Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill and the Hashira Meeting

In the early morning of the Swordsmith Village, sunlight streamed through the paper windows and onto the tatami mats. Moyu sat cross-legged in the center of the room, ending a night of deep meditation.

He brought up the system interface again, and the number [134900] on the Coins bar was clearly visible. The system's exchange list was vast, but the number of cultivation techniques that he could afford, that were suitable for the current world rules, that could systematically and comprehensively improve his basic physical qualities, and that had no side effects was not many.

His gaze fell once again on the [Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill (Adapted Version)]. Priced at 50,000 Coins, it was expensive, but the description of its ability to temper the body, unleash potential, significantly enhance strength, speed, stamina, defense, and life force, with no side effects, a solid foundation, and immense potential, deeply attracted him. Breathing Style are essentially the ultimate stimulation of cardiopulmonary function and physical potential; high-intensity use can cause some harm. If supplemented with this external martial art focused on tempering the physique and strengthening life force, it could undoubtedly compensate for the weakness of Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen, who often emphasize technique and explosive power while lacking fundamental physical constitution. More importantly, it had no side effects of overdrawing life force, representing a truly sustainable path.

"This is it." Moyu no longer hesitated. Compared to the heavy price of the Demon Slayer Mark, the investment of 50,000 Coins was completely worthwhile.

"Exchange for [Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill (Adapted Version)]."

[Exchange successful: The cultivation method and energy circulation diagram of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill (Adapted Version) have been transferred. 50,000 Coins consumed. Remaining Coins: 84,900.]

In an instant, a massive influx of information flooded into Moyu's mind! It wasn't just textual formulas, but also contained an extremely complex and exquisite diagram of the human body's Qi and blood circulation, as well as the unique breathing rhythms, stances, muscle and fascia control, and even the subtle details of mental and will coordination corresponding to each of the thirteen levels of the technique! This knowledge was deeply imprinted in the depths of his consciousness, and he understood it without any difficulty, as if he had studied it countless times.

He immediately began to try the method of the first level. He adjusted his breathing to make it deep, long, and with a unique rhythm, which did not conflict with the Azure Flow Breathing Style, but rather had a strange sense of complementarity. At the same time, he assumed a starting posture called "Dragon Elephant Stance", which seemed simple, but required mobilizing most of the muscle groups in the body to maintain a delicate balance and tension.

At first, he only felt a slight warmth in his body and an increased flow of qi and blood. But soon, as his breathing and stance training deepened, he felt as if every cell in his body was awakened from its slumber, beginning to exhale and exhale energy at a slow but firm rhythm! Muscle fibers became denser with slight tremors, bones seemed to be forged by an invisible force, emitting extremely subtle humming, and the functions of his internal organs also seemed to be optimized... This was a comprehensive and gentle strengthening that began from the very bottom of life!

After cultivating for about an hour, Moyu slowly finished his practice and exhaled a long, stale breath. He opened his eyes, his Azure pupils gleaming with a restrained light. He moved his limbs and felt his body become much lighter, his blood and qi exceptionally vigorous, and his entire body brimming with vitality. For him, although his strength hadn't increased much, this feeling of solidifying his foundation from within was incredibly reassuring.

"The effect is remarkable; it truly lives up to its reputation as a high-level external martial art." Moyu was satisfied. This was only the initial effect of the first level; as the levels increased, the resulting amplification would be even more astonishing. He took out a blank scroll and some ink and brush, and relying on his photographic memory and precise control, meticulously copied down the cultivation methods, precautions, and key diagrams of energy circulation for the first six levels of the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill." The subsequent levels were too profound and required a solid foundation built from the first six levels, so he would not teach them for the time being.

In the afternoon, Moyu, Mitsuri Kanroji, and Muichiro Tokito bid farewell to the grateful Tetsuido Kawahara and the villagers of the Swordsmith Village, and embarked on their journey back to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.

On the way back, Mitsuri was still her usual lively and cheerful self, as if yesterday's fierce battle and worries had all vanished. She chattered on about how comfortable the hot springs in the Swordsmith Village were, how delicious the rice balls the villagers gave her were, and occasionally she would ask Moyu questions about cultivation. Moyu mostly gave brief responses, but the atmosphere was not dull.

Muichiro remained lost in thought, silently following behind with his sword in hand, sometimes looking up at the clouds, sometimes looking down at the road, seemingly preoccupied with something. Only occasionally, when Mitsuri mentioned Moyu's battle, would his mint-green eyes flicker slightly, glancing at Moyu's back ahead.

On the third day, around noon, the three finally returned to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, hidden deep in the mountains. As soon as they reached the headquarters gate, a member of the "Hidden" unit quickly approached and respectfully saluted.

"Lord Moyu! Lord Kanroji! Lord Tokito! You three have worked hard! Ubuyashiki has instructed that you three attend the Hashira Meeting at the Oyakata-sama's residence immediately upon your return. All the other Pillar Lords have already arrived."

"The Hashira Meeting?" Mitsuri blinked. "It seems our Master takes this matter very seriously."

Moyu nodded. "Let's go."

The three arrived at the residence of their Oyakata-sama Kagaya Ubuyashiki. The courtyard was still quiet and elegant, but when they entered the council hall, they could clearly feel that the atmosphere was more solemn than usual.

Inside the hall, the current Nine Hashira had all gathered. The Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima serenely, hands clasped in prayer; the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, crossed his arms, his face contorted with impatience and the distorted scars on his features; the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, leaned elegantly against a pillar, his diamond headdress sparkling; the Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro, sat quietly in a corner, the Kaburamaru hissing from its neck; the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, and the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito, followed Moyu in; the Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, stood silently by the window; the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, knelt beside a table, a gentle smile on her face, her purple eyes sweeping over Moyu with a barely perceptible hint of scrutiny. The Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, greeted them loudly, "Moyu boy! Mitsuri girl! Muichiro boy! You're back!"

Seated at the head of the Kagaya Ubuyashiki's wife, Amane Ubuyashiki. She wore an elegant kimono, exuding a gentle and dignified air, but her brows carried a hint of solemnity. Due to Kagaya Ubuyashiki's illness, she was presiding over this meeting.

"Moyu, Mitsuri, Muichiro, you must be tired from your journey. Please have a seat." Madam Amane's voice was gentle, yet carried an inherent authority.

After the three bowed, they sat down. Sanemi Shinazugawa immediately spoke up, his tone sharp. "Hey! I heard you fought two Upper Rank Demons in the Swordsmith Village? And you even killed them? Really?" His gaze was mainly fixed on Moyu, filled with scrutiny and a hint of defiance.

Mitsuri nodded vigorously, her face showing a complex expression of lingering fear mixed with a touch of pride. "It's true! Mr. Sanemi! It's Upper Rank Five, Gyokko, and Upper Rank Four Hantengu! They're super-powerful! Super terrifying! Muichiro done for dealing with Gyokko! His Blood Demon Art is so bizarre, it can summon so many strange fish and octopuses, and it's poisonous! It's incredibly difficult to deal with!" She gestured wildly, trying to describe Gyokko's strangeness and power.

"Hmph! Why can't I run into him!" Sanemi Shinazugawa clicked his tongue in displeasure, seemingly regretting that he couldn't participate in this great battle.

"Lady Mitsuri, please explain the situation in detail," Lady Amane gently guided.

"Yes!" Mitsuri took a deep breath and began to recount. She described in detail everything from how she laid an ambush based on Moyu's premonition, to the strange way the Gyokko appeared, the troublesome nature of the various creatures summoned from within the pot, to the Gyokko's speed and fish-scale defense after entering its serious state, and the harrowing process of her and Muichiro's arduous battle, where she was even suppressed and Muichiro was poisoned. Her vivid and emotional narration allowed the Pillars present to feel the intensity and pressure of that battle.

"... Just when things were at their most dangerous, Mr. Moyu arrived!" Mitsuri's eyes lit up, her gaze towards Moyu filled with trust and admiration. "And then... and then..." She trailed off, because the ensuing battle, especially Moyu's handling of the Gyokko, seemed somewhat incomprehensible to her.

"Mr. Moyu seemed to... take down the Upper Rank Four on the other side without much effort, and then came to help us..." She struggled to organize her thoughts, "He seemed to be able to see through all of Gyokko's attacks in advance, and his movements were as fast as a shadow! Gyokko's Blood Demon Art was all neutralized by Mr. Moyu with a... um... strange move that seemed to make things disappear! Finally, Mr. Moyu used a dark red, super scary-looking ball, and then... and then Gyokko just 'bang' disappeared!" She gestured an explosion with her hand, her face flushed with excitement.

Listening to Mitsuri's somewhat abstract but emotionally charged description, the Pillars in the hall displayed varying expressions. Gyomei Himejima a Buddhist prayer, Tengen Uzui stroked his chin with an interested smile, Obanai Iguro's eyes flickered, Giyu Tomioka remained expressionless but his gaze was focused, Shinobu Kocho's smile remained unchanged, her purple eyes deep, Kyojuro Rengoku exclaimed loudly, "As expected of the Eye Hashira! Truly impressive achievements!"

Sanemi Shinazugawa frowned, displeased but refrained from further questioning.

"Lord Moyu," Lady Amane turned her gaze to the silent Moyu, "Mitsuri may not be familiar with the details. Could you please provide more detailed information about Upper Rank Four Hantengu and Upper Rank Five Gyokko, especially their strengths and weaknesses?"

Moyu nodded and spoke calmly, his voice clear and composed. "Upper Rank Four, Hantengu. Its true form is extremely cowardly and adept at disguise and concealment. Its core ability is 'split'..." He elaborated on the abilities of Hantengu's split forms— Sekido (lightning), Karaku (wind), Urogi (sound waves), and Aizetsu (its spear can emit shockwaves), as well as the characteristics of its combined form Zohakuten (a wood dragon composite attack), and its final survival form Hate Demon. He also pointed out that its true weakness lies in its deeply hidden Cowardice Demon form.

"... Upper Rank Five, Gyokko. Its abilities are related to various 'gills,' from which it can summon monsters such as poisonous needle goldfish, octopus tentacles, and corrosive sticky fish. When its true form enters battle mode, it is covered in transparent fish scales, granting it extremely strong defense and unpredictable speed. Its hands possess the ability to transform objects into fish. Its Blood Demon Arts are diverse, but its melee abilities are relatively weak. Its weaknesses lie in the 'gill' cores of its summoned creatures and in its own form. In its serious state, its 'Killer Fish Scales' attack is very fast, but Gyokko's overall strength is relatively average."

Moyu's narration was clear and well-organized, highlighting the key points and clearly analyzing the difficulty and strength of the two Upper Rank Demons!

The Pillars listened intently, especially when they heard about finding the hidden main body amidst the attack of the four split entities, and about Gyokko's strange fish-like ability. Their expressions became even more solemn. They asked themselves, what were their chances of winning if they faced any one of them alone? The result was not optimistic. Even the most irritable Sanemi Shinazugawa fell into deep thought.

Mitsuri nodded vigorously beside her, adding, "Yes, yes! That's exactly right! Mr. Moyu is absolutely right! That Gyokko is really cunning and powerful! Luckily, Mr. Moyu arrived in time..." She patted her chest in relief.

Lady Amane took a deep breath, her gaze towards Moyu and the other two filled with gratitude and solemnity. "Thank you all so much for bringing back such valuable intelligence and successfully repelling the powerful enemy, thus protecting the Swordsmith Village. Muzan has lost two Upper Rank Muzan once, and especially since three of the top five Upper Rank Moons, who have remained unchanged for a century, have been lost, he will not let this go unpunished."

Her voice turned serious, her gaze sweeping over all the Pillars present. "Muzan Kibutsuji is likely to make a major move soon, and a retaliatory attack could happen at any time. Everyone, especially you, the Eye Hashira, Moyu, you have already killed three Upper Rank, undoubtedly making you Muzan in Muzan's side. He will definitely try every means to eliminate you. Be extremely careful on future missions! All Demon Slayer Corps members must be on high alert and prepare for the worst-case scenario!"

All the pillars responded in unison, "Yes, Madam!"

Lady Amane nodded, gave a few more instructions on strengthening vigilance and intelligence sharing, and then got up and left, leaving the Pillars to discuss the matter amongst themselves.

After Lady Amane left, the atmosphere in the council hall relaxed slightly, but the tension remained.

"Since Amane has already left, I shall take my leave." Giyu Tomioka slowly stood up, preparing to depart.

"Wait, don't say goodbye yet. We still need to decide what to do next!" Sanemi Shinazugawa, staring at Giyu.

"You nine can discuss it yourselves; it's none of my business." Giyu remained expressionless.

"What do you mean 'it's none of your business'? You lack the self-awareness expected of a Pillar! You don't even plan to attend the meeting!" Obanai said to Giyu with some dissatisfaction.

Giyu turned to leave, but Sanemi stood up and shouted menacingly at Giyu, "You bastard, stop right there!"

"Mr. Tomioka, please explain why. Your explanation is far too succinct," Shinobu Kocho couldn't help but say.

"I'm not like you!" Giyu said calmly, a statement that Sanemi. "This is really annoying, Tomioka! Are you looking down on us?"

Giyu ignored him completely and walked straight towards the door.

"Stop right there!" Sanemi was even angrier and shouted at Giyu, intending to charge at him and punch him.

"Mr. Giyu, I know you wish you were the one who died back then, but you should remember what Sabito- senpai told you, right? Don't you intend to carry on Sabito- senpai's will?" Moyu appeared in front of Sanemi, blocking his movements.

"Continue..." Giyu was stunned when he heard Moyu's words, and stood motionless as if he was lost in memories.

"Moyu, you're right." After a while, Giyu turned to Moyu and said calmly.

Then he sat back down. Although the other pillars were curious about the "Sabito" that Moyu mentioned, since Giyu had stayed, they continued the meeting. Sanemi also sat back down, cursing, and glared fiercely at Giyu.

With his Gyomei Himejima in a deep voice, "Namo Amitabha... So, let the meeting continue... The intelligence is already known, and the crisis is imminent. Next, how should we arrange ourselves to deal with Muzan's possible counterattack? Eye Hashira, since you have the ability to foresee, what are your thoughts?" He posed the question to Moyu. Now, Moyu's strength and contributions have earned him the respect of all the Hashira, and his opinion is crucial.

Moyu had already considered this question. He slowly took out the scroll containing the first six layers of the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" from his bosom and placed it on the table.

"Muzan's counterattack is probably to probe our strength and location before launching a decisive battle."

His gaze swept over the pillars. "Improving overall strength is fundamental. The cultivation of the Red Nichirin Blade and the Transparent World cannot be neglected. In addition, I have recently studied ancient texts and, combined with my own experience, compiled a body-tempering method called the 'Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill'."

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on the scroll.

"This technique is not Breathing Style, but an external martial art focused on tempering the physical body, stimulating potential, and strengthening the life force," Moyu explained. "Practicing it step by step can steadily improve strength, speed, endurance, defense, and the foundation of qi and blood, and... it has no side effects. If you can master it, your chances of survival and victory against the Upper Rank will greatly increase."

"A body-strengthening technique with no side effects?!" Kyojuro Rengoku's eyes lit up. "Such a miraculous technique exists?"

Sanemi Shinazugawa grabbed the scroll and quickly scanned it, his expression growing increasingly surprised and uncertain with each reading. "This route... this technique... I've never heard of it before! But it seems... it makes some sense?" Although he was hot-tempered, as a Pillar, he still had some discernment.

Gyomei Himejima took the scroll and examined it carefully. After a long while, he said in a deep voice, "This technique... is profound and exquisite. It seems simple, but it directly points to the source of physical strengthening. If it is truly as you say, Eye Hashira, it will undoubtedly be a great help to us! Your generosity is immeasurable." He bowed slightly to Moyu.

Shinobu Kocho picked up the scroll, her purple eyes quickly scanning it, her gaze sparkling with interest. "What an interesting technique! It doesn't seem to conflict with Breathing Style. Moyu- kun always manages to surprise you!"

Tengen Uzui, Giyu Tomioka, and Obanai Iguro also passed it around, all showing serious or thoughtful expressions. Mitsuri Kanroji exclaimed happily, "Great! With this, everyone will definitely become stronger!"

Muichiro Tokito, unusually, took the scroll and looked at it, a faint light seemingly flickering in his empty eyes.

Moyu continued, "The cultivation method is here; how to practice it is up to you to figure out. The most urgent task is to improve our overall combat strength as quickly as possible. I propose..."

He looked at the Pillars, a calm light flashing in his Azure eyes. "Gather the more talented and promising members of the Demon Slayer Corps, such as Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Kanao Tsuyuri, and have each Pillar provide them with targeted intensive training. At the same time, all Pillars and elite members will begin practicing the 'Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill' to solidify their foundation. With this two-pronged approach, we aim to achieve a qualitative leap in our core fighting force in the shortest possible time."

He paused, then stated his plan. "As for patrolling and exterminating ordinary evil spirits, these tasks can be delegated to lower-ranking members. If they encounter any spirits they cannot handle, or particularly troublesome ones, I will personally go to deal with them. This way, you can all focus wholeheartedly on your cultivation and teaching."

This proposal essentially means taking on the most dangerous and mobile tasks, buying precious time for the other pillars and reserve forces to grow.

The group remained silent for a moment. Moyu's strength was undeniable, and appointing him as the firefighter and the final line of defense was indeed the best choice. However, this also undoubtedly placed the greatest risk on his shoulders alone.

"Hmph, do as you please! Just don't die and no one will collect your body!" Sanemi Shinazugawa spoke first, his tone still sharp, his eyes complex.

"Young man Moyu! Your sense of responsibility is admirable!" Kyojuro Rengoku. "Don't worry! Leave the task of teaching the younger generation to us!"

"Namo Amitabha Buddha... Your Eye Hashira is of noble character." Gyomei Himejima chanted the Buddha's name in a low voice.

"Oh dear, Moyu- kun, you must take good care of yourself. If you fall ill, we'll be in a real bind," Shinobu Kocho said with a forced smile, though her purple eyes held a serious expression.

"What a brilliant strategy!" Tengen Uzui made a flourish. Obanai Iguro his tongue in disapproval.

"Hmm." Giyu Tomioka Muichiro Tokito replied expressionlessly.

Mitsuri Kanroji looked at Moyu with emotion. "Mr. Moyu, you're so kind!"