This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 125 - 124. The Importance of Magong Tong

Chapter 125: Chapter 124. The Importance of Magong Tong

The stone in front of him was coated with a pale golden liquid that adhered to the surface without a hint of dripping down.

This scene certainly defied the laws of physics.

However, having encountered all sorts of strange and mysterious individuals, Mr. Temple from Beichuan Si wasn’t the slightest bit surprised by this sight.

"This must be the ’Stone Dew’..." Mr. Temple leaned in closer to the stone.

The faint fragrance emanating from the Stone Dew was enough to invigorate his spirit.

System Notification: Host has discovered a new oddity, ’Stone Dew’.

Stone Dew: A strange liquid produced from the essential stone in Shenzhu Village after suppressing vengeful spirits and purifying malevolent emotions, used to enhance the spiritual sense and inspiration of the Soul Suppressing Twins; it also has the effect of purifying the Spiritual Body, greatly benefiting good spirits.

"It seems she wasn’t lying."

Mr. Temple looked up.

The Stone Dew shimmered on the surface of the essential stone like droplets, seemingly in abundance, but from Mr. Temple’s perspective, the Stone Dew on the entire stone was just enough to fill the short-necked stone bottle Magong Yongshi had given him.

Plip, plop, plip, plop.

Nishijou Kurenai watched the Stone Dew in front of her, barely preventing her saliva from drooling out.

Her petite body wriggled out of the neckline with difficulty, then climbed onto Mr. Temple’s shoulder, eagerly watching as he scraped the Stone Dew into the bottle, bit by bit.

"Kurenai," Mr. Temple rubbed her head gently, "this is for a proper purpose. Behave yourself. Once the matter in Shenzhu Village is resolved, I will occasionally bring you here to collect Stone Dew."

Upon hearing Mr. Temple’s words, Nishijou Kurenai satisfyingly patted his cheek and then slipped back into the neckline.

Mr. Temple shook his head, his hands speeding up the process.

It took him about half an hour to collect all the Stone Dew from the essential stone.

Mr. Temple secured the stone stopper on the bottle and was about to leave when the flames on the fire racks around the cavern suddenly flickered into life.

When Mr. Temple turned back, he saw layers upon layers of figures had appeared.

Another collective apparition phenomenon.

He paused his steps, looking intently.

The clothing on the figures surrounding the altar were adorned with patterns of white chrysanthemums.

These were people from the Magong Main Family.

Before the essential stone, a man dressed in the black hunting garb of a family head and wearing a tall crown hat was sitting respectfully on a cushion.

Behind him, there were four shrine maidens clad in red and white robes, each holding a Shinra Bell.

Ritual music began to play.

It was the ancient melody of the shamisen, the thirteen-stringed zither, and the taiko drums.

The shrine maidens raised the Shinra Bells in their hands and bent slightly.

Clang—a clear bell sound resonated.

Accompanying the music, the maidens slowly circled the essential stone, their dance solemn and reverent.

Their eyes would occasionally close halfway, then shake the Shinra Bells lightly, their feet moving deftly. An indescribable grace and beauty emerged. Their snow-white sleeves lifted and fell, and the Shinra Bells with their gold-haloed surfaces produced a clear and melodious sound.

The entire ceremony passed in silence, everyone standing mutely.

In such a solemn and ancient sacrificial activity, it seemed as though one could merge into the ritual entirely.

This was the Purification Ritual, where the dance of the maidens cleansed the essential stone.

The apparitions gradually faded, and the figures dispersed.

Beichuan Si finally understood why the members of the Magong Family were so united.

This ancient tradition indeed fostered a sense of collective honor within the family.

Beichuan Si let out a gentle breath, stowed the stone bottle, and walked towards the cave entrance—

...

Outside the cave.

Magong Yongshi couldn’t help but draw closer to Beichuan Si as soon as she saw him emerge.

"Mr. Temple, the stone dew..."

"All have been collected," Beichuan Si glanced at Magong Yongshi and took out the stone bottle.

The stone dew in the bottle had just reached the neck of the bottle.

Looking at the crystalline liquid inside, Magong Yongshi’s gaze turned complex and somewhat sorrowful as she said,

"Nine years of desolation, and yet the stone hasn’t changed the slightest, the stone dew remains unchanged; is it only Shenzhu Village and the Magong Family that have changed?"

Without hesitation, she drank half of the stone dew, and handed the other half to Beichuan Si, "Half of the stone dew is enough for me to purify my soul body. The other half is for the little one with you. Compared to me, she should be of more use to you."

As Magong Yongshi spoke, a trace of pain suddenly appeared on her delicate features.

Her soul body began to tremble violently, the originally ethereal Spiritual Body seemed even more translucent and elusive.

Beichuan Si took the stone bottle and stepped back, turning his gaze towards Magong Yongshi.

Around her, the originally murky and dark currents rose in a constant stream.

Magong Yongshi was actively separating and purifying her soul body!

Parts that had been too deeply eroded were directly cast aside, relying on the soul cleansing effect of the stone dew to maintain her consciousness to avoid corruption by the surging grievances.

Beichuan Si could clearly feel that Magong Yongshi’s presence had shifted from its initial turbidity and chaos to gradually becoming stable.

However, at the same time, Beichuan Si also sensed that her aura was no longer as powerful as when they had first met.

Magong Yongshi’s figure became so ephemeral that it seemed she might vanish in the next moment, yet a familiar pale golden flow emerged around her.

That was the sign of returning to being a good spirit.

"I have finally freed myself from this curse-like grudge," Magong Yongshi’s voice was intermittent, but Beichuan Si could detect a sense of relief in her tone.

Magong Yongshi seemed to notice the confusion in Beichuan Si, and she explained softly, "This is the fate of the Soul Suppressing Twins, burdened with the hopes of the living, bearing their expectations, and in the moment of death, those expectations transform into deep grudges, which is why Mr. Temple saw me burdened with so many grievances."

"But now I have broken free from the shackles, Shenzhu Village has now withered away, and no one needs to carry the heavy responsibility of the Soul Suppressing Twins anymore."

"This is a liberation for me," Magong Yongshi became increasingly familiar with her current state, and her soul body slowly stabilized.

She lifted her eyes, "Mr. Temple, I have a request. Only by fulfilling this request can the series of events in Shenzhu Village be entirely resolved."

Beichuan Si’s brows furrowed upon hearing this.

Why did Magong Yongshi speak with the tone of someone resigned to death?

Beichuan Si didn’t press for specifics but nodded,

"What is your request?"

"Bring Tong to Shenzhu Village."

Magong Yongshi spoke word by word, "In the moment of transforming into a good spirit, an inexplicable thought came to my mind."

"An idea?"

Magong Yongshi nodded.

"It was a baseless thought, perhaps a stroke of sudden enlightenment—that to completely resolve all the incidents, Tong must be brought back to Shenzhu Village, she is the key piece of the puzzle in this sequence of events."