The Mask

Inside the Onmyoryo, within the Grand Hall, the ongoing meeting was abruptly interrupted by a sudden discomfort among the attendees. As the Minamoto Clan's patriarch and elders began to experience difficulty breathing and coughing, all eyes turned to the tea and snacks before them.

“This... this tea is tainted!”

“Cough, cough... It's poisoned! Abe, you brat, what are you trying to do?!”

An elder of the Minamoto Clan coughed twice, then slammed his hand on the table and rose in anger, pointing at Seimei, who sat in the main seat. All eyes in the room then fixed on the young, handsome Onmyoji.

Facing the clamor below, Seimei remained completely unfazed. He gently fanned himself with his small fan, an unchanging smile on his face, as if the accusations from the Minamoto Clan members below simply didn't exist.

Not far from Seimei, Minamoto no Yorimitsu's face was also exceptionally pale. He clutched his chest, looking at Seimei with unusual calm, and slowly spoke.

“Could you explain the current situation, Lord Seimei...?”

Hearing Minamoto no Yorimitsu's words, Seimei turned his head towards him, maintaining his smile as he spoke.

“There's nothing much to explain, Lord Yorimitsu. It's merely that some other substances were added to your tea and snacks beforehand. I advise you all to remain seated where you are; whatever you do, do not...”

As Seimei spoke, another Onmyoji from the Minamoto Clan angrily rose. He glared at Seimei and directly pulled several white paper figures from his sleeve, interrupting Seimei's words with a shout.

“You audacious brat! Don't think we won't act against you just because you're an Onmyo Taiyu! Come out— Urgh!” Just as the Minamoto Clan Onmyoji was about to throw the paper figures to summon a Shikigami, a mouthful of fresh blood suddenly gushed from his mouth. He then swayed and collapsed onto the floor, his fate unknown. Looking at the fallen Minamoto Clan Onmyoji, Seimei's expression remained unchanged as he continued from where he left off.

“Whatever you do, do not use your spiritual network structure to exert spiritual power, or I cannot guarantee what will happen to you...”

After Seimei finished speaking, silence fell below. All the Minamoto Clan members who had taken out talismans and paper figures, ready to confront Seimei, froze in place, not daring to continue their actions.

“Hahaha... That's better. I don't like to see you make futile resistance, especially since what's to come requires all of you to be alive and well.” Seimei said, snapping his fan shut. The Grand Hall's doors then automatically closed, and a faint light barrier appeared over them.

Minamoto no Yorimitsu observed the surroundings, a faint smile curving on his pale face. He looked at Seimei and spoke calmly.

“Lord Seimei, you are truly well-prepared. It seems our fate today is more ill than good. However, I must ask, Lord Seimei, why are you so recklessly trampling upon the order of the Onmyoryo and the court to target us?”

“Why? Heh heh... For something, of course...” Seimei said, rising and walking to the center of the Grand Hall. His gaze, emitting an unusual purplish-red glow, fixed directly on Minamoto no Yorimitsu as he spoke in a chilling tone...

“I want the White Tiger Divine General Seal, which has been passed down among the Minamoto Clan's patriarch and elders. I know that after the White Tiger Altar was restored, the White Tiger Seal returned to the Minamoto Clan. Now, I ask you all to hand it over, or don't blame me for taking forceful measures.”

...

Outside Heian-kyo, within a sealed cave in a certain mountain.

The cave floor was covered with a complex Magical Array filled with various symbols. The faint glow emanating from the array illuminated the dark space. Yura and the Onmyoji behind her were currently half-crouching on the ground, panting heavily as they stared at Seimei, who stood gracefully before them.

“H-huff... huff... W-what's going on, Seimei?!” Resisting the pervasive weakness throughout her body, Yura shouted at Seimei with confusion and bewilderment.

“Nothing much, Lady Doman. It's merely a Spirit-Suppressing Array. Inside here, no one but me can use even a shred of spiritual power. I went to considerable trouble to set up this array, capable of suppressing both you and Lady Hao.” Standing before the weakened group, Seimei continued with a sinister smile.

“When spiritual power is suppressed, the spiritual network structure is obstructed. For cultivators who rely on spiritual power, it also comes with a debilitating effect on the body. Even as an Onmyo Taiyu, you can't do anything now, can you, Lady Doman...?”

“Damn you... Why are you doing this, Seimei! Weren't we supposed to be capturing that monster together?!”

“Monster? Didn't I tell you? It's not here at all. This place was a trap I set for you from the very beginning. Only by confining the two of you here will no one interfere with my plans in the Onmyoryo...”

“What...?” Hearing Seimei's words, Yura was stunned. She stared blankly for a long moment, her mind replaying all the information she had encountered these past few days. Finally, as if understanding something, she gritted her teeth and spoke.

“The Minamoto Clan... Is the Minamoto Clan your true target?! If all of this is your plan, and that monster is under your control, then your goal was to frame the Minamoto Clan, make Lady Hao and me believe they were responsible, agree to sign a joint letter summoning them, and then use false divination information to send us away, thereby seizing the opportunity to act against the Minamoto Clan!”

“You finally understand, my dear Lady Doman... Yes, the Minamoto Clan has always been one of the Three Great Clans. It's difficult to act against their patriarch and elders if they remain in their residence. Unless it's a reason as significant as a joint invitation from the three Onmyo Taiyu, they wouldn't all come out... Similarly, if the two of you remained in the Onmyoryo, I couldn't act against them. And conveniently, using false divination information allows me to send you away and lead you into a trap. What's not to like?” Fanning himself, Seimei spoke with self-satisfaction, his words thoroughly enraging his attendants.

“Seimei, why are you—”

“You damned traitor! Die!”

Before Yura could say anything more, several samurai in the group, less affected by the Spirit-Suppressing Array, drew their swords and stepped forward, slashing at Seimei. Seimei, however, made no attempt to dodge, remaining in his fanning posture as he was cut into several pieces by the samurai, then vanished into the air as a burst of blue flames.

“This is... a Clone? Is his true body in the Onmyoryo?” Seeing this, Yura said in surprise. In the darkness, a voice answered her question.

“Correct. However, there's more than just one Clone.”

Everyone turned their heads to look, seeing Seimei's figure slowly emerge from the darkness. Just as the samurai were about to make another move, Seimei formed a hand seal, and then countless illusory chains bound the samurai, rendering them immobile.

“Seimei, what else do you intend to do?!” Seeing another Clone appear, an ominous premonition arose in Yura's heart.

“What do I intend? I was thinking, although you aren't my primary targets... it would be a great pity not to deal with the two Onmyo Taiyu of the Onmyoryo now that I've managed to lure you into this trap.”

Seimei, with his sinister smile, spoke while gently fanning himself with his small fan. As the fan swayed, rough snorting sounds echoed in the darkness.

Lines of purplish-red eyes lit up in the gloom. Accompanied by gradually approaching footsteps, fierce demonic beasts, oozing sinister intelligence, emerged from the shadows. The moment she saw these demonic beasts, Yura's thoughts abruptly flashed back to the Heian-kyo Yokai calamity over a decade ago.

“This power... it's from that time...” Looking at these demonic beasts tainted by sinister power, Yura suddenly realized why Seimei had drastically changed his nature.

“Then... die here in regret and remorse, you humble great Onmyoji...” Seimei waved a hand, and the surrounding demonic beasts howled impatiently, lunging directly at Yura and her companions. Watching this scene, Yura, whose spiritual power was suppressed, gritted her teeth, while the other Onmyoji and samurai were filled with despair.

Just then, a white blur shot out from among them, flashing before the lunging yokai. With a continuous cold gleam, the leading demonic beast was split into several pieces and fell to the ground.

This sudden development startled the other demonic beasts, making them halt. All eyes present focused on the white blur that had now stopped.

There, a girl dressed in a white Kariginu stood silently, holding a naginata forged purely from demonic power. She coldly stared at the yokai horde and Seimei ahead.

“Hao, Lady Hao!”

“That blade is... a Demonic Energy Blade? You're not Asakura Hao! Who are you?!” Seimei's brows furrowed as he sternly questioned the girl before him.

The indifferent girl silently raised a hand and gently placed it on her face. As if grasping something ethereal on her face, she then pulled it off. Subsequently, her appearance and form changed.

Asakura Hao's image vanished, replaced by a more petite and youthful girl with pink eyes and long hair. She stared expressionlessly ahead, speaking in an unemotional tone.

“Shikigami, Qin Xin, reporting... I am, that lord's mask...”