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To the southwest of Heian-kyo lay the land of Ise, spanning thousands of miles and bordered by the vast southern sea, far south of Lake Biwa.

Nestled between Lake Biwa and Ise was the Iga Province, renowned in legends as the homeland of ninjas.

Yukiko and Mayumi had embarked on a journey to Iga in search of the origins of the kunoichi clan. However, Lily had no time to join them in this pursuit, as it seemed to be their personal adventure.

Iga, with its vast expanse and dense forests, posed a challenging terrain for exploration. Further south of Iga lay Ise, an even more ancient land characterized by its vastness and sparse population.

Yet, Ise held the ultimate aspiration for adepts—the Ise Heavenly Gate! Passing through these celestial gates would lead one to Takamagahara, the realm of the gods. It was the path to ascension and the realization of celestial power.

However, the heavenly gates spelled certain doom for those lacking strength close to the celestial realm.

After two days of traversing the skies, Lily and Ayaka finally arrived in the southwestern part of Ise.

Here, the heavens and the sea shared the same hue, and the clouds stretched out endlessly. The landscape was dominated by majestic mountains, some rising from the land itself, while others emerged from the depths of the sea, all towering over ten thousand meters in height.

Ahead of them, in the southwest of Ise, stood mountains that pierced the heavens like colossal pillars.

As they drew closer to the mountains, an immense pressure emanated from the skies and mist, weighing down on Lily’s summoned bird and making their flight much more arduous. With each passing moment, the pressure grew stronger, compelling them to descend. If they continued flying for a few hundred meters more, they would be unable to remain airborne at all.

Lily had no choice but to guide the large bird to descend toward the enveloping clouds and mist, eventually landing on a tranquil beach.

“Incredible! This place not only restricts flying for summoned creatures but even my domain’s power is limited when it comes to flying too high,” Lily exclaimed in awe.

“It appears that the heavenly gates must lie ahead. If flight were permitted, there would be no need to pass through the heavenly gates; one could simply soar into Takamagahara. The laws governing this place are distinct from those of Ashihara,” Ayaka explained.

Lily’s thoughts drifted to Yomi Hirazaka. That place had gravity a hundred times greater than Ashihara, and while this place didn’t exhibit such gravitational changes, there was a force hindering flight. However, as she looked up, she noticed ordinary birds gracefully gliding through the skies without any restraints.

“According to ancient maps, the Ise Heavenly Gates lie northwest of this beach. If we follow along the shoreline, we should come across a pathway,” Ayaka explained.

It was the fabled pathway that led to the Ise Heavenly Gates, a road nestled between the mountains and the sea. The Ascending Road!

Lily was attired in a crimson kimono with long sleeves and a short skirt, while Ayaka wore a white coat over scarlet shrine maiden clothing.

Having left the Sakura Parasol back in Suno to shield Kimiko from the elements, and leaving Kagura behind as well, Lily knew that her greatest adversary was Yoritomo, and her Sakura Parasol held no power against him. However, with Ayaka by her side, they could face any other foes. Even if victory was uncertain, they could retreat safely.

The two women strolled along the beach, with lush mountains and dark trees on one side and the azure sea on the other. Their footprints marked a path on the gray-white sand. In the distance, Lily noticed a colossal octopus wriggling in the waters. Its tentacles exceeded ten meters in length, and its suckers were larger than a human’s hand.

However, as a sea monster, the octopus could not venture onto land and could only gaze at the two women with vacant eyes. Lily paid it no mind; the octopus was merely a throned sovereign-level creature and did not warrant her concern.

Within the forest, curious eyes peered at them from hidden depths. Some eyes glimmered with malice, while others gleamed with avarice, but none dared to venture forth recklessly. This was the path to the Heavenly Gates, and two women had made it this far. They were no ordinary individuals!

How could the nearby demons, residing in the vicinity of the Heavenly Gates, not be aware of the power required to traverse the vast mountain forests?

Amidst the humid white mist, it appeared that the beach had reached its end. Towering on either side were two colossal green mountains. The two continued forward, and between the two mountains, a narrow road paved with gravel revealed itself.

The road was so narrow that two people could not walk side by side. At the foot of the road, an ancient stone lamp covered in moss stood silently. Apart from the stone lamp, there was nothing else in sight.

Though this road led to the Heavenly Gates, there were no markers indicating its name. However, the absence of weeds and moss suggested that people still journeyed along this path.

On the path, new footprints marred the muddy ground, trampling over the surrounding weeds. It was evident that this once-abandoned road had recently been traversed by travelers.

“There are quite a few footprints, and some appear to be quite large,” Lily remarked, studying the imprints on the road.

“It seems like a group of people, and it doesn’t seem like they wandered here while engaging in activities like woodcutting or hunting,” Ayaka cautioned, her voice filled with caution. “This place holds a certain uniqueness, where spirit probes have limited reach. We must remain vigilant. Ordinary adepts cannot tread the Ascending Road!”

“Sister Ayaka, let’s keep our spirit probes within our line of sight. If we encounter another spirit probe, we can immediately detect their location. However, if their strength is inferior to ours, they won’t be able to sense us,” Lily suggested.

“Agreed,” Ayaka nodded in agreement.

They had initially presumed that no one would be present in this area. After all, this road had been left untouched for centuries, reclaimed by nature as an animal path. But to discover recent signs of human travel just before their arrival… this was a development they couldn’t overlook.

……

At that moment, on the desolate road that had remained untouched for centuries, about ten miles away from Lily and Ayaka, a group of eerie and strangely attired individuals took respite.

The group comprised individuals clad in somber gray garments, their attire concealing their features. Only their eyes could be glimpsed beneath the tightly wrapped cloaks, emanating a sinister gleam.

Seated on a nearby stone by the roadside was a young man dressed in a distinctive black and white samurai ensemble. His hair was divided, with one side shaved and the other adorned with long locks. His visage appeared thin and gloomy, yet his eyes possessed a sharp intensity.

“Young master, according to the map bestowed upon us by Lord Kibo, this road leads to the Ascending Road and the Heavenly Gates,” an onmyouji declared, scrutinizing an ancient map. He wore a black hat, red robes, and his face bore a thick layer of white powder.

“Ay, the Heavenly Gates hold no significance for us. Our sole focus is to locate the lunar crystals along this Ascending Road,” responded the young master, Minamoto Jirou Hakure.

Hakure, the second son of Minamoto no Yoritomo, had never made an appearance at the Imperial Court. His name was unconventional, unlike the names typically given to noble samurai children.

Although Hakure and his subordinates exuded a potent aura of the underworld, Hakure himself seemed rather unremarkable. He was merely a late-stage throned monarch, while those surrounding him possessed far greater power, especially the onmyouji donning the red robes.