Chapter Summaries

Su Chen began assessing Kanao’s Flower Breathing and Overlord Flower Breathing so he could develop a style suited to her. When Kanao’s final-form slash threatened to wreck the courtyard, Su Chen used his newly awakened time prediction to stop it and catch her.

• Su Chen told Kanao to demonstrate both Breathing Styles so he could refine her techniques and create a style suited to her movements and breathing.
• Kanao performed Flower Breathing’s forms while Su Chen observed her technique.
• Kanao unleashed Overlord Hu Breathing, Final Form: A Flower Blooms in a Single Thought, with a slash powerful enough to reach Hashira level.
• Su Chen activated the time domain, glimpsed a brief future through his new time prediction ability, and rushed to stop Kanao’s slash with No Sword Form: Black Rope Great Dragon Twister.
• Su Chen’s wind blew Kanao away, but he caught her in midair and landed safely with her as Aoi Kanzaki, Kiyo, Sumi, and Xiao Caihui gathered around.

Su Chen corrected Kanao Tsuyuri’s sword movements and explained how she could refine Flower Breathing around different flowers. After demonstrating a new peony-inspired form, he watched as Kanao began to develop her own approach.

• The girls in the courtyard complained to Su Chen about the gust that had blown away Aoi Kanzaki’s laundry, and he promised to warn them next time.
• Su Chen explained that Kanao’s Nichirin Blade was difficult to control and guided her through correcting her sword movements.
• Su Chen told Kanao that her strength had outgrown the limits of her existing Flower Breathing forms and suggested developing forms based on different flowers.
• Su Chen demonstrated Flower Breathing, First Form: Splendid Peony, inspired by the tree peony.
• After thinking quietly for five minutes, Kanao leaped into the air and prepared to perform Flower Breathing, Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility.

Kanao Tsuyuri created a new Flower Breathing sword move, and Su Chen copied it and showed her how to counter it. When Kanao admitted she feared they would stop spending time together after her lessons ended, Su Chen promised to stay with her, and they sealed the promise with their little fingers.

• Kanao Tsuyuri unveiled her original Flower Breathing, Fifth Form: Futility Peony, and Su Chen immediately copied the move.
• Su Chen and Kanao Tsuyuri clashed using Futility Peony, ending in a draw as Su Chen restrained his strength.
• Su Chen used a counter to dissipate Kanao Tsuyuri's power, then asked her to figure out how it worked.
• Kanao Tsuyuri admitted she was worried that she would not get to talk with Su Chen once he finished teaching her.
• Su Chen promised to stay with Kanao Tsuyuri while she trained, and they sealed the promise with a pinky swear.

Su Chen joined Shinobu Kocho in treating patients at the Butterfly Mansion, drawing an excited crowd that he quieted with his imposing presence. As he began seeing patients, Shinobu grew jealous when he treated a female Corps member and gave another patient a painful injection.

• Kanao Tsuyuri promised herself she would grow stronger so she could protect Su Chen and her master, and Su Chen left after watching her practice.
• Su Chen arrived at the front treatment room, where the Corps members excitedly asked whether he had come to treat patients.
• A Corps member explained Su Chen’s earlier medical competition with Shinazugawa and repeated rumors about his healing skills.
• Su Chen silenced the crowd with a commanding shout, then began treating the next patient in line.
• Shinobu grew jealous as Su Chen treated a female Corps member, and she hurt the patient whose injection she was giving.

Su Chen treated injured Demon Slayer Corps members at the Butterfly Mansion while Shinobu Kocho handled injections nearby. When a young female corps member flirted with Su Chen, Shinobu crushed a glass vial in anger and left her patient fearing for his life.

• Shinobu Kocho accidentally stirred a needle in a patient’s arm, then sent Aoi Kanzaki to bandage him.
• Su Chen rapidly treated minor injuries and entered his Time Domain to concentrate.
• Su Chen told a lucky corps member with a fracture and cut to practice his technique instead of trying to predict every move.
• A young female corps member called Su Chen “big brother” and tried to press his hand to her chest, but he pulled away.
• Shinobu Kocho crushed an injection vial while watching Su Chen, then calmly told her frightened patient that surviving would make his injury minor.

Su Chen and Shinobu Kocho divided the Butterfly Mansion patients by gender after Shinobu blocked a woman from lunging at Su Chen. When they finished treating everyone, Shinobu confronted Su Chen about his attention to the female patients and told him to stop seeing patients.

• A male patient tried to quit Shinobu Kocho's treatment, but she pulled him back down, and he left looking pale and bloodless.
• Shinobu Kocho stopped a female patient from lunging at Su Chen and ordered male and female patients into separate lines.
• Su Chen treated the men while Shinobu Kocho treated the women, whose admiration of Su Chen made Shinobu increasingly jealous.
• After the patients left, Su Chen wiped sweat from Shinobu Kocho's forehead and hands, then she sent Aoi Kanzaki away.
• Shinobu Kocho asked whether Su Chen had enjoyed treating the female Corps members and told him to stop seeing patients.

Su Chen and Shinobu Kocho prepared to take Kanao Tsuyuri to the Swordsmith Village, while a sick Demon Slayer named Luo Chuan secretly worked with a demon under Kokushibo. Luo Chuan offered information about Kaigaku and the Ubuyashiki residence, and Su Chen’s group set off with Kakushi escorts.

• Shinobu Kocho told Su Chen that Oyakata-sama had granted him an unlimited quota for having swords forged, and they arranged to take Kanao Tsuyuri to the Swordsmith Village.
• Luo Chuan reported Su Chen’s return to a demon working under Kokushibo and asked for Kokushibo’s blood in exchange for helping kill Su Chen.
• Luo Chuan told the shadow demon that Kaigaku, a powerful Thunder Breathing swordsman and former disciple of the Rumble Hashira, knew more about the Corps’ locations.
• Luo Chuan revealed that Kaigaku knew the location of the Ubuyashiki residence, catching the shadow demon’s interest.
• Su Chen, Shinobu Kocho, and Kanao Tsuyuri traveled toward the Swordsmith Village with Kakushi escorts, with only Kanao blindfolded.

Su Chen, Shinobu Kocho, and Kanao Tsuyuri arrived at the Swordsmith Village, where Tetchikawara Tetsuchin examined Shinobu’s Nichirin Blade. He recognized the blade’s three Blade Rings as Su Chen’s work and reacted with astonishment.

• Two female Kakushi carried Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri while a male Kakushi carried Su Chen to the Swordsmith Village.
• Tetchikawara Tetsuchin waited at the village entrance and identified Su Chen by his appearance when the group arrived.
• Tetchikawara Tetsuchin told Shinobu Kocho that he had failed to find a way to improve her Nichirin Blade’s balance.
• Tetchikawara Tetsuchin inspected Shinobu’s blade and asked who had added its three Blade Rings.
• Shinobu Kocho pointed to Su Chen as the maker, and Tetchikawara Tetsuchin exclaimed in surprise.

Tetchikawara Tetsuchin and the other swordsmiths admired the blade modifications Su Chen had made and wondered whether he could forge Nichirin Blades as well. Su Chen asked to forge three blades himself, while Tetchikawara noticed how much Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri had changed around him.

• Tetchikawara Tetsuchin, Kanamori, and A-Da praised the blade rings and poison Su Chen had added to Shinobu Kocho's Nichirin Blade.
• Su Chen told Tetchikawara Tetsuchin he wanted three Nichirin Blades and explained that he preferred a few blades suited to him over having spares.
• Su Chen asked to forge the blades himself, and Tetchikawara Tetsuchin agreed to let him use the village's facilities.
• Tetchikawara Tetsuchin arranged for Kanamori to guide Su Chen and for A-Da to find lodging for Shinobu Kocho.
• Tetchikawara Tetsuchin noticed Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri chatting happily, suspected Su Chen had helped them change, and led the group toward the swordsmiths' forges.

Su Chen began forging a Nichirin Blade in Kanamori's forge, using his Time Domain and advanced skills to work at extraordinary speed. He completed the initial shaping and quenching before moving on to multilayer forging.

• The village chief led Su Chen to Kanamori's forge and left Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri to their rooms.
• Kanamori offered to guide Su Chen, but Su Chen went straight to the forging bench and began working.
• Su Chen activated his Time Domain and hammered the scarlet crimson ore while mentally refining the forging process.
• Su Chen shaped and quenched the iron as Kanamori watched in amazement.
• Su Chen began the multilayer forging process.

Haganezuka and Kanamori watched Su Chen finish forging a Nichirin Blade, and its ability to cut iron ore amazed them. As Tanjiro hoped to claim the sword and Haganezuka reached to inspect it, Su Chen set it down and struck it with a hammer.

• Haganezuka arrived after Tanjiro led him to Su Chen's forge, then recognized Su Chen as the swordsman who had broken his Nichirin Blade during a match.
• Haganezuka blamed Tanjiro for not stopping Su Chen, but he avoided interrupting Su Chen's sacred work at the forge.
• Su Chen finished forging a blade, and Kanamori and Haganezuka saw it cut through iron ore without damage.
• Tanjiro asked whose sword it was and hoped to get it, while Haganezuka reached out to examine the blade.
• Su Chen set the Nichirin Blade down and brought a hammer down on it.

Su Chen reforged his trial Nichirin Blade, producing a superior second sword that stunned Haganezuka and Kanamori. He gave the blade to Tanjiro and returned to forging, leaving the swordsmiths glaring at Tanjiro.

• Su Chen hammered his first Nichirin Blade back into the furnace, alarming Haganezuka and Kanamori as they pleaded with him to stop.
• Su Chen forged a second blade while Haganezuka and Kanamori watched, and he demonstrated its sharpness by cutting a deep gash into iron ore.
• Kanamori realized Su Chen had learned to forge while making the first blade and was astonished by his talent.
• Su Chen handed the second Nichirin Blade to Tanjiro, explaining that it did not suit him.
• Tanjiro accepted the blade gratefully, then noticed Haganezuka and Kanamori glaring at him.

Su Chen entered the Forging State and began making another Nichirin Blade while Tanjiro lost the first one to Haganezuka. At dusk, Kaigaku received Luo Chuan’s order to monitor Su Chen at the Swordsmith Village.

• Haganezuka snatched Su Chen’s Nichirin Blade from Tanjiro and ran off to study it, while Su Chen said it was defective.
• Kanamori watched Su Chen forge, hoping to learn from him and improve his own skills.
• Su Chen’s practice unlocked the Forging State, sharpening his concentration and ability to forge as he began shaping another Nichirin Blade.
• Kaigaku soaked in a hot spring and recalled Luo Chuan’s offer to help him grow stronger and become a demon, which he had not reported.
• Kaigaku received a letter from Luo Chuan telling him to quietly monitor Su Chen, and he decided he could not let Su Chen get away.

Kaigaku left the hot springs intending to reveal Su Chen’s location to Luo Chuan so he could attack an Upper Rank after Su Chen weakened them. At Kanamori’s forge, Su Chen completed a lightweight golden Nichirin Blade for Shinobu Kocho and offered it and another blade to Shinobu and Kanao Tsuyuri to try.

• Kaigaku decided to tell Luo Chuan where Su Chen was so he could take advantage after Su Chen fought the Upper Ranks, then left the hot springs.
• Su Chen forged Nichirin Blades at Kanamori’s forge while Kanamori and Tanjiro watched and admired his skill.
• Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri arrived and saw Su Chen working at the forge.
• Su Chen finished a golden, lightweight Nichirin Blade intended for Shinobu Kocho, and Kanamori recognized who it was for.
• Su Chen handed Nichirin Blades to Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri to try, and both trembled.

Su Chen explained that Kanao Tsuyuri's new Nichirin Blade was five times heavier than her old one and had been forged to suit her strength and speed. After Kanao's strike cut a huge gash in iron ore and unleashed Sword Qi, Shinobu Kocho wondered how she had managed it.

• Kanao Tsuyuri tested her new Nichirin Blade and cut a deep gash into a massive piece of iron ore with one swing.
• Kanamori tested the ore with his own blade, felt the recoil, and realized Kanao's weapon was unusually powerful.
• Tanjiro and Shinobu Kocho noticed Kanao's strength and questioned how much of it came from her new blade.
• Su Chen explained that Kanao's Nichirin Blade weighed five times as much as her old one and was designed to bring out her individual strengths.
• Su Chen pointed out that Kanao had also unleashed Sword Qi, leaving Shinobu Kocho wondering how Kanao could use a technique that demanded great training and talent.

Su Chen explained how he had alloyed Kanao Tsuyuri’s Nichirin Blade with other metals, while Kanamori worried that the altered blades would fail to kill demons. He began explaining that combining those metals with the required ores could address Nichirin Blades’ tendency to break.

• Kanao Tsuyuri used her blade to unleash Sword Qi, and Su Chen credited her own effort rather than his modifications.
• Kanamori realized Su Chen had used ores besides crimson red iron sand and scarlet crimson ore, and feared the blades would be useless against demons.
• Shinobu Kocho noticed Kanao Tsuyuri’s Flower Breathing had changed and grew jealous, believing Su Chen had taught her a powerful Peony move.
• Kanamori warned Su Chen that Nichirin Blades needed the special ores to kill demons, and Su Chen said he had fused those ores with other metals to make an alloy.
• Su Chen pointed out that Nichirin Blades made only from the special ores broke easily, and Kanamori recognized the problem as a familiar limitation.

Su Chen explained that he had forged Nichirin Blades from a carefully proportioned alloy to make them stronger, then showed Shinobu Kocho the lightweight, poison-storing blade he had tailored to her fighting style. Kanamori realized the blades could be customized to each wielder’s traits.

• Kanamori eagerly asked Su Chen to explain how he had improved the Nichirin Blades, and Su Chen described combining metals into an alloy.
• Su Chen explained that he had tested the proportions of crimson red iron sand, scarlet crimson ore, and steel through many simulations and hours of forging.
• Su Chen offered Shinobu Kocho the blade he had made for her, and she tested its unusual lightness and speed with a swing.
• Shinobu Kocho asked whether her blade was an alloy, and Su Chen explained that only its tip used the alloy while the rest was ordinary metal.
• Kanamori realized that Nichirin Blades could be forged around their wielders’ individual strengths and needs.

Shinobu Kocho tested the custom Nichirin Blade Su Chen had forged for her and discovered that it could absorb and spread wisteria poison through internal channels. After testing its handling, she realized the blade had greatly increased her speed, leaving her deeply moved by Su Chen’s work.

• Kanamori realized Su Chen had tailored Nichirin Blades to Kanao Tsuyuri’s and Shinobu Kocho’s individual strengths, though he noted the method required close familiarity between a swordsman and swordsmith.
• Shinobu Kocho poured wisteria poison onto the Blade Rings and followed Su Chen’s instructions, causing purple patterns to spread across the blade and turn its edge purple.
• Shinobu Kocho recognized that the blade’s poison channels solved the hassle of applying poison, while Kanamori marveled at the skill required to forge them.
• Su Chen explained that the blade used other high-quality alloys beyond its tip, needed less refined wisteria poison, and could hold a charge for a long time.
• Shinobu Kocho swung the blade and found it moved so quickly that it left afterimages, realizing her speed had doubled and feeling deeply moved by Su Chen’s gift.

Su Chen explained that his Nichirin Blade could carry elemental power for longer, then demonstrated its ability to manifest lightning. The forge filled with lightning as he unleashed Total Concentration, leaving the others stunned by his blade’s power.

• Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri admired the Nichirin Blades Su Chen had forged for them, while Tanjiro asked about Su Chen’s own blade.
• Su Chen showed them his Nichirin Blade and explained that it could hold elements such as flames and lightning for longer.
• Su Chen recalled using Kanamori’s metal collection and simulations in his Memory Palace to find alloy mixtures suited to each blade.
• Su Chen raised his blade, drew in oxygen with Total Concentration: Thousand Mechanisms, and released a burst of lightning inside the forge.

Su Chen demonstrated that his Nichirin Blade could produce real lightning, astonishing the onlookers and confirming Kanamori’s belief that the weapon retained elemental power. After Su Chen offered Kanamori and Tanjiro suitable blades to study, Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri invited him to soak in the hot springs together.

• Su Chen used rapid movement and blade vibration to build and control electricity, then struck the forest with actual lightning.
• Shinobu Kocho, Kanao Tsuyuri, Tanjiro, and Kanamori reacted with amazement as Kanamori realized Su Chen’s Nichirin Blade could retain elemental forces.
• Su Chen warned the others not to touch the blade while lightning lingered and told Kanamori that two unused blades in the room would better suit his current skill.
• Tanjiro and Kanamori hurried back inside to claim the blades, while Kanao Tsuyuri and Shinobu Kocho thanked Su Chen for his gifts.
• Shinobu Kocho invited Su Chen to the hot springs, and Kanao Tsuyuri clarified that she meant the three of them together; Su Chen readily agreed.