Demon Sword Maiden

CHAPTER 93 – THE TSUNAGA SISTERS IN DANGER

Lily felt that her body was integrated into the seductive intent as much as currently possible. She reasoned that perhaps it was necessary to rest for a while to allow her body to adapt before she could continue the integration.

Otherwise, if the body’s sensitivity exceeded the limit that one’s will could control, they may become lost and do things beyond their control, or even completely lose their mind and become a demented and seductive woman who only wallowed in desire. Such a person was similar to adepts who got controlled by their overpowering obsession and killing intent, becoming like a wind demon which only knew how to kill and had no consciousness.

Seductive intent could give women strength, but it could also control and ruin women.

Almost every female adept figured this out themselves, but they were too ashamed to say anything. Fortunately, Lily had gradually realized this herself.

But on the other hand, balancing on the verge of reaching the limit and losing self-control was the fastest way to improve one’s strength and achieve the best physical training effect.

Just like how in swordsmanship, tempering oneself through life and death battles was the fastest way to gain strength. Lily found this out herself through her experiences.

She bathed in cold water, wiped her body with a towel, and transformed her desires into strength to nourish her body, making her body stronger as well as more attractive and beautiful.

Although it was very uncomfortable to have desires pervade her entire body, it felt refreshing and pleasant after turning her condensed desires into seductive intent that nourished her body.

Ordinary women who couldn’t calm their desires would lose themselves and get swallowed by empty, painful feelings, and even do degrading things. However, Lily used seductive intent to temper the body and transform her strong desires into essence that nourished and strengthened the body. This, over time, helped to improve her body and increase her basic strength. Lily felt that this path may be the way for female adepts to retain their purity and step on the road to ascension!

Although the process was somewhat tortuous, it was a more practical, natural, healthy, and upright path, unlike the so-called yin-yang path. Such a heretic path would require the absorption of male spiritual energy in order to develop. Although the heretic path wouldn’t enable her to ascend to Takamagahara, it could help her to become an extremely powerful demoness, but how could Lily take such a path?

After finishing her practice session, Lily washed her precious celestial maiden lingerie and hung it in the backyard to dry. Presumably, no one would steal it from the chief advisor’s manor1.

After all, it seemed that it was better to dry the celestial maiden lingerie in the nature of heaven and earth than in the mirror space. These kinds of treasures could absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to clean themselves and dispel the accumulated desires that should not be in them.

However, Ayaka still had yet to return from the imperial court and Lily needed to report the situation of the night market to her, so Lily decided to go to the back mountain first.

“Old uncle.” Lily came to the back mountain where the torii was. The fat old man who guarded the entrance of the Twelve Moon Phase Instrument was still there, but he seemed to be in low spirits and was drinking alone.

“Oh, Miss Kagami, you now have a total of ten days and one night of enlightenment time. You can go in.” The old man said and swigged some wine again.

Lily knew that his brother had died, so of course, he would feel sorrowful.

“Old uncle, my condolences for your loss.” Lily bowed deeply to the old man.

“Miss Kagami…” The old man felt moved that Lily, as the Lord Chief Advisor’s close vassal, would say these words to him.

Lily entered the mysterious space to perceive the laws surrounding the operation of moon power contained within the Twelve Moon Phase Instrument. This time, Lily knew the rules from the beginning so she could naturally plan for the long term, avoid those black iron spheres, comprehend the twelve phases of the moon that revolves in the firmament, and constantly deepen her understanding surrounding the laws of the power of the moon.

Compared to ordinary girls, Lily had a more rational mind while also retaining the intuitive sensitivity of her senior sister. Because of this, she could get twice the result with half the effort when comprehending, and her efficiency was very high!

However, as soon as Lily started her comprehension, she became oblivious to the passage of time and it seemed as if the entire cycle of the Twelve Moon Phase Instrument’s operation passed in the blink of an eye!

It seemed like a day in a fairyland but a few decades in the human world. Lily felt that she had only been in enlightenment for a short time, but in fact, she had been in enlightenment for twelve days and nights!

During this period, Lily was not touched by the black spheres even once, and the entire moon phase cycle was completed. Not long after, Lily was automatically moved out of the torii.

“Ah—” Lily found that it was still an extended night outside, but the old man was no longer there. Instead, there was a white-robed miko guarding the place.

“You are…?”

“Miss Kagami, I’m a miko from Izumo Mountain who is currently working in the Lord Chief Advisor’s manor. While the old uncle takes a few days off every month, I replace him in guarding here.”

“Every month? How long have I been in there for enlightenment?”

“It’s been a full twelve days and nights.”

“What? I…I’ve been in there for twelve days and nights?” Lily was shocked, “Then, didn’t I exceed my allotted enlightenment time?”

“Lady Ayaka instructed that if you really have the ability to comprehend the full moon phase cycle for the first time without getting kicked out, you will not be forced to come out and the excess time will be deducted later. After all, it is really rare to comprehend the full moon phase cycle for the first time. If you are forcibly interrupted, the harvests you can perceive will be much less.” The miko said.

“So that’s how it is. Thanks a lot, sister.”

“There is no need to thank me. I was just following what Lady Ayaka ordered.”

Lily and the miko were about to bow and say goodbye when a slim minister in a luxurious cyan kimono walked over, “You finally came out! I’ve been waiting here for seven days!”

The man grumbled unkindly at Lily.

“Greetings, Lord Fujiwara no Nozomu.” The miko greeted.

“Enough nonsense, it’s my turn to gain enlightenment. Let me in quickly!” The public minister said in a rude manner.

Although this public minister was rude, Lily’s enlightenment time was indeed long and it exceeded her allotted time. She also felt a little embarrassed so she quietly left instead of arguing with that rude person.

The Fujiwara Clan, the largest clan in the dynasty which has held power over the court for thousands of years. These Fujiwara descendants are really arrogant and domineering, Lily thought to herself as she walked down the hillside and went to see Ayaka.

At this time, Ayaka was in her own room.

“Lady Ayaka.”

“Lily, it really surprises me that you can comprehend a full moon phase cycle on your second time! Looking back at the history of my Fujiwara Clan, no one has ever achieved such astonishing results since acquiring this sacred relic. Even I am far behind you in this regard. Lily, your talent in the way of the moon is really amazing!” Ayaka praised.

“No, Lily didn’t expect this to happen either. I intended to just go in and comprehend for one night so I could wait for your return, but I sunk into deep thought, and by the time I woke up, it had already been twelve days.” Lily said with a red face.

“This is the legendary state of abstraction that can be achieved but not sought during enlightenment! Lily, you must have gained a lot, right?”

“Well, it was okay…” Lily said modestly.

“Hehe, what a well-behaved girl, not arrogant at all.” Ayaka praised repeatedly. After all, Lily far surpassed the Fujiwara Clan’s enlightenment record and the person who ranked second was not Ayaka. That place belonged to a Fujiwara Clan woman from five hundred years ago, who, according to the records, persisted through a full moon phase cycle on her fourth time, which was still far worse than Lily. As for Ayaka, she persisted through a full moon phase cycle on her sixth time which ranked her at fifth place in the Fujiwara Clan’s history. Of course, the way of the moon was not Ayaka’s main way of training.

“Lady Ayaka, Lily has comprehended for so long and inadvertently suspended my assignment. The night market incident has not been reported to you.”

“I’ve heard a lot from other places so just tell me what you know.”

Lily then reported what she investigated to Ayaka.

“Hm, Lily, you did a good job. Although you helped that woman, Kimiko, this time, I won’t punish you. What kind of ability does one have to slaughter those small demons who are powerless to fight back?” Ayaka was also displeased, “Since you have been gaining enlightenment these past few days, you probably haven’t heard that these tsunaga sisters2 have become more radical recently. It can be said that they are a little crazy…”

“Lady Ayaka, what did they do?” Lily asked anxiously.

“After they almost leveled the entire night market, they began to point their swords at the ancient vengeful spirits and archdemons lurking in Heian-kyō.” Ayaka said worriedly.

“What?!” Lily was startled, “Heian-kyō has a long history and there are many dormant archdemons and vengeful spirits, some of which are extremely powerful!”

“Yes, there are some archdemons and vengeful spirits that not even the imperial court dares to easily provoke. These little girls really don’t know what death is.” Ayaka shook her head helplessly.

“They won’t be in danger, right?” Although those tsunaga sisters were incited to slaughter the night market demons, they were, after all, the sisters of Lily’s clan. It was natural for Lily to be worried about them.

“At first, they attacked those small demons and vengeful spirits in the night market, which was fine, but they became more and more bold and began to attack those strong archdemons and vengeful spirits which have been around for a long time. Although they gained victories, they had to suffer the price through casualties.”

“Why are they so eager to fight those archdemons and evil spirits? Even if it is for the sake of the heavenly way, how can they be the opponents of countless archdemons and evil spirits in Heian-kyō just with their strength?!” Lily herself had encountered such vengeful spirits when she was being chased and when she first entered Heian-kyō. The terrifying power and appalling resentment left her with lingering fears to this day. When facing such an existence, she could only hide far away.

Ayaka couldn’t help shaking her head, “Those innumerable vengeful spirits in the history of the Heian Dynasty and the remnant spirits left over from past battles aren’t something these little girls can deal with. Among them, the most powerful are the four great vengeful spirits which are existences comparable to the three archdemons.”

“Ah! Why are those girls so impulsive, no, they’re just stupid!” Lily couldn’t stop worrying.

“Lily, I want to assemble all the courtiers in order to stop this matter from the court level as soon as possible. Their way of doing things is not how one serves the court. You must be tired after meditating for twelve days. Go back first to take a bath and rest. Wait for further instructions in the study, I may have something to hand to you at any time!” Ayaka said.

“Lily obeys.”

Ayaka got up and went to the Heian Palace while Lily returned to the study.

Lily took a bath and wore a white yukata, but did not sleep. Instead, she took out some magatama and began to circulate her spiritual energy.

Robinxen: That is a bold conclusion to reach. TLN: This sudden term, meaning bond, likely refers to the sword mikos, jade maidens, and mirror girls together.