Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97

Time flows silently like a continuous river as Yoriichi Tsugikuni pursues his goal.

Seasons change, and plants flourish and wither.

After the lord disappeared, the chaotic Tsugikuni Castle was suppressed by the new lord.

Before leaving, Ji Guoyansheng completely eliminated those with disloyal intentions within the city, leaving only loyal retainers.

They proposed that Yoriichi Tsugikuni become the successor to the castle lord, but Yoriichi Tsugikuni refused, and the position of castle lord ultimately fell to his uncle's eldest son.

My uncle also has a pair of twins. Yoriichi Tsugikuni saw them at the wedding banquet of Aori and her brother, and they looked very similar.

At that time, they had no idea what was going to happen. They looked at the ceremonial platform with a dignified yet undisguised curiosity, and then secretly huddled together and whispered something.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni stopped caring about it and followed the clues of Oori and Tsugikuni Iwakatsu, who had become a demon, traveling all over the world.

Every time Yoriichi slays a demon, before the demon turns to ashes, he asks about the whereabouts of Oori and Kokushima.

Unfortunately, the answers I received were either fearful denials or vague, worthless directions.

Hope dwindles under the repeated blows of cold reality.

During a chance mission, Yoriichi Tsugikuni encountered Muzan Kibutsuji.

Filled with intense hatred, the sword light of the Breath of the Sun tore through the darkness, but at the critical moment, the demon split itself into thousands of parts and escaped in an extremely disheveled manner.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni killed most of his body, but ultimately failed to completely annihilate him.

A small error can lead to a huge mistake.

Kibutsuji Muzan went into complete hibernation.

Apart from those low-level ghosts who hunted blindly and only by instinct, the other powerful evil spirits with intelligence also disappeared without a trace.

Even so, Yoriichi Tsugikuni could not stop his pace.

Amidst the ruins, he had just slain a low-level ghost that had been lurking there, feeding on passing travelers.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni sheathed his sword, his movements still fluid and graceful, with a godlike precision and indifference.

The rest is to be handled by 'Hidden'.

Having been asked many times, the person in "Hidden" was no longer as alarmed as before. She calmly said, "Lord Yoriichi, we haven't found any trace of Miss Aori yet..."

The members of the Demon Slayer Corps all knew that Yoriichi Tsugikuni was looking for someone, someone who had been abducted by a demon.

Demons cannot control their instinct to eat people. Everyone who joins the Demon Slayer Corps is well aware of this fact because they have all witnessed the tragedy of demons eating people.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a man who is like a god in the Demon Slayer Corps, seems not to accept this fact.

He was searching for a possibility, and also for an impossibility.

—Is A-Zhi still alive?

Why did my brother turn into a ghost?

By the campfire at night, Yoriichi Tsugikuni quietly polished his sword, the flames dancing in his dark red eyes.

He couldn't help but imagine the scene of A-Zhi being taken away.

He once knelt before the bed, stroking the marks of struggle with his own hands. It was because of this that he could vividly recall those helpless fingerprints again and again, as if torturing himself.

The cold light reflected from the blade stung my eyes.

"Incompetent," Yoriichi Tsugikuni said to himself.

As a swordsman, he failed to slay Muzan Kibutsuji; as a younger brother, he failed to stop his brother from becoming a demon; as... as someone who once promised to protect Ori, he failed to arrive when she was most afraid.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni is in great pain.

The Ghost King has not been destroyed, the elder brother has become a ghost, and Ah Zhi... his fate is unknown, his whereabouts are unknown.

He failed to accomplish anything.

He is an incompetent person.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

The autumn colors in Kyoto are so intense that they seem to melt away, with maple leaves turning a deep red like blood, layer upon layer staining the high walls of the mansions.

The inner courtyard of this deep mansion, adorned with the "Nine Stripes" family crest, was deathly silent. The wind howled hollowly through the corridors, and not a soul was to be seen in the courtyard.

Aori sat on the veranda, her fingertips gently plucking the strings of her harp. When the sun set, she could move freely throughout the entire Kujo mansion; when the sun rose, her movements were confined to the house.

Azhi didn't like this. Her time was completely reversed, and not only that, she was also forced to do things she didn't like.

"Your finger technique is wrong," Kokushibo reminded him.

He was not far away, dressed in dark robes, his collar neatly folded, as if he were still the dignified heir apparent.

Azhi's fingers paused slightly, the music stopped abruptly, she pursed her lips, didn't look up, and didn't want to pay any attention to Heishibo.

Kokushibo was silent for a moment, then walked over, his footsteps extremely light, almost silent.

But Azhi could still feel the cold, ghostly aura slowly approaching. She subconsciously hunched her shoulders, her fingertips pressed tightly against the strings, and dared not move again.

Even knowing that Kokushibo is Kokushibo, and vaguely realizing that Kokushibo wouldn't harm her, Aori was still frightened by those six eyes.

Kokushibo knelt down beside Aori, his wide sleeves hanging down, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood.

He didn't touch Azhi, but simply placed his hand on the surface of the zither, and with a gentle pluck of his long fingers, the strings vibrated and produced a clear, melodious sound.

"Here, it should be played like this."

He was giving a serious demonstration, which was quite incongruous with his demonic appearance.

Azhi didn't react. She even withdrew her hand, stubbornly turned her face away, and looked at Hongfeng, who had crossed the high wall and entered the courtyard.

The zither being played was originally placed under the eaves. It was quite valuable, made of fine paulownia wood, with a smooth, mirror-like lacquer finish and intricate wisteria patterns carved on the tail.

In this quiet mansion, Azhi had no choice but to stare blankly or occasionally take a few steps in the courtyard.

She found the zither while wandering around at night, only to be captured by Kokushibo after taking a closer look and carefully touching the strings.

Then, under Aori's frightened and shocked gaze, Kokushibo played an ancient and serene melody.

Aori had heard this piece before; it was a waka melody that circulated among the nobility. Tsuruoka had played it when teaching waka at the Tsugikuni residence.

To her surprise, Kokushibo could also play the piano, and he played it quite well.

Somehow, Kokushibo started teaching Aori to play the koto.

Actually, Azhi could accept it if it were just the zither, but what she found incredibly difficult was the kissing that happened almost every day.

Every time the sun rises and Aori is forced to return to her room, Kokushibo will silently appear before her, lift her chin with his cold fingers, and then press his lips against hers without giving her a chance to refuse...

Aori would struggle every time, but her strength was negligible in front of Kokushibo.

Sure enough, seeing that she had no intention of continuing, the evil spirit stopped pressuring her: "Go back."

Azhi immediately clenched her sleeves, her eyes misted over, and her mood soured. She followed behind Kokushibo, dragging her feet as much as she could.

This time, however, things didn't go as she expected. The terrible kiss didn't follow immediately after she entered the room. The demon sat down in the room and calmly closed its eyes.

Aori stared at him nervously for a long time before finally letting out a sigh of relief. But there was really nothing she could do. After clearing her mind for a while, she started thinking about 000 and Yoriichi Tsugikuni again.

She wondered if they had sorted out their troubles, and when they would come to rescue her.

The sun must have risen fully, and the temperature in the room has increased.

Sun, sun, sun.

Not far away, in the shadow of a screen, Kokushibo sat cross-legged, his tall figure motionless, his six eyes closed, and his aura subsided, as if he had fallen into some kind of deep meditation.

Aori held her breath, her gaze lingering on the closed door for a moment before cautiously glancing at Kokushibo in the shadows.

She stood up very slowly.

Azhi didn't really expect to be able to get out. She knew that under Kokushibo's watchful eye, she probably wouldn't even be able to touch the door, but she still wanted to see the sunlight.

She hasn't seen the sunlight in a long time.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. Azhi didn't even have time to put on her coat. She took one step, two steps, barefoot... her fingers even touched the door frame, but Kokushibo still didn't react.

Her clothes were damp with sweat. She took a deep breath, used all her strength, and flung open the door.

The dazzling sunlight, like a golden torrent, instantly flooded the dim room, bringing with it a warm and refreshing atmosphere, carrying with it the freshness and freedom of the outside world.

A smile crept onto Azhi's lips; she had never felt so relaxed, just one step away from crossing the threshold—

"If you step out of this door..." A calm voice came from behind. Kokushibo remained seated, not even opening his eyes, "I will go out with you."

He spoke very clearly, so clearly that A-Zhi's hand, which was resting on the door frame, froze, and her legs seemed to be bound. She turned her head in disbelief.

Kokushibo stood up, no longer speaking, but staring at her with his six demonic eyes, his calmness bordering on cruel.

Impossible. Ghosts are afraid of the sun; they would turn to ashes under the sun.

Meeting his gaze, Azhi panicked and denied all of Kokushibo's existence in her mind. She wanted to rush out regardless, but as soon as she lifted her foot, she heard the soft sound of fabric rubbing behind her.

Kokushibo moved. He actually reached the doorway, but instead of stopping, he stepped out of the shadows and came to Aori's side.

The deep purple sleeves, exposed to the sunlight, instantly curled up and turned charred black, then turned into ashes that floated into the air. The arms beneath the sleeves were already burned beyond recognition, their original appearance completely obscured.

The smell of burning flesh filled the air.

"No……"

Aori couldn't do it. She couldn't bear to watch Kokushibo turn to ashes in the sunlight while chasing after her.

Because of this thought, she even began to hate herself, even though Kokushibo had turned into a demon and had done terrible things to her.

The sunlight fell right beside us, yet it seemed like an insurmountable chasm.

Azhi couldn't decisively embrace the light; instead, she was dragged into the mire of darkness. Her lips trembled, tears welled up uncontrollably, and she staggered as she pushed Kokushibo into the shadows.

Rather than using the word "push" to describe it, given the stark contrast between A-Zhi's petite stature and the demon's towering size, it's more like she was forced into the demon's embrace.

Kokushibo narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.

Ah Zhi gasped for breath, leaning against the cold door frame, and slid weakly to the ground, burying her face in her knees, her shoulders trembling silently.

She doesn't like making choices because choices often mean giving up one side. She can never decide which side is more suitable, so she asks 000 and Yoriichi Tsugikuni for help.

But now she has to make the choice alone.

The burning pain from the sunlight was unprecedented. Kokushibo inevitably tensed up. Even after returning to the shadows, the burning pain continued, and the burns could not be healed.

But his face remained expressionless, with only six eyes fixed on Azhi as if she were his prey, conveying a terrifying obsession.

"I said we would be together."

“…”

"Why did you do this?" After a long silence, Azhi asked again, her voice muffled and choked with sobs.

“We are husband and wife.” Kokushibo bent down, without offering much explanation as usual, and extended his unburned hand to her, his voice low, “Come here.”

Aori looked up, her vision blurred, but she could still make out Kokushibo's hand.

Pale yet powerful, capable of easily crushing her wrist bones, yet at this moment it hovers in mid-air with an almost restrained posture, waiting for her to approach on her own initiative.

That ghost is absolutely despicable.

The emotions that had been building up for so long were finally getting out of control. Azhi was both angry and heartbroken, and she waved her hands wildly to keep away the approaching Kokushibo.

"—Slap!" A crisp slap landed on Kokushibo's face.

The air suddenly froze.

Her palms burned with pain, but Ah Zhi's mind was blank, devoid of any sense of relief or joy after the release.

Kokushibo's face tilted slightly, his six demonic eyes remaining calm, without even a trace of anger. He could have easily dodged, but he didn't.

Aori stared at him blankly, suddenly recalling the scene she had witnessed at the Tsugikuni residence, where Tsugikuni Iwakatsu's father had slapped him in the same way.

At that time, Jiguo Yansheng was the same, silently enduring it without dodging or flinching.

The fingertips that had been hitting her trembled slightly, and an indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart. Azhi opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

Tears flowed silently.

Kokushibo turned his face back, took out a handkerchief and wiped away Aori's tears with unbelievably gentle movements, a stark contrast to his previous behavior.

"You can do anything to me."

"Except for leaving!"

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Author's Note: [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]