Opening Takamagahara

The two men in black exchanged glances, and one of them headed deeper into the hot spring inn. The other bowed and said, "Leader Asano, Yuanshi-kun, please wait a moment!" As he spoke, he cautiously sized up this supposed "Yuanshi-kun." It was hard to believe: could the renowned peerless genius of the Five Elements Alliance truly be such a tall, striking, valiant woman? Although she wore sunglasses, one could easily tell she was a beauty from the contour of her face, the curve of her chin, and her pale, alluring lips. Just as the man in black was marveling in secret, his messenger companion hurried back and bowed. "The Leader and the Vice Leaders have been expecting you for quite some time." With that, he made a welcoming gesture. Asano Ryo immediately led Zhang Yuanqing inside, crossing a courtyard where blossoms were in full bloom and entering the building. Following a retro Japanese-style hallway, the two soon stopped outside a tatami room. From across the door came the laughter of men and women drinking and making merry, accompanied by the sounds of a biwa and a small drum. *Indulging in drinks and revelry deliberately at a time like this—are they hinting to me that the Thousand Cranes Group is brimming with confidence and composure?* Zhang Yuanqing mused. "Leader, Yuanshi-kun has arrived," Asano Ryo said, bowing at the doorway. The laughter and music inside ceased at once. Immediately following, the sliding door slowly slid open, opened by a young woman in a kimono with her hair swept up high. Light from inside flooded into the somewhat dim hallway, allowing Zhang Yuanqing to take in the scene within. Tatami mats covered the entire room. Six low tables were arranged in orderly rows, laden with an assortment of Japanese delicacies. Men dressed in kimonos sat cross-legged or sprawled lazily before the tables, flanked by young and beautiful kimono-clad women who knelt obediently, holding flasks of sake. At the head of the room sat Kobe Ichiro, roughly fifty years old, with a square face, thick brows, a high bridge to his nose, and sharp eyes—the countenance of an ambitious, formidable hegemon, exuding immense authority. *This man's Fate Palace shines brilliantly, an extraordinary fate—a true conqueror. His Affinity Palace is chaotic and murky, indicating grave flaws in marriage, socialization, and interpersonal relationships. Yet his Friendship Palace is bright, meaning he has numerous trusted confidants and is a leader capable of commanding his subordinates' loyalty, so the issue must lie with his marriage... His Kinship Palace is dim and gloomy, portending either incompetent offspring or a lack of successors. Combined with the condition of his Affinity Palace, this Kobe Ichiro must be the type who cares nothing for women or family, devoting his entire mind solely to ambition...* Shielded by the sunglasses, Zhang Yuanqing activated Star Physiognomy without hesitation. Through facial reading, he gained a reasonably profound understanding of Kobe Ichiro, the leader of the Thousand Cranes Group. Kobe Ichiro was also sizing up Yuanshi Tianzun, who had come from afar. Seeing that it was a yin corpse that had arrived, he nodded in satisfaction. "Yuanshi-kun, you are a warrior of noble character. Please, take a seat!" *Actually, Commandery Princess Yinyao is way more badass than me...* Zhang Yuanqing sat down without a fuss and said, "Pleasure to meet you, Leader Kobe!" The voice was hoarse and grating, as though the vocal cords had suffered severe trauma or been destroyed. Asano Ryo knelt beside him and dutifully poured sake. She was well accustomed to such occasions; whenever her father hosted banquets for Ryuzaki Ichi at home, she would sit by her teacher's side pouring drinks. And at banquets for the high-ranking members of the Thousand Cranes Group, she had always played the server. Of course, things would be different from now on. Once she became a vice leader, she too would have a pretty young woman in a kimono pouring sake for her. Zhang Yuanqing knelt upright before his table, listening as Leader Kobe Ichiro introduced the four vice leaders, with Asano Ryo acting as interpreter. "Ryuzaki Ichi, a Swordsman, Ryo-chan's mentor, who leads the Thousand Cranes Group's Disciplinary Department." Ryuzaki Ichi was a stiff, stern middle-aged man with severely downturned lips. Without a trace of a smile on his face, he merely nodded slightly by way of greeting. "Watanabe Kichita, the Thousand Cranes Group's sole Mountain God, and the head of the Watanabe Real Estate Company under our group." Watanabe Kichita was short, around 165 centimeters, yet he was the stockiest man present, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. In addition, he possessed the typical demeanor of an Earth Monster—stolid and dull. "Onodera Yosuke, a Fangshi, who leads the Thousand Cranes Group's think tank." A refined-looking man dressed in a kimono and wearing glasses, he was visibly intoxicated, fondling the woman beside him with wandering hands—giving off the distinct vibe of a cultured scoundrel. "Furugori Magatsu, a Fire Demon, head of the Operations Department." A rugged middle-aged man with a full beard encircling his jaw, a long scar on his left cheek, and a mouth of yellow teeth, he looked in every way like a yakuza boss. Furugori Magatsu burst into laughter. "Yuanshi Tianzun, have you run out of yin corpses? To send a broad here—not much of a man, are you?" Watanabe Kichita and Onodera Yosuke laughed along. Kobe Ichiro, meanwhile, calmly observed Yuanshi Tianzun, making no move to stop the cadres' insolence. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Asano Ryo beside him. "What did he say?" With a conflicted expression, Asano Ryo translated it into Chinese, then whispered, "Vice Leader Furugori's personality is just like that. He isn't mocking you... Well, all right, he really is mocking you, but he doesn't harbor malice. Er, actually he does, but... but..." *But he's a Fire Specialist, and Fire Specialists are always this begging for a beating. I understand, though they're definitely trying to put me in my place a bit...* Zhang Yuanqing muttered internally. He raised a hand, signaling that she didn't need to explain. *A cliché negotiation tactic...* Zhang Yuanqing quietly produced his small megaphone and roared furiously into it, "Bakayaro!" The sudden shout gave everyone present quite a start. Zhang Yuanqing boomed: "We are about to undertake a mission that concerns the very future of the Thousand Cranes Group, yet here you are, drinking and carousing! Look at your debauched, uninhibited states—as the top brass of the Thousand Cranes Group, do you feel no shame?! "I take this operation with the utmost seriousness. To that end, for three whole days, I haven't touched a single drop of alcohol—drinking only cola every day! "As a warrior of noble character, I hold your conduct in utter contempt!" Having finished his scolding, he turned his head to Asano Ryo and said, "Translate that for them." At first, Asano Ryo was trembling with fear, dreading a clash between Yuanshi-kun and the Thousand Cranes Group cadres. But the more she listened, the more she felt that Yuanshi-kun truly was a warrior of noble character. She then loudly translated it into Japanese. The Thousand Cranes Group executives were stunned speechless. They opened their mouths to speak, but found themselves unable to utter a single word of rebuttal. These words were spoken with righteous indignation, seizing the moral high ground so firmly that no one could refute them—just like an impassioned shonen manga protagonist. The spacious room abruptly plunged into silence. Asano Ryo whispered, "Yuanshi-kun, you're amazing." *Amazing? I just learned it from watching anime...* Zhang Yuanqing deadpanned inwardly. "Ahem!" Kobe Ichiro cleared his throat and waved his hand. "All of you, out!" The musicians playing instruments in the corner and the women attending the tables all rose, bowed, and withdrew. The cadres also shed their dissolute demeanor, straightening up into formal kneeling postures. Once everyone had left, Kobe Ichiro asked in a heavy voice, "Yuanshi-kun, may we see the key?" "Of course!" Zhang Yuanqing lifted the backpack by his feet onto the table, unzipped it, and took out a jade plate the size of a bowl's rim. The eyes of the Thousand Cranes Group cadres locked onto it like screws pulled to a magnet, unable to look away. Kobe Ichiro let out a breath of relief, nodded in satisfaction, and asked, "Yuanshi-kun, do you know the legend of Takamagahara?" The vice leaders sat upright, each staring at the female yin corpse in sunglasses. None spoke, their gazes sharp and calm. *Here it comes. He's probing to see whether I know the hidden story behind the First Emperor sending Xu Fu across the sea... If I don't, they'll likely change their strategy and block me from entering Takamagahara...* After hearing Asano Ryo's translation, Zhang Yuanqing said calmly: "As a graduate of Capital City University, my knowledge of history and classical texts is fairly solid. I certainly recognize Qin Dynasty totems. Back then, the First Emperor sent Xu Fu to your islands because of a treasure here, wasn't it? And Xu Fu's reluctance to return to the Central Plains, staying here to become the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, was for the exact same reason." Kobe Ichiro exchanged glances with his vice leaders. Letting go of any lingering wishful thinking, he sighed with emotion. "The history books say that the First Emperor sent Xu Fu east across the sea to sacred isles in search of the elixir of immortality. That must be false, for both Xu Fu and the First Emperor have long since turned to dust." Once Asano Ryo translated, Zhang Yuanqing said in his raspy voice, "Leader Kobe, perhaps what the First Emperor sent Xu Fu to find really was the elixir of immortality." "If the elixir of immortality was real, how could Xu Fu still die? Did you actually study hard, top student from Capital City University?" The moment Asano Ryo finished translating, Furugori Magatsu mocked in a booming voice. The Fangshi Onodera Yosuke pushed up his glasses and said, "Furugori-kun, don't jump to conclusions so quickly. Let us hear Yuanshi-kun's profound insights." Seeing their eyes on him, Zhang Yuanqing spoke in a rough, strained voice, "Everyone here is a Saint; you should know about the existence of ancient cultivators through instances. Since ancient times, there have been no small number of demigods, yet has anyone seen a demigod live on into the present era? Why were those ancient cultivators unable to achieve longevity, perishing one after another?" Onodera Yosuke said slowly, "Demigods have a finite lifespan; they might live long, but they are not immortal. In addition, the spiritual energy of ancient times waned, gradually outstripped by consumption, so even demigods could not preserve their status and thus all perished." Zhang Yuanqing asked in response, "What if what the First Emperor sent Xu Fu to find was a treasure to survive the depletion of spiritual energy? To him, that would indeed be the elixir of immortality." Once Asano Ryo translated this, the cadres grew thoughtful. Kobe Ichiro nodded slightly and praised, "Yuanshi-kun makes a good point. Your vast knowledge of the Spirit Realm is truly admirable." Onodera Yosuke nodded repeatedly. "A fine angle. I shall write it into my paper." Straightening his posture, Kobe Ichiro said solemnly, "Ever since the Spirit Realm emerged, as Spirit Realm walkers attained higher levels and unearthed more and more secrets, walkers from both major regions discovered that the Spirit Realm traces back to the mythological era. To a certain extent, myths and legends reflect the history of ancient superpowered beings. "Thus, a century ago, the Thousand Cranes Group began studying our nation's mythology. Piecing together numerous clues, we concluded that the supreme Sun Goddess Amaterasu was in truth an ancient superpowered being, and that Takamagahara truly exists. "Yet Takamagahara was far too mysterious; no historical records documented its location. In myth and legend, it was an island floating on the sea and among the clouds. After years of research yielded nothing, dissenting voices gradually arose within the Thousand Cranes Group, arguing that Takamagahara had long since vanished into history or turned into a Spirit Realm instance, making the expenditure of manpower and resources to search for it foolish." He took a sip of sake and continued, "Because there was too much opposition and the times were turbulent, investigations into Takamagahara had to be suspended. It wasn't until 1955, when the key to Takamagahara was unearthed, that we could truly confirm Takamagahara exists in reality and has not returned to the Spirit Realm. "However, at that time, the entire Thousand Cranes Group had already fallen under the control of Heaven's Punishment, reduced to puppets. The leadership back then chose to bide their time, refraining from relaunching the plan to locate Takamagahara. "After decades of bitter perseverance, the Thousand Cranes Group step by step regained autonomy as Heaven's Punishment's grip weakened. The previous leader secretly initiated the plan to find Takamagahara. "Heaven rewards the diligent. After countless deductions and verifications, we found Takamagahara." Having said this, he waved his hand. The wooden door behind him slid open automatically, revealing a large courtyard. Inside lay a hot spring pool, with steam visibly rising even in midsummer. Zhang Yuanqing's gaze swept across the courtyard into the distance, where the magnificent Mount Fuji stood in plain view. Without turning around, Kobe Ichiro stared at Yuanshi Tianzun and said slowly, "The island floating upon the sea of clouds refers to Mount Fuji. The pristine white snow on the summit resembles the clouds in the sky." *It really is there...* Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Did you never think Takamagahara would be on Mount Fuji before?" "Ever since the previous generation, we have been surveying Mount Fuji. But it is simply too vast and holds extraordinary significance for our nation. Any investigation had to be cautious, all while keeping guard against Heaven's Punishment agents, so progress was exceptionally slow." Kobe Ichiro explained methodically, "One week ago, Watanabe-kun excavated Mount Fuji and finally discovered the legendary Takamagahara." Watanabe Kichita, the Mountain God, chimed in, "Inside the belly of the mountain, I found a gigantic stone carving about fifteen meters tall. It depicts a bird with three claws and a single eye. The eye socket is hollow, lacking an eyeball. Its size and patterns are identical to this—it is the bird's eye." His gaze fell upon the jade plate before Yuanshi Tianzun. Kobe Ichiro added, "We suspect that stone carving is the entrance to Takamagahara. As long as the eye is returned to its socket, the passage to Takamagahara will open." Zhang Yuanqing glanced over the food and wine on the tables and said, "I imagine the legendary Takamagahara must be far more enticing than these fine delicacies." He was reminding the Thousand Cranes Group cadres that it was time to move. Kobe Ichiro, however, remained seated upright, his expression turning solemn. "Yuanshi-kun, before entering Takamagahara, we need to agree on the terms of distribution. "The reward for retrieving the key has already been paid, so the Thousand Cranes Group must take the lion's share of whatever lies inside Takamagahara. I have made up my mind: the object desired by the First Emperor must belong to the Thousand Cranes Group. "If it is a resource, a portion can be shared with you. If it is an item, it must remain under the control of the Thousand Cranes Group, and we will compensate you accordingly—with one of the Three Sacred Treasures, for example." "Are you certain the Three Sacred Treasures are inside Takamagahara?" Zhang Yuanqing countered. "The Three Sacred Treasures that exist in the world today are ordinary mortal objects. If they truly possess the power described in myths, they must be items. Therefore, the authentic ones should be hidden in Takamagahara," Asano Ryo explained. Zhang Yuanqing nodded and said, "Agreed!" He wasn't afraid of the Thousand Cranes Group reneging, because if they dared break their word, he would immediately report everything to headquarters. From the Thousand Cranes Group's perspective, as long as they secured control of the treasure, conceding a reasonable share of benefits to appease Yuanshi Tianzun was thoroughly worth it. They were the ones most terrified of flipping the table. Besides, beyond claiming a share of the treasures, Zhang Yuanqing had another objective on this trip: investigating the connection between Takamagahara and the hidden quest at Qinfeng Academy. He had no desire to flip the table either. Without delay, Kobe Ichiro took out a brass book. This was an item of the Knight class, purchased by the Thousand Cranes Group from Heaven's Punishment at great expense. Under the witness of the brass book, both parties signed a covenant. Next, Kobe Ichiro and the others changed their clothes inside the room, disguised themselves as hiking tourists, left the hot spring inn together, and took vehicles to Mount Fuji. Though it was midsummer, the temperature at the 5th Station remained low, around five degrees Celsius. Along the way, Zhang Yuanqing saw numerous scenic spots, buildings, and an endless stream of tourists, with private cars and buses shuttling back and forth. *When I have time, maybe I could bring Auntie or Guan Ya here for fun...* he mused inwardly. Of course, he wasn't particularly keen on tourism; the thought merely crossed his mind and was promptly forgotten. As they climbed Mount Fuji, leaving the buildings and tourists behind, signs of human presence grew scarcer and scarcer. Once clear of the crowds, they no longer held back their speed, sprinting up the mountain at high velocity. The higher they ascended, the sparser the vegetation became. After ten-odd minutes, they stopped near the mountain's white-capped zone. Here, vegetation was entirely absent. As far as the eye could see, there was only dark brown soil and rocks. They had reached their destination. Squatting down, Watanabe Kichita, the Mountain God, said loudly, "I am going to open the passage now. We will likely plummet two to three hundred meters. A drop of that depth poses a serious challenge even for Saints, so everyone protect yourselves." As his words fell, the ground beneath their feet caved in, revealing a bottomless pit. Once all seven of them plummeted into it, the pit closed automatically, like a monster shutting its maw. Plunged into lightless blackness, falling rapidly, Furugori Magatsu hurled fireballs downward one after another, illuminating the pitch-black abyss and providing light for everyone. In the blink of an eye, the bottom of the passage was right before their eyes. Kobe Ichiro warned, "Get ready..." The Swordsman Ryuzaki Ichi drew his katana, preparing to use his weapon as an ice axe to slow his descent. The Fangshi Onodera Yosuke, somewhat flustered, pulled out a jetpack. Just as everyone was scrambling to prepare for landing, a dreadful howl erupted from the bottom of the pit as a terrifying gale blew upward. The chaotic, powerful currents countered the pull of gravity, allowing everyone to drift down gently like light leaves and land safely. *Whoosh!* Furugori Magatsu, the Fire Demon, raised his hand and ignited a fireball to dispel the darkness. Everyone looked at Yuanshi Tianzun's hands. There was no doubt this was an item belonging to the Wind Mage class. To whip up such a fierce wind, it was certainly of high quality. While the others scrutinized the Gale Walker Gloves, Zhang Yuanqing's gaze pierced the darkness, taking in the scene at the bottom of the pit. This was an enormous cavern where hard rock and layers of earth interlaced. Directly ahead stood a colossal stone carving: sprawling giant wings, three legs sprouting from its belly, and feathers carved like tongues of flame. It had only a single eye. The eye socket held no pupil, but rather a recessed circular hole whose interior patterns were identical to the disc. Beholding this statue, a mythical creature flashed across Zhang Yuanqing's mind: the three-legged golden crow. "Yuanshi-kun!" Kobe Ichiro stepped forward, standing side by side with him. "Open Takamagahara." Zhang Yuanqing uttered an assent. Taking the disc from the backpack, he dissolved into a dreamlike starlight and vanished. The starlight reconstituted atop the stone carving's head. *Star Escape? Isn't... isn't she a yin corpse?!* Seeing this, the faces of several leaders shifted slightly. Zhang Yuanqing held the disc, leaped into the stone statue's eye socket, and fitted the disc inside.