Chapter 868: The First-Generation Hakurei

"Yakumo Yukari, you're planning on just staying here and not leaving, aren't you?" Lingyun looked at Yakumo Yukari, who was lying on his bamboo chair in broad daylight, and couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I'm a wounded patient right now, how can you treat me so cruelly, little brother?" Yakumo Yukari said pitifully.

"Wounded patient?" Lingyun raised an eyebrow. "You're still a wounded patient in this state? You must be joking!"

Watching Lingyun's reaction, Yakumo Yukari stuck out her tongue, without a shred of embarrassment on her face.

"Speak, what exactly is the matter?"

"Well, didn't you say before that the establishment of Gensokyo requires a Shrine Maiden? I have a candidate here, do you want to go take a look?" Yakumo Yukari sat up straight and said.

"You've already chosen a candidate for the Shrine Maiden?" Lingyun raised an eyebrow.

"That's right, that Shrine Maiden can barely be considered my friend, do you want to go take a look?" Yakumo Yukari said.

"A friend? You, a Sage of Youkai, have a Shrine Maiden for a friend? Aren't you afraid of being exterminated by her?" There was a hint of surprise in Lingyun's tone.

"Eh, why can't I have human friends just because I'm a Sage of Youkai? I at least have quite a high reputation among humans, it seems!" Yakumo Yukari complained.

"Reputation? You still have a reputation to speak of among humans? That's infamy, isn't it!" Lingyun mocked without reservation.

"Reputation or infamy, I don't care!" Yakumo Yukari shouted as if she had given up on herself. "But Lingyun, do you really not want to go see my friend?"

"No, of course I want to go. I'm also very interested in a Shrine Maiden who could become friends with you, Yakumo Yukari. I have to go see her no matter what!" Lingyun stood up and said.

He knew that the Shrine Maiden Yakumo Yukari spoke of must be the first-generation Hakurei Shrine Maiden who would open the Hakurei Great Barrier. Lingyun was naturally very curious about this Shrine Maiden, so he would certainly not pass up the chance to meet her.

"Then let's go!" Yakumo Yukari jumped up, and a Gap opened directly beside her.

"It's this place!"

The Gap opened in front of a shrine. Yakumo Yukari jumped out from the Gap, and Lingyun followed closely behind.

This shrine looked very crude and gave one the feeling of having been in disrepair for a long time. It was estimated that the Shrine Maiden of this shrine was not a diligent person; otherwise, she wouldn't have let a perfectly good shrine turn into this state.

"Hakurei, I'm here!" Yakumo Yukari shouted directly toward the direction of the shrine.

After shouting, Yakumo Yukari's figure flashed, and she hid directly behind Lingyun, while simultaneously pushing Lingyun forward.

"Whoosh—"

A massive Yin-Yang Orb came flying through the air, aimed straight at Lingyun's face.

"I knew you would set me up, you rascal!" Feeling the powerful spiritual power on the Yin-Yang Orb, Lingyun couldn't help but mutter. If an ordinary person were hit by this Yin-Yang Orb, they could probably go straight to report to Shiki Eiki.

While complaining to Yakumo Yukari, Lingyun reached out his hand to meet the direction of the Yin-Yang Orb.

As soon as his hand touched the Yin-Yang Orb, Lingyun's body trembled slightly. He did not know what kind of jade this Yin-Yang Orb was made of, but under the activation of the unknown Shrine Maiden, it contained an extremely vast amount of spiritual power. Even Yakumo Yukari would likely avoid its edge when facing an Yin-Yang Orb containing such vast spiritual power.

"Rotate!" Lingyun twisted his wrist, and with a flick and a push, he completely neutralized the force of the Yin-Yang Orb. Then, with a shake of his arm, he pushed the Yin-Yang Orb away along the trajectory from which it came.

"Yakumo Yukari, you idiot!" A voice filled with a hint of anger came from the direction of the shrine, and a figure flew out from the shrine with a look of irritation on her face.

"You, who are you?" Seeing Lingyun standing in front of Yakumo Yukari, the girl couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

Lingyun's gaze fell upon the girl, and a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes as well. The young girl who appeared before him had long black hair, with a large red ribbon tied at the back of her head. The girl wore a red and white Shrine Maiden outfit that looked loose and baggy, possessing a rather wild aura. Most eye-catching of all was the powerful spiritual power circulating within the girl, a level of power sufficient to make a Great Youkai keep their distance.

"Hakurei, long time no see!" Yakumo Yukari poked her head out from behind Lingyun and waved at Hakurei with a grin.

"Yakumo Yukari." Seeing the grinning Yakumo Yukari, Hakurei's eyes instantly turned sharp. "What are you here for? Are you looking to be exterminated by me?"

"No, no, that's not it!" Yakumo Yukari waved her hands and said. "I came to find you because I have something to discuss! An old friend has come, shouldn't you invite us to sit in your shrine?"

Hakurei glanced at Yakumo Yukari, then looked at the person beside her, snorted coldly, and turned to walk toward the shrine.

After the three arrived at the shrine, Hakurei sat in the main seat and poured tea for those present.

"Yakumo Yukari, who is this?" Hakurei's gaze fell on Lingyun, and she asked with some curiosity.

"He is my friend, Lingyun."

"Hello." Lingyun said to Hakurei with a smile.

"Hmm, to be able to become a friend of Yakumo Yukari, he is indeed no ordinary person!" Seeing Lingyun, Hakurei knew that he was the one who had pushed her Yin-Yang Orb back just now.

Lingyun's gaze swept around the shrine, and he asked with some curiosity: "What deity is worshipped in this shrine of yours?"

Hearing Lingyun's question, Hakurei's expression stiffened, and then she said indifferently: "I don't know either. After all, this shrine hasn't been repaired for a long time, and the deity worshipped here has probably long since vanished!"

"To not even know who the deity you worship is, you really are an incompetent Shrine Maiden!" Yakumo Yukari muttered in a low voice from the side.

"Yakumo Yukari, I see you haven't been beaten in a while! However, letting a Youkai enter the shrine is truly a rude thing to do!" Hakurei clenched her fists and said.

"This first-generation Hakurei Shrine Maiden seems to have a bit of a violent streak!" Lingyun glanced at Hakurei and muttered in his heart.

"Alright, the shrine has invited you in, and the tea has been drunk. Now, say what you have to say!" Hakurei set down the teacup in her hand and said calmly.

"Hakurei, we came to find you this time to ask for your assistance in the Gensokyo project." Yakumo Yukari's tone carried a touch of seriousness. "Whether it is establishing the Barrier for Gensokyo or balancing the many Youkai within Gensokyo in the future, you are the best candidate. So, I beg you."

"To be able to hear such a sincere request from you, Yakumo Yukari, is truly rare!" Hakurei's tone was somewhat distant.

"As a Sage of Youkai among the Youkai, I must consider the future of the Youkai race!"

"Well, well, there's really no helping it. Who told me that I have poor judgment in friends, to have actually become friends with you, a Sage of Youkai? It's truly a miscalculation!" Hakurei waved her hands and said nonchalantly.

"Hakurei, you..."

"No need to say so much, we are friends, aren't we?" Hakurei flashed a brilliant smile at Yakumo Yukari.