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Stealthily advancing toward the source of the scream, concealed by rocks, Lily encountered a dense, blood-laden mist.

The sight before her was startling: the Kunlun tribe woman, previously kicked down, now impaled by a singular golden horn, her blood cascading to the ground.

The assailant was a massive, blue-gray, bloated creature, devoid of eyes and supported by four legs. Without access to spirit power, Lily found it impossible to gauge its strength, necessitating caution.

Furthermore, it was evident that the Kunlun woman had succumbed to her injuries.

A sudden, faint noise above alerted Lily to impending danger. Accompanied by a foul odor and descending pressure, she instinctively rolled away to evade.

A second monster, also bearing a golden horn, lunged where Lily had been moments before, its arrival marked by the sound of its impact with the ground.

Recovering from her evasive maneuver, Lily drew Oborozuki Muramasa. The first golden-horned monster, momentarily diverting its attention from its intended prey, now focused on Lily.

The creature that had targeted Lily measured four to five meters in length, was notably bulky, yet displayed surprising speed.

Charging at Lily, horn leading the assault, she executed a spin jump, unleashing a mid-air slash with Oborozuki Muramasa.

The blade cut through the monster, severing its head with a clean, swift motion, making a faint sound as it sliced through the air.

When Oborozuki Muramasa sliced through the creature, Lily detected neither a soul sea nor a spirit jade within. These monsters, having thrived here across generations, were devoid of spirit energy, relying solely on brute strength.

Unbeknownst to Lily, these golden-horned beasts augmented their strength by consuming the corpses of other formidable entities, growing stronger with each victim.

However, the creature’s apparent weakness was a testament to Lily’s exceptional physical prowess. An average big dipper female adept, lacking spirit energy, treasures, and secret techniques, would find her physical strength scarcely superior to that of her throne realm state.

The other single-horned monster charged at Lily with determination. This time, she confronted it with unyielding confidence. As the monster leapt towards her, its golden horn aimed directly at her, Lily agilely ascended, landing adeptly on its snout before swiftly striking. In an instant, without allowing the beast any opportunity to retaliate, her blade, Oborozuki Muramasa, pierced deeply into the monster’s neck.

Blood gushed forth as the creature lost its equilibrium. As it plummeted towards a colossal boulder, Lily dismounted, evading the imminent collision that resulted in the creature’s demise.

“It’s not that challenging,” Lily remarked. However, before she could fully savor her triumph, four more golden-horned beasts emerged, charging towards her. Undeterred, Lily met them head-on, engaging in fierce combat and vanquishing each adversary with relentless ferocity.

“Huff…huff…” Engaging in combat with multiple adversaries simultaneously, devoid of spirit energy, necessitated evasive maneuvers and seizing opportune moments for attack, depleting significant energy and time. Gasping for breath, Lily surveyed the fallen monsters, a testament to the ordeal’s intensity.

Lily encountered an unfamiliar predicament: the inefficacy of spirit energy. Traditionally, a blade maiden’s paramount advantage lay in the ability to devour souls, replenishing spirit energy during combat. Yet, in this cave, spirit energy was rendered obsolete, nullifying any potential benefits from animas.

Combat in this realm hinged solely on physical prowess. Despite Lily’s robust physique, her stamina and strength were finite. The inability to utilize spirit power or secret techniques, compounded by the oppressive gravity and atmospheric pressure, transformed even a brief five-to-six-minute skirmish into an exhaustingly intense ordeal.

Lily abruptly came to the understanding that in this environment, relying solely on her physical strength, swordsmanship, and agility to engage directly with the endless horde of monsters was not viable. Irrespective of her formidable abilities, the moment her stamina waned, her combat effectiveness would sharply decline.

“I must exercise caution and prevent encirclement,” she realized. The strategies of her past battles could not be applied here; vigilance was paramount. “It may seem merciless, but this is the reality. With casualties already mounting and an endless stream of foes, my priority must be to find a sanctuary for rest. Preserving my stamina is crucial; I mustn’t rush into confrontations,” Lily contemplated in silence.

Departing from the blood-drenched terrain, Lily discovered a region densely strewn with massive stone boulders. Underneath a particularly large pillar, she located a crevice approximately five to six meters deep and one meter wide — an ideal refuge. Seeking solace within, she concealed herself for a much-needed respite.

After resting in the crevice for some time, Lily felt her energy returning. Thanks to her celestial maiden physique, her stamina regenerated faster than that of an ordinary female adept, a distinct advantage in these harsh conditions.

Unexpectedly, hunger gnawed at her. “Of course,” Lily realized, “without the aid of spirit energy, I’ll need food to sustain myself.”

Lily knew she must venture out in search of sustenance. The creatures she had slain earlier were unappealing and reeked, yet necessity outweighed her reluctance. Without nourishment, would she have the strength to fight?

Lily decided to return, harvest some meat from her kills, and attempt to roast it within the mirror space. Should that prove impossible, she was prepared to consume it raw.

While Lily had stockpiled rare fruits, they were stashed within her storage jades, deemed less precious. Her mirror space, rich with treasures, lacked actual provisions. Its trees and streams, mere specters of another realm, offered no tangible sustenance.

“Locating water is my first priority.”

Deprived of spirit energy, Lily’s body functions mirrored those of a mere mortal, complicating her survival. While navigating, the sound of water led her to a pristine stream. Despite possessing artifacts for detecting poison, their magic was futile in this realm, leaving her to trust her instincts.

Observing the stream and noting the fish swimming contentedly, Lily concluded the water was likely safe to drink.

Lily drank from the stream, finding the water refreshingly pure. Using a dampened silk scarf, she cleansed her face and body, a small comfort in this harsh realm.

A shadow loomed over Lily, its presence marked by unsettling laughter. “So beautiful…” it sneered, launching towards her with unbridled eagerness.

Sensing the impending danger, Lily rolled aside swiftly. Rising, she witnessed a colossal figure, akin to a sumo wrestler, crash into the water, sending splashes everywhere.

As the sumo wrestler regained his footing, his gaze locked onto Lily. “In full view, you’re even more captivating! You belong to me now! It seems the Rakshasa Dojo has granted me this favor,” he remarked, misinterpreting the dojo’s intentions.

“Identify yourself,” Lily demanded, her tone laced with a mix of curiosity and caution.

With a disturbing chuckle, he said, “Ah, a beauty among the Night Parade of Hundred Maidens. The wait since the last parade has been agonizing. As a former Yomi powerhouse, I was lured here by the promise of Rakshasa Dojo’s recruitment. They assured me I could freely indulge in my desires with beauties like you without any repercussions. My patience was wearing thin, doubting their word, but now that you’re here, it’s been worth the wait. Come closer, let’s not delay our…acquaintance,” he leered, advancing with ill intent.

The sumo wrestler, a veritable mountain of flesh, rushed at Lily with puckered lips, his surprising speed belying his size. Lily, in response, swiftly dodged to the side.

Contrary to expectations, the sumo wrestler displayed remarkable agility, swiftly grabbing Lily’s ankle with his large hand and forcefully throwing her to the ground.

His strength was formidable!

Solely in terms of physical might, he surpassed Lily. Where could the Rakshasa Dojo have discovered such an oddity?

The massive form of the sumo wrestler charged towards Lily as she lay on the ground.

With a swift motion, Lily unsheathed Oborozuki Muramasa, its blade gleaming silver in a swift arc that was too quick for the eye to follow, severing the sumo’s hands.

“Huh?” In disbelief, the sumo wrestler watched his severed hands fly through the air, moments before Lily’s decisive thrust pierced his spirit sea.

“Only at the throne stage?” Lily mused, her realization of his realm coming only after her blade had pierced his spirit sea.

Lily was chagrined to have been overpowered by a throne realm adept. Despite her victory, his combination of strength and agility was a potent reminder that underestimating her opponents could lead to defeat.

“To think I was put in jeopardy by someone of the throne realm…”

Lily recognized that the usual rules didn’t apply within the confines of this Empty Spirit Cave, necessitating even greater caution on her part.

Reluctant to search a corpse as unappealing and malodorous as his, especially for someone merely of the throne realm, Lily doubted he possessed anything of value.

Yet, she paused, considering the possibility of him carrying a map of Yomi.

Overcoming her revulsion, Lily proceeded with the search by hand, given the unavailability of spirit power. She unearthed a greasy storage jade, unusable within the cave, cleaned it, and secured it within her mirror space.

“To think he entered this place motivated by lust; he truly was a victim of his own desires.”

Lily set off in search of sustenance. Preferring not to consume meat, she hoped to find some sweet wild fruit instead. However, given the cave’s rocky terrain and the scarcity of shrubs, the prospect of finding fruit seemed bleak.

Was she destined to resort to consuming monster meat?

“Um…ah…no, don’t…”

Ahead, amidst the mist, she detected the peculiar sound of a female voice. Maintaining her vigilance, Lily silently advanced.

“Stop, what are you doing, no, ahh—”

“Ehehe, you refused me above, but down here, the choice isn’t yours!”

Were those two female voices?

Finding the situation increasingly odd, Lily proceeded with caution, using bushes and rocks for cover as she approached the clearing ahead. In the clearing, Lily observed a blade maiden, her dark blue curls tumbling over a leather bodysuit, pinning down a chestnut-haired female adept.

“What?” Startled, Lily turned away, her cheeks flushed and her breathing rapid¹.

Recognizing both as members of the Night Parade, Lily puzzled over their actions in such a setting, with one seemingly complicit and the other evidently coerced.

“Why, in such circumstances, would she engage in this behavior?” Lily wondered, her breath quickening, her eyes gleaming with disbelief and indignation.

1. Yuki: Why the heck you so surprised? All your other sisters want to do the same thing to you.