But soon, the Tsuchimikado Shinto fell from prosperity to decline.
After the iji Restoration, the new governnt abolished the legitimacy of the Yin-Yang Dao, directly negating the legitimacy of the Tsuchimikado Shinto from an official level, causing its influence to fall to its lowest point in a thousand years.
By 1952, with the birth of the "Religious Freedom Constitution Draft," the Tsuchimikado Shinto returned to the public eye. Over the following decades, through the efforts of three generations of family heads, the Tsuchimikado Shinto was restored to its forr glory in the hands of the previous family head, Tsuchimikado Shino.
Although there were always disputes within Shintoism regarding the Tsuchimikado Shinto, faced with its overwhelming power, no one dared to protest.
The lanterns swayed slightly, and the light dimd a bit.
Amidst the silence, the Tsuchimikado Family Head ignored the gazes of the crowd and walked straight to the high platform.
His massive, mountain-like figure emitted a faint sense of oppression.
From several ters away, the people seated on both sides of the aisle were overwheld by his aura, bowing their heads in silence. The powerful presence confird the terrifying strength of this family head and indicated his unpleasant mood.
Indeed.
The Tsuchimikado Family Head was indeed in a bad mood.
Recently, the previous family head sent a ssage from Takamagahara, instructing him to build good relations with Fujiwara Reya without harming the family’s interests. He hadn’t even started reaching out to Fujiwara Reya, and today that boy was going to be expelled from the Onmyo-ryo. How could he be in a good mood?
The heavy atmosphere lingered for a mont, only dispersing slightly after the Tsuchimikado Family Head took his seat.
At this ti, the roll call was heard again.
"Koubun Director has arrived!"
A gentle breeze blew in, and the old monk from Asakusa Temple entered with the wind.
Wearing a white cassock, Master Koubun looked like an unremarkable old monk at first glance. His pace was neither hurried nor slow, and he exuded an amiable expression, truly giving the impression of a spring breeze, compelling people to respect his profound Buddhist teachings.
After ascending the high platform, he greeted the Tsuchimikado Family Head with a benevolent expression, smiling, "If you’re feeling irritated, co to the old monk’s Asakusa Temple for a visit after the eting."
"I’m not giving a donation!" replied the Tsuchimikado Family Head with a stern face.
"Amitabha Buddha."
The old monk clasped his hands together and silently chanted the na of the Buddha.
The seemingly petty words subtly conveyed the closeness between the two families, lightening the atmosphere in the hall. The almost solidified air dissipated instantly, like a gentle breeze brushing over a spring lake, removing the oppressive feeling from everyone’s hearts.
"Master Koubun, you mustn’t forget ," Mrs. Kasahara greeted with a smile.
"Of course not," the old monk Koubun responded, clasping his hands and slightly bowing to her.
"And ," Mrs. Hoshimi smiled and said, "Master Koubun wouldn’t hesitate to brew an extra pot of tea, would he?"
"We never lack tea," the old monk Koubun showed a difficult expression, "but both chairn mustn’t visit at the sa ti. The visitors coming to see both chairn would surely overcrowd my humble little temple."
"Haha~"
The two chairn covered their mouths, laughing joyfully.
The charm overflowing in that instant stirred the hearts of everyone in the hall, cursing the old monk’s flirtatious deanor and wishing they could sit on that mighty platform, bantering with the two beauties just like him.
The Directors’ eting was about to comnce, and the hall quieted down.
At this ti, everyone noticed the scene on the platform.
Five seats, missing one person, had been vacant for decades. That seat represented unparalleled power in the Kanto Region.
In the flickering lantern light, more and more attention was focused on the empty seat.
So elderly Palace Masters rembered the ti decades ago when all five seats were occupied, while others recalled the catastrophes that happened, still spoken of to this day.
The Onmyo-ryo Kanto Council had five permanent chairn.
Tokyo Grand Shrine, iji Shrine, Hegao Hachimangu, Asakusa Temple, all combined, accounted for only four seats.
Which family held the other seat?
"Asakusa Shrine!"
Soone unknown shouted out.
The hall broke out in mild laughter, followed by chuckles.
So found it amusing, so were mocking; so intentional, so unintentional; but all were harsh to the ears.
That shrine, long reduced to ruins, couldn’t even attend the Directors’ etings for twenty or thirty years, let alone sit on that high platform.
Presumably, no one would represent the Asakusa Shrine today either.
Because today’s eting was convened specifically to expel the only priest of the Asakusa Shrine.
After a mont, Chairman Kasahara gently waved his sleeves, quelling the laughter, and spoke softly, "The ti is about right. Let’s comnce today’s eting now. Based on the agenda of this session, we will start voting on whether to expel the Asakusa Shrine’s mber from the council."
The entire hall fell silent.
The directors seated on both sides clutched their pens and paper tightly, preparing to exercise their powers as directors. anwhile, the young novices stretched their necks in anticipation, enduring the curiosity to see the outco.
However, Fujiwara Reya was still leisurely making his way to the hall at this ti.
"Ah~"
The little priest in charge of receiving at the door yawned out of boredom.
Outside the door was a curtain of white rain; hydrangeas blood vibrantly. As he looked on, he grew a bit sleepy.
Just then, two figures approached from afar.
"Hey, senpai..." Fujiwara Reya tilted his head to look at Hoshimi Rinko, "Are there a lot of people today?"
"About five or six thousand," Hoshimi Rinko estimated.
A breeze blew, gently lifting her waist-long black hair. A few strands of damp bangs clung to the snow-white cheeks, adding to her allure like a lotus in the rain.
Fujiwara Reya stared at her cheek for a mont.
Then, his gaze involuntarily lowered to the pure white priestess robe she wore. The fabric, slightly damp from the mist, clung closely to her skin, tracing out her delicate and graceful curves.
Every ti he saw senpai’s petite figure, Fujiwara Reya instinctively thought of his mother.
He had never tasted a drop of his mother’s milk since birth.
It was sowhat regrettable.
"Where are you looking!" Hoshimi Rinko playfully chopped him on the waist.
"I couldn’t help it..." Fujiwara Reya clutched his waist in pain.
"Hmm?"
"Senpai, I’m wrong."
"As punishnt, you’ll be responsible for cleaning the clubroom this sester."
"Huh?"
"Not willing?"
"Willing!"
Fujiwara Reya had no objections.
After all, technically, senpai was his club leader, holding direct authority over him.
"Who are they..." The little priest at the grand hall’s entrance watched them approach with envy.
The young man was exceptionally handso, and the young woman exuded a pure and ethereal aura. Walking together in their priest and priestess robes, they appeared to be a celestial couple, hard not to imagine them as a match made in heaven, inspiring people to yearn for sweet romance.
Feeling a bit resentful inside, the two reached the entrance of the grand hall.
"Hello, I’m here to attend the Historical Directors’ eting," Fujiwara Reya said politely.
The little priest held the registry, his pen tapping on the paper, "Which family?"
"Asakusa Shrine."
"?"
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