Chapter 180 Land of Divine Clouds

The pure Yang energy instantly collapsed. The Golden Striking Pestle landed a fatal blow, and the opponent, shrouded in pure Yang True Qi, coughed blood as they retreated. In that instant, dozens of talismans flew from Ji Xiang's sleeve, golden light, Evil Slaying, Thunder Law... various incantations flew into the pure Yang energy and exploded!

“I don't have many talismans left. As Kshitigarbha said, I've been fighting in Korea, and I have to consume a lot of mana and talismans every day. My reserves aren't enough. This Shinto shrine should have enough yellow talismans in reserve, right?”

Ji Xiang muttered to himself, intending to borrow some talismans on the spot.

“What a powerful figure, instantly slaughtering hundreds of gods, repelling me with a single blow, but the incense energy of my Heian Shrine is not so easily taken!”

A voice came from within the pure Yang True Qi, and a scarlet tomoe began to spin. This was a Shintoist magic symbol.

The pure Yang energy gradually dissipated, revealing the true form of the expert wounded by the Golden Striking Pestle.

Purple robe and white skirt, looking like a miko (shrine maiden).

“The Grand Priest of Heian Shrine, that’s not a miko,”

The old abbot hid appropriately far behind Ji Xiang, explaining loudly. However, Ji Xiang waved his hand, indicating that who it was didn't matter.

Miko or priest, in any case, they were all about to die.

The Golden Striking Pestle had already returned and was held in Ji Xiang's hand, its golden light flowing, causing the purple-robed miko's expression to become tense.

“A national treasure, although not as good as immortal weapons, it won't feel good to be hit by it, right?”

Ji Xiang taunted, "If you don't want to die, get out of the way. This is the last warning. I'll only take the incense and not harm your life."

The purple-robed miko did not retreat, nor did she show fear, although she was drumming in her heart at this moment.

“Your Excellency's words are absurd. I have never met you before, yet you brought the Abbot of Honnoji into the shrine, killed more than a hundred of my shrine's gods, and stole incense. Who is the real robber, and who should step down?”

But Ji Xiang laughed upon hearing these words:

“What kind of relationship do you think I have with you? Am I a robber who came to steal incense and attack the shrine for no reason? And are you a hero protecting the shrine and guarding the territory?”

“I am your enemy, the kind of enemy who must fight to the death on the battlefield! I’m already sparing your life by not killing you and only taking your incense, don't take my mercy for granted!”

“Logically speaking, I should kill you all, leaving no one alive!”

“The people enshrined in your shrine are the ancient emperors, right? Then who do you swear allegiance to now?”

Ji Xiang suddenly asked this question, and the purple-robed miko realized that Ji Xiang's identity was not simple. She also asked, "Then, are you... are you really the demonic energy from Oda Nobunaga, here to take revenge on Toyotomi Hideyoshi?"

“Whether I am or not is not important. Whether I am a demon transformed from Oda Nobunaga depends on your reply.”

Ji Xiang said this, and then added: "Don't you, perhaps, swear allegiance to Emperor Jimmu?"

Purple-robed miko: “The Gods...! That is only natural. Which shrine in the entire country does not swear allegiance to him?”

Ji Xiang: "Very well, if Emperor Jimmu asked you to go to the battlefield, could you swing the weapon in your hand without fear or pressure?"

The purple-robed miko frowned, and quickly gave an answer:

"That is only natural."

"The people Emperor Jimmu wants to conquer must be those who are dangerous to the country, or the target of this conquest is beneficial to the country, so they should be conquered, there is no reason not to obey..."

She paused abruptly at this point, and then her expression darkened as she understood the meaning of Ji Xiang's questions.

She couldn't help but say:

"Does a robber need to find a suitable reason? Are you saying that there is no difference between you and me? Very well, then who do you swear allegiance to, and who do you fight for? Whose orders do you obey? You fiend!"

Ji Xiang stared at her with an extremely indifferent gaze, and after a brief silence around them, he spoke:

“I am a fiend, and you are all pigs and dogs.”

“Who gave you the right to conquer others? Was it Emperor Jimmu? Then you are his lackey, there is no doubt about it.”

"Since you can do this kind of thing with a clear conscience, then why should others be bound by rotten rules? The only remaining morality is 'reciprocity'!"

"In that case, if I want to kill Emperor Jimmu, then I must also kill you, so what's wrong with that?"

The purple-robed miko was stunned, and Ji Xiang pressed closer:

"Don't try to escape at the last moment, after all, Emperor Jimmu should have ordered you to capture me, right!"

As soon as these words came out.

The purple-robed miko suddenly remembered that order from not long ago.

She hadn't even fully digested the order when she received it.

And this person had already struck at the shrine in such a strong posture...

"High Priest! He, he is the Demonic Celestial from the Great Ming!"

Finally, someone spoke, a voice came from the side, it was the old cultivator who had almost died from being grazed by many swords, he shouted at the purple-robed miko with a terrified expression, and the latter's heart was filled with alarm!

The Demonic Celestial who crossed the sea from the Great Ming!

No wonder... no wonder!

The other party was not a robber, but an "enemy of the state"!

A great enemy in the midst of war, one who had fought with Emperor Jimmu, and the other party's words just now made her shudder for a moment.

It was impossible to betray Emperor Jimmu, and even more impossible to disobey, so this battle was unavoidable, not a matter of morality, but an invasion in which the invaders' aggression had temporarily failed, thus inviting the merciless revenge of the invaded!

And if the other party was really the Demonic Celestial who crossed the sea from the Great Ming, then it would mean...

The other party had already stepped into the realm of Immortals!

The purple-robed miko was dripping with cold sweat, and her expression became a little pale. In that instant, she saw Ji Xiang turning that golden hammer in his hand.

Then, suddenly, it was thrown towards her!

In an instant, thousands of thoughts rushed through her mind!

The person in front of her... no, the Demonic Celestial, was relying on devouring incense to grow stronger, or rather, to restore mana. This had been seen through by her, so as long as the other party was not allowed to obtain any incense, the other party's mana would be quickly exhausted.

The paleness on the purple-robed miko's face gradually faded, her expression became serious, and after careful analysis, her heart gradually became firm, and she made a judgment.

She could win!

Her own strength was also among the best in the world, and with the blessing of the incense within the shrine, as well as the assistance of national treasures and divine weapons, there was hope of winning!

The other party was in a weakened state! Lord Kampaku's notice had explained the other party's situation. Although he was a powerful Demonic Celestial who could contend with Emperor Jimmu, both sides had suffered huge losses!

Yes, that was why he had to kill gods and devour incense to replenish and restore himself!

Moreover, the place where this shrine was located was special. Relying on the geomancy of this place, two kinds of "Heaven and Earth Immortal Arts" could be performed! Those were ultimate techniques that used all the energy of the mountains, rivers, trees, and grasses in this world to briefly step into the realm of Immortals!

"National treasure... I have one here too, nothing strange about that!"

The purple-robed miko dealt with it with all her strength. She reached out to the palace deep in the shrine that had not yet been destroyed, and as a burst of light flashed, a huge and gorgeous scarlet palanquin appeared out of thin air.

A divine palanquin, a Mikoshi!

The so-called national treasure was a magical artifact related to the country, possessing powerful abilities, mostly used by monarchs or obtained by the voluntary blessing of the people. During the Nara period, Shintoism and Buddhism were briefly merged into one religion. It was during that period that Shintoism and Buddhism merged and learned from each other's development. At that time, Buddhism was the state religion, and its momentum was unparalleled in the world.

At that time, Buddhism claimed to protect the country and was blessed by the wishes of the world. Therefore, many instruments left over from that era, after nearly a thousand years, had also become national treasures.

When Shintoism and Buddhism separated, many national treasures were naturally distinguished.

The purple-robed miko's attack method was very simple and unadorned!

It was to make the divine palanquin move and crash into Ji Xiang!

Trying to kill someone by ramming?

“What a plain attack. My national treasure can kill you, but your national treasure may not be able to kill me.”

“If you want to use a palanquin to ram people, save it. Show off your divine weapon sooner, and you'll still have a chance to fight.”

Although Ji Xiang only had 30% of his mana left, since he had already entered the stage of Solar Refinement, he had already stepped halfway into the gate of Immortality, and the quality of his mana was vastly different from that of ordinary cultivators!

Seeing that Ji Xiang didn't move, the corners of the purple-robed miko's mouth curled up, revealing a sneer.

“You will see the divine weapon... but it may be after you, the great demon, are subdued!”

“This divine palanquin is not empty!”

God!

The shrine enshrined ancient emperors, but there were also gods guarding it.

"Kunitokotachi!"

The divine palanquin moved, transforming into a vast sea of clouds. At the same time, those clouds rolled and surged. At this moment, everything in the world seemed to have weight!

An extremely great sense of pressure and oppression, as if mountains and seas were being lifted. This palanquin contained the power of a god, and this power was enough to transform all the vitality of the surrounding world into magical power!

Seeing the sea of clouds forming on the ground, dragging Ji Xiang into another world, the purple-robed miko revealed a hearty and unbridled smile!

"You're done for. Entering Kunitokotachi's Land of Divine Clouds, your vitality and mana will become its food. It is immortal and indestructible until you are sucked dry and die, then it will disappear."

"Don't underestimate the national treasure left over from thousands of years ago. Although it is not a divine weapon, it has also been sacrificed and blessed by the people, and the power of the former gods is enshrined within it. Not much has been lost in thousands of years. In your current state, I'm afraid your mana hasn't recovered much, right?"

At this time, the purple-robed miko felt that victory was in her grasp. Her forehead was also covered in cold sweat, but she had finally put down the worry in her heart at this moment.

"But, I didn't expect to subdue you so easily... This is really... the last fate of the arrogant is like this."

Did you look down on me?

The purple-robed miko thought to herself, arrogant people will always stumble on small things, famous generals will suffer in small matters, and even immortals will be plotted against by mortals. Since you have no mana, how dare you be so arrogant? In that case, you will pay a heavy price for your arrogance!

Killing the Demonic Celestial, this was her great achievement! So easily within her grasp!

However, she didn't dare to be too negligent. After all, the other party was a figure in the realm of Immortality. To erase the other party, she had to be thorough. So, after speaking a few more words after gaining the upper hand, she stopped talking, knowing that the other party didn't seem to be able to hear her, and immediately placed her hands on the ground, beginning another layer of spellcasting.

From the four directions of Heian Shrine, the phantoms of four divine beasts appeared. They were actually the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.

"Mountain and River Four Symbols Art!"

The layout of Heian-kyo was determined by Emperor Kanmu, using the pattern of the Tang Dynasty, mobilizing the energy of the mountains, rivers, trees, and grasses in the four directions of the world, and appearing in the world in the form of divine beasts. This was a powerful spell imported from the Tang Dynasty, and the energy of the mountains, rivers, trees, and grasses in the world was the lowest of the five types of Celestial Essence, but in the Tang Dynasty, the energy of the mountains, rivers, trees, and grasses was not regarded as Celestial Essence, but was used as a powerful "spiritual energy"!

"This was originally used to seal that great demon, but it's just right to use it on another Demonic Celestial..."

"The key to triggering the Four Symbols Art lies in this!"

Buddhist light actually began to condense in his hand, and a vajra-like Buddhist instrument appeared!

"Five Peaks Radiance!"

This was a treasure brought back from the Tang Dynasty Tiantai Sect by the founder of the Hokke Sect in the Tang Dynasty, given to Emperor Kanmu, and later kept in Heian Shrine. Every shrine had a divine weapon to suppress it.

The purple-robed miko thought to herself that Emperor Jimmu's sealing of the country for thousands of years was not without its benefits.

Although there had never been a true expert in the realm of Immortality, there were not a few divine weapons at the level of Immortality, and a large number of divine weapons had been passed down to this day, allowing them to be used at this time!

The purple-robed miko sensed that this world had been sealed by the Four Symbols. If Ji Xiang really had powerful abilities and could escape from the Land of Divine Clouds, the Four Symbols Dharma could instantly suppress him and refine all the power on his body into this world.

Formations could be broken, but the world could not be destroyed. The Four Symbols were eternally present because the four directions of east, west, south, and north would exist no matter where you went. There was no world without top and bottom and the four directions.

"Divine Formation, Divine Weapon, Divine Spirit! Even if His Majesty Emperor Jimmu were here, he would have to retreat three points, let alone a weakened Demonic Celestial like you!"

"Perish into nothingness in the world of Heian-kyo."

The purple-robed miko's laughter gradually became unbridled. In front of her, the sea of clouds in another world was floating in strands.

The old abbot in the distance, watching Ji Xiang being pulled into Kunitokotachi's Shinto world, turned pale, but he knew Ji Xiang's certain strength better than the purple-robed miko.

"The Demonic Celestial also has Buddhist artifacts, the Hand of Avici Hell, and profound Buddhist Dharma. When his mana had not yet recovered, he was able to injure my diamond body with one blow and sweep away the Sixth Heaven Devil's穢qi. Now that he has 30% of his mana, the celestial demons in the sky are probably very different from us ordinary cultivators..."

"Just by borrowing the power of the gods and urging them with national treasures, can he really be destroyed? Emperor Jimmu could not accomplish the task, can the Heian Shrine do it?"

The old abbot deeply doubted it in his heart.

The purple-robed miko was about to settle the matter with him. Her expression became sinister, and with man-eating eyes, she was about to make her next move.

"So that's how it is."

Ji Xiang's sudden voice shocked the purple-robed miko, and a chill rose from all over her body, rushing straight to the top of her head!