Chapter 149

"Lady!"

"Lady!"

The monsters guarding her were suppressed by the ancient power, but they still stood by her side, ready to protect her from harm. Even though their demonic power was being suppressed, they remained resolute.

The Hagoromo Fox, possessing Mrs. Yodo and using the noblewoman's body to give birth to a child, quickly covered her stomach, fearing for her child's safety. She looked up at the dazzling sky with fear and screamed.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! All the high gods of this world disappeared a thousand years ago; not a single one is left!"

"This is absolutely impossible! There cannot still be a God from Takamagahara remaining! Absolutely impossible!"

As she panicked, she heard the voice of the unborn child from within her.

"Mother... please be patient... let me... be born soon..."

Yuyihu hurriedly comforted the being in her womb, her face softening with motherly love. "I know. No matter whether the gods of the heavens have disappeared or not, I will do everything in my power to bring you into this world."

She needed more human hearts and minds for her child to absorb demonic energy and resentment, ensuring the child's strength.

---

At the same time, in a world opposite to the ordinary one, there was a place known as the "Yellow Spring." Here, all life, whether human or monster, came after death. The Yellow Spring was divided into two parts: the shallow layer called the "Underworld," and the deeper layer called "Hell."

When humans or monsters died, monsters known as "Messengers of the Underworld" would come to collect their souls and lead them to the Underworld. In the Underworld, there was a passage for reincarnation, but it was guarded by the "Lord of the Underworld." Any who bore "sin" were seen as delicious food for this ruler.

The deeper level of the Underworld was "Hell," also known as the "Netherworld." This was where monsters, humans, and even gods who defied the rules of reincarnation were imprisoned. All beings that would disrupt the natural cycle were confined here.

The former ruler of the Yellow Spring was one of the two most powerful gods in existence, "Izanami," the mother goddess who had given birth to half of the gods of Takamagahara. She maintained the order of the Yellow Spring and managed the cycle of life and death. However, she disappeared a thousand years ago.

Now, the one who controlled the Yellow Spring was the greatest onmyoji of humanity, Abe Seimei, also known as "Nue." He had become the master of both monsters and spirits.

In the depths of Hell, an ancient and overwhelming presence began to permeate the Underworld, reaching even to the Netherworld itself. The powerful monsters trapped there screamed in fear.

"God! A god of the heavens! Damn it!"

"Damn it! If I could escape, I would destroy everything!"

"Let me out!"

Surrounded by these terrifying monsters, no one dared to come close. In the midst of them stood a man with golden hair, his body bare, who looked up in disbelief, as if seeing beyond the Underworld.

"This ancient aura and divine power... comparable to the gods of Takamagahara. But haven't all the gods of Takamagahara disappeared?"

"No, there has never been a record of this kind of divine power in the Yellow Spring. Could it be some unknown god who has taken the mantle of the 'Lord of the Sky' after the other gods vanished?"

As a half-demon born of a thousand-year-old demon fox and a human, Abe Seimei had cultivated both his demonic lineage and onmyoji skills to a level rivaling that of a god. When he touched the level of divinity after a thousand years, he realized the connection between Takamagahara and the world had been severed. Through constant searching, he finally found his answer: all the gods had disappeared.

This revelation stunned him, not because the gods were gone, but because they had left behind their "authority." He had searched tirelessly for Takamagahara, hoping to claim that authority for himself, but he had found nothing. He only managed to find the authority of the "Lord of the Underworld," Izanami, the "Mother Goddess."

But controlling divine power as a mere human, especially the power of one of the two greatest gods, was nothing short of a fantasy. More importantly, the living could not enter the Underworld, and the dead could not wield authority.

Thus, Abe Seimei devised a plan with his mother, Yuyihu. After his death, he would enter the Underworld to steal a portion of the power of the Lord of the Underworld, then use his connection to his mother to resurrect himself, reincarnating into a new body. In this way, he would have the authority of the Lord of the Underworld, and all he needed was time to become the true ruler.

Abe Seimei's face twisted with fury. "I never expected that the power of the 'Lord of the Sky' I failed to find has already been taken. Damned fate!"

"This was unforeseen! The Lord of the Sky would surely not allow the Lord of the Underworld to be born and share dominion over the world. I must be born at all costs!"

Having temporarily taken control of the Netherworld, Abe Seimei already had a fragment of the power of the Lord of the Underworld. The monsters that had been imprisoned there for countless years were now under his command.

In order to accelerate his rebirth, he would even open the gates of Hell, unleashing these monsters upon the world, regardless of the consequences.

---

In Kyoto, within the Huakaiyuan clan, an onmyoji and a monk were playing chess behind a curtain. Suddenly, they were so shocked that they knocked the chessboard over.

The ancient, heavy, majestic aura of the divine swept over them. The monk hurriedly ran out of the room, looking up, his eyes wide as golden auspicious clouds reflected above him. The whole world seemed to become tranquil and serene.

"This... all the evil spirits in Kyoto have been suppressed and purified! Could this sacred aura belong to a god?"

The onmyoji quickly followed him out. "Such brilliance and righteousness. So the gods do still exist. I had thought they were all gone."

The monk glared at him. "Xiuyuan, as the strongest onmyoji of our time, you should take the miracles of the gods more seriously."

Huakaiyuan Xiuyuan looked at the sky in awe. "Monk Tianhai, simply keep reverence for the gods in your heart. The gods care about sincerity, not superficial respect. You have much to learn."

As the most powerful onmyoji of his generation, Xiuyuan knew this world was dominated by monsters, especially Kyoto, which had become a haven for them—a demon's playground. Despite his efforts to protect the people, he knew he was no match for Yuyihu, who had been reborn countless times.

But now, a god of Takamagahara had appeared.

The gods of Takamagahara were not like "Noragami," who were merely beings of weak divine power fueled by human faith. Takamagahara's gods controlled the rules and authority of the world.

Huakaiyuan Xiuyuan murmured, "Have the gods of the sky finally grown weary of the filth of this world?"

Just as the golden auspicious clouds completely covered the sky, a gentle, magnificent voice echoed through heaven and earth, as though an old father was speaking to his children.

"[I was once the god of mankind.]

[I bore witness to the rise and fall of humanity.]

[I promised to give mankind civilization, to give mankind etiquette, to give mankind skills, and to give mankind a kingdom of their own.]

[I cleansed the world for mankind, protected a corner of the floating world.]

[I have now spent more than six thousand years in this world, even the stones grow tired.]

[But I am the God of Contracts. If humans still need this ancient covenant with me,]

[I will fulfill my uncompleted duty without hesitation.]"