Mechanical Alchemist-Chapter 317 - 316: Fasting King

Su Lun led Shinfuku Mitsuko up the cliff, and then stopped on the stone platform where a withered tree stood.

Having brought her up, he steadied himself before saying again, "Excuse me, Princess."

"Ah...?"

The Princess had not yet fully reacted when she felt the ground beneath her feet again, hearing these words, a fleeting unusual color passed across her fair face. Like a deer encountering a Hunter in the woods, she belatedly bowed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Su Lun."

The stone platform nestled in the crevice wasn’t very large, just about fifty square meters or so. But conveniently, a spring bubbled up through the crevices, forming an irregularly shaped hot spring pool. The water was crystal clear, and through the misty vapor on the surface, one could clearly see the pebbles at the bottom of the pool.

Surrounding the mountain were layers of snow that didn’t melt all year round, yet only the stone platform enriched by the hot spring was damp, with patches of vibrant green plants growing. It was a mystery how the spring water came up through the crevices, with a substantial flow that trickled down, overflowing from the pool and crystallizing into icicles below the cliff upon contact with the cold air.

Seeing this place, Su Lun finally understood why Senjo raved about it so much.

Tea Crying Mountain was the tallest mountain in the southern part of Mountain Hermit, and naturally, the view from halfway up was spectacular. The villages below, with their plumes of smoke from chimneys, were clearly visible, and even the bustling Izumo Castle could be faintly discerned in the distance.

Soaking in the hot spring pool and enjoying the nourishing waters, one side offering a view of the snowy landscape while the other allowed a panoramic view of the mountain scenery.

It was serene, tranquil, blissfully delightful—as if in a fairyland.

...

Senjo had arrived a step earlier and was already soaking in the water. She looked at Su Lun and the two as they arrived and called out, "Nice place, right?"

Su Lun nodded in agreement, "Yes, it’s very nice."

Senjo laughed and said, "Then don’t just stand there, come on down and soak. The water here doesn’t have that sulfur smell like the ones down at the bathhouses in town; it’s superb."

"Oh."

Su Lun looked around; the scenery of the wild hot spring was beautiful, but it seemed to lack something.

Like, a place to change clothes?

The already limited platform offered no privacy to speak of—it was completely transparent with nowhere to hide.

He, being a grown man, didn’t particularly care, but what about the Princess beside him?

Senjo and her apprentice clearly had been here multiple times and were quite familiar with the place. Lolo was in the process of undressing, hanging her clothing on a protruding rock nearby. The young girl was somewhat embarrassed, changing into a bathrobe with her back turned to Su Lun, her ears tinged with red, before quickly slipping into the water.

The clear pool water couldn’t obscure the view, but it seemed capable of shielding one’s modesty.

Su Lun didn’t dawdle, knowing his continued presence would only make the Princess beside him feel more awkward.

He also took off his clothes, leaving just his undergarments, and approached the edge of the pool.

He dipped his toe to test the water, and the temperature was just right.

Once his body was submerged in the spring water, he could distinctly feel a pleasant sensation as his pores opened up.

Su Lun and Senjo weren’t bashful with each other, so they sat facing each other. This position conveniently had their backs to the Princess, tactfully respecting her privacy as she changed.

Senjo caught sight of the Princess still on the bank and a playful glint flickered in her eyes; her lips curled up as she urged, "Princess, come on down."

"..."

When she heard this, the Princess realized she had been toyed with.

She gave a resigned glance in response, and from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the back of Su Lun’s head, feeling an inexplicable sense of relief.

Because she was now accustomed to the process, the Shinto Shrine Maiden showed less embarrassment; her delicate hands untied the sash around her waist.

Her white garment, under-dress, and red hakama were shed one by one, before she then put on a bathrobe designed for soaking in the baths.

This enchanting beauty would probably mesmerize thousands of men, but regrettably, only the mountain breeze and the white snow could witness it.

Senjo, however, watched intently and fanned the flames with her teasing remark, "Wow... No matter how many times I see it, Princess’s figure is truly excellent."

Su Lun only heard the rustling sound behind him and naturally knew that the Princess was changing her clothes.

Listening to Qian Qiao’s words, he also understood that the two were teasing each other, which had become quite normal these past few days.

To avoid any impropriety, Su Lun wrung out a hot, wet towel and placed it on his forehead, then he closed his eyes for a short rest.

Before long, he heard footsteps getting closer from behind.

It was the sound of bare feet on the wet stones, damp and soft.

For some reason, even without looking, the image of a pair of jade-like beautiful legs slowly approaching automatically popped into Su Lun’s mind.

Then he heard the sound of water, walking right past him, very close.

The hot spring pool was not regular in shape, only a few square meters in size which was comfortable enough for two to soak in, but it became somewhat crowded with four. Even stretching one’s legs out in the water, they could touch each other’s feet.

As the Princess got into the water, he heard Qian Qiao laugh and call out, "Princess, come over here."

The Princess didn’t respond, silently walking over and then soaked in the water.

With his eyes closed, Su Lun felt an extra pair of feet in the water, the occasional unintentional touch was extremely slippery.

The ripples in the water swayed for a moment before quickly returning to calm.

...

On an isolated cliff, at this moment, time seemed to slow down.

All he could hear were the babbling of water, the whistling of the wind and snow, and occasionally, the piercing cry of an eagle echoing through the gorges...

Nobody spoke for some time as the four of them thoroughly enjoyed the pleasant soaking, looking languid and content.

Suddenly, Lolota exclaimed, "Look, there seems to be someone on that snow mountain!"

Hearing this, Su Lun also opened his eyes and noticed that on another mountain peak a kilometer away, there was a figure braving the wind and snow amidst the pure white expanse.

The Princess glanced over and said, "That is the ’Snow Woman’."

As soon as Su Lun heard this, he instantly had an impression in his mind; he had come across the description of this creature in the "Fairy Tale."

But looking at the distant figure, he was quite curious; his vision was excellent, and he could clearly see that it was a tall figure, akin to an ice princess.

Lolota asked curiously, "What is the ’Snow Woman’?"

The Princess answered, "It is a beautiful demon that can control wind and snow, sometimes seen in the high mountain snowy areas. It often lures men who enter the snowy mountains to secluded places to kiss them and then freezes them, taking their souls to consume."

Lolota listened with wide eyes, "Wow, so it’s an evil demon then?"

The Princess shook her head and said, "Not entirely. The ’Snow Woman’ is said to be a manifestation of the resentment of a woman who was abandoned by an unfaithful man. As a demon, she only seeks out men who break their oaths to take their lives..."

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Resentment?

Thinking over the legend of the Snow Woman, Su Lun’s thoughts began to flow again.

What is the essence of a monster?

It seems that monsters truly exist because people believe in them.

In the belief system of the Mountain Hermit, people believe that all things have a "spirit," including stones and plants.

Monsters aren’t a type of being that originally existed in this world, but rather a result of certain special reasons, then passed down through oral tradition as a "collective of beliefs."

Almost Shinto.

As he listened to the Princess’s explanation, Lolota by his side blinked, glanced at Su Lun, and teasingly said, "Mr. Su Lun, that demon only goes after men. You better be careful~"

"Hehe."

Su Lun smiled without saying a word.

Chitose, beside him, seemed to think of something, and teased, "Legend says the ’Snow Woman’ has icy skin and a jade-like complexion, beautiful enough to overthrow cities and kingdoms. Now that I see her, she is indeed quite pretty. But alas, she’s not as charming as our princess here."

With that, she wrapped an arm around the slender waist of the princess beside her, and unapologetically kneaded her tender skin, "Don’t you think?"

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The princess had no way to counter such hooligan behavior.

Being complimented didn’t bother her, but she helplessly retorted, "That’s just a monster."

Chitose had a frivolous expression of a female rogue on her face, "The beauty of a fairy is the most captivating. But our princess here is even more enchanting than a monster. If I were a man, I’d surely be smitten."

"..."

Listening to those flirtatious yet not unpleasant words, the princess’s face was a mix of laughter and tears.

As she spoke, Chitose turned to look at Su Lun and asked, "Su Lun, do you find the princess pretty?"

"Uh...?"

Su Lun hadn’t expected the jesting conversation to suddenly turn to him.

At her words, his gaze reflexively fell upon the princess across from him.

Although they had shared a room for several days, he’d always been careful to avoid impropriety and never bathed together.

With one look, he discovered that the princess’s skin was really white, even whiter than snow.

The previously loose-fitting sorceress robes had concealed her figure, but now, the bathing garment was just a thin layer, and she wasn’t wearing much else underneath. As she entered the water, her graceful silhouette partially revealed, could not be completely hidden. Where it should be perky, it was perky; where it should be rounded, it was rounded, a scene of infinite beauty...

This glimpse was captivating enough to make it difficult to look away.

Especially since the bathing clothes were made of translucent material, clinging to her Wen Yu-like skin after being soaked, offering a sheer allure. Her proudly perched bosom and deep cleavage were hinted at beneath the mist, exuding a subtle beauty.

Her sleek black hair and delicate features were impeccable, coupled with the unearthly aura of a shrine maiden, giving her an undefiled and stunningly pure presence.

Su Lun knew Chitose was just fooling around and calmly said, "The princess is naturally very beautiful."

Hearing this, the princess smiled faintly and politely responded, "Thank you for the compliment."

Having spent the past few days together, they had gotten quite familiar with each other.

Everyone was open-hearted and thus didn’t feel any awkwardness.

"..."

Chitose felt she hadn’t managed to tease anyone and pouted, clearly unamused.

Suddenly, with a mischievous glint in her eye, she seemed to think of something, raised her hand, and called out, "Hey, Su Lun, didn’t you say you were going to show me the seal? Come here and show me."

Saying so, she shifted her body, conveniently leaving a half space between herself and the princess, gesturing for Su Lun to come and sit.

"Oh."

Su Lun, unbothered, stood up and went over to sit beside her.

The pool was quite small, accommodating two people comfortably, but with three, it felt a bit cramped.

Chitose didn’t mind; she was indifferent even as there was extensive skin contact with Su Lun. But the princess felt a bit uncomfortable, while not minding bathing together, she thought being too intimate in actions was not quite right.

All three of them seated together, even with their best efforts to leave space, it still felt crowded.

She intended to move in another direction to make room, but Chitose reached over Su Lun’s shoulder and pushed her down, "Hey, hey, hey, don’t go. It’s more fun to chat when we’re closer together."

"..."

The Princess was "manipulated" and couldn’t break free, resigning herself to the situation helplessly.

...

Su Lun certainly knew this was Qiantiao’s wicked sense of humor and paid no attention to it. He glanced at the magical runes that sealed off demons on Qiantiao’s arm while searching for a topic to make the Princess less embarrassed. He asked, "Miss Princess, Tea Crying Mountain is said to be the burial site of the ’Yomi Country Lord.’ Is that true? And are there so many monsters on this mountain because of it?"

Legends are legends, but they often have some basis in truth.

Besides, there are indeed more monsters on this mountain than on others. Even if it’s not the resting place of the ’Yomi Country Lord,’ there are other factors at play.

With a topic to discuss, the uncomfortable atmosphere created by the prank thankfully dissipated quite a bit.

"Yes, that’s right."

The Princess, with a serious expression, responded, "The Lord of the Netherworld is a deity who governs death, and she is the mother goddess of our Mountain Hermit clan. It is said that when she gave birth to the Fire God Kagutsuchi, she was burned and eventually succumbed to her injuries... And her body was buried on Tea Crying Mountain."

Su Lun had seen parts of this story before in the ancient books of Mountain Hermit, but it wasn’t as detailed as the Princess’s account.

Ultimately, it was more or less the same—it was all legend.

After finishing the story, the Princess added, "Speaking of which, Mr. Su Lun shares a certain connection with our Mountain Hermit deities."

Su Lun showed interest and prompted, "Oh?"

The Princess explained, "The fire-based Alchemy technique you used before—I wanted to ask, was that the ’Fire Servantless’ Secret Technique?"

Su Lun nodded, "Yes, that’s right."

The Princess explained, "Actually, this Secret Technique originally came from our Shinto teachings; it’s the divine fire technique passed down by Amaterasu Omikami. Later, for various reasons... it spread and became the ’Servantless’ Secret Technique within Alchemy."

As she spoke, she lifted her hand out of the water to demonstrate. She formed a sword seal with her fingers, muttering under her breath, and suddenly, a ball of golden flame appeared at the tips of her fingers.

"Eh..."

Only now did Su Lun realize the origin of ’Servantless.’

Being proficient in this technique himself, he immediately noticed that the Princess’s spell looked familiar, yet there was something different about it. What she produced was not the pure fire element energy of Alchemy; it was intertwined with Shinto power.

Nowadays, with the weakened state of Shinto, the power of its followers naturally became feeble.

Therefore, it seemed that the might of her display was not as profound as Su Lun’s level.

Seeing this, Qiantiao, who was beside them, chimed in with a thought, "I think I’ve heard of this too. They say a Shinto Shrine Maiden fell in love with an Alchemy Magician, leading to a bittersweet love story that spread far and wide..."

The Princess nodded and said, "Mhmm. That occurred during the nineteenth generation of Saiō."

Su Lun, hearing a term, asked curiously, "Miss Princess, are you the current Saiō?"

The Princess nodded, "Yes. I am the ninety-ninth Saiō."

In Mountain Hermit, the imperial power is bestowed by the gods; the Shinfuku royal family represents Amaterasu Omikami, holding supreme authority. However, the balance of power has shifted towards the shogunate in recent years, and the Shinfuku royal family gradually lost its absolute ruling power.

Sitting beside them, Lolota asked Qiantiao, "Teacher, what is a Saiō?"

Qiantiao explained, "It’s the highest rank among shrine maidens. Typically, a princess holds the position."

Lolota, with a look of sudden understanding yet still puzzled, asked, "But didn’t the Princess say that a shrine maiden remains unmarried, committed to serving the deities? How could a Saiō..."

Hearing this, Qiantiao curled his lips into a sly smile and said teasingly, "Ah? That’s a question you should ask the Princess."

Observing Lolota’s innocent gaze seeking answers, the Princess could only respond, "Shrine maidens are indeed dedicated in both body and spirit to the deities during their tenure, and must not be involved in romantic affairs. But after stepping down, it no longer has any effect."

"Oh, I see..."

Lolota was quite astute. Upon hearing this explanation, she covered her mouth and giggled softly.

PS. For consistency in the storyline, the extra chapter I talked about adding last night will be included today.