of the monster sage and his shikigami, and a leisurely atmosphere once again filled the casual hot spring villa.

However, compared with the usual leisurely and casual atmosphere, this time is a little different.

After Yakumo Yukari and Yakumo Aoi left, the princess, who had always maintained an elegant and outstanding temperament, returned to her usual casual appearance.

The time for pretending to be decent has passed, and Her Royal Highness the Princess is too lazy to pretend anymore. Her ethereal and beautiful voice seems to be full of emotion.

"Gensokyo..."

"...it will take several hundred years...well, probably more than three hundred years."

Facing Kaguya's somewhat confused sigh, Miss Jue answered softly while taking out a wooden chessboard and many chess pieces from the table, arranging the chess pieces on one side of the chessboard, and casually invited Miss Ai who was next to Shang Yang.

"Love, do you want to play another game?"

"Ah."

Being generously invited by Miss Jue, Ai agreed easily and softly, raised her fair and soft hands, and also arranged the troops on the other side of the chessboard.

Speaking of which, compared to the widely popular shogi in this country, Ai and Jue have always been more accustomed to playing chess popular in Tang Dynasty from time to time.

Although Ai and Jue were not very good at playing at the beginning, the two girls were always defeated by Shang Yang when they played against him.

Not only that, Shang Yang, who had a rather bad taste, always deliberately ate up all of Miss Ai and Miss Jue's chess pieces, including pawns, chariots, horses, cannons, etc., leaving only one "general" chess piece for Miss Ai and Miss Jue, who was alone surrounded by Shang Yang's chariots, horses, cannons and several pawns that had crossed the river.

Hundreds of years ago, when this was first played, Miss Jue, who was angered by Shang Yang, stood up without hesitation, raised her small, slender feet in pure black over-the-knee socks, and kicked hard...

When Shang Yang deliberately defeated Miss Dai Ai, leaving her with only one "check" chess piece, the black-haired girl with an expressionless face directly pinned Shang Yang down and nearly twisted the soft flesh off the waist of the gray-haired young man...

However, Ai and Jue will naturally not let it go like this, as girls have a strong desire for revenge.

So, not long after, when Shang Yang played against Ai and Jue again, he was shocked to find that he was no match for the two girls at all.

After Ai and Jue had each killed Shang Yang's chess pieces until only one "general" was left, surrounded by countless chess pieces from the opposing side, and had completely retaliated against Shang Yang, the two girls, Ai and Jue, began to like taking out the chessboard and playing games from time to time.

This custom has been maintained to this day.

"Well, even though there are still more than three hundred years to go, I feel relieved after meeting Yakumo Yukari this time."

On the side, Miss Shana picked up the teacup and swallowed the little tea into her throat in one gulp, showing a little relaxation.

"Thousands of years ago, we have been waiting for the birth of Gensokyo..."

"Um……"

Facing Miss Shana's somewhat relaxed sigh, Ai, who was playing against Jue, nodded seriously in a very soft voice.

"A very... very long time."

"...What's wrong? This feeling of exhaustion and relaxation?"

Seeing that the girls seemed to have some unusual emotions, Shang Yang coughed and asked the girls casually with great interest.

"Seeing that the expected goal is about to be achieved, will you slack off?"

"Well, that should be it..."

After thinking for a moment, Miss Gu Mingdijue raised her fair and soft hand to push the chess piece on the chessboard, then raised her little head, her lavender eyes calm.

"However, let's not consider whether we are slacking off for now. Shang Yang, besides the matter of Gensokyo, you must have other things to worry about."

"That miko has been called back to the human world. When will you go see her again?"

"Uh……"