Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes

After chatting for a while, Taki said goodbye to her classmates and went to the literature club to greet the familiar club members.

This was at the request of Master Riyan, who wanted her to interact more with her classmates.

She started studying at Komagome Academy in middle school. Because she missed most of the first half of the semester at high school, she is now more familiar with the literature club and her former classmates.

She preferred swordsmanship to reading, but she did not join the school's kendo club.

".Thousand-leaf mulberry".

She saw Chiba Shion sitting by the window, hesitated for a moment, but still took the initiative to go up and greet her.

Upon hearing this, Chiba raised her eyes to look at Takii, nodded in response, and then lowered her head to continue reading.

Taki was used to Chiba's indifference. After saying hello, she wanted to leave, but then she caught a glimpse of the book cover out of the corner of her eye.

Love is War: 99 Techniques to Get Your Crush to Confess His Feelings

What an unexpected type!

In the past, she would see Chiba reading foreign books.

After chatting with her friends for a while, Takii left the school and boarded the train to Honmyoji Temple.

"Is it closed today?"

Takii was quite surprised to see the closed gates when she arrived at Honmyoji Temple. Honmyoji Temple should be open at this time. Although she only comes about once every two weeks, she lives not far away and passed by here a few days ago when the gates were open at the normal time.

She called Riyan, but he didn't answer, so she called Richeng.

“Three days ago, Master Riyan told me that the time had come and asked me to take my disciples to the temple to retrieve the robes and relics of Master Nichiren. But alas, they are unwilling. I have been begging at the gate for three days now.”

"It's laughable that even today, various sects still firmly believe in the ancient records that the human world was once teeming with demons and monsters, and that only Master Riyan and I remain."

"Even the recent extraordinary events have not made them completely believe our Honmyoji Temple's explanation."

After hearing this, Takii immediately sensed something was wrong.

Was the critical moment that Master Riyan spoke of another unusual movement by the demon sword? But why didn't she sense it?

Logically speaking, she should still be the Ninth Muramasa, so she should be able to sense something unusual about the Myōhō Muramasa.

“Master Richeng, why don’t you come back and take a look? I feel that something is wrong with the situation at the temple.”

"Alright, I understand. I'll bring my disciples back now."

Taki put down the phone and looked at the walls of Honmyoji Temple, feeling that the silence inside was terrifying.

Hopefully, it won't be as she imagines.

She tried her best to maintain her usual calm demeanor, but she couldn't even remember what she looked like normally. Her mind was filled with the whispers of the demon sword from the game.

At first, she could only learn about how terrifying the demon sword was from her father's teachings and from Riyan's words, and how difficult it was to resist once she was chosen by it.

She was thinking the worst about everything, but once she entered the game and took on the role of the ancestor, she realized that the demon sword was far more terrifying than she had imagined.

In particular, the murderous intent that surged wildly at anyone she saw made it increasingly difficult for her to resist.

At this rate, she doubted she would be able to reach Edo Castle without killing anyone.

"Namo Myoho Renge Kyo. Beautiful lady, are you a follower of the Nichiren sect?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the slightly flippant words spoken in front of her.

Looking up, I saw a blond foreign man with a camera in hand and a bright, sunny smile on his face.

He had a very standard American smile, and his clothes seemed casual but were actually well-coordinated. From his attire to his actions and demeanor, he gave people a very comfortable feeling.

But if you encounter someone with a keen eye, they can tell at a glance that it was deliberate.

"I originally planned to take photos of various temples in Tokyo and upload them, then categorize them by sect. Unfortunately, this temple, Myoji, has been closed for several days in a row. It's such a shame. Do you know what happened?"

Taki shook his head, his expression gentle but his eyes distant: "I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure what happened either."

"Oh, I see. Okay then. Sorry to bother you, have a good time." The man sensed the unfamiliarity in the other person's expression, raised an eyebrow, and left with a smile without pressing the matter further.

Taki watched as the other person took a few more photos around the wall, then, camera in hand, disappeared around the corner. Judging by the direction, they were heading to the nearby Jigenji Temple.

Half an hour later, Richeng returned with a group of dejected disciples.

"You've kept me waiting, benefactor."

“Master Richeng, please open the door. I’m worried something might have happened inside.”

Ri Cheng's expression was serious. On his way back, he also called Ri Yan Shangren. The call was connected, but the other party's tone...

"Richeng, in the future, when you encounter problems, you should think more for yourself."

When he called back, the phone was switched off.

Ri Cheng recalled the hoarse voice of Master Ri Yan when he answered the phone, unlocked the door, and slowly pushed it open.

"Faming, Fakong, you two guard the door and don't let anyone in."

"Yes, senior brother."

It was so quiet, so very quiet.

Previously, in order to suppress the demon sword, someone needed to constantly chant scriptures, but now even the birdsong is gone, leaving only the sound of wind chimes being tinkled.

Ri Cheng unconsciously quickened his pace, walked through the courtyard, and made his way to the main hall, where the door was tightly closed.

He calmed his breathing.

“Master Nichiren, your disciple Nichiren is incompetent and failed to obtain the sacred robe and bowl of Nichiren. Please punish me, Master.”

"Please punish me, Master!"

The disciples behind them repeated it.

Takii sniffed the air, and a familiar scent made her expression change drastically. Forgetting all etiquette, she quickly stepped past Ri Cheng and forcefully pushed open the palace door.

“Shi—”

Ri Cheng's actions and words were frozen in place, his eyes wide open, staring in disbelief at the scene before him.

The disciples behind them were even more panicked, shouting and some even collapsed to the ground in fright, retreating away.

The blood-stained statue of Shakyamuni Buddha stands high above, calmly observing everything, without sorrow or joy.

"It's over."

As if her strength was being slowly drained away, Takii staggered a few steps, leaning against the door frame, muttering to herself.

"A demonic sword has been born."

Thank you to "空佑天" for the 500-coin reward.

Chapter 150: Who Goes to Hell

last night.

The main hall of Honmyoji Temple.

Riyan knelt before the Buddha, chanting sutras. The candlelight flickered, and incense smoke curled. Miaofa Village was inserted into the ashes of a large, ancient-style incense burner, without any sharpness, like a dilapidated long knife that had been neglected for many years.

"Namo Myoho Renge Kyo. The Buddha said: I see with my Buddha-eye."

The continuous chanting had gone on for an unknown amount of time, almost without stopping.

But Riyan's expression, with his eyes tightly closed, grew increasingly solemn, showing no sign of relief.

“...able to break through all demon armies... Alas.” Riyan slowly opened his eyes, looked up at the Buddha statue in front of him, and sighed, “Dharma Banner, do you know that turning back is the shore, and ahead lies an abyss of ten thousand feet?”

Behind Riyan, Fazhuang, who had been silently approaching with a fruit knife, stopped in his tracks. His expression shifted from struggle to ferocity.

"I can't see the abyss, I only see the Buddha."

"Fazhuang, let go of your obsessions, or you will be unaffected by the demonic sword."

“No! I have not been influenced by anything, this is my true nature!” Fazhuang shouted, his voice hoarse and quickening as he continued.

"Master, why do you value Senior Brother Richeng so much! What exactly makes me inferior to him?"

"In terms of seniority, he was ordained only half a month earlier; in terms of piety, I have never dared to slacken in my morning and evening prayers; in terms of conduct, the dining hall is spotless, and the welcoming and sending off of monks at Dharma assemblies is flawless; in terms of scriptures—"

Riyan shook his head slowly and deliberately: "You don't have his 'faith'."

Fazhuang was taken aback: "Faith? What is faith? Does it mean I am not devout enough to the Buddha?!"

“It’s not about the Buddha, but about faith in the predecessors.” Riyan sighed. “You’ve read the ‘Record of the Wonderful Dharma Subduing Demons,’ but you’ve never taken it to heart.”

Fazhuang's face flushed red as he exclaimed excitedly, "Who would believe that book is like a novel! Other temples don't even keep this book in their collections. Only our Benmiao Temple requires every disciple to read it. Master, you are too foolish. People in the past also boasted!"

"There is no demon sword at all, and there may not even be a person named Fa Cheng! We've all been deceived!"

"This knife is the evidence. It's just an ordinary knife. If you insist on believing it, then I can only be offended!"

Riyan slowly stood up, turned around and looked directly at his disciple: "Have you really decided to turn your back on Buddhism?"

"No, I just can't bear to see you make one mistake after another, Master." Fazhuang said with a gloomy face, gripping his knife tightly and pressing forward step by step. "As long as you don't stop me from drawing my knife, Master, I won't do anything rebellious."

Riyan's eyes were filled with sorrow; it seemed that everything was beyond repair.

In this era, will there still be figures like Master Facheng who would stand up for the sake of all living beings?

“Fazhuang, since the Buddha’s teachings cannot save you, then your master also knows a little about spear fighting.”

He pulled out a pistol that he had prepared beforehand and aimed it at the banner.

But Fazhuang ignored everything and rushed forward without fear.

"Ahhh!"

boom!

Fazhuang paused, his face still contorted in a ferocious expression, and lunged into Riyan's arms.

The knife in his hand pierced Riyan's arm at the same time.

In Riyan's arms, slowly, Fazhuang's eyes regained their clarity. Looking at the bloodstains on his chest and the knife on his master's arm, he moved his lips and struggled to raise his finger to point at the Myoho Muramasa sword in front of the Buddha.

"Master, the demonic sword is not my true self."

"I believe it, I believe it."

Riyan patted his back and said softly, just like always.

With a sense of relief, Fazhuang slowly closed his eyes.

"Ugh"

Gently lowering the Dharma banner, Riyan gazed at the seven disciples surrounding him in the center of the hall, their eyes fixed longingly on the demon sword.

They were originally chanting scriptures outside like Fa Chuang, but now their eyes were filled with ferocity, they had lost their original intentions, and they were holding various crude weapons in their hands, as if they were about to swarm forward at any moment.

"Namo Myoho Renge Sūtra".

The Buddha said: I will not go to hell.

He reached out, grasped the hilt of Myōhō Muramasa's sword, and pulled it out of the ashes.

"Who will go to hell?"

Riyan took out the blood plasma from his pocket and drank it all in one gulp.

"I know you have all done your best for humanity."

"Let me, your teacher, see you off on your final journey."

The demonic sword, having shed its mottled appearance, now radiates a chilling light that captivates the soul.

Blood splattered onto the Buddha statue's face.

Click.

After taking a picture of the blood-stained Buddha statue, Kurosaki Chimei looked around the scene and pondered deeply.

In the afternoon, half an hour after Ri Cheng and his team discovered the body.

Honmyoji Temple was now surrounded by police and an investigation team, and an investigation was underway.

Apart from the corpse, the main hall was undamaged; not a single candlestick was overturned, indicating that the person who used the knife cherished the place.

"The Muramasa Demon Sword, huh?" He pondered this legend he'd heard so many times before, and slowly walked out of the main hall.

Avoiding the staff collecting evidence, Kurosaki peered out, searching for Ping Shenglong.