Chapter 74: "The Sunlit Diagram of Heavenly Illumination"

As things progressed, Xuanxuan’s expression grew increasingly grave. A fine sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her lips trembled slightly at a rapid frequency, murmuring words only she could understand. Clearly, what she was doing carried a certain burden; it was far from as simple as the routine tasks on the surface.

Meanwhile, the leather pouch containing the clay figurine and the small insect began to stir of its own accord. As the bark-like material was roasted continuously, it shrank steadily in size.

Xuanxuan was now biting her lip hard. “Phew… phew… Oh my Lady Gaga… As expected, he truly deserves the title of genius Onmyoji. He’s surrounded by formidable Yin energy shielding him; it’s incredibly difficult to make him fall for this… At least five times harder than with ordinary people!”

Hao Dalong turned and asked, “What’s wrong? Isn’t it working?”

“Let me rest for a moment… No matter how strong someone is, there must be a moment of weakness! Besides, it won’t take effect immediately; it’ll need until night at the very least.”

It was now 12:14 at noon.

Outside the exhibition city, only Xuanxuan and Hao Dalong were waiting. Master Yan himself had entered the venue earlier than Qi Yan, arriving even before him. Of course, he wasn’t there as a tourist; from the moment the venue opened in the morning, he had found a seat in the second-floor gallery of the Brahman Pavilion and quietly observed. Apart from trips to the restroom and to buy drinks, he spent nearly all his time overlooking a small section of the exhibition below.

When Qi Yan and Chen Huiting lingered in that area, he saw them too, which made him suspicious. Isn’t that the young man named Qi Yan? Holder of the Seventh Yin Palace Token—what is he doing here? Is he merely sightseeing?

But at this moment, Yan had no time for idle speculation. The purpose for which he, Xuanxuan, and Hao Dalong had come today was singular: to prevent disaster before it struck.

Having access to certain inside information, Master Yan was convinced those people would likely make a move today, and their target… was right below.

Sure enough, not long after, Xuanxuan, who was keeping watch outside, called in. Shinji Watanabe had appeared—without disguise, entering the venue openly as a tourist.

But Master Yan still hadn’t figured out how these people would manage to take a publicly displayed religious artwork right under everyone’s nose—and escape unscathed.

Would they steal it? Or snatch it?

Those were ordinary criminal methods; these people wouldn’t resort to such conventional tactics. Everyone in the supernatural circles had their own tricks.

“Ha… I’d really like to see for myself today, what kind of ridiculous, ghostly antics you’ll pull in such a public setting…”

Meanwhile, Qi Yan and his former partner Chen Huiting wandered leisurely through the pavilion, chatting idly. Neither mentioned the past, acting just like two old friends reunited after years apart. Time seemed to have matured them both.

Unconsciously, the two walked from the Brahman Pavilion to the adjacent Shinto Pavilion. Though housed within the same grand hall, the distinct styles of the two religious exhibits created two entirely separate worlds, divided sharply by the surrounding artifacts.

The Shinto Pavilion’s collection was modest, occupying a relatively small area, but as soon as they entered, Qi Yan and Chen Huiting were captivated by a striking exhibit.

It was truly exquisite—and expansive.

A scroll nearly six meters long hung against a pristine white wall, illuminated by several display lamps, casting a golden brilliance. Parts of the scroll were colored with dazzling gold paint.

The scene depicted was mysterious: a deep blue sky, a vast earth, worshipers below, and above them a cloud bearing a woman with long hair. Her facial features were left indistinct, but her entire being radiated sparkling golden light, shining down like the blazing sun upon all living things.

“Tsk, tsk… This painting is so over the top,” Qi Yan murmured, standing shoulder to shoulder with Chen Huiting beneath the scroll, surrounded by a crowd.

The guide, wearing a headset, introduced in standard Mandarin, “What everyone sees now is the newly released ‘Amaterasu Shining Sun Scroll’ from Ise Grand Shrine. The goddess depicted sitting atop the clouds is Amaterasu Omikami, the highest deity worshipped in Japanese Shinto.”

“She is the Sun Goddess of Japan, eldest daughter of the priest Izanagi and Izanami, and elder sister to Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. Though this ‘Amaterasu Shining Sun Scroll’ is not particularly ancient, its artistic achievement is extraordinary…”

Qi Yan found the scroll visually stunning, but he felt little interest in the culture of these “little devils,” so he paid scant attention to the explanation.

But, surrounded by the crowd, he inadvertently caught sight of a vaguely familiar figure in the distance—not someone as close as Chen Huiting, but someone he felt he’d seen somewhere before. The person moved quickly through the crowd, making it hard to see clearly.

Yet an inexplicable sense of danger surged within Qi Yan, causing him to furrow his brow and lose focus.

It wasn’t until Chen Huiting spoke to him that his thoughts returned. “I’ve got work to do. Take your time looking around. Do you know where the restaurant is?”

“Uh?” Qi Yan had been distracted, replying absentmindedly, “Yeah, I know. Go ahead, I’ll just wander around…”

Chen Huiting left him there, pausing to smile at him before departing. “Anyway… I’m really glad to see you again. If you have time, invite Xu Dan and the others to organize a get-together. Not many of us old classmates are still in New State.”

Qi Yan nodded lightly, finally feeling relieved.

She’s changed a lot… Maybe it’s because she’s entered the workforce, she seems much more mature now. Even though their chance encounter had been awkward at first, in hindsight, meeting an old… friend? in such a setting felt like fate. So much time had passed; surely both he and she had let go of their old feelings.

But with Chen Huiting gone, Qi Yan was left alone once more.

His thoughts returned to the fleeting glimpse of that young man just now—where had he seen him before?

He wasn’t face-blind; it was just that he’d been through so much lately, and the person had only flashed by in the crowd. He simply hadn’t recalled it yet.