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The morning sky was adorned with scattered clouds, and the refreshing scent of rain lingered in the air. It was a rare sight to behold, a clear and tranquil morning. Lily sat atop her summoned flying bird, making her way towards the location of the third stele on the northern coast of Tajima.

“I hope this ancient map proves reliable,” Lily murmured to herself, contemplating the accuracy of the markings. The map possessed an intriguing aura, giving her a sense of its authenticity. However, its age and the nature of its scribbled markings left room for doubt. The possibility existed that the positions might not be entirely accurate, or worse, the stele could have been moved or taken away.

In the past, Lily had been hesitant to employ her summoned creatures as means of transportation. But now, with her enhanced strength, she no longer hesitated. Should the need arise for additional magatamas, she had the capability to easily track down and subdue a few demons.

While her concerns for those at Suno persisted, Lily’s greatest worries lay with the inhabitants of Cherry Blossom Valley. However, given her current location, reaching the valley would take a considerable amount of time. Even with her newfound strength, it would take a full ten days of flight, and even longer if she were to traverse the treacherous terrain on foot. The vast expanse of rivers, valleys, and mountains, not to mention the colossal Lake Biwa, posed significant obstacles.

Since Ayaka had deployed a maze formation, there had been no reports of the valley being discovered. Furthermore, Shiu had relayed recent news that Yukiko and Mayumi had used the teleportation array to confirm that all was well at the valley. While the exact intentions of Yoritomo remained unclear, it was evident that his ambitions extended far beyond the confines of such a small valley. It was a relief to know that their haven was unlikely to draw his attention.

……

In the Shogun’s palace in Heian-kyo, Yoritomo, Masakado, and the prominent experts of the ancient Hojo clan, along with the generals of the Genji clan, convened to discuss pressing matters.

“I underestimated Kagami Lily. It was my mistake,” Yoritomo admitted, reflecting on their recent battle where he, accompanied by Daitengu, had futilely fought against the raccoon spirit Mita, only inflicting minor injuries and wasting precious time.

Chaos still permeated Heian-kyo due to the presence of vengeful spirits. Although the situation had somewhat stabilized, ghosts and demons continued to roam the streets.

Kato Keiren voiced his concerns, “Shogun, our greatest peril lies in our failure to eliminate Tamamo-no-Mae. Once that ancient monster recovers, our forces may not be able to withstand her power.”

Yoritomo countered, “Tamamo-no-Mae has sustained severe injuries. Her recovery will take more than just a few years. Currently, we have control over Kanto and Kansai, and our focus should be on consolidating our rule over this vast territory and building our strength.”

Yoritomo’s expression turned helpless as he earnestly spoke, “Everything I do is for the imperial court and the people. The heavens are in turmoil, and the extended night persists. If the people cannot adapt to living in this darkness, they will eventually succumb to demonic influences. But how can the younger generation, the traditionalists, or those blindly loyal comprehend the magnitude of our efforts?”

“The burden carried by the Shogun and the esteemed experts is the long-term survival of the people in this world¹! That is why the Shogun does not shy away from undertaking painful acts. The Shogun works for the greater good! It is unfortunate that most cannot grasp the Shogun’s intentions, assuming our aim is merely to establish a shogunate and conquer the world. They fail to comprehend the Shogun’s unwavering dedication to the people’s well-being². We admire the Shogun’s righteousness!” proclaimed the group, bowing in reverence.

As they knelt before Yoritomo, his gaze drifted into the distance, his thoughts lingering, “Everything is going according to plan, but the one factor that surpasses my expectations is Kagami Lily³…”

……

After less than a day of flying, Lily arrived at the northern coast of Tajima. The cloudy seas in this area were inhabited by sea demons, such as large sea snails and giant crabs. With her superior strength, merely passing by on her bird summon was enough to send these demons scurrying into the depths of the sea.

Circling the sky, Lily carefully surveyed the surroundings. In the distance, amidst the shallow sea, she spotted a distinctive square-shaped giant rock. Only a small portion of the rock jutted out of the water, easily mistaken for a common reef if not examined closely.

Descending from the sky, Lily landed on the sea surface, stepping on ripples formed by sakura blossoms. This method allowed her to traverse over water, although it was slower than running on land.

As she stepped onto the giant rock, an ancient and powerful aura suddenly enveloped her senses. Her spiritual awareness scanned the rock, revealing carvings of celestial maidens and text covered in moss.

Floating into the air, Lily took a few steps back and commanded, “Rise!”

Her domain activated, and with a resounding boom, a massive ten-meter-tall stone stele emerged from the seabed and levitated in the air. With a simple exertion of her domain power, the water and moss were cleared away from the stele’s surface.

Etched upon the stele, she beheld ethereal celestial maidens engaged in a graceful sword dance. Even a cursory glance at the carvings filled her with excitement and imparted knowledge.

To the right side of the stele, she noticed a vertical line of text. It caught her off guard, as the previous two stone steles had been devoid of any written words. The characters were in the ancient Jomon script, and although she couldn’t comprehend them directly, each character conveyed an ancient concept to her mind, allowing her to grasp the meaning of the text.

“The Tsukuyomi Swordstyle, third form: Thousand Sakura Path. In a land filled with celestial energy, engage in paired training with a celestial maiden dancer to master this form.” The meaning of the words became clear to Lily, though some aspects still puzzled her.

“What does ‘land filled with celestial energy’ refer to? Could it indicate places abundant in spirit energy?” Lily pondered.

“And what does ‘paired training with a celestial maiden dancer’ entail?” she wondered further.

It was evident that comprehending the stele would require time and further investigation. Realizing this, Lily decided to store the stele in her mirror space. As expected, once it entered the mirror space, it automatically found its place alongside the other two steles, rendering it immovable.

On the second floor of the training room, the massive stele occupied one of the four remaining spaces next to the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle stele.

“Tsukuyomi Swordstyle, third form: Thousand Sakura Path. First form: Human Path. Second form: Celestial Maiden Path.” The meanings of the first two forms were relatively straightforward.

“Why ‘Thousand Sakura’?” Lily recalled the Himemiya Sen-no-hana painting in Kimiko’s possession. Could the concept of ‘Thousand Sakura’ be related to that painting?

A blush spread across Lily’s face as she realized that the Himemiya Sen-no-hana painting depicted celestial maidens in affectionate embraces. If she were to practice the third stance, would she need to find another female practitioner for paired training? The thought made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

However, an issue arose. This was the human world, devoid of celestial power and celestial maidens. Could possessing the physique of a celestial maiden be sufficient?

Considering that it was a dance, finding a woman with both the celestial maiden physique and dancing skills seemed necessary. Among the women Lily knew, Kagura was the only one with the celestial maiden physique. Ayaka mentioned that Rei was attempting to refine the celestial maiden physique, but had yet to succeed. Shimizu’s body had undergone changes since acquiring the complete ancient jade, but it still felt somewhat different from the celestial maiden physique.

As for Lily herself, there was no doubt about her possessing the celestial maiden physique. And then there was Ayaka. When Lily had examined her for injuries, she sensed a difference in Ayaka’s body, indicating a high likelihood of Ayaka having the celestial maiden physique. Moreover, Lily had witnessed Ayaka’s dancing skills during her time in Ayaka’s dark dream.

Lily decided that she should inquire about it when she returned. Ayaka might be the best person to assist her in practicing. However, it would be ideal if Lily could practice on her own, considering Ayaka’s current injuries. It wouldn’t be right to burden her with such matters.

The fourth and fifth steles were located in distant regions, far beyond Kansai, and time was a luxury Lily couldn’t afford at the moment. As for the sixth stele, since it was not indicated on the map, she decided not to dwell on it.

During her journey back, Lily’s consciousness remained in the training room, attempting to grasp the intricacies of the third form. However, she found herself at a loss on how to practice it effectively.

“What am I missing?” Lily’s spirit body knelt in exhaustion within the cave room. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t sense any progress. The third form was incredibly profound and delicate, requiring a spark of inspiration to make any headway. She understood that practicing without proper understanding might lead to straying from the correct path, inviting backlash and disrupting the natural rhythm of her swordsmanship.

“This swordsmanship is so profound, and since it was bestowed by the great god Tsukuyomi with accompanying instructions, I shouldn’t be reckless,” Lily contemplated. “Forcing myself to practice without guidance might lead to inner turmoil and hindrance.”

“I must proceed step by step, and follow the instructions. Looks like I’ll have to find someone with the celestial maiden physique to practice with, otherwise I better not practice at all.”

However, Lily was faced with another pressing concern—acquiring the antidote within three months. She resolved to do her best to acquire it without engaging Shuten directly, but she acknowledged that it wouldn’t be an easy task⁴. She understood that if she couldn’t sufficiently protect herself, her attempt to save Rei could result in a perilous situation.

As she weighed her options, while Kagura possessed the celestial maiden physique, she lacked proficiency in dancing. Ayaka, on the other hand, resonated more strongly in Lily’s heart as a suitable candidate.

“I’ll have to ask sister Ayaka for help when I return,” Lily concluded.

……

Lily arrived in Suno earlier than expected, late at night. However, she hesitated to disturb everyone as they were likely exhausted from the intense battles they had endured. Recognizing her own fatigue, Lily decided it was important to rest before proceeding with her training.

After taking a refreshing shower and washing her hair, Lily changed into a comfortable white yukata. Although she had an urgent need to train, she understood the significance of being well-rested to optimize her training sessions. Sleep, despite not being a necessity in her realm, helped maintain the balance of her vitality and aided in the recovery of her energy.

Just as Lily was heading back to her room, she crossed paths with Ayaka in the corridors. Ayaka was adorned in a lovely purple yukata, her long hair flowing freely, and a subtle fragrance of green lotuses lingering around her.

“Lily?” Ayaka called out, her voice filled with curiosity.

Lily had taken a soothing bath indoors, but it appeared that Ayaka had opted for the invigorating outdoor hot springs.

“Sister Ayaka?” Lily answered back, pleasantly surprised by the encounter.

“Lily, have you completed your task?” Ayaka inquired.

“Yes, sister Ayaka,” Lily responded with a nod. “And how is your body feeling now? Are you alright?”

“My physical injuries have healed, but the blow from the Daitengu, the activation of the Twelve Phase Lunar Guard Formation, and the depletion of my spirit power have left my Big Dipper Spirit and Quintuple-Soul severely damaged. It will take a considerable amount of time for me to fully recover my strength, and to make matters worse, I lost all of my treasures…” Ayaka’s expression conveyed a sense of disappointment and frustration.

1. Robinxen: That doesn’t give you the right to be an ******* though
2. Robinxen: Maybe because he’s never explained it at all?!
3. Robinxen: Then it’s not going to plan at all? What are you Aleister Crowley?
4. Yuki: Yes Lily, remember what the result was the last time you tried? Tamamo had to sacrifice herself leading to the current situation. When will you learn not to take foolish risks?