Naturally, Cang Yu Ying said with an embarrassed expression, "Your Highness, because of the matter on Jile Island last time, the Ise Shinkan is still blaming us. My son has been kneeling before the Ise Shinkan's door for hours. I believe that sincerity can move mountains, and we will surely be able to..."
It turned out that the Ise Shinkan was the giant toad that the Cang Yu clan had summoned on Jile Island last time.
However, what Xiao Hong Chan had killed at that time was only its scroll avatar, not its true form.
As the great high priest of Jinggui Shrine, it was the link between the Emperor and Amaterasu Omikami.
But the Emperor, proud of his status, considered himself equal to Amaterasu Omikami, placing the Ise Shinkan a rank below him.
Therefore, the Cang Yu clan was also responsible for relaying messages between the Emperor and the Ise Shinkan.
If not for this relationship, the Cang Yu clan would not have possessed the summoning scroll of the Ise Shinkan.
"Go, go, go, don't tell me this nonsense!"
After hearing Cang Yu Ying's explanation, Emperor Guizheng's face immediately darkened.
In front of everyone, he scolded them without mercy, "Your Cang Yu clan are all idiots, unable to handle even small matters. After this incident is resolved, you will be disbanded on the spot!"
Upon hearing this, Koga Kamikawa and Iga Oki showed joy on their faces, almost bursting into laughter.
With the disbandment of the Cang Yu clan, the landscape of the Eastern Japanese ninja world would change from a three-way standoff to a struggle between two clans!
However, before they could laugh out loud, Emperor Guizheng pointed at them and scolded, "And you two, weren't you said to be the best at assassination? How can you be so incompetent at a critical moment? A bunch of useless good-for-nothings, what use are you to me!"
Emperor Guizheng became more agitated as he spoke, his round, bun-like face flushing red.
Everyone fell silent, lowering their heads, fearing that Emperor Guizheng would punish them.
"Croak—"
Just then, a frog's croak was suddenly heard. "Emperor Guizheng, you are the one who caused this disaster. Now it's useless to vent your anger on others, croak—"
Accompanied by the frog's croak, the Ise Shinkan hopped into the palace.
Emperor Guizheng's face darkened. This stinking toad, relying on Amaterasu Omikami behind it, showed him no respect at all. This was outrageous!
However, at this moment, he still needed its help and dared not be too calculative. He stood up and asked, "Ise Shinkan, did you handle the matter I entrusted to you?"
"I did, croak!"
The Ise Shinkan croaked.
"What was the result? Has Amaterasu Omikami come out of seclusion?"
Emperor Guizheng asked excitedly.
"Amaterasu Omikami said that she has been benevolent to your imperial family to the utmost. She sent the great deities of the three major shrines to help you. If the final result is still failure, then it can only mean that you are unworthy of your position and are an incapable person."
The Ise Shinkan said so.
Hearing these words, Emperor Guizheng's face turned black.
This stinking toad, spewing nonsense, what about the dignity of the royal family?
The relationship between the divine race and the imperial family was complex.
Although the five major shrines were nominally under the command of the imperial family.
In reality, they obeyed Amaterasu Omikami.
The Jinggui Shrine, one of the five major shrines, enshrined Amaterasu Omikami.
However, unlike the deities of other shrines who guarded their shrines, Amaterasu Omikami lived in the territory of the divine race.
As for the territory of the divine race, only the Ise Shinkan could travel to and fro.
Others, even Emperor Guizheng, did not know where that territory was.
At this moment, the Ise Shinkan seemed to realize that its words were a bit too harsh, and it comforted, "Emperor Guizheng, you don't have to worry too much. Amaterasu Omikami has handed the Amaterasu Order to Aogitsune Daigoshin."
"Aogitsune took the Amaterasu Order, which is equivalent to Amaterasu Omikami personally intervening. That young man from Hua Country will surely be buried in Eastern Japan!"
Hearing the Ise Shinkan say this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
So Aogitsune had brought the Amaterasu Order, then this matter was definitely settled.
Emperor Guizheng's furrowed brow finally relaxed, and he smiled broadly, "It seems Amaterasu Omikami still has me in her heart. With this, I can rest assured. I was overthinking earlier..."
As he was speaking, a questioning voice suddenly came.
"Amaterasu Order? Is it this thing?"
Along with this voice, a purple magatama flew into the palace.
With a dull thud, the purple magatama fell onto the red sandalwood floor of the palace.
Everyone looked at the magatama, and their faces were filled with shock.
"A purple magatama, this is actually the Amaterasu Order!"
"How did the Amaterasu Order get here?"
"Who was speaking just now?"
A gust of clear wind blew, and a valiant figure strode into the palace.
"It's him?!"
"It's that kid from Hua Country!"
"He actually survived?"
A noisy buzz erupted from the crowd.
Emperor Guizheng trembled inwardly, his breathing becoming rapid.
The thing he feared most had happened.
He never expected that the three great deities, combined with the Amaterasu Order, still couldn't kill this kid!
From what stone did this divine being emerge?
It truly infuriated me!
"Hi, stinking toad, we meet again. Do you remember me?"
Chen Xiao looked at the Ise Shinkan and teased with a playful expression.
The Ise Shinkan hated being called a stinking toad more than anything in its life.
If it heard someone call it that, it would definitely flick its tongue, wrap the person up, and digest them into a puddle of foul excrement.
There was only one exception: unless the person who called it that was someone it couldn't afford to offend.
And Chen Xiao was clearly someone it couldn't afford to offend.
"Croak, the frog was just passing by. This matter has nothing to do with me, croak—"
The Ise Shinkan croaked, flicked its tongue to wrap up the Amaterasu Order, and hopped to the side, acting as if it were none of its business.
Seeing this, Emperor Guizheng's face turned green with anger.
Damn it, you cowardly stinking toad! I really want to cut you down with a single sword!
However, with the great enemy before him, he clearly didn't have the chance to do so.
All eyes were focused on Chen Xiao... and Araki Mikiko behind him.
Araki Mikiko lowered her head timidly, her heart filled with complex emotions.
"Araki Mikiko, you traitor of Eastern Japan!"
An old woman wearing a white robe and red hakama stepped forward and cursed.
She was fat and plump, with a head of silver hair tied into a bun at the back.
Her loose, sagging facial skin made her look like a Shar-Pei dog.
This old woman in a miko's attire was Araki Mikiko's teacher, Kawashima Kaede.
"Teacher Kaede, I..."
Facing her teacher, Araki Mikiko finally felt a trace of guilt.
But soon, she said with determined eyes, "Teacher Kaede, I have only made a choice that honors my heart. I have followed you since childhood to learn how to be a good miko, but have you ever thought that this was not my wish? I don't want to be a miko!"
"Then what do you want to be? You have such great talent, what else do you want to do besides being a miko?"
Teacher Kaede asked angrily, her voice laced with disappointment and confusion.
"I want to be..."
Araki Mikiko's face flushed, and she stole a glance at Chen Xiao's profile as she shyly said, "I want to be... Master's little bitch!"