The stepson brought back by the water column
The morning sun filtered through the paper door, casting dappled shadows on the tatami. Shiro Injiji had already woken up; she had remained half asleep all night, her fingers constantly on the short knife she carried with her—the only item she had taken from the lab.
She sat up straight when she heard regular footsteps outside the door.
"It's time to go." It was Giyu Tomioka's voice.
Shiro opened the paper door and saw Giyu standing in the courtyard, fully dressed. The sunlight after the snow shone on his haori, casting a subtle halo of light.
"Where are we going?" Bai asked, with a barely perceptible hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Sagari Mountain." Giyong turned and walked out of the courtyard. "My teacher lives there."
Bai followed closely, the snow crunching under her feet. She noticed that Yiyong had brought an extra Nichirin Sword with him today.
"What kind of swordsman is your teacher...?"
"Urokodaki Sakonji, the former Water Pillar," Giyuu replied simply and forcefully, "He will teach you water breathing."
Bai's footsteps suddenly stopped. Giyuu took a few steps before noticing and looked back at the girl who was standing still.
"What's wrong?"
Shiro's hands trembled slightly within his sleeves. Was he going to be handed over to a stranger again? Just like when Muzan handed him over to Kokushibo, and then he spent three years in that laboratory...
"Can't I... study with you?" Her voice was soft, but pleading.
Yiyong looked at her silently. The girl's long silver hair shimmered in the morning light, and his figure was reflected in her dark pupils.
"I haven't adopted a stepson yet."
"I can learn very well." Bai hurriedly took two steps forward. "I learn quickly and won't cause you any trouble."
Giyuu's eyes flickered over her red, frozen fingers, noting the subtle signs of training evident in her stance. This girl truly had a special talent.
"Come with me."
He didn't answer directly, but turned and walked towards another path. Bai hesitated for a moment, then immediately followed.
They passed through a snow-covered bamboo forest and arrived at a secluded courtyard. A plaque above the gate read "Fugang."
"This is my home." Yiyong pushed open the gate.
The yard was swept clean, though there was still a pile of unswept snow in the corner. A string of wind chimes hung from the eaves of the main house, tinkling sporadically in the cold wind.
Yiyong sat down under the eaves and motioned Bai to sit down too.
"Why don't you want to go to Mount Narrow Mist?"
Bai knelt opposite him, his fingers unconsciously twisting the corners of his clothes.
"I'm... afraid of unfamiliar places." This wasn't a lie. Whenever she was in an unfamiliar environment, she would always think of the cold instruments in the laboratory.
Yiyong's eyes fell on her slightly trembling fingers. He remembered the first time he saw Xuantu, the boy wearing a fox mask was also so uneasy.
"Becoming my stepson requires rigorous training."
Bai looked up suddenly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his dark eyes.
“I can do it!”
Yiyong stood up and took out two wooden swords from the house. He handed one of them to Bai.
“Show your basics.”
Bai took the wooden sword, and the moment her fingers touched the handle, her entire demeanor suddenly changed. She gripped the handle firmly, her feet naturally apart, her center of gravity lowered—a stance that had been honed through countless trials and tribulations.
Yiyong's eyes moved slightly.
The wooden sword sliced through the air, Bai's movements too smooth to be a beginner's. Though deliberately concealed, each turn and each swing of the sword held a unique rhythm, as if practiced thousands of times.
"Okay."
Yiyong interrupted. Bai immediately stopped and turned back into the slightly reserved girl she was.
"You've learned swordsmanship."
This wasn't a question. Bai lowered her head, her silver hair falling to obscure her expression.
"My family... I've been taught some things before."
Yiyong didn't ask any further questions. He took the wooden sword from Bai's hand and stood face to face with her.
"Water Breathing, Form 1."
His movements were as natural as flowing water, the strokes of the wooden sword carrying a gentle yet undeniable force. Bai watched intently, his dark pupils capturing every detail.
"Try."
Bai imitated him and swung the sword, but there was always a certain inherent habit in his movements - that was the mark left by the Breath of the Moon.
"Relax your wrist." Yiyong took a step forward and gently adjusted her posture.
His palm was warm, penetrating through her thin clothes and reaching her pale skin. She subconsciously tensed herself, a lingering effect from her laboratory career.
"Breathe steadily." Yiyong didn't seem to notice her nervousness and continued to instruct, "Like a continuous stream of water."
Bai tried to catch his breath, and following Giyuu's guidance, he swung his sword again. This time, his movements were much smoother, but a certain incoordination was still noticeable.
"Let's stop here for today." Yiyong put away his wooden sword and said, "Go clean up the room."
Bai stood there, watching Yiyong walk towards the main house. The sunlight shone on the snow in the yard, reflecting tiny rays of light.
"Mr. Tomioka..." she called softly.
Yiyong stopped and didn't look back.
"Thank you." Bai's voice was soft, but clear enough.
Yiyong nodded slightly and continued walking forward. Bai looked at his back and gently clenched her hands. This was the first time she truly had a place of her own.
In the backyard of Tomioka's residence, the snow had been cleared to the sides, revealing a bluestone-paved martial arts training ground. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and two figures were already moving across the field.
"When slashing on the water surface, lower your center of gravity by three points."
Giyu's voice echoed clearly in the courtyard. Shiro adjusted his grip, and the Nichirin Blade drew a smooth arc through the air. The unique blue light of Water Breathing flowed along the blade. Though not yet stable, it was already taking shape.
"Keep going." Giyuu stood on the sidelines with his arms folded, his eyes focused on Bai's every move.
Bai took a deep breath, feeling the unique rhythm of Water Breathing. It was completely different from the Moon Breathing she was familiar with—no cold moonlight, but a long, uninterrupted flow of water. She repeatedly practiced the fifth form, "Gentle Rain from Heaven," a form she had recently been working on.
Sweat trickled down her silver hair, creating tiny splashes of water on the bluestone slabs. She had been practicing for two hours straight, yet her movements remained unwavering.
"Rest." Yiyong finally spoke.
Bai sheathed her sword, her breathing slightly faster. She walked to the eaves and took the kettle that Yiyong handed her.
"The key to the fifth form is compassion, not killing." Yiyong sat down next to her. "Your actions carry too much violence."
Bai looked down at her palms. Her experience as a demon, the memories of the laboratory, all left their mark on her swordsmanship.
"I'll pay attention."
Yiyong was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and said, "Watch this."
The moment the Nichirin Blade was unsheathed, the air in the courtyard seemed to grow moist. Giyuu's figure moved like flowing water, a fine mist rising wherever the blade passed. In his hands, the Fifth Form unfolded a completely different realm—not of slaying, but of redemption.
Bai watched in fascination. This was the power of the Water Pillar, and it was also the realm she longed for.
"Try again."
This time, Bai's movements were noticeably gentler. While not as smooth as Giyu's, he already possessed the demeanor of a flowing swordsman.
"There's progress." Yiyong gave a rare affirmation.
Bai's eyes suddenly lit up, and her dark pupils sparkled. This was the first time she had heard Yiyong praise her in these days.
"Thank you, Senior Yiyong!"
She didn't know when this name had become her exclusive name for Giyu. It had been blurted out subconsciously at first, but it had become her constant. Giyu didn't explicitly agree with it, but he didn't correct her either.
In the evening, Bai prepared dinner in the kitchen. This was a task she had taken on voluntarily—in return for staying with the family. A simple meal of miso soup and grilled fish brought a touch of homeliness to this usually deserted house.
Giyu ate quietly, occasionally pointing out problems in the white swordsmanship.
"Start studying Form Six tomorrow."
Bai paused as he was serving rice. "I haven't fully mastered the fifth form yet..."
"You're improving very quickly." Giyuu put down his chopsticks. "You deserve to challenge a more difficult kata."
These words were spoken calmly, but they warmed Bai's heart. She knew that this was Yiyong's way of expressing his approval.
Late at night, Bai practiced alone in the courtyard. The moonlight streaming down the courtyard reminded her of Moon Breathing. She quickly shook her head and refocused on Water Breathing.
"Proper rest is also part of spiritual practice."
Giyuu appeared in the corridor at some point, holding a haori in his hand.
"I can't sleep." Bai put away his sword and stood up. "I want to master water breathing as soon as possible."
Giyuu handed her the haori. "You've already mastered the first five forms in such a short time. That's quite impressive."
Shiro's fingertips brushed lightly against the fabric of the haori. This was the first time Giyu had ever directly praised her.
"Because...I don't want to let down Senior Yiyong's teachings."
The two stood in the moonlight, their shadows stretched long across the bluestone. Giyong looked at the silver-haired girl, remembering her wary eyes when she first arrived at Tomioka's house. Now, though still silent, her gaze had a touch of warmth.
"We have to get up early tomorrow." In the end, Yiyong simply said.
Bai nodded and followed him into the house. As they walked to their respective rooms, she whispered:
"Good night, Giyu-senpai."
Yiyong's footsteps paused slightly.
"good evening."
These two simple words made Bai's lips curl up unconsciously. She knew that for Yiyong, who was not good at expressing himself, this was a rare act of tenderness.
Moonlight streamed through the window paper into the room. Shiro lay in bed, feeling the long-lost peace. Here, no one treated her like a test subject, nor looked at her like a monster. Though always expressionless, Giyuu-senpai would quietly light a lantern while she practiced extra hours, and would prepare an extra blanket when the weather was cold.
These subtle acts of care are invaluable to her.
In the next room, Yiyong was also still awake. Listening to the gentle noises from the next room, he thought of Bai's hard work and talent. This girl, who had lost everything, was so much like him. Perhaps adopting her as his stepson was the right decision.
As the night deepened, the Tomioka residence finally fell completely silent. Only the wind chimes under the eaves occasionally rang out in the night breeze.
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