CHAPTER 44 – SHATTERED JADE REVIVAL

“Why… would my jade…”
“My jade!”

Shenzu and Shimizu were both well aware of the immense value and significance of their shattered jade, even if they didn’t fully comprehend its secrets. It remained their most prized possession.

However, in a truly astonishing turn of events, something even more incredible transpired. The shattered jades seemed to emit an irresistible ancient energy that drew them closer to one another. Against all odds, they began to float and orbit around each other.

With a resounding “whoom,” a peculiar and unimaginable fluctuation permeated the air. The shattered jades merged and transformed into a single entity. It was now a complete ancient jade, lacking in luster but radiating an indescribable aura.

Except to Shenzu and Shimizu, this jade appeared as a plain rock to others1. Yet, in that moment, they both realized that all the jades they had ever possessed paled in comparison to the magnificence and power emanating from this newfound complete ancient jade.

Both of them were in a state of complete shock, gasping for air as they stared at the ancient jade floating in front of them. They were frozen, unable to move as the brilliant light emanating from the jade hindered their movements, bouncing back and forth between them.

A deep desire to obtain the jade welled up within both of them simultaneously. Shimizu had once attained an exceptional treasure in her life, an ancient mirror, but it had been broken, and she had nearly been consumed by Eldritch Energy and become a Blade Maiden. After experiencing the feeling of losing everything, Shimizu was determined not to suffer the same fate again.

She knew in her heart that if she lost this ancient jade, her distance from Lily would likely grow wider, to the point where they could never be close to each other again, no matter how hard they tried. “I can’t lose you again,” she thought to herself.

A surge of intense black Resentment Energy erupted from within Shimizu’s heart, a power that was distinct from the energies she had cultivated. It was fueled by the depth of her love and the profoundness of her resentment. This power stemmed from her very essence, from the intricacies of her fate.

“This belongs to me!” she declared with unwavering determination. The black Resentment Energy emanating from her expanded, its presence serene, distant, yet searingly intense. It enveloped the Ancient jade directly, as if claiming it as its own.

In an astonishing turn of events, the Ancient jade accepted and responded to Shimizu’s Resentment Energy, gracefully flying towards her. “What? This can’t be!” Shenzu, in her disbelief, unleashed a surge of intense Yomi energy, attempting to retrieve the Ancient jade. However, her efforts were in vain as the jade adamantly rejected her energy.

With widened eyes, Shenzu watched in disbelief as the Ancient jade found its place on Shimizu’s chest. The dark Resentment Energy transformed into shimmering black tendrils that pierced through the jade, intertwining with it before wrapping around Shimizu’s neck. At this moment, Shenzu found herself unable to move.

“Give it back!” Shenzu charged towards Shimizu in a state of hysteria. Behind her, projections of six golden arms wielding blades materialized, signaling her intent to unleash her most deadly attack. The theft of the Ancient jade had driven Shenzu to the brink of madness.

With a resounding impact, a tremendously potent dark aura emanated from the Ancient jade. This darkness, resembling a transparent black onyx, glimmered like stars. Despite its intense darkness, it lacked any trace of murkiness, as if it had originated from the celestial heavens.

“Ah!” Shenzu was forcefully repelled by the horrifying dark stellar energy, crashing to the ground in a state of helplessness. Meanwhile, she watched as the dark stellar energy seamlessly merged into Shimizu’s being. This transformation wrought a substantial change in Shimizu’s physical state, fundamentally altering her very essence as a living being.

Even individuals as perceptive as Shenzu could sense the profound transformation taking place within Shimizu. It was the manifestation of the Dark Celestial Maiden Physique, an exceptional state that few could achieve. This metamorphosis was not instantaneous; it required extensive training and assimilation of stellar energy over an extended period. However, the changes Shimizu experienced in this instance were undoubtedly the most potent and effective.

Shimizu had always possessed a delicate constitution from birth, yet she displayed remarkable resilience. Despite her frailty, she emerged as the strongest among the East’s Six Swords. Her talent was undeniable, but her unwavering determination surpassed even that. After encountering Lily, she underwent a profound awakening and embraced the path of a Blade Maiden. No longer burdened by illness, her physical strength rivaled that of a typical female warrior.

In this latest transformation, her physical form underwent a dramatic improvement, surpassing the limits of ordinary human capabilities. Her body had been elevated to an extraordinary level, pushing the boundaries of what was considered humanly possible.

In the Heian Dynasty, knowledge of the Dark Celestial Maidens was virtually nonexistent. Even among the Celestial Maidens, they were an exceedingly ancient and rare lineage, shrouded in mystery. Although physically not as robust as their Celestial Battle Maiden counterparts, they still surpassed the capabilities of ordinary mortals. What set them apart were their extraordinary innate powers, abilities bestowed upon them from birth. These powers were naturally acquired and could be wielded without the need for extensive training, once they reached a certain level of advancement.

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In this moment, Shimizu’s eyes widened, seemingly distant and lost. Ancient memories flooded her consciousness, as if she were receiving an ancestral inheritance. Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the experience, she felt the gradual infusion of dark energy from the surrounding world into her being.

During this assimilation process, she was safeguarded by the Ancient jade and enveloped by the pervasive stellar energy. No one could harm her while she underwent this transformative journey. The initial assimilation, though brief, had already left an indelible mark on her.

Even at the pinnacle of the Permanence Stage, Shimizu’s strength experienced a substantial increase. With a partial manifestation of the Dark Celestial Maiden Physique, she became attuned to the flow of stellar energy, both in her physical prowess and her mental understanding of power.

“You… You’ve stolen my cherished treasure!” Shenzu mustered some strength and lunged at Shimizu once again.

Yet, Shimizu’s gaze grew steely.

Clang—!

Her sword swiftly left its sheath and arced through the air!

Within the black blade’s energy, stars twinkled and danced in a mesmerizing display!

Clang!

Their blades clashed in a resounding clash!

“Ah!” Shenzu’s scream filled the air as she was forcefully propelled backward. A terrifying surge of dark stellar energy shattered her armor, exposing her pale, vulnerable skin.

Meanwhile, Shimizu only took a few steps back, poised and composed.

Shenzu crashed onto the ground, wracked with pain. Her spiritual power had been mostly depleted in her futile defense. Blushing with humiliation and wearing a gaze of hopelessness, she mustered the strength to stand.

“You… you wretch…” Shenzu’s voice trembled with anger. “You’ve stolen my most precious possession! You’re just as detestable as Kagami Lily!”

Despite her injuries, Shenzu recklessly charged at Shimizu, ready to stake it all.

But in an instant, a figure materialized, standing in her path.

Clang! A tall, slender samurai intercepted Shenzu’s blade with his own.

“What do you think you’re doing, Genshin? I wanted to kill her myself!”

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“Stop, Shenzu. You can’t die here. Father has great expectations for you. I will deal with this woman!” Genshin flicked his blade, sending Shenzu hurtling into a group of black-armored soldiers far away.

Genshin, the eldest son of Yoritomo, appeared before them. Despite being blind and unable to inherit the position of Shogun, he was the strongest among them. A Throned Saint of formidable power.

Despite Shimizu’s enhanced abilities from the Ancient jade, her transformation into a Dark Celestial Maiden was still in its early stages. While her strength had significantly increased, she was at best a beginner Throned Sovereign and no match for Genshin.

“Shimizu, as a fellow member of the Genji Clan, you disappoint me greatly,” Genshin remarked.

Shimizu remained silent, her blade drawn as she prepared to take a risk. However, she quickly realized that her opponent’s power was overwhelming.

“Roar~ Roar~”

Suddenly, the sound of howls filled the air. Four massive and grotesque Yomi Demons emerged from all directions, encircling Genshin.

These four Yomi Demon projections were originally pinnacle Throned Monarchs. With the augmentation of Lily’s spiritual power, understanding, and Domain, they had been elevated to the level of Throned Saints in terms of strength.

Concerned for Shimizu’s safety after rescuing Ayaka, Lily had instructed the Demons to secretly protect her. Although they were not as powerful as Genshin, the Demons’ projections were fearless and their sudden ambush was enough to impede his movements.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

On the other side of the crumbling execution platform, Lily unleashed a barrage of blade slashes from her Domain. Countless black-armored soldiers who emerged from various paths were mowed down in waves before they could get close. However, their numbers seemed endless, and a mountain of corpses piled up before Lily.

Meanwhile, the Tengu army in the skies was crafty and focused their attacks on Ayaka, deliberately diverting Lily’s attention. Kagura had been summoned to assist in protecting Ayaka, wielding her Sakura Parasol. With her Celestial Maiden physique and being at the pinnacle Permanence Stage, she was soon to become a Throned Sovereign. Her current strength was on par with a mid-level Throned Sovereign, making her a formidable defender against any attacks launched by a Throned Sovereign or lower.

“Master!” Kagura exclaimed in a worried tone, clutching the parasol tightly. “Lady Ayaka… Her condition is dire!”

“What?” Lily, having fought her way out, was forced to return.

“Master, Lady Ayaka… Her spiritual power is completely drained, and her body is extremely weak. If she doesn’t replenish her spiritual power to restore her body, her life could be in danger at any moment!” Kagura spoke in a flustered manner, her knowledge in healing unable to provide effective solutions.

“Can you heal her?”

“I’ve done everything I can, but it hasn’t yielded significant results. She needs immediate replenishment of her spiritual power!”

“Spiritual power replenishment? Understood!” Lily retrieved some Life-Recovery Magatama.

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However, their enemies wouldn’t allow them the luxury of time to recover. Hordes of black-armored soldiers and Tengu warriors launched another assault.

“Master, allow me to deal with these wretches!” Kagura declared, charging towards the black-armored soldiers. Yuki-Onna also appeared, casting ice and snow spells in the air, impeding the Tengu forces.

“This is bad…” Ayaka remained unconscious, seemingly rejecting the outside world and refusing to wake up due to the overwhelming humiliation she had endured. Consequently, she was unable to absorb the Life-Recovery Magatama.

“Wh… What can I do…” Lily felt flustered, realizing that if left untreated, Ayaka might succumb to her condition without any intervention. In her desperation, an idea sparked in Lily’s mind. “If Sister Ayaka can’t absorb it on her own, I’ll assist her.”

Determined to save Ayaka’s life, Lily placed the magatama in her mouth and infused it with her spiritual power, causing it to dissolve into pure spiritual liquid. She carefully positioned Ayaka’s head on her shoulder, taking deep breaths as she also allowed the Life-Recovery Magatama in her other hand to melt.

“I’m not sure… where I should administer the spiritual liquid directly,” Lily murmured, leaning closer to Ayaka’s delicate, pinkish lips and pressing her own against them, delivering the spiritual liquid through the kiss.

Meanwhile, with her hand stained by the liquefied Life-Recovery Magatama, Lily discreetly searched underneath Ayaka’s dress, trying to find a suitable spot where the spiritual liquid could be absorbed effectively. She focused on finding a critical area.

While maintaining the kiss, Lily gently caressed Ayaka’s plump and perky breasts2.

“Well, it seems the chest area isn’t the most effective. Then…”

Blushing, Lily continued the kiss, realizing that transferring the spirit power through her mouth was indeed effective3.

References

Robinxen: I’m not sure how this was structured in the Chinese version to edit it without it losing meaning… so we will just go with this even though it makes little grammatical sense.Keissen: hmm…….Robinxen: WAS THIS NECESSARY?!