Chapter 256

If I knew at the beginning that I had been sucking ghost blood continuously for such a month, I would definitely feel a little disgusted.

But now I had a worse expectation, so when I heard the news, I felt only relief.

However, Miss Shinobu's half-smile made me dig my toes into the ground for unknown reasons, and the tender buds at the ends of my hair were also twisting.

I quickly tried to change the subject, "I just heard you guys talking about "Brown", right?"

As soon as this topic was brought up, Mr. Shinobu and Ms. Shinobu's eyes lit up immediately.

The topic shift was very successful!

"I do know something about the 'Stripes', but opening the 'Stripes' is not a simple decision. Without sufficient understanding and awareness, it is difficult to open the 'Stripes'. And..." I looked at their shining eyes and the two of them who wished they could learn this skill in the next second, and I didn't know how to start.

I reviewed my experience and abilities in my mind, raised my head, and the tender buds reached out to Tanjiro's markings. The hairs, so small that they were invisible to the naked eye, pierced under Tanjiro's skin. Following the tentacles of the hairs, I felt Tanjiro's physical condition.

It is a very vibrant sign of life.

The blue Higanbana marks I left on Tanjiro and Genya were all for the purpose of dealing with the Two Upper Moons, so they contained a lot of power.

Xuan Mi resisted a large amount of the remaining ghost power and explosive growth in his body, and at the same time repaired the fatal injuries before he exhausted the power in the mark.

But Tanjiro's mark is more to help him replenish his physical strength, so the reason why it is quickly consumed and disappears here... perhaps, it is the "marks".

Even after I repaired Tanjiro alone, the remaining strength of the mark was still enough to use up all the power of my mark.

Even after this, Miss Shinobu and Miss Tamayo found a lot of consumption in Tanjiro, which shows how powerful he is, that he has truly overdrawn his life force.

And the stronger a person is, the more serious the overdraft will be.

However, if the side effects of the markings can be offset, the chances of survival of the Demon Slayer Corps members when facing Muzan Kibutsuji Muzan will increase significantly!

When I came to my senses, I found that the three of them were standing in front of me, waiting for something, and no one spoke to interrupt my thoughts.

I looked at Tanjiro, wondering if he could feel the fur tentacles on my buds...

"Is there anything you can't hide, Mr. Qing?" Miss Shinobu looked at me intently, but she didn't mean to embarrass me.

I took a deep breath and decided it was worth a try.

Even if it cannot be completely offset, when facing Muzan Kibutsuji Muzan, consuming the subsequent life is much better than dying directly in the Infinite Castle.

Having made up my mind, I said, "It's nothing. The matter of "Stripes" is quite complicated. Please help me gather everyone and I will talk about it together."

"Marks require sufficient talent and sufficient strength to support them. They must have the strength of a pillar, or at least the potential to become a pillar, such as your successors." Marks are advanced strength, not the foundation. "After this period of training, I believe that the pillars have a clear idea of ​​the overall situation of the Demon Slayer Corps members--"

"I understand," Miss Shinobu nodded, "I will inform everyone to keep an eye out for the right person in advance."

But even if there is a suitable person, we will have to make plans after the meeting.

If you want to try it, someone must succeed first so that other team members can have a clear example to refer to.

"Then I'll go report to the lord." Shimizu thought about the time on the training schedule, "The afternoon training will end soon. There is a meeting scheduled for today, and the others should have made preparations in advance."

I suddenly raised my hand and said, "There is one more thing I would like to ask you, Mr. Shimizu."

After hearing what I said, Shimizu looked over.

"I need to see Xuan Mi. If my current idea is to work, I need Xuan Mi's help. Can Mr. Shi Mi ask Xuan Mi to attend the meeting tonight?"

After hearing what I said and looking at my sincere eyes, Shimi choked up.

I immediately realized that he and his brother had not completely opened their hearts to each other. From Shimizu's perspective, of course he hoped that his brother would quit the Demon Slayer Corps. In addition, he himself was not so good at expressing himself frankly, and Genmi also had knots and self-blame in his heart. If he could not have a good talk, it would become a pity.

“…Yeah.” After a moment of silence, Shimizu finally nodded.

I have no impression of this base, so it should be a new headquarters location. Of course I couldn't find the way, so I asked Tanjiro to lead me.

By the way, he familiarized himself with the entire venue, but it delayed Tanjiro's training time.

"It's almost time for the training to end. I start earlier in the morning, so it's no problem at all!" Tanjiro reassured me.

I took a detour to take a look at Mr. Komaji. In the middle of the dojo, Mr. Komaji was explaining sparring. His eyes were so focused that he didn't even notice us standing at the door with his perception. Every move he made was based on his lifelong experience.

Surrounding Mr. Komaji were a group of swordsmen, who watched and listened attentively, respecting their current teacher from the bottom of their hearts.

Even tiny Nezuko was here, sitting under the eaves of the dojo, watching Mr. Komaji's movements and imitating them with her hands and feet.

At first glance, there is a subtle sense of harmony.

If Mr. Komaji and Koiyuki had a perfect ending, it would definitely be something like this.

Looking at the martial arts uniform that Mr. Komaji was wearing, with the words "Soryu" printed on it, I suddenly felt something flowing down my cheeks.

It's not me crying, it's the pistil in my body that is moved.

This was the dream of Master Keizo and Mr. Komaji. In order to see such a scene, Renxue waited silently for hundreds of years.

Tanjiro was standing at the door, also listening attentively to Mr. Komaji's voice.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

I waited until the class was completely over and then called out his name loudly.

"Komaji!"

I can hardly smell any ghost on him.

As soon as he saw me, he rushed over, checked me carefully, and asked anxiously, "Are you okay?"

I nodded to reassure him.

He asked carefully about my physical condition and I answered him slowly, bit by bit.

Walking side by side, I listened to Tanjiro and Mr. Komaji discussing some issues related to the training just now. The meeting didn't last long and the scheduled meeting time soon arrived.

The matter of Stripe is very important and naturally cannot be delayed.

Tanjiro temporarily separated from Mr. Komaji at the fork in the road. As the only person who has had the experience of opening the stripes, Tanjiro still had to attend the meeting, even though the words he used to describe the process of opening the stripes were always horrific.

Perhaps it was because the topic was so attractive that when I arrived, even though it was not yet the time, everyone else was already seated inside.

After entering, I could clearly feel that the feeling was different from the previous two times in similar situations. The way people looked at me had changed to varying degrees.

Mr. Ubuyashiki, who was sitting in the main seat, looked very healthy. The visible erosion of the "curse" on his body was no longer visible. The only thing that could be felt was a seed of the "curse" still left deep inside Mr. Ubuyashiki.

As long as Muzan Kibutsuji Musou is destroyed, this seed will also disappear.

"Young man, you look much better!" As soon as he came in, Mr. Kyojuro's voice was full of energy, and there was light in his eyes. "I have heard everything that happened before. It's a good job--"

I smiled at him. I always felt a subtle sense of joy when he recognized me.

Without further ado, I walked over to sit next to Mr. Umayashiki and sat down. Then, under Mr. Umayashiki's guidance, we quickly got down to business.

Lightning strike, I didn't beat around the bush, "'Marking' is the external manifestation of increasing strength by overdrawing one's lifespan. It is a behavior that stimulates the potential within the body to develop and break through the limit. Just like the 'breakthrough' among demons, Muzan Kibutsuji Mukuro will not die even if his head is cut off. A demon that is strong enough, such as one of the upper ranks, can also reach this level. The principle is the same, but for demons, it doesn't matter even if they overdraw their lifespan, but for humans--"

I raised my head and looked at every swordsman in front of me seriously, "A swordsman who awakens the markings after birth will not live past the age of 25."

After these words were spoken, the whole audience fell silent.

Especially Tanjiro, I could feel the lord's worried eyes flashing across him.

I wouldn't say something like this casually, but since I said it, there must be a reason behind it.

If this is true, then wouldn't Tanjiro, who has already opened the stripe mark, have already determined the limits of his life?

"'Acquired markings'? Mr. Qing, do you mean that there are also innate markings?" asked Mr. Gyoumei of the Rock Pillar.

"Yes. He is the only known human who has continued to live longer than an ordinary person after opening the Marks. He is the creator of the breathing method and the user of the initial breathing, the Breath of the Sun - Tsugumi Kuniichi."

As soon as I mentioned the name, Mr. Giyu and Mr. Shimizu responded immediately.

"Tsugikoku Yuichi, isn't this the name that Muzan called out that day?" Shimizu was naturally very impressed at that time. He should have mentioned it specifically at the Pillar Meeting after he came back. When he said this, everyone also remembered this name.

Tanjiro sat with his hands on his knees. "I remember the doll I brought back from the Forge Village. It was called Oden-10-Style. I heard from Kotetsu that it was a combat doll made by his ancestors to commemorate a swordsman. Could this be..."

"It's Tsuchikuni Yuichi, the man who once pushed Muzan Muzan into a desperate situation. Ms. Tamayo should know it very well. She was the one who broke free from the control of the Demon King when Muzan Muzan was almost destroyed by Mr. Yuichi." I pursed my lips and didn't continue the topic. I looked at Mr. Sanyashiki who already understood, and when I was about to talk about the pattern again, Yuhashira couldn't help but speak.

"Even if we are born with the 'stripes', it is meaningless to us. If we want to open the 'stripes', it can only be opened later in life." Muichiro's face did not show any excessive expression, and his voice was also very calm.

"Well, Shitou is right," Mr. Tianyuan's accessories were still as dazzling as ever. He was quite tall, and he and Mr. Xingming were like two small mountains. "Even if it is a skill to overdraw life, we must master it when fighting Muzan. Only if we survive can we be qualified to consider our lifespan."

The Sound Pillar Tengen Uzui, who had received ninja training, was probably the best at weighing the pros and cons among all people - this was not a derogatory statement, but his ability to control the situation in a short period of time was very impressive.

"Hmm! Even if it means burning our lives, we must kill the evil demon!" Kyojuro also responded loudly.

Others had the same look.

This is why I didn't tell you the solution at the beginning. Only those who have the awareness and determination to face death can awaken the "stripes".

"I have understood everyone's perception. So next, please listen to me carefully." I sat down, "The conditions for the opening of "stripes" are divided into two categories: external stimulation and internal arousal. Needless to say, the external one requires sufficient pressure as a source of stimulation."

In fact, this source of excitement is not difficult to find. On the one hand, everyone has experienced struggling on the brink of life and death. As long as the evil spirit is not destroyed, this excitement will always be hidden in their hearts. On the other hand, everyone's strength is at the peak of their strength. If they want to create tension, they can do it through mutual training.

"The key lies in the internal organs - when the pulse reaches over 200 and the body temperature exceeds 39 degrees, and the breathing is adjusted to the peak, "spots" may appear - this is a mysterious realm. Once you enter it, with your sensitivity, you will definitely record the entrance where the spots appear."

"So, the key is to find the entrance. However, the basic conditions are the basic conditions. The enlightenment necessary to awaken the "Stripes" is not something I can explain in words. It is different for each breathing method and each different individual."

"Of course, everyone can listen to Tanjiro's experience again." I looked at Tanjiro. He sat upright in the spotlight and said a lot of things like "It's just like that," "Then you can hear the sound of the lake," and "Finally, the patterns will open with a whoosh." Everyone who seemed to have some ideas was confused again.

"The ability to express himself is exactly on the same level as Tomioka." Mr. Obane's voice, which was surrounded by bandages, pierced Giyuu's heart.

As for Giyuu, Mr. Giyuu was very confused.

"No, it's an expressive ability that's above Mr. Tomioka's level." Miss Shinobu glanced at his expression and added with a smile.

Everyone discussed based on their existing experiences and asked Tanjiro some questions from time to time.

I waved my hand and asked Xuanya, who was sitting next to Mr. Shimi, to come over. After we had moved a little further away from everyone, I lowered my voice and asked in his ear, "Did Mr. Shimi tell you why I asked you to come?"

He nodded, with great expectations in his eyes. He hoped to help everyone and his brother more than anyone else.

He has always felt inferior because he cannot use the breathing method. Even if he can use other methods to kill ghosts, it still cannot make up for the effect of the breathing method.

I said seriously: "It might be painful."

"I'm not afraid. Everyone has suffered as much pain as I have." His eyes were serious and resolute. "Please, let me help you."

From the previous few meetings, I knew that Xuan Mi was much stronger than he looked, both physically and mentally, since he could endure such physical and psychological disgust to eat ghosts.

I pulled Xuanmi to his feet, walked in front of everyone, and said solemnly: "Although I may not be able to provide more help to you in the matter of "opening the stripes", but we can still help you not to harm your life."

By the way, I winked at Tanjiro.

——Don't be afraid, I won't let you die young.