A Pawn’s Passage

Qi Xuansu could not yet draw a firm conclusion on how the Tsuchimikado Onmyoji managed to escape this place. But Qi Xuansu had some guesses as to why Tsuchimikado Tadataka was left behind and why an additional seal was applied before they departed.

Perhaps the key to the time loop lay in Tsuchimikado Tadataka himself.

If this guess was correct, then how could the loop be broken?

Killing him was definitely not the solution.

In the first cycle, Qi Xuansu had already sliced Tsuchimikado Tadataka in two. His internal structure was clearly different from that of a normal human. It resembled some sort of insect, with no blood or flesh, only mucus. Yet it failed to stop the time loop. Once the full moon appeared, Qi Xuansu still entered the next cycle.

Or perhaps the method of killing was incorrect? How could one link Tsuchimikado Tadataka with the full moon?

With that thought, Qi Xuansu had a sudden epiphany.

Tsuchimikado Tadataka had said that Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto's divine power had descended here. As the moon deity among the Three Great Kami, Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto was connected to the moon. So the moon itself could be a manifestation of his divine power.

Although divine power was omnipotent, according to Qi Xuansu's understanding of divine power, it had one major flaw. It required a vessel. Divine power was not something that naturally existed in the world but something forcibly condensed and created through human effort. Without a vessel, divine power would constantly dissipate.

Divine power was like water. If poured onto the ground, it would quickly evaporate, but if stored in a jug, it could last much longer.

For instance, the divine power of one's divine kingdom was constantly depleting. However, the volume of divine power it had gathered was so vast that no immediate change was visible. If there were no continuous replenishment, that divine power would eventually run dry, and the divine kingdom would collapse. The Daoist Order's Thirty-Three Heavens, also known as the Sky Tower, was the largest divine power storage vessel in the world. Most Spirit Guards received their divine power from this place, and the divine power from various regional Daoist mansions was also transported there.

Daoist formations could last for a long time because they were linked to the earth qi, which flowed continuously. Thus, they persisted. That was why, when breaking formations, many Immortals would directly sever the earth's meridians, essentially cutting off the foundation.

Divine power and earth qi were not convertible, so naturally, divine power could not last through connection to earth qi. In most cases, to maintain divine power in one place and reduce unnecessary loss, a vessel was required.

Divine power was extracted from what Easterners called incense power and what Westerners called faith. Regardless of what it was called, it originated from people, which was why humans made the best vessels.

Thus, the Daoist Order chose to base everything on human essence, crafting Spirit Guard Armor rather than creating obedient, puppet-like Spirit Guard droids.

Likewise, when deities descended, the optimal choice was to select a human as their vessel, minimizing the loss of divine power and prolonging the duration of their descent.

This fundamental principle held true across time and cultures.

If Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto descended and left behind divine power, then it would be best to use a vessel to keep that power enduring for decades or even centuries. This would prevent natural dissipation of divine power and allow it to sustain the vessel's life until it was fully consumed.

Simply put, formations were rooted in earth qi, so they must harmonize with the surrounding landscape. The most common method was relying on terrain such as mountains and rivers. For example, the Taishang Dragon-Tiger Formation was connected to Yunjin Mountain's 81 peaks and 36 earth qi nodes. When the Holy Xuan deposed the Heavenly Preceptor, he had severed the underground earth veins, causing the formation to collapse and triggering an earthquake, which permanently altered Yunjin Mountain's terrain.

But divine power relied on people, so the key to breaking divine formations lay in the human element.

Following this line of thought, if Tsuchimikado Tadataka was the vessel chosen by Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, and this time loop was akin to the Taishang Dragon-Tiger Formation, then Tsuchimikado Tadataka was equivalent to the 81 peaks of Yunjin Mountain. The key to breaking the formation did not lie in the surface but in the earth qi that flowed beneath the peaks. Similarly, the key to breaking the time loop was not the Onmyoji himself, but the divine power residing within him.

Thinking further, although Qi Xuansu appeared to have killed Tsuchimikado Tadataka, once the next cycle began, the Onmyoji would be restored to his initial state. Strictly speaking, Qi Xuansu had never truly killed him, and thus, the vessel had never been destroyed.

If all this deduction held true, then Tsuchimikado Tadataka served as a vessel to prolong the presence of divine power, while the divine power shielded him from being easily obliterated. The two formed a perfect feedback loop, a complement of yin and yang.

But another question remained. How did the other Tsuchimikado Onmyoji escape?

Perhaps they fled before the time loop had fully closed, and they left behind a seal out of lingering fear to prevent Tsuchimikado Tadataka from escaping. Unaware of the truth, Tsuchimikado Tadataka believed he had been abandoned by his comrades and thus descended into madness.

If so, where was Suzuka Gozen? Had she also escaped like the Tsuchimikado Onmyoji? Or was she trapped somewhere? Was she connected to this temporal loop?

Qi Xuansu felt overwhelmed by all his questions and decided to temporarily set aside the Suzuka Gozen issue, focusing instead on how to completely kill Tsuchimikado Tadataka.

If the problem could not be solved, then perhaps eliminating the one who embodied the problem was the solution.

However, Qi Xuansu was very much aware of his limits. With only a Xiaoyao-stage cultivation, it was nearly impossible for him to pull this off. After all, the divine power of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto was at least at the Pseudo-Immortal level. The gap between them was simply insurmountable.

He could make up for his lack of cultivation with powerful allies, calling upon the Three Yin Beings for help.

But this place was sealed off. With insufficient yin energy, Qi Xuansu was unable to communicate with the Ghost Kingdom.

Thus, Qi Xuansu could only turn to Little Yin beside him, looking deep in thought.

Little Yin felt uneasy under his gaze and could not help but ask, "What do you want?"

Qi Xuansu said, "Little Yin, back in Anno District, you deliberately misled me and tricked me into opening that seal."

"But didn't you benefit in the end?" Little Yin replied righteously. "Are you trying to burn the bridge after crossing it? Don't forget, that head is still in my stomach. If you go back on our deal, I'll digest it on the spot!"

Qi Xuansu quickly waved his hand. "That's not what I meant. I just wanted to say that you managed to generate a lot of yin energy back then when you misled me. Could you do it again? I want to invite Master Yin over here."

Little Yin asked warily, "You want Grandpa to take me back?!"

Qi Xuansu shook his head. "It's not about you. It's just that something's wrong here. Maybe only someone as skilled in spells as Master Yin can break through it."

As the two were speaking, the multicolored radiance once again bloomed across the sky.

Qi Xuansu sighed. "Looks like we'll have to wait for the next cycle."

"What do you mean?" Little Yin asked, completely baffled.

Qi Xuansu looked to the sky. A full moon quietly emerged, and its moonlight once again swallowed everything.

After a moment of disorientation, Qi Xuansu appeared in front of the shrine for the sixth time.

Qi Xuansu wasted no time and briefly explained the situation to Little Yin.

Little Yin was a bit confused. "You're saying the reason you can retain your memories through the previous cycles is because of something called the Longevity Stone Heart? What is that? Is it edible?"

Qi Xuansu replied concisely, "The reason your three elders value me so highly is mainly because of this heart."

"Got it." Little Yin nodded, no longer fixated on the issue. "So basically, you want me to generate yin energy so Grandpa can help us break this time loop?"

Qi Xuansu asked, "Can you do it?"

Little Yin pursed her lips. "Back then, the reason I was able to fool you was mainly because the yin energy in Ise Province was extremely dense. It was the perfect time and place. I was just gathering the ambient yin energy around us. On my own, I couldn't have done it. But don't worry, we still have this!"

As she spoke, Little Yin opened her mouth wide, reached into her throat, and fumbled for a moment before pulling out a still-bleeding severed head.

It was the head of Shuten-Doji.

This was the head of one of the Three Great Yokai, whose yin energy was so potent it could seep through seals and transform into ghostly rain.

Little Yin gripped the severed head by the hair, gave it a gentle shake, and began chanting softly.

Soon, thick waves of yin energy poured from the severed neck and the orifices of the head.

At this moment, the head resembled a kind of incense burner.

Without hesitation, Qi Xuansu began to communicate with the Ghost Kingdom.

Billowing yin energy surged like a sea of clouds and mountain mists, like tides rising and falling.

Countless tendrils of black mist gathered around Qi Xuansu like a vortex, eventually forming a portal.

Inside the portal, the black fog churned endlessly, as if it led to the depths of the netherworld.

An elderly, frail man stepped slowly through the portal, resembling an old tutor who had spent his whole life studying but did not attain an official post.

Still holding the severed head, Little Yin dashed toward the old man.

Master Yin caught her and said, "Careful. Don't let the blood splash on you."

Qi Xuansu clasped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Master Yin."

Master Yin glanced at Qi Xuansu, immediately noticed the strangeness of the area, and cut to the chase. "You're in trouble, aren't you?"

Qi Xuansu relayed all of his conjectures and deductions to Master Yin.

After listening, Master Yin largely agreed with Qi Xuansu's assessment but showed no sign of panic. "Let's go. I'd like to witness the means of this foreign god."

The three of them passed through the cave again and once more saw the wandering Tsuchimikado Tadataka.

With just one glance, Master Yin concluded. "There is indeed divine power present. As you said, the best method is to destroy the vessel of that divine power."

Before he finished his sentence, Master Yin waved his hand.

Tsuchimikado Tadataka vanished like a smudge on glass, wiped away completely without a single trace. The Onmyoji never underwent any transformation. It was almost as if he had never existed at all.