Volume 5
Chapter 5 Part
1
Complexity and
Trickery, Friend-Fishing in the Lees 1
Translator : PolterGlast
—Dongling Province, Qingdao.
The morning after
Akira and the others were attacked, Rindō Saki walked through the morning
market with a gloomy expression.
Each time her sailor-like
sleeves fluttered, the curious gazes of the men passing by focused on her.
Dōgyō Sonomi, walking
beside her, gave a wry smile at the girl's shrinking shoulders.
"You sure are
popular, Saki-san."
"It's not me, but
my Western clothes that are unusual. Sonomi-san, you seem to be used to
Qingdao."
"No? This is my
first time."
"...You seem to
be quite adept at wearing that, though."
Saki glanced at
Sonomi, who was wearing a qipao, which was a common sight in Qingdao.
There was no flaw in
the way she put the clothes together, and one could tell that the girl was used
to wearing them.
"—My father often
brought back qipaos as souvenirs, so I'm just trying to make it look like I'm
not uncomfortable."
"I knew about the
Dōgyō family's role, but I didn't realize it was on such a large scale.
In Takamagahara, who
knows about..."
Instead of clarifying
Saki's doubts, Sonomi called out to a nearby stall.
Through the steam
rising from a large pot, a large number of brown boiled eggs could be seen.
Neither of them had
eaten breakfast yet. Saki and Sonomi's cheeks were drawn wider by the sweet
aroma that hit their empty stomachs.
"What's
this?"
"It's tea eggs.
How about one? My secret five-spice powder is something I'm very proud
of."
"Give me two,
please. How much is it?"
"Ah, paper money
won't do. Payment in copper coins is the rule."
The old shopkeeper's
hand stopped Sonomi from taking out her paper money. The girl's hand retreated
into her pocket at the old man's sullen expression.
"Paper money
can't be used? Can't I use it at another stall?"
"Well...at least
not around here."
Sonomi, who had been
speaking fluently, frowned at the conversation. When she offered copper coins
instead, the shopkeeper's expression softened, and he handed her a bowl of tea
eggs.
"Here you go.
It's called tea eggs."
"Thank you."
After a short thank
you, Saki and Sonomi ate the eggs with chopsticks made from bamboo sticks.
At the same time as
the aroma of something similar to sencha, the sweet and savory taste of the egg
spread throughout their mouths.
―The nostalgic flavor slid down their throats along
with the heat.
"This is the
first time I've tasted this, but it's like I've eaten it somewhere
before..."
"The eggs aren't
chicken eggs. The aroma is...sweet tea, perhaps? It's one of the few sweets
that children can eat."
"Sweet tea. Now
that you mention it, it does smell like it."
While enjoying the
addictive taste, which will take some time to get used to, Saki looked in the
direction of the sea breeze.
In the distance, a seagull
puffed out its throat on a nearby roof, probably claiming its territory.
"My father, or
rather, the head of the Dōgyō family, has a saying: 'To get to know a place,
first eat the food sold at the stalls.' "
"In the local
language? You seem to be quite familiar with it as well."
"It is my
family's business, so it was drilled into me.
In negotiations,
language is a weapon, but it does not mean that you can tell when someone is
lying. ...In that respect, food that is distributed to the common people can't
be faked."
Phew. Sonomi lowered
her gaze as they both let out a thin stream of steam from their mouths.
They had finished
confirming the situation from last night, including the damage.
The traces were clear.
But considering that repairs had already begun, it was safe to assume that the
Yuzenma Sect was in control.
"...This egg is
also an example. The shopkeeper said that he used five-spice powder as a secret
ingredient."
Five-spice powder is a
common spice used in Tsonma.
Star anise, Sichuan
pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and fennel. All of these are specialties of this
country, gathered from all over Tsonma.
"As Dai Tian
Lingying testified, the Yuzenma Sect, or Qingdao, is in a state of isolation
from Tsonma.
―Currently, five-spice powder should be a valuable
spice."
"It's also used
in the tea eggs we're eating now, right?"
"Yes." This
fact implies one thing.
"Supply is
starting to catch up with demand. I suspect that they have restored their
alliance with one of the Six Sects. —And conversely,"
"Akira-kun was
suspicious of the relationship between the Yuzenma Sect and Rondaria."
Sonomi smiled faintly
at Saki's response.
She took out the paper
money she had tried to pay with earlier.
"As expected.
...This is the Qingdao Dollar, which was in circulation until a few months ago.
It was a guarantee
issued only in Qingdao, but now it's being rejected in most places."
"Instead,
Sonomi-san, you paid with copper coins.
Those are..."
"They are
officially issued currency in Tsonma. ...The Qingdao Dollar is still
circulating for trade negotiations, but it's only a matter of time before it
disappears from the stalls."
Sonomi gave her
conclusion to Saki, who was following the elaborate pattern of the paper money
with her eyes.
Paper money is often
seen as equivalent to currency, but as Sonomi said, it's essentially just a
guarantee. What supports it is credit itself.
The Dōgyō family,
which mainly operates overseas, does not have distribution channels in the
inland areas of Takamagahara, but in reality, it is one of the wealthiest
families in the Eastern Continent.
Sonomi, who had been
educated as its heir for a long time, stated to Saki.
"Sonomi-san, you
called the Qingdao Dollar a guarantee earlier."
"Yes. The Qingdao
Dollar is guaranteed by Rondaria.
In other words, this
is also a map of power based on credit."
For Tsonma, Qingdao is
the gateway to the outside world, just like Kamotsu in Takamagahara.
Since they can't
afford to let the economy collapse, the further down the line it goes, the more
the current state of affairs comes to the fore.
"Let's change the
subject.
About Tsonma's
technique, it was Five Qi Harmonization, right?"
"Yes. It's a
training method to increase spirit power. I can't believe there's such a
convenient technique."
"I only know the
name. ...And the reason why it fell out of use.
―Saki-san, have you ever seen spirit techniques of
other countries?"
"To a certain
extent, when we fought against Vansuir."
"Try to remember.
What your opponents used were techniques like Aragamioroshi or internal energy,
right?"
Saki nodded in
response to Sonomi's words.
As she said, what the
Vansuir inquisitors had shown was a technique similar to body enhancement.
The only techniques
close to external energy were the divine artifact or Benedetta's magic. She had
never seen a pure external energy technique.
"It's a trivial
piece of information that only the Dōgyō family knows even among the Eight
Families.
The prototype of
spirit techniques originated in Tsonma, but it developed rapidly after it was
brought to Takamagahara."
"Akira told me
that Dai Tian Lingying used external energy without any weapons."
"That's the
important point. They abandoned Five Qi Harmonization in order to use spirit
techniques.
Saki-san, you know
that using spirit techniques with your bare hands will cause them to explode,
right?"
Saki nodded in
response to Sonomi's question, which was a matter of common sense.
Spirit techniques can
only be used with a spirit weapon as a medium.
This is because one's
vessel, the soul, cannot withstand the impact of converting spirit power into
external energy.
The benefit of Five Qi
Harmonization is the strengthening of one's vessel.
"...So that's
what it means. You strengthen your vessel so that you can withstand the recoil
of spirit techniques."
"The idea itself
is simple. The goal of the Six Sects of Tsonma is to guide people to
immortality. Spirit techniques are just a byproduct, and all goals are focused
on that one point."
"Was the reason
why Tsonma didn't focus on spirit techniques because it was a discarded
technique for them?"
"On the contrary,
for Takamagahara, the practice of Five Qi Harmonization is of little use.
Even if you
temporarily strengthen your vessel, it doesn't mean that your spirit will
sublimate."
In essence, it's a
matter of choosing between rationality and irrationality.
The soul, which is
spirit, and the body, which is its vessel. Even if the body (self) is somewhat
strengthened, the essential output of the soul (spirit) remains unchanged.
Spirit (soul) vessel
(body) is a well-used phrase.
It is just that the
purpose is different from that of TakamagaharaIt is just that the purpose is
different from that of Takamagahara, which seeks spirit techniques (external energy)..
"Isn't being able
to use spirit techniques with your bare hands an advantage?"
"I'm not saying
it's meaningless, but no matter how much you train, it's still just a human
vessel. It can't match the strength of spirit steel.
Besides, from Tsonma's
perspective, Takamagahara has become an unacceptable existence."
Sonomi spoke
eloquently as she sat down at a small table set up in a corner of the morning
market.
Saki sat next to her,
keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
"Is that the
reason why Tsongma and Takamagahara broke off diplomatic relations?"
"It's only one of
the reasons, but it certainly contributes to a large extent.
The immortals that
Tsonma seeks are those who have mastered their vessels (bodies) to the utmost.
...In other words, it's about those who have reached the top of the divine
pillar through a method different from that of demigods."
"Is the goal of
the Six Sects of Tsonma to create a truly artificial Kanna-no-Mikura?"
"That's right.
—The people they looked down on reached their ultimate goal using the methods
they had discarded.
...From their
perspective, we are traitors who are difficult to accept."
The creation of an
artificial Kanna-no-Mikura. Saki pondered, understanding Tsonma's ambition,
which was beyond human capacity.
Beside her, Sonomi
lowered her voice.
"Akira-san said
that the number of Rondarians in Qingdao has decreased."
"If Akira's
observation is correct, almost all of them should have left Qingdao."
"...My father
checked the harbor, and there were indeed no Rondarian ships to be seen.
The few Westerners
left are probably from other countries or are unaware of the situation."
Something is
happening. Something close to a conspiracy related to Qingdao.
Moreover, those who
seem to know the situation have all fled somewhere.
"—It's about time
for Akira-kun to have a meeting with the Yuzenma Sect."
"Let's hope
things go well. I'm tired of waiting like bait."
"That being said,
I don't have the confidence to make the meeting successful."
In response to
Sonomi's complaint, Saki concluded shortly.
They smiled at each
other, agreeing on the same point.
Apart from the
bustling morning market, a tense atmosphere dominated the area where the girls
were sitting.
♢
Akira, who had parted
ways with Saki, went to the city of Qingdao with Lingying and the others.
Perhaps it was because
she knew the place and knew where she was going. Naturally, Li Fengjun took the
lead.
After entering the
city for a while. Unlike the high-rise buildings in the harbor area, Tsonma's
buildings continued to stand in a row.
"There's no sign
that there was a war with Rondaria around here."
"The damage from
the Qingdao war was mainly concentrated in the harbor.
Rondaria's capital was
poured into the reconstruction of the port, so the trend is probably more
noticeable there.
I don't know where the
Yuzenma Sect's ears are, so it's time to switch to the Tsongma language.
—You can speak the Tsongma language, right?"
Lingying threw a
meaningful line at Akira, who was looking around like a tourist.
He had expected
Lingying to make that request since it was exposed to Li Fengjun.
"...Is this okay?
I can only understand everyday conversation, though.
Don't expect anything
complicated."
"It's good
enough.
If it's you, you'll
learn as you listen anyway."
Akira shrugged and
spoke in an awkward tone. There was no problem with the sound of the
conversation, but Fengjun responded.
"I'm curious,
when did you learn it?
You only decided to go
to Tsonma half a month ago, and I don't remember you understanding our language
before that."
"The sound of the
words is similar to Takamagahara, so I can roughly figure out how to use them.
The grammar is also
similar to the syntax of mantras. It's just a matter of applying them."
"...Normally,
it's an anomaly. But in this case, I am thankful. Minimum interpretation is
fine."
"Let me remind
you, if unexpected phrases are used, I will be at my wit's end.
I almost made a fool
of myself because of that."
Since the characters
used in Takamagahara are derived from Tsonma, there are some words that have
the same characters but different usages.
Fengjun, who was
leading the way, turned around to Akira.
"Don't worry.
I'll interpret anything you need. But more importantly, from here on, do
everything you can to hide the fact that you're related to Takamagahara."
"I don't intend
to, but I'll ask just in case. ...Why?"
For some reason, there
was no sign of anyone around.
Fengjun, who was
heading straight for what seemed to be a dead end, opened the door of a shop
towering in front of him.
Ignoring the presence
of people that spilled out from the door, Fengjun walked inside.
It was probably a
restaurant. They passed through a narrow space filled with tables and
customers, and went into the kitchen.
Although they must
have noticed Akira and the others, they didn't stop them, only a few people
glanced at them.
They went further into
the back. Ignoring the hustle and bustle from the main street through the
latticed window, Akira and the others followed Fengjun.
"It's the Moli
family of the Yuzenma Sect, —especially the sect leader, Tao, who suffered
greatly in the Qingdao war. I don't think he'll accept anyone from
overseas."
"I heard that it
was also the decision of the sect leader to sever ties with the other five
sects. If it's just a meeting with Li Haoran, who is an executive..."
"—That's
unlikely. We seem to have gone into the spirit realm."
"Spirit
realm?"
Akira muttered
gloomily at Lingying's optimistic prediction. It was the same as Shuka's Bankyū
Daigaran and Genrei's Kuroyōden. Akira intuitively understood that they had
stepped into the depths that led to the sacred realm where the divine pillar
resided.
Beyond the latticed
window was the main street, but in reality, they were separated by a distance
that they couldn't reach even if they stretched out their hands.
They had been cut off
from reality and were now submerged in the sacred realm.
To hold a meeting near
the sacred realm was an implied request to open their hearts to each other.
Having shown them this
much, it would be strange if the sect leader who ruled the Yuzenma Sect didn't
appear.
—No. There was something else that bothered him.
"I heard that the
Yuzenma Sect guards a wind hole."
"Yes, the only
dragon den in Tsonma is in Kunlun. ...What about it?"
"A wind hole,
which is just a gathering place for dragon veins, wouldn't normally be this
big.
The Yuzenma Sect
worships a local deity, right?"
"It should be the
same as the Shinkentenkyo..."
"—I can't believe
that someone who is like the Heavenly Sect's minion noticed it before the head
family."
Lingying's bewildered
voice was drowned out by the sound of the wind blowing from the back of the
passage.
It was Li Haoran's
arrogant reply, which they had heard last night as well.
"That's right.
What is worshiped here is not a local deity. It is a new great divine pillar
that has risen to the top of the divine pillars."
Suddenly, immense
divine power pressed down on them, stopping them in their tracks.
From the darkness in
the back, Haoran glared at Akira and the others.
"You are in the
presence of Princess Yingmei. Kneel down and show your respect, you lowly
ones."
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