Chapter 160: The Letter of Challenge and Ashiya Dōman
Just as Gin Tsumugi and Kasugano Sora stepped into the entrance hall of the Onmyō Academy, two respectful voices overlapped in their ears.
"Welcome back, Lord Abe no Seimei."
The sudden greeting startled Kasugano Sora.
Her eyes quickly locked onto the source of the voices.
"These two stone statues... are they shikigami?"
On both sides of the glass doors at the entrance of the Onmyō Academy stood two stone statues in the style of komainu.
They were nearly three meters tall, carved with exquisite craftsmanship, and looked almost alive. A vivid spiritual aura and solemn majesty lingered around them.
Compared to the tiger, lion, or mastiff statues ordinary households often placed to ward off evil and invite fortune, komainu statues were much rarer.
They were not unheard of, but most belonged to the previous century.
More importantly, the two komainu before them were not ordinary stone statues.
They were shikigami.
And ones with considerable offensive capability.
"It has been a long time, Yuu, Mei."
A faint trace of nostalgia appeared in Gin's eyes.
"Director, you know these two komainu shikigami?"
Kasugano Sora could not help asking when she saw his expression.
Gin did not hide it.
"The cores and spirits inside these two stone shikigami came from the stone shikigami used by the Onmyōryō during the Heian Period a thousand years ago."
His gaze lingered on the two statues.
"Back then, they were also responsible for guarding the gates."
"In that sense, they can be considered derivatives of the Onmyōryō's shikigami."
Kasugano Sora nodded, only half understanding.
So these two stone shikigami were, in a way, thousand year old antiques.
"They are now called Alpha and Omega."
An aged voice suddenly sounded.
"They were among the few shikigami found with a trace of vitality in the ruins of the old Onmyōryō site several hundred years ago."
A black cat flipped lightly out from within the Onmyō Academy and landed in front of Gin and Kasugano Sora.
Clearly, this black cat was also someone's shikigami.
Its master was possessing and controlling it directly to speak.
The old Onmyōryō site.
When those words were mentioned, a faint sense of helplessness flashed through Gin's eyes.
Strictly speaking, he had a hand in the split and disappearance of the Kyoto Onmyōryō.
Although it had not been his direct doing, there was no way to say it had nothing to do with him.
In Gin's heart, the Onmyōryō felt somewhat like an alma mater from which he had graduated.
However, because the thousand year dream of the Heian Period was both true and false, that feeling still carried a faint sense of illusion.
It did not feel as solid as reality.
As for the root cause of the Kyoto Onmyōryō's destruction, one could not avoid Hagoromo Gitsune and Nue.
Four hundred years ago, the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons led by Hagoromo Gitsune had ravaged Kyoto.
The gestation and birth of Nue had forced the already declining Onmyōryō to attempt suppression.
The outcome, naturally, had been predictable.
At that time, the Onmyōryō had already fallen to its lowest point.
Forget a Great Onmyoji. They had not even possessed an upper rank Onmyoji equivalent to what would now be called a National Level Onmyoji.
Their combat power could not even compare to the current Onmyo Bureau after its heavy losses.
Against Hagoromo Gitsune and her Night Parade, they had been swept away.
Even Tsuchigumo had taken action.
With the Onmyōryō's strength at the time, they could barely defend themselves, let alone stop the rampaging Night Parade and the impending birth of Nue.
If not for the Onmyōryō's deep foundations, the three branches that later split away, the Onmyo Bureau, Onmyō Academy, and Onmyo Alliance, might not have even had the chance to escape.
They would have been crushed and destroyed then and there.
Furthermore, that fellow Daitengu had most likely taken advantage of the decline of Onmyōdō four hundred years ago to break most of his shackles.
If not for the Thirteenth Generation Keikain Hidemoto's extraordinary talent, which allowed him to create the Spiral Seal to divide and suppress Kyoto's source of Yin energy, Daitengu might have broken free from the shackles of Onmyōdō and resurrected long ago.
"Afterward, Alpha and Omega were kept in the Onmyō Academy for a very long time."
The black cat continued in its aged voice.
"Until Tsuchimikado Yakou appeared and repaired their damaged cores and bodies, granting them new life."
After this concise explanation, the black cat bowed very respectfully to Gin.
"This old one greets Lord Seimei. Please forgive my rudeness for meeting you in such an unseemly form."
"Academy Head, there is no need to be so polite."
Gin knew the black cat was being controlled by the head of the Onmyō Academy, Kurahashi Miyoshi.
As an old acquaintance and friend of Amami Daizen, she deserved some respect.
If Gin were too heartless, it would not look good for the old man either.
"Thank you, Lord Seimei."
The black cat lowered its head again.
"Lord Seimei, please follow me."
With that, the black cat led Gin and Kasugano Sora deeper into the Onmyō Academy.
A while later, they passed several teaching buildings, corridors, and the playground, receiving a brief tour of the academy's scenery along the way.
Because Gin and Kasugano Sora carried talismans that lowered their presence, neither the students nor the teachers noticed Gin.
However, whenever they saw the black cat, they all bowed respectfully in greeting.
The black cat responded to each one with great composure.
Finally, the black cat led Gin and Kasugano Sora to a three story office building and stopped before a door marked [Academy Head's Office].
The door opened from the inside.
It was as if everything had already been prepared to welcome distinguished guests.
The black cat gave a soft meow, then leaped into the arms of a white haired old woman seated on a solid wooden chair inside the office.
The cat lay quietly in her embrace.
This woman was the Director of the Onmyō Academy, Kurahashi Miyoshi.
She was also the mother of the Onmyo Bureau Chief, Kurahashi Genji.
In the Onmyōdō world, she was a highly respected elder, with few above her in seniority.
Holding the black cat, this elder of Onmyōdō slowly stood.
Then, with the etiquette of a junior, she bowed to Gin.
"Once again, I greet you, Lord Seimei."
Even with her seniority and prestige in Onmyōdō, Kurahashi Miyoshi understood one thing clearly.
Before the man standing in front of her, everyone was a junior.
"There is no need for such formalities."
Gin looked at her.
"However, you must be Tsuchimikado Yakou's shrine maiden."
"As expected, nothing can be hidden from Lord Seimei."
Kurahashi Miyoshi stood upright and spoke without avoiding the matter.
"In my youth, I was indeed Tsuchimikado Yakou's shrine maiden, and I remained by his side as his guardian."
"I am afraid it is not only in the past, but even now."
Gin's eyes moved slightly.
"The decaying aura of the Underworld on your body was most likely picked up when you helped him awaken."
He paused.
"However, it is not a major problem."
Perhaps out of respect for Amami Daizen, Gin raised his hand and snapped his fingers toward Kurahashi Miyoshi.
A ripple of spiritual power spread from his fingertips.
The Underworld aura contaminating Kurahashi Miyoshi dissipated completely.
"I thank you, Lord Seimei."
Kurahashi Miyoshi hurriedly expressed her gratitude.
Although she could have relied on her own power to wear it down over several months, doing so would inevitably have consumed some of her vitality.
For a young person, that would not have mattered much.
But for an elderly person like her, lost vitality was not so easy to recover.
"The reason you contacted me through the Myriad Dharma Supernatural Department was not only because of Master Dōman."
Gin spoke bluntly.
"Tsuchimikado Yakou is also part of it, isn't he?"
"Lord Seimei's eyes are sharp."
Kurahashi Miyoshi had no intention of hiding it.
"I cannot deny that I have some personal motives."
At this point, Gin understood.
In Kurahashi Miyoshi's eyes, Tsuchimikado Natsume's disguise as Tsuchimikado Yakou's reincarnation had likely been exposed from the very beginning.
Furthermore, as Yakou's shrine maiden, even if she could not sense the exact location of the reincarnation, she would naturally have ways to distinguish the real one from the false one.
The Tsuchimikado Clan had hidden the true reincarnation of Tsuchimikado Yakou, Tsuchimikado Harutora, for various reasons.
They had even sealed his Ghost-Seeing Power and Onmyoji talent.
Kurahashi Miyoshi, the academy head, had naturally gone along with it.
She used Tsuchimikado Natsume as a decoy to protect the true reincarnation, Tsuchimikado Harutora, and prevent him from being dragged into the internal conflicts and whirlpools of Onmyōdō.
If Gin had not exposed Harutora's identity as the reincarnation in front of Natsume and Dairenji Suzuka at the Tsuchimikado residence, Natsume might have continued serving as his shield for who knew how long.
However, Gin did not say much about it.
After all, it had nothing to do with him.
"There is no need to waste more breath on Tsuchimikado Harutora."
Gin's tone was calm.
"The decision is now in his hands."
"Yes, Lord Seimei."
Kurahashi Miyoshi clearly knew that Gin had already spoken with Harutora.
Although she did not know the final outcome, she could tell from Gin's words that Harutora had likely failed to obtain what he wanted from the discussion.
Of course, the fact that he still had the right to decide meant there was still room for change.
"Alright."
Gin went straight to the point.
"Since I am here, you should give me that item."
"Yes, Lord Seimei."
Kurahashi Miyoshi did not dare hesitate.
She walked to a nearby shelf and removed a box that resembled a safe.
Several talismans were pasted across it, clearly meant to prevent outsiders from stealing or opening it.
"Release."
Kurahashi Miyoshi drew a pentagram on the surface of the box.
The next instant, the box opened by itself.
A familiar ripple of spiritual power flowed out.
Inside was an old styled letter folded like origami.
On its front were several lines of writing.
[Challenge Letter]
[Ashiya Dōman]
[To be opened by White Fox Gin Tsumugi]
"Should I call him a pedantic old fossil, or does he just love nostalgia?"
Gin shook his head with a faint chuckle and picked up the challenge letter from the box.
"Lord Seimei, this challenge letter was delivered to the Onmyō Academy two days ago."
Kurahashi Miyoshi spoke beside him, sounding somewhat ashamed.
"It appears to be protected by some form of Onmyō Art encryption, preventing outsiders from viewing its contents."
In truth, after the challenge letter had arrived at the academy, she had tried to open it several times.
Unfortunately, with her cultivation in Onmyōdō, she had been repelled directly and even nearly injured once.
Because of that, she had truly confirmed that the letter had been sent by Ashiya Dōman.
The second most prominent figure in the history of Onmyōdō, ranking only beneath the Great Onmyoji Abe no Seimei.
"There is no need to worry about it."
Gin held the letter in his palm.
"What is attached to it is only a small trick. It barely counts as Onmyō Art."
His hands began forming seals.
The hand signs looked familiar at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they were completely foreign.
The challenge letter that had been resting in his palm slowly floated upward as though freed from gravity.
It stopped at the height of Gin's chest.
"Completely foreign hand seal techniques."
Kurahashi Miyoshi was slightly startled.
She realized that the seals Gin formed seemed similar to Shinto seals.
But they were not.
They were not Buddhist seals.
Not Taoist seals.
Not mantra seals.
Not even obscure Rakshasa seals.
It was as if they were entirely new, something that had never been recorded before and had just been created on the spot.
In the next instant, the challenge letter burst with intense light.
Both Kurahashi Miyoshi and Kasugano Sora narrowed their eyes slightly.
Then a strange, distorted voice echoed in their ears.
"Heh heh heh... Seimei, I did not expect you to still remember the little tricks we used to play together."
"This is... Master Dōman?"
By the time Kurahashi Miyoshi and Kasugano Sora opened their eyes again, the challenge letter floating in midair had vanished.
In its place stood an elderly man with a ghostly sense of emptiness.
His appearance was extremely aged and weathered.
He wore a pair of black sunglasses, and his body emitted an ominous, eerie aura.
That was right.
This person was Ashiya Dōman.
The Onmyoji who ranked second only to the Great Onmyoji Abe no Seimei in the history of Onmyōdō.
He was also the true ancestor and founder of the Keikain Clan.
If categorized according to the successive heads of the Keikain Clan, the Ashiya Dōman before them could be called the true First Generation Keikain Hidemoto.
....
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