Chapter 846: Ise Province
Ise Province was the core region of Fenglin. But now, it bore the chaotic aftermath of a great war.
Before the Daoist Order personally intervened, the Chancellor’s Office had already fought a fierce battle with the Sonno-joi faction. The former Kampaku, Toyotomi Hidesugu, died unexpectedly while personally leading a campaign against them. Otherwise, such a high-ranking regent would not have been so easily assassinated.
After Toyotomi Hidesugu’s unexpected death, the Chancellor’s Office was forced to retreat in haste. Internal strife soon erupted over succession, shifting their stance from offense to defense. Due to this internal turmoil, even their home base, Xiujing, was left riddled with holes and infiltrated heavily by the Sonno-joi faction.
The battlefield of Ise Province was now strewn with corpses.
With the collapse of order, bandits ran rampant.
Due to the unique nature of Fenglin, even the living could transform into ghosts and demons out of resentment, so what of the dead? As a result, Ise Province was now overrun with spirits, resembling a ghostly kingdom, terrifying in every way.
The ghosts and spirits affected the living, causing many humans to undergo strange changes. Though they might appear normal on the surface, dark thoughts were silently growing within them, waiting for the right moment to take root and flourish, eventually turning them into ghostly or monstrous beings.
Fortunately, the Cult of Fates had yet to extend its reach into Fenglin. If it had, the undead army would have swept across the entire land within just a few years.
On this front, there was an unspoken consensus between all parties. Whether it was the shinkan of the Tenmon Sect or the Onmyoji of Onmyodo, they all entered Ise Province to begin exorcising evil.
It was precisely for this reason that the Sage Qingwei sent the Onmyoji from the Tsuchimikado clan as emissaries, posing as exorcists. Even Ise-jingu did not suspect them at first. Unfortunately, the Tsuchimikado Onmyoji botched the mission due to their own faults, and on their way back, they were exposed, alerting the Ise-jingu and creating major complications for those who followed.
In the end, the Tsuchimikado clan got what they deserved, earning Sage Qingwei’s criticism that they were unfit for important duties.
Within the Daoist hierarchy, this was a harsh condemnation. Once labeled as such, rising through the ranks again would be near impossible. After the rebellion was quelled, some would soar, and some would be purged. The Tsuchimikado clan, now deemed unfit for service, would not be purged but would certainly be sidelined.