Book 5: Chapter 108: Throne

Lily cared not, when Shenzu fell mesmerized, her domain was completely deployed along with her spirit probe.

“What!? I can’t see through her!”

With her strength, she could see through all opponents below the throne stage, but this Shenzu lay dazed on the floor, yet she couldn’t see through her? Shenzu was a throne staged jade maiden!

She was at least an early-staged throne rank. But then again, as the leader of the jade maidens this rank of strength was not strange.

Lily hesitated, should she use this chance to kill her?

Lily couldn’t act, considering what Shenzu had done to her1, Shenzu was an enemy, but she wasn’t a mortal enemy. It wasn’t as if Shenzu had wanted her life, though she bullied those girls, she didn’t harm them. As for inciting and bewitching them, and the matter of the heavenly path, was there someone behind her actions? That needed to be investigated.

She would not kill her and Lily wasn’t sure she could keep a throne staged opponent under control. Who knew when she would regain her senses. Lily quickly considered her options, scooped up the unconscious Keiko and kicked through the door.

Run!

Since she had discovered the reason for the tsunaga sisters’ fanaticism, she should just let Lady Ayaka deal with it. Lily summoned her demon hound and threw Keiko on its back.

With her demon hound, they rushed out the house.

The jade maidens on guard outside were caught off guard, Lily directly used her domain blade to contain them, when she had attained late stage spirit jade, her domain had also increased in power.

They directly ran out and with a slash of her blade, they broke through the main gate, rushed out of the pavilion and set toward the center of Heian-kyo. But very quickly, the sound of galloping ghost horses sounded behind them.

Suddenly a spine chilling blade aura came flying at her back, with a flip Lily avoided, but she couldn’t catch the other blade flying at her demonic hound.

“No! Protect Keiko!”

The Demonic hound was decisive, knowing it couldn’t avoid the blade, the hound threw Keiko straight up.

“Pfff!” The demonic hound was pierced by the blade aura, most of its resentment was eradicated. As a demonic hound, its body was made of resentment, as long as Lily’s cursed blade could congeal resentment, then the demonic hound would not die.

Lily ran forward, quickly rolled and slid to catch Keiko. Although Keiko had mistreated her, Lily knew Keiko was being controlled! Even Lily had almost been controlled, Keiko had no chance of resisting.

But with this delay, though she had caught Keiko, the ghost horses had surrounded her.

Only then did she notice, of the five ghost horses, only the strongest had Shenzu on its back, the others had no riders.

This didn’t make Lily happy, she had a bad premonition. If no one was riding them, there was no need for them to chase, but since they had chased, then instead of riderless mounts, they were strong threatening demonic beasts.

But what made Lily even more wary was why Shenzu didn’t bring the other jade maidens? If it was unnecessary, why bring these extra ghost horses?

Could it be, she was about to do something she didn’t want the other jade maidens to know about? Lily had experienced it for herself, she knew that they would retain the memories even under control.

Five ghost horses surrounded Lily, and Shenzu rode the strongest, biggest and most ferocious one.

Lily knew she couldn’t escape, especially carrying Keiko.

“Uehara no Shenzu, I should have killed you earlier2! Things have already gotten to this point, what exactly do you want?” Lily had unsheathed her Crescent Moon in one hand, the other was still holding the unconscious Keiko.

“Kill me? You naive fool. Even though I suffered a rebound, you really think you can kill me with your pitiful powers?”

Lily felt that Shenzu’s tone of voice had no pressure, as if she really had some life saving method. Perhaps her mercy had saved her life.

“Shenzu, I advise you to retreat from Heian-kyo, otherwise when Lady Ayaka returns, you’ll receive a heavy punishment!”

“Hehehe, you think you’ll get the chance to tell the Chief Advisor my secrets?” Shenzu coldly laughed.

“So you plan on silencing me?” Lily felt that since Shenzu had pursued her, a fight was inevitable, “Shenzu if you’re still a woman, then don’t harm Keiko! Let me send her somewhere safe!”

“Laughable, she’s my woman, why would I harm her?”

Shenzu’s eyes glowed blue, a blue light touched Keiko and rolled her up.

“Domain?” Lily’s heart fell, since Shenzu had a domain and she was a throne powerhouse, then Lily couldn’t use her domain to gain an advantage.

“Let’s test!” Lily activated her sakura vines, protecting Keiko and drawing her far from the battlefield while contesting Shenzu’s blue light.

Lily could feel that Shenzu’s domain was stronger, but not to an extent she could not battle. Though her power was weaker, their domain strengths were not that far apart.

The forces of the two domains clashed and drew Keiko to a safe spot behind the ruins of a broken wall far away. Lily and Shenzu stood still and controlled their domains, but they both understood, once Keiko was safely behind that wall, combat would immediately be initiated.

Seeing Keiko was about to be placed down safely, in the corner of Lily’s sight, something drew her attention. On a rock not far from the ruined walls, was a part of a long blade scar.

That blade scar, long and ruthless, exuded the intent of both the feminine charm and the deep masculine ferociousness. It was identical to the blade mark left at the scene of Yoruko’s murder. Lily’s pupils contracted in realization.

“What…” Lily lowered her gaze, letting her hair cover her sight, “So it was you3!”

Lily was originally hesitant to deliver murderous attacks, but now she tightly gripped the hilt of her katana in preparation.

She turned her cold murky gaze at Shenzu, and to Shenzu’s surprise, took the initiative to get closer, step by step.

“What nonsense are you speaking of, Kagami Lily?”

Lily generated a terrifying aura, crimson flower like flames surrounded her, blooming with each step.

Resentment, a soul shaking resentment!

The ribbon tying her hair came loose, flying away as her long black hair fluttered wildly around in the storm of resentment she was generating.

The four ghost horses surrounding her were spooked by the aura reverberations. A demonic beast’s instinct to attack was stronger when frightened, the four horses immediately attacked from four sides.

Lily’s eyes turned scarlet like the fires of blood and hatred!

Her hand faintly flickered and created an imperceivable blade aura.

“Slash! Fwish! Pfff! Plop!” Four ghost horses were instantly beheaded!

1. Yuki: Yes yes… all she did was s.e.xually molest you, almost **** you, attempted brainwashing… yes how about you just kill her and be done with it?
2. Yuki: that’s right you stupid girl…. you should’ve killed her, or at least disposed of that residual jade.
3. Yuki: You Fing idiot! Don’t let Shenzu realize you know she partic.i.p.ated in Yoruko’s murder!