There are still several manuscripts of Toshiya Sakai newly found by Onitsuka Kiriho.
After Mr. Sakai entered Tsuchimikado Village, he probably recorded what he saw and heard with a research mentality, and also added some of his own essays.
From this perspective, channeling a serious and diligent folklorist would be of great help to Onizuka in understanding the situation in Tsuchimikado Village.
[Today I met with Mr. Yasifuku Tsuchimikado, the head of the Tsuchimikado family. This energetic and friendly old man is very supportive of my research activities in the village, but only reminded me not to interfere with the normal life of the villagers.
]
[The Tsuchimikado family suggested that I change my place of residence and let me live temporarily with the Kawai family.]
[In addition to the Tsuchimikado family, Tachibana, Kawai, and Takehara are also the major families in this village, and they are all branches of Tsuchimikado. The Tsuchimikado family is in charge of the village's sacrificial activities, and the other three families also have their duties. The Kawai family
, is responsible for keeping the ancient books and materials in the village.]
[I made a request to the head of the Kawai family to borrow materials, and he agreed without objection at all. Although it is a bit strange, it is a good thing for me to be able to check the ancient books and materials here with my own eyes.]
[I heard that this village also has the secret method of Onmyodo inherited from the great Onmyoji Abe Seimei. However, such things are only kept in the Tsuchimikado family. What the Kawai family keeps is only materials that record the history of the village. Some of them are
It's a pity. If possible, I would also like to see what the secret techniques left by the Great Onmyoji during the Heian period are like.]
Wow.
The paper was turned over and Onizuka continued to read the contents of the manuscript.
"It seems that Sakai Etoshi also stayed at Kawai's house for many days. He looked through the documents here and made very careful summaries and records. The few scraps of manuscripts I obtained before should be part of the subsequent research records."
There are so many books in the Kawai family. It would take an unknown amount of time for the little miko to investigate them carefully.
Maybe a few days are not enough.
But fortunately, predecessors have already done this work. During the time that Sakai Etoshi was staying at the Kawai family, he made a summary of a large amount of literature here.
By reading his manuscript notes, you can extract important information "quickly".
What else can I say?
Thanks to this folklorist.
[Amado Bronze Mirror]
[According to legend, the precious mirror held by Amaterasu's sister, the goddess Amaterasu, was later given to the goddess Amaterasu. In the past, when the goddess Amaterasu was performing a shamanic dance at Amado Rock, she would hang this mirror on her chest to reflect the goddess of the sun.
The light guides Amaterasu to appear in Amado Rock.]
[The Tianhu Bronze Mirror is now used to stabilize the stone gate.]
[According to book records, in the Tsuchimikado Village, in addition to the Amado Bronze Mirror, there is another treasure originating from the goddess of childhood, which has been kept by a family in the village for generations.]
[Amado Rock]
[...The Tiantian girl who lost everything returned to the former Amado Rock, and the god committed suicide. His body was broken into pieces, and the god's blood flowed to the earth like a tide. This cut off...]
[However, the resentment of the two gods has persisted in Amado Rock for a long time, forming a miasma that cannot be eliminated.]
[The gap leading to Amado Rock is located behind the stone gate guarded by the Tsuchimikado family in the era, and is stabilized and sealed by the Amado Bronze Mirror. The pain and resentment from the gods have washed away the seal for many years, and there is always the possibility of breaking through the shackles.
risk.]
[The Tsuchimikado clan calls the danger hidden deep in Tendo Rock the "Yeke". If the Nightshake comes, Tsuchimikado Village, even Kyoto, and even the entire Kansai region will be implicated and become barren.
land.]
[Amado Shaman Festival]
[...The selected shrine maiden will undergo a "body-cutting ceremony". Her hands and feet will be tied up with red ropes, and her flesh and blood will be slowly cut off during the sacrifice, reflecting the fate of Tenden Girl at Amado Rock. In conjunction with the sacrifice,
This method can alleviate the resentment and pain of the gods and ensure that the night seal is stable...]
[Tsuchimikado]
[After the Heian period, the world of ghosts and ghosts was separated from the human world, and the spiritual power of the world withered. By the fifth generation of Abe Seimei, the onmyoji in the family could no longer consolidate the Amado stone gate with onmyoji. This is when the bloody Amado Shaman Festival was born.]
[The head of the Abe family who developed this method hopes that future generations with mediocre qualifications can also use this method to seal the space gap leading to Amado Rock.]
[Moreover, the shamanic ritual itself is too evil and goes against human ethics. At that time, the head of the Abe family felt that he was ashamed of his ancestor Abe Seimei, so he changed the family name to the Tsuchimikado clan. It is recorded in the book: "This move betrayed the ancestors, and it was shameful to take the title of ancestors again."
surname."]
Onizuka Kiriho:……
Sakai E Toshiya's manuscript was obviously summarized by reading many books over many days.
Therefore, the records at different times before and after are not completely coherent.
Maybe you had questions a few days ago and found answers in other books in two days.
"The manuscript I got is not all, but even so, it is enough to piece together the outline of the Tendo Shaman Festival." Onizuka read the newly obtained manuscript, with deep worry in his eyebrows.
She realized a problem.
In fact, the little witch had already sensed something was wrong.
You can see the Tsuchimikado Village from your side, and you can also encounter the undead souls of the victims who accidentally entered this place after the Tsuchimikado area disappeared.
But there is no such thing on the Kamiya River side.
Whether they are mountaineers, Sakai Yuri and Toshima Taito, after entering the Tsuchimikado area, they all came to their own space.
It can be inferred that the location of Kamiya River may be deeper and more difficult to reach.
If we follow the previous conjecture of "mirror outside the mirror and inside the mirror", my side is probably outside the mirror, and the side of Kamiya is the unknown inside of the mirror.
And now, the information recorded in Toshiya Sakai's manuscript has confirmed this.
If everything recorded in the manuscript is true, then...
"Agawa is on the other side of the Amado Stone Gate. He is inside the Amado Rock that the Tsuchimikado family has sealed with their lives for generations."
The people of the Tsuchimikado family tried their best to prevent Yakko from leaking, no matter the cost.
As soon as the Kamiya River came to this place, he was in the source of the night!
Onizuka tried to contact Kamiyagawa through the red rope, but received no reply.
But through the connection of the red rope, you can also clearly feel the powerful aura of the other divine valley.
The little witch was a little confused, and the beating in her chest was a little stronger.
But she can't do anything else now. If she wants to rescue Kamiya, she still has to collect the fragments of the Amado bronze mirror to stabilize the stone gate.
"Achuan said that as soon as the stone gate is stabilized, he can break through the seal." After taking two deep breaths briefly, the little witch calmed down a little, "I have to believe him. I have to do my job well, and I must not drag him down.
"
Onizuka held the newly acquired manuscript tightly and once again channeled Sakai Etoshiya...
…
Kawai's study room.
It is simple and elegant, with books stacked neatly. You can smell an old smell in the air, but it is not unpleasant.
Etoshi Sakai is sitting at the desk by the window. On the desk are neatly arranged ancient books, as well as a large number of manuscripts written by him.
Tuk-tuk-tuk.
There was a knock on the door.
A dignified middle-aged man opened the door and walked in: "Mr. Sakai."
"Ah... Mr. Kawai." Sakai Etoshi also quickly stood up from the desk.
He looked at the head of the Hehe family who had warmly entertained him half a month ago. His eyes under the lens were a little complicated, fear or panic, or mixed with many inexplicable emotions.
During the time he stayed at the Kawai family, he saw many details about the Tendo Shaman Festival. How could it be possible for Sakai Etoshi not to be afraid of the people in this village.
They are conducting a living sacrifice!
And a few days ago, Sakai Eri also encountered something even worse.
He realized that he was under house arrest by the Kawai family.
Now, more than twenty days have passed since Sakai Etoshiya entered Tsuchimikado Village. He can no longer step out of the Kawai family, and he can't even see his student Kanemaru Shizuji.
The people of Tsuchimikado Village let themselves know the unknown secrets here, while at the same time restricting their actions.
They must be planning something.
As Jingji had guessed before, this village, which barely communicates with the outside world, must have some ulterior motive for welcoming outsiders so warmly.
Sakai Etoshi was panicked when he first realized that he might be in danger, but the people of the Kawai family kept a close eye on him and couldn't escape at all.
Slowly, Etoshi Sakai devoted his time to the books and materials in the Kawai family's study room.
To be honest, the vast amount of precious information here is too tempting for a conscientious folklorist.
His desire for knowledge is infinitely amplified here, and it is difficult to suppress it. So much so that after being immersed in it, Sakai Eri will subconsciously ignore that he is still in danger.
In a sense, he is really a pure scholar.
"The priest is waiting for you in the reception room of my house." Mr. Kawai said.
"The priest... Mr. Yasifuku Tsuchimikado?" Sakai Toshiya's eyes twitched slightly, but in the end he just said, "I understand, let's get over there."
The folklorist knew that Tsuchimikado Village had intentions for him.
Now Tsuchimikado Yasifuku finally shows up again, probably to try and get a chance to see him.
Thinking like this, Sakai felt a strange sense of relief despite being frightened. At least he could know what these people were going to do to him.
The reception room of the Kawai family.
Tsuchimikado Yasifuku, wearing hunting clothes, is already waiting here.
After Toshiya Sakai entered, Mr. Kawai who came with him did not come in. He just retreated to the corridor and closed the door of the reception room.
"Mr. Sakai, please sit down."
Tsuchimikado Yasifuku made a cup of tea and pushed it to the corner of the table in front of him.
But Sakai Etoshiya hesitated and didn't move.
The head of the Tsuchimikado family did not have any emotional changes because of this. He just smiled and talked to himself. He seemed to be a kind-hearted old man: "Mr. Sakai, during your time at the Kawai family, you have seen a lot of things."
Books? Well, I think you already have a rough idea of what’s going on in the village.”
"Hmm." The folklorist finally sat down, "Are the contents in those books and the Tendo Shaman Festival...all true?"
"Nature, including night time, is also real."
Tsuchimikado Yasifuku nodded, as if it were natural.
"But, what do you want me to do? You have something you want me to do, right?"
"Well..." Tsuchimikado Yasifuku pondered slightly, picked up an ancient book from his side, and placed it next to the tea cup, "Mr. Sakai, you are very interested in things in Tsuchimikado Village, right? This book
It was originally in the study room of the Hehe family, but I took it away early. Now that you have learned about the shaman festival, I think it is time for you to take a look at this."
Sakai Eri didn't hesitate much, so he picked up the book and read it.
His doubts may be answered in the book.
For a scholar, answering questions is a very important thing.
What is recorded in this ancient book is a supplement to the Tendo Shaman Festival.
About the "Human Pillar".
As a folklorist, Etoshi Sakai naturally knows what this word means.
One who is sacrificed, one who is sacrificed.
And usually refers to the type of people who are sacrificed to the gods.
To put it simply, the nature of the "human pillar" is similar to that of the shrine maiden selected for the Amado Shaman Festival.
In Japanese, the quantifier for gods is "Hashira", "one pillar god", which may also be related to the human pillar sacrifice.
While Toshiya Sakai was looking through the books, the head of the Tsuchimikado family spoke calmly:
"Mr. Sakai, you have read the information about the Tendo Shaman Festival. But the information you saw did not mention that it is possible for the Shaman Festival to fail. If the Shaman Festival fails after five years, then the power of the night will be
The situation became even more violent, and another witchcraft festival had to be held on the same day in the second year. Different from the previous one, an additional human pillar was sacrificed in this witchcraft festival.”
"In fact, because the originally selected shrine maiden died young, last year's shrine maiden was not held smoothly because of the loss of candidates. This year, the daughter of the Takehara family had to be the substitute."
At this time, folklorists also saw content related to human pillars in the ancient books they opened——
[When performing a human pillar sacrifice, the person selected is the same as the shaman priestess, and must be willing to die for the ceremony to a certain extent. The person selected for the human pillar must be an outsider, must not be of the Tsuchimikado family's blood, and must not live near the Amado stone gate.
.]
Snapped.
Sakai Toshiya's hand shook, and the ancient book fell to the ground, and the tea on the table was also knocked over.
Does the human pillar need outsiders to do it?
Am I not an outsider?
Sakai Etoshiya finally understood why the people of the Tsuchimikado family treated him and Shizuji so warmly.
On the opposite side, Tsuchimikado Yasifuku just stared at him quietly, like a late wolf staring at its prey, making people shudder: "Mr. Sakai, you have been living in Kanto before."
"How do you know that you...you want me to be a human pillar!?"
"Yes."
Tsuchimikado Yasifuku's tone was still calm.
Then, the old man of the Onmyoji family slowly bowed his waist and took his seat towards Sakai Eriya. Under such a heavy courtesy, the old man's voice was old and clear, as if he could not deny it:
"Mr. Sakai, on behalf of the Tsuchimikado clan, I implore you to die."