Volume 4: The Undead Chapter 193 Tianxiang Sect
"Tianxiang... Zong?" Ogata rolled his tongue and spit out unfamiliar words.
As for Zong Hai, his eyes lit up, and he said to Ating with a tone that contained a hint of joy:
"What a surprise... I didn't expect you to recognize the school I converted to."
"Yes, just as you said, I and Xianhai converted to the Tianxiang Sect."
"A-Ming." Ogata asked A-Ming with a puzzled look on his face, "What is the Tenkagō Sect?"
"It is a very small school ."
A-machi explained to Ogata.
"The monks of the Tianxiang sect only worship Acala."
"During the Warring States Period more than 200 years ago, there were continuous wars and chaos. Even Buddhist temples could not escape the flames of war. Small sects like the Tianxiang Sect naturally saw a decline in popularity."
"In order to maintain the normal operation of the major temples, the monks of the Tianxiang Sect decided to find a way to increase the income of the temples."
"And the method they found was to sell the best-selling product in the Warring States Period - swords."
"At that time, Master Yan Hai of the Tianxiang Sect was a rare sword-making genius."
“He developed a unique technique for forging knives.”
"The knives made with his knife-making technique are much harder, more resilient, and sharper than other knives."
"It is thanks to Master Yan Hai's unique sword-making method that the swords produced by the Tianxiang Sect have become best-sellers."
"But since the Tianxiang Sect is only a small sect after all, there are not many monks, and even fewer monks who can master this unique sword-making method, so the number of swords that the Tianxiang Sect can produce each year is not large."
"So the swords made by Tianxiang Sect are basically regarded as precious treasures and sold to various celebrities or wealthy businessmen. Therefore, Tianxiang Sect only has a very loud reputation among these big names. It is not well-known among the general public."
"After Toyotomi Hideyoshi established the Taiko, unified the country, and issued the 'Sword Hunting Order', in order to avoid being affected by the 'Sword Hunting Order', the Tenkagō clan stopped selling swords and forging swords, and became extremely low-key in their daily lives."
"The Tianxiang Sect was originally a small sect that few people knew about. After they decided to act in a more low-key manner, fewer and fewer people knew of their existence."
"I heard that after the Tianxiang Sect decided not to forge swords anymore, they turned to researching medicine and increased the monastery's income by selling medicines."
"Although the Tianxiang Sect no longer forges swords, their unique sword-forging method is still passed down from generation to generation."
After Ating briefly recounted the history of the Tianxiang Sect, Zong Hai, who was standing beside him, praised Ating in a tone of praise:
"Donor lady, you really know a lot."
"Because of my profession, I know some things that ordinary people are not familiar with." Ating smiled slightly.
"What the female donor just said is absolutely correct." Zong Hai said, "After Toyotomi Taiko issued the 'Sword Hunting Order', our ancestors decided to stop forging swords and selling swords to avoid being affected by the 'Sword Hunting Order'."
"I turned to researching medicine and earning income by selling medicine to the outside world."
“But we haven’t given up on our sword-making skills, which we are so proud of.”
"Our knife-making skills have not only not been abandoned, but our ancestors have continued to perfect this technique through inheritance from generation to generation."
"My mentor was very fortunate to inherit the sword-making technique that has been passed down from generation to generation in our Tianxiang Sect."
"My mentor is a genius in forging. He not only perfectly inherited the sword-forging technique that has been passed down from generation to generation in our Tianxiang Sect, but also made new innovations on this basis."
"The two precious swords, Great Shitian and Great Zi, were forged by our master using the Tianxiang Sect's sword-forging technique that he improved."
After listening to Zong Hai's introduction quietly, Ogata said with emotion:
"I didn't expect that the school you converted to, Zong Hai, has such a great origin..."
After Ogata expressed this emotion, Atachi beside him suddenly asked Soumi:
"By the way, Zong Hai. I've been hearing you talking about your mentor since a while ago. Where is your mentor? Why haven't we seen your mentor since we entered Tenmanji?"
"Of course you won't see my mentor anymore." Zong Hai smiled bitterly, "My mentor died of illness half a year ago."
"Half a year ago, my teacher died in bed due to a relapse of his old stomach ailment."
As soon as Zong Hai said this, Ating's expression froze instantly.
“Ah… sorry…”
"Donor lady, there is no need to apologize. Birth, aging, illness and death are just common things. Moreover, my teacher was 68 years old when he died of illness. He was very old. It is a blessing that he lived to such an old age."
"...Mong Hai." Ogata said in a deep voice, "Since your mentor died of illness half a year ago... doesn't that mean he has become a cannibal now...?"
According to the information Zong Hai had just provided to them, since a certain day two years ago, the islanders on this island, except for those who were poisoned by the immortality poison, would be resurrected after death and turned into cannibals who could not be killed no matter what.
Zong Hai's mentor died of illness half a year ago, just when the "Cannibal Rebellion" was raging on this island...
Ogata originally thought that Sokai's mentor must have also come back to life and turned into a cannibal ghost.
But who would have thought—Zong Hai actually shook his head with a sullen face.
"……No."
"My mentor...he just died a normal death after he died of illness."
"He didn't come back from the dead as a cannibal."
"When I was providing you two with information about the cannibal ghosts, I forgot to tell you that although everyone on this island will turn into a cannibal ghost after death, my mentor is the only exception."
Ogata and Atachi simultaneously looked at Zong Hai in astonishment.
"Huh? Why is that?" Ating asked anxiously, "Why is your mentor an exception?"
"Regarding this... I am also puzzled." Zong Hai sighed lightly, "I am also confused... I don't understand why my master is the only exception."
"Is it because your mentor practiced Buddhism that you are protected by Buddhism?" Ating raised a possibility in a cautious tone.
"It's unlikely..." Zong Hai said in a deep voice, "Many villagers who unfortunately turned into cannibals were also devout believers..."
At this point, Zong Hai sighed heavily: "Regarding the cannibal ghost... there are still too many mysteries..."
…
…
After showing Ogata and Atachi around the shrine where the two precious swords, Daishakuten and Daijiku, were enshrined, Sokai formally led them into the back hall of Tenmanji Temple.
The back hall of Tenmanji Temple is much more spacious.
Toilets, bathrooms, living rooms, guest rooms, dining rooms...all kinds of rooms with different functions are available.
There is nothing nice to see in rooms like the toilet and the living room.
A special room in the back hall of Tenmanji Temple caught the attention of Ogata and Atachi.
This room is the room where Zong Hai studies medicine.
