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A deafening boom echoed through the air, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

The temple crumbled into a chaotic mess of rubble and debris. Emerging from the destruction, a colossal monk, standing over 20 meters tall, revealed itself. Its pitch-black form resembled a haunting silhouette against the moonlit night. Clutching a massive ebony naginata, its piercing blue eyes were the only source of light in its towering frame.

“What is that?!” Hakure exclaimed in terror, grateful that they had managed to escape the temple’s confines. Otherwise, they would have met their demise then and there.

“Young master, it is likely the vengeful spirits that reside near the Ise Heavenly Gates,” the red-robed onmyoji responded, his voice tinged with unease. He swiftly unleashed a barrage of sacred talismans, which transformed into streaks of green lightning. They encircled the colossal monk, forming a protective cage of electrified energy.

The red-robed onmyoji speculated that this being might have been an ancient supreme powerhouse who failed to transcend the Heavenly Gates and met his demise. The mere thought of the sheer terror an entity capable of traversing the Heavenly Gates held was enough to send chills down their spines. Even in death, the power of such a formidable being remained undeniably fearsome.

Throughout the recorded history of the Heian dynasty, spanning thousands of years, no powerhouse had ever succeeded in passing through the heavenly gates. While it was possible that some attempts went unrecorded, no documented accounts existed of anyone achieving such a feat.

The towering figure of the pursuing giant monk remained shrouded in darkness, its face obscured, leaving only its immense silhouette and icy, glowing eyes visible. It seemed impervious to the green lightning’s confines, effortlessly tearing through the talisman’s cage with a single violent swing.

“Goodness! The ninth-grade talismans were shattered so easily?” The onmyoji exclaimed in sheer terror, hastily pulling Hakure along as they desperately fled for their lives. But their escape was short-lived, as the giant monk swiftly closed the distance between them. Giant boulders and ancient trees were reduced to rubble in its wake, crushed like mere pebbles as the relentless pursuit continued. Those unfortunate enough to lag behind were mercilessly trampled, their existence obliterated.

“Where did this monstrous monk come from? This is a disaster!”

As the giant monk drew closer, Hakure’s fear and anger surged within him. He realized there was only one option left.

“I have to use it!” Hakure’s voice quivered with a mix of trepidation and determination. “Damn it! My father gave me this life-saving, low-ranked spirit treasure. I didn’t have to use it in Yomi Hirazaka, but now… it seems inevitable. But with the lunar crystal, it’s worth the risk!”

Clutching a small, peculiar black-red metallic door in his hand, he gritted his teeth and hurled it forward.

Fwoosh!

Before him, a crimson eldritch flame erupted, burning through the fabric of reality and creating a corrosive void. The void morphed into a black, decaying door adorned with cryptic carvings. Within that door and amidst the crimson flames lay a hollow emptiness.

“Go!” Hakure commanded, leaping through the gate, followed closely by his remaining subordinates.

However, two of the weaker subordinates failed to evade the sweeping strike of the black naginata. Their lives were mercilessly snuffed out, their bodies falling victim to the deadly blade.

On the distant stretch of the ascending road, a corroded door materialized in midair. Hakure rushed out, followed by the red-clothed onmyoji and the ten surviving escorts. The remaining escorts, unfortunately, would forever remain behind, their lives extinguished in that perilous encounter.

Trembling with fear, the entire group struggled to recover from the traumatic brush with death. The corroded black door dissipated into sticky black smog and vanished.

“Huff, huff, huff… What kind of monster was that?” Hakure’s voice quivered as he spoke, his body drenched in a cold sweat.

The onmyoji’s face turned even paler, his voice trembling, “Young master, our team is skilled in capturing single-soul big dipper experts alive. To be utterly overwhelmed like this… we have gravely underestimated the perils of the ascending road.”

Hakure collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. “And now… where are we?”

The onmyoji surveyed their surroundings and pointed down the dimly lit path. “Young master, we passed through this area not long ago. That direction should lead us away from the ascending road.”

“Excellent!” Hakure exclaimed. They couldn’t risk running in the opposite direction and potentially encountering the giant monk once more.

Despite the pain of using up his father’s life-saving treasure, Hakure knew there was no choice. After all, he had obtained the invaluable lunar crystal. He pulled out the black box and opened it, relieved to see the crystal still intact. It wasn’t just a dream.

“Let’s go! We need to leave this dreadful place quickly,” Hakure declared.

“Yes, young master! This place is incredibly dangerous. Legends say that only those close to the celestial realm can approach the heavenly gates. It’s not just a rumor!” the onmyoji chimed in.

“Enough talk. Let’s go, and let’s go fast!” Hakure urged.

Despite the lingering shock, the group mustered their strength and started moving backward. They were now several miles away from the temple, and there were no signs of the pursuing monk.

“Let’s move!” Hakure commanded, leading them back toward the beginning of the ascending road.

“No wonder this desolate place has been devoid of visitors for hundreds of years! Ordinary people cannot pass through the demon-infested outer mountains and forests, and the strong won’t come here to die in vain. What a cursed place! And that lower-level spirit treasure my father gave me…” Hakure grumbled as he walked.

“Huh?” Suddenly, a golden glow appeared a few hundred meters ahead at a bend in the valley.

“A demon? What’s that?” Hakure didn’t act rashly. Though he could roam Yomi Hirazaka with confidence, it was because he had a powerful group of guards. He knew better than to recklessly use a spirit probe, especially after encountering the giant monk. What if another supreme powerhouse like that monk were to appear? They would all perish.

If it was a human, he could rely on his father’s name, Minamoto no Yoritomo, for safety¹. But if it was a vengeful spirit like the giant monk, their fate would be sealed.

This once-arrogant group was now filled with nervousness. The encounter with the giant monk had thrown them completely off balance.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the valley, Lily and Ayaka cautiously made their way forward, with Lily holding a lantern to light their path. Several hundred meters ahead, they noticed a large group of people carrying torches. Many of them appeared strong and imposing.

“People?” Lily and Ayaka were taken aback. How could they encounter another group of people on a road that had been abandoned for centuries? Could this be the same group that left the tracks they had found at the entrance of the ascending road?

“Lily, stay vigilant. They are deliberately suppressing their aura,” Ayaka whispered to Lily. “Those tall individuals don’t feel entirely human. They seem unaccustomed to suppressing their aura, and it’s leaking out. They possess great power.”

Lily nodded, sensing the same. However, since their auras were only partially leaked, it was difficult to accurately gauge their strength.

This was the one and only ascending road, and at this distance, with both sides aware of each other’s presence but ignorant of each other’s identities, they couldn’t afford to act recklessly.

“Lily, let’s continue walking as if we’re passing by,” Ayaka transmitted her thoughts to Lily.

Given their spiritual realms, they could sense each other’s soul fluctuations and communicate through soul sound transmission, ensuring their conversation remained private. Of course, this method of communication required them to be in close proximity to feel the soul fluctuations of the other person.

“Mm.” Lily and Ayaka maintained their calm composure as they continued walking, pretending as if nothing had happened. The other group did the same, steadily approaching them. The distance between the two parties gradually diminished.

Despite her curiosity, Lily resisted the temptation to use a spirit probe. She reasoned that if the other group proved to be stronger, probing their spirits would only provoke their anger.

Both groups continued walking until they were in close proximity. Hakure looked at Lily and Ayaka with surprise. He had never encountered the Chief Advisor, let alone Lily.

“Unexpectedly, my luck isn’t so bad today,” Hakure thought to himself. “On this abandoned road, not only do I come across people, but they’re two beautiful women. This will compensate for the losses I suffered earlier.”

He had lost a low-ranked spirit treasure and three subordinates—a significant setback. The others in his group felt a tinge of regret that these two beauties had stumbled upon them in such a desolate place.

Hakure decided to test the waters first. Taking a step forward, he asked, “Excuse me, ladies. Are you lost? Do you happen to know where we are?”

Lily remained silent, while Ayaka responded, “We are aware of our location. Please allow us to pass and continue on our separate ways.”

With those words, Ayaka gently pulled Lily to the side, creating a path for the other group to pass through.

As Lily and Ayaka sensed the fluctuation of a spirit probe, their expressions turned cold and the atmosphere around them grew tense. They were alert to the incoming danger.

The red-robed onmyoji transmitted a message to Hakure, intentionally allowing the other group to overhear, “Young master, that woman in white is incredibly powerful! She is likely a single-soul, possibly approaching the level of a double-soul big dipper expert! The woman in red is also formidable, a strong throned expert, at least a throned saint. However, her aura is unpredictable. Young master, there are no weaklings on the ascending road. These two beautiful women who dare to travel alone must possess their own abilities. It would be wise not to provoke them…”

“What are you afraid of!? Even if that woman in white is a double-soul big dipper, we can handle her! She’s nothing like that giant black monk! As for the other woman, as long as she’s not a big dipper expert, she’s easy to deal with! Brothers, how long have we endured in Yomi Hirazaka? Damn it, we nearly died coming to this dreadful place. If we can’t have some fun and excitement, what’s the point of living? Even by our standards, these two women are as beautiful as fairies! Tell me, yes or no!”

“Yes!”
“Not seizing the opportunity when it presents itself? What’s the point of our training?”
“Let’s capture the big dipper woman first!”
“Ukiko Kyaku and I will handle the throned woman!”

Multiple voice transmissions were exchanged, permeating the night air with an ominous and sinister energy.

1. Silva: That will only invite scrutiny from Lily’s group, however.