Time flowed onward; winter receded, and spring arrived. As the vast, snowy expanse yielded to a newly vibrant green, the Hakurei Shrine, through the sole efforts of its Miko, underwent a complete transformation. Though the reconstructed shrine was far from opulent, the cool stone steps, the pristine eaves, complemented by the soft pink cherry blossoms drifting on the breeze, imparted a refreshing sense of tranquility.

Beneath such breathtaking beauty, the Miko herself seemed like an ethereal fairy, detached from the mundane world.

High in the air, resting upon a gap between dimensions, Yukari Yakumo watched the Miko below, whose skirt fluttered in the wind. For a fleeting moment, she felt a vague unease, as if the girl might vanish from this world at any instant. But just as quickly, she shook her head and let out a carefree smile... It must just be an illusion.

Although the Miko was kind—sometimes so kind it seemed foolish—after spending so much time together, Yukari had clearly understood that the Miko was by no means hopelessly naive. She simply cherished life; the lives of others, and her own, were equally important. Therefore... Yukari did not believe the Miko’s safety was a matter she needed to worry about.

Today was the day the shrine’s reconstruction was complete, and also the most crucial day for them to advance toward their dream... making a wish to the Dragon God!

After discussions between Yukari Yakumo and the Miko, they reached a conclusion: to construct the Gensokyo of their ideals, two layers of boundaries needed to be established surrounding it. The first was the "Boundary between Illusion and Reality," and the second was named after the shrine itself: the "Great Hakurei Barrier."

The Boundary between Illusion and Reality would allow all manner of youkai in the world to know the location of Gensokyo and travel there. It was not limited to youkai; any creature, object, or structure vanishing in the outside world could migrate into Gensokyo.

This first barrier relied entirely on Yukari’s power; in fact, only her ability to manipulate boundaries could achieve it. For Yukari, accomplishing this feat was effortless. However, she knew better than anyone that relying solely on this would not guarantee Gensokyo's balance. Therefore, a clearer second layer was necessary to establish Gensokyo as a world distinct from the outside.

But this second barrier was beyond Yukari’s capability. This was why she had launched the first Lunar War a thousand years prior. After her defeat, she seemed to wander the human world aimlessly, yet in reality, she had never stopped searching for a breakthrough point for that second barrier.

Once, she had seen a glimmer of hope in Yuyuko Saigyouji, but subsequent calculations revealed that Yuyuko's power was insufficient to form the barrier she required. This continued until she met the Miko of the Hakurei Shrine.

The moment she first saw the Hakurei Miko, Yukari knew she had found it.

After months of deduction and calculation, they finally finalized the plans for the second layer of the barrier... To sever contact with the outside world, the Miko would establish the "Common Sense Barrier." Its function was to clearly delineate the common sense of the outside world from the uncommon sense of Gensokyo: the outside world's common sense would be defined as Gensokyo's uncommon sense, and vice versa—a barrier built on such a premise.

Because this barrier fundamentally required the Miko’s power, it was named the Great Hakurei Barrier.

However, this was purely theoretical. To manifest this barrier in reality, the Miko’s power alone was insufficient. They lacked one most essential component: the foundation upon which the barrier could be built... the Rules themselves!

This was, after all, a subversion of common sense and uncommon sense—strictly speaking, it was about peeling Gensokyo away from the current world to form a separate reality. Without the foundational rules to give that world form, the Great Hakurei Barrier was merely talk.

So, where could such crucially important foundational rules be found?

The Hakurei Miko knew, and Yukari knew: they lay with the Dragon God hovering above Gensokyo!

The existence of the Dragon God was known to almost all residents of Gensokyo, as the Dragon God would materialize from time to time. Whenever the Dragon God appeared, the weather would inevitably change drastically, all creation would bow down—a power capable of overturning everything. Yet... obtaining the Dragon God's power was no simple matter.

For only the purest soul in this world could "converse" with the Dragon God.

Fortunately, the Hakurei Miko, raised by spirits, possessed precisely such a soul.

Thus, the day the Hakurei Shrine was completed was also the day the Hakurei Miko would pray to the Dragon God.

"Dragon God above, please heed my wish..." Kneeling before the shrine entrance, the Hakurei Miko closed her eyes, her hands clasped before her chest, whispering her most sincere devotion.

As the prayer began, the otherwise sunny and clear Gensokyo was suddenly engulfed by countless dark clouds. The entire world instantly dimmed, buffeted by fierce winds, lightning, and thunder—a spectacle akin to the apocalypse descending.

Innumerable humans and youkai across Gensokyo stared in stunned silence at this sudden turn of events. Some of the more timid immediately retreated indoors, perhaps hoping to hide under their covers until this terrifying celestial phenomenon passed. But before anyone could fully react, a colossal silhouette flickered across the sky.

The light was faint, imbued with a delicate golden sheen, looking no different from the morning sun if it had been daytime. But now, in the darkened sky, its presence was exceptionally clear. The light constantly shifted and coalesced until it formed a massive divine dragon, projecting immeasurable pressure down toward the earth.

"The Dragon God! It’s the Dragon God!" someone cried out in alarm.

At that moment, within all of Gensokyo—humans, youkai, fairies, and the undead—nearly every living being knelt down in reverence.

The Dragon God appears, and all creation submits; this was no idle boast!

However, not everyone knelt. A select few watched, albeit shocked, simply looking up. This included Yuka Kazami, the Mistress of All Seasons' Flowers, standing tall in the Sunflower Field with a serious gaze. And Yuyuko Saigyouji, Mistress of the Netherworld at Hakugyokurou, watching the spectacle with dazed eyes. Also present were Eirin Yagokoro and Kaguya Houraisan, the Lunarians hidden in Gensokyo, dwelling between eternity and transience, yet unnoticed by anyone, alongside the immortal fugitive, Mokou Fujiwara. Of course, this also included one of the culprits who summoned the Dragon God, Yukari Yakumo... This small contingent alone remained standing under the Dragon God's imposing pressure.

The Dragon God's appearance was brief. Just as most were engrossed in wondering why the Dragon God had appeared, it vanished from sight, and the world returned to normal.

At this point, a few gazes turned toward the Hakurei Shrine.

But for Yukari and the Miko, those looks were irrelevant. Seeing the Miko rise from the ground, Yukari immediately stepped forward. "How was it?"

The Miko opened her eyes, revealing a trace of gentle sadness and lingering attachment. But as she turned to face Yukari, the sorrow in her eyes receded, replaced by her usual gentle smile. "It was very successful. Prepare yourselves; we can set up the barrier in three days."

"Understood," Yukari nodded. Although she didn't fully grasp why three days of preparation were needed after a successful prayer, she didn't doubt it. To be safe, she agreed and immediately turned to leave, intending to return to the realm of gaps and make thorough preparations.

"Hey, Yukari..." As Yukari stepped into the gap, the Miko's voice called out from behind her. Turning back, she saw an expression on the Miko’s face she couldn't decipher. Then the Miko said, "You must protect Gensokyo."

"...I understand." Yukari paused slightly, then nodded. The gap closed.

Suddenly, the Miko was alone in the shrine. She looked up at the sky, then swept her gaze across the entirety of Gensokyo, as if trying to imprint it all into her memory. Her face still held that unchanging, gentle smile, yet for some reason, it now projected an unusually heavy feeling.

"Life... is truly a heavy thing..."

The Miko sighed softly. Yukari didn't know the purpose of the three-day preparation period, but the Miko did—for these three days were for herself... the last three days in this world.

Three days passed in a flash. That night, still at the Hakurei Shrine, Yukari stood atop the high torii gate. At this historic moment, her expression was utterly unmoved, placid as ever. Then, countless brilliant rays of light shot up from the ground like piercing swords. As the light expanded, it enveloped the entire Gensokyo in moments.

This was the Boundary between Illusion and Reality.

Immediately following, the Hakurei Miko, standing on the shrine steps, swept her gohei (purification wand). A nearly imperceptible halo of light spread out from the Hakurei Shrine, reaching toward the still-spreading illumination.

This was the Great Hakurei Barrier.

As the Great Hakurei Barrier formed, the night sky once again brewed dark clouds, instantly swallowing the cool moonlight. A colossal golden divine dragon seemed to writhe within the gloom.

Simultaneously, the Miko looked up at Yukari, a dazzlingly brilliant smile spreading across her face. "Yukari, now!"

The final step was to merge the two barriers, bringing forth the Gensokyo they had so long envisioned. But... Yukari froze at that moment.

Yukari looked at the Miko, and the Miko looked back. Unlike Yukari, the Miko’s face still held that gentle smile capable of warming anyone. Suddenly, Yukari recalled the first time she met the Miko; back then, the Miko's smile had brought her solace and hope. But now, that same smile felt like needles piercing her heart with agony.

The Miko remained silent, simply gazing at her, but Yukari could read the intent in her eyes, the unspoken message.

Finally, Yukari extended both hands, murmuring incantations and forming seals.

The surrounding light intensified, becoming even more dazzling. As the final seal settled, Yukari was bathed in radiance. She bowed her head, her golden hair obscuring her eyes, yet two streams of tears slid down her face...

PS: According to common understanding, Yukari’s barrier was established over a hundred years before the Great Hakurei Barrier, but for the sake of this plot, I’ve placed them at the same time... Well, since it was hinted at in Volume Eight, I won’t elaborate further.

Also, after updating so diligently recently, why are there so few monthly votes? I really want to cry... (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (http://www.qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)