This Demon Is Difficult to Deal With

Han Zhiqi felt utterly helpless, cursing Shinobu Kocho and the entire Demon Slayer Corps repeatedly in his mind.

Despite his curses, this arrangement had piqued his interest, making him even more curious about what kind of organization the Demon Slayer Corps truly was.

If even a mere test was this deadly, perhaps this organization really had something substantial, something that could truly help him find his sister.

Fine, since they wanted to see, he'd let them see their fill. It wasn't like he hadn't encountered demons before.

Igu Qigan, I will definitely step over the corpses of your kind to reach you.

To avoid soiling his brand-new haori, Han Zhiqi casually tossed it into a nearby bush. He picked up a stick as thick as his wrist and snapped it forcefully, its sharp break serving as a weapon against his foe.

"Ugly monster, come on, let me see what you've got."

Understanding Han Zhiqi's provocation, the demon opened its mouth wide and let out a howl, lunging at Han Zhiqi again, using both hands and feet.

This demon's speed and jumping ability were astonishing, like a ferocious beast that had completely abandoned its bipedal form.

Its powerful hind legs were responsible for movement, while its sharp, pointed forelimb claws were for offense.

"Cold Tide."

Without any weapons, Han Zhiqi could only rely on the cold air emanating from his body to expand his senses, seeking a wider range for evasion. Moreover, in their initial encounter, he discovered that this demon seemed to strongly dislike the cold.

A foul wind carrying a pungent stench rushed towards him, and Han Zhiqi immediately swung the wooden stick with force, smashing it towards the demon's chest.

Mid-air, the demon batted away the stick with one hand while reaching for Han Zhiqi's face with the other.

Han Zhiqi leaned back, dodging the demon's attack, and slid quickly under it, landing in the open space below.

Just as Han Zhiqi had predicted, this demon was afraid of the cold. As soon as its feet touched the ground, it recoiled as if burned and scrambled onto a nearby large tree.

Its sharp claws gave its hands and feet strong penetrating power, allowing it to hang on the tree trunk without falling.

Han Zhiqi also realized that its strength was immense. Given his current physical condition, winning through sheer power was impossible.

After failing to capture his prey twice in a row and being made uncomfortable by the cold, the demon was completely enraged. It let out a strange cry, kicked off the tree trunk with its feet, and lunged again.

Han Zhiqi tracked the demon's attack trajectory. The moment it got close, he dodged to the side, seizing the opportunity when its hands and feet were not simultaneously on the ground, and raised the wooden stick, smashing it forcefully onto its back.

But it was clear he had underestimated the demon's agility.

Mid-air, the demon's waist twisted unnaturally, its legs rotating counter-clockwise at a 90-degree angle, its feet aimed directly at Han Zhiqi's chest.

Although Han Zhiqi had sensed the demon's waist twist, the distance between them was too close to retract his move. Moreover, the demon had twisted its body almost simultaneously as he attacked, meaning even if he immediately withdrew and blocked, he would still be injured.

If he failed here, all his subsequent actions would likely be put on the defensive.

After a brief moment of thought, Han Zhiqi made a bold decision. He was certain that the demon's kicking power wouldn't be that great in its hasty move. Rather than letting all his subsequent actions fall into a passive state, he decided to take the initiative and go for a mutually destructive approach.

This method was risky, but it might force the demon to retreat. Even if it didn't, its morale would surely be affected, further weakening its attack power. And there was another point: his breathing techniques could enhance his body's resistance.

With this thought, Han Zhiqi took a deep breath and shouted, "Falling Snow."

Instantly, his body released a large amount of cold air, and snowflakes began to fall around them. He gripped the wooden stick tightly, and the brown wooden stick was instantly covered in ice and snow. He then executed a chopping technique, forcefully slashing at the demon's back.

As expected, everyone has a natural inclination to avoid harm and seek advantage. Even as a demon now, it was still bound by certain human characteristics.

Faced with Han Zhiqi's advance rather than retreat, the demon was clearly caught off guard.

After a brief hesitation, it didn't withdraw its attack. It let out a strange cry and kicked forcefully at Han Zhiqi's chest, while Han Zhiqi's wooden stick landed on its back.

Han Zhiqi's chest took the full force of the kicks. He gasped for air and was sent flying backward, tumbling into the nearby bushes. He then rolled down a slope and crashed into the base of a large tree before managing to stabilize himself.

Han Zhiqi grunted, feeling dizzy and nauseous. His throat felt blocked, and his chest was unbearably constricted. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood, after which his breathing finally began to ease.

After lying on the ground for a while to catch his breath, Han Zhiqi struggled to get up.

The demon's kick earlier had been quite powerful. Now, with every breath, his chest throbbed with a dull pain, though thankfully, no bones were broken.

Han Zhiqi grabbed onto the bushes and climbed back up the slope, returning to level ground.

The demon, meanwhile, was also in considerable discomfort. It was kneeling on the ground, twisting its upper body, and using its hands to pick at the ice that had formed on its back.

If it had been a sword, this move might have had some effect. Now, it was just a piece of wood, so the damage was predictable.

However, although it hadn't sliced open its back, the sharp edge of the wooden stick had still left a finger-length wound.

Furthermore, the "Falling Snow" technique itself wasn't simply about inflicting a slashing wound on the enemy. The slash was merely superficial; its true essence was to form a layer of ice at the enemy's wound.

The localized ice would continuously emit cold air. This cold air entering the body could hinder the enemy's movements and prevent the wound from healing. If the wound were at a joint, the outcome would be even better.

In their first direct confrontation, neither side gained a significant advantage. To be precise, Han Zhiqi was more heavily injured.

Of course, the discomfort in its back made the demon realize that the prey before it was not easy to deal with.

Its previous prey would flee for their lives upon encountering it, their eyes filled with fear and despair. But the prey before him not only showed no fear but actively attacked.

This made it feel a hint of anger, but also a sense of danger. Instinctively, it wanted to retreat, but then it caught the scent of blood in the air, and its body couldn't help but become agitated.

The demon's greedy gaze fixed on Han Zhiqi's injured area, drool dripping from its mouth. It opened its mouth and made strange "woo woo" sounds, restlessly shifting its hands and feet on the spot.

Seeing the demon's parched state, a thought flashed through Han Zhiqi's mind. He untied the bandage on his right hand and deliberately let his blood drip onto the ground.

As expected, upon smelling the blood, the demon became agitated as if injected with stimulants. Eventually, desire overcame fear, and it howled and lunged at Han Zhiqi.

Of course, it wasn't lunging at him, but at the pool of blood on the ground.

The demon pounced onto the ground, grabbing the mud stained with blood and stuffing it into its mouth haphazardly.

Seizing this opportunity, Han Zhiqi circled behind the demon, enduring the pain in his chest, and took a deep breath.

"Shattering Timed Rain."

He swung the wooden stick at the demon's back, and several transparent ice spikes, carrying wind and snow, shot towards its back.