Demon Slayer: After raising Shinobu, I died in front of her.

"Ah."

Chapter 36 Thoughts

Ling Chuanche has been away on a mission for a full week. For a battle-hardened pillar, a week away on a mission isn't a long time, but since the two little butterflies joined his side, Ling Chuanche has never been away for so long.

Inside the butterfly house, the afternoon sunlight was somewhat lazy.

Shinobu Kocho idly pounded the herbs, the pestle and mortar making a monotonous sound.

Kanae sat to the side, her fingertips holding a fine needle, intently sewing a new haori for Toru Ryukawa.

As a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, Toru Ayakawa's haori should have been made by the entire team, but Kanae always felt that the styles were too rigid and not worthy of her master, so she took on the needlework herself.

Not far away, Kanao, wearing white boots, was casually tossing coins in her hand.

Since Ling Chuanche made a promise with her last time, she no longer relies on coins to make decisions. This small metal piece is now just an object she plays with in her fingertips.

While pounding the medicine, Ren couldn't help but look up and peek towards the door.

Noticing this, Kanae stopped her needlework and smiled gently, "Stop looking, Master should be back soon."

"Really, sister?" Ren rested her chin on her hand, her tone tinged with a hint of reproach. "But Master has been gone for seven days, and he hasn't sent a single word back in all that time."

“Master is a pillar, and he is very busy, so he naturally has to work harder.”

"But my sister is a Pillar too!" Shinobu blinked, somewhat puzzled. "Why do I feel like Master has become busier ever since our Demon Slayer Corps has gotten more Pillars?"

Kanae was speechless for a moment, then shook her head helplessly: "But Cangzhu, there is only one in this world."

After thinking about it, Ren felt that her sister was right.

Since witnessing their master's terrifying power when he made his move last time, they understood a principle: in the Demon Slayer Corps, Pillars are Pillars, but Azure Pillars are Azure Pillars. Although they are of the same Pillar rank, they should never be confused.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the door.

Shinobu looked up and saw that it was the Sound Pillar, Uzui Tengen, walking in with his three wives.

It appears that the three wives sustained some minor injuries.

"It's the Sound Pillar, shall we go take a look, sister?" Shinobu asked.

Kanae glanced at them and said softly, "I think they're all minor injuries; we shouldn't need to get involved."

"Oh," Ren responded, continuing to work on the herbs.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked out of the blue, "Sister, how old is Master this year?"

Kanae didn't know why she suddenly asked this, but she still tried to recall carefully and said, "Master is already twenty-five this year."

"Master is already twenty-five!" Ren rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. "If we turn twenty-five, won't Master be an old man by then?"

Kanae reached out and gently poked Shinobu's forehead: "If Master hears you say he's old, he'll be unhappy."

Kanae discovered long ago that whenever Ayakawa Tetsu was talking about his age in front of him, no matter who brought it up, he would instantly become depressed.

Over time, everyone tacitly agreed that age became a taboo subject in front of Ling Chuanche.

She covered her head and said, "Master isn't here, is he?"

"Bear it." Kanae suddenly spoke up, "The Sound Hashira already has three wives, but Master is still single."

"Sister, why are you saying this?" Ren's eyes instantly went on alert, her tone becoming wary. "You're not thinking of introducing Master to someone, are you?"

Kanae looked up with a puzzled expression: "Don't you want to? We can't keep monopolizing Master and making him revolve around us forever."

Master is already twenty-five. Most men his age have kids old enough to run errands. He's been taking care of us all these years and might not have had time to think about this, but we're growing up too, and we can't keep holding him back forever.

"I disagree!"

Ren suddenly stood up abruptly, reacting violently.

Kanae blinked, not understanding why her sister had suddenly gotten angry.

The air suddenly became quiet.

Ren seemed to realize he had overreacted, and quickly sat down awkwardly, muttering under his breath, "What if Master gets married and finds a wife who doesn't like us..."

Kanae sighed, thinking that her younger sister was still just a child at heart.

"That's not a problem for us to worry about."

"No, no, Master isn't worried at all, and he hasn't mentioned these things. Why are you in such a hurry, Sister?" Ren pouted slightly.

She looked up at Kanao, who was playing with coins not far away: "Kanao, do you want Master to get married?"

Kanao paused, staring with her large, amethyst-like eyes.

Her little brain was clearly not yet able to comprehend such complex interpersonal relationships, and she could only stare at them blankly.

Ren smiled smugly: "Look, sister, even Kanao isn't saying anything; she doesn't agree either."

Kanae looked at her younger sister with a mixture of helplessness and affection: "You, Shinobu, have you ever thought about what will happen when Master gets old and is still all alone, without a wife? Who will take care of him?"

"I'll take care of him!"

Ren raised his neck and said confidently.

Seeing her sister's slightly agape mouth and shocked expression, she quickly changed her words: "I meant, we disciples can take care of him! How could we disciples just stand by and watch our master be left unattended? Look at Master Urokodaki, isn't that how he is!"

Although Master Urokodaki doesn't have a wife, don't we still go back with him during festivals?

Kanae sighed helplessly, shook her head slightly, and was about to say something.

"Ouch!"

She suddenly gasped softly, her brows furrowing slightly.

"What's wrong, sister?" Ren immediately got up to check on her.

"It's nothing." Kanae forced a smile, looking at her finger. "I just accidentally pricked my finger."

Ren looked at her sister's fingertip, where she had just been pricked hard by a needle, and now a drop of bright red blood was seeping out.

For swordsmen who spend their lives fighting demons, injuries are commonplace. These minor wounds are nothing to worry about and will heal in no time.

only……

Kanae pursed her lips, and for some reason, an inexplicable unease suddenly welled up in her heart.

How could someone who is already a pillar not be able to hold a needle properly?

This inexplicable palpitation felt like an ominous premonition, weighing heavily on my heart.

She put down her needlework, looked up at the window, and murmured, "Master has been gone for seven days..."

Suddenly, she remembered something, "Where's Sanemi?"

"They're probably out on a mission too."

Seeing Kanae's worried expression, he asked in confusion, "What's wrong, sister?"

"It's nothing," Kanae murmured, "I hope I'm just overthinking it..."

Chapter 37 Aunt Yi gets the bird at the end of the string

"Finally, I can go back and get some rest! I miss Kanae's cooking, I miss my warm nest, I want to go back right now!"

Jixiang hovered around Ling Chuanche, chattering incessantly.

Ling Chuanche sighed helplessly: "It's as if coming out with me this time has exhausted you."

He was the one who killed the enemies one by one with his sword; Jixiang was merely responsible for pointing the way in the air.

"Of course I'm tired! That little brat was so troublesome!" Jixiang flapped its wings angrily. "Finding its true form has exhausted me!"

Ling Chuanche smiled and shook his head, offering no rebuttal. The reason this mission had dragged on for so long wasn't because the demon was particularly powerful, but because its Blood Demon Art was far too troublesome.

It does not possess strong destructive power itself, but it can continuously create clones that are exactly the same as the original body.

It used these clones to play a long game of "hide-and-seek" with Ling Chuanche. It took Ling Chuanche a lot of effort to finally find its main body and kill it.

To be honest, this trip has lasted quite a while.

Ling Chuanche didn't want to linger outside any longer. Now that the mission was over, he wanted to go back as soon as possible.

As he passed through a market town, the various trinkets sold along the way caught his eye.

In the past, Ling Chuanche would never glance at these places when passing by, but ever since he got three "little butterflies" at home, he now likes to bring them something back every time he goes out, and this time was no exception.

Ling Chuanche's gaze was drawn to a vendor selling peace knots. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but one of the peace knots on the stall was shaped like three fluttering butterflies.

Ling Chuanche immediately asked, "Boss, how many of these are left?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "There are three more."

Three, just enough for the three disciples in the family.

"I'll take them all." Ling Chuanche paid and carefully put the peace knot into his pocket.

Just as he left the town and was heading back, Ling Chuanche suddenly saw a raven swooping down overhead in a panic.

He recognized it at a glance; it was Kuang Jin's raven.

Because Kurokichi and Sanemi were very close, they both recognized each other's Kasugai-rabbit, Ryokawa Tetsuya.

“Jixiang, stop it and ask what’s wrong. Why is it in such a hurry?”

"Yes!"

Jixiang immediately flew up and stopped Kuang Jin's ravens.

When the raven saw that it was Jixiang and recognized him as Lord Cangzhu's partner, it seemed as if it had seen a savior and immediately turned around and flew towards Lingchuan Che.

"Lord Cangzhu! Kuang Jin and Sanemi encountered Lower Moon One nearby, and their situation is dire!"

Ling Chuanche's pupils constricted sharply, and he shouted sternly, "Lead the way immediately!"

Without even taking a break, the raven immediately led Lingchuan Tetsu towards the direction of Sanemi and the others.

After running alongside the raven for a while, Ling Chuanche frowned slightly: "You're too slow. Tell me which way it is, and I'll go there myself!"

The raven quickly pointed the way: "It's just ahead!"

Swish!