Demon Sword Maiden

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"But how do we leave this place?" Shimizu asked, glancing around in confusion.

"Well…" Lily shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure. Even my senior sister didn't tell me how to exit this realm. I guess she doesn't know either."

"Senior sister? Who exactly is that?" Shimizu asked, narrowing her eyes with suspicion.

"Senior sister… she… it's a bit complicated. I'll explain later, Sister Shimizu. Right now, our sisters are in danger. We need to find a way out quickly."

Shimizu gave a skeptical nod. "There's no reason to linger. Let's follow the road and see where it leads."

"Alright." With no better option, Lily followed Shimizu along the winding path.

If not for their concern over the others, they might have appreciated the serene beauty of this place.

At some point, Shimizu reached out and held Lily's hand. Though surprised, Lily didn't pull away. Hand in hand, they continued through the bamboo forest, their closeness resembling that of a pair of lovers.

"I'll handle it," Shimizu replied. She now possessed the Supreme God's body. Though the Imperial Princess' power had been split, with the Dark Lunar Force returning to Lily, Shimizu had inherited the physical vessel. She lacked the full power and hadn't yet mastered the abilities that came with it, making her weaker than the original princess.

Even so, her strength was still comparable to that of an ordinary Supreme God.

Shimizu expanded her spirit energy and began scanning their surroundings.

"Strange…"

"What is it, Sister Shimizu?" Lily asked.

"This realm is smaller than the world outside, but its spiritual pressure is unusually dense. I can only scan a few thousand miles at most."

"Thousands of miles…" Lily muttered with envy. Her own detection range couldn't come close to that in the outside world. Shimizu's ability was remarkable.

"There are mountains and rivers all around us, covered by dense bamboo forests," Shimizu reported. "I sense a few settlements and tribal groups within a few hundred miles. Some of the presences aren't very welcoming, but the strongest among them are only at the Celestial Stage. It shouldn't be too dangerous."

Lily let out a quiet breath. "So… is there a way out?"

"Not yet… Wait. I sense two women nearby. They may be natives of this realm. Let's go take a look," Shimizu suggested.

Natives of the Hekiraku Realm, and they were women? Lily's curiosity stirred. She had no idea what the inhabitants of this place might look like.

"Let's head over there," Shimizu said, wrapping an arm around Lily's waist as they took to the sky.

"Huh?" Lily gasped, startled by the sudden embrace. As they soared through the sky, she took in the breathtaking scenery—mountains, drifting clouds, and emerald rivers that sparkled like gemstones. This realm truly resembled a paradise.

After covering several dozen miles, Shimizu landed with Lily beside a mountain slope. From there, they looked down and spotted two women sparring in a clearing among the bamboo trees. One wore green, the other light purple, both dressed in traditional dojo robes.

The women wielded bamboo swords, but these were no ordinary practice weapons. Each radiated spiritual energy far beyond that of a grade-nine sword from the Heian Dynasty. Their strikes unleashed surges of green and purple spirit power, whipping up the wind and scattering bamboo leaves throughout the grove.

'These two women look about the same age as us,' Lily thought. 'And they're strong too… one is a double-soul Big Dipper, the other a triple-soul.'

Though Lily was nearly twenty by now, her appearance hadn't changed much since arriving in the Heian Dynasty, thanks to her advanced realm. Still, her figure had subtly matured; her hips and bust slightly fuller, while her waist stayed slender. Perhaps the events of that night had left more than just emotional marks.

A surge of green spiritual energy knocked the black-haired girl in light purple robes off her feet.

Both girls had jet-black hair styled in a traditional fashion reminiscent of the Nara Era. Strands were cut neatly along their cheeks, framing their faces, while a single long braid extended behind their heads.

"I can't do it, Sister. I give up," the girl in purple murmured in frustration.

"Murasakiyo, are you hurt?" the tall girl in green asked, her expression calm but filled with concern as she stepped forward to assist her.

"I'm fine, Sister." Murasakiyo looked down, disheartened. Petite and delicate compared to her older sister, she hugged her knees and refused the offered hand. "As I thought, I'm not strong enough. If I fail the Celestial Maiden trial, I'll be forced to leave you… I don't want that."

"Don't lose hope yet, Murasakiyo. There are still three days before the trial. I'm here to train with you, aren't I?"

"It's no use. I'm not as talented as you. They say triple-soul Big Dipper is the bare minimum, but even that isn't enough without real potential. And I won't even reach that level in time."

Though they looked like girls in their teens, both had trained for centuries. Time flowed differently in the Hekiraku Realm. Fifty years to them felt like a single year to those in the outside world.

"You know what happens to those who fail the Celestial Maiden trial. They're sent to the front lines to fight the green demons. And those monsters—especially the ones targeting our Shizutake Tribe—capture, torment, and enslave our women. Some have even been forced into marriage or worse. I won't let that happen to you!" Ryuen, the elder sister in green, wrapped Murasakiyo in a fierce, protective embrace.

"Sister… I'm not just afraid of becoming a demon's captive. I'm more afraid that I'll be separated from you forever."

"I won't leave you either. If you fail, then I'll give up my place as a Celestial Maiden. Even if we're captured, we'll endure it side by side, together."

"Ryuen…"

"Murasakiyo…"

The sisters embraced tightly, then kissed with a passion that caught Lily off guard. She blushed and looked away, though she felt more pity than shock at the intimate scene unfolding before her.

Hekiraku Realm? Celestial Maiden Trials? So this realm had ties to the Celestial Maidens of Takamagahara. Lily had long wondered where so many of them came from, especially when only a select few women ever crossed the Heavenly Gate.

It now seemed that, in addition to the great lands of Ashihara, many smaller realms like Hekiraku existed in the middle world. They weren't vast, but they brimmed with spiritual energy and produced powerful natives. Perhaps these were the true sources of the Celestial Maidens.

"Um…" Lily and Shimizu grew visibly flustered as they continued watching. The sisters' affection only deepened, becoming more intimate with each passing moment. Their gestures hinted at a closeness that extended beyond mere sibling love, and the scene became too private to witness comfortably.

Surprisingly, it was the younger sister who took the lead. With gentle persistence, she guided her elder sister down and lovingly traced her fingers along her form, her actions filled with affection rather than play.

The older sister, still blushing, alternated between gentle resistance and quiet acceptance. Her eyes closed as if trying to compose herself, overwhelmed by the devotion being shown to her.

Lily's cheeks were bright red as she quickly turned her gaze away. She realized continuing to watch would mean intruding on something deeply personal. It seemed these two had long shared such moments together.

Shimizu noticed Lily's discomfort and slipped a hand around her waist, gently brushing her hips as she leaned in and whispered, "The women of Hekiraku Realm are surprisingly bold. We may have divine strength, but it seems we still have much to learn from our juniors in certain matters."

"Sister Shimizu, please be serious," Lily said with a flustered look. "Have you forgotten why we're here? We should be asking them for information."

Lily raised her hand and guided a slender bamboo stalk through the air with her spirit power, sending it toward the clearing below.

Startled, Murasakiyo let out a yelp while Ryuen quickly shifted, both of them scrambling to their feet. The two quickly straightened their clothes and scanned their surroundings, their expressions alert.

"Who's there?" Ryuen called out, her voice edged with tension.

"Is it one of the green demons?" Murasakiyo asked nervously, stepping closer to her sister.

Without hesitation, both sisters drew their bamboo swords, prepared to defend themselves.

"What's the matter? If you're bold enough to do such things out in the open, you should be prepared to be seen," came a calm, teasing voice from behind the bamboo.

"Who are you?" Ryuen demanded, adjusting her robe with one hand while raising her sword with the other. Murasakiyo shrank behind her, clearly embarrassed.

The bamboo leaves rustled as Shimizu and Lily stepped into view, emerging from the trees.

"You're not from the Shizutake Tribe. Are you from the Kusunoki Tribe?" Ryuen narrowed her eyes. Something about the strangers felt off. Their presence was unfamiliar and unreadable.

She couldn't determine if they were incomprehensibly powerful, concealing their strength with a complex technique, or simply ordinary women with no power at all.

After assessing both strangers, the sisters' gazes settled on Lily. Her figure was graceful and elegant, clad in a flowing pale-green robe, and her beauty was almost otherworldly.

Though the Kusunoki Tribe lay far to the west, they were rivals in the Celestial Maiden trials. As such, members of that tribe were viewed with both caution and hostility.

"No, we've come from somewhere far beyond your expectations," Shimizu replied casually. "We journeyed tens of thousands of miles and happened to stumble upon your… private moment. Now tell me, what should we do about that?"

"Hmph. That makes sense. I've never heard of anyone from the Kusunoki Tribe being so stunning," Ryuen said coldly. "So, what do you want? Are you planning to report us?"

"Oh? And what happens if I do report you?" Shimizu asked with a faint smile.

Shimizu's question caught Ryuen off guard. Everyone in the Shizutake Tribe, and even the distant Kusunoki and Yamayuri Tribes, knew that romantic relationships between sisters were forbidden before the Celestial Maiden trial. Only those who passed were allowed to pursue love. Being reported meant public punishment and disqualification from the trial.

Ryuen narrowed her eyes. She couldn't tell if this woman was genuinely naive or simply mocking her.

"If you report us, my sister and I will…" Murasakiyo began, her voice trembling.

"Enough!" Ryuen cut her off sharply, silencing her with a glare.