The headquarters of the Ise Grand Shrine, with its long history, is even a symbol of the country's imperial power, attracting a large number of tourists annually.
Ling Tian, following a tour group, blended in with the sightseers, his camera occasionally clicking. No one found this suspicious; there were simply too many travel and food bloggers like him nowadays.
The key was that the identity Ling Tian was impersonating, Benjamin Wang, was precisely in this profession. He had taken many photos and contributed to several well-known magazines and newspapers, and his social media was filled with videos and photos of his travels around the world.
While he followed the tour group to the Ise Grand Shrine during the day, his real purpose was to scout the terrain and prepare for his actions that night. Meanwhile, the Ise Grand Shrine was in a state of utter chaos.
Just a few days prior, the master of the Ise Grand Shrine, Boya Takumori, had led most of the elite forces of the shrine to China. Their objective was to acquire a small overseas island rich in spiritual energy, a veritable treasure trove for cultivation.
Boya Saemon, the second-in-command of the Ise Grand Shrine and Boya Takumori's younger brother, had strongly opposed this venture. He was a relatively traditional man, or to put it another way, stubborn. In his view, his brother's actions were a severe violation of ancestral teachings!
Consequently, he was left behind at the Ise Grand Shrine to guard it.
They had initially expected that with Boya Takumori personally taking charge, the matter would be easily resolved. However, to their utter astonishment, a few days later, Boya Takumori went missing, along with over thirty of his men.
He could only gather from those providing rear support that Boya Takumori had taken his men to the island of Xiaoshenxian that night, and from then on, they had vanished without a trace. Even the boatmen had not returned, and the three boats they had used were gone!
It was as if these thirty-odd people had simply disappeared from the face of the earth.
The latest news from China indicated that the island was still in the hands of its original owner, which meant that Boya Takumori and his group had failed. It was not difficult to surmise that these people were likely in grave danger!
Boya Saemon was heartbroken. Their long-standing rival, the White Fox Palace, had suffered a significant loss on Hell Paradise Island, with nearly all their elite forces annihilated. This presented a golden opportunity for the Ise Grand Shrine to gain complete dominance in the Yin-Yang world.
However, Boya Takumori, consumed by his pursuit of power, had acted unilaterally by going to China before consolidating their victory. Now, it seemed he had met with misfortune!
And as the saying goes, you can't wrap fire in paper. The news had already spread throughout Japan. The White Fox Palace seemed to have caught wind of something, and they had begun making frequent minor moves, appearing ready to confront the Ise Grand Shrine head-on.
The latest intelligence suggested that the White Fox Palace might be colluding with the Japanese military, secretly planning some operation.
Regardless of what this operation entailed, it boded no good for the Ise Grand Shrine.
As Boya Saemon was frowning in distress, a young man sitting opposite him suddenly spoke.
"Father, this might not be a bad thing for us!
Think about it, if Boya Takumori were still the master, you would forever be just the second-in-command, merely his tool!
But now, we father and son can completely control the Ise Grand Shrine. As long as we develop steadily for a few years and consolidate our power, we can usher in a new era for the Ise Grand Shrine!"
The speaker was Boya Kikumaru, Boya Saemon's son, and a prominent figure among the younger generation of the Ise Grand Shrine.
However, this young man's ambition far surpassed his father's. After all, his father had been groomed as the second-in-command since childhood.
Boya Kikumaru was unwilling to serve as a subordinate and handle menial tasks. Yet, he knew that as long as Boya Takumori was still around, he would have no opportunity.
But now, with Boya Takumori likely dead and his successor, Boya Genzo, also missing, the Ise Grand Shrine was effectively in their father and son's grasp. It was as if a pie had fallen from the sky when they were hungry, or a pillow had arrived when they were sleepy.
Upon hearing his son's suggestion, Boya Saemon fell into contemplation. His first reaction upon learning of Boya Takumori's disappearance was to find or rescue him immediately.
But now, all signs indicated that Boya Takumori and Boya Genzo were unlikely to return. It was time to begin a new era.
"Yosh, Kikumaru, you are right. The Ise Grand Shrine indeed needs a new master."
"Father, the immediate priority is to recall all the personnel sent to China. There is no longer any point in searching for Boya Takumori and the others. They are most likely dead in China.
We urgently need strength to consolidate our current position. Moreover, we must seize this moment of chaos in the White Fox Palace to take over the entire Japanese Onmyoji world in one fell swoop!
As for the cause of Boya Takumori's death, I believe that as time passes, the truth will eventually surface. There is no need for us to delve into this matter!"
"Yosh, you are right. I will send for them immediately..."
Suddenly, Boya Saemon's body trembled!
"Father, what is it? What happened?"
Boya Saemon waved his hand, closed his eyes, and released his spiritual energy. After a while, he opened his eyes and said to his son, "It's nothing. I just felt a sudden sensation of someone spying on us, but I couldn't detect anything!"
"Father, you must rest. You have been working tirelessly and are under immense pressure. Your health is paramount.
Besides, this is the core area of the Ise Grand Shrine. Even if Abe no Seimei were alive, he would likely not have the ability to investigate this place so stealthily!"
"Let's hope so..."
In reality, Boya Saemon's feeling was not mistaken. Someone had indeed been spying on them just then, and that person was none other than Ling Tian!
Just a few days prior, Ling Tian's soul had been further strengthened, leading to a significant advancement in his spiritual power!
And all of this was thanks to that Ibaraki Doji! Not long ago, on the island of Xiaoshenxian, the remnant soul of Ibaraki Doji, whose physical body had been destroyed, had attempted to invade Ling Tian's spiritual world and seize his body.
But little did he know that Ling Tian was no ordinary person. His soul had immediately plunged into the Spirit Realm space and was then collected by Ling Tian into the Soul Refining Furnace. After more than ten days, Ibaraki Doji's soul was completely refined!