【Good Leaf】Eclipse of the Crimson Moon

【Growing up 2】

The crimson moon's luster is still so bright that it captures people's hearts and souls, and at this time when the main festival is approaching, it even illuminates the world of Evernight like a blood-colored dusk.

The ominousness in the moonlight became more and more clear. When the blood-like color condensed into the deepest and purest, everything will be revealed.I was defeated by that person, he took away this body, and then destroyed Yuejian and even the whole world; or he was completely wiped out by me, and his soul was scattered... I will know soon.

And before that, I had to crack that last piece of the puzzle.After discovering the "initial knot" of Yuejian Lingdao, there must be a corresponding "solution" method to get rid of the curse.It has been a long time since the few fragments of pages taken out of the interlayer of the folding fan have been placed on the table in the bedroom. I spend hours looking at them every day, eager to find more clues, but there has been no progress in the past few weeks.

This last step was so difficult that I had tried several methods of breaking the spell without success.That person obviously hid the most crucial secrets and sealed them with pride.All the clues obtained before were interrupted here, and it must have made him extremely happy to let the seeker suffer a greater blow. Yes, with a character as bad as his, he would definitely set up such a puzzle to make people feel very troubled.

Unwilling to bury everything about himself, he longs to be understood and accepted by others, but on the other hand, he isolates himself from the world and looks down on everyone arrogantly.King Ma Cang Ye was looking up at this cursed place from the depths of the underworld, and issued a silent provocation: Come on, if you want to know the answer, just unravel the mystery and have a look!

Think about it, okay.You should be able to understand, because you and him should be the same person!You can definitely think of the method he thought of!

The huge space was dark and silent, but I felt the suffocating atmosphere constantly pressing on me.Nerves were so tense that there were bursts of tingling pain.In the dead silence, I still tightly covered my ears, as if I was afraid that any slight noise would interrupt my sudden inspiration.But no matter how long I maintain this state, until the scalp is almost bleeding from fingertips, my mind is still dark.

Why can't I find the exit of the maze?

I... Sure enough, I'm still different from him.Although I said those things to Quanzong, at this time, I really hope that I can understand the whole heart of that person, and I hope that I can be that person.

So……

"What... am I missing?"

I subconsciously looked up into the darkness, but the void in front of me would not answer me.The cat spirit who used to give me some reminders in the past is not in this bedroom at the moment. It went to the dark abyss where Ye was, replacing me who couldn't stay by Ye's side.

It has been more than half a month since Ye was imprisoned in the prison close to the underworld as a sinner who failed the last sacrifice, and I only visited once during this period.No, that's not a "visit" at all, it's just to make him realize his situation and announce his verdict.

His body was already very weak after sleeping in suspended animation for four years, and even without applying various spells, his ability to move was no longer what it used to be. The burden of "moving the soul" on the body is unimaginable to others.In this case, subjecting him to that kind of death sentence... What would happen, I know very well, I just refuse to imagine... For the first time in my life, taking an evasive mentality to face something makes me not like myself .During those days, I often found that there were large gaps in my memory. Sometimes when I thought of Ye, I would enter a trance and my thinking would stagnate.

As twins, we have been aware of each other's physical abnormalities since we were young; and the pain that Ye is suffering at this moment reaches the depths of my soul from time to time, turning into palpitations.But no matter how much I worry about his physical condition, I can't get close to him anymore, because I don't have the confidence to keep hiding everything to deceive him, and I can't face Ye.Compared with his scarred appearance, what breaks my heart more is the voice in his heart, which is like a cry from the depths of the soul, hoarse——

"No... I will definitely not do anything to make the ceremony fail, I will definitely not lie to me..."

"Please, tell me the truth!"

"If I have done all this, please tell me the reason?"

"Don't take on everything alone...please!"

I can't answer...a question that I can't ask Ye Na.He has also noticed that the technique of spying has been applied to the Abyss of Darkness, which is reasonable for the prison where felons are imprisoned, and I cannot interfere.If he said it, it would be tantamount to dragging me into the vortex of guilt.So after I answered him "The sentence I said when I first met Masumi Nishikujo was just a misunderstanding", he didn't ask any more questions.

Even if he was treated like this, even if I trampled him under my feet and accused him of being a sinner who betrayed Yuejian, Ye's heart never wavered.His silence was just to protect me. He firmly believed that I must have difficulties that I could not speak out, and he firmly believed that I would not do anything that would bring disaster to Tsukimi and the family, but he was wrong.

All of this was done by me, and it was all the result of my arbitrariness.And in order to practice what I think is the right path, I forcibly erased the life that belonged to Ye... and excluded Ye as an obstacle to the plan. I dare not count how cruel everything I did to him.

Ye, even if he lost the memory of performing the puppet technique, it is impossible to lose his way of thinking.Although you did not admit the "crime" identified by the great priests, you did not refute it. That is because you have already had another view of the truth, but you have erased it in your heart!Just because you don't want to doubt me.That makes you rather accept the falsehood and question yourself, even though you can't find any logic in the conclusion at all.

I am the unforgivable one, I am the betrayer!You can hate me!

No, you must hate me!

Please, Ye...don't expect anything from me, even the slightest...I don't deserve your trust at all...Please realize this quickly!

Cut off all the fetters that used to exist between you and me, and let everyone see clearly the current situation of Ma Canghao, who is the chief priest, and Ma Cangye, who has become a sinner.This is my hope, a necessary step in my revised "Sealing Plan".

There are already too many sacrifices, too many to bear.But also because of this, I will never stop.Even knowing what pain and despair it will lead you into, it cannot stop.

However, the irony is that after I have repeatedly made various determinations, I still cannot face Ye, his sad face, and his endless questioning...

Before, the moment I saw him, my disguise was almost broken. Fortunately, Quanzong appeared in front of me in time, cooling down my almost out-of-control mood.And now, it also offered to go to the Abyss of Darkness to guard Ye for me.

Maoyouquanzong is very special.It is the royal spirit belonging to Ye Wang, and was sealed by Ye Wang.Except for me, no one else can perceive its existence, and the various barriers set up by the five priests are also ineffective against it. .After various changes happened in the Ma Cang family, the number of monitors stationed around me by the other four families also continued to increase.Although it can't protect Ye from further harm, at least it allows me to understand his situation at any time, which is enough for me who is not very free.

Right now, all I should think about is finding out the method of sealing and completing the final sacrifice. I don't have the time and energy to take care of other things.

"Our duty is to complete the ceremony and re-seal the gate of the underworld. If we don't do it, who else can?"

Ye's words echoed in his mind repeatedly, and every time he thought about it, his heart that was mired in the quagmire trembled.

Can't give up.

If it is Ye's duty as a priest to preside over the gods, then my duty is to end this long nightmare.

Dust to dust, dust to dust.

It is Ma Canghao's destiny to end Ma Cang Ye Wang's obsession that has lingered in the underworld until now, and to bring the lonely soul who has been wandering for thousands of years and has no one to rely on to return to eternal sleep.

★★★

Since the last main festival, Anna has taken over many jobs of the Asakang family in Yuejian.Although there are other branch priests, everyone in the clan knows that I trust her the most, but many of them miscalculated the reason.

There are very few people who know about my relationship with Ye. Except for the servants who serve at the Tsukiyomi Shrine, there are only the elders of the four families who can directly know my actions.Although we were once chosen as the twin princes, the relationship between me and him is still a taboo that cannot be seen in the world.Allowing such unethical feelings to exist is only based on the tolerance of the elders to the sacrificer.

The absolute freedom of action and the highest status of the officiant priest are based on observing the rules of the ceremony. In order to ensure this rule, the other four have the right to supervise the officiant family, which has always been the commandment of Yuejian.But now, even though Ye has been found guilty, and I have made it clear that what happened that day has been fully heard by the elders, all kinds of doubts have still not been resolved. feel.

Under such circumstances, Anna, who was reused as an outsider, naturally could not avoid being brought into messages and suspicions and suffered various resistances.But I'm relieved that she's handled it very well so far.Whether it is courage or skill, he is not inferior to many senior priests, and he is worthy of being trained by his mother-in-law.More importantly, she is keen and cautious, and she will never do anything against Ma Cang.

I know that she often visits Ye in the Abyss of Darkness, just to help him clear his name.Those questions she asked were really the crux, but Yeh's answers weren't very helpful.She should have also felt that Ye was unwilling to talk to her more in that place because of the peeping technique.

Anna has detected that I have a deep relationship with this matter.She noticed the details about the Xikutiao family earlier than the elders of the four families. If I hadn't dealt with the relevant personnel well, maybe she would have found the clue.She also noticed my spiritual vision ability, although that was also because I didn't deliberately hide that ability from her.Later, she also found the aura of the whole sect in the abyss of darkness. She had to admit that it was really remarkable.

But that's all for now anyway.I will not present conclusive evidence to anyone, nor will I let anyone interfere with my plans.This is a battle that belongs only to me.

When I looked at the situation again and determined the way forward, there seemed to be a sinister chuckle in the darkness.A certain voice sounded in my mind:

Yes, of course you do, because you are good as a Makura.

★★★

As a result, another end of the year in Yuejian passed away in the short-lived peace gained in the turmoil, and people ushered in the new year with their own anxieties.

The New Year, in the eyes of most people, is a beautiful time full of hope.In Tsukimi, a festival is also held on this day (Note).About a week before the ceremony, most of the priests were busy preparing for the Omoyo Festival, and the Tsukiyomi Shrine was extremely quiet, and even the representatives of the five priests who came for the regular meeting came and went in a hurry.

I put down the scroll in my hand, intending to get up and exercise my already numb muscles.Days of meditation did not give me much inspiration, and it was quite frustrating to be stuck one step away from the answer.

And whenever I stop thinking, Ye will suddenly emerge from my thoughts.

What is he doing now?

There's nothing he can do about it, I answered the question myself.

What is he thinking?

This is obviously a question that does not need to be considered.

He is still clinging to those naive and stubborn thoughts, ignoring them will only hurt him more deeply.Obviously I like a leisurely and uncontested life, why do I choose a path that makes me so hard?

Every time I think of this, my heart is tangled and painful, but today, an even more ominous strange feeling suddenly came to my heart.

The sixth sense of a magician often points to something, and I have a lot of experience with this kind of thing, which means: something bad will happen.

At midnight that day, Quanzong who suddenly appeared brought news: Kurosawa Shinichi led his men into the Abyss of Darkness, and brutally interrogated Ye about the closed "Nishikujo Masumi".

I couldn't help but be surprised.

At this time, he suddenly brought up that matter again. Could it be that he found some new clues?It shouldn't be possible... Someone re-investigated the information of Nishi Kujo's house before. At that time, I checked the people involved in the incident again to ensure that the hints to them were effective and would not be discovered.No matter how much you pursue now, there will be no more clues... Then why this time...

——Probably, there is no very definite evidence.The head priest of the Kurosawa family rushed back from the New Year Festival venue, so maybe something happened there.

I immediately ordered someone to go to the Kokubun Shrine Festival to prepare for an on-site investigation, and the result was as expected by Quanzong.Not long after, Yuxu, the maiden who was in charge of serving Ye Qiju in Abyss of Darkness, also rushed to report the atrocities she could not stop.

The fact that Ye was imprisoned as a sinner would not be known to the ordinary people in Yuejian, and he has always been admired and respected by many townspeople. He went aggressively to the Abyss of Darkness, and vented the resentment accumulated for many days on Ye.

The Kurosawa family has always strictly followed the Shinto dogma and the "rules" of Tsukimi, and has no mercy for those who violate taboos; in order to maintain the traditions and teachings of the Gogo family, he will do whatever it takes, even to the point of implicating innocent people.It was said that this was the case decades ago, after Kurosawa Shinichi became the head of the family.His family has been chosen the most times as priests in the past 100 years, so it occupies a pivotal position among the five families.

His closest relatives participated in the official sacrifices and became the son of gods or died of illness, leaving him, a rare old man, alone.I may understand such a pathological extreme mentality about the success or failure of the ceremony, but I can't agree with its approach.You know, the Kurosawa family is not the only one with painful pasts.For thousands of years, countless priests have sacrificed in the main sacrifice held every ten years. As the people of Yuejian, who has not carried a heavy cross?

As the head of the family, but doing something unsuitable for my status, such as venting my anger on others, I must immediately... wait...

Oh... is that so, is there such a consideration in it?

Seeing that I withdrew the order I was about to announce and screened out the person, the whole sect was a little puzzled:

—My lord?Aren't you going right away...?If you don't stop...

I sat back at the desk again, slowly spread out the pages of the book I had been thinking about, and answered it firmly in my heart:

"No. He is waiting for me to go. How can I let him do what he wants."

——However, Master Ye may be seriously injured...

"Of course I understand, but Ye will not die."

The cat showed a surprised expression again, with topaz-like eyes staring at me in disbelief.

I lowered my head and didn't look at it anymore. The little beasts all had similar expressions when they were frightened, which would always make me more uneasy and anxious.

"Since I was born as a priest of Yuejian, I was naturally ready to devote myself to it. We are all chosen as the officiant priests of the "Imperial Son of the Moon", so what is such a little trauma? Quanzong, don't forget, he It's my brother."

I stopped and glanced at it again, and it was still staring straight at me.I sighed and went on:

"Even if I don't deal with it, someone will. Tamao will tell Anna about it, so she will definitely rush there right away..."

——She does not have the authority to interfere with the actions of the great priest.

"But she will make sure that Ye's life is not threatened."

——Is that all right?

"What?..." I asked anxiously.This guy started babbling with me again, without the slightest bit of etiquette as a Yuling.

——Is it really okay for you to force yourself like this?Whether it's you or Mr. Ye, what you have suffered is definitely not just physical trauma.

"Of course I didn't force it...!" I stopped before I finished speaking, following the gaze of the cat spirit, I couldn't help but look down.

The fingers holding the pages of the book are almost unconscious, and the extremely cold bluish-white light shrouds the pages faintly, floating slightly along the fingers.

Although he immediately put down the broken pages and chanted the spell to remove the enchantment, the part of the skin where the palm touched the pages had already turned blue-black. After a long while, the dull pain was transmitted to the nerve center indistinctly.

When I picked up these pages protected by the sealing technique, I forgot to undo the curse... If I stay a little longer, I'm afraid all my fingers will be abolished.

The cat spirit sighed, stretched out his bowed body, and murmured faintly:

——At this time, you and that adult are really very similar...

"I'm definitely not him! I won't be him either!"

There was a roar in my heart, which was to be conveyed to the whole sect, but it had dissipated in the dark void.

It should have returned to the Abyss of Darkness, and Anna will rush there soon, so that's fine...

I tried my best to put aside the words of Maoyou that lingered in my mind, and focused my thoughts on the matter in front of me.

Kurosawa Shinichi does not believe that I am not involved in the "puppet event", he will be the most difficult obstacle in my future plans.It is very difficult for him to admit that I have completely distanced myself from the rebellious sinner Asakura leaf, and what I have done before is not enough.Now he has gathered four elders to challenge me... Waiting to see if I will appear there, Ye is the bargaining chip he used to coerce me.

--hiss…

The extremely clear and brief voice broke through the silent air in the dormitory. Almost at the same moment, the three surrounding curtains merged into the sudden red light, and then turned into fine ashes, floating in the dark space.

Kurosawa, is that all your means are?

You underestimate me, Ma Cang!

Just let you see clearly, my consciousness as the chief priest.

Note: The important festivals of Shintoism are (1) New Year Festival (2) Shentao Festival (3) Shintao Festival (4) Monthly Festival.Therefore, the New Year Festival of Tsukimi is also an important festival for ordinary people.