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

Kanao whispered, "My sisters and I have always worn this. Wearing it feels like Master is still by my side."

Ling Chuanche gently closed his eyes and pulled the girl in his arms even closer.

"Master..."

Sanemi Shinazugawa walked over with his head down. He had thought about it for a long time and still wanted to come over and explain to his master.

"I was inside just now, I didn't mean to not support you..."

"Everyone has the right to make their own choices, and you did not make a mistake."

Lingchuan Tetsu looked at Sanemi, who had a guilty look on his face: "This just proves that you are now a qualified strongman and a qualified Pillar."

Chapter 65 Caring for the Elderly

After everyone left, the lights in the lord's mansion remained lit.

As night deepened, members of the Hidden Division hurried in and out.

Above the sky, flocks of ravens flapped their wings and flew by, sending top-secret instructions from the mansion to all corners of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Only after the last group of Hidden Force members left did the vast courtyard return to its deathly silence.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

However, the next second, his expression changed drastically, and he suddenly lowered his head and began to cough violently and suppress his cough.

“Yaozai…” Tianyin quickly stepped forward, gently patted his back with heartache, and then handed him a cup of warm water.

After drinking a few sips of water, Kagaya Ubuyashiki's pale face eased slightly.

"Take a break, Yaoya." Amane's voice was full of deep concern.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki waved his hand, his eyes revealing an unwavering determination: "We must hurry. It's a miracle that Toru came back alive. This time, I absolutely cannot let him repeat the same mistake."

He took a deep breath and continued, "I have already assigned Giyu to take charge of this mission. In two days at most, we will be able to safely bring Miss Tamayo over."

After saying that, Kagaya Ubuyashiki turned to his wife and said solemnly, "Please find the notes recorded by the previous lords and the ancient books that record the first swordsmen."

"Okay." Tianyin didn't say much, and quickly moved the stacks of yellowed and heavy ancient books and notes to the table.

Under the flickering candlelight, Kagaya Ubuyashiki lay on the table, turning the pages of ancient text line by line by line, page by page, in the dim light.

His eyes seemed to be desperately searching for some lifeline.

"There must be a way..." he murmured.

As he delved deeper into the book, he found many records about the Marked Swordsman, but his expression grew increasingly grim, and the fists resting on his knees clenched tighter and tighter.

“There’s absolutely no record in the historical records of anyone with markings living past twenty-five…” Ubuyashiki Kagaya closed his eyes in anguish. “The main problem is that, these days, there hasn’t been a single marked swordsman for hundreds of years…”

But he quickly opened his eyes again, a defiant light flashing within them: "But Che is still alive! This means he might not die from the side effects of the markings; there must still be a chance!"

He mustered his spirits and threw himself back into the vast and complex search.

Standing to the side, Tianyin looked at her husband's mad-like figure and closed her eyes slightly.

A moment later, she pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Kagaya Ubuyashiki: "I'll help you look for it."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked up, gave his wife a deep look, and finally nodded: "Okay."

As the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki takes the word "sacrifice" in stride.

In his eyes, all the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen, including himself, were tools for slaying demons.

If given the choice to press a button to kill a demon at the cost of a person's death, he would press it without hesitation; even if the person who dies is himself, he would not hesitate in the slightest.

Therefore, although he felt sad about the sacrifices of the Demon Slayer Corps children, he never felt sorry for them, because their deaths were all worthwhile.

But he was the only exception for Ling Chuanche.

When he was young, before he became a lord, he was full of confusion about his unknown destiny and future.

It was Ling Chuanche who gave him encouragement and trust, which finally gave him the courage to face the abyss and gradually become a qualified lord.

In the most difficult and darkest years that followed, it was Lingchuan Tetsu who carried the entire Demon Slayer Corps on his shoulders, moving forward step by step through blood and fire, and persevering to this day.

He sacrificed so much for the Demon Slayer Corps and deserves a peaceful end.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki gritted his teeth, his eyes slightly red.

If Ling Chuan Tetsu had truly fought Upper Moon One to the death and been defeated, he might have had no choice but to painfully accept that fate, and might even have been prepared to accompany him a few years later.

But now, Ling Chuanche has returned alive! Since heaven has granted him this miracle, he will never allow the same tragedy to happen again.

“Teru…” Kagaya Ubuyashiki clenched his notebook tightly, his knuckles turning white. “The Demon Slayer Corps is different now. You don’t need to keep risking your life anymore… I will definitely find a way to save you, I definitely will.”

……

crunch--

Pushing open the familiar gate, Ling Chuanche looked at the mansion before him and felt a sense of déjà vu.

The scene of leaving this place last time seems to be right before my eyes, but I never expected that I would return a year later.

"Come in quickly, Master!"

Ren tightly held Ling Chuanche's hand and walked into the courtyard.

Ling Chuan Che looked down at his hand that was being held, then at Ren, who was excited and didn't seem to notice anything amiss, and remained silent.

His gaze swept around, and everything here was unchanged, exactly the same as when he left.

Ren pushed open the door, then turned around, looking at Ling Chuanche with expectant eyes: "How was it, Master?"

Ling Chuanche looked at her with a smile: "Do you want me to praise you for cleaning the house so well?"

Ren immediately put her hands on her hips angrily: "What! You kept everything because you missed Master so much. It's exactly the same as when you left, nothing has changed!"

Ling Chuanche pondered for a moment: "The intention is good, but please don't do this again next time."

Ren Yi glared at him: "What! There's a next time?!"

Ling Chuanche walked past her with a calm expression: "No, I was just making that up."

"No! Master, you just said it, I heard you!"

Lingchuan Che looked helplessly at Kanae, who was standing aside watching the show, and gestured for her to come over and discipline her younger sister.

Kanae walked over with a smile, pulled Shinobu aside and comforted her, "Alright, Shinobu, Master was just teasing you."

Ren turned to look at her sister and said with concern, "Sister, your injuries haven't healed yet, you should go and rest too."

"I'm fine," Kanae said softly. "Ms. Tamayo treated me very well. I just need to rest for a few more days."

"Then you all should get some rest these next few days!" Shinobu shouted, tilting her head back. "Kanao!"

"Here!" Kanao quickly ran behind Shinobu and stood at attention.

Shinobu pointed at Ayakawa Tetsu and Kanae and solemnly announced, "Master and sister, please rest well these few days. Kanae and I will take care of you!"

"Yes, sir!" Kanao stood there looking every bit the soldier.

Ling Chuanche sighed and rubbed his forehead: "Alright, you two, I'm not so old and useless that I need you to take care of me."

Kanae suddenly spoke softly, "Master, please don't refuse Shinobu and Kanao's kind intentions."

------

I had something to do and got back late today, so this is just the first update. I'll make up for it with three more updates tomorrow.

Chapter 66: Evil Thoughts in My Heart

Ling Chuanche sighed softly, his gaze lowered, and a wave of indescribable bitterness welled up in his heart.

'I know my days are numbered, and I've long been prepared to face death again. But these children are overjoyed by my return... If one day in the future they learn of my death again, will they truly be able to bear it?'

'If I had known it would end like this, perhaps I shouldn't have come back in the first place. Why make them experience that heart-wrenching sorrow again in the future?'

"Master?"

She tilted her head and called out several times, but Ling Chuanche was deep in thought and didn't respond. She couldn't help but reach out and wave her hand in front of his eyes.

Ling Chuanche quickly regained his composure, concealing the deep sorrow in his eyes, and forced out a gentle smile: "Since it is your filial piety, I will accept it with peace of mind."

He sighed deeply in his heart.

Forget it, if I refuse, I'm afraid these two girls will be even more heartbroken.

Upon hearing his agreement, Shinobu and Kanao indeed showed bright smiles.

However, Kanae, who was standing to the side, keenly noticed the hesitation and struggle that Lingchuan Tetsu had just experienced.

Despite Ling Chuanche's repeated insistence that his body was fine and even better than before, Ke Ren still took great care of him, as if her teacher was so weak that he might collapse at any moment.

Even something as simple as making the bed, Ren would do it all himself, afraid of tiring him out in the slightest.

"Alright, it's getting late, you should all go and get some rest."

Ling Chuanche lay on the bed, looking at the two girls who were guarding the bedside.

Ren shook his head and said stubbornly, "I will stay here and guard my master."

Ling Chuanche said helplessly, "I already told you I won't run away, so you can go back to sleep."

Tolerance means stubbornly standing still and refusing to move.

Lingchuan Che could only turn his gaze to Kanao: "Kanao, then you should go and rest."

Kanao wanted to stay like her sister, but when Ayakawa Tetsu gave her a slightly stern look, she realized she didn't have the same courage as her sister when facing the teacher.

"Go to sleep, Kanao," Shinobu said softly as he turned around.

Kanao nodded, turned back several times as she walked out of the room, and gently closed the door.

Only the two of them remained inside.

Ling Chuanche lay on the bed, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the ninja sitting beside him.

"Master, you should go to sleep. I'll stay here with you." Ren sat on the ground, hugging his knees with both hands and resting his chin on his knees.

This obedient yet persistent appearance made Ling Chuanche swallow his words, even though he wanted to say a few more words of advice.

"Um……"