This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 517 - 334: Restarting Izumi Shrine (4000 words)_2

Chapter 517: Chapter 334: Restarting Izumi Shrine (4000 words)_2

"That’s to get Shen Gu Mirai and the others onto the yacht on the other side."

Now it seemed like there wasn’t even a place for it to dock.

It looked like the situation couldn’t be resolved amicably.

Beichuan Si took two steps forward while roughly estimating the number of villagers present.

There were only a few hundred people here. Although it might be difficult to push through directly, if Beichuan Si fought while retreating, he could take them all down.

But—

There was a particular disturbance among the crowd.

Beichuan Si narrowed his eyes.

A calm and serene voice came from the midst of the crowd.

"We meet again, harbinger of great calamity."

The villagers from Ihui Island parted in silence, creating a path through the middle.

On the neatly cleared path, there stood a woman surrounded by a faint golden aura.

With an ethereal face and a tidy, dignified priest’s hunting outfit, it was indeed Ihui Nai Luo!

She looked at Beichuan Si and then at the several people standing behind him, speaking in a gentle tone, "As I said last night, the islanders will not lay a hand on the three behind you. Having passed the test, they are entitled to leave Ihui Island."

The villagers squeezed to create another path.

A narrow path.

This was the path that had been reserved for Shen Gu Mirai and the others to leave Ihui Island.

"Mr. Temple," Shen Gu Mirai clutched at Beichuan Si’s sleeve with concern flashing in her eyes.

Ihui Nai Luo’s words were clear, the villagers would not stop them from leaving.

But this ’them’ did not include a place for Beichuan Si.

"It’s okay, don’t worry."

Beichuan Si’s voice did not change, "Just board the yacht like this. It so happens I have something to discuss with them."

Shen Gu Mirai still wanted to speak but was pulled back by Shen Gu Chiharu.

Shen Gu Mirai could only whisper, "You must come back, Mr. Temple."

She knew.

Under the current circumstances, both Shen Gu Jiro and Shen Gu Chiharu were nothing but burdens to Beichuan Si.

Since that was the case, the only option was to leave Ihui Island and come up with a longer-term plan.

They had already handed over the satellite phone to Beichuan Si; having a means of communication, they could make detours from the outside and be ready to come to Beichuan Si’s aid whenever he needed them.

Acting impulsively in such a place would prevent any of them from leaving, and would instead force Beichuan Si into a passive position.

Under Beichuan Si’s escort and the gaze of the villagers, Shen Gu Mirai and the others finally boarded the yacht.

Just as Shen Gu Mirai and the others boarded the yacht, the villagers immediately surrounded Beichuan Si, preventing him from going any further.

In truth, this encirclement wasn’t really a problem.

If Beichuan Si chose to, he could immediately break free from these villagers and board the ship directly.

But as Beichuan Si had said, not only did Ihui Nai Luo have business with him, but Beichuan Si was also very curious about Ihui Nai Luo.

He turned his head slightly, looking at Ihui Nai Luo.

Self-acting good spirits... No...

From the beginning to now, Ihui Nai Luo’s behavior did not at all fit the behavior pattern of good spirits.

She seemed more like a human being with emotions and desires.

How could Beichuan Si not be curious?

...

After saying goodbye to Shen Gu Mirai and Shen Gu Jiro, Beichuan Si was led to a large Japanese-style mansion in the forest.

The mansion bore no nameplate, but from the respectfully departing villagers, Beichuan Si could infer the status of the person who lived in this Japanese-style mansion on the island.

Most crucially—

Above the wooden gate, hung an emblem with the same pattern as the one on the wooden box left behind by Sanseiyuan Tenzi’s mother.

"Please come this way, Mr. Beichuan," a demurely dressed maid with delicate features bowed her head and led the way for Beichuan Si.

It seemed for now, they didn’t intend to take any violent action against him.

Without hesitation, Beichuan Si looked around and followed the kimono-clad maid into the Japanese-style mansion.

What first caught his eye was the front yard.

Similar to most Japanese-style architecture, the front courtyard reserved a small path, and flowers and grass had been planted along both sides of the walls, creating quite an appealing sight.

However, the maid clearly had no intention of taking Beichuan Si to enjoy the flowers and greenery. She walked with hurried, short steps, respectfully keeping her head bowed, heading straight inside.

After leading Beichuan Si into an elegant room, she presented him with hot tea, then knelt down gracefully, closed the door, and withdrew.

Beichuan Si didn’t mind her demeanor, simply narrowing his eyes and scanning his surroundings.

The room was styled in traditional Japanese fashion.

Hanging beside him was a scroll, inscribed with a type of ancient pictographic script.

"This is..." Beichuan Si looked over.

Was it the pictographic script passed down from Ancient Ryukyu?

Beichuan Si’s gaze flickered.

He couldn’t understand the meaning of the pictographic characters on the scroll, knowing it to be associated with the Ancient Ryukyu language only because a friend from his past life who studied ancient scripts had shown it to him, of course enabling him to distinguish the linguistic differences.

Speaking of which, Ihui Island was located near the Okinawa Coast, which could very well have been part of the ancient Liuqiu Kingdom.

Even if not directly affiliated... considering the script, there should be a significant connection.

"Path of twilight, blessings of Yu Mu You, realm of the Bird House, a revelation of heaven—these are the waist, the eyes, the skull, the feet, the hands."

A flat voice came from behind him.

Unbeknownst to him, Nailuo of Ihui had already taken her position behind Beichuan Si.

Looking at the line of characters, a trace of reminiscence flickered in her eyes, "The meaning of this sentence is that the villagers of Ihui must follow the path laid before them. Should they do good, the Divine Tree shall protect them. Within the Shrine’s Bird House lies the realm of the gods, the dwelling place of the heavenly beings. To reach that place, one must endure the agony of disembowelment, eye gouging, decapitation, amputation, and dismemberment."

The bloodthirstiness and brutality seeping from her words were enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

Yet Nailuo of Ihui spoke them calmly, her voice devoid of any fluctuation as though it was nothing remarkable.

"An ancient exorcism?" Beichuan Si asked back.

In Japan, during certain rituals at shrines, the shrine maidens would often sing in low, murmuring tones.

And those archaic, profound sentences were the ancient exorcisms used at the shrines.

Exorcisms are the words through which shrine maidens communicate with the deities, conveying their wishes.

In other words...

Disembowelment, eye gouging, decapitation, amputation, dismemberment...

These rituals had all been experienced by predecessors.

Beichuan Si’s fingers lightly fluttered.

The bloodthirsty and brutal customs of Ihui Island were now beginning to reveal themselves before Beichuan Si.

"Indeed, this is the ancient exorcism passed down through the generations at Izumi Shrine."

Nailuo of Ihui answered Beichuan Si’s question while sitting down, with a faint golden flow of energy seemingly circulating around her.

"The reason I’ve kept you here is simple, ominous omen bearer, Beichuan Mage."

At the sound of this title, Beichuan Si’s eyes immediately raised.

His sharp gaze swept over Nailuo of Ihui.

As if sensing Beichuan Si’s hostility, Nailuo of Ihui maintained her calm and shifted back several meters without a change in expression, "Refrain from any rash actions. My approach is with good intentions."

"Who knows?" scoffed Beichuan Si at her statement.

He was stronger than Nailuo of Ihui, so she hadn’t forced him to do anything—that was the only reason.

Both Beichuan Si and Nailuo of Ihui understood this, yet she still feigned ignorance.

Seeing Beichuan Si’s reaction, Nailuo of Ihui felt somewhat stifled.

But she quickly regained composure, resuming a state of meditative detachment, "I would like to request the help of Beichuan Mage."

Help?

Beichuan Si’s thoughts raced.

She had something that required his assistance...?

The entirety of Ihui Island seemed to be under Nailuo of Ihui’s command; if she required his help under these circumstances...then it must be regarding something with Mikami Forest.

That was the one place Nailuo of Ihui couldn’t control.

And if she was asking for his help...

With this in mind, Beichuan Si looked up, "What kind of help?"

Nailuo of Ihui narrowed her eyes, "We need Beichuan Mage to help us resurrect Izumi Shrine and awaken the Divine Tree."

Her voice was soft, but in the confined space, it created an eerie echoing effect.

Resurrect Izumi Shrine?!