Both Sides' Reactions

After leaving Qinglin Town, Mireimaru quickly fled to another of his strongholds.

He avoided that man like the plague.

She was terrified that if she stayed any longer, the man would change his mind and kill her.

Moreover, the appearance of the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps means that other Pillars will definitely come to surround and kill him later.

Qinglin Town is no longer needed.

This stronghold was also a village under his control.

Under the cover of night, Mireimaru transformed into a black shadow and landed in front of the shrine. Compared to the simple shrine in Qinglin Town, the building in front of him was comparable in size to a palace... Every time he returned from his trip, a priest would stand guard and open the door for him.

But this time, the entire area inside and outside the shrine was completely empty.

The boys and girls he had trained have all disappeared.

However, he knew the answer when he stood in front of the wooden door.

His pupils dilated, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he gently pulled open the door.

Inside the spacious house, a row of candles illuminated the room brightly.

At this moment, a refined man wearing a tall hat and the attire of a daimyo was lying on his bed, holding a folding fan in his hand... His sharp and eerie gaze slowly fell on Mireimaru.

With a thud.

Mireimaru immediately knelt down and bowed his head.

Muzan Kibutsuji was already waiting there.

As for his priests, they were all lying dead on the floor, reduced to pieces.

"It failed?"

Muzan held up a fan, obscuring half his face, and asked softly.

"My lord... I..."

Just a simple sentence, and instantly sweat dripped down Mireimaru's face, a chill sweeping through his bones.

My throat bobbed, unsure how to answer.

Clearly, Muzan already knew that two Pillar-level swordsmen had escaped.

"I...I could have killed them...but one person got in my way...those two Demon Slayer Corps Pillars are no match for me. This time it was just..." Mireimaru felt the killing intent that made his soul tremble. His throat bobbed, and he quickly looked up to explain.

"Ah!"

The next second, without warning, a blurry figure swept across Mireimaru's cheek.

They tore his eyes and facial features apart, causing blood to gush out.

It was a worm-like creature made entirely of flesh and blood, with eyes covering its surface. The attack just now was from a tentacle that had grown out of the flesh mass and shot out.

Mireimaru, immediately covered his face with his hands, dared not utter another sound, and lowered his head trembling.

Are you making excuses for your incompetence?

Muzan's cold voice then rang out.

"No."

Mireimaru's lips were dry, and he resigned himself to his fate, saying, "It was my fault for not doing things properly. Please punish me, sir."

As soon as he finished speaking, the tumor crawling on the floor in front of him changed again.

Another long tentacle shot out, instantly piercing Mireimaru's brain like a javelin, causing the Upper Moon Five's body to twitch and tremble uncontrollably.

But just half a minute later, Mireimaru, whose feet were dangling in the air, was thrown down and fell to the ground.

He looked listless and dispirited.

Behind Muzan's fan, a pair of eyes, like rubies, gleamed.

He had just read some images from Mireimaru's brain.

He had originally wanted to see the man's face clearly... but he only heard his voice; the man's appearance remained blurry.

Just like what he had sensed through his blood cells before.

"Why is this happening? What ability is it?"

"He seems to know my background..."

Muzan alert. He was very cautious. Although he sensed the person's presence, he did not make contact immediately to avoid being tricked.

Most importantly, he felt threatened by this person... that transcendent will and spirit was very similar to someone... Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

"Speak."

Thinking of this, Muzan looked at Mireimaru and gave him a command.

If it weren't for 'that man', given his current displeasure, this Upper Moon Five would have no reason to exist.

"Yes."

Mireimaru knew he had been given another chance at life, and he recounted the events that had occurred in Qinglin Town.

However, when describing Oboro's appearance, he was surprised to find that he couldn't remember the man's features at all, except for the black haori he was wearing.

After he finished speaking, the air fell silent.

"Soul..."

Muzan frowned.

Soul—what an absurd notion.

Even if souls truly exist, who can truly sense them? "How did he manage to alter the effects of his blood... suppress, even ignore the influence of cells?"

Muzan fell into deep thought.

This ability was beyond his comprehension.

The only explanation is that the other party's level of life evolution is higher than one's own.

The problem is that the other person was originally dying and needed his own blood to prolong his life.

This means that... before this, he was merely a human being.

The second Yoriichi Tsugikuni?

There was an incomprehensible human being before.

The thought of that face Muzan Muzan's heart clench.

Another point of suspicion is that the other party could have easily killed Mireimaru but did not, which seems to be intentional.

And they knew he would ask questions.

This feeling...

"Go find him, otherwise, among the Twelve Kizuki... there is no place for you," Muzan said calmly.

"Ah?!"

Upon hearing this, Mireimaru was stunned.

Although he couldn't remember what the man looked like, the deep-seated fear he felt was still fresh in his memory... If possible, he never wanted to encounter that man again.

Now, Muzan is ordering him to go find someone?

"Yes."

However, Mireimaru hesitated for only a second before agreeing.

He had no choice.

Muzan glanced at him, and then all the candles in the room went out, and he disappeared.

Only after confirming that Muzan's aura had disappeared did Mireimaru collapse to the ground, utterly exhausted.

What should I do?

Muzan felt the oppressive aura emanating from Oboro through Mireimaru's body.

Therefore, he would never personally contact the other party. Back then, he was almost killed by Yoriichi Tsugikuni with a single blow, which had already taught him a lesson.

Where can you hide?

Muzan's secret passage.

Although he himself would not act personally, he could instruct his demons to search for the man 'wearing a black haori'.

In addition to finding the Blue Spider Lily, the ghost has another task.

"That power..."

Muzan witnessed everything the 'man' did to Mireimaru.

Including the power exerted.

That kind of breathing... wasn't the breathing method he understood.

Moreover, the secrets hidden within the other party are very likely related to his vision.

Muzan had a gut feeling.

No matter what, we must find this person... Also, the mistake we made against Yoriichi Tsugikuni then will not happen again.

Meanwhile, the residence of the Ubuyashiki Clan.

All seven pillars gathered, including Shiwei and Tanjuro, who were wearing bandages.

"It was him... he was the one who taught me the breathing technique and asked me to bring it back to the Demon Slayer Corps."

Ubuyashiki Kuno first let out a violent cough, followed by a long sigh.

"When I first met him, his condition was already very bad... I thought someone like him wouldn't act like this."

"I misjudged him..."

Kuno's eyes dimmed.

"Now that you've said that, I understand why he wants to become a ghost... after all, it's to save his life. But what he did to those villagers is unforgivable!" The Shiwei recalled Long's face and said in a deep voice.

"However, it seems he intentionally saved both of you."

The rock pillar beside it echoed.

"Yes, that's right!"

Despite his severe injuries, Tanjuro grinned and rubbed his head.

His voice was strong and clear, and he sat Fuza on the ground, seemingly unaffected by his injuries. "I am very grateful to him."

"But now that he's become a ghost, his nature is different... His actions make me hate him, so if I see him again, I will definitely kill him with my own hands, even if it costs me my life!"

After saying that, Tanjuro suddenly pressed his large hand down on the back of Shiwei's head, who was slow to react.

The two nodded in Ubuyashiki Kuno. "This mission, including the deaths of those villagers, was our fault, so... we are willing to accept any punishment!"

The water column was somewhat annoyed by Tanjuro's actions.

But he didn't say anything.

"You have done your best."

Kuno smiled slightly and comforted her, "Do your best and leave the rest to fate... Some things are beyond our control."

"However, compared to Muzan and those demons, I am more worried about Oboro's stance."

"His abilities... are perhaps even more troublesome than Muzan's."

"My lord, didn't you go to his residence? If that's the case, then you know his address... so..."

The wind pillar seemed to realize something.

Ubuyashiki Kuno remained silent.

Oboro became a demon and killed villagers... From the Demon Slayer Corps' perspective, there is now an enemy they must eliminate right under their noses.

To do it or not?

Is it possible to do it?