Ogura Pond is located south of Heian-kyo, much further south than Inari Mountain. This massive lake spans dozens of miles in length and width, is very vast and rich in aquatic products. There are many small fishing villages along its shores, and after fishing in the lake, they deliver their catch to nearby Heian-kyo.
In the center of Ogura Pond lies a sizable island. Dense forests cover the island, with the only bare spot being a hillock in the island's center.
In fact, rather than calling it a hillock, it's more like a massive rock rising from the ground. Not a speck of soil covers the colossal stone; only rock and sand are present.
In the sky, a sturdy Two-Headed Docile Ox, treading on flames, pulled an ox-cart, speeding towards them and steadily stopping on a flat platform at the stone mountain's waist.
Miketsu followed the others off the ox-cart and began to survey her surroundings. Yura did the same.
"This is the entrance to the Vermilion Bird Seal? Why isn't there a single guard?" Yura asked curiously, looking at the desolate stone mountain and the dense forest below.
"Due to the influence of the Four Symbols Corresponding Grand Array, the spiritual energy fluctuations around the Four Symbols Seals are highly abnormal, sometimes calm, sometimes violent, making it unsuitable for long-term stays. For the Four Symbols Seals, each family responsible for guarding them sends someone every seven days for a detailed inspection. The most recent one was the day before yesterday." Fujiwara no Kanehira, who had just alighted, turned around and began to explain Yura's question.
"Guarding families? Besides the Fujiwara guarding the Vermilion Bird Seal, what about the other seals?" Yura continued to ask curiously.
"The Vermilion Bird Seal is guarded by the Fujiwara. The other seals are naturally guarded by other Onmyoji families. Among them, the Kamo guard the Azure Dragon Seal in the east, the Minamoto guard the White Tiger Seal in the west, and the Black Tortoise Seal in the north is guarded by the monks of the Tendai school."
As Fujiwara no Kanehira spoke, he turned and walked towards another flat rock wall.
"I will unlock the restriction and open the path."
Upon reaching the rock wall, Fujiwara no Kanehira began to form hand seals, muttering incantations. After a moment, the flat rock wall began to rumble loudly. The wall itself opened into a cave entrance, revealing a stone staircase leading directly down into the dark depths.
"Alright, Totosai, bring the item."
"Coming, coming~"
Totosai's voice came from behind them. Miketsu looked back and realized that the withered old yokai had, at some point, carried a massive tusk covered in incantations from another ox-cart. From the demonic energy emanating from it, Miketsu could tell it belonged to Toga.
So you've already prepared the tusk? I wonder how such a large one was pulled out; it must have been quite painful.
Looking at the broken tusk, Miketsu couldn't help but think that just imagining a tooth extraction was painful.
Thus, led by Fujiwara no Kanehira, everyone entered the newly opened cave. In the dark environment, Fujiwara no Kanehira produced several self-floating lamps for illumination.
Descending the stone steps, Miketsu could clearly feel the surroundings becoming increasingly damp. Occasionally, a few drops of water seeped down from the cave ceiling. Miketsu guessed that they might have reached below the lake, and the rock cave above them was likely the bottom of Ogura Pond.
After traveling for a long time within the gloomy cave, Miketsu began to feel that the surrounding caverns were growing larger and larger. From small passages that could initially only fit two or three people abreast, they gradually expanded to a size that could accommodate several trucks side-by-side. Finally, at a certain point, the entire space opened up dramatically. The rock walls, which had barely been visible before, were now completely out of sight. She could only sense that the surroundings were incredibly vast, though she couldn't ascertain the exact extent of its breadth.
"Light..." Fujiwara no Kanehira took two steps forward and placed his hand on the ground. After a single word, a series of characters appeared on the ground, radiating from his hand. Then, clusters of bright, floating flames lit up one after another in the dark space, revealing the entire massive underground area before everyone's eyes.
This was an astonishingly large natural cavern. The ceiling, from which countless stalactites hung, was dozens of meters high from the floor, supported by several stone pillars that several people could embrace. Although the cave floor had many puddles, it was relatively flat. Many stalagmites that originally stood on the ground had been artificially cut away. The entire space stretched over several hundred meters in length and width, roughly the size of more than two football fields.
In the center of the underground space was a square, layered altar, over ten meters high and dozens of meters in length and width. The altar was relatively simple, with only a few carvings, and a staircase connected its base to its top.
"We've arrived. This is the southern array eye of the Four Symbols Corresponding Grand Array, the Vermilion Bird Seal..."
Looking up at the towering altar, Fujiwara no Kanehira couldn't help but exclaim.
"The Four Symbols Corresponding Grand Array of Heian-kyo draws spiritual energy from the earth's ley lines and operates naturally, requiring no dedicated maintenance. Therefore, no one has visited here for over a hundred years. Now, this old man will draw the spiritual energy from the Four Symbols Array out from the altar. The Vermilion Bird belongs to fire, so this spiritual energy will appear in the form of spiritual flames, for us to forge these two blades."
"Two blades? Wait, weren't you forging just one?" Hearing Fujiwara no Kanehira's words, Yura immediately reacted.
"From the very beginning, we intended to forge two. Considering the immense power these blades might possess if successfully forged, the human realm and the demon realm should each hold one to maintain balance. Should one side ever lose control, the other can act as a check."
Totosai, standing nearby, also began to elaborate on their plan.
"These two blades will be forged using the same process and will possess identical properties. If they can indeed be forged, then one of these swords will be given to the General, and the other will belong to the Fujiwara."
"I see... but from your tone, it sounds like you're not certain if you can forge the blades," Yura nodded, then continued to ask questions. Neither Fujiwara no Kanehira nor Totosai expressed certainty about whether they could successfully forge the blades.
"Indeed, as things stand, our chances of successfully forging the blades are only about fifty percent," Totosai said frankly upon hearing Yura's words, which clearly surprised both Yura and Miketsu.
"Fifty percent? That low? Didn't you say you had the optimal plan once you had the tusk? Is the success rate for the optimal plan really that low?" Yura continued to ask, her mind full of questions.
"What we spoke of was merely the best possible plan achievable within the currently feasible scope. The requirements for the truly optimal plan are theoretically impossible to meet, which is why we settled for the current alternative."
Fujiwara no Kanehira continued to explain, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
Their words piqued Miketsu's curiosity. She wondered what Fujiwara no Kanehira and Totosai's true optimal plan was, and what its requirements were that they deemed it impossible and abandoned it outright.
"Alright, we are about to begin officially. But before that, this old man believes you should arrange your defenses."
...
Under a star-studded sky, the calm Ogura Pond reflected the stars and moon. Suddenly, a chill, uncharacteristic of the season, swept across the lake. Within mere seconds, a thick layer of ice formed on the surface.
Torin walked across the frozen lake. With each step, more and more lake water froze into ice. Behind him followed countless leopard cat yokai.
leopard cat yokai of all kinds covered the icy surface behind Torin. They carried various weapons, following their general. Among them, several tall and burly leopard cat yokai pulled several wide trailers. The goods on the trailers were covered with black cloth, and whimpering sounds emanated from within.
"Oh wow~ I didn't expect you to be so bold, playing like this so close to Heian-kyo. Do you really think this is Harima?" Kaen said with a smile, glancing at the scene behind Torin.
"This is thorough preparation. I don't want to fail this time," Torin said slowly, looking at his companion.
"Besides, after tonight, we'll return to Harima. We'll be gone before the Onmyoryo even reacts. If they want to subjugate us, they can come to Harima."
"Ha, you've thought this through quite thoroughly, I like it."
On the ice, the leopard cat yokai continued their advance, while in the sky, a crow soared, silently observing everything below.
...
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