I have an infinite number of shikigami-Chapter 162 - 98. In the spotlight, people from all quarters gather, the great show begins. _2
Chapter 162: 98. In the spotlight, people from all quarters gather, the great show begins. _2
In the Onmyo-ryo, every resolution is initiated by a member of the council, and once it receives the approval of half of the council members, the resolution is submitted to the five chairmen, known as the big5, for the final decision. Additionally, any one of the big5 has the power to veto. It can be said that even if all the members agree on a resolution, if even one chairman disagrees, the resolution cannot be executed under legitimate pretenses. (The first time Fujiwara Reya heard of this rule, he thought to himself this isn’t much different from the United Nations Security Council!)
Moreover, each division’s big5 are also members of the headquarters’ council.
Five divisions, totaling 25 people, hold the power to decide the fate of the nation’s clergy.
With power comes great strength, and if the person is a young and beautiful woman... naturally, she becomes the admiration and pursuit of all.
Amidst the whispering, Mrs. Kasahara slowly walked into the hall, like a gentle breeze brushing against a weak willow, with a faint smile playing on her lips.
She was also dressed in traditional white and red shrine maiden attire, but unlike the usual costumes, her neckline and cuffs were embroidered with golden trim, that symbol of power making the otherwise ordinary shrine maiden outfit look extraordinarily splendid.
The splendid attire, coupled with her noble appearance, made the hall seem a few degrees brighter.
No one dared to remain seated; thousands rose to welcome her, and the onlookers from other divisions dared not neglect their manners, creating a wave of humanity in the hall.
"Welcome, Chairman Kasahara—"
Amidst the booming sound that seemed to tear through the roof, only one person remained seated.
That person was Chairman Kasahara’s youngest daughter, Kasahara Asuka, who was known as Shintoism’s star of tomorrow. The little witch was not pleased by her mother’s demonstrated poise, feeling slightly resentful in her heart.
Today’s council meeting was initiated by her mother personally.
This meant that her mother intended to challenge the seniors, and given Kasahara Witch’s spoiled temperament, the fact she didn’t throw a tantrum in the hall to stop the meeting was already a courtesy to her mother.
"Please be seated, there’s no need to stand on ceremony."
Chairman Kasahara smiled and said, extending her arms gracefully, letting her sleeves fall as she signaled everyone to sit down.
Subsequently, her gaze swept over her sulking youngest daughter in the audience seat, her expression a mix of frustration and amusement. With so many people watching, it was not the appropriate time to scold her daughter, so it’d be better to ask Mr. Fujiwara for help in disciplining her after the meeting; otherwise, Xiangxiang’s temper would surely lead to trouble in the future.
Among the crowd, Palace Master Fujishima watched the radiant chairman, raising an eyebrow slightly.
As expected, after today’s meeting, he would soon be on equal footing with this woman, a thought that stirred excitement within him.
"Chairman Hoshimi has arrived!"
Another announcement resounded, causing the slightly calmed atmosphere in the hall to become lively again.
At the entrance of the hall, Mrs. Hoshimi, dressed in similarly embroidered shrine maiden attire, walked in, greeted by numerous enthusiastic gazes. The fiery glow from the lanterns illuminated her beautiful face, highlighting her delicate eyebrows, bright eyes, and that charming little groove between her soft upper lip and tiny nose tip.
Unlike Chairman Kasahara’s stately and magnificent demeanor, she possessed a beauty imbued with a faintly aloof charisma. If Chairman Kasahara were a splendid cherry blossom, she would be a graceful and elegant plum blossom, exuding a refreshing and captivating charm within her clear and cold aura.
"Welcome, Chairman Hoshimi—"
Facing the welcoming voices of the crowd, Mrs. Hoshimi merely nodded slightly and said, "Good." That single word, crisp and melodious, carried no hint of impurity, akin to the icy spring water flowing down a mountain during early spring.
She walked slowly up to the dais, where five principal seats were arranged, glanced at Mrs. Kasahara seated in the middle, and gently brushed her sleeve, then sat gracefully beside her. The red lantern above cast its light, reflecting the elegant figures of the two ladies onto the screen behind them, graceful and enchanting.
The next name was announced.
The current head of the Tsuchimikado family appeared at the hall entrance, dressed in pristine priest attire.
Unlike the standard priest attire, his was similarly based on white hunting robes, but the collar and sleeves were embroidered with black dragon patterns symbolizing the chairman’s authority, and his left chest bore the clear kiri crest representing Tsuchimikado Shinto and the Tsuchimikado family.
A hush fell over the hall, a deep silence enveloped the surroundings.
The Tsuchimikado Shinto, within Shintoism, was also an anomaly with the crowd holding a very nuanced attitude toward them.
Shintoism itself was a religion born from nature worship, ancestor worship, and emperor worship, a polytheistic faith. However, Tsuchimikado Shinto originated from the Yin-Yang Dao established by Abe no Seimei, and drawing upon China’s Yin-Yang, Five Elements, and Eight Trigrams theories, was a new Shinto sect founded by Abe no Seimei’s direct descendant, Tsuchimikado Taiho.
Since the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory had fully departed from Shintoism’s core three worship practices, the attitude towards this new sect within Shintoism was largely unfriendly, with a long-term strategy aimed at suppressing its development. However, from its inception, Tsuchimikado Shinto received strong support from the Dechuan Shogunate, once holding the rights to compile the national official calendar and participate in national politics, becoming the largest power within Shintoism.
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