Spell Return: The Wheel of Time

Chapter 194 The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in the Heian Era

To be honest, Shenyuan Yi had never been so feared by anyone, except when he was on a mission to eliminate those curse masters, but now that he and the old man were walking in front, he could feel the fearful eyes directed at him from behind.

"What's your name?"

The old man was stunned for a moment and then said softly: "Old Yoshihiko Mizuno, sir, you can just call me by my first name. This is my granddaughter Mizuno Shiina."

Shen Yuanyi lowered his head and glanced at the little guy. He didn't realize that this dirty and lively child was actually a girl. However, it still made Shenyuan Yi feel relieved to meet these two men in this strange world that was just starting to take shape. Quite a few.

"It's just a difference in time..."

Telling himself this in his heart, Shenyuan then asked Mizuno Yoshihiko: "What do you call people like me and that person? Do you know anything about this, and why is that village called by you? 'Ghost Village'?"

After hearing so many questions, Mizuno Yoshihiko didn't panic. He quickly organized the words in his mind, and then he answered one by one.

"To be honest, sir, I have also worked under a nobleman, and I am somewhat familiar with this kind of thing. Beings with the power of ghosts and gods like you are generally called spellcasters, and among the people, they are more Many are called 'Onmyoji'."

Shenyuan Yi took a closer look at the old man. He looked like an ordinary skinny old man, but judging from his previous performance, he was not a simple old man either.

Mizuno Yoshihiko came back to his senses, denied the words and explained: "That's not true. The child's father died early in a fight among the nobles, and her mother also died shortly after giving birth to her. He died of illness, but we, the two of us, were lucky enough to escape successfully, and even met you, sir..."

In this era, there may not be many people like him at this age. Shen Yuanyi only asked based on his guess, but he didn't expect that he actually knew something.

"This was originally an abandoned village. Later, some people who were killed by ghosts used it as a shelter. In addition, some cursed children were also abandoned here. Over time, the people here became It can be said that it is neither human nor ghost, hence the name."

……

Shenyuan looked at his innocent little granddaughter: "This child's parents..."

The journey was indeed not far, and soon Mizuno Yoshihiko pointed ahead and said, "Sir, the village is just ahead." Then he talked about the origin of this village being called a 'ghost village'.

Shen Yuanyi seemed to have thought of something, and raised his hand to point at the group of people on the escape road: "Did they all start their exile because of those... ghosts?"

Mizuno Yoshihiko sighed: "Yes, sir, these people are made up of survivors from various villages. I don't know much about the others, but there are only a dozen or so people left in our village."

Instructing him to lead the way, Shenyuan Yi asked his doubts, but the former was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect that this adult didn't know such a common sense thing.

After hearing this, Shenyuan sighed faintly: "They are also a bunch of pitiful people."

"Most of the spellcasters I have seen cooperate with those nobles. Their status is closely related to their strength. The lords of that area are responsible for clearing away the ghosts that usually appear and wreak havoc in a certain place."

"Sir, we are still far away from our next destination. It is too dangerous to travel at night. We should rest here for the night."

The old man didn't know much, but it was enough for Shenyuan Yi who knew almost nothing about this era, and the latter's questions were answered by Yoshihiko Mizuno.

Shenyuan turned around and glanced at the group of people. It seemed that they all wanted to rest here for the night. He could understand this, but listening to Mizuno Yoshihiko's words, there seemed to be another reason behind it.

But then he thought about Shen Yuanyi's previous problems, and he could immediately understand. He had also seen those really big shots know nothing about some issues that seemed to him to be common sense, and...he could live a stable life until now. One quality is very important, that is, he will not ask questions that should not be asked.

"Sir, this is because of the 'Hundred Ghosts Walking at Night'. As night falls, the world will become the territory of those ghosts. Only in large territories guarded by magicians will we not be afraid of them. In small places like this, there are only a few ghosts. A barrier is better than nothing, it’s best to stay indoors quietly and not go out, especially wandering in the wilderness.”

Shenyuanyi's steps slowed down slightly. It was indeed getting late now, but he didn't find many traces of the curse along the way. Although he also knew that the curse was closely related to the scope of human activities, but in this era of great fame, , is it a little too 'peaceful'? Listening to Mizuno Yoshihiko, it seems that night is the time when curses are rampant, but when does the curse appear at any time?

This was the doubt in his heart, but soon, a light flashed in Shen Yuanyi's heart. With his previous research on curses and the almost complete knowledge of curses from Gojo Satoru, although the latter was not yet complete, It was absorbed by him, but memory is a wonderful thing, it can always pour out something related to it at the right time.

And Shenyuan immediately thought of the explanation for this phenomenon, that is, the problem of the legend itself "Hundred Ghosts Night Parade". Its specific origin and evolution are not important. The key is that in this era of rampant curses, there is no need to think too much about it. It will be accepted and believed by most people.

Is there a possibility... The fear and belief of most ordinary people in it have made "Hundred Ghosts Night Walk" come from legend to reality, just like the existence of imaginary curse spirits, it is all because of people's general superstition and fear Thus, they were born under the precipitation of long-term spell power.

From this point of view, it is very likely that the "Hundred Demons Night Parade" is also like this. It has turned from a legend into a real curse, so the night has become a time when the curse is rampant and frightening, and as a price, there are traces of the curse during the day. Not as much as imagined?

"It's not impossible from a curse point of view. In modern times, no one believes in the Night Parade of Hundred Demons, so there is no such phenomenon. But will the same mistakes be repeated after the curse is made public... That's not what we should think about now. , I don’t even have a clue how to go back..."

After dispelling their distracting thoughts, Kangenichi and Mizuno Yoshihiko walked into this dilapidated place that could barely be called a village. Many of the so-called "houses" here are actually dilapidated buildings that were built with wild grass, wood and stones. Find a shelter that can only protect you from the wind.

The massive arrival of this group of people naturally alarmed the people staying here. Looking at the humble eyes of those who stuck their heads out to observe, Shenyuan already felt the meaning of 'ghost village' after just a few glances.

Compared with the people here, these ragged refugees with sallow faces and skinny muscles are all extremely normal people. At least they have sound limbs and look like human beings. The people Shenyuan just glanced at reminded him of something. kind of existence.

Those are the 'artificial beings' created by Zhenren using his magic. Of course, they may not be that terrifying, but the degree of deformity of some people here still makes Shenyuan Yi immediately think of the former.

"This situation..."

Shenyuan Yi frowned. There were almost no people in this situation in modern times, but that didn't mean that this phenomenon didn't exist. It was just that they would be solved by spellcasters in the early stages.

The reason for this is simple, it's the curse! And it's not those terrifying curse spirits, but a curse that's no better than a fly's head. They often don't have the ability to directly harm people, so they can only absorb the vitality of the parasites and the negative side of them through long-term attachment. Emotions are used as food.

Over time, the long-term erosion of the curse will weaken the body of the possessed person, and then cause them to develop physical abnormalities similar to lesions. In severe cases, some deformities will occur.

But it is extremely difficult to reach the point where these people are so serious. Many of them are short-statured underage children. Shenyuan Yi can deduce their situation without even thinking.

The curse eroded them when they were infants and young children, even when their mother was pregnant, and until their physical changes were regarded as ominous signs and discarded, there was no magician to expel those low-level curse spirits.

Corroded by the curse, they will inevitably be contaminated by those auras. In this era where the "Hundred Ghosts Night Parade" has become a reality, their ending may be attracted by the cursed spirits. Naturally, one can imagine their outcome.

"'Ghost Village'... is it a ghost of the body or a ghost of the human heart? What about those spell masters in the era when spells were at their peak? Are they all dead?"

At this moment, Shenyuan Yi felt a little angry. From a perceptual point of view or a rational thinking, it is necessary for magicians to protect ordinary people. Of course, magicians in this era did not completely ignore what Yoshihiko Mizuno said before. Ordinary people.

It's just that Shenyuan Yi, who was born in modern times at all times, has higher requirements and concepts for this. But what he saw may be just a microcosm of this era. Those "lonely souls and wild ghosts" wandering here are cursing. The erosion has basically reached the point of no return, and what can he do.

"Sir, you..."

Mizuno Yoshihiko's words interrupted Kangenichi's thoughts. The former was a little worried that a "big man" like him would not be used to living in such a simple place, so he hesitated.

Shen Yuanyi has indeed never lived in a place that is not much different from wandering in the wild. The conditions in the orphanage were much better than this, but he didn't care much about it. The strong physique of the conjurer can make He is not afraid of problems such as wind and cold. The rest is just a matter of comfort, which doesn't matter to him at this time.

After saying that it didn't matter, Shenyuan Yi even took action to stabilize the room, which had only three and a half walls. Then he waited for the night to come, which was when the Night Parade of Hundred Ghosts came.

(End of this chapter)