Chapter 363
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Chapter 363: The Shrine, the Grand Temple
Former girlfriend, meaning, ex-girlfriend, or a girl who was in a relationship before.
In the past, rather than happening at the moment.
Bai Wei couldn’t find a more suitable word to describe Diwu Qiansui.
Former love.
And now?
Now it’s different, Bai Wei can still remember the past, but remembering the past doesn’t mean holding onto it.
He felt like he had been in a dream where he was running a long race of love. When he woke up from the dream, the feelings had vanished.
It could be said that it was a twist of fate.
But as life approached its end, he was also forced to undergo a formatting reboot. Many things, looking back now, could no longer be taken for granted or accepted so readily as they once were.
Unfortunately, whether it was Bai Wei or Diwu Qiansui, they were both immature, as if experiencing a naïve love that naturally led to the first love’s untimely end without a proper closure.
Bai Wei easily accepted the presence of a former girlfriend, for he had waited for a hundred years. No matter how strong his feelings once were, they should have faded away by now, especially since he never got a chance to see her one last time.
Where is the immortal fox?
She didn’t say anything.
Diwu Qiansui gazed deeply at Bai Wei, her expression subtly changing. There was a hint of sadness and sorrow, but not overwhelming emotions. She didn’t get angry or annoyed directly, instead, after the gaze, she delicately averted her eyes.
Bai Wei said, "Are you unhappy?"
Qiansui asked in return, "Should I be happy?"
Bai Wei hesitated for a moment and said, "Is it about your ex-girlfriend?"
Qiansui sighed softly and said, "I can still accept it, ex-girlfriend…"
…it’s easier to accept than women who play with people’s hearts and exploit them to the core.
Bai Wei saw her expression and guessed the answer, thinking to himself, "Something must have happened in the third world."
The Fox Fairy twirled her finger around her hair and said, "Little fox knows nothing, you see."
Bai Wei said, "I don’t plan to inquire further either; the story of the third world isn’t a good one, I have a feeling it’s still dangerous."
Diwu Qiansui smiled gently and said, "I find your carefree demeanor more and more delightful. Whatever happened in the past is done and dusted. Instead of dwelling on past grievances, it’s better to look towards the future… Now, please take Saki Jingūji outside. Don’t forget our promise."
Bai Wei wondered, "What did we promise each other?"
While Bai Wei was holding Jingūji, she secretly tiptoed and embraced his face, bringing her cheek close and passionately kissed him for a long ten seconds.
The little fox licked her lips and said, "This is a pre-paid deposit… you mustn’t let those wicked women outside deceive you, okay?"
Bai Wei, "…"
In the dream, this doesn’t count. She felt like misbehaving and couldn’t resist herself.
Shouldn’t we be grateful? Thankfully, this little fox is too innocent, otherwise we might have been locked in the basement.
The young man turned around and exited the dream.
When he opened his eyes, only about an hour and a half had passed.
"The passage of time in the dream was truly extraordinary, I felt as if a hundred years had passed."
Bai Wei’s fingers moved stiffly as he unfolded his palm, revealing a cherry blossom petal resting in his hand. He let it fall gently onto the sleeping Jingūji’s body, causing a burst of cherry blossom-colored radiance to bloom instantly.
The Fairy Principle, blossoming with magical abilities.
[Bond elevated to intermediate level]
[The unlocking of the second tier of the Fairy Principle]
[Fairy Principle: The Liberated Six-Tailed Fairy Fox]
[Please keep up the good work and continue to enhance the bond.]
The more memories we have, the deeper our bond becomes.
Saki Jingūji’s Fairy Principle has also increased in purity, finally evolving from the childhood stage to the growth stage.
Even in the growth stage, it still cannot be compared to the maturity of adulthood.
Anyone who has watched Digimon knows that there is a whole level of difference in combat power between Agumon and Tyrannomon.
The soft cherry blossom glow on Saki Jingūji’s body slowly faded away, and her own breath became calm and steady.
The unusual state displayed above her head also vanished, and the influence of the mist from the Underworld was completely eradicated.
Bai Wei had a feeling of being tricked.
Actually, the fox could have dispelled this negative state long ago. She specifically called herself over, just to have a look at this particular memory.
Or perhaps, in truth, even Diwu Qiansui herself wasn’t confident in handing over the power of the Fairy Principle to Saki Jingūji?
The permission to activate the ‘Six-Tailed Celestial Fox’ was also held in her own hands, rather than given to Jingūji…
"I always feel there is something hidden, but this pink fox refuses to explain it clearly."
Bai Wei nodded his forehead and said, "Never mind, we’ll think about it later."
Saki Jingūji peacefully fell asleep, even under the covers, her slumber was still filled with gentle dreams.
Bai Wei, however, had no romantic thoughts at the moment. He simply opened a gap in the blanket to let in some fresh air. After waiting a few minutes to make sure she was alright, he made up his mind to get up and leave. He was truly a gentleman, gentle and kind-hearted. Even if he took a small advantage, no one would blame him. It might even make the person involved very happy.
But Bai Wei has always been accustomed to suppressing his desires, as if in all his memories, he has had this kind of personality. So it can be inferred that he has a natural inclination towards such patience. Some people are naturally more self-disciplined.
Bai Wei, when he was bored, would sometimes contemplate other possibilities while sipping tea. If he had slightly less self-discipline, similar to most people, and became more accepting and less proactive, or if he only sought temporary pleasures, would his life’s path take a different turn?
"That way, I might not have to struggle with the decision of whether to marry someone with octuplets or someone with multiple personalities," Bai Wei said, chuckling as he spoke.
In this lifetime, living a simple and peaceful life would be just fine. At most, it would be a bit busy, but being busy is a good thing. It helps to earn money and support the family without feeling embarrassed.
Bai Wei walked out of the hospital room.
The couple causing a commotion outside had already been chased away, and there was no one else in the hospital corridor.
At the end of the hallway, a few officials were standing guard. When they saw Bai Wei coming out, they greeted him and asked, "How is everything going?"
"Everything has settled down now," Bai Wei said. "Just taking a nap will be fine."
The officials once again expressed gratitude to Bai Wei for his generous assistance, while subtly reminding him.
"Just now, that couple should not have gone far, so it’s better for you not to use the elevator, but to leave from the staircase."
"Who are they?" Bai Wei asked without thinking.
The priest shook his head, indicating that he had no knowledge of it.
"It should be from Kashihara Shrine," Yoshine Ise replied while sitting in her wheelchair. "I saw the clan emblem, so I’m probably not mistaken."
"I haven’t heard of it," Bai Wei asked, "What is Kashihara Shrine?"
"Regarding the people from the Ming Country, it can be a bit complicated. To put it simply, for a place to be called a ‘shrine,’ it must first receive recognition from the emperor. Inside these shrines, the ancestors of the emperor are enshrined," Yoshine Ise explained. "My family belongs to Ise Shrine, which is the oldest shrine and is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Similarly, Heian Shrine enshrines Emperor Kammu, while Kashihara Shrine enshrines Emperor Jimmu, who is considered the earliest emperor of Yingzhou."
Bai Wei understood what was being explained because the legends of Yingzhou were creations of his own. The imperial family was, in fact, a fusion of gods and humans, created with the collective effort of an entire nation. They were earthly deities, not comparable to the true ancient gods. These shrines were established to legitimize the imperial family’s lineage. Ise Shrine established the sun goddess Amaterasu as the ancestral deity of the emperor. Subsequently, other shrines enshrined the emperor, anchoring the legitimacy of their bloodline and preserving the divine nature of the imperial family.
Noticing this, he also grasped another mystery.
At first, he didn’t understand why the organization created by the witch’s descendants was also called a ‘shrine.’ Now, he has figured it out.
Because originally, the deities enshrined in a shrine were emperors, of noble and revered status in Europe, equivalent to the emperor in Yingzhou. Therefore, following local customs, they created a shrine and enshrined an emperor as well. However, since it had no connection to the Yingzhou emperor, it couldn’t gain recognition and could only be self-proclaimed as an unnamed shrine. It was not until later in history that the word "unnamed" gradually faded away and it became abbreviated as "shrine."
Besides shrines, the Shinto religious facilities are also divided into "Taisha" (Grand Shrines), "Jinja" (Regular Shrines), and "Gong" (Palaces). Taisha refers to the central shrine that enshrines a great deity. Jinja represents the ordinary shrines, usually branch shrines. Gong is similar to the temples established in the Ming Country, like the Wenmiao and Wumiao, for example. For instance, the Toshogu Shrine enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the Tenman-gu Shrine enshrines Sugawara no Michizane.
So, Saki Jingūji comes from Kashihara Shrine?" Igarashi Shimizu was surprised. She used to be an apprentice shrine maiden at Ise Shrine, but later ran away from Yoshine Ise and came to Edo, joining a shrine. It can be said that she made a decision to betray her ancestral shrine, but it is rare for other shrines to have instances of shrine maidens ‘defecting’.
"I’ve never heard of it before either, but the surname ‘Jingūji’ is usually quite rare," Yoshine Ise explained. "This surname is typically reserved for direct descendants of the shrine. My full name is actually Yoshine Ise Jingūji, but I rarely use it publicly. I usually shorten it to ‘Yoshine Ise.’ However, Saki Jingūji’s surname lacks a prefix, making it difficult to determine if she truly comes from Kashihara Shrine. Her lineage is uncertain, and it may hold a significant level of nobility."
Bai Wei said softly, "Regardless of my bloodline, I am from the Ming Country, so I don’t pay much attention to that… In the past, the Shrine of Soy Sauce didn’t care about her at all, so why have they suddenly come knocking on her door? It’s not difficult to guess the reason."
Igarashi Shimizu said, "It is the Heroic Spirit Principle."
Jingūji Shrine is now widely known, and Saki Jingūji is the newly awakened heroic spirit, the first one in decades.
In the bustling city, the poor are ignored, while in the deep mountains, the rich have distant relatives… It’s all about seeing the opportunity for a miraculous transformation.