The villain also has spring 2

Chapter 2223 2221 7 Ghost Face

Chapter 2223 2.221 Seven Demon Faces

The demonic aura dissipated, and the entire dojo turned to ashes in the "lead mist".

The imposing aura of the castle tower was revealed. Clearly, they were one step closer to their goal.

"Captain, the battle on our side is over." After wrapping the fallen "White Bird Assassin" Ume, the noodle shop girl Tsuya, the princess's wet nurse, the Tenryu tea house girl, and the Atago shrine thief in a regeneration cocoon, and confirming that the MM micromechanical shaping into a "gashapon" shape, the Shogunate Princess Takahime and Jinshu Gisaeng Shuronsuke were clearing the game in one life in virtual reality technology, Shinano female ninja Sanada Yui immediately contacted her companions.

“Okay, Yui.” Captain Yuko, the courtesan of Gobancho, was being blocked by a brothel.

"Have you reached the next 'grid room' yet?" Shinano female ninja Sanada Yubi asked again.

"Hmm." Captain Yuko, the courtesan of Gobancho, nodded gently: "A dance hall."

Purely residential machiya (townhouses) were called "shimaiya" during the Edo period. These buildings were mainly used by samurai who lived on a fixed stipend (i.e., those who did not engage in business and lived off a fixed rice ration). While retaining the basic form of a machiya, the shimaiya omitted the commercial function, keeping only the outer entrance hall and earthen room, while the interior served as living space. Some wealthy artisans would also live in shimaiya alongside lower-ranking samurai who engaged in various side businesses.

"Noh maker Jinbei." Shinano female ninja Sanada Yuhi saw the signboard of this lattice house.

"Kanmei" is a type of signage used in Japan since the Edo period, which condenses the name of a place, its function, and behavioral instructions onto a single small wooden sign. It is commonly found at the entrances of teahouses, machiya (traditional Japanese townhouses), and ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurants) or above the doors of private rooms.

"Noh mask maker" refers to an artisan who specializes in making Noh masks (masks used in traditional Japanese Noh theater), also known as a "Noh mask maker." These artisans must be proficient in wood carving, traditional pigment mixing, and facial expression depiction. A single Noh mask must simultaneously convey complex emotions such as "sadness" and "joy," "stillness" and "movement," earning it the reputation of "carving the expression of the soul." Their works are not merely stage props but also embody the values ​​of Japanese Yugen aesthetics.

Noh masks are divided into seven categories based on the characters they represent, with about sixty or seventy commonly used.

The masks used in Kyogen include: "Omomen" (old man mask) symbolizing deities and good fortune; "Weimen" (old man mask) for elderly men and women; "Nonmen" (young man mask) for men from youth to middle age; "Nonmen" (woman mask) emphasizing the beauty of ancient Japanese women, including "Komen (young girl mask)" and "Wakonome" (young woman mask); "Onimen" (demon mask) for tengu (tengu), divine beasts, etc.; "Karmamen" (vengeful spirit mask) for beings such as "Hannya (jealous and resentful woman)" and "Snake (the embodiment of extreme resentment)"; and "Special Masks" for Kyogen use.

Among them, "Xiao Mian" is the most representative female face, known for its pure and reserved smile, and is often used in plays such as "Du Ruo" and "Yu Yue".

This Noh maker Jinbei's dance house is from "Nemuri Kyoshiro: Killing Scroll".

Like all the previous grid houses, it was entered through the disordered teleportation of Zishan Linghu.

"Sisters, who wants to step on the squares?" Captain Yuko, the courtesan of Gobancho, asked her team members for their opinions.

"I'll go, Captain," Queen Wang of Huanglongtian spoke first. "The Hunyuan sisters are the strongest, so they're best used to deal with that great demon. Leave the grid-stepping to us."

“Okay.” Captain Yuko, the courtesan of the fifth district, understood that this was the best solution to the current situation: “Be careful. This lattice house feels more dangerous than the previous ones.”

"Understood, Captain." Empress Wang, the Demon Queen of Huanglongtian, nodded gently. "You may proceed first." "Yes." Without further ado, Captain Yuko, the courtesan of the Fifth District, immediately set off.

Watching her teammates depart, Empress Wang, the Demon Queen of Huanglongtian, lightly stepped across the boundary. In a flash, she found herself in front of the entrance hall of the Noh Mask Craftsman's Dance House.

The term "genkan" specifically refers to the transitional space between the earthen floor and the interior of a Japanese shoin-zukuri (scholarship-style) or samurai residence. It typically features an entrance area with a "shikidai" (a raised wooden platform for placing shoes), reflecting the etiquette of "removing shoes before entering the house."

Because it was a shrine where lower-ranking samurai engaged in various side jobs lived together, the zashiki (main living room) directly opposite the entrance hall was converted into a studio. At first glance, seven Noh masks—the "Seven Demon Masks"—were hanging haphazardly on the wall.

The Prajna mask: the most common demon mask, representing jealousy and anger.

Asura face: Three faces and six arms, representing rage and fury. Asuras are guardian deities in Buddhism, who were banished to the human realm after being defeated by Indra in the heavens.

Zhong Kui Face Noodles: Zhong Kui is a deity in Chinese Taoism who exorcises evil spirits. Zhong Kui face noodles are often used to ward off evil, avert disasters, and pray for peace.

Red Oni Mask: Red skin, representing strength and bravery. Red Oni masks are often used to depict valiant samurai or demons.

Blue Oni Mask: Blue skin, representing wisdom and calmness. Blue Oni Mask is often used to depict cunning characters or ghosts.

Tengu masks: featuring a bird's beak and wings, these are mountain gods in Japanese mythology. Tengu masks are often used to represent tengu or other yokai (supernatural beings).

Demon Woman Mask: Represents a woman's resentment and anger. Demon Woman Masks are usually worn by women and are often used to express the resentment that women feel due to problems such as love and marriage.

Demon masks are commonly used in dramas, dances, and festivals, symbolizing the warding off of evil spirits and the bringing of good fortune. They are also the most frequently made masks by Noh mask makers, and therefore their craftsmanship is the most exquisite.

However, the problem lies with the seven demon masks.

"Be careful, it's 'Menreiki'." Wu Chen's True Sight Eye, which flashed and disappeared in an instant, revealed the truth.

"Menreiki," also known as "Menreiki-ki," originates from the Tsukumogami (spirits) recorded in Toriyama Sekien's *Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro* (The Bag of One Hundred Objects in Idleness) from the Edo period in Japan. These are believed to be tsukumogami (spirits formed from objects that have been abandoned for centuries or long periods and have absorbed spiritual energy). The prototype is a finely crafted mask, such as the 66 masks commissioned by Prince Shotoku and made by the craftsman Hata no Katsumi. Legend has it that these spirits are formed from masks that have been abandoned for a long time and have absorbed spiritual energy. They appear as static masks during the day and move autonomously at night, often appearing in dreams with exaggerated expressions. This reflects the folk belief that "objects possess spirits," and these spirits are considered to be objects without a specific personality. The Japanese believe that the more exquisitely crafted the mask, the more likely it is to harbor a spirit, and therefore it should be treated with caution. Noh mask makers rarely make masks without proper invocation rituals.

It is also said that Hata Katsumi, the craftsman who made 66 masks for Prince Shotoku, was not Japanese. From approximately the 4th to 7th centuries, a large number of overseas clans from mainland Asia, including China and Korea, migrated to Japan. These people were collectively referred to as "immigrants" in Japan. Hata Katsumi was one of them. It is generally accepted that the Hata clan in Japan originated in China, developed on the Korean Peninsula, and later migrated eastward to Japan. In 1554, due to Hata Yukiyoshi's defeat, the surname Hata was banned. His descendants, including those with surnames such as Hata and Hata, some still retain the surname Hata.

I wonder if the noodle maker Jinbei is a descendant of the Qin family.