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Nanako held the Sakura Parasol aloft as she stood suspended in midair. Within that hazy yet gentle halo of light, not only was her spirit cleansed by its radiance, but the warm golden glow seeped into her body itself, unexpectedly strengthening her physical form as well.

Lily was taken aback. Bathed in that luminous aura, Nanako’s power was rising at a visible pace.

Quintuple-soul Big Dipper… Sextuple-soul… Septuple-soul… Nurtured by the golden light, Nanako’s strength continued to climb without pause.

“What?” Lily gasped in shock. “You’ve reached the Celestial Stage?”

Nanako continued absorbing the golden radiance beneath the parasol, only stopping once her strength had stabilized at the level of the Celestial Stage.

For the sisters, reaching the Celestial Stage was not entirely surprising. Even now, Nanako could only be considered relatively weak within that realm, still far behind Riyuki and Renka.

But what astonished Lily was the manner of her breakthrough. There had been no struggle, no threshold to cross. It had happened as naturally as water flowing downhill, as though the boundary between realms had never existed for her.

Even the most gifted individuals faced barriers at every major breakthrough. Lily herself was no exception. In fact, the greater one’s talent, the more difficult those thresholds often became. Yet Nanako had advanced without the slightest obstruction, passing effortlessly through the great divide of life that was the Celestial Stage.

Nanako approached her, parasol in hand, the golden light beneath it now fully withdrawn.

“Nanako, what just happened? How did you break through just like that? No resistance, no warning at all?”

“Sister, Lady Rinne told me that my body is somewhat special,” Nanako replied softly. “I don’t need to break through in the usual sense. Once I reach a certain level, I can naturally step across the boundary. But in exchange, I will never be able to obtain any Divinity.”

Lily recalled that long ago, Kagura had mentioned something similar, that this body possessed no bottlenecks and could ascend directly through realms. She had never imagined that even the Celestial Stage could be reached so smoothly.

“Nanako… you truly are… unbelievable…”

Lily felt genuine joy for her, but as Nanako walked closer, her figure suddenly blurred. The world around Lily wavered, her balance collapsing in an instant as her body softened and gave way, falling limply.

Nanako hurried forward and caught her.

“Sister, what’s wrong?”

“I… I’m not sure. I feel dizzy. If I rest for a moment, I’ll be fine…” Lily said, though even standing had become difficult. The accumulated fluctuations within her body over the past days had reached their limit and were now erupting.

“Sister, could this be what Lady Rinne had mentioned… that it’s time for you to release the Charm Heavenly force?”

Sweat glistened across Lily’s body as she leaned weakly against Nanako’s shoulder. “Nanako, I understand what you mean by releasing the excess Charm Heavenly force… but it’s not that simple. These surges are rooted deep within me, fused with my very being. They can only dissipate slowly. Even if I wanted to release them, I can’t.”

It was clear that the endless resentment tormenting her was causing the accumulation of the Charm Heavenly force to outpace any possibility of release.

At that moment, Nanako recalled the technique Rinne had taught her, the Sixty-One Techniques of Maiden’s Command. “Could it be… that Lady Rinne had already foreseen this? Otherwise, why would she suddenly teach me this secret art?”

“Sister, I have a secret technique. It might help ease the turmoil in your body. I… want to try.”

Under normal circumstances, Lily would not have believed her. But now, after absorbing the power of the solar corona, Nanako carried an entirely different presence.

“Will it really work?”
“Why not let me try? It won’t take much time anyway,” Nanako said.
“…Alright.” Lily nodded in agreement.
“Sister, come this way.”

Nanako led Lily behind a large boulder, then tossed the parasol into the air. “Expand.” The parasol instantly enlarged into the size of a small pavilion. With a wave of her hand, a soft mat spread itself beneath.

“Sister, kneel on the mat. The first twenty techniques of the Sixty-One Techniques of Maiden’s Command are performed in a seated posture,” Nanako explained.

“Senior sister taught you this?” Lily felt somewhat reassured upon hearing that. If it came from Rinne, then perhaps it truly would be effective.

Following Nanako’s instructions, she knelt with her legs together and sat upright upon the mat, lifting her chest slightly.

“Mhm, sister, raise your arms and place them behind your head.”
“Hm? Why do I need to do that?”
“It’s a necessary posture for receiving the technique. It allows access to an important part of the body for the massage described in the Sixty-One Techniques.”
“I see…” Lily complied.

Her sleeves were designed with tight cuffs around the arms, leaving her upper arms and shoulders exposed. The upper garment itself resembled a sleeveless vest with wide openings at the sides. As she raised her arms, not only were her underarms fully revealed, but even the curve of her chest became partially visible from the side.

The posture made Lily feel somewhat embarrassed. But Nanako was both her attendant and her younger sister. It was only natural for her to care for her elder sister. There should be nothing to feel ashamed about.

Nanako, petite in stature, knelt upright and began forming hand seals just as Rinne had taught her, circulating the power of the solar corona throughout her body.

“First is the opening sequence, to help sister enter the proper state and accelerate the flow of the Charm Path.”

As she spoke, Nanako’s small hands reached forward and began to move across Lily’s shoulders, forearms, ribs, waist, and collarbone, applying a delicate, gentle, and exquisitely refined technique.

Lily felt the fluctuations of the Charm Heavenly Path within her entire being stirred and accelerated.

“Mnn…” Though she kept her lips closed, faint sounds occasionally slipped through as Nanako worked.

Even so, Lily tried her best to restrain herself. Being massaged by her younger sister and making such sounds would be far too embarrassing.

After the initial sequence, Lily’s entire body glowed with a captivating radiance. Her blood surged, her breathing grew deep and uneven, and though her gaze tried to remain composed, a faint haze lingered within her eyes.

“Nanako… is this technique really effective? Why does it feel like the fluctuations are growing stronger instead…”
“Sister, doesn’t it make you want me to continue? And yet, does it still feel insufficient?”
“It’s not exactly that… but if you continue like this, won’t it have the opposite effect?”

“Sister, there’s no need to worry. This was taught by Lady Rinne, so it must be correct. She said the opening phase can be difficult toward the end, but it’s necessary. Next, I’ll begin the direct application of the secret technique.”

Nanako’s eyes shone with pure innocence, her posture composed and dignified. Despite her small frame, she now appeared exceptionally reliable. Nanako was completely serious.

Yet the more earnest and focused she became, the harder it was for Lily to endure. Nanako was wholeheartedly and sincerely treating her, so Lily could not allow herself to appear improper in response.

But this very restraint only heightened her sensitivity, making her increasingly aware of Nanako’s every movement, even instilling a faint sense of unease.

At that moment, Lily’s expression carried a trace of mature feminine allure, yet she still seemed somewhat helpless before this young girl, unable to deal with her, creating a strangely captivating contrast.

“Alright. From the tenth to the twentieth technique, these are the true relieving forms. We’re starting now. Sister, prepare yourself. Keep your mind calm, remain clear and empty. And whatever happens next… don’t let your thoughts wander.”

“Hmph, who… who would let their thoughts wander!” Lily protested awkwardly.

Nanako’s hands began to move, her technique now imbued with an even more refined and extraordinary rhythm.

A wondrous sight unfolded. As Nanako performed the technique, golden light seeped from between her hands. The light swirled and flowed through the air, gradually condensing into a pale golden liquid sphere.

Nanako closed her hands around the sphere, and when she opened them again, her palms were coated in that light golden, smooth, and viscous liquid.

“Eh… this is…”
“Sister, this is something Lady Rinne taught me. Please remain still and accept it.”

As she spoke, Nanako’s hands, now covered in the golden liquid, slipped in through the wide openings at the sides of Lily’s garment. Using distinct, deliberate techniques, she began applying pressure and motion, steadily and methodically guiding everything toward the central peak.

At this point, Lily could no longer maintain the composure and dignity of a mature elder sister. There was no need to describe it further.

The golden liquid in Nanako’s hands was formed from the power of the solar corona fused with her own divine power.

The power of the solar corona originated from the sun. The sun belonged to yang. Meanwhile, Lily’s Charm Heavenly Path and Lunar Force were both of yin.

Yin opposing yin could never alleviate the surging fluctuations within Lily’s body. Only through the harmonization of yin and yang, combined with powerful yet exquisitely refined techniques, could the accumulated side effects of the Charm Heavenly Path be guided out and released. At the same time, its essence would remain, allowing her body to absorb it more effectively, becoming more vibrant and full of life.

This was the profound mystery behind the Sixty-One Techniques of Maiden’s Command. And when infused with the power of the solar corona, the technique became even more effective for someone like Lily, whose body was aligned with lunar attributes.

Through Nanako’s careful, diligent, and focused efforts, the negative fluctuations of the Charm Heavenly Path that Lily had accumulated over the past days were truly guided out and released.

“Ah… haa…” Lily let out a long breath, feeling as though her entire being had been lightened. An overwhelming sense of ease and comfort washed over her.

Her sharpness and vitality, once dulled by the burden within her, were rekindled through Nanako’s guidance and release.

“Truly… unbelievable…” Lily breathed heavily, yet her body felt remarkably light. Though the process had been undeniably embarrassing, afterward she felt radiant and refreshed, her entire presence exuding a renewed feminine charm.

“Nanako, this technique… it really is impressive,” Lily said, trying to sound composed, though the slight stiffness in her voice and the faint blush on her face betrayed her.

“Well then, sister, did it feel good?”

“What? Nanako, what kind of vague phrasing is that? Where did you learn to speak like that? I didn’t ‘feel good’! I simply feel relieved because the intense resentment that had built up was released!” Lily scolded her with a stern expression.

“Sister, isn’t that what I meant?”

“…It’s nothing.” Lily suddenly realized that Nanako had only been wholeheartedly trying to ease her suffering. It was she who had overthought things with unnecessary, misguided assumptions.

“Thank you, Nanako. Without you by my side, I don’t know what would have become of me on this Celestial Demon Path,” Lily said with a gentle, relieved smile.

“To be able to ease sister’s burdens is Nanako’s wish.” Nanako closed her eyes and gave a soft, respectful bow. “Oh, right, sister. Lady Rinne once said that while the Sixty-One Techniques of Maiden’s Command are effective, frequent use will reduce their effectiveness. Unless different techniques are used, the decline can be significantly slowed.”

“…Eh?” Lily’s body trembled slightly. If she remembered correctly, Nanako had only used about twenty techniques on her just now…