Chapter 900: The Three Noble Children
Qi Xuansu once again came to Mount Suzuka. The difference was that last time, he had come sneaking around. When he reached Anno County, he summoned Master Wan, stirred up chaos, and essentially rampaged his way through.
This time, Qi Xuansu arrived in a grand manner, riding a flying ship to Mount Suzuka. The Daoist Order had completely secured control of the skies, leaving the Sonno-joi faction powerless to resist.
Mount Suzuka had changed drastically. The villages and towns at the foot of the mountain had been converted into military camps. Suzuka Gozen remained in her shrine, still recovering from injuries and unable to leave the mountain for the time being. Qi Xuansu first paid her a visit, taking the chance to ask about the matter of demonic fire. True to her centuries of experience, Suzuka Gozen did know certain inside information.
In the shrine’s backyard was a man-made pond, its banks lined with river stones, directly facing the outer veranda of the shrine.
The veranda was supported by wooden posts about 30 centimeters above the ground, with eaves overhead to shelter from rain.
The two sat together on the veranda.
Qi Xuansu sat in the Central Plains manner. He did not remove his shoes and sat cross-legged with his hands resting upon his knees. Since Suzuka Gozen’s robe was loose and its neckline was rather low, Qi Xuansu kept his gaze straight ahead at the pond in the distance, upright and solemn.
Suzuka Gozen’s posture was far more casual and unrestrained, neither kneeling in the Fenglin style nor sitting cross-legged. Instead, she folded her left leg beneath her, bent her right knee upward, braced the ground behind her with her left hand, and rested her right wrist upon her raised knee, looking like a free-spirited, bold Jianghu heroine. After all, she had once been the great bandit Tate Eboshi, and many habits were etched in her bones, unchanged even after becoming Suzuka Gozen.
Between them sat a teapot and two teacups. To be served tea personally by Suzuka Gozen was an honor few in Fenglin could claim. Qi Xuansu, however, was something of an exception. Even Madam Qi, who was also a Pseudo-Immortal, had once baked him mooncakes.
Qi Xuansu held the teacup in his hands without drinking. “Aobozu said there is a demonic fire beneath Mount Fuyo. Since Himiko-no-Mikoto also symbolizes fire, is there any connection between the two?”