A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu did not approach the Tsuchimikado Onmyoji rashly. This place was far too strange, and the Onmyoji himself exuded an unnatural aura. Who could tell if this sole “survivor” wasn’t actually a trap?

“Little Yin, is this Onmyoji human or ghost?” Qi Xuansu asked.

Little Yin glanced at him and replied, “He’s human.”

Though their strength was roughly on par, each of them had their own strengths. Little Yin’s perceptive abilities far exceeded Qi Xuansu’s, especially in sensing yin energy. In this regard, she was rarely ever wrong.

Only then did Qi Xuansu step forward and ask in a calm voice, “Who are you?”

The Onmyoji, who had been pacing, stopped abruptly, turned his head stiffly, and stared at Qi Xuansu. “I am Tsuchimikado Tadataka.”

His voice held no trace of emotion. It was not cold or indifferent but mechanical, devoid of any inflection.

Qi Xuansu asked again, “What are you doing here?”

Tsuchimikado Tadataka continued to reply stiffly, “We followed the orders of the Chancellor’s Office and came to Mount Suzuka to meet with Suzuka Gozen.”

“You saw Suzuka Gozen?” Qi Xuansu pressed on.

According to the Tsuchimikado Onmyoji, who had escaped and returned to the field camp, the group had reached Mount Suzuka but never met Suzuka Gozen. They were ambushed by the Jingu’s forces on their return, suffering heavy casualties. But now, it seemed their account was full of omissions. They hadn’t mentioned a fellow Onmyoji being left behind here, nor the eerie state of Mount Suzuka.

Why had they hidden the strangeness of Mount Suzuka? Was the current condition of the mountain connected to the Tsuchimikado Onmyoji themselves? If so, it would make sense. They were deliberately covering up their involvement to hide their guilt.

Tsuchimikado Tadataka looked up toward the pinnacle of Mount Suzuka. His tone lost its mechanical quality and now carried a hint of confusion. “We never saw Suzuka Gozen. We have failed the Chancellor’s Office.”

“We? Who else is included in this ‘we’ that you speak of?” Qi Xuansu looked around again, hoping to spot another living person.

Tsuchimikado Tadataka remained silent.

Qi Xuansu pressed further, “Where are your comrades? Did they die somewhere, or did they leave and abandon you here?”

Suddenly, Tsuchimikado Tadataka clutched his head with both hands and bent over, his face contorting in pain. “We...they...we encountered...encountered...”

Qi Xuansu bent down with him and continued asking, “What did you encounter?”

In the next instant, Tsuchimikado Tadataka suddenly lifted his head. His eyes turned blood-red, and saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth. His fingernails rapidly elongated, becoming pitch-black.

Little Yin’s voice came at just the right time. “He’s turning from human to ghost now!”

“Damn it!” Qi Xuansu grumbled.

This land was truly cursed. It turned people into ghosts at the drop of a hat. It was practically a forsaken land, a kingdom of ghosts.

Little Yin’s mouth stretched open again, all the way to the base of her ears, revealing a mouthful of gleaming fangs. She was about to bite off Tsuchimikado Tadataka’s head in one go.

Qi Xuansu immediately stopped her. “Don’t just eat strange ghosts. You don’t know where they came from. If it upsets your stomach, I won’t be able to save you!”

Only then did Little Yin reluctantly shut her mouth.

At that moment, Tsuchimikado Tadataka had completely lost his mind and lunged toward Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu did not hesitate, cleaving the ghostly man in two with his sword.

Two halves of the Onmyoji’s body fell on opposite sides, with sticky strands of fluid still connecting the two, much like the sugary threads of candied sweet potatoes being pulled apart.

Little Yin probably thought of that snack too, seeing as she smacked her lips. But she did not look too pleased.

Qi Xuansu glanced around the area for the third time and suddenly found it all familiar. “Little Yin, don’t you think this place looks a lot like the ruins outside?”

Hearing Qi Xuansu’s words, Little Yin mimicked his action and looked around as well. She then nodded. “Now that you mention it, it really is exactly the same. The only difference is that the village outside is destroyed, and this one is still intact.”

Qi Xuansu frowned. “Is it a mirror image? Or an illusion?”

Little Yin shook her head. “I can’t tell.”

Qi Xuansu looked at Tsuchimikado Tadataka’s corpse. “Where did all the villagers go? Why was this guy left behind here alone? I have a feeling that the strange events here are connected to the Tsuchimikado Onmyoji.”

Little Yin said nothing.

She was well-read thanks to Master Yin’s excellent teachings, having read many books. But she had rarely left home, so her experience was limited. She did not understand Fenglin well, at least not more than Qi Xuansu did.

Qi Xuansu looked up at the sky and suggested, “Shall we fly up and take a look?”

“Alright.” Little Yin, who could be reborn from the Emperor Willow, was never afraid of taking risks.

The two of them soared into the air, flying toward the direction Tsuchimikado Tadataka had been gazing at earlier.

At the same time, multicolored lights began to ripple across the sky. They did not look like clouds or mist but more like a Western oil painting with a greasy, oily texture.

A strong sense of unease welled up in Qi Xuansu’s heart. He immediately activated his Spiritual Body. Only under the protection of divine power did he feel slightly more at ease.

Little Yin’s expression turned serious as well. Clearly, she also sensed that something was amiss.

The higher they flew, the smaller the village below became, shrinking into a tiny dot. Yet the summit of Mount Suzuka remained as distant as ever. Based on their flight speed, the mountain’s height was almost comparable to Kunlun Mountain’s Yuxu Peak.

How was that possible?

At such heights, there should have been intense astral winds, yet they did not feel even the slightest breeze.

This could mean only one thing—although they had been flying for a long time, they had not gained true altitude. Either this space had been stretched by some kind of formation or spell, creating the illusion of a never-ending climb, or they were trapped in a labyrinth formation, circling in place.

This was far worse than encountering the ghostly maze earlier.

Just then, a pale moon peeked out from behind the oddly colored dark clouds.

Under the moonlight, both Qi Xuansu and Little Yin froze momentarily.

The moonlight grew brighter and brighter, eventually illuminating the entire world and drowning everything in its glow.

Qi Xuansu was hit by a sudden daze. When he came to his senses, he found himself once again facing a shrine covered in all kinds of talismans.

Little Yin suggested, “Wanna go take a look inside?”

Qi Xuansu instinctively asked, “Do you know what’s inside?”

“Nope.” Little Yin shook her head. “Last time, I could only tell it was a head because that seal was really old and loose, so its aura was constantly leaking out. But this seal is relatively new, probably just recently placed. Since it’s tightly shut, I can’t sense what’s inside at all. But if you really want to know, it’s simple. Just rip off all these talismans and open the door to see.”

Qi Xuansu frowned. Somehow, her words sounded oddly familiar. “This place is already strange enough. If we recklessly break the seal—”

Little Yin interrupted him. “This is Mount Suzuka. Maybe the Suzuka Gozen you’re looking for is sealed in there! If you don’t check, wouldn’t that be a missed chance? How are you going to explain yourself when you return?”

Qi Xuansu pondered for a moment longer and felt that Little Yin had a point, so he stepped forward.

He reached out and pulled the shrine’s door. To his surprise, there was barely any resistance. It opened effortlessly, as if the seals were completely useless.

Behind the door was a cave. Qi Xuansu put away his compass and switched to the Nine Yang Fiery Dome Replica before cautiously stepping into the cave.

It was extremely quiet, with only the drip of water echoing in the cave that sounded like a ticking Western clock.

That steady dripping was hypnotizing.

After passing through the pitch-black cave, the path suddenly opened wide before them.

Qi Xuansu couldn’t help but ask, “Little Yin, have you ever read The Peach Blossom Spring?”

Little Yin replied, “Of course I have! Are you thinking about this part?‘At first, the path was narrow, just wide enough for one person to pass through. After several dozen steps, it suddenly opened up. The land was flat and vast, houses neatly arranged, with fertile fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry trees, and bamboo groves.’”

Qi Xuansu couldn’t shake the feeling that the village ahead looked familiar. When the two entered and saw it completely deserted, he did not even feel surprised. Rather, it felt exactly as it should be.

Following his instinct, Qi Xuansu headed deep into the village and discovered a Tsuchimikado Onmyoji wandering back and forth.

The Onmyoji’s expression was blank, like a mechanical doll or a sleepwalker.

A name surfaced in Qi Xuansu’s mind, and he blurted out, “You are Tsuchimikado Tadataka.”

The wandering Onmyoji suddenly halted and slowly turned his head toward Qi Xuansu. His blank gaze shifted slightly as he asked, “Who are you? How do you know me?”

Qi Xuansu did not know why he recognized this Onmyoji whom he had never met before. Strangely, he was not at all surprised to see this man here, just as he had not been surprised that this hidden village had no inhabitants.

Instead, it felt like he had once visited this place in a dream, and when he finally came here in reality, it evoked a hazy sense of déjà vu.

Everything felt familiar, yet the more he tried to recall his memories, the less he could remember.

It was all far too strange.

Qi Xuansu introduced himself anyway. “I’m Qi Xuansu of the Daoist Order. I met you once at the field camp.”

“Daoist...field camp...” Tsuchimikado Tadataka muttered. “Are you...my comrade?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “You could say that.”

“Comrades...comrades...” Tsuchimikado Tadataka suddenly clutched his head. “You abandoned me. You left me here all alone. You...you all...”

Tsuchimikado Tadataka snapped his head up. His eyes turned blood-red, saliva dripped from his mouth, and his fingernails grew long and jet-black.

Qi Xuansu and Little Yin spoke, almost in unison, “He’s turning from a man into a ghost now!”

Little Yin gave Qi Xuansu a slightly surprised glance, seemingly taken aback by how quick his reaction was.

Tsuchimikado Tadataka let out a loud roar. His Onmyoji robe tore apart, and his body swelled to over 3 meters tall. His muscles bulged like rocks, and veins surged violently under his skin.

Since Little Yin had glanced at Qi Xuansu, she did not open her mouth to attack right away.

Qi Xuansu also did not draw his sword immediately, allowing Tsuchimikado Tadataka to charge at them.

Qi Xuansu said, “Don’t kill him, but try to restrain him.”

Little Yin obliged, raised her hand, and pointed at the Onmyoji. A black thread shot out and pierced Tsuchimikado Tadataka’s forehead.

Unlike the miko who was controlled by Little Yin earlier, Tsuchimikado Tadataka collapsed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a ring of dust.

Qi Xuansu and Little Yin approached his side and carefully examined him, only to find that all signs of life had vanished from him.

They could not help but exchange a glance.

Since Tsuchimikado Tadataka had never looked toward the mountain peak, Qi Xuansu did not attempt to fly up but chose instead to search the village for clues.

Time passed little by little.

At some point, the sky began to shimmer with multicolored light, and a bright moon quietly peeked through the oddly colored clouds.