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"Merge into one?" Lily jumped out of the carriage and stood at the front where the driver would sit, gazing at the white Hachiwan that pulled the chariot.
This Hachiwan was already incredibly strong—its physical body could compare to the mightiest warriors in Yomi or Takamagahara—but it had no soul. It could only follow its owner's orders and pull the chariot; it couldn't do anything else.
However, at this moment, the Hachiwan had a soul!
It radiated a faint aura of light, and then it spoke, "I never thought I'd see the day when my body and soul would reunite. Master… I am indebted to you, and I will repay you with everything I have."
"You… are you the Demon Hound or the Hachiwan? What's going on?" Lily asked, perplexed.
"I am an Inugami from Takamagahara. In an ancient battle, my body and soul were torn apart. To escape a terrifying dark demon blade, my soul fled through the depths of the abyss and into the mortal realm. After exhausting my divine energy, I fell into a deep sleep. A thousand years later, I awoke by chance, finding myself inside the body of a white dog that had just died by the roadside on a snowy night."
"I was found by Fujiwara Ayaka, who had a scent that reminded me of something. I stayed by her side until later, when I drifted to the Eastern Land… The rest, you know."
"However, I slept for so long that I had forgotten my past. Today, when you took control of the Hachiwan Chariot, I, as a spirit under your command, felt everything. It turned out that the Hachiwan was my body. I should have died a thousand years ago, yet today I've been reborn—all thanks to your guidance!" The large white dog spoke with excitement, tears flowing from its red crystal-black eyes.
"I never imagined this…" Lily marveled at the white dog's power, even greater than that of the Infernal Realm. "Your injured body was saved by Queen Kaguya, who drifted with you in Yomi. Back then, your body had no soul, only a simple will to pull the chariot for the queen. But I never thought today would come. I'm happy for you."
"If not for someone stealing the tamahagane I was carrying, I wouldn't have chased so desperately, leading to our meeting. This was destiny, brought about by your exceptional courage. Since I've recovered, I can handle ordinary Empyreans with ease. It's you who found everything for me, and I would follow you to the ends of the earth. Just give me an order, and I will follow."
"Ah… haha… But you should still pledge loyalty to Queen Kaguya since she lent you to me," Lily said, without a hint of greed.
"The master's… uh, your heart is so generous, I admire you greatly. If you want me to serve Queen Kaguya, I will do so."
"So, what should I call you? Hachiwan, Demon Hound, or Inugami?"
"Inugami is my divinity, but call me Hachiwan."
"Alright, Hachiwan. Since you've regained your memory as the Inugami, would it be improper to have you pull the chariot?"
"No, no, it's an honor to pull the chariot for you. Please guide me as you always have."
Lily nodded, "Hachiwan, follow the directions I gave you before and continue on."
"Understood, master." With his soul fused, Hachiwan moved even faster. More importantly, Hachiwan, now with the strength of an Empyrean, was a valuable protector and ally, nearly as strong as Lily herself.
Having the Inugami pull the chariot made the journey smoother. Most demons flying in the sky were scared off by the Inugami's might and dared not approach.
Hachiwan traveled about a million miles, taking eight or nine days. During that time, when some overconfident demons tried to interfere, Lily didn't have to lift a finger. Hachiwan would either tear them apart or scare them away.
Thus, Lily's identity remained hidden.
At this point, Lily was sitting sideways on Hachiwan's back, looking down at the endless underworld. In the distance, there was a dilapidated village, half buried by sand and dust.
"Master, why not sit with your legs apart? It's more stable that way." Hachiwan suggested in an odd tone, though it seemed like he was trying to be serious.
Lily frowned slightly, "You don't need to worry about my balance. Just pull the chariot."
"Whine…"
On this journey, having Hachiwan's soul and body merged was a great thing, but Lily noticed that it might be because his soul and body had been separated for too long. Hachiwan's personality was a bit strange; sometimes, he would say things that didn't make sense. Over time, Lily's attitude towards him became less tolerant1.
However, it was all minor stuff and didn't cause any real harm.
Lily took out the ancient bark map and carefully compared it with the surroundings. "It seems like the entrance to Hyakki Street should be near this ruined village. Hachiwan, let's descend."
"Understood, Master. Please hold on tight. If we descend too quickly, you might consider riding with your legs apart. Oh, but you're wearing a skirt…"
"Shut up!"
Hachiwan carried Lily down to the ruins, and she put away the Hachiwan Chariot to explore the village while comparing it to the bark map. This village seemed to have been destroyed ages ago; it belonged to a branch of the Yomi humans, and the broken ruins conveyed a sense of desolation.
"This village must have been destroyed a long time ago, even the lingering resentment has dissipated."
Time could wear down everything. Even the greatest grudges and the fiercest hatred couldn't last forever. Lily felt a wave of melancholy, wondering if her own beauty would also fade one day in the river of time.
"I don’t mind growing old, but what if her senior sister awakens one day and doesn't see her beauty… Can my path of advancement grant me immortality?"
Immortality was exceptionally difficult. Even in Yomi and Takamagahara, lifespans were limited. Only by reaching the level of a Supreme God could one achieve a truly long life, almost eternal.
Of course, all this was still far away for Lily, who had only trained for two or three years. She was just being sentimental.
Lily walked through the village ruins, following the locations marked on the bark, and eventually came to a dark mountain peak that rose from the sandy soil. There was a crevice large enough to let a several-meter-tall demon pass through.
"The entrance to Hyakki Street should be here." Lily entered the crevice, where it was very dark, so she lit a lantern. As she walked deeper into the cave, the ground changed from sand to rock, and her footsteps echoed, creating a rhythmic tapping sound.
Lily continued walking through the cave, and eventually, two forked paths appeared in front of her. One path had a sword symbol engraved on the ground, while the other had a demon symbol.
Both symbols were ancient and quite remarkable. The sword symbol seemed to carry with it the spirit of countless years of swordsmanship, with echoes of battle and the smell of blood. The demon symbol was mysterious and strange, containing a sense of magic and dark arts.
Lily thought about it. As a samurai, she decided to follow the sword path. She stepped onto the ground with the sword symbol and entered that passage. However, after walking just a few steps, she turned around and saw that the two paths had merged into one.
This puzzled her, "Why separate the entrance into two if they merge inside?"
Lily didn't dwell on it and continued forward. The cave was incredibly cold, sending shivers down her spine. The sound of dripping water echoed from all directions, a stark contrast to the dry sandy land outside.
Lily walked for what seemed like an eternity.
The path was long, narrow, and dark. Everything looked the same. Lily's body didn't tire easily, so she lost track of time as she walked. By the time she realized she was getting tired, it was too late to turn back. She had to keep moving forward.
She continued walking until her body began to feel exhausted, and her willpower wavered, wondering if she would ever reach the end. By then, she was so cold that she needed to tuck her hands into her sleeves, clutching the lantern while walking with her legs together.
Ahead, she finally heard a jingling sound.
"Sounds?" Lily felt a surge of hope. She quickened her pace and moved toward the light, accompanied by the faint sound of ancient music and distant chatter. "Outside, it seems lively and warm?"
Lily felt a bit dizzy. It wasn't just from walking for so long; the cold and darkness here were unlike any normal environment. Eventually, she reached the cave's exit, and the sudden brightness was too much for her eyes to adjust. She squinted, shading her eyes with her hand, as she stepped out of the cave.
"Dong, dong, dong…"
"Ting-dong, ting-lang… dong!"
"Clang, clang, clang."
Lily found herself in the midst of a bustling scene filled with ancient music and a variety of sounds, each carrying an air of mystery. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the light, and it wasn't as bright as it first seemed. It was just that the long journey had been so dark that any light felt overwhelming.
Before her stretched a wide street filled with lanterns of various colors and designs, hanging in abundance. These lanterns illuminated the dark Yomi, resembling a starry sky or a dreamlike landscape.
Gradually, Lily saw that the street was bustling with strange and fantastical creatures. Along the sides, there were rows of ghostly blue lanterns, lending an eerie but vibrant atmosphere.
Lily felt like she had stepped into a world of demons.
Although Yomi was full of demons and spirits, this place felt different. In other parts, Lily felt like she was being hunted and chased by hordes of demons. But here, she sensed that this was the demons' territory, and she was the unwelcome guest.
Moreover, unlike the outside world where demons roamed all day, constantly hunting for prey and attacking women like predators, here the demons seemed to be living their own lives, a world genuinely belonging to them.
Lily suddenly had the feeling that she might have taken a wrong turn, walking through a door she shouldn't have. She turned to look back, but all she saw was a dense wall of greenery and a steep cliff that seemed to reach the sky.
There was no sign of the cave she had just come through.
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