That blood written “Jade” character appeared in Lily’s mind. Lily still couldn’t accept it, that gentle Yoruko had left this world, leaving behind one last word, the name of her murderer!
All the vague clues were linking up, forming into a complete picture.
That ‘Jade’ did not refer to Tamamo-no-Mae. Everyone had been misled by the heavenly oracle, forming preconceived notions, thinking that one of the Three Great-Archdemons, Tamamo-no-Mae had killed Yoruko to prevent the spread of the heavenly oracle.
But, after seeing that blade scar, Lily instantly understood. That ‘Jade’ could only refer to the Jade Maiden head, Uehara no Shenzu!
Though the ‘Jade’ referred to jade maiden, how could the other jade maidens have the strength or capability to kill Yoruko? And that last unfinished blood character, hinted at the remnant jade!
All clues pointed to this woman in front of her!
The demonic beasts from yomi turned into bloody chunks, raining blood on this windy night.
“Uehara no Shenzu, why, why did you kill madam Yoruko?” Lily’s eyes, crimson red, was like a flower from yomi!
Shenzu was surprised at the power of Lily’s slash. It had instantly slaughtered four great ghost horse beasts.
But her expression was indifferent, “Hmhp, fine, it looks like you figured it out. Perhaps I should have expected this when you broke the control of my residual jade. Lily, you are talented, not only in swordsmanship but also intelligence. But I think you are just not smart enough, if you hadn’t revealed your knowledge, then perhaps you still might have a chance at surviving!”
Yoruko’s murderer should at least have strength rivaling Yoruko, but this was a mystery Lily had not figured out yet. Though she could not see through Shenzu, the two blades she had sent after her didn’t seem that strong.
“At least you’re half correct, tonight, only one of us can leave alive!” Crimson aura spiked around Lily, turning into a blur and appearing in front of Shenzu, with a leap she slashed down at Shenzu and her ghost horse with the force of a dammed river.
As a throne ranked powerhouse, Shenzu was naturally not wary of Lily’s full powered strike. She unsheathed two longswords and only used one to block Lily’s strike, preparing the other as a counterattack.
Beneath the ghost horse, a hundred meter crater was formed! The incomparably strong legs of the horse were deformed under the heavy pressure, its bones twisted and broken.
“Uehara no Shenzu, as the leader of the jade maidens, why did you murder Madam Yoruko!!!” Lily’s blade forced Shenzu’s longsword down, her slash could overwhelm rivers and mountains!
Lily’s angry slash had enough power to catch Shenzu off guard.
The ghost horse beneath Shenzu collapsed howling, offsetting Shenzu’s balance and preventing any counterattacks. She gritted her teeth while her blocking arm numbed and shook.
She stomped down on the back of her ghost horse, the tyrannical power of her stomp destroyed her mount, sending blood and flesh everywhere.
“Useless thing!” Shenzu used the rebound to force back Lily’s katana and quickly leaped back, the blood covering her face gave her a ferocious look.
“You ask why did I kill Yoruko? What a joke! If she didn’t die, how could I become the leader of the Heian-kyo tsunaga sisters? That hypocritical b̲i̲t̲c̲h̲ should have died a long time ago! Ahahahaha! Ahahahaha!” Shenzu laughed loudly in the night sky, twirling her swords leisurely, creating a death like dark aura.
With Shenzu as the center, the color of the sky and earth changed, a demonic blue cloud swirled out between the earth and sky. From the cloud, phantoms of ugly monsters, ghosts and demons emerged, all ferocious looking with blue eyes and emitting blue aura from their blood dripping mouths.
And behind those fierce monsters, in the sky, huge blue purple jimsonweed could be seen blooming.
Uehara no Shenzu’s domain——”Evening Mist·Datura!”
The air and aura from yomi pressured her, making her soul feel a piercing cold, surrounding her with the sense of ten-thousand years of despair and loss.
Within that despair and sadness, sakura flowers appeared and floated, as if they were the people’s prayers and hopes!
The sakura blossoms swirled and danced around Lily, dispersing the demonic blue clouds surrounding her.
Up high, the sakura blossoms and demonic blue clouds each occupied half of the sky forming a clear boundary between Lily and Shenzu, each colliding and opposing the other.
Though Lily’s domain was originally weaker, Yoruko’s death allowed Lily to surpass herself and condense the Poignant Intent of the despair and sadness of Shenzu’s domain.
The basics of the domain was to feel and express! This Sakura Blizzard was the ultimate manifestation of Lily’s sadness, it was as if she was singing an eulogy for Yoruko’s beautiful withered life.
“What…?” Shenzu was taken aback, “Kagami Lily, to think a mere spirit jade adept has such an advanced intent, to be able to match me at this point. If I let you grow up, you’ll be an even greater threat than Yoruko! It’s a pity that you can only die now!”
Shenzu used the enchantment of her [Evening Mist·Datura] and turned into an afterimage, and rushed straight at Lily.
As expected of a throne ranked! So fast, Lily was almost unable to react.
Lily didn’t hide, she took a step forward at that murderous afterimage, and brought her katana forward, slashing out a crimson aura blade at Shenzu’s waist!
Lily’s anger enhanced strength was too shocking. Tsukuyomi Swordstyle, First Stance, physique refinement through charming intent, a Lunar Intent infinitely close to the true meaning of the moon. All these abilities superimposed on Lily who was originally skilled at heavy slashes, making this one slash possess the power of a throne ranked powerhouse!
Crescent Moon’s blade was long, the blade aura even wider and turbulent, Shenzu attempted to use one longsword to hold off Lily’s slash and use the rebound to dodge around Lily’s side for her other longsword to attack.
But, “Clang——!” With a clash like a bell in the night sky, everything within a hundred meters was set vibrating. This slash still exceeded all of Shenzu’s expectations, and she was sent flying several meters, far beyond her longsword’s strike range.
Even with the power of a throne, Shenzu was sent sliding a dozen meters back to offset the momentum!
Her eyes full of disbelief, “This, how is this possible! Why does a mere spirit jade have this much power!??”
Lily didn’t pay any attention, her focus all on one question, “Something’s wrong! The power of Shenzu’s single hand was inferior to her two handed swing. This is the power of at most, Early-Stage Throne Rank. Even if she had that residual jade and took initiative with it, how could she manage to kill the Late-Stage Throne Ranked Yoruko? A Late-Stage Throne Rank with such renowned swordsmanship at that?”