<h4>Volume 8 - Higanbana: Chapter 25 – Unimaginable Yomi Cuisines</h4>


    “What is Yukusa Grass?” Lily asked.


    “Uh… If you sell this thing, it would be invaluable. It’s a low ranked divine spiritual herb.” Kagura said.


    “Do you know its function?”


    “This is a very useful thing. But it’s not very beneficial to you, Master.”


    “Why do you say that?”


    “The leaves of Yukusa Grass have much greater efficacy than a Life-Recovery Magatama, and are considered a miracle drug. It gets even stronger whenbined with other herbs. However, it has some side effects, which is a strong female aphrodisiac effect.”


    “Eh?” Lily instantly blushed in response.


    “The really powerful thing is the flower of Yukusa Grass. After grinding it and mixing it into food, it will affect any woman under the Celestial Stage. After the effect is activated, they will copte with anyone they see, regardless of gender, appearance, and species…”


    “There’s actually such a perverted herb in this world?” Lily breathed haggardly.


    “This thing is extremely rare. I have only seen this thing once with my previous master, who sold it afterwards. Despite having miraculous effects, it isn’t useful to you.”


    “What do you mean?”


    “Tsk. Anyone that likes women will want to do it with you the moment they see you, no? Why would you need such a degenerate herb?”


    “Nonsense!” Lily was embarrassed and angry.


    “It’s not your fault either, master.”


    “Fine, this herb… Although I don’t need it, I can’t let others have it to victimize innocent women. I’ll just take it.” Lily collected the Yukusa Grass and kept it in the mirror.


    “I thought Yomi Hirazaka would contain wonderful things. But I didn’t expect to find such a perverted herb.” Lily’s chest heaved as she sighed.


    She then jumped from onendmass to the next. Soon, Lily became aware of the numerous massive pieces ofnd thaty ahead. These vast stretches ofnd were separated from one another by smallerndmasses. Intrigued, Lily hopped onto one of thergerndmasses, and was pleasantly surprised to find it teeming with life. Thend was fertile and covered with golden rice nts swaying gently in the breeze, emanating the tantalizing aroma of matured rice.


    “There’s actually rice in Yomi Hirazaka?” Lily was confused.


    “Kagura, do you know what’s going on here?”


    “Master, I’ve never been to Yomi Hirazaka so I don’t know either.”


    Lily noticed that there were some people bending over and harvesting within the rice fields.


    “There’s people harvesting rice here?”


    Upon closer inspection, Lily observed individuals harvesting rice in the fields. However, the rice stalks they cut down actually transformed intoyers of crystallized grains that sparkled with silver light and emitted a powerful aroma. These rice crystals also gave off an extraordinary amount of energy and appeared like meteor trails as they floated upward into the sky, seemingly converging in a particr direction. They eventually arrived at an estate on thendmass that had an old and distinctive appearance.


    Lily examined the rice harvesters. They had haggard expressions and tattered clothing. Yet, these clothes seemed very luxurious. They seemed like court official clothing that were already aged and dirtied.


    “This is… Clothing for royalty!” Lily was surprised. She examined the rice harvesters again. They all seemed slightly translucent and had no shadows.


    “They’re all spirits?” Lily was once again shocked by this phenomenon. “This strange rice field is maintained by deceased royals?”


    It was said that the royalty were descendants of Ten’anzu, or God. Yet, their souls came to this ce after they died. They were actually put to work forever, under this massive caveplex?


    The rice that they cultivated was definitely unusual.


    “I have to check…”


    Lily cautiously went to the estate, where the rice went.


    She entered a house at the back of the estate. The skylights of this house were all opened and the rice streamed inside from there. There was an ancient formation on the floor with the pungent aroma of rice.


    The streams of light converged with one another within the house, beads of crystallized rice collided into one another and formed many rice grains that were even purer and more translucent. Yet, they remained the same size.


    These rice grains then collided again and were condensed.


    Lily observed for a long time as the rice grains condensed. After about an hour, they formed into a single extraordinary rice grain.


    The energy contained within this grain of rice was enough to surprise Lily. It actually flew into another house.


    Lily entered the other house, only to see a small jade tter that contained dozens of rice grains that were equally as astonishing.


    Lily then went out and entered anotherrge room covered in tatami. The walls of that room were decorated with beautiful murals. There was only a single ck table in the center of the room, with a lunchbox on it.


    Lily approached and carefully used her spiritual senses, only to find that there was no danger.


    After pondering for a moment, she eventually decided to open the lunchbox. Within an instant, intense blinding white light and an incredible pungent but soothing aroma assaulted her senses.


    “Smells so good…”


    Lily wasn’t particrly interested in food and vors. However, this rice aroma was simply too alluring.


    Light dissipated, and she noticed a small rice ball within the lunchbox. The rice ball seemed crystal-clear and alluring.


    Most likely, the rice ball was formed by individual crystal rice grains that were onceposed of countless rice harvests.


    Kagura didn’t warn her. Hence, this rice ball was probably safe to consume. Lily also assumed that such a beautiful and pure rice ball wouldn’t be poisonous. It didn’t seem like a powerful aphrodisiac anyway.


    She instinctively felt that she would attain massive benefits if she ate it.


    As a rice ball that was created by rice harvested by the deceased royals, how would it taste?


    Lily picked up the tiny rice ball with her slender fingers and put it in her mouth.


    “Mmm…” Suddenly, pungent rice aroma and overflowing soothing spirit power emerged within her mouth. This rice ball actually melted the moment she ate it.


    Before she could fully enjoy its taste, the rice ball hadpletely assimted into her body and made her feel incrediblyfortable.


    “I… My body…”


    Lily noticed the wonderful energy within the rice ball had merged with her body and nourished it. Her strength, reaction, and speed… She had been enhanced in every way!


    “My physical condition actually improved dramatically?” Lily was greatly surprised. “My body is at least twenty percent stronger than it used to be!”


    Lily had the physique of a Celestial Maiden. And after practicing in all sorts of unique ways, she now had a physique that greatly surpassed the typical female warrior. However little did she expect, her strength had increased by nearly 20% just by consuming a rice ball!


    Lily’s heart raced.


    “Could this be what Shizuka Gozen had said, the power contained within Yomi Hirazaka? The royal lineage was nothing but noble. Yet, their deceased are actually enved and made to cultivate such unimaginable rice. It must be done by a certain powerhouse of Yomi!”


    Lily had discovered severalrge rice fields among thendmasses. Could more rice balls like this exist?


    A single rice ball increased her physical prowess by 20%, and also noticeably improved her overall strength. In that case, wouldn’t her body be even stronger if she could find more rice balls? Wouldn’t she get to rescue Fujiwara no Ayaka?


    Lily rushed out of the house. The royals far away seemed to have ignored her presence. They probably had unique power that any ordinary soul wouldn’t have, but they could only tend to the fields in silence since they were now enved.


    If she knew of a way to rescue them, Lily would naturally do it since she ate the rice ball that they created.


    These royals were probably dead for countless years, and their physical bodies were long gone. Even if she liberated them now, they would only be Vengeful Spirits.


    Lily couldn’t save them.


    “If I have the ability someday, I’ll definitelye back to save you. Although you’re nothing but enved souls, this rice is created by the sweat of your brow. I won’t thank that certain powerhouse, but I’ll forever be grateful to you all.”


    Lily nced at these royal souls with respect and helplessness, before turning her gaze onto anotherrge floatingndmass.


    She once again entered another area that was dozens of miles wide and had rice fields. There were also many royals cultivating the fields. Yet, their attire was different from the ones in the previous region. They probably came from another dynasty…


    Lily found the estate on thisndmass and entered therge house. As expected. She also found a lunchbox. Lily opened the lunch box and was assaulted by a pungent aroma. It was another crystallized rice ball.


    Yet, just as she was about to eat this rice wall, she suddenly felt the earth shake…


    The rocky ground on the path to Yomi was incredibly sturdy. It took an incredible strength to make the ground shake with such intensity.


    Vaguely, Lily felt like she received some kind of warning.


    She had eaten a rice ball that was painstakingly created by a certain powerhouse in Yomi Hirazaka. Could she have enraged that person?


    Lily was instantly mortified. She thought that the powerhouse was here to punish her. However, after some time, there was no further reaction. If that powerhouse was truly here, they would have shown up and punished her already. Yet, nothing happened.


    Lily also couldn’t sense that horrifying aura anymore. Perhaps that tremor was an asional earthquake. Even if it was a warning to her, she assumed that this powerhouse couldn’t reach her for the time being, for some reason.


    “Forget it! If I came here and earned nothing, wouldn’t I be captured by the forces of evil all the same once I return to Heian-kyo? This is worth the risk. I’m eating it!”


    Lily then stuffed the second rice ball into her mouth.


    “Ah… Hah… Hmm.” She felt the same soothing, rxing, and intoxicating feeling.


    After eating it, her physical condition improved by another 20%!


    Due to the overall strength of Lily’s physical body, this rice ball didn’t improve her physique as much as the previous one. However, the increase in her overall strength should be nearly the same.


    “This is really… Wonderful!”


    Lily walked out of the house and began searching for another rice field within the countlessndmasses. This time around, Lily entered andmass that was about fifty miles wide.


    On thisndmass, most of its surface was upied by a clear and beautifulke. Lily noticed several fishing boats on theke. Within them were royal souls with ancient official clothing, fishing.


    However, these souls would inspect the fish they caught and then put it back. It seemed like these fishes weren’t what they were looking for.


    Eventually, Lily noticed two royals on a fishing boat. One of them was a tall and strong man, wearing the white clothing of the Divine Emperor. They then caught a fully golden fish with a. This fish was about a meter long and extremely plump.


    Lily felt an unimaginable power emanating from this fish, one that was stronger than the ones she felt in those rice grains. <h4>References</h4>