Chapter Eighteen
Chika practically fled in panic, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest, and even the tips of her ears burning.
Help! She has a crush on someone, and it seems like he's also interested in her.
Unfortunately, the other party was not human.
But so what?
In the world she knows, there are also people who form bonds with rare and exotic beasts.
If love between humans and animals is acceptable, why can't it be between humans and ghosts? Aren't there stories in storybooks about humans and vampires having incestuous relationships? Or humans and thousand-year-old zombies spending their lives together?
As for the "food" issue, it's easy to solve; just stop letting him eat it in the future.
If he dares to eat it, I'll break his teeth!
Well... but all of that has to wait. Right now, the most important thing is that she needs a stable job.
In life, all confidence comes from strength, and all self-assurance is rooted in economics.
This is especially true for couples in love.
Only when she achieves economic freedom can she love someone without reservation and on an equal footing.
With this in mind, a crystal-clear decision arose in Qianxia's heart—
She wants to become a pillar.
And we must become the best of the best.
Make money first, then talk about love! Establish your career first, then start a family.
With a goal in mind, Qianxia instantly became more lively, and even her steps became lighter.
She's going to ask Sanemi how he became a Pillar.
"Chika! Brother!"
The voice calling her from afar grew closer and closer. The evil spirits dissipated, the thick fog around them gradually receded, and the figure of the person who had come became clearer and clearer.
Chika's gaze suddenly sharpened.
The figure with his back to her was wearing the same uniform as Xuanmi.
And opposite him, there were seven or eight evil spirits facing him.
The grayish-blue skin was taut with menacing lines, and the sharp claws gleamed coldly in the dim light, clearly indicating that it considered him its prey.
"Chika!" Genya turned his head slightly. "Don't come any closer!"
If she could reply, it meant the problem wasn't too serious. As soon as the thought crossed Chika's mind, she drew her Nichirin Blade from her waist, the silver blade drawing a cold arc in the air.
She touched the ground with her toes and leaped up like an arrow, her clothes billowing in the wind, her eyes filled with fierce intent.
Faced with a group of evil spirits, Genya was terrified.
One moment he was fighting with Chika over his brother, and the next second both his brother and Chika had vanished, leaving him alone in the thick fog, unable to tell which way was which.
Just then, he was attacked by evil spirits—not one, not two, but a whole group.
He doesn't have breathing techniques, nor does he possess Chinatsu's amazing Nen ability, so he has no choice but to fight in his own way.
Gritting his teeth, he took advantage of the moment when a demon lunged at him, suddenly bent down and bit the other's arm hard.
A strong, putrid stench instantly filled my nostrils, carrying the chilling aura unique to evil spirits. The next second, a strange power surged into my body through my teeth, flowing through my limbs and bones.
His taut muscles suddenly burst with explosive power as he swung his knife at the demon.
However, this power came and went quickly. In the blink of an eye, the burning sensation subsided by more than half, and Xuanmi went limp again.
Facing several still ferocious demons, cold sweat trickled down his face.
Just then, Chika arrived.
He instinctively told her to retreat.
However.
"Xuanmi, step back!"
With a shout, a blinding flash of lightning pierced through the thick fog, and Qianxia's figure landed in front of him.
Electric arcs crackled at her fingertips, and pale purple lightning swirled around her, pulsating as if it were alive.
"Lightning speed!"
With a clear shout, her Nichirin Blade, enveloped in raging lightning, swept across the battlefield as a blur.
Amidst a piercing scream, the demon was instantly engulfed by lightning. Its body twisted and carbonized in the electric current, finally turning into a puddle of black ash and dissipating into the air.
Genmi stood there, his eyes wide open, staring in disbelief at Chika's retreating figure.
Wow! Amazing! He seems even more powerful than his brother. Could he also possess this power, able to protect himself and others so decisively without relying on devouring evil spirits?
In the nearby woods, Sanemi was frantically searching for the two when a sudden flash of lightning made him abruptly stop in his tracks.
He looked up at the brightened sky, his knuckles white from gripping the Nichirin Blade so tightly, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.
"What is that? Is it a demon's blood demon technique, or..."
He dared not think too deeply and rushed over, his mind filled with thoughts of Qianxia and Xuanmi's safety.
On the other side, Obanai Iguro was standing with his sword sheathed when a sudden bolt of lightning stopped him from putting it back in its place.
The snake coiled around his neck raised its head slightly and flicked its tongue.
Obanai narrowed her heterochromatic eyes, gazing in the direction of the lightning, her tone tinged with surprise: "This power... it feels so familiar, where have I seen it before?"
He adjusted his direction and hurried towards the place where the lightning had dissipated.
"Holy crap!" After defeating the evil spirit, Chika turned to look at Genya, her eyes widening in shock, almost biting her tongue. "What's going on? Gen... Genya?"
Where was the Xuanmi before him, even a trace of his usual self?
The whites of his eyes were completely swallowed by the blackness, leaving only a pair of dark pupils that shone with a fierce light. His mouth stretched uncontrollably, revealing sharp teeth.
His whole body was hunched over, his shoulders were taut like a wild beast poised to pounce, and even his fingertips had a faint, hard curve, making him look exactly like a demon.
If it weren't for his signature hair, she might not have recognized him at this moment.
Xuanmi clearly noticed his own abnormality and hurriedly raised his hand to cover his mouth and turned away, his voice trembling slightly, "Don't look at me... I, I'll be done soon."
The fact that he can still speak means he hasn't lost his mind.
Chika secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She stepped forward and gently poked Xuanmi's firm biceps, then touched the taut muscles on his forearm.
The touch from my fingertips was unfamiliar and hard, completely different from the slightly shy boy I remembered.
"You look quite strong. So... you've become a ghost now?"
"No, I just..."
Xuanmi covered his mouth, deliberately avoiding Qianxia's gaze, his voice muffled in his palm until the murderous aura around him gradually faded, and his body slowly returned to its original state.
"Oh~~" Chika drawled, "Wow, you're amazing. You were so fierce just now, but you've become so weak in a moment."
Genya lowered his eyelids speechlessly, a black line seemingly running down his forehead: "Chika's focus is really strange. Shouldn't you ask first why I can turn into a ghost and then turn back?"
"Ah, right, you said it." Qianxia realized what she meant, immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling to reveal eight white teeth, her face beaming with a sweet smile.
"I can temporarily gain the power of evil spirits by devouring them."
Xuanmi lowered his eyes, his voice becoming more subdued.
"But the higher the level of the ghost I devour, the more severe my ghost transformation will be, and the longer it will last. If the ghost I devour is weak, it will return to its original state in a short while."
Chika's smile vanished instantly. "What if you encounter a demon of a particularly high level... will you be unable to turn back into a human?"
Xuanmi paused for a moment, his fingertips curling slightly. "I don't know, I haven't tried it. But... it is indeed possible."
"No wonder your brother didn't want you to join the Demon Slayer Corps."
Chinatsu suddenly understood, thinking to herself that Mr. Sanemi was indeed stubborn but soft-hearted. He said that his younger brother was weak and only dragged him down, but in his heart he was actually very worried about his younger brother.
Thinking this, she gently patted Xuanmi's shoulder, and a bright smile suddenly bloomed on her face.
"Alright, I've made up my mind. I'm ready to set my sights on Pillar. Training alone is training, training with someone else is training too. You'll be following me from now on."
"But there's a condition!!" Qianxia pointed at Xuanmi, "You're not allowed to tell anyone else what I taught you, not even your brother. This is a secret between the two of us."
Xuanmi's eyes lit up instantly. "Great!"
"Come, call me master."
"master!"
"Oh, my good disciple. Don't use that ghost-devouring method anymore, it's bad for your health."
"good!"
......
"Chinatsu! Genmi!"
An urgent call came from above, and Chika's heart skipped a beat.
Although her goal is to become a Pillar, that's still far from being achieved, and she absolutely cannot afford to offend Sanemi, her "meal ticket."
The thought crossed Qianxia's eyes, and with a quick flick of her wrist, her body went limp and she collapsed to the ground with a soft "er".
Xuanmi was startled and hurriedly grabbed her arm, "Hey! Qianxia, what's wrong?"
Chika winked at him, clutching her sleeve, "Ouch~~ I'm so scared, Genya, these ghosts are so scary, waaaaah~"
When Sanemi and Obanai Iguro arrived, this was the scene they saw.
Genmisha stood there, stunned. Chika, who was lying on the ground, was as pale as a sheet, with red eyes. Behind them, the black ash that had fallen after the evil spirits dissipated filled the sky.
"What happened?" Sanemi stepped forward, his face cold. "Was anyone here just now?"
"How scary, Sanemi-kun~~~~"
When Chika saw Sanemi, she let out a howl and grabbed his leg with a "snap," her shoulders trembling. "If it weren't for that handsome white-haired guy with a fan who saved us, we would have been dead long ago."
"Waaaaahh ...
Chika's voice was sharp and bright, and Sanemi immediately felt his sunburn.
Upon seeing this, Obanai Iguro, who arrived shortly after, stopped in his tracks, quickly flipped over and leaped onto the tree trunk next to him, then simply stood on tiptoe and squatted on a branch.
If I don't go down, I won't have to worry about being bothered by Chika, and I can also stay away from the noise.
"Shut up!" Sanemi glared at Chika, forcefully pressing her head down and pulling his leg out of her arms. His tone was extremely impatient. "Stop yelling all the time, it's so noisy!"
"Well--"
Chika's crying stopped abruptly.
She sat obediently on the ground, half-covering her face with her sleeve, revealing only a pair of wet eyes, sobbing softly, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Sanemi is so fierce~"
Xuanmi stood aside, watching Qianxia's earth-shattering actions one second and her effortless control the next, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets in astonishment.
He couldn't figure out what Qianxia was up to, but belatedly realized that she probably didn't want others to know about her abilities.
Although she didn't know why she was hiding it, Xuanmi herself had her own worries.
He also didn't want his brother to know that he had just devoured a demon in order to protect himself.
So when Sanemi's gaze swept over Genya, he immediately nodded in agreement.
"Yes, yes... Just like Chika said, that white-haired boy used what seemed to be a lightning-based breathing technique, and he took care of all the evil spirits in one go."
A tacitly agreed-upon lie was thus made perfectly logical.
In their descriptions, a white-haired boy with an iron fan and skilled in Thunder Breathing suddenly appeared, becoming their savior in this "crisis".
In a shadowy corner of the building, Tongmo twirled a string of smooth Buddhist prayer beads between his fingers, each bead turning gently and making a soft, tinkling sound.
He lowered his eyes, his eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath them, a cryptic smile playing on his lips, and a hint of intrigued curiosity in his eyes.
"How many more surprises do you have in store for me?"
His voice was very soft, like a whisper drifting in the morning mist, mixed with the gentle sound of turning prayer beads, dissipating into the gradually brightening air.
Before long, the sun fully rose above the horizon, and its warm sunlight spread out, enveloping the desolate land that had just been filled with the aura of evil spirits.
The black and gray remains of the evil spirit gradually melted in the sunlight, and the bloodstains on the ground were also coated with a soft halo by the morning light.
"Go home! Train!"
Sanemi withdrew his gaze from the morning light, his brows still furrowed, and raised his hand to give both Chika and Genya a tap on the head.
"Let's see if you dare to slack off again! You always need someone to save you!"
"Hi~~" Chika rubbed her aching head and replied in a drawn-out tone, sounding nonchalant.
“Okay! Brother!” Xuanmi immediately straightened his back, his voice loud and earnest, his eyes full of excitement and longing.
From then on, two figures appeared in the secluded woods in the mountains.
At dawn, as the morning light just began to pierce the treetops, one could see the cold glint of the Nichirin Blade drawing sharp arcs through the forest.
Sanemi, hands on his hips, repeatedly corrected the breathing rhythm of the two, leading them to cleave through the morning mist with their blades.
As the sun sets and Sanemi leaves, a different scene unfolds in the secluded clearing deep in the forest.
Qianxia sat cross-legged on the bluestone, gently touching his brow with her fingertips to help him calm his scattered mind. She then guided Xuanmi to adjust his breathing and enter meditation, helping him open the pores of his body and feel the existence of "qi".
Genya was focused on learning, trying to master this power that was different from breathing techniques; while Chika was waiting.
She was waiting for an opportunity to officially join the Demon Slayer Corps and then confess her feelings.
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