Demon Sword Maiden

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For Lily, traversing Yomi-no-kuni was an exhausting and time-consuming endeavor. But for the Madam, it was as simple as activating a talisman. Though such talismans were incredibly costly, to the Madam, they were as trivial as scraps of paper.

The Sanzu River lay nearly a million miles from Hyakki Street. Its immense waters flowed endlessly, while yellow-tinged dust storms swirled across the barren landscape.

Suddenly, the sky split open, revealing an ancient and imposing gate that materialized out of the void. The gate’s interior was veiled in darkness, yet streaks of dazzling light streamed forth from within.

From the depths of the gate, a colossal, obsidian sedan chair emerged, gliding through the air.

"We’ve arrived at the Sanzu River. Let’s disembark," the Madam instructed.

Lily stepped down, her gaze falling upon the vast, shadowy river stretching endlessly before her. Awe flickered in her eyes as she turned back to the Madam, who remained poised atop the sedan chair.

"Godmother, this is unbelievable… Can you really travel anywhere with just a thought?"

"Not quite," the Madam replied. "I can leave a divine imprint on any place I’ve visited within Yomi. As long as the imprint remains intact, I can return instantly with a talisman. However, if the imprint is erased or if a powerful formation seals the area, it becomes inaccessible."

Even so, Lily was deeply impressed. She silently hoped the Madam would one day teach her this extraordinary technique.

The Madam continued, "Lily, I have other matters to attend to. I must meet with the river deity of the Sanzu River. The baptism site is only a few thousand miles from here—go on ahead and wait for me there."

"Huh?" Lily blinked in surprise.

As she spoke, the Madam raised a hand and directed a pulse of energy toward Lily’s exposed chest. In an instant, the knowledge of the baptism site imprinted itself within Lily’s mind.

"Understood. I’ll head there now."

Given how the Madam always seemed aware of everything happening in Yomi, Lily saw no need to question further.

The Madam stepped back into the sedan chair, which then ascended, soaring toward the endless expanse of the Sanzu River.

Meanwhile, Lily summoned the Hachiwan chariot and climbed aboard, instructing Inugami on their destination. With a swift bound, Inugami pulled the carriage into motion, heading toward the designated site.

Soaring above the mighty river, the chariot glided through the air as the water below seemed to blend seamlessly with the misty clouds above. The wind howled around them, carrying whispers of the underworld.

As they traveled, Lily focused on practicing the Women-Controlling Technique imparted by the Madam. Since her Charm Heavenly Path was only at the second stage, she could access only the first six abilities. It was said that upon reaching the sixth stage, she would be able to wield all eighteen techniques in their entirety.

While in the Madam’s presence, Lily had refrained from accessing the Mirror Dimension, wary of revealing its existence. But now that she was alone, she lifted that self-imposed restriction.

To her surprise, the moment she connected, she received a message from Kagura. Though the others couldn’t communicate with Lily directly through the Mirror Dimension, they could relay information through Kagura.

"Master, Lady Ayaka has been searching for you urgently over the past few days," Kagura reported.

"Sister Ayaka?" Lily murmured. Now that she was in a safe place, she focused her mind and sent her consciousness into the Mirror Dimension.

Inside the Mirror Dimension, Ayaka was immersed in her training, gracefully honing her skills as a Celestial Dancing Maiden within the ethereal halls of the Cloud Sanctum.

"Sister Ayaka," Lily called out.

"Lily?" Ayaka turned at the sound of her name.

Lily stood at the grand entrance of the Cloud Sanctum. It had been far too long since she last saw Ayaka.

Ayaka immediately leaped toward her, concern evident in her voice. "Lily, where are you right now? I’ve entered Yomi-no-kuni, but I never imagined it would be this vast. Tell me where you are—otherwise, how will I ever find you?"

"Where are you now, Sister?" Lily asked urgently.

"Me? I believe I’m near the shore of a place called the Sanzu River," Ayaka replied.

"Huh?" Lily’s eyes widened in shock. The Sanzu River? Wasn’t that where she was right now? But the Sanzu River stretched tens of thousands of miles. The chances of them being close to each other were slim.

"Sister, can you give me more details? Do you see any landmarks?"

"Ah… I don’t know much about this place," Ayaka admitted. "I only know that I recently arrived at a village called Tenko. It’s inhabited by ancient Yomi Humans. Chaotic, yes, but far better than the regions overrun by demons."

"Tenko Village?" Lily frowned. She had several incomplete maps of Yomi, but none of them marked such a place.

Then, a thought struck her—Inugami had traversed Yomi countless times. Perhaps it knew the way. "Sister, hold on a moment," Lily said before withdrawing her consciousness from the Mirror Dimension.

"Tenko Village?" Inugami mused. "I believe I still retain a vague memory of its location." Having served as Queen Kaguya’s carriage bearer for over a thousand years, Inugami had traversed countless lands and retained memories of most of them.

"It’s less than a day’s journey from here," Inugami continued. "Roughly fifty thousand miles away."

"Change course at once. We’re heading to Tenko Village," Lily commanded.

"Understood, Master," Inugami replied, though a flicker of concern passed through its eyes. Nevertheless, it remained unwavering in its obedience.

Now that she knew Ayaka’s whereabouts, Lily was determined to find her first. Yomi was far too dangerous to leave her wandering alone. She would return to the baptism site afterward. The Madam would likely spend some time meeting the River Deity—if it were a quick affair, she would have simply told Lily to wait at the shore. Given that, Lily felt confident she could afford a brief detour without issue.

Inugami surged forward at full speed, covering the vast distance in mere hours. By midday, they had reached the desolate upper reaches of the Sanzu River. As expected, nestled within the endless wasteland lay a dilapidated village. Yet, it was far larger than Lily had anticipated—home to nearly several thousand families.

Since Lily had come here without the Madam’s permission, she wanted to avoid drawing attention. To be cautious, she left Inugami a dozen miles away from the village and proceeded on foot.

Ayaka had told her she would be waiting at the hunting lodge in Tenko Village.

Lily stepped into Tenko Village, keeping her figure hidden beneath a cloak. Yet, despite the disguise, her tall, graceful presence still drew unwanted attention. The village was home to ancient humans native to Yomi, but it also harbored numerous experts from other lands.

She soon arrived at the hunting lodge—a gathering place for warriors and adventurers. Human experts who had fallen into Yomi often sought companionship for survival. Here, they could find comrades, form alliances to hunt demons, plunder treasures, and divide the spoils.

Inside, the lodge was a simple yet spacious structure. The room was filled with seasoned experts, each radiating a formidable presence.

With just one glance, Lily found her. Amid the crowd stood a tall, mature beauty, her long hair cascading down her back. Draped in a white, semi-transparent Celestial Maiden Jacket, she exuded an ethereal grace.

Ayaka stood among a group of experts and vagrants, engaged in quiet conversation.

"Sister Ayaka!" Lily ignored everything else, calling out her name as she pulled off her cloak and hat, rushing toward her.

"Lily?" Ayaka’s eyes widened, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Sister!" Lily cried out. Without hesitation, she threw herself into Ayaka’s arms, holding her tightly. Ever since she had fallen into Yomi, she had been in constant peril. Her life, her dignity—her very purity—had been under threat at every turn.

Her journey had been harrowing, yet she had never dared to dream that she would reunite with her beloved sister here.

Though Ayaka’s experiences hadn’t been as tumultuous as Lily’s, she too had endured relentless hardships. Only she knew the full extent of the trials she had faced. Lost in the vast, merciless expanse of Yomi, Ayaka had felt confusion, despair—even hopelessness. Never had she imagined she would find Lily in this forsaken land.

She embraced Lily just as tightly, inhaling the familiar warmth and scent that she had longed for. If not for the crowd of warriors around them, she might have kissed her in sheer relief.

In this world, nothing ever came easy.

Tears welled up in Lily’s eyes, spilling over before she could stop them.

"Lily, we’re finally together again," Ayaka whispered.

"Sister… Yomi is a nightmare…" Lily murmured, resting her head against Ayaka’s chest. The familiar, soothing scent of her sister enveloped her, and for the first time in so long, she allowed herself to feel vulnerable.

At that moment, several experts nearby turned their attention to them, each wearing an amused expression.

A towering vagrant clad in tattered blue robes, standing nearly two meters tall—taller than Ayaka—let out a low chuckle. "So, this is the sister you spoke of, Miss Ayaka? A pair of dazzling beauties, indeed. Hehehe. Just as you said, the vast Yomi-no-kuni is a cruel place for any woman! Even a seasoned warrior like me, Shiro, who’s grown accustomed to Yomi’s bloodshed, is in constant peril. What hope do delicate, lovely ladies like you have?"

"Hahahaha! Well said, Brother Shiro!" A burly sumo wrestler, even taller than Shiro, with tiny eyes and clad in green floral robes, bellowed in laughter as he clapped a heavy hand on Shiro’s shoulder. His massive lips stretched into a grin. "The great Yomi is no place for the weak! Only real men dare to tread these lands—especially near the Sanzu River. It is a place like no other! Miss Ayaka, you’ve made a wise choice in seeking our company. Without us, you two wouldn’t last half a day in the Tenko Mountain Range to the west."

"Half a day? Kansaku, don’t underestimate the Tenko Mountain Range," a bald warrior interjected, his voice laced with mockery. A thick nose ring gleamed against his rugged skin, and intricate tattoos covered the left side of his face. "We can’t cross the Sanzu River—once we do, we’re presumed dead, with no way to return. If we want to venture further west, our only path is through the Tenko Mountain Range. Even for seasoned warriors like us, it’s a perilous journey. As for these two women… the moment they step foot inside, they’ll be dragged off by demons and turned into their playthings!"

"Seriously? Were you guys always this shameless?" A sultry yet sharp voice cut through the air. A female ninja leaned against a nearby pillar, arms crossed. She wore tight purple garments with fishnet accents, and her long violet ponytail cascaded over her shoulder. "Is that all it takes to catch your attention? Just some delicate little beauties? Meanwhile, someone like me—a ninja skilled enough to survive alone on the outskirts of the mountain range—is completely ignored?"

"Now, now, Sister Saya, don’t be like that," Shiro said as he approached her, patting her shoulder with a knowing grin. "Your skills in detection and trap evasion are invaluable if we’re going to make it through the Tenko Mountain Range."

"And… who are they?" Lily finally took notice of the warriors surrounding them. She stepped back slightly from Ayaka, gently clasping her sister’s hand.

"They’re warriors I met here at the Hunter’s Lodge," Ayaka explained. "The demons in Mount Tenko are ferociously strong, so most experts prefer to form alliances for protection."

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