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

As expected of a man hailed as "Lord," he speaks with such eloquence.

However, what Kagaya said was absolutely right.

Ren's unreserved and straightforward emotions were the sweet rain he longed for most in his parched world; and the shelter he provided for her with his powerful strength also gave Ren the confidence to continue wielding his sword in this cruel world.

They found in each other what they lacked most.

They were two wounded souls who licked each other's wounds in the long, dark night, and eventually became the only light in each other's lives.

Ling Chuanche picked up his teacup and took a small sip. The warm tea flowed down his throat, but it couldn't dispel the heaviness in his heart.

Across from him, Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled slightly, his gentle gaze seemingly able to see through everything in the world, yet encompassing all of Toru Ayakawa's secrets.

"What good would it do to know?"

Ling Chuanche calmly put down his teacup, the porcelain clinking against the table with a dull thud. "I can't do that. As long as I am her master, I cannot."

He raised his head, looking directly into Kagaya Ubuyashiki's eyes, his tone revealing an undeniable firmness: "If there is an afterlife, if I see her again, I will no longer be her master, but just myself... perhaps, I will have a different choice."

“But now, as long as I am here, as long as she still calls me ‘Master,’ I can never cross that line.”

"What's wrong? Are you afraid people will say you're too old, or that you're an old cow eating young grass?" Kagaya Ubuyashiki teased, suppressing a laugh.

Ling Chuanche frowned. Was that what he meant? Besides, if we're really talking about "an old cow eating young grass," wasn't you just a blade of grass when you married Tianyin?

Ling Chuanche was about to retort, but he swallowed his words. He remained silent.

He admitted that what Kagaya Ubuyashiki said was indeed one of his biggest concerns.

He was twelve years older than Ren. If he were the same age as Ren this year, even if he was Ren's teacher, he probably wouldn't have been so restrained.

"I really can't do this."

Lingchuan Che let out a long sigh, his eyes revealing deep weariness and struggle: "Don't say anything more, Yaoya. It's not fair to Shinobu, you know that?"

He closed his eyes, and Shinobu's face appeared in his mind: "When I rescued her, she was so young and had lost her parents. For so many years, she has lived with me and Kanae. In her world, there is almost only me."

“I can’t force her to be with me just because I’ve developed different feelings for her. I’ve been the only one she’s had the most contact with over the years. Even if I tell her about my feelings, even if she agrees… who can guarantee that it’s not just her affection and dependence on me? She can’t tell the difference between true love and something else.”

Ling Chuanche's voice trembled slightly, revealing an almost cruel clarity: "I cannot selfishly take over a child's life just because she depends on me when she is most helpless. If she chooses me because she can't distinguish between feelings, that would be the greatest injustice to her."

Chapter 105 Master-Disciple Confrontation

Shinobu Kocho pushed open the door, glanced around, and her gaze landed precisely on Toru Ayakawa, who was sitting inside.

Her eyes crinkled into crescents as she smiled, as if she had discovered some treasure.

"Master! You really are here! Come with me quickly!"

Looking at her flustered manner, Ling Chuanche asked helplessly, "What's wrong?"

Shinobu Kocho walked in, grabbed Toru Ayakawa's hand without a word, and started walking out: "There are fireworks in town today, let's go see them together!"

Ling Chuanche stumbled slightly as she pulled him, and said with a wry smile, "Not today, let's do it another day. I have plans to meet Ganlu Temple and Iguro today."

I mentioned last time that I'd give them some training; they should be on their way right now.

Ren's face immediately fell, her tone full of grievance: "Then go ahead. You said you'd agree to my conditions, that you'd agree to anything. Go on, go on!"

She said "Let's go" but deliberately took a step away, as if she was playing hard to get.

Ling Chuanche's heart softened when he saw her like this.

He thought for a moment and then instructed Kanao, who was not far away, "Master is going out for a while. If your two older brothers and sisters come later, tell them that I have something to do today and ask them to come tomorrow."

Kanao nodded obediently.

Shinobu Kocho, who was walking not far away, curled the corners of her lips slightly, turned around and snorted softly, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness: "I didn't ask you to come with me, Master, you insisted on coming along!"

Ling Chuanche stood up, put his hands behind his back, and slowly walked out, retorting without changing his expression: "I didn't say I was going with you. I'm going to take care of something else."

Gritting her teeth in frustration, she suddenly turned around, grabbed Ling Chuanche's shirt hem, and declared domineeringly, "If you don't come with me, you're not going anywhere today!"

Ling Chuanche had gotten used to this girl's occasional "betrayal of her master and ancestors".

I don't know when it started, but he, as the master, has gradually lost his authority in front of his disciples.

As Shinobu half-dragged and half-pulled him outside, Ayakawa Tetsu casually asked, "Where's Kanae? Why isn't she here? And shouldn't we have invited Kanao along?"

"My sister went on a mission." Shinobu turned around and glanced at Lingchuan Che, smiling to reveal two cute little tiger teeth. "Master just said something about not calling Kanao, but didn't you just ask Kanao to stay at home to relay your message?"

Ling Chuanche stubbornly replied without changing his expression, "I forgot."

And I should always tell Iguro and Kanroji, so they don't make a wasted trip.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ren followed his master's words, a sly smile playing on his lips, quietly watching his master stubbornly insist, "I know what you mean, Master. What are children doing watching fireworks, right, Master?"

Ling Chuanche's brows relaxed, and he readily agreed, "That's natural."

The two walked side by side on the path, and Ren casually asked, "Did Master go to the lord's place yesterday?"

"Ah."

"What did they say?"

We chatted about a few things.

Ren looked down at her toes, then suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling with curiosity: "Master, have you been looking at that picture book lately?"

She blinked, her gaze fixed intently on Ling Chuanche.

Ling Chuanche felt a slight tightening in his heart.

He wanted to say that he hadn't seen it, but he couldn't bear to lie to her; but if his disciple found out that he had secretly looked at that kind of thing, wouldn't she think that he, as her master, was not proper?

He considered his words carefully and said calmly, "I've only seen a little bit."

One of the Pillars thought that as long as he said this, he wouldn't be deceiving his disciple and could maintain his authority as a master.

Ren stared at Ling Chuanche's profile for a while, then suddenly asked, "If Master were to make a choice? If Master were to be the protagonist, what would Master do?"

These words were like a pebble, striking precisely into Ling Chuanche's heart.

His heart skipped a beat.

At that moment, even if he were slow to understand, he could grasp the meaning behind Ren's words.

You really have to tolerate her...

Ling Chuanche's expression instantly became extremely complicated.

The disciple actually harbored such thoughts towards his master. This is undoubtedly a problem on his part as the master.

He recalled what he had said to Kagaya Ubuyashiki yesterday; it was not a perfunctory remark to his lord.

Ren is still young; she doesn't understand what true love is.

She simply had the most contact with the opposite sex since childhood, and perhaps she mistook familial affection and dependence for romantic love.

Ling Chuanche silently admonished himself, then pretended to be nonchalant and said, "That's naturally the master's failure. He couldn't even educate his own disciple properly. As a teacher, he should keep his distance from his disciple. How could he be with his disciple?"

Unconsciously, she slowed her pace, watching Ling Chuanche's retreating figure, and puffed out her cheeks angrily.

This old man, did he really not understand what I was asking him?

Or did he understand but pretend not to?

She gave a soft hum.

If she hadn't secretly sneaked into her master's room yesterday and found that picture book under his pillow that looked like it had been repeatedly read, she might have really been fooled by this old man today.

Ren's lips curled up slightly as he quickened his pace to catch up, saying in a low voice, "Is that so? I also think it is indeed the problem with that master."

Hearing this, Ling Chuanche breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But then he heard Ren say, "He clearly saw that his disciple liked him a long time ago, and he also liked his disciple in his heart, but he never expressed his feelings."

They only say it when they're about to die, but what good will it do then?

How irresponsible! It would have been better to say it sooner, to be open with each other, and to let each other understand their feelings.

Ling Chuanche frowned and said calmly, "You don't cultivate all day, you just think about these things?"

It seems you've indeed been carrying around these things lately, and you're a bit confused about what's important. I didn't believe Kanae when she told me last time. I guess I really need to talk to Kanae when we get back and get rid of some of these unnecessary things so you can settle down.

Seeing Ling Chuanche putting on airs like a master whenever he couldn't win an argument, he gritted his teeth in frustration, but there was nothing he could do.

It's always like this!

When faced with a difficult question, they stop talking and change the subject!

And she even brought up her older sister to pressure her!

She gave a soft snort, thinking to herself: You won't tell me now, but I have plenty of ways to do it!

As he passed by the Butterfly House, Lingchuan Che glanced inside casually and then saw a familiar figure.

"Isn't that Kanae...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Ren suddenly grabbed his hand and quickly walked in the opposite direction.

“No, Master, you’ve mistaken me,” she said stiffly.

Could Ling Chuanche be mistaken? Of course not.

He just looked down at the little girl's back and swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Let her have her way this once.

Chapter 106 Today, We're Not Master and Disciple

Perhaps Kanae really had something to do, or perhaps the Butterfly Mansion was just too busy for her to handle.

In short, the excuse was just right, allowing Lingchuan Che to leave with Shinobu with a clear conscience.

Along the way, whenever they encountered members of the Hidden Cave or swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, they would stop and respectfully bow to Ling Chuan Che. Ling Chuan Che stopped and nodded in response to each of them.

"Lord Cangzhu!"

A crew-cut boy stood before Ling Chuanche, his eyes filled with excitement. Ling Chuanche smiled and nodded at him as usual, and the boy stood there, too excited to move for a long time.

Lingchuan Che nodded and followed Shinobu forward.

"Master is really popular with everyone," she said, suppressing a smile.