This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 146 - 145. Guiding the Way (15th Update)

Chapter 146: Chapter 145. Guiding the Way (15th Update)

As previously mentioned, the architectural structure of the Shenzhu branch family was largely the same as that of the Magong Main Family, including the identical entrance halls on the first floor.

Beichuan Si stepped down from the entrance hall and pushed open the main door.

Cherry trees, flower pond.

The cherry trees had begun to bud, but the blossoms in the pond had already disappeared early on, and the originally clear water had turned into a murky black.

After all, the flowers floating on the surface were very delicate things, and without someone to care for them, they wouldn’t need nine years to go extinct; they would naturally die out entirely.

This must be the location of the story that Magong Yongshi told about the shrine maiden’s encounter with the man.

"But the most crucial thing now is the identity of that shrine maiden."

Magong Yongshi was a very astute girl. She wouldn’t speak without purpose; the story she told must have had her own intentions.

That shrine maiden would certainly play an essential role in the upcoming ceremony, which is why, after the ’future vision,’ Magong Yongshi... actually Beichuan Si, was told such a story.

However, even so, Beichuan Si did not dare to make a definite conclusion about the identity of that shrine maiden too lightly.

After all, the previous conjecture that ’one of the Soul Suppressing Twins, out of embarrassment and anger, caused the entire ceremony to fail’ was no longer so reliable in the presence of the Concubine.

Indeed, if the Soul Suppressing Twins committed any act of filth, the Concubine would perform a purification and blood-taking ritual on them. As long as that ritual was performed, even if the twins harbored resentment, the ceremony could still be successful.

But this did not rule out the possibility of an accident happening during the purification and blood-taking ritual.

"However, we can’t exclude the possibility that one of the Soul Suppressing Twins from the Shenzhu Family hid their love and ended up... discontented."

There were two theories now.

One, one of the Soul Suppressing Twins fell in love with a man, was discovered, underwent a purification and blood-taking ritual, but, due to some reason, the ritual failed, leading to the destruction of Shenzhu Village.

Two, one of the Soul Suppressing Twins fell in love with a man, but, due to the regulations of the Shenzhu Main Family, could not be with the man she loved, and out of embarrassment and anger, was forced to perform the ritual, causing its failure.

To know what happened in the past, it was necessary to clarify all the events that had taken place.

And Beichuan Si came to see if he could trigger the spiritual remnants left from that year.

Because if it involved the Soul Suppressing Twins, whose spiritual perception was more than ten times stronger than that of ordinary people, it wouldn’t be surprising for them to leave behind a residual image.

Beichuan Si took a step and walked to the base of the cherry tree.

There, Beichuan Si saw the snow-white cherry buds with faintly pink edges at the base of the tree.

In Japan, a popular saying states, ’The more splendidly the cherry blossoms bloom, the more bodies are buried beneath the tree,’ which in colloquial language today is ’Beneath the cherry tree, bodies are buried.’

It was eerily quiet all around, the entire Shenzhu house was so desolate it made one’s scalp tingle.

But beyond that, there was no other movement.

Beichuan Si shook his head.

It seemed his luck and guesses weren’t always correct; there didn’t appear to be any ’residual image’ here.

Just as Beichuan Si was about to give up the investigation and return to the Shenzhu house, Nishijou Kurenai, who had been inactive until now, seemed to sense Beichuan Si’s thoughts.

She hurriedly patted Beichuan Si’s face, then clapped her hands together—

It seemed as though something was being drawn out of the air.

Black streams writhed and eventually coalesced into a mass.

After doing all this, Nishijou Kurenai appeared significantly weakened.

She nodded at Beichuan Si and then crawled back into the collar of his shirt.

And Beichuan Si, having cooperated with Nishijou Kurenai countless times, of course understood her intention.

Looking at the black stream in front of him, Beichuan Si reached out to touch it.

—

After an indescribable sensation, Beichuan Si found the world had changed.

Springtime; cherry blossoms fell with the breeze, flowers of various colors floated upon the pond.

This was undoubtedly a breathtaking scene.

In the gaze of Beichuan Si, a young man with a delicate appearance and a gentle expression was standing under a cherry blossom tree.

On the other side of the flower pond, a shrine maiden crouched down and placed her palm into the water of the pond.

Under the cherry blossom tree.

The young man was smiling at the shrine maiden,

and upon seeing this, the shrine maiden’s cheeks flushed red, and she hurriedly lifted a corner of her shrine maiden robe and ran into the Shenzhu Family home.

Because the girl ran so quickly, something fell from her.

Beichuan Si saw it clearly.

It was a simple ebony hairpin.

In the final moment before the image shattered, Beichuan Si distinctly heard the magnetic voice of the young man.

"Shinzhu zhong..."

As the image dissipated, Beichuan Si stood in place processing the recently acquired information, and a certain item inexplicably found its way into his hand.

Ebony hairpin...

On the shiny, black handle of the hairpin, the character ’zhong’ seemed to be written.

Beichuan Si was not surprised by this. What really astonished him was that Nishijou Kurenai actually had the ability to materialize afterimages.

Beichuan Si looked at Kurenai, who was flagging.

And as if Kurenai had noticed Beichuan Si’s gaze, it took quite a while before a message came through—

"You said you had this ability after ingesting the stone dew?"

This resonated with the ’Future Sight’ of Magong Yongshi, and during such an investigation, it was even more useful than Magong Yongshi’s ability.

However, this ability seemed to heavily drain Nishijou Kurenai’s energy, and with her current benevolence, she could only use it once a day.

"One time is enough. You should rest well, and leave the rest to me."

Beichuan Si patted Kurenai’s little head and tucked the ebony hairpin entwined with dark Qi into his waist pouch.

The name of the priestess just now must be Shinzu Zhong.

If she had lived there in the Shenzhu branch family, there should be records about her.

Beichuan Si took out the shrine records of the wedding purification ceremony obtained from the Shenzhu Shrine.

Whether the young man succeeded or failed, there would always be a record of it, right?

Unfortunately, Beichuan Si did not find the name Shinzu Zhong in the records of the wedding purification ceremony.

However, that made sense—if it was the forbidden love of the Soul Suppressing Twins, then it was natural for it not to be recorded.

Beichuan Si put the record book back in its place and picked up his flashlight to head towards the Shenzhu Family home again.

The next thing to do was to find the location of the underground palace.

That was his thought, and he intended to act on it.

But as soon as he stepped into the Shenzhu Family home, a chilling coldness suddenly assaulted Beichuan Si’s body.

Beichuan Si executed a crisp and clean forward roll, then looked behind him.

The shrine maiden’s vengeful spirit had appeared once again.

Her neck was still tilted at a ninety-degree angle, her eyes deeply fixed on Beichuan Si.

The other party seemed to have no intention of attacking.

But Beichuan Si had not discarded the idea of drawing Jian Ding.

In any case, he couldn’t let his guard down.

With this thought in mind, Beichuan Si watched as Shinju Rina slowly raised her hand and pointed down the corridor to the right.

Could this be...

A sign to guide the way?

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