Chapter Summaries

Su Chen faced Gyokko and Hantengu at the Butterfly Mansion while Kanao Tsuyuri defended the younger girls from Gyokko’s fish monsters. The chapter ended as a bloodied figure emerged from a distortion in the darkness near Su Chen’s room.

• Hantengu killed Su Chen’s Dish Crow, and Su Chen protected Murata as the two Upper Rank demons confronted them.
• Su Chen melted Gyokko’s Fish Needles with Dragon Breathing, then covered the area in mist with another sword technique.
• Gyokko and Hantengu watched Su Chen’s mist and heard a wing-like sound before a dancing figure appeared against the moon.
• Kanao Tsuyuri learned that demons had reached the Butterfly Mansion and hurried outside to protect Kiyo, Sumi, and Xiao Caihui.
• Kanao Tsuyuri killed the fish-headed monsters, then saw a bloodied figure emerge from the darkness near Su Chen’s room.

Kanao Tsuyuri tried to break through Gyokko’s invisible Blood Demon Art barrier after Murata emerged and warned her that Su Chen was trapped inside. Su Chen kept fighting Gyokko while avoiding Hantengu to prevent him from splitting into stronger demons, until someone outside opened a gap in the barrier.

• Murata collapsed after telling Kanao Tsuyuri and the girls that Su Chen was trapped inside.
• Kanao Tsuyuri struck the invisible barrier repeatedly but could not break through, then recalled seeing flashes of sword moves when Murata emerged.
• Su Chen wounded Gyokko while evading Hantengu, whom he refused to attack so Hantengu would not split into four demons.
• Gyokko urged Hantengu to tear off his own neck, but Hantengu refused because he feared the pain.
• Gyokko threatened the people outside the barrier, leaving Su Chen worried that they would be harmed if the demons escaped.
• A sword rang out and an opening suddenly appeared in the barrier behind Su Chen.

Kanao opened the barrier and warned Su Chen, but Gyokko split Hantengu into four demons and trapped Su Chen while they attacked her. Kanao severed Urogi and Karaku’s heads, but Aizetsu stabbed her and Sekido’s lightning left her gravely wounded; Gyokko then discovered that Su Chen had escaped his water prison.

• Kanao opened the barrier, and Su Chen shouted for her to warn Shinobu that Upper Rank Four and Upper Rank Five were there.
• Gyokko snapped Hantengu’s neck and tore his body apart, causing Urogi, Sekido, Aizetsu, and Karaku to emerge.
• Su Chen charged toward Kanao, but Gyokko trapped him in a Blood Prison Bowl while Urogi and Karaku attacked her.
• Kanao overcame her fear and severed Urogi’s and Karaku’s heads, but Sekido’s lightning paralyzed her and Aizetsu stabbed her in the waist.
• Gyokko approached the gravely wounded Kanao and claimed Su Chen had become a specimen, but the demons found only a puddle of water where he had been trapped.

Su Chen fought the demons at the Butterfly Mansion while protecting Kanao Tsuyuri, then pushed his body past its limits to attack them again. As he moved to strike the fear demon, Gyokko ambushed him with a ranged attack, forcing Su Chen to block without his Nichirin Blade.

• Su Chen used several Breathing Styles to decapitate Sekido, Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure, then rescued Kanao Tsuyuri and put her to sleep.
• Gyokko hid inside his pot while Su Chen prepared to defend the Butterfly Mansion until dawn despite his injuries and exhaustion.
• Su Chen activated Bullet Domain, Hyper-Memory State, and Spatial Perception, accepting that his blood vessels could burst after five minutes.
• Su Chen killed Urogi and decapitated Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure again before rushing toward the fear demon.
• Gyokko emerged from a tree and attacked Su Chen with Ten Thousand Gliding Sticky Fish, forcing him to block the barrage as he pursued the fear demon.

Su Chen nearly killed Hantengu before Zohakuten appeared and overwhelmed him. To stop Zohakuten and Gyokko from attacking, Su Chen claimed to know where the Blue Spider Lily was, then hinted that it only bloomed during the day.

• Su Chen hurled his Nichirin Blade into the Hate Demon, pinning the Fear Demon and rushing to finish it off.
• Zohakuten appeared and attacked Su Chen, who manifested a dragon mark and narrowly escaped his assault.
• Su Chen noticed Gyokko approaching Kanao Tsuyuri and told Zohakuten that he knew where the Blue Spider Lily was.
• Muzan's influence forced Zohakuten to bring Gyokko back and prevented them from killing Su Chen for the moment.
• Su Chen warned Gyokko not to touch the Butterfly Mansion and suggested the Blue Spider Lily might bloom only during the day.

Su Chen agreed to lead Zohakuten and Gyokko to the Blue Spider Lily in exchange for the Butterfly Mansion’s safety, and let Gyokko poison him to secure their cooperation. After leaving a tearful Kanao behind, he was taken to the Infinity Castle, where Muzan learned Su Chen claimed to know the flower’s location and became eager to find it.

• Zohakuten demanded that Su Chen lead them to the Blue Spider Lily, and Su Chen agreed to protect the Butterfly Mansion.
• Gyokko poisoned Su Chen to prevent him from escaping, while Su Chen secretly began purging the poison with Total Concentration: Hundred Refinements.
• Kanao regained consciousness and tried to stop Su Chen from leaving, but he comforted her and urged her to keep studying her sword move.
• Su Chen left with Gyokko and Zohakuten through their Blood Demon Art, leaving Kanao sobbing in the Butterfly Mansion courtyard.
• Gyokko and Hantengu arrived in the Infinity Castle and told Muzan they had captured Su Chen and learned the Spider Lily’s whereabouts.
• Muzan, thrilled by the prospect of finding the Blue Spider Lily, imagined becoming immortal and evolving into the ultimate life-form.

Muzan rewarded Hantengu and Gyokko for their intelligence and ordered Gyokko to guard the captive Su Chen while another Upper Rank supervised him. Shinobu Kocho returned to the Butterfly Mansion, learned Su Chen had been abducted, and rallied the others to continue caring for the wounded before Kanao Tsuyuri repeated Su Chen’s final words: “Clean the room.”

• Muzan gave Hantengu and Gyokko blood as a reward for their report.
• Gyokko claimed responsibility for finding the Blue Spider Lily and revealed that Su Chen was imprisoned at his home in the Entertainment District.
• Muzan ordered Gyokko to keep Su Chen guarded until an Upper Rank could supervise him.
• Shinobu Kocho returned to the Butterfly Mansion and found everyone distressed over Su Chen’s abduction and Kanao Tsuyuri’s fever.
• Shinobu Kocho sent Aoi Kanzaki, Kiyo, Sumi, and Xiao Caihui to open the gates and treat injured Demon Slayers.
• Kanao Tsuyuri repeated Su Chen’s final words, and Shinobu Kocho froze at the phrase “Clean the room.”

After learning that Su Chen had been captured by two Upper Rank Demons while protecting the Butterfly Mansion, Shinobu Kocho and the Hashira were shaken by the news. Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Nezuko resolved to rescue him as they continued toward their mission aboard the Mugen Train.

• Shinobu Kocho found the battlefield, blood, and severed demon limbs in the Butterfly Mansion yard, realizing Su Chen had fought Upper Rank Demons and left evidence for her poison research.
• Shinobu Kocho went to Oyakata-sama's estate after reminding herself that Su Chen had been captured, not confirmed dead.
• The Demon Slayer Corps received word of Su Chen's capture, and the Hashira reacted with anger, grief, and determination to find him.
• Inosuke tried to rush off to rescue Su Chen, but Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Nezuko persuaded him to focus on their mission first.
• Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Nezuko agreed to finish their mission and then rescue Su Chen together.

Su Chen woke bound in Gyokko’s basement and discovered the demon’s grotesque collection of human remains. As Gyokko demanded to discuss the Spider Lily, Su Chen began shaping an escape plan by appealing to Gyokko’s obsession with art.

• Shinobu Kocho and the other Hashira declared that Su Chen would not die easily as Shinobu rushed toward Oyakata-sama’s residence.
• Su Chen awoke chained in a dark basement and realized Muzan had released him after detecting the wisteria scent on him.
• Su Chen examined the basement and recognized its displays of mutilated human heads as Gyokko’s grotesque works of art.
• Gyokko confronted Su Chen and said they should discuss the Spider Lily.
• Su Chen insulted Gyokko’s supposed art, then described art as requiring ideas, catching Gyokko’s attention and beginning to form an escape plan.

Su Chen used his newly gained artistic skills and Gyokko’s doubts about his work to persuade the demon to release his chains and bring him food. He urged Gyokko to create art that rivaled nature, and Gyokko began to believe his past approach had been wrong.

• Su Chen criticized Gyokko’s artworks as repetitive, then used Bullet Domain and Hyper-Memory State to gain master-level artistic abilities.
• Su Chen told Gyokko that art should collect and record nature, but stopped explaining when he said he was hungry.
• Gyokko considered turning Su Chen into a demon, but Su Chen argued that an artist needed a clear mind and asked to be freed from his chains so he could eat.
• Gyokko agreed to bring food but kept Su Chen from leaving, and Su Chen claimed that red meat harmed an artist’s thinking.
• Su Chen blamed Gyokko’s violent habits and confined thinking for his repetitive, sorrowful artworks, then urged him to create a work of sublime artistry.
• Gyokko became excited and concluded that everything he had done before was wrong.

Su Chen tricked Gyokko into freeing him by promising to teach him art, then impressed the demon by carving a dying lesser demon’s head into the Vase of Vanishing. As Su Chen recovered and gathered information, Gyokko studied art under him while Muzan mistakenly believed their lessons were helping find the Spider Lily.

• Su Chen persuaded Gyokko to release him so he could demonstrate his art, then killed the lesser demon who arrived with a message.
• Su Chen carved the lesser demon’s severed head into a vase as it disintegrated, astonishing Gyokko with the Vase of Vanishing.
• Gyokko accepted Su Chen as a master artist and left to bring him food; Su Chen stayed put to recover and assess nearby threats.
• Gyokko returned with steamed buns and promised not to eat humans until he created a divine work of art, while Su Chen encouraged him with the promise of mastering it in seven days.
• Su Chen and Gyokko exchanged ideas about art, and Muzan watched through shared vision, mistaking Gyokko’s Spider Lily sketching lessons for serious research.
• Muzan rewarded Gyokko every few days and continued researching medicines so he could consume the Spider Lily and surpass Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Su Chen spent a week keeping Gyokko occupied with art lessons while recovering from poison and waiting for a chance to escape. On the final day, he learned no demons were nearby and attacked Gyokko with his Nichirin Blade.

• Su Chen and Gyokko spent several days discussing art, and Gyokko refrained from eating people while studying.
• Su Chen's Total Concentration: Hundredfold Refinement weakened the poison in his body, and he concluded another demon might be nearby.
• On the final day, Su Chen convinced Gyokko that their artistic work required complete secrecy from humans and demons.
• Gyokko revealed that Muzan was occupied with an experiment and that another demon was due to arrive that day but would not stay.
• Su Chen drew his Nichirin Blade and struck at Gyokko with Dragon Breathing, Fifth Form-Wind Rising, Clouds Surging!

Su Chen fought Gyokko in the dark after recovering from Muzan’s poison and used the demon’s weakened state against him. He created a new Dragon Breathing form and beheaded Gyokko, leaving him to admire the artwork carved into his body.

• Su Chen used Bullet Domain, Hyper-Memory State, and his heightened hearing to track Gyokko through the smoke and darkness.
• Gyokko panicked when his attacks failed, while Su Chen explained that Total Concentration: Hundred Refinements had purged the poison from his body.
• Su Chen attacked Gyokko with Dragon Breathing and Insect Breathing, burning him and carving a butterfly into his chest.
• Su Chen attained enlightenment and created new Dragon Breathing forms before using Dragon Breathing, Eighth Form-Lotus Blossoms with Every Step-Elegance to sever Gyokko’s neck.
• Su Chen turned Gyokko’s fallen head toward his body and told him they had completed their work of art together.

Su Chen killed Gyokko and fulfilled his promise by carving the demon’s head into a chamber pot. Meanwhile, Doma arrived at the Entertainment District to meet Gyokko, but Daki received alarming news and declared that they were doomed.

• Gyokko recognized himself as art before Su Chen carved his head into a chamber pot and watched it fade away.
• Su Chen left the basement, determined to return to the Butterfly Mansion and see Shinobu Kocho.
• Doma appeared at the Kyogoku House after Nakime transported him there and revealed himself as Upper Rank Two.
• Doma asked Daki to take him to Gyokko, and she agreed, recalling Gyokko’s recent favor with Muzan.
• Daki’s pink sash returned with information, and she panicked, telling Doma that they were doomed.

Su Chen went to the Entertainment District seeking a map so he could return to the Butterfly Mansion, but the Kyogoku House women mistook his request for an invitation to visit their rooms. After disguising himself as a scarred, rough-spoken man, he returned to the same establishment and introduced himself as Shinazugawa, Sanemi.

• Su Chen left Gyokko’s home and discovered that he had been taken to the Entertainment District.
• Su Chen entered the Kyogoku House and asked the madam for a map, but the women there tried to lure him into their rooms instead.
• Su Chen fled, returned to Gyokko’s home, and used clothes, disguise, and voice-acting skills to conceal his identity.
• Su Chen went back to the same Kyogoku House in disguise and gave the geisha the name Shinazugawa, Sanemi.

Su Chen, disguised as Shinazugawa, tried to question geisha Mizurō but had no money to pay for her time. Hinatsuru, the Oiran of Kyogoku House and one of Tengen Uzui’s wives, offered to pay and invited Su Chen to speak somewhere private.

• Mizurō mistook Su Chen’s questions for harassment and refused to help him.
• The madam asked Su Chen to pay a deposit, but he could produce only Kanao Tsuyuri’s coin.
• Hinatsuru appeared, offered to pay for Su Chen, and drew cheers from the customers.
• Hinatsuru greeted Su Chen and suggested they find somewhere else to talk.

After learning Gyokko had died and Su Chen had escaped, Daki and Gyutaro tried to plan their next move while Doma revealed Muzan's threat and took charge of the mission. Daki was left uncertain about Doma's intentions after he asked her to fetch Hantengu.

• Daki urged Doma to help capture Su Chen, and Gyutaro reassured her that they could catch him again.
• Daki planned to seize three women in the Entertainment District who were connected to the Demon Slayer Corps, expecting Su Chen to seek them out.
• Doma warned Daki that Muzan would eliminate the demons occupying the bottom three Upper Rank positions if the mission failed.
• Four lesser demons arrived to assist Doma, and two of them told Daki to come with them.
• Doma asked Daki to fetch Hantengu, and she agreed after Gyutaro advised her not to resist.
• Daki offered to bring Doma beautiful women to appease him, but Doma said he was not angry.

Su Chen entered Kyogoku House to gather intelligence, where a misunderstanding ruined his Shinazugawa disguise before Hinatsuru recognized him as the Dragon Hashira. He told her he had killed an Upper Rank while escaping, leaving Hinatsuru surprised by what he had survived.

• Doma stayed in Daki's room and considered greeting Hantengu and the other demons before the madam entered and found him.
• Su Chen complained to Hinatsuru about being mistaken for a customer who tried to avoid paying, and he abandoned his now-famous Shinazugawa disguise.
• Hinatsuru changed out of her Oiran finery and explained that she wanted to be ready for unexpected trouble.
• Hinatsuru recognized Su Chen as the Dragon Hashira because of his bearing and Fighting Spirit, and said Tengen had been worried about him.
• Hinatsuru noticed Su Chen's travel-worn clothes and murderous aura, and Su Chen admitted that he had killed an Upper Rank while escaping.

Hinatsuru learned that Su Chen had killed an Upper Rank demon and helped him prepare to return to the Demon Slayer Corps. After receiving a warning from Makio about a demon in the Entertainment District, Hinatsuru kept the danger from Su Chen while he showed her the money he had earned playing the zither.

• Hinatsuru was shocked to learn Su Chen had killed an Upper Rank demon and walked out of Gyokko's home.
• Su Chen asked about the Butterfly Mansion, and Hinatsuru told him it had relocated and that everyone there was safe.
• Hinatsuru drew Su Chen a route map, sent a letter to Tengen, and released a Dish Crow.
• A Dish Crow carrying Makio's message arrived, warning Hinatsuru that Makio and Suma had found traces of a demon in the last house in the Entertainment District.
• Hinatsuru gave Su Chen the map and offered him money, but Su Chen refused and revealed the coins he had earned by playing the zither.

Su Chen left Kyogoku House after his music performance drew a crowd eager to hear Hinatsuru play, leaving her to face an unexpected performance. Later that night, Hinatsuru reunited with Makio and Suma, who questioned why she had brought an instrument.

• Su Chen told Hinatsuru that he had played downstairs for her and earned money, and Hinatsuru was surprised by how much he had made.
• The madam asked Hinatsuru to perform because Su Chen had impressed the guests and claimed to be her apprentice, leaving Hinatsuru worried about her musical skills.
• Su Chen thanked Hinatsuru for the map and left through a window without noticing the letter on her table.
• Later that night, Hinatsuru met Makio and Suma in a quiet street, and Makio asked why Hinatsuru had brought an instrument.