214: Chapter 214 Rewards

The five shrines on the stone platform lit up simultaneously.

The waters of the Yellow Springs churned in the outer circle, slapping against the edge of the stone platform, yet they were never able to cross that layer of faint white light.

Jinguji Ayane stood beside Lu Cheng, the Divine Bell suspended above her palm.

The bell body swayed gently.

"Ding-ling."

The first shrine opened slowly.

A surge of Source Power, so dense it had almost turned into mist, poured out from within.

Lu Cheng looked down.

It was piled full of Source Stones.

Each Source Stone was crystal clear, ranging in color from pale blue to deep purple, all emitting stable and pure fluctuations of Source Qi.

At this quality, they would absolutely be considered high-tier cultivation resources in the outside world.

Not to mention, the quantity was quite substantial.

Lu Cheng was silent for two seconds, then raised his hand very naturally.

"Clatter."

The Source Stones in the entire shrine vanished completely.

Jinguji Ayane looked at the empty shrine and blinked.

Lu Cheng's expression was calm.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"You said they were for me."

Jinguji Ayane nodded gently.

"Mm."

"They are for you."

She felt not a shred of heartache.

Or rather, she no longer had the heart to feel heartache for Pseudo-Takamagahara.

If these things remained here, they would eventually just sink along with the waters of the Yellow Springs.

Giving them to Lu Cheng at least counted as putting them to good use.

The second shrine opened.

Inside lay a few Source Artifacts.

There was an amulet engraved with cherry blossom patterns.

A broken short blade that still retained its sharpness.

A white haori, thin as a cicada's wing.

And three bronze bells.

Many of the Source Artifacts were damaged, yet their surfaces still retained ancient patterns; their quality should be around SS-rank...

Lu Cheng waved his hand and continued to collect them into his System space.

The third shrine opened.

This time, there were no Source Stones or Source Artifacts.

The stone wall behind the shrine slowly parted.

Inside was actually a small pond.

The pond was only three or four steps wide, its surface clear and shimmering with a faint silver glow.

The water lacked the violent feeling of Source Power; instead, it possessed an aura that was quiet, cool, and capable of clearing one's mind.

Lu Cheng's eyes flickered slightly.

He only had to get a little closer to feel his Yueyao Pulse tremble slightly.

His Mental Energy felt as if it had been washed by a clear spring.

Even the fatigue he had accumulated earlier in Pseudo-Takamagahara was washed away significantly.

Jinguji Ayane said softly:

"This is the remnant of the Divine Spring."

"It can nourish Mental Energy."

Lu Cheng looked at the pool of spring water, then took out some containers and collected the water into his System space.

The System space was a bug-like product; even if stored in ordinary containers, the spring water's functions would not evaporate away because of it.

The fourth and fifth shrines were also opened under the guidance of the Divine Bell.

The sake cup pattern corresponded to several crimson crystal cores, which contained strong blood energy; they likely came from the residual power of Shuten-dōji.

In the black feather pattern shrine, there was a black feather cloak; its edges were severely damaged, yet it carried an extremely strong wind-type Source Power and an aura of mental interference.

Lu Cheng accepted everything on the list without exception.

He didn't hesitate at all.

It wasn't until all five shrines were empty that a low vibration came from the center of the stone platform.

"Click."

"Click-clack."

The ground cracked open.

An extremely thin stone fissure spread from the center.

Inside the fissure, a sword was embedded.

Half of the sword body was buried in the stone, and half was exposed.

It was dark silver all over, with cloud and snake patterns intertwined along the spine of the sword.

The blade was chipped, as if it had experienced an extremely tragic battle.

Yet even so, the moment the sword appeared, the air on the entire stone platform became sharp.

The waters of the Yellow Springs churned more violently.

As if fearing this sword.

Lu Cheng looked at the sword, his brows raised slightly.

"Is this the real deal?"

Jinguji Ayane said softly:

"The kusanagi sword."

"A damaged version."

"This sword is a fragment of the original body that the deity left deep within Pseudo-Takamagahara."

Lu Cheng walked to the fissure and reached out to grasp the hilt.

An ancient will surged into his body along with his palm.

The System popped up a notification at the same time.

---

[King Artifact]: kusanagi sword

[Grade]: Damaged King Artifact Embryo

[Origin]: An ancient sword embryo gestated deep within the serpent's remains after the fall of Yamata no Orochi. The blade retains the fractured aura of the Heavenly Floating Bridge, as well as a trace of an ancient god's authority to sever calamity.

[Basic Effects]:

1. Boundary Breaking

The kusanagi sword can sever barriers, Seals, spatial layers, illusion shells, and weak points in rules. If the target is not a physical entity but a "rule connection," the kusanagi sword can also briefly sever that connection.

2. Calamity Severing

The kusanagi sword can extinguish the aura of calamity, having an additional suppressive effect on Yellow Springs pollution, lingering demonic ghosts, curses, resurrection rules, and divine pollution.

Calamity-type targets struck by the kusanagi sword will have their recovery speed decreased, their pollution spread weakened, and some resurrection rules will be temporarily sealed.

[Special Effects]:

When the kusanagi sword strikes the source of calamity, it will absorb a wisp of calamity energy and form cyan-white cloud patterns on the blade.

After the cloud patterns accumulate to a certain degree, the next strike can trigger an enhanced slash, possessing both Boundary Breaking and Calamity Severing effects.

---

Although severely damaged, its power was far from reaching the level of a complete King Artifact.

Yet it still carried the essence of a King Artifact.

A damaged King Artifact was already terrifyingly valuable.

Lu Cheng gripped the hilt and exerted a little force.

"Hum!"

The kusanagi sword was slowly pulled out from the stone fissure.

The instant the blade completely left the stone platform, the five surrounding shrines simultaneously turned to ash.

The waves of the Yellow Springs surged up with a roar, as if the final support for the entire Pseudo-Takamagahara had been pulled away.

Lu Cheng looked down at the sword in his hand.

The blade was broken.

Yet it felt very handy.

He nodded with satisfaction.

"Not bad."

Then he unceremoniously collected it into his System space.

Lu Cheng looked at Jinguji Ayane, whose complexion had recovered a little, and suddenly spoke:

"So, your mission has failed now."

"Do you still have anywhere to go?"

Jinguji Ayane's smile faded slightly.

She looked down at the Divine Bell in her palm.

Inside the Divine Bell, the Legacy of Ame-no-Uzume had already quietly sunk into her body.

That power was gentle and ancient, like a belated farewell.

After a few seconds, she spoke:

"I still have to go back."

"My father, my mother, they are all still there."

Lu Cheng looked at her, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Jinguji Ayane seemed to know what he wanted to say and raised her head.

"Don't worry."

"Since I have decided to live on, I have my own ways."

Her tone was still light, but it had a bit more firmness than before.

"I am the only one who survived from Sakura Island this time."

"What happened inside, it is up to me to say."

"If they want to know the truth about Pseudo-Takamagahara, they can only listen to my answer."

Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow.

"Those Elders of yours don't look like reasonable people."

Jinguji Ayane shook her head gently.

"They will care about interests."

"I have obtained the Legacy of Ame-no-Uzume."

"To them, this result is enough."

"As for the rest, they will not destroy a shrine maiden who has obtained a deity's Legacy for the time being."

She looked up at the darkness gradually collapsing outside the waters of the Yellow Springs.

"Before, I had no choice."

"Now I do."

"Those people did not treat me as a human being."

"After this, I will walk a path of my own."

"When I grow up, my future will be controlled by myself."

Lu Cheng nodded.

"It's good that you won't go to throw your life away."

"Otherwise, I would have saved you for nothing."

Jinguji Ayane looked at him and said softly:

"I won't."

"The benefits I promised you haven't been fully given yet."

Lu Cheng immediately became serious.

"Your ideological awareness is very high."

Snow Spirit lay on his shoulder, flicking its tail.

"Ying."

Jinguji Ayane couldn't help but smile again.

The Divine Bell rang softly.

White light enveloped both of them.

The next moment, Lu Cheng and Jinguji Ayane returned to the high platform at the edge of Pseudo-Takamagahara.

The Dragon Kingdom Team, Northern Europe, and Tianlan members were all waiting here.

Seeing Lu Cheng return, Jiang Xuance was the first to crowd over.

"Brother Lu!"

"How was it?"

"Did you get anything?"

Heavenly King Lin also looked over.

Reinhardt and Lan Jin were also very curious.

Lu Cheng looked at everyone's expectant gazes, his expression calm.

"Nothing much."

Jiang Xuance: "?"

Lu Cheng patted his shoulder.

"Young man, don't be too gossipy."

Jiang Xuance's mouth twitched.

"May I ask?"

Xu Xinglan stared at Lu Cheng for a few seconds.

"It seems the harvest was great."

Lu Cheng looked up at the sky.

"The weather is nice."

Xu Xinglan: "..."

The waters of the Yellow Springs are almost flooding to your feet, and the weather is nice?

You'd better explain clearly.

Jinguji Ayane raised the Divine Bell and said.

"We should go back."

The waters of the Yellow Springs had already approached the high platform.

The border of Pseudo-Takamagahara was collapsing bit by bit.

The collapsed Tianyuan Village was completely swallowed by the water.

The wooden sign of "Tianyuan Village" at the entrance of the village floated for a moment in the waters of the Yellow Springs, then quickly disappeared.

Jinguji Ayane closed her eyes.

The light of the Divine Bell spread, forming a circular portal.

Everyone walked into the white light one by one.

Lu Cheng looked back one last time.

Pseudo-Takamagahara was collapsing.

That village, propped up by sacrifice and obsession, finally sank into the Yellow Springs.

He did not feel it was a pity.

Some things should have ended long ago.

A flash of white light.

Everyone disappeared from the high platform.