Chapter 165 Calm

"His Excellency Jiguo remains as composed and calm as ever."

Kagaya couldn't see Yoriichi's appearance in person; it was Amane who gently described it to him, and he slowly nodded.

"Is that so? What a pity, my eyes cannot witness your brilliance." Kagaya's voice was gentle and refined, revealing a hint of barely perceptible regret. He paused slightly, then continued, "Have you made your decision, Lord Tsugukuni?"

Yoriichi's eyes flickered slightly at that moment, his fiery red pupils seemingly able to see through all the illusions of the world. He gazed silently at Kagaya, choosing silence over a direct answer to the latter's question.

“You are very much like your ancestor,” Yoriichi suddenly said, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “The same kindness and gentleness, and extraordinary intelligence.”

"Is that so?" This seemingly random question made Kagaya chuckle. He understood that the ancestor the other person was referring to could only be the lord who was beheaded by a demon during the Warring States period. "It is truly my honor."

Kagaya's voice was filled with sincerity and respect. He remembered that the Demon Slayer Corps led by his ancestor was the most powerful force recorded in history. Kagaya was somewhat flattered by such recognition.

"I exist to slay Muzan Kibutsuji." This time, Yoriichi answered the question with firm and resolute words.

Upon hearing this, Yaozai couldn't help but sigh deeply, a sigh tinged with both relief and confusion. He tried to glean more information from the words of this swordsman who had lived for hundreds of years, but he failed. He couldn't understand what the swordsman was thinking; the passage of time had made him unfathomable.

The records contain very little about Yoriichi's life, only briefly outlining his characteristics and breathing techniques. It was an extraordinary skill, dazzling like a ritual dance, and scorching like the sunlight.

From those few words, Kagaya could only barely piece together Yoriichi's personality outline—he was a transcendent person, unburdened by worldly concerns, living only for the beliefs in his heart.

"Really? I thank you on behalf of the children."

Kagaya's voice carried a hint of gratitude and respect. He knew that Yoriichi's addition would undoubtedly greatly increase the success rate of defeating Muzan Kibutsuji. Kagaya had foreseen that one day in the future, this swordsman, as scorching as the sun, would completely slay Muzan Kibutsuji.

He had been waiting, and the moment the other person appeared, he recognized them. But he never expected that the other person was immortal. Yaozai wondered if this would be a scene from many years in the future.

But no matter what, he wanted the Ghost King to perish in his generation so that his child could break the curse, grow up healthy, and prevent others in the world from being harmed by ghosts.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

After Kuniyoshi stood up, bowed to Kagaya, and slowly left. Listening to the footsteps fade into the distance, Kagaya turned to Amane and asked, "Has he left?"

“Yes, he just left. He was the strongest I’ve ever met.” Amane answered softly. As Kagaya’s wife, she had seen many swordsmen, but she had never seen anyone like Yoriichi. He was stronger than everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps.

"After all, he's the one who cornered Muzan Kibutsuji, something the children can't compare to," Kagaya sighed softly, his eyes flashing with complex emotions.

He was proud of his swordsmen; they were brave, resilient, and fearless—the pride of the Demon Slayer Corps. But he also knew they were still far from Yoriichi's level. However, this did not diminish his expectations for them.

“But my children are all wonderful. No matter what, I want them to live.” Kagaya’s voice held both firmness and tenderness.

"Yes, I will," Tianyin replied softly.

After leaving, Yoriichi went straight to the Butterfly Mansion. As soon as he stepped into Ichiro's hospital room, his gaze quickly locked onto Ichiro, who was lying on the bed, unconscious, his face unusually pale.

He heard faint breathing mingled with the aroma of herbs, and saw the wound slowly healing. His worried nerves relaxed slightly, and he left the ward.

“Mr. Tsugikuni.” In the corridor, Aoi recognized Yoriichi and quickly walked up to him.

Yoriichi lowered his head. He remembered the little girl who had taken such good care of the wounded, and asked softly, "Are they badly injured?"

Xiao Kui gently shook her head, then nodded, seemingly considering her words: "It is somewhat serious, but it shouldn't leave any hidden dangers. It's just that the poison from the doctor is quite troublesome. After recovery, he will need a lot of rehabilitation to help him activate those muscles that have been paralyzed for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yi nodded, secretly relieved that the children had been saved. He then said, "You've all worked hard too."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Kui's face lit up with a big smile. She was overjoyed to be cared for by this legendary swordsman: "How could that be? We are happy to help them as well. It is our duty."

Just as the two were talking, hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Kyojuro had just finished his mission and rushed over. He looked anxious, clearly worried about the outcome of the mission: "Are the Kamado boys alright?" His voice was loud with tension and worry, disturbing the tranquility of the room.

Seeing this, Xiao Kui quickly reassured him, "Lord Rengoku, Tanjiro and the others have stabilized, but they haven't woken up yet."

Kyojuro was relieved. He hadn't expected that they would encounter two Upper Moons this time. It was really dangerous. Luckily, they came back alive.

"Yoriichi-san." Kyojuro remembered Yoriichi and greeted him politely. "Are you here to visit them too? Let's go see them together."

"Okay." Yoriichi was slightly dazed when he saw the other person, and only snapped out of it when the other person spoke.

He really looks a lot like Xi Shoulang.

——

Five days later, Yan Sheng finally left Infinite City, his figure appearing particularly lonely in the moonlight. When Hui found him, he was sitting quietly on a stone bench in a courtyard, his eyes deep, as if he were pondering something important.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before that I couldn't contact you for the time being."

Yan Sheng's voice broke the silence of the night. He looked at Hui, who was standing beside him, and gently stroked the other's slightly ruffled feathers, his eyes filled with apology and tenderness.

Hui seemed to sense Yan Sheng's emotions. He gently preened his feathers and replied, "It's alright, sir. Do you need to deliver a message this time?"

As a jackal hunter, this was the first time he'd had so much free time, and he was a little unaccustomed to it.

"Yes, how are they doing in the battle at the sword-forging village?"

Hui flapped his wings, preparing for the upcoming flight: "Everything has recovered very well. The casualties in the Forging Village were minimal, mainly villagers and a few stationed swordsmen. This is the best possible outcome."

His voice carried a hint of joy, clearly indicating his delight at the good news.

Hearing this answer, Iwakatsu nodded. He stood up and watched Hikaru disappear into the night sky with the letter. It was good that he was alright; Iwakatsu felt relieved. After all, Ichiro was dead in the original story, and there was no guarantee that nothing unexpected might happen.

Muzan has already begun preparing his plans, and Iwakatsu knows that the final outcome isn't far off, which makes him somewhat sentimental. Having been here so long, it's impossible for him to have no feelings for Muzan; he's even gotten used to Muzan's occasional eccentricities.