Chapter Twenty-Three
No one really took that little incident that night to heart.
For the Pillars, it was just another ordinary mission among countless others.
In Chika's view, it was just another routine incident where someone's identity was revealed, and it wouldn't cause any big ripples.
For Xuanmi, he simply had a good night's sleep.
Life went on smoothly until the final selection came.
One morning when the wisteria was in exceptionally bloom, Sanemi unceremoniously dragged Genya and Chinatsu out of bed, one in each hand, and threw them onto the dining table.
Xuanmi regained consciousness quickly, opening his eyes wide almost immediately.
Chika, with her hair all messy, collapsed onto the table, breathing evenly, fast asleep.
Without thinking, Sanemi raised his hand and slapped her on the back of the head—
A soft "snap" sound.
The slap didn't actually land; instead, it was caught firmly by a hand that suddenly rose up.
Chika suddenly opened her eyes, staring straight at Sanemi, but her pupils were empty, clearly indicating that she had not yet fully regained consciousness.
Sanemi's wrist was held by Chinatsu. He raised an eyebrow, and instead of being displeased, he showed a look of "that's more like it."
With a flick of his wrist, he easily broke free from Qianxia's grip.
"Eat right away once you're awake, don't dawdle!"
He roared gruffly, slamming a bowl full of rice down in front of Chika with a thud. "The selection is just around the corner, I don't have time for you to dream!"
The aroma of food finally seeped into Chika's hazy consciousness. She blinked, her pupils gradually focusing, and she could see the steaming miso soup and rice in front of her, as well as Genya sitting upright next to her, silently eating his rice, and Sanemi with his arms crossed, staring at her impatiently.
"Okay, okay..." Qianxia muttered softly, rubbing her eyes, and finally picked up her chopsticks. "Why are you being so fierce, so early in the morning..."
Xuanmi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that the two would start arguing again as usual. He quickly finished his portion and took the initiative to clear the dishes: "Big brother, Qianxia, I'll clean up later. We'll leave after we're done."
"Hmm." Sanemi responded, but his gaze remained fixed on Chinatsu, who was eating slowly. "Come find me when you're done. The Final Selection is no joke. In your half-awake state, you'd be offering yourself up as a snack to the demons."
Qianxia paused, raised her head, and her eyes finally became completely clear. "Don't look down on me. I'm very strong now."
“Last time, if I hadn’t arrived in time, you would have almost been trapped to death by that demon’s Blood Demon Art.” Sanemi mercilessly exposed his shortcomings.
"That was an accident! And wasn't it resolved in the end?"
"Hmph, stubborn as a mule. Speed it up."
Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating the noisy dining room. Genmi watched this familiar scene, yet his heart tightened slightly with the upcoming selection.
He knew that such ordinary mornings might not last for more than a few days.
The final selection is like a watershed moment, about to change their peaceful life of cultivation.
Qianxia finally finished the last bite of her rice and stood up aggressively: "Let's go! I'll show you the results of my special training!"
Sanemi chuckled and turned to stride toward the training ground.
Sanemi harbored a deep-seated suspicion about this girl named Chinatsu.
He was almost certain that she was hiding her true strength. But he couldn't figure out exactly how much she was hiding, or how deep it was.
This feeling made him very uncomfortable, like an invisible grain of sand stuck under the sole of his foot. It didn't affect his life much, but it was still unpleasant and bothersome.
During regular training, she would slack off whenever possible, and during sparring, she would be even more slippery, deliberately choosing angles that were neither painful nor effective.
As soon as he intensified his attack, she immediately used the momentum to retreat, putting on an innocent look of admitting defeat.
But in those rare moments, such as when parrying a sneak attack or when her body is about to stabilize, the way she exerts force and the terrifyingly precise control of the angle will reveal her extraordinary nature.
That's a level that ordinary team members can never reach.
This deliberate concealment of his abilities instinctively put Sanemi on guard. The Demon Slayer Corps' battle against demons is extremely brutal, and any uncertainty could have fatal consequences.
Why did she hide it?
Is it a malicious intent, or is there some unspeakable reason behind it?
As his thoughts wandered, his gaze involuntarily fell on Xuanmi, who was silently following beside him.
This sense of wariness was also mixed with some worry about his younger brother.
During this time, he clearly sensed the changes in Xuanmi.
He knew his younger brother's personality all too well: stubborn, sensitive, and with a touch of reckless impulsiveness.
But recently, the tense and fierce look between Xuanmi's brows seems to have eased a bit, and he's become more composed during training. He also seems to have found a breathing method that suits him.
Sanemi could tell that Genya trusted, and even relied on, Chinatsu.
This left him with mixed feelings.
He was pleased to see Genya's growth, yet deeply feared that this trust might be misplaced. What if Iminatsu harbored ulterior motives against the Demon Slayer Corps and Genya...?
Thinking of this, Sanemi's eyes hardened even more.
Lost in thought, the three arrived at the center of the training ground. Sanemi raised his wooden sword, the tip pointing directly at Chika, "Come on."
As he spoke, he quickly attacked Qianxia.
His offensive was as swift and fierce as ever, like a storm, showing no mercy.
Chika continued to adopt a defensive stance, nimbly dodging and parrying. Although she appeared disheveled, she always managed to narrowly avoid fatal blows.
"All you do is hide?"
Sanemi let out a low shout, his sword stance suddenly changed, and his speed increased by another third. The wooden sword sliced through the air with a sharp whistling sound, aiming straight for Chika's wide-open chest.
Given her current speed, it would be extremely difficult for her to completely dodge this attack.
However, just as the wooden sword was about to touch her body, Chika's eyes suddenly hardened.
Out of instinct, the wrist holding the knife flicked at an extremely small but perfectly subtle angle. The wooden sword did not block the attack head-on, but instead followed the blade of Sanemi's sword and pulled it along with the momentum!
"Thump!"
A dull thud.
Sanemi's swift attack was slightly deflected, almost grazing the hem of Chinatsu's clothes.
As a result, Chika lost her balance and staggered back several steps before barely managing to stand, looking quite disheveled.
Her reaction, however, caused Sanemi's pupils to shrink slightly.
The skill with which the opponent neutralized the attack just now was no coincidence. It required astonishing insight, a keen perception of the flow of power, and courage far beyond that of ordinary people.
This is definitely not a move that the usually witty and humorous Chika would use.
Sanemi sheathed his sword and stood still, not pursuing her further. He stared at the panting Chinatsu, his gaze sharp as a knife, as if trying to peel away all her pretense.
“…As expected.” He said in a low voice, his tone devoid of emotion, yet carrying an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Chika steadied her breathing, her face quickly reverting to its usual slightly complaining expression.
"Wow! Sanemi-nii, were you serious just now? You scared me to death! You're so mean!"
She patted her chest, looking as if she was still shaken.
"I almost got hurt."
Sanemi snorted coldly, not exposing her obvious lie.
He knew she wouldn't admit it. But the seed had already been planted, and he had to dig it up no matter what.
"Continue." Sanemi raised his wooden sword again. "Genya! You come here too! If the two of you can't defeat me here today, you don't need to participate in the selection."
Chika was stunned for a moment, "Ah! Why? How could we possibly beat you!"
Xuanmi's expression also changed.
I hit my brother?
How is that possible?
Sanemi put one hand behind his back and held the sword in one hand. "I'll give you a handicap with one hand. You have two ways to win: one, force me to use my left hand; two, defeat me."
His gaze lingered on Chika for a moment, carrying a scrutinizing and undeniably authoritative pressure.
He wanted to use this extreme method to force them to take action, preferably to force out Chika's true strength.
He wanted to see if this guy, who had been hiding his true abilities, would continue to pretend at this crucial moment when it mattered whether Xuanmi could participate in the selection.
Genya subconsciously turned to look at Chika, his initial hesitation gradually replaced by a firm fighting spirit.
This is a golden opportunity.
He wants to use his "Nen ability".
Chika met his gaze and instantly understood his intention. She nodded almost imperceptibly and quickly, her eyes conveying tacit approval that said, "Okay, but be careful."
With her approval, Xuanmi's eyes shone brightly. Without further hesitation, he gripped the wooden sword at his side, slightly bent his knees, and took a deep breath.
The next moment, he skillfully activated his "qi," which enveloped his entire body like a sturdy suit of armor, while also wrapping around the wooden sword in his hand, giving the ordinary training equipment a sense of weight and solidity.
Sanemi, who was facing him, changed his expression and looked at his younger brother in disbelief.
At this moment, a terrifying aura of ferocity erupted from his body, causing the surrounding air to visibly distort and change, making even breathing difficult.
A biting chill swept over him, and Sanemi felt as if he were in a frigid winter, standing naked in the cold wind.
"Bang--"
Xuanmi moved, and the soil beneath his feet slightly caved in as he exerted himself, disappearing from everyone's sight.
The next second, he appeared on Sanemi's face, the blade striking Sanemi's shoulder.
Sanemi was shocked and quickly raised his hand to block, adjusting his stance and breathing.
"Wind Breathing, Seventh Form: Gale Force, Tengu Wind!"
A violent whirlwind exploded outwards from Sanemi's center, the airflow pushing out like an invisible wall, forcefully hurling Genmi out of the air.
Xuanmi landed heavily, the wooden sword slipping from his hand and shooting diagonally towards the ground like an arrow released from a bow.
With a "whoosh," the wooden blade sank deep into the ground, all the way down to the guard, as if it had been inserted into soft tofu rather than hard ground.
Sanemi's face was ashen, his gaze fixed on the wooden sword "embedded" in the ground.
He stepped forward, his fingertips just touching the warm wooden handle, and just as he was about to close his fingers, his pupils suddenly contracted, and a look of shock appeared in his eyes.
This knife...
So heavy!
The hilt of the knife, held in his palm, felt as if it were tightly wrapped by something invisible and dense, pressing heavily on his hand with an extraordinary texture.
"ah!"
Chinatsu suddenly shouted, pointing her finger at Sanemi, trembling violently, "You...you...you you you you!"
Sanemi stared at her blankly, his eyebrows furrowing into a small "川" shape. "???"
Genmi also looked puzzled.
Chinatsu: "You used your left hand!!"
Xuan Mi: "..."
Sanemi glanced at his left hand gripping the hilt of the sword: "..."
This counts?
"Pfft—Hahahaha!!"
Laughter erupted from above, soaring into the sky as if it could no longer be suppressed.
Chika turned her head and saw that on the high eaves, Kanroji Mitsuri, Iguro Obanai, and Kocho Shinobu were squatting in a row, and the one laughing so hard that she was bent over was Kanroji Mitsuri.
Noticing Chinatsu's gaze, and realizing things were getting awkward, she quickly covered her mouth, apologizing repeatedly, "Sorry, pfft—! I usually try to hold it in. Pfft—!"
Before he could finish speaking, he couldn't help but let out a laugh.
Shinobu Kocho rested her chin on her hands, her eyes narrowed into slits as she smiled, but for some reason, Chika sensed a hint of anger in her.
anger?
Is she angry? Angry about what?
“I think they’re ready,” Obanai Iguro said, arms crossed, his face full of arrogance. “Shinzogawa, let’s go.”
Sanemi didn't respond. He just gripped the wooden sword, which was still incredibly heavy, and ran his fingertips along the fine lines on the hilt before silently turning and going into the room.
He was being paranoid; Xuanmi had been taught very well by her.
The blinding sunlight shone on him, stretching his tall, straight back into a thin, long shadow, exuding an indescribable melancholy.
A short while later, two packages flew out of the room.
Immediately afterwards, Sanemi's voice came from inside the room, carrying a hint of deliberately feigned impatience.
"Get out! Don't come back to see me until you've cleared the game."
"Okay~ Alright!"
Chika answered crisply, not minding his tone at all.
She bent down and picked up the packages on the ground, holding one in each hand, and grabbed Xuanmi's wrist with the other, rushing out of the courtyard with a gust of wind.
Before Xuanmi could react, she was pulled and staggered half a step, and could only run forward with her force.
Just as he took two steps forward, a dark shadow suddenly swept past overhead.
Obanai Iguro swooped down from the roof like a swallow, lightly touching the ground with his toes to steady himself. He held two gleaming Nichirin swords in his hands and handed them to the two men.
One of the swords has a deep, dark black hilt with clean lines, exuding a sense of weight and experience from countless battles.
The other one was completely different; the hilt had a soft pink hue, as if the cherry blossoms of early spring had been kneaded into the metal, and even the edges looked exceptionally gentle.
"This pink one is the one I used before I became a pillar."
Kanroji Mitsuri jumped down from the eaves and quickly walked to Chinatsu's side. Her fingertips gently twisted the hem of her kimono, her ear tips were still slightly flushed, and her voice was soft with a slight tremor at the end.
"I hope you like it... and I also hope it can help you a lot."
As she spoke, her eyes sparkled as she looked at Chika's hand, even her breathing became lighter, as if she was afraid that if she said one more word, she would hear an answer she didn't like, full of cautious hope.
Chinatsu never uses a knife, but faced with Kanroji's expectations and Obanai Iguro's warning, she couldn't bring herself to say the refusal that was already on her lips.
"I really like it!" Qianxia took the knife, her face full of solemnity. "With your blessing, we'll definitely be fine."
Shinobu Kocho didn't say anything, she just stood to the side waving as if saying goodbye, her expression was indifferent, and although the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, she didn't seem particularly happy.
Chika saw the conflicted look on her face, but still waved her hand obediently.
They continued forward in the direction of the map until dusk fell on the mountaintop and a full moon hung overhead. At that moment, Chika and Genya finally arrived at their destination.
This is a mountain covered in wisteria blossoms. The vines climb along the mountainside, with layers of pale purple petals, like a waterfall of flowers cascading down the mountainside. When the wind blows, the delicate petals fall softly, and even the air is filled with fragrance.
At this moment, a number of candidates waiting for the examination had gathered on the open ground at the top of the mountain. There were slender boys and girls, as well as a few slightly older young men, most of whom were around ten years old.
At this moment, some people were pacing back and forth, clutching the short knife at their waist, their shoes scraping the ground white; some were huddled in a corner, their fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of their clothes, their eyes fixed on the end of the mountain path; and some were trying to wave their weapons, but due to nervousness, their movements were somewhat stiff.
Although their expressions differed, the tension in their eyes was the same.
Genya stood beside Chika, his shoulders and back taut like a fully drawn bowstring, his knuckles clenched until they turned white, and even his jawline was taut.
As he glanced around, a sharp, wary glint unconsciously appeared in his eyes, like a tense little animal.
When others were swept by his gaze, they either subconsciously shrank back or quickly looked away; no one dared to meet his eyes.
Just as Qianxia was about to tell him to relax, Xuanmi suddenly reached out and tugged at her sleeve, his voice low and uncertain.
"Chika, look at that person!" He secretly pointed in a direction with his finger. "It's Shinobu Kocho's stepson."
Chika looked in the direction he pointed and saw a girl in a light purple kimono standing under a wisteria trellis not far away.
Her shoulders were slumped, her hands gently clasped in front of her, her posture exuding a calm and efficient air. A faint curve appeared at the corner of her lips, but the smile did not reach her eyes; the corners of her eyes remained faintly cold, bearing a striking resemblance to Shinobu Kocho on a normal day.
At this moment, she was raising her right hand, with a small light blue butterfly resting on her fingertip, its wings fluttering gently. Her gaze was also unfocused, clearly lost in thought, oblivious to the surrounding noise.
"It really is true!"
Qianxia's eyes lit up, and she was about to step forward to speak when a hand suddenly rested lightly on her shoulder. The fingertips carried a strong, almost pungent, sandalwood scent. The pressure was light, but it firmly held her still.
"Chinatsu~"
A soft voice, tinged with a hint of amusement, with a slight upward slant at the end, made Qianxia freeze on the spot, completely taken aback.
She slowly turned around, and as soon as her gaze fell on the person's face, her pupils dilated with a "thud," and her voice involuntarily rose a little, filled with disbelief.
"Holy crap! You actually dared to come here?"
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