A Pawn's Passage

According to Princess Himiya Akiko, Izanagi’s head and torso were not sealed within Yomi. After all, Yomi possessed the power of resurrection, so sealing his head and torso there would only aid his rebirth.

Mount Fuyo was an active volcano. If its crater were seen as an abyss leading straight to the netherworld, then Yomi lay at the very bottom, at the yin-yang rift, plugging the surging yin energy. Izanagi’s remains rested above Yomi, and above them was the seal set by Vairocana.

Whether one sought to enter Izanagi’s divine kingdom or Yomi itself, one had to first fish out Izanagi’s remains.

Sage Qingwei’s concern was how much consciousness Izanagi still retained. If Izanagi was asleep or half-asleep, moving only by instinct, then it would not be so troublesome. But if he were fully awake, that would be disastrous. After all, Izanagi was an ancient god, ranked far above the Three Great Kami. Who knew what power he might wield?

Princess Himiya Akiko’s reply gave Sage Qingwei some reassurance. Vairocana had not only shattered Izanagi’s body but also scattered his soul, leaving each fragment with its own shard of awareness, rather than concentrating all of it in the torso and head. Even the demon tribes born of his shattered golden body carried fragments of his consciousness. However, they were so fragmented and dispersed that they were barely perceptible.

So, they could conclude that Izanagi certainly still had consciousness, but not a complete one. This led to drastic changes in temperament or missing memories, making him wholly unpredictable. When Vairocana shattered him, it was never with the intent to restore him, so there had been no mercy. Even if Vairocana returned to the world today, it would be difficult for him to reassemble Izanagi as before. Shattering a vase was easy, but piecing the shards back into its original shape was hard. Even if the vase were patched back, it would never be the vase that it once was.

However, just as Ghostly Immortals could split their thoughts into countless fragments and Banished Immortals could sever their Three Corpses, the remnants of Izanagi’s consciousness was not to be underestimated. Lin Lingsu’s Three Corpses could take form as Lin Yuanmiao, acting no different from an ordinary man, so Izanagi’s stray soul could be treated as independent entities derived from his true self.

That was why Izanagi’s left arm had been able to scheme against Little Yin and Qi Xuansu, seeking to use them to break free.

In the end, Princess Himiya Akiko still warned Sage Qingwei that once Izanagi was made whole again, his scattered consciousness would likewise merge. Though the fragments diffused among the demon clans could not be recovered, and his power would never reach its full peak, it was still possible for him to regain more than half his consciousness.

Sage Qingwei resolved to gather Izanagi’s five parts and open the gate to the latter’s divine kingdom. After all, Izanagi had lost his golden body and half his divine kingdom. His consciousness was incomplete, and he had been sealed for countless years, leaving his strength greatly diminished and at most equivalent to a Longevity-stage Immortal. With Sage Qingwei, Great Sage Zhang Qihan, Tamamo-no-Mae, three first-rank Spirit Guards, and several Pseudo-Immortals joining the mission, they could somewhat control the situation. If not, the Immortals of Jade Capital could be summoned down through emergency measures. Even Princess Himiya Akiko and the Great Tengu could be compelled to act.

The Daoist Order had assessed that the Great Tengu and Princess Himiya Akiko were to be used under control. They certainly had the possibility of defecting at a critical moment, but since the Daoist Order’s forces in Fenglin were not its main strength, defeating Sage Qingwei would not topple the Order overnight. They had to consider the consequences of betrayal. It would very likely spark the Daoist Order’s fury, and no matter what the other two sects thought, they would at least publicly support retaliation. Even if they had the strength of a Longevity-stage Immortal, they would not be able to escape and might even face death because they were not Godly Immortals who were impossible to kill outright.

Most Longevity-stage Immortals were cautious about their life. Ordinary men lived to about 100 years at best, often less. But Immortals lived far beyond 100 years, so there was no need to risk their lives for a moment’s pride or gain. Thus, they often did things with measure and were more willing to compromise.

Against such an overwhelming advantage, a crippled Izanagi that had already been shattered by the Vairocana could not possibly stir up a great commotion.

Sage Qingwei made his decision, and the entire encampment moved at once. The first step was to break the seals in Ise, Izumo, Satsuma, and Heian Capital. Princess Himiya Akiko would handle the left arm in Ise; Tamamo-no-Mae the left leg at Izumo; and the Great Tengu the right arm in Heian Capital.

Great Sage Zhang Qihan happened to be in Satsuma, so he personally took charge of the right leg at Sakurajima. He made it clear to the Shimazu clan of Satsuma that this was not a negotiation but an order. Any obstruction would be treated as defiance against the Daoist Order. Not only would their newly gained title of Duke be forfeited, but they would also face the risk of annihilation.

Once the four seals were undone, Izanagi’s limbs would first be transported to the coast of Mutsu Province. After placing them securely, they would undo the seals on Izanagi’s head and torso, fish them out, temporarily reseal Mount Fuyo, and likewise bring the head and torso to Mutsu Province. Once the five parts were brought together, they would merge on their own, at which moment his divine kingdom would open.

Sage Qingwei did not intend to resurrect Izanagi at Mount Fuyo due to Yomi’s mystical powers, which might create unforeseen changes.

After much research, Sage Qingwei chose Mutsu Province as the temporary transfer site, while the final resurrection would be carried out over Donghai. That way, even if a great battle broke out, the damage would not spread widely.

There was another reason for choosing Donghai. Qizhou lay close to Donghai, and the Taiping Sect’s main bases—Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou Islands—were also there. If matters spiraled out of control, the Imperial Preceptor stationed on Penglai Island could swiftly intervene. In the meantime, the Taiping Sect could prevent the Quanzhen Sect and the Zhengyi Sect from playing any tricks.

To ensure absolute security, Sage Qingwei had his people set up formations in advance. He had also dispatched the Yinglong Warships along with the Donghai Navy to stand ready.

With such a massive mobilization, it was impossible to keep everyone in the dark. Yao Pei soon received word of this, and she passed it on to Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu.

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu, having been the first in the Daoist Order to encounter Izanagi’s seal, immediately guessed what Sage Qingwei intended to do. However, in terms of strength and position, they had no grounds to oppose the Sage Commander’s decision. They could only watch the events unfold.

Soon, it was late March. All preliminary preparations were complete.

Izanagi’s seals, which were already loosened, were not difficult to break. Though the Heavenly Preceptor’s seal was firm, it had only been a temporary measure, so Princess Himiya Akiko broke it apart with ease. In Satsuma, the Shimazu clan dared not object and even actively aided Zhang Qihan in breaking the seal, retrieving Izanagi’s right leg from the depths of the volcano in Sakurajima.

The Shimazu clan had long grown weary of their role as gravekeepers, far more intent on being local magnates. Since the Daoist Order now sought to lift that burden from them, they naturally welcomed it gladly.

Thus, Izanagi’s four parts were secretly transported into Mutsu Province. There, five temporary sealing grounds were constructed and reinforced with formations to store Izanagi’s remains. Outside each seal, the four Longevity-stage Immortals who had transported the parts stood guard, ensuring absolute security for the time being.

Sage Qingwei personally went to Mount Fuyo, broke open its seal, and fished out Izanagi’s head and torso within.

Before the retrieval began, the Daoist Order had sealed off the entire mountain and evacuated all inhabitants within several hundred kilometers.

After all, outsiders were not permitted to know what the Daoist Order did in detail. However, Mount Fuyo, which had lain dormant for over a century, erupted once again, spewing for days on end.

The mountaintop burned endlessly. By day, smoke darkened the sky; by night, fire lit the heavens. Its roar thundered, ash fell like rain, and the rivers below turned red. The blaze spread to 100 kilometers, and the flames rose over 60 meters. For days, the fire would not die. Scorched cliffs collapsed, stones fell like rain, and smoke smothered the air so none could approach. Lava flowed to the sea, spanning 200 kilometers wide and 100 meters thick. Hills crumbled, forests charred, and the waters boiled like soup, killing all aquatic life within the vicinity. Thunder roared, storms raged, and the heavy fog clouded everything, making it hard to distinguish between wilderness and villages.

Afterward, volcanic ash drifted far and wide, blanketing Heian Capital and its countryside in a thin layer of white, as if there was a heavy snowfall.

This threw Fenglin’s people into great panic. However, the Daoist Order had already given orders to the Chancellor’s Office, the Fenglin royal family, the Tenmon Sect, and the local daimyos to soothe the masses and explain that the Daoist Order was purging the evil god beneath the sacred mountain. After this, Mount Fuyo would bring no further calamity.

Sage Qingwei first triggered Mount Fuyo’s eruption to drain the magma. Vairocana’s Buddha-palm seal had been hidden within it. Normally, it was invisible, but once the lava emptied, a dark-red handprint appeared, flickering like embers. Many of its lines were stained with black qi, like countless tangled threads, which was clearly the result of the yin energy’s corrosion.

After breaking the Buddha-palm seal, a limbless torso slowly rose, bearing a head with long, loose hair and shut eyes. Its visage was of a typical Wa man.

This was Izanagi, sealed beneath Mount Fuyo and soaked in magma as though it were a hot spring. His hair was not even burned away.

To ensure absolute safety, Sage Qingwei did not send the head and torso using the Yinglong Warship. Instead, Li Tiangang activated one half of the Moon Mirror—Flower in Mirror—in Mutsu Province, while Sage Qingwei employed the other half—Moon in Water—at Mount Fuyo. Through this immortal object, Izanagi’s torso and head were transported directly to Mutsu’s temporary sealing site.