Chapter 379: 148. Nine-tailed Fox and Snow Woman_2
At this moment, the reconstruction project at Asakusa Shrine was nearing completion, with no workers continuing on the construction.
After entering through the torii gate, there was a flat approach path, stone lanterns, Mountain Child God Envoy, a sailor’s house, and other facilities all in place. The worship hall, Kaguraden, treasure hall, and offices had also been rebuilt.
Yukino Ritsuko followed the trail of demonic power, crossing over the main area of the shrine to arrive at the backyard.
Between the front and back yards was a broad lake, with two hundred lanterns hanging along its banks. On the artificial hill in the lake stood three iron-cast cranes, one elegantly bowing its neck, and two gazing skyward.
However, in this newly rejuvenated shrine, there was still an area that seemed out of place.
The place was overgrown with grass, heat accumulating, and filled with the remnants of collapsed buildings. The entrance was discreetly set back, with other directions blocked by walls. As soon as one stepped inside, it felt as if they had stepped into a desolate place, sending a chill down their spine.
Yukino Ritsuko knew this was the site of the ruins of Asakusa Shrine.
She quietly entered the courtyard, concentrating her attention.
The entire area was overshadowed by farm trees, with the loud chirping of summer cicadas. There were collapsed corridors in the ruins of the houses, with a well amidst the dense wild grass, its edges lined by a square stone wall.
Although it was the height of summer, this area was peculiarly dark, filled with the smell of decaying food.
At this moment, the cicada’s chorus suddenly stopped, and the surroundings fell into a silent calm.
Yukino Ritsuko held her breath.
Before her eyes, beside the ancient well, there was an animal resembling a fox.
Why say resembling?
Compared to an ordinary fox, this one’s face was somewhat rounded, not as pointed as a fox’s.
Compared to a fox, Yukino Ritsuko felt it resembled a Samoyed more closely.
Throughout the standoff, its eyes were fixed on her.
Those eyes were more like those of a wise human than a fox.
Ah, it’s this one... Yukino Ritsuko’s mind recalled who this was.
Time flowed as slowly as oil, sweat slipped down from her temples. Suddenly, that white fox revealed a smile as if it were human, seemingly about to pounce as it leaped up, its nine tails dancing in the air.
A fox demon was a large and powerful group.
Generally, the number of tails represented a fox demon’s strength. Nine tails were the strongest among ordinary fox demons. Beyond nine tails were the Heavenly Fox and Sky Fox. At this level, the number of tails no longer determined the fox demon’s power. The Heavenly Fox had only four tails; for example, when Tamamo Mae first came to Japan, she had nine tails, but upon evolving into a Heavenly Fox, she had only four. The biggest difference from ordinary fox demons was that the eyes of a Heavenly Fox were golden clairvoyant eyes with the ability to see through various things.
As for the Sky Fox, they have no tails and appear in human form, though their ears remain those of a fox. Sky Foxes are Great Divine Foxes over 3000 years old, gods with complete divinity.
Yukino Ritsuko recognized this nine-tailed fox before her.
Her name was Yayako, the faithful servant of the Heavenly Fox Tamamo Mae and a former subordinate of Mrs. Furukawa.
The fox, airborne, swiftly transformed into the form of a Fox Girl.
Before landing, her eyes shifted, fixing on a nearby crow.
Without a second thought, she twisted her palm and set up a demonic power barrier to block sight and sound.
"Caw caw—"
The Dark Crow cursed furiously.
This fox is abominable, what’s so impressive about the Demon King, believe it or not, I’ll call back the young master to pluck all your fur... Wait, did you say this is an old acquaintance of Miss Yukino’s, so Miss Yukino is a monster too...
Inside the barrier.
With white fur, blood-red pupils, and a fluffy large tail... the fox demon looked at Yukino Ritsuko with eyes full of pity, as if she had known her long ago.
"A Snow Woman, huh." She landed on the ground with an enchanting grace.
"What are you doing here?" Yukino Ritsuko took a step back as a cold mist rapidly enveloped her body.
Snowflakes gathered under the summer sun, an icy wind gusted through the air, and in an instant, a faint figure emerged from the cold mist. She had blue eyes and silver hair, blue eyes carrying a subtle sense of sorrow, coldly gazing at the Fox Girl.
"Why are you here?" Yayako said with a mocking smile.
Out of the cold mist emerged a snow-like figure.
Her already pale complexion became even more translucent, with faint veins visible. Her slender body was covered in white frost, with even her eyelashes, lips, and hair ends invaded by frost, making her look all the more fragile.
"I know the owner of this place." Yukino Ritsuko said coldly.
Her voice had the texture of ice colliding, with the charm of a female voice.
"I know the owner of this place as well." Yayako suddenly broke into a smile.
In an instant, air currents surged, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, white feathers glistening in the sunlight, and her fluffy tail swaggered proudly in the air current.
"Hmm?"
Yukino Ritsuko tilted her head curiously, blinking those clear blue eyes.
For a moment, Yayako’s heart skipped a beat, as she silently cried out in her mind: Cute, simply adorable, the Snow Woman is definitely the cutest monster in the world!
"You know him?" Yukino Ritsuko curiously pursued the question.
The once tense atmosphere seemed to have completely dissipated with her naturally perplexed inquiry.
Feeling an inability to engage in conflict, Yayako returned to human form, lazily shrugging her shoulders, "He sketched a drawing for me, and I haven’t paid for it yet."
"I thought you came to cause trouble." Yukino Ritsuko let out a sigh of relief.