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“Excellent. You display great bravery despite your young age. However, allow me to remind you that you may utilize any tools at your disposal. Nevertheless, should your female companion assist you, she will face dire consequences!” The three-eyed ox demon emanated a powerful energy, though it was not his own aura, but rather a manifestation of the ancient formation on the Ascending Road.

Ayaka swiftly stepped aside, ensuring not to violate the rules dictated by the formation.

With caution, Lily drew Yasutsuna and faced the guardian of the Ascending Road. Her senses heightened, she approached the battle with utmost care. While she had been assured that her life would be spared, she knew better than to underestimate a formation created by a divine being. If it became clear that victory was unattainable, she would surrender rather than risk her life. After all, she could dedicate herself to train and absorb the abundant divine energy present in this sacred place. The Lunar Crystal had already enhanced her strength, increasing her chances of entering Mount Ooe.

If defeat was inevitable, so be it. Lily had mentally prepared herself for such an outcome.

The three-eyed ox demon surged forward, exuding immense power as he closed in on Lily with colossal strides. The giant axe in his hand unleashed shockwaves imbued with ancient might as he swung it towards her.

“Huh?” Lily was momentarily taken aback.

Wham! The axe struck the ground beneath her feet as she leaped back, maintaining a safe distance.

“Huh? How?” Lily, still in mid-air, was perplexed. “Why is it so slow?” The movements of the ox demon seemed to unfold in slow motion before her eyes. At most, he possessed the strength of a Throned Saint.

Could it be a trap? Lily reminded herself not to underestimate a formation crafted by a divine being.

With relentless fury, the ox demon continued his assault, charging at Lily and unleashing a flurry of consecutive strikes. Yet, Lily remained focused and adeptly evaded each attack. Though the ox demon appeared to possess boundless energy, launching dozens of assaults, Lily skillfully dodged them all.

“Could he be trying to wear me down?” Lily pondered, feeling perplexed by the ox demon’s seemingly relentless attacks.

“All you do is dodge? Do you dare to face me head-on?” the ox demon growled in frustration.

“This cannot go on,” Lily thought to herself. Swiftly evading his stomp, she retreated and unleashed a scarlet red sword energy towards him, testing his defenses.

Swish—!

The sword energy cleanly severed the demon’s body…

“Huh?”

With his axe falling to the side, the upper half of the ox demon’s body collapsed onto the ground. Struggling to speak, he managed to utter, “You… You win. You may proceed beyond this point before I am reborn. Over the years, no one has defeated me as effortlessly as you have. As expected, you are no ordinary woman. Go…”

Lily couldn’t help but think, “You’re just weak…”

Without hesitation, she and Ayaka cautiously passed by the fallen ox demon, continuing their journey along the Ascending Road.

As they walked, the powerful ocean breeze tousled Lily’s and Ayaka’s hair.

“Sister Ayaka… This ox demon was supposed to be the guardian of the Ascending Road. Why was he so weak?” Lily asked, seeking clarification.

“Lily, do you remember when he mentioned that his strength corresponds to the challenger’s level? Perhaps this guardian is not your typical opponent, but rather a form of test. The strength of the ox corresponds to the perceived strength of someone at your stage. As a Throned Sovereign, the ox only fought with that level of strength. Naturally, he was no match for you,” Ayaka explained.

“I see… In other words, the guardian of the Ascending Road serves as a test, evaluating the challengers’ strength relative to others at the same stage,” Lily realized. She had prepared herself for the worst, but she never expected to defeat the guardian with such ease. It was truly surprising.

“Yes. Within the same stage of Ascension, the stronger you are in reality, the greater your talent and future potential. Perhaps in the ancient era, the powerhouse or divine being who created this formation did not value the strongest individuals. Instead, they deemed prodigies with immense potential as the ones worthy of traversing the Ascending Road,” Ayaka elaborated.

Lily nodded, understanding the significance of the situation. She hadn’t anticipated that the guardian of the lower Ascending Road would be far easier to overcome than she had imagined.

As the ocean breeze grew stronger, billowing clouds resembling colossal white mountains surged towards the Ascending Road, occasionally engulfing Lily and Ayaka in a veil of mist. They pressed on for a considerable time until the path ahead revealed a flattened mountain peak, seamlessly connected to the road.

On this flat surface, a gust of green smoke materialized, giving shape to a pitch-black figure resembling a Nioh clay statue. However, this Nioh was not the dark horse, Nioh, but an actual Nioh adorned in clay armor, reminiscent of an ancient deity. He bore a trident adorned with intricate engravings and possessed the ability to move.

The Nioh statue spoke, “Since you have arrived, it means you have vanquished that useless ox. Quite commendable for mere mortals. I am the guardian stationed in the middle of the Ascending Road. Who dares to challenge me?”

Having already reached this point, there was no need for further explanation. Nioh was prepared to initiate the trial.

Clearly, this Nioh statue was not a living being but a creation of the ancient formation, devoid of any discernible presence.

“Sir guardian, I will take on the challenge,” Lily declared, aware of the rules governing this realm. Perhaps she was the most suitable candidate to face these tests within this world.

“Very well!”

Nioh and Lily positioned themselves, ready to commence their encounter.

Suddenly, the trident in his hands transformed into a dazzling pillar of golden light, thrusting towards Lily with remarkable speed and precision.

“He’s faster than the ox! A pinnacle Throned Saint, at the very least!” Lily noted, assessing the guardian’s strength.

However, the current Lily, empowered by the absorbed Lunar Crystal, possessed the prowess of a triple-soul Big Dipper, even without utilizing the Purple Lunar Force. With the force at her disposal, she approached the level of a pinnacle triple-soul Big Dipper and could potentially challenge a quadruple-soul Big Dipper.

A mere Throned Saint was no match for her.

Without hesitation, Lily employed her swift movement technique, transforming into a blur of afterimages as she swiftly appeared by the guardian’s side, delivering a powerful slash with Yasutsuna.

Crack! The air reverberated with the sound of shattering as the scarlet sword energy obliterated the Nioh statue into countless pieces.

The decapitated head of the statue fell to the ground, speaking to Lily in astonishment, “Incredible. A genius who surpasses all her peers in Ashihara… Your talent and potential… Even compared to the Celestial Battle Maidens in heaven, you are anything but ordinary. To think that a mere mortal could achieve such heights. Incredible, truly incredible… You may proceed. I have nothing more to say.”

Lily emerged from the battle unscathed, realizing that the challenges on the Ascending Road were easier than she had anticipated. Little did she know how extraordinary she truly was. The strength of the guardians was tailored to each challenger, and only those with overwhelmingly superior strength relative to their stage could overcome them. Such circumstances were incredibly rare to come by.

For most other challengers, these guardians were insurmountable obstacles. Yet, for Lily, they proved surprisingly manageable. However, she didn’t dare test the reaction of the Nioh statue against a Big Dipper. Curiosity lingered within her, but she understood the risks involved and refrained from venturing further.

Pressing forward, they encountered progressively stronger winds. The gusts became so fierce that anyone below the Throned Monarch Stage would be swept into the unforgiving depths of the ocean.

Lily and Ayaka persevered, traversing the dauntingly tall and narrow Ascending Road, gripping each other tightly for support. The vista ahead, consisting of the ocean and sky, exuded a gloomy aura, adding to the sense of foreboding.

As they ventured forward, amidst the colossal mountains and the relentless ocean winds, the silhouette of a massive structure slowly emerged, resembling a bird’s nest. Lily and Ayaka continued their journey, and the shape gradually became clearer.

It revealed an astonishing sight—a towering mountain reaching a staggering height of 10,000 meters, resembling a majestic bird’s sanctuary. Perched above the ocean, the Ascending Road traversed this avian abode like a delicate thread, eventually ascending to the heavens themselves.

The Heavenly Gate!

Lily realized that explanations were unnecessary on the Ascending Road, just like the awe-inspiring beauty of this natural and immense bird’s sanctuary. This was the Ise Heavenly Gate!

Though the grandeur of the Ise Heavenly Gate seemed within reach, Lily and Ayaka persevered against the mighty ocean winds, walking for a considerable time until they finally reached the foot of the Heavenly Gate.

In this location, an unimaginable gust of wind enveloped them, billowing from the Heavenly Gate itself. This wind possessed an invigorating and stimulating energy.

Beneath the foot of the colossal Heavenly Gate, a golden light slowly materialized. Lily surmised that this could be the guardian of the upper Ascending Road. However, since she was unable to enter the Heavenly Gate, there seemed to be no need for her to challenge this guardian.

Gradually, the golden light took the form of a human, revealing a samurai figure. The samurai appeared rather diminutive in stature, and their armor and helmet began to solidify within the radiant golden light.

“A samurai?” Lily and Ayaka exchanged puzzled glances, perplexed by the unexpected presence of a samurai as the guardian of the upper Ascending Road. The transition from an ox to a Nioh to a samurai seemed peculiar.

“Don’t underestimate the situation, Lily. Although your previous battles have been relatively easy, remember that this is the Ascending Road. A single misstep can lead to irreversible consequences. Perhaps it would be wise for us to show respect and maintain a respectful distance. We can utilize this space for training,” Ayaka cautioned, sharing her thoughts. Since they couldn’t enter the Heavenly Gate, there seemed to be no pressing need to challenge its final guardian.

Lily nodded in agreement, adopting a cautious stance as they observed the unfolding scene.

The golden light continued to gather, forming the figure of a samurai adorned in shimmering red and silver armor, complemented by a resplendent golden helmet. Despite his unimposing height, he emanated an aura of elegance and unparalleled heroism.

The samurai possessed a striking countenance—handsome yet rugged, exuding a youthful vigor. His eyes, brimming with spirit and sharpness, seemed capable of piercing through the somber sky itself.

“What a remarkably handsome young samurai!” Even Lily, who typically paid little attention to men, couldn’t help but be captivated by the samurai’s appearance. Although he didn’t possess the enchanting allure of Ibaraki or Shuten, he embodied a unique blend of beauty and masculinity, exuding both heroic strength and innocent charm—a sight that brought comfort to those who beheld him.

“Kagami Lily, isn’t it?” The young man’s voice, deep and alluring, reached Lily’s ears.

“How… How do you know my name?” Lily asked, her curiosity piqued.

“I have been awaiting your arrival for quite some time,” the samurai replied, his voice carrying a sense of anticipation and purpose¹.

1. Silva: Lemme guess… Is he Yoshitsune?