To the west of Heian-kyo, beneath a pitch-black forest, lay a dark and cavernous underground void. The Divine Messenger and Minamoto no Yorimasa walked through its depths, with Yorimasa's vengeful spirit shikigami floating nearby, serving as spirit fires to illuminate the space. Yet, the flickering ghostly flames seemed insignificant against the vast, oppressive darkness that filled the entire chamber.
"So this is where the White Tiger Altar is located. What a massive cavern... even larger than my clan's dungeon," Yorimasa remarked with a hint of awe, surveying his surroundings.
"Of course it is massive. The creature that carved this place out was of considerable size," the Divine Messenger replied calmly, walking ahead without looking back. Yorimasa couldn't help but feel a jolt of surprise at her words.
"Carved...?"
Filled with doubt, Yorimasa directed the ghostly spirit fires toward the distance until they reached the edge of the cavern. As the light struck the rocky walls, he saw jagged, broken stone with numerous cracks and fractures—marks that no natural cave would possess. Furthermore, thick white silk threads were scattered across the rubble on the walls, still faintly radiating demonic energy.
"This cavern was... dug out by some kind of yokai? But this is the site of the White Tiger Altar..." Yorimasa’s expression was one of profound disbelief.
"Hmph... the altars for the Four Symbols Seal were originally nodes for the ley lines. Such places are naturally prone to becoming yokai nests. When the Yamato Court first moved the capital here, the Onmyo Clans joined forces to purge the various monsters occupying the Land of the Four Gods. Among them, there was one so powerful they couldn't fully eliminate it. Instead, they used the power of the White Tiger Seal to imprison it directly within its own lair."
As if reminiscing, the Divine Messenger spoke while coming to a halt at the edge of a precipice. Beyond her lay a pitch-black abyss where one could not see their own hand.
"You mean the White Tiger Altar is also a sealing ground? That a great yokai which once lived in the Land of the Four Gods was sealed in here by the Onmyo Clans..." Yorimasa's mouth hung slightly agape, his face filled with shock.
The Divine Messenger did not respond. She drew the Demonic Sword from its sheath and pointed it into the void. A sudden surge of violet-red light erupted from the blade, illuminating the surrounding darkness. As the general layout of the cavern was revealed, Yorimasa's eyes widened in horror.
The precipice before them was actually the edge of a colossal pit. Within the pit stood a square structure built from stacked megaliths, wider at the top than the bottom. In the center of the structure's top platform lay a circular bronze disc, faintly visible with abstract carvings. It was easily recognizable as the White Tiger Altar.
However, in the scene before them, the White Tiger Altar was not the most eye-catching thing. Behind the altar, a colossal silhouette lay quietly. Looking closer, it was the staggering form of a gargantuan spider.
Chelicerae and fangs, seven to eight meters long, grew from a terrifying triangular head. A thick, armored carapace covered its body in layers, and appendages dozens of meters long extended from both sides, resting on the ground. The entire spider appeared as a dull, stony gray, remaining motionless like a massive, horrific stone sculpture.
Only the head and the small front portion of this giant spider were exposed; the rest was buried under massive piles of rock. The cavern ceiling had collapsed at some point, and the fallen stones had entombed most of the spider's rear. Even so, the visible portion was already far larger than the Demon-Faced Centipede. It was the largest yokai Yorimasa had ever seen in his life.
"T-this is..."
"This is the great yokai that once ruled this land, one of the most powerful monsters sealed by humans—the Tsuchigumo."
...
In Heian-kyo, within the assembly hall of the Onmyoryo, Miketsu, clad in black, faced the three Senior Secretaries—the three leaders of the Onmyo Clans—in her guise as Owl.
Confronted with their request to protect Heian-kyo, Miketsu finally responded.
"Protect the human realm of Heian-kyo? Is that not the responsibility of your Onmyo Clans? Is it not ironic that you would hand this duty to me, a yokai?"
Miketsu's voice was low and heavy. Hearing her words, the expressions of the three Senior Secretaries darkened.
"Due to various reasons, the Onmyo Clans are no longer what they once were. Therefore, we require other sources of strength. Furthermore, if that villain succeeds in using the White Tiger Seal to achieve his ends, I believe the yokai of Heian-kyo will not be spared from the ensuing disaster," Kamo no Tadayuki replied in a solemn tone.
"Heh, you make a fair point. To be honest, I am not opposed to lending you a hand again, but you must agree to certain conditions. This shall be my payment for entering the capital to purge the rampaging monsters and deal with the threat to the White Tiger Seal."
"Payment? What is it you want?" Kamo no Tadayuki asked, his brow furrowing slightly at Owl's words.
"I want you to release the yokai in the Minamoto dungeon who have not yet been tainted by the sinister power. Naturally, those vicious monsters who enjoy hunting and eating humans can be excluded from this," Miketsu said unhurriedly. Upon hearing her, Minamoto no Mitsunaka immediately grew agitated.
"That is impossible! The yokai in my clan's dungeon are a vital source of materials for crafting talismans and tools, as well as for contracted shikigami!"
Mitsunaka was about to say more when Miketsu cut him off.
"Senior Secretary of the Minamoto, do you really think that after what happened tonight, you can continue to maintain that Demon-Binding Dungeon?"
Miketsu's words left Mitsunaka stunned. The three Senior Secretaries fell silent. Her meaning was clear: so many monsters had escaped from their jail tonight, killing so many people and causing such immense destruction; it was impossible to keep it running.
"Owl has a point. Tonight's events have exposed many flaws in the Demon-Binding Jail. Lord Mitsunaka, I believe the jail has indeed become far too dangerous and unstable," Kamo no Tadayuki remarked thoughtfully. Beside him, Fujiwara no Saneyori nodded in agreement.
"Indeed... perhaps it is time we seriously reconsider our methods for acquiring materials and shikigami, Lord Mitsunaka."
Seeing Kamo no Tadayuki and Fujiwara no Saneyori speak this way, Mitsunaka's face flushed. He wanted to argue but found himself speechless. Watching this, a faint smile played on Miketsu’s lips behind her bandages. She knew she had succeeded in her goal of extracting a heavy price from the Onmyoryo. She wasn't about to clean up the Onmyo Clans' mess for free; chivalry wasn't without its costs.
Just as Miketsu was about to continue, a massive surge of demonic energy, laced with sinister power, suddenly erupted from the western horizon. A piercing, earth-shaking shriek echoed through the night sky, striking terror into the hearts of all living beings in Heian-kyo. Feeling this energy, Kamo no Tadayuki slammed his hand onto the low table before him, his eyes wide with a look of pure horror.
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