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

"As long as I can block your attack, that's proof of my strength, right? And it doesn't violate any team rules!" he replied loudly, his tone full of frankness and seriousness.

"You bastard!!!"

Looking at the stubborn, righteous-looking boy before him, Shinazugawa Sanemi felt as if he had punched a pillow. He abruptly stopped, gritted his teeth, and finally could only turn around and sit back down in frustration.

"Alright, Sanemi." Kagaya Ubuyashiki's gentle voice rang out at the right time, stopping this one-sided farce.

Sanemi Shinazugawa took a deep breath, suppressing his agitation, and remained silent.

Ling Chuanche turned his head slightly and looked at him calmly: "Is it okay?"

“…Hmm.” Shinazugawa Sanemi squeezed out a very awkward reply from his nose, then abruptly turned his head to the side. His expression clearly showed that he was a hundred times unwilling to admit his master’s words, but had no choice but to obediently bow his head and admit defeat.

"Pfft—"

Shinobu Kocho, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Sabito, Kanae, and the others were also desperately covering their mouths, their shoulders shaking as they tried to suppress their laughter.

The atmosphere in the entire courtyard instantly became subtle and joyful.

Chapter 96 Makijuro

Hearing the soft laughter all around him, Shinazugawa Sanemi was so angry that the veins on his forehead throbbed.

He wanted to lash out, but when he thought of Ling Chuanche sitting not far away, he could only forcefully suppress his anger.

He kept his head down, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, as if he wanted to grind his teeth to pieces.

Seeing this, Kagaya Ubuyashiki changed the subject at the right time, and his gentle voice rang out in the courtyard: "Kyojuro, you should know the conditions for becoming a Pillar. According to the latest intelligence, there are traces of what appear to be the Twelve Demon Moons near the Imperial Capital. I would like to entrust this task of exterminating them to you."

"The Twelve Ghost Months?!"

Kyojuro's pupils suddenly narrowed.

He knew better than anyone how terrifying that being was!

Even the lowest-ranking demon in the Lower Moon has strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, and is not something that ordinary swordsmen can easily deal with.

The fact that the Demon Slayer Corps can be promoted to a Pillar simply by killing one of the Twelve Demon Moons is enough to show how valuable the Twelve Demon Moons are.

"The Twelve Demon Moons?" Sabito suddenly raised his head, his expression solemn. "Forgive my bluntness, my lord, but if the enemy is very likely to be the Twelve Demon Moons, it would be more prudent for us Pillars to go there ourselves."

The rabbit's words are not without reason.

To deal with the Twelve Demon Moons, only those with Pillar-level combat power are the safest option.

Kyojuro is just an ordinary swordsman now. If he goes there but fails to kill the enemy, that's a minor matter. What's a real problem is if he alerts the Twelve Demon Moons and they escape, causing the Demon Slayer Corps to miss an opportunity to kill them.

However, Kagaya Ubuyashiki did not adopt Sabito's suggestion.

He looked at Kyojuro quietly, his tone still gentle but with an undeniable firmness: "That area was originally under Kyojuro's jurisdiction. Since you said you are capable of doing the job of a Pillar, you can't just talk the talk; you have to show the walk. Then, everyone will naturally accept you willingly."

"Go and slay the Twelve Demon Moons, Kyojuro. Go and show your strength."

"Yes!!!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Kyojuro stood up confidently, then turned and strode resolutely toward the door.

Looking at the boy's tall and straight back, Himejima Gyomei clasped his hands together, his face full of confusion, and asked in a low voice, "Lord Kagaya, did you foresee that child would be able to defeat the Twelve Demon Moons? Is it your intuition?"

The Ubuyashiki clan possesses a special bloodline ability that allows them to avoid danger before it strikes. For thousands of years, they have relied on this precognitive ability to deal with Muzan Kibutsuji.

Xingming believed that the lord had made the decision based on this ability once again.

"It's not just intuition." Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled, his gaze first sweeping over Toru Ayakawa in the front row, then subtly settling on Kyojuro's receding figure.

"I must say, I am certain that he can do it. I believe that before long, Kyojuro will become one of the key figures who will change the fate of the Demon Slayer Corps."

Can Kyojuro become a Pillar?

Kagaya Ubuyashiki believed it.

Because the child's eyes don't lie, and Ubuyashiki Kagaya trusted Ryokawa Tetsu even more.

After all, it was Lingchuan Tetsu who brought up the matter of sending Kyojuro to kill the Twelve Demon Moons today.

……

Knock knock knock!

At the entrance to the Purgatory family's house, Ling Chuanche raised his hand and gently knocked on the wooden door.

A moment later, the door was carefully opened a crack.

A little boy with short, flame-colored hair peered warily through the crack in the door at the person outside.

He looks seven or eight parts like Kyojuro, and is Kyojuro's younger brother, Rengoku Senjuro.

Who are you looking for?

"I'm looking for Rengoku Makijuro," Lingchuan Tetsu said calmly.

Before Senjuro could answer, the person inside, who must have heard the knocking, roared roughly, "I won't see him! I won't see anyone! Get him out!"

Senjuro looked at Ryouki with some apology, and was about to apologize when he heard the man outside the door say in a calm but unyielding tone, "Please announce that Ryouki has arrived."

Lingchuan Che?

Senjuro paused for a moment, feeling that the name sounded very familiar.

Where have I heard that before...? Oh right!

A few months ago, his older brother Kyojuro excitedly ran up to him and said, "Senjuro, I've found a really amazing teacher! He's the Demon Slayer Corps's Pillar, Toru Ryokawa! With his guidance, I'll soon become a Pillar and help Father recover!"

"You, you are Lord Cangzhu?!" Senjuro's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the newcomer.

Ling Chuanche nodded slightly: "Yes. Could you please inform them?"

"Yes, yes! Please wait a moment!" Senjuro nodded excitedly and ran back into the house.

Standing outside the door, Lingchuan Tetsu could clearly hear Maki Juro's still furious roar from inside: "Didn't I tell you I'm not seeing anyone! Whoever comes, tell them to get out!"

But then, Senjuro seemed to whisper something, and the sounds in the room abruptly ceased, plunging into a deathly silence.

A few seconds later, Senjuro pushed the door open again and said respectfully, "Lord Cangzhu, my father invites you in."

"Thank you." Ling Chuan Che stepped inside, bowed his head and gently added to Qian Shulang, "Also, don't call me Lord Cangzhu. Your brother is my disciple. Just call me Che."

"Yes! Mr. Tetsu!" Senjuro's face flushed with excitement. It was hard for him not to be excited; after all, this was Lord Cangzhu!

Who in the entire Demon Slayer Corps doesn't know the name of the Sea Pillar?

He practically grew up listening to the legend of Cangzhu!

As soon as I pushed open the door, a strong, pungent smell of alcohol hit me.

Ling Chuanche's gaze swept across the ground, where empty wine jugs lay scattered about.

Not far away, a dejected figure swayed to his feet, still clutching a wine jug tightly in his hand, and staggered toward him.

"Che...is it really you? You bastard..."

Rengoku Makijuro walked up to Ayakawa Tetsu, his eyes filled with barely concealed excitement and complexity.

He looked the man up and down for a long time, then suddenly laughed, his laughter filled with endless vicissitudes: "You...you're a monster. You've been dead for a year and you've actually come back to life."

He reached out his rough, calloused hand and gripped Ling Chuanche's shoulder tightly, laughing as tears streamed down his face: "When I first heard that news, I didn't believe you would die."

I told Ruka that she didn't believe it either... We all don't believe that you're the kind of person who could be killed so easily.

"I told you, I told you..."

Makijuro wept uncontrollably.

The good brother returned alive, but the wife who had been with them day and night just a year ago would never come back.

Looking at his former comrade-in-arms who was weeping bitterly, Ling Chuanche lowered his head slightly and said silently, "Please accept my condolences."

Chapter 97 Disciple

In fact, Rengoku Makijuro already knew that Ayakawa Tetsu was still alive.

But that was precisely the darkest and most desperate period of his life.

His wife, Ruka, had just passed away, taking away the last light in his life.

He wanted to see his brother who had shared life and death with him, but the pain of losing his wife was like an insurmountable mountain that completely crushed the once spirited Yanzhu.

He chose to escape, locking himself tightly in this room filled with the smell of alcohol, no longer willing to face the reality outside.

"Why are you here today?"

Makijuro and Ayakawa Tetsu sat side by side on the wooden steps of the courtyard. His face was flushed and his eyes were unfocused, clearly still under the influence of alcohol.

Ling Chuanche looked ahead, his tone as calm as still water: "You don't know why I came?"

Makijuro turned his head to look at him, remaining silent.

Lingchuan Che scoffed, mercilessly tearing away his pretense: "You're quite the failure as a father. You don't know yet that Kyojuro has been studying with me lately, do you?"

Makijuro's expression was momentarily taken aback; he truly didn't know about this.

"Kyojuro?" He subconsciously gripped the sake bottle in his hand, his knuckles turning white.

“Yes,” Ling Chuanche said calmly, “If you’re unwilling to teach him, he has no choice but to come to me.”

These words were like a thorn, piercing Makijuro's sore spot. He turned his head sharply, gritting his teeth and growling, "That bastard... he actually joined the Demon Slayer Corps! And he even dared to come looking for you!"

"Makijuro, listen to me clearly." Lingchuan Tetsu turned his head, staring coldly at him. "Although Kyojuro is your son, he is also my disciple, Lingchuan Tetsu!"

Makijuro was stunned.

“I don’t care about the past grievances between you and your father. But from now on, you are not allowed to interfere in Kyojuro’s affairs.”

Ling Chuanche's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority: "That child risked everything to become a Pillar so that you could rekindle your fighting spirit. What gives you the right to deny his efforts?"

"Become a Pillar? Him?!" Makijuro stood up abruptly, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He staggered forward two steps, slamming the sake jug in his hand heavily onto the wooden floor with a jarring sound.

"Teru! You should know how hopeless that path is!" Makijuro roared, his eyes bloodshot, pointing at Ayakawa Teru's nose. "He simply doesn't have the talent! Even if he trains his whole life, he'll never become the Flame Pillar!"

And even if you become the Flame Pillar, so what? Even someone as strong as you will encounter an opponent you can't defeat!

The Demon Slayer Corps will only ruin him; he'll just be throwing his life away!