My personal opinion on Gensokyo

We understand your concerns. Don't worry, what you are worried about will not happen. Don't forget, our hearts will never fade, and we will never forget our original feelings as time goes by.

Oh, by the way, there is one more thing. Next time we meet, Saya doesn't need to use honorifics like "Master" again. I never thought of Saya as a "servant" of Yunzhongting Hot Spring Villa.

You have long been the 'sister' of the hot spring villa.

That's it for now. I look forward to seeing you again, Miss Hot Spring Villa's 'sister'.

…The girl fell silent.

After reading the letter given to her by the master of Yunzhongting, her own master, the young girl was completely stunned by the overload of information.

A few minutes later, the half-demon Miss Saya, the creation created by the master of the Cloud Courtyard, subconsciously exclaimed.

“… Your doctor’s house? Qi-Jiu-Yan Wa… Eh hey hey?!!”

Volume 6: The Story of Sijiu Traveling Through Time and Space Chapter 368: The Short Life of Platycodon grandiflorum

A few hours later on the same day, in a village nearly a hundred miles away from Maple Village.

The morning sun has slowly risen high in the sky from the east, emitting dazzling sunlight, sweeping away the gloom of the night on this land. The spring breeze blows gently, and the villagers in this village also pick up their hoes and go to the fields to work in twos and threes.

For farmers living in the Warring States period, even if the rice in the rice field produced one more bunch of rice ears, their family's life would be more secure. It is even possible that this tiny amount of food could save the lives of the whole family in that year.

On the rugged road passing by this village, caravans of merchants gradually passed by, doing business in the territories of nearby daimyo and local samurai. Some merchants driving carriages loaded with cheap goods also shouted to the farmers working in the fields on the side of the road.

Although according to the laws issued by the shogunate far away in Kyoto, merchants were only allowed to trade in the castle towns designated by the shogunate and the daimyo, the order and order in this land had long ceased to exist due to nearly a hundred years of war, and merchants trading privately were naturally more common.

Although this village is located next to the road, it is also located in a remote countryside and is not close to the borders of the territories of nearby daimyo. There has been no war in this area in recent years.

However, this does not guarantee that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, this area will not become a battlefield for the Warring States daimyos to fight.

In this chaotic and turbulent era of the Warring States Period, farmers in this country had to work hard to barely survive, regardless of whether they were experiencing war or famine.

The chaotic times of the Warring States that had lasted for a hundred years had long since numbed the farmers who had been working hard to make a living. But even so, such disputes and chaos seemed to have no end, and the poor farmers who had long been accustomed to this world had no choice but to work hard to survive.

Apart from working hard to make a living, the poor farmers have little time to think about anything else.

However, it is precisely because of this that poor farmers are particularly sensitive to hope, or news that seems to be hope.

"Have you heard? In the deep mountains not far from our village, in that village that's even more remote and almost deserted, a miko seems to have recently come and lived there!"

On the road beside the rice field, a farmer in tattered clothes, carrying a hoe, seemed to say this with some envy to the farmer next to him who was also in tattered clothes and carrying a hoe.

"What? Are you serious?!"

When the other farmer heard his words, he was extremely surprised. He asked as he walked, seeming a little unconvinced.

"That's really strange. That village deep in the mountains is even poorer than our already impoverished village. Furthermore, the land they've cultivated in the mountains is also very barren, barely growing any food. So why would that venerable witch stay in that impoverished village deep in the mountains?"

"I don't know about this kind of thing either."

Hearing the confused question from another farmer, the farmer who leaked the news was also very puzzled and said with some envy.

"I heard that the shrine maiden not only cured the sick people in the village, but also used her powerful magic to purify the village of evil spirits. It seems that even some terrible monsters in the deep mountains were expelled by the shrine maiden."

"Oh, I really envy them for being able to keep such a respectable miko-sama."

Another farmer was also extremely envious when he heard him say this, and said with some regret.

"It's a pity that the village is so poor. They probably don't have any money or food to offer to the respected shrine maiden. But even so, the noble shrine maiden stayed in that poor village. It seems that she is really a very kind shrine maiden... Oh, if only the shrine maiden stayed in our village, at least we would have some fine rice to offer to the shrine maiden, and we wouldn't have to worry about being harassed by scary monsters."

"Yeah...Alas, I really envy the luck of that poor village."

After hearing what the other farmer said, the farmer who leaked the news nodded and agreed.

However, he seemed to remember something and continued to speak in a low voice with some fear and worry.

"But speaking of worrying about monster attacks, have you heard? Recently, something terrible and strange seems to have happened in the home of the lord not far from our village."

"...Ah, I heard about that strange thing too. It's really scary."

After hearing what the farmer said, the other farmer nodded fearfully and spoke timidly.

"A while ago, the lord's daughter seemed to have fallen ill and passed away. However, the terrifying thing is that after her death, it seems that a terrifying monster broke into the lord's house in the middle of the night and sucked away the daughter's soul... It's terrifying just to think about it."

"...Please wait a moment, both of you."

Just when the two farmers were still feeling a little scared, a sudden, faint voice suddenly sounded behind them.

"Wha, who is it?!"

The two farmers, who were suddenly frightened, turned around in horror and shouted.

However, what these two villagers saw was just a strange young man with gray hair and strange-looking clothes, but he was definitely human...?

"Don't worry, I mean no harm. I just happened to overhear your conversation and I'm just curious."

Seeing the two poor farmers' wary looks, the young man with gray hair seemed to be thinking about something and slowly asked.

"Then, could you two please discuss in more detail the mysterious woman who stayed in the other village, and the strange and terrifying events that occurred in the home of the nearby lord?"

"Of course, as a thank you for your answers, I'll give this to you two."

As he said this, the strange young man with gray and white hair took out something from his clothes with a gentle smile.

The young man stretched out his hand and slowly opened it.

On the young man's open palm were dozens of copper coins.

Not far from this village is an even more remote and poor village located deep in the mountains.

There is a river beside the village that flows around it. The shallow river water flows slowly. On the bank of the river, a delicate figure in red and white tones gazes at the gurgling water, seemingly lost in some confused thoughts.

The simple red and white shrine maiden costume and the frail shrine maiden's long black hair were tied up with snow-white sandalwood paper and fluttered gently in the gentle breeze.

The weak witch stood quietly on the river bank, her face was cold, and there seemed to be a hint of confusion on her cold face.

"I'm so proud of you, Master Kikyo~!"

Just when the frail shrine maiden seemed to be lost in some confused memories, with a cheerful shout, a little girl in simple clothes raised a plant with beautiful flowers in one hand and ran towards the shrine maiden on the river bank, cheering.

"Lord Kikyo~! Look at this!"

Hearing the girl's cheerful cry, the cold-looking witch seemed to break away from her confused thoughts, and the original cold expression that was almost icy disappeared from her beautiful face.

Turning around and looking at the girl who was running towards her happily, the weak witch also revealed a faint, gentle smile that seemed to be able to melt the ice and snow. She slowly leaned over, and gently rubbed the soft bangs of the girl who was running towards her with her fair jade hand, and whispered soft instructions.

"Run slower...Xiaoye, what is this?"

While asking softly, Platycodon took the herb with snow-white flowers from the girl's little hand and looked at it carefully.

"This was found by Ye~! Lord Kikyo, this is the herb you mentioned, right?!"

The girl said this happily and proudly, as if she wanted the lady she loved, Kikyo, to praise her.

"Yes, it's true. This herb is very effective in healing injuries and reducing swelling."

Seeing the girl's proud look, Kikyo naturally understood what the girl was expecting and praised her gently.

"Xiaoye is learning very well."

"Hee hee~"

The girl was praised by her favorite lady Kikyo as she wished, and she smiled happily, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I was able to recognize it only after Lady Kikyo taught me."

"Lord Kikyo~! What about mine?"

Seeing her friend being praised by the gentle Lady Kikyo, another girl eagerly trotted over to Kikyo and, as if to show off, held up a herb with flowers blooming in her little hand to show Kikyo.

"What's this of mine?"

This child's behavior seemed to have ignited the fuse of three or four other children nearby who were vying for Platycodon's praise. The remaining three or four children also trotted to Platycodon, raised the herbs they had picked in their little hands as if they were presenting treasures, and rushed to ask the gentle Platycodon which herb they had picked.

Seeing the children rushing to give the herbs, the gentle and kind witch told the children the medicinal effects of the herbs in their hands one by one.

At the same time, in the forest not far from the river bank, behind a big tree.

Two monks wearing robes and straw hats were keeping quiet and gazing solemnly at the beautiful witch who was surrounded by children on the shore. She looked a little fragile, but had a kind and gentle smile.

"...Master, is that miko really a demon...?"

Looking at the beautiful witch with a kind and gentle smile on the shore, the young monk carrying a wooden basket asked the old monk beside him with doubt.

"It seems completely impossible... In my opinion, she is just an ordinary human being like us..."

"That's because your practice is not enough..."

After quietly retorting to his disciple, the old monk, leaning on his Zen staff, stared solemnly at the beautiful witch who was identifying herbs for the children.

Although he was still unsure of the true nature of this miko, the old monk, who had practiced for many years and had been constantly out fighting monsters, had keenly sensed that the beautiful miko, who now smiled kindly and gently, was surrounded by a cold, unearthly aura...

Volume 6: Longing Across Time and Space: Chapter 369: The Witch Obsessed with the Human World

"...the two masters there."

Just as the old monk was worried about the coldness lingering around the beautiful witch not far in front of him, the soft words from the beautiful witch unknowingly reached the ears of the old monk hiding in the woods.

"You two seem to be looking at me all the time. Is there something wrong?"

...It was discovered.

Although the inexperienced disciple felt a little uneasy when he heard the witch's soft question, the old monk who had been in and out of the world for decades had already walked out calmly from behind the tree, showing a smile that seemed a little embarrassed, and adjusted the hat on his head.

"...Oh, you found me... Haha, it's because I was so fascinated by your beautiful figure, miko-sama. I am truly guilty, guilty."

Hearing such perfunctory words, Kikyo still maintained a gentle smile and declined softly.

"Please don't make fun of me..."

"It seems that my practice is far from enough."

Hearing Kikyo's natural refusal, the elderly monk still walked over as if feeling apologetic and smiled slightly.

"I'm truly sorry to make you laugh, Miko-sama... Oh!?"

As if he wasn't paying attention to his feet and his body was unstable, the old monk's body swayed for a moment, and it seemed that because of this movement, a scroll fell out of the old monk's sleeve and landed on the light green grass...

Naturally, Kikyo's eyes fell on the scroll that had fallen on the grass. When she saw the words revealed on the unfolded part of the scroll, the gentle gaze of the miko gradually turned cold...

Written on the scroll are the mantras of the Koyasan Shingon sect.

That is a Buddhist mantra that can dispel evil thoughts and break the illusions of demons.

"Could you please... pick it up for me?"

Staring at the witch whose eyes had turned cold, the old monk spoke slowly with a solemn expression, enunciating each word.

"This is a scripture for destroying demons. If a demon touches it, its illusory form will be immediately shattered by the Dharma, revealing its true form."

Hearing the old monk's words, the beautiful witch smiled softly again, and stretched out her fair jade hand nonchalantly, and casually picked up the scroll with the mantra written on it. In the old monk's astonished eyes, she rolled up the unfolded part, slowly raised her hand, and handed the scroll to the old wizard.

"That's a really good scripture, please keep it..."

The old monk was extremely shocked as he stared at the beautiful witch who was definitely not human and handed him the devil-breaking scripture gently and nonchalantly.

…Even if I touched the mantra to ward off evil, it had no effect…

"oh oh……"

Somewhat at a loss, the old monk subconsciously reached out and grasped the scroll handed to him by the witch.

...cold.

The moment he grasped one end of the scroll, the old monk's consciousness seemed to be frozen by a thousand-year-old ice...

It wasn't just his consciousness; his body felt the same way. It was as if the old monk had been thrown into the deepest part of the icy hell of the underworld, frozen forever...

After glancing at the old monk who seemed to be still stunned by shock, Kikyo let go of the fair jade hand holding one end of the scroll, stood up and casually held the girl named Xiaoye's hand, still speaking softly.

"...Then, let's go back to the village."

The scripture scroll held in the old monk's hand gently fell on the light green grass and scattered, and the old monk looked at his aging palm in confusion.

...It wasn't eroded by any demonic power, nor was it the result of any attacking spell... But the icy coldness just now, like falling into an icy hell...

"Master! What's wrong with you?"

At this moment, the anxious cries of the disciples beside him also reached the old monk's ears.

"...Ah, Master is fine."

After hastily answering the anxious disciple, the old monk subconsciously lowered his head and looked at the scroll of scriptures spread out on the grass.