Chapter Sixteen: Infiltrating the Ise Grand Shrine

“Quick, get out of the way! That’s the leader of the Danzo Ghost Ninjas, Baye Soil of the Baye family!” A passerby, his face changing dramatically when he saw the man, hurriedly pulled the nearby pedestrians aside. “Baye Soil? Why is it him?” The rest of the crowd, retreating in haste, began to murmur among themselves. Zhang Xiao’s curiosity was piqued; he quietly extended his spiritual sense, eavesdropping on their conversation. He learned that the Baye family was a vassal clan of the Ise Grand Shrine. With the grand festival of the Ise Shrine about to begin, all the subordinate families were scrambling to offer their rare treasures, eager to be the first to present their tribute and thus demonstrate their loyalty. The Baye family was no exception, and that urgent rush was precisely to seize the honor of being first.

As Zhang Xiao absorbed this information, his mind was already racing. The Ise Shrine, in preparation for the upcoming ritual, had gathered countless precious artifacts. There was a chance that the Celestial Cauldron he sought might be among them. The thought filled him with excitement, yet he remained clear-headed. The Ise Shrine, after all, stood as one of the spiritual pillars of the island nation, sharing its influence with the He clan’s shrine. Its depths were unfathomable; it was not a place he could simply barge into. Surely, many ancient monsters lay hidden within. If he rashly forced his way in, he might end up in the grasp of one such being, and even if he survived, he’d be lucky to escape with his skin intact.

These considerations furrowed Zhang Xiao’s brow. Just as he was fretting over how to infiltrate the Ise Shrine, a group of people hurried past, one of them announcing, “Let’s go! I heard the ceremony this time is especially grand, and the shrine is recruiting extra hands for odd jobs. Hurry, or we’ll miss our chance!” At these words, Zhang Xiao’s face lit up with joy. After coaxing Ziyan into the talisman, he used his divine step technique and arrived in an instant a few miles from the Ise Shrine. Gazing up at the grand halls perched atop the distant mountains, he concealed all his spiritual energy within, not leaking a trace. With his secret artifact, the Ring of Heaven’s Veil, even the ancient monsters awakened since the great transformation would be hard-pressed to notice him without deliberate scrutiny. Once his cultivation was properly hidden, he joined the stream of people heading up the mountain toward the shrine.

The path was crowded with both vassal families and many commoners, all hoping to serve as menial laborers within the shrine. Though these were merely odd jobs, for most it would be an enormous stroke of fortune to serve at the Ise Shrine. Zhang Xiao followed the crowd to the mountain gate, where the people divided into two groups: those holding official invitation cards—the vassal families—and those aspiring to be hired as humble servants. Each group had their own reception, though the treatment was markedly different. A short, stout priest, his face disgruntled, led Zhang Xiao and the others inside, grumbling, “Hmph, you fools think you can just join the Ise Shrine? That depends on fate. Let me tell you, this is the domain of the Sun Goddess herself. If any of you prove yourselves and pass the trial, even the lord of a city will bow respectfully to you first...”

The priest went on, singing the praises of the shrine’s power, while Zhang Xiao and the rest could do nothing but smile obsequiously, whether sincerely or not. As they wound down a path into the depths of the shrine, Zhang Xiao suddenly felt a jolt in his heart, elation surging within. The Celestial Cauldron was indeed inside the Ise Shrine! He followed the sensation, but it seemed the cauldron was shielded by some barrier—he could sense its general location but not its precise whereabouts. Still, there was no rush; as long as he could blend into the shrine, he was bound to find it eventually. With this in mind, he obediently continued after the stout priest.

“Brother Higashida!” Suddenly, a man in white priestly robes strode by, calling out to the short priest. The stout priest, addressed as Higashida, immediately put on a sycophantic smile and hurried over. “Ah, Senior Muraki! How may I serve you?” This man, Muraki Shusei, was a core disciple of the shrine, far above a menial laborer like Higashida. Naturally, Higashida seized the chance to ingratiate himself.

Muraki, evidently pleased with Higashida’s attitude, waved his hand. “Brother Higashida, are these the new applicants for menial labor?” Higashida quickly clarified, “They haven’t passed the trial yet, Senior Muraki, so not exactly. Is your department shorthanded? I can arrange something at once.” Muraki shook his head. “No time for that—the master requires help urgently. I’ll pick a few and you’ll report their names as if they’ve passed the trial.” Higashida hesitated—such a breach of rules was risky. But Muraki was favored by the elders; to offend him would be far worse. After weighing his options, Higashida replied, “Of course, Senior. It will be their good fortune to be chosen by you.” At Higashida’s order, Zhang Xiao and the others stood in a line.

Muraki scrutinized them one by one, occasionally asking a question. Faces everywhere shone with excitement. When he came to Zhang Xiao, he seemed unimpressed by his utterly ordinary appearance, but still asked, “What are your skills?” Zhang Xiao already had an answer prepared. Infiltrating the shrine was imperative, and if he could skip the trial, all the better. He replied, “My humble family used to run a herbal shop. I wouldn’t claim to know every herb, but I have some experience.” The role of a herbalist’s apprentice was valuable everywhere, likely to catch Muraki’s interest.

Indeed, Muraki’s eyes lit up. Producing a medicinal herb from somewhere, he handed it to Zhang Xiao. “Can you identify the properties of this plant?” Zhang Xiao examined the herb—it was merely a common silver bellflower, but one that had only appeared after the great transformation. He couldn’t simply state its name, lest he arouse suspicion. So, following traditional methods, he scrutinized the plant and replied, “I’ve never seen this particular herb, but it must be cooling in nature and somewhat poisonous.” Zhang Xiao’s identification was both conventional and accurate, pleasing Muraki greatly. “Excellent. What is your name?”

“Sakura Kuraido,” Zhang Xiao answered promptly with the alias he had devised. With a satisfied smile, Muraki selected Zhang Xiao from the group, then picked four others and led them to another wing of the shrine. Watching Zhang Xiao depart, Higashida’s eyes brimmed with envy. He had not expected to spot such talent today. Skilled herbalists were in short supply at the shrine, and someone like Sakura Kuraido would surely be valued by the alchemy department, enjoying far better treatment than a mere menial like himself. All Higashida could do was envy him now.

Muraki led Zhang Xiao and the others through twisting corridors until they reached a courtyard thick with the scent of herbs. Distributing the other four among his fellow disciples, Muraki kept Zhang Xiao with him and brought him to a secluded laboratory. “Boy, this is the heart of the Ise Shrine’s alchemical department. I see you know your herbs—assist me here, and if you do well, I might even take you as a disciple!” Zhang Xiao nearly laughed at Muraki’s audacity; he could see at a glance that Muraki was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage—a novice, really—yet he dared to offer mentorship. Still, Zhang Xiao put on a show of gratitude, bowing deeply. “Thank you, Master Immortal, thank you!”

Muraki tossed him a book and instructed him to sort a pile of herbs according to the text. This was a trivial task for Zhang Xiao, but he deliberately kept a low profile, methodically comparing each herb to the illustrations. Muraki, not hovering over him, would only occasionally check in, quickly reassured by Zhang Xiao’s diligence. Thus, three days passed in a flash. Muraki was evidently very satisfied with Zhang Xiao’s performance, often offering him guidance—advice that Zhang Xiao, in his mind, found laughable, though he outwardly appeared eager and respectful.

Suddenly, a deep drumbeat echoed from outside. Muraki emerged from his room and said, “The festival is about to begin. Gather the elixir I prepared and follow me to the shrine.” He handed Zhang Xiao a jade box and strode out. Zhang Xiao’s eyes gleamed as he fell in behind, carrying the box. Closer—closer still! With every step, he felt the presence of the Celestial Cauldron draw nearer. If he could only seize the cauldron by surprise and use the talisman to teleport back to the Xuantian Sanctuary, not even the ancient monsters could stop him.

His mind raced through possible tactics as he followed Muraki to the grand hall. There, Muraki instructed him to wait outside until called. Zhang Xiao joined a number of others, all standing quietly with jade boxes in their arms—apprentices like himself, waiting for their summons.