juvenile onmyoji

There was already an air of autumn in the courtyard.The sky is high and crisp, and it seems that the sky is clear and bright every day.

Sitting in the classroom of Ise Shrine, Riko rested her chin and looked out of the window while listening to the teacher explain the formal maiden assessment procedures.

"First of all, this is a matter of will." Teacher Xi said, "Everyone has been studying at Ise Jingu Shrine for a while. I basically understand what witches do. They are servants of gods and also bridges between gods and humans. No Those who are willing to participate in the assessment can withdraw. After participating in the assessment, they can no longer withdraw. If the assessment is successful, they will be distributed to various shrines."

"Did we choose the shrine ourselves?" someone asked.

The teacher made a serious face, "Is there any reason for a servant to choose a master? The gods choose which shrine to go to."

"Then is there someone who didn't look at her with any god, and then didn't let her be a witch?" Someone asked worriedly.

"This kind of situation is too rare, anyway, I haven't heard of it." Professor Xi said, "Basically, anyone who has obtained the qualification of a priestess will be assigned a shrine."

The girls breathed a sigh of relief.If the day comes when the gods choose you, and no god chooses you, that would be a shame.But everyone is most willing to go to Ise Shrine.After all, I have studied here for so long, and I still have to learn from it.More importantly, the shrine is higher than the shrine level.

Lizi looked away from the window and looked at Professor.

Hey, then can she stay in Ise Shrine?After all, she had a relationship with the god Mingzhao God enshrined in Ise Shrine.God Amaterasu should also be willing to pick someone he is familiar with, right?

"The results of the assessment are also very important," the teacher said again, "Just think about it, which god would choose a witch with poor grades?"

The girls who had just shown joyful expressions immediately lowered their faces.

"Then let me talk about the content of the assessment." The teacher said, "In addition to the written test, it is a trial. The written test will test simple yin and yang skills and Chinese characters. The test will test Kagura dance, prayers and illusions."

"When I mention the illusion, my neck hurts." Matsushima Rainbow, who lost his head because of the red leaves last time, couldn't help touching his neck.There was a sudden burst of laughter in the hall, which temporarily washed away everyone's fear of the assessment.

The teacher also showed a faint smile, "Well, it's different from last time. This time we have shrunk down the land of the phantom, and there will be a priestess supervisor in every phantom. That kind of thing will never happen again."

"Okay, those who decide to take the assessment when get out of class is over can sign up. For the time being, those who don't want to participate but want to continue studying don't need to sign up. Let's think about it."

As soon as the teaching words were finished, the classroom suddenly became a mess.Everyone is hiring people to talk about the exam.

"Will you participate?" Yuan Chuyue turned to Lizi and asked.

"Well, I'd like to join, but I've only just come to study..."

"Oh, it's just that little thing," Yuan Chuyue waved his hand, "and your yin and yang skills are so good. Last time your big spider shocked the whole of Heian-kyo. Now that ghost-eating flower is still planted in the street. Yin-yang The adults in Liao couldn't solve the ghost eye problem. They just let the flower stay there."

"If you don't have a shrine to want you like this, even I don't believe it."

"Will you take part in the assessment?" Lizi asked.

"Yes." Yuan Chuyue said, "If I fail the exam, my father will definitely say that I have embarrassed Genji. So, recently I decided to prepare well."

"By the way, speaking of it, why haven't I seen Hatsune-sama for so long? I didn't even see you when I went to Kamo's house to attend the Yin-Yang class." Lizi asked.

"Eh? Didn't I tell you? He went to Harima." Yuan Chuyue said.

"Harima?" Riko was slightly taken aback, remembering that Harima is the school of Onmyoji second only to Kamo.Known as a folk treasure.Harima was also the one who took her there first when she was taken out of Sanjing by Master Seimei.I also met several Harima-style onmyojis there.

"You should know about the Onmyoji Trial Conference every three years, right?" Yuan Chuyue said in a low voice.

"I know." Riko nodded, she heard it in Harima.

"Then you must know that the last item of their competition will be attended by witches."

"I don't know." Li Zi shook her head, she asked softly with some surprise, "Isn't it a competition between Onmyoji?"

"That's right," Yuan Chuyue said, "But usually, the Onmyoji is performing tasks, and there are some special tasks that require the participation of witches."

"Such as communicating with gods, or talking with spirits. This is the last competition. Every two onmyojis bring a priestess. In order for my brother to get a good ranking, my father sent him to study with a very powerful onmyoji in Harima gone."

She paused for a moment and said softly, "I must pass the priestess assessment this time, and strive to participate with my brother that time."

"So that's how it is," Li Zi nodded, "I also want to work hard to pass the assessment and become an official shrine maiden." In this way, I can participate with Master Seimei.

When she got home, she wasn't sitting loosely on the porch chatting with Suzaku unlike usual.Instead, take out the talisman paper and start practicing.She only knows three kinds of spells now, the Wind Control Talisman, the Thunder Control Talisman and the Lighting Talisman.

These are relatively rudimentary spells.Miko will not learn spells that are too difficult to learn.Because it will lead to headwinds.That is to say, people with low spiritual power forcibly try high-level yin and yang skills, which will lead to out-of-control fingering skills.The light ones were injured, and the severe ones died.

But Qingming said that her spiritual power seems to be related to the wooden sign, so she can try to practice medium spells.Leave a few looks for her to practice.

The graphics of medium spells are cumbersome, and it is easy to get dizzy if you are not concentrating.Therefore, she pays full attention every time.Just like now, Qingming walked behind her and watched for a long time, but she didn't even notice.

"It's not right here, the arc needs to be bigger."

Riko was startled, she raised her head, Seimei was looking at the talisman in her hand

"so."

A slender and beautiful hand with distinct knuckles gently held her hand, "Here we need to make a turn, and then another turn. Don't stop and draw the whole spell in one stroke."

The young man's voice was clear and his speech was slow, teaching her at a leisurely pace.It was obviously a normal teaching, but Lizi's ears were hot when he was provoked by his voice.

Seimei-sama's voice is really nice.Every time I listen to it, I feel like my ears are growing again.

"Will you?" Seimei asked.

"Well, yes." Lizi replied in a low voice.

Only then did Qingming put the bag on the ground, and sat cross-legged opposite her.

Suzaku brought up the chrysanthemum drink, Qingming took it and drank it in one gulp.

"I'm so tired today."

"What did you do so tired?" Lizi raised her eyes.

"I'm going to test the Sealing Technique. At the end of this month, I will conduct the assessment of a high-ranking Onmyoji."

"Huh, really?" Lizi's eyes flashed with surprise, "Has Master Qingming already started to hit the high position?"

"Well, I want to give it a try. After all, the Onmyoji Trial Conference is about to start. I participated in the middle group last time. I want to go to a higher level to participate this time. Because I will meet very good Onmyoji."

"Is that so..." Lizi was slightly taken aback.She originally wanted to be in a group with Seimei-sama, so it seems that he needs a higher-level shrine maiden.I am afraid that I will be delayed.

"Xiaoli is going to be assessed as a witch, right?" Qingming asked.

"How does Master Qingming know?"

"This is the time for the annual assessment," Qingming said, "When you pass the assessment, you can be my partner."

"Master Seimei's partner?"

"Yes, you don't know what the last item in the Onmyoji Trial Conference is?" Qingming asked.

Lizi hesitated for a moment, "Chuyue told me again today. However, my spell skills are very poor, and I can only do two simple seals..."

"Are you forgetting about paper-cutting?" Qingming interrupted her, "The little witch who shocked Ping'an-kyo with more than 30 big spiders is now the preferred teammate of many onmyojis. I'm afraid there will be many Someone invited you. Now that I think about it, bringing you back to Heianjing is really the most correct thing I have done in my life."

Yes, I still have paper cutting, but I forgot it because I didn't use it much.

"Can paper-cutting help Master Seimei?" Lizi asked.

"It can help, if you cut hundreds of dragons, we probably don't have to fight."

Lizi pursed her lips and smiled, "I haven't cut a dragon yet, so I don't know if I can live it. Creatures like dragons may be a little more difficult."

"It doesn't matter, you can cut hundreds of big foxes." Qingming said with a smile, "By the way, can you control its size now?"

"I haven't tried it." Lizi said.

"Well," Qingming thought about it, "Let's go to the wilderness to try it out when the rest day comes."

After dinner, Lizi began to read the notes from the previous class.Miko doesn't pay much attention to combat power though.But the identification of monsters is still a key test.

And over there Qingming has used illusion to transform the courtyard into a seabed.

"Do high-ranking onmyojis have to test illusion?" Lizi asked.

Qingming answered with a soft "hmm", and looked critically at the fish swimming past him, "I think it's a bit fake, so it won't work."

Although Lizi already felt super awesome, she still had a deep-sea fear that she couldn't breathe.Seimei still waved and removed it and started rebuilding.

"Where can't it work?" Lizi asked.

Seimei explained while laying sand in the courtyard, "True illusions can be felt. For example, the bottom of the sea will be so real that you will drown, not a pure display like me."

"On the day of the Onmyoji Trial Conference, you will meet many outstanding Onmyoji from the people. On the day of the competition, if you meet a powerful illusionist, don't believe your eyes."

"It sounds like illusionists are really powerful professions," Lizi said, "Do they have no natural enemies?"

"Yes," Qingming said, "There is a kind of person who is born with the pupil of illusion. They can see through all illusions." He cast illusions with a more focused expression, "Thinking about it, there are really too many talented people. I want Only by working harder can we stand at the top of Onmyoji."

"Master Qingming, you can definitely do it." Lizi said with a smile, because you really stood on the top of Onmyoji later on, becoming the most famous master who frightened all ghosts.Onmyoji.

"For the sake of your confidence in me all the time, let me exempt a kiss."

"Ah, speaking of that," Lizi said very depressed, "How can you be so reckless that you don't want me to pay it all at once?"

Qingming smiled and said, "It's very simple. I don't want to boo so many times at once, do you still want to kiss on the head? For kissing, you have to respect personal wishes, right?"

"Well, that's what I said." The girl was immediately convinced, I can't keep forcing Seimei-sama to pop.Eh, no, how could I force it?

As the time for the maiden assessment draws closer, Lizi finds that the students around her are becoming more and more neurotic.Everyone will keep asking what people around them have reviewed recently.I will also deliberately relax the vigilance of others, saying that I have not reviewed anything and know nothing.

"Ah, really, even though my father is the most powerful onmyoji, I didn't ask him for advice at all." Nanako sat in the crowd and said innocently, "I feel like I don't know anything now, I must I failed the exam."

More and more people began to buy the shou and wear it on their bodies, saying that it can increase their academic luck.Although the teacher confiscated several omamori of unknown origin, he also advocated that everyone try to buy them at Ise Shrine.But not many people listened.

"Just imagine, how could God Amaterasu help us cheat?" Yuan Chuyue said, she strongly recommended Lizi to buy a guardian called Academic Achievement, "This is the guardian consecrated by the god of learning enshrined in Tianmangong, it is super good. You have to buy a professional one if you buy an amulet. Amaterasu is not good, she is the god of the sun, so if we bought her amulet, are we going to shine in the examination room?"

When Lizi heard that it made sense, she was immediately moved. It happened that another classmate overheard their conversation, "Where can I buy such a good thing?"

"It's right at the gate of the Jingu Palace." Yuan Chuyue said.

"Hey, Tenmangu is in the city, why did it run to set up a street stall outside our Ise Shrine?" Lizi asked.

"Because there is an exam, the competition is fierce." Yuan Chuyue said without surprise.

Lizi bought one after school.Seimei saw it when he got home, "Omoro's sales will be particularly good when the assessment is about to come."

"Is this useful?" Pear asked.

"It's kind of useful." Seimei said.

"That's fine." Li Zi carefully put the guard away, as long as it is useful, even if it is psychological.

The next day, Riko accidentally saw an acquaintance in the outer courtyard of Ise Shrine.The man named Ju Shuntai is Amaterasu, standing under an old camphor tree and looking out of the gate.Seeing Lizi, she immediately smiled and said, "Yeah, it's you."

"You, why do you still look like you in the mirror?" Lizi asked curiously.

"Because I think this appearance is pretty good. If I show my original appearance, people will recognize me."

"I see," Li Zi nodded, "What are you looking at here?"

"Look at Sugawara Michizane sending his disciples to steal my business."

"Huh?" Lizi blinked her eyelashes lightly.

"Hey, you know that everyone is buying omamori recently, right?"

God Amaterasu said a little depressed, "I also consecrated the Oshou well. Every year the exam is the big head of selling Oshou. But people always think that my Oshou can let them get more sunshine than others at most. Generally, farmers are willing Buy my guard and hang it on the crops in the field."

pear:"……"

"At the end of the year, the gods will compare who sells the most guards to determine who has more believers. They will also make a list. I don't want to always be ashamed of the list."

Riko subconsciously covered the close-fitting Omori secretly.

"Have you bought an Amulet?" Amaterasu suddenly asked enthusiastically, "I can give you an extra layer of light."

"That... I didn't buy it." Lizi said out of conscience.

"Great, go and buy one now, and I'll consecrate it for you." Goddess Amaterasu urged.

Lizi had no choice but to run to the door and buy a guard from the Ise Jingu Shrine, and came back to watch Amaterasu cast a layer of golden light on it.

Hmm...it looks really good for hanging in the ground.

When I got home and told Seimei, Seimei smiled and said, "Omori's taboo is not to buy too much. It's like making a wish to a god. The more gods you worship, the less useful you are."

"Then what do we do?" Pear asked.

"It's okay, that's the thing anyway. It's okay to bring this one that Amaterasu gave it again."

At the end of August, autumn is more obvious.

It rained all day the first day.The sky has cleared up in the morning, and the grass and trees in the courtyard are covered with water and glowing with light.The platycodon and gentian flowers wet by the rain in the grass have crystal dewdrops.The ground seemed to have been brushed with a layer of clear oil.The whole world has been washed clean.

If it is normal, Lizi will definitely sit on the porch and watch for a while with her cheeks propped up.But today is the day of the Miko assessment.She has no extra mood at all.

"The society will pick you up," Qingming said with a smile, "We'll go to the station in Xijing for dinner to celebrate your becoming a witch."

"Did you know that I became a witch before the exam?" asked Li Zi, who was worried that she would not even be able to eat during the exam.

"Well, I gave you a divination in the morning, and the divination is very good."

"Really?" Lizi immediately cheered up, and felt a little more confident when she heard the good omen.

"Well, so don't worry, rest assured about the exam." Seimei said with a smile.

……

The Written Written Test in the morning for the Witch Assessment consists of general knowledge, spells and Chinese characters.

Lizi looked at what was written on the test paper, "I saw a kappa lying on the ground. Step over? Step on it? Fetch water to fill the empty plate above its head?"

Pfft, I really want to step on it.She pursed her lips and chose the third item with a smile.

"Hezhong saw that the old man asked you to choose an axe. Gold axe? Silver axe? Iron axe? Both?"

Lizi figured it out, it seemed that this kind of exam was not to let anyone who was willing to be a servant of God be missed.As long as you have a little common sense, you will pass the test.

She looked at the last question, "Yu Nu asked you to share an umbrella with her. Hit? No? Hit her?"

Well, this is a bit difficult.Should I hit her or not?

She chose to hit her in the end.

The assessment of Chinese characters is also very simple, just recite Jingyesi.She wrote it almost without thinking.The teacher invigilating the exam passed by her and nodded with a smile.

The spell test is the illumination technique.This was written in one go.After holding and releasing a light ball the size of a honeydew melon, the instructor nodded to indicate that she could leave the examination room.

After eating rice balls and small pickles at Ise Shrine at noon, the illusion assessment began.

Sure enough, as Professor Xi said, everyone is a separate little illusion.Very small, only the size of a football field.There will be a witch supervisor outside each phantom.It is also to prevent the occurrence of the last time when real monsters were mixed in.

It's not too difficult, because Miko herself is not a fighting talent.tends to be more auxiliary.In the illusion, Lizi only encountered a few vines that bound people.It's easy to get rid of with a cutting spell.The only thing that was a little special was that I saw a shrine when I was about to leave the illusion.

She hesitated for a moment and ignored it.But the road I saw just now disappeared in a blink of an eye.She understood immediately that the shrine was the door that opened the passage.

She had no choice but to turn around and walk into the shrine.

The shrine is not too big, but it is very messy.There was a thick layer of ash on the shrine.The ground is also full of rubbish.Never seen such a dirty shrine.

Lizi guessed whether it was due to the attendance check, she immediately picked up a broom leaning against the wall.Just as I was about to clean up, I heard rustling sounds from behind the shrine.

Lizi raised her head, and saw a dark person walking out with a fish tail behind her.He was taken aback when he saw her dark.This thing still maintains a human shape, with thinning hair and a muddy stomach.Round, but the skin of the whole body is pitch black.The eyeballs are protruding, and the eyes looking at Lizi are very unfriendly.

It's a monster.

Riko stared at it, and the picture she saw in the Youkai Atlas appeared in her mind.This monster seems to be called Tu Buddha.Has the same problem as Suzaku, loves cleaning.I especially like to clean shrines and temples.When encountering such a monster, the only way to deal with it is not to compete with it for work.Otherwise, the other party will be irritated.

Lizi instantly understood the significance of the assessment.Everyone wants to be a shrine maiden in the future. If monsters like Tu Buddha get in the shrine, you must know how to deal with them.

She bent down and gently put the broom back, then backed out of the shrine.

Soon, Tu Buddha's chuckling laughter came from the shrine.It thought it had repelled the opponent who wanted to compete with it, so it danced excitedly.

On the opposite side of the shrine, a light door quietly opened.

Lizi knew that she passed.

The last test is to pray to the gods to get answers.Because most of the time the gods do not respond, and the response depends on the mood.But because it is a witch assessment, Amaterasu will guard the shrine on this day.As long as the ritual and recitation of prayers are correct, He must answer.

Li Zi knelt on the futon in the main hall, and clapped her hands three times after singing.

There was a sudden silence around him, very quiet.

After waiting for a while, she heard Amaterasu's tired voice, "I responded, next one."

She immediately pursed her lips into a smile, turned and walked out of the temple.

When I got home, the thousand paper cranes sent by Ise Shrine to deliver the grades were already on the table.

Even though he felt that there should be no problem, the hands that went to remove the thousand paper cranes still trembled slightly.

Qingming sat across from her, propping her face with one hand and looking interested, "It would be great if there was something to record the time. Or, Xiao Li, look in the mirror now, your expression is very interesting."

Lizi ignored him, and tremblingly took apart the thousand paper cranes.Because of nervousness, the crane's head was torn off.When I opened it, there was only one line written, "Congratulations to Shimizu Rikako for becoming an official shrine maiden."

Lizi raised her head happily, "I am now a witch."

Qingming smiled lightly and said, "I can finally see Xiao Lihua wearing Chihaya's uniform."