Continuing forward, Hongyue looked at the Wisteria Flower forest surrounding Mount Fujikasane, her eyes gradually turning cold.
The Demon Slayer Corps considered Mount Fujikasane a trial ground for swordsmen, so they naturally placed great importance on it. There were quite a few swordsmen specifically guarding Mount Fujikasane. The one Hongyue just encountered was merely at the very first outpost at the foot of the mountain.
After only a few minutes of walking, a team of three swordsmen spotted Hongyue and quickly rushed over, blocking her path.
"Who goes there! Stop!"
Unlike the relatively gentle attitude of the swordsman at the foot of the mountain, these three swordsmen drew their Nichirin Blades the moment they saw Hongyue, the chilling blades reflecting a cold light under the moonlight.
Hongyue had arrived, and there had been no word from the swordsman she encountered earlier, which already indicated a lot.
With just a faint glance, three slender crimson chains made of tough flesh and blood instantly shot out from her fingertips. Each chain was like lightning, leaving afterimages as they moved with extreme speed.
The three swordsmen were prepared, but they still found it difficult to deal with an attack that was completely invisible to the naked eye.
Their Breathing Techniques had just begun to operate at full power when the chains pierced their hearts.
They didn't have the luck of the swordsman down the mountain; Hongyue killed them without hesitation.
The Demon King forged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood had never been one for softness.
Thud. The swordsmen fell to the ground simultaneously, their faces withered and their bodies visibly thinning at a speed perceivable to the naked eye.
Streams of pure flesh and blood energy flowed along the crimson chains and were completely absorbed by Hongyue. The aura around Hongyue increased imperceptibly by a tiny amount, like a few drops of water added to a river.
The three Nichirin Blades, which had not yet been used in a Sword Form, fell to the ground with their owners and went silent.
"Demon attack!"
A swordsman on the verge of death, his eyes wide, desperately activated his Breathing Technique and let out a loud roar. His pupils first contracted, then diffused blankly, sinking into dead silence.
The roar penetrated the dense forest, startling birds and beasts outside Mount Fujikasane and causing them to flee. It also reached the ears of every swordsman within Mount Fujikasane.
The swordsmen of Mount Fujikasane quickly entered a combat state, drawing their Nichirin Blades and converging towards Hongyue's direction.
As an important location for the Demon Slayer Corps, Mount Fujikasane rarely had Demons approach due to the protection of the Wisteria Flower forest. However, there were still Demons who, despite their aversion to Wisteria Flowers, were curious enough to approach. These swordsmen had never let down their guard.
Hongyue ignored the dying cries of the swordsmen beside her, standing still and waiting for the other swordsmen to approach.
She understood the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen. Most of these people were fearless of death; if she didn't kill them all, they would come like annoying flies, one after another, constantly interfering with her.
"Hmm? An extra gain."
Suddenly lifting her head, Hongyue looked in a specific direction, a breathtakingly beautiful smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
She had thought it was already quite good to know Kurozawa's whereabouts and dismantle a Demon Slayer Corps base. To her surprise, it seemed she might be able to eliminate one of their Pillars as well.
In the direction Hongyue was looking, Wisteria Flower petals were scattered everywhere as if caught in a strong wind. A fiery red figure moved through the purple sea of flowers like a flaming meteor, heading directly towards Hongyue's location.
Within the flaming meteor was a handsome, middle-aged swordsman with bright, piercing eyes, wearing a haori with fire patterns.
If Kurozawa were here, he would know this swordsman's name: Shinjuro Rengoku.
As the Flame Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, Shinjuro Rengoku was among the strongest Pillars, quite powerful, significantly stronger than Kurozawa's master, Sakonji Urokodaki, even in his prime. This was because the Rengoku family was different from ordinary swordsmen; they were akin to an appendage of the Demon Slayer Corps, dedicated to slaying Demons for generations. The head of the Rengoku family in each generation was basically the Demon Slayer Corps' Flame Pillar.
Due to their excellent lineage, the Flame Pillars of the Rengoku family had always been very strong.
Shinjuro Rengoku had captured some Demons to replenish the losses from the last Swordsman Trial and arrived at Mount Fujikasane today. Although it was very late, he had originally planned to leave tonight.
It was just unfortunate that he happened to encounter Hongyue arriving.
Hongyue stood still. The beautiful Mount Fujikasane paled in comparison to her. The eyes of all the swordsmen on the entire mountain were focused on her.
Among them, Shinjuro Rengoku was not the closest to Hongyue, but his speed was incredibly fast. All that could be seen was a fiery red streak of light, quickly surpassing the other swordsmen and being the first to arrive in front of Hongyue.
Seeing Hongyue's appearance, a hint of amazement appeared in Shinjuro Rengoku's eyes, but he quickly composed himself.
He saw the three corpses at Hongyue's feet.
Without a word, his Nichirin Blade rang out, stirring up layers of flames that formed several huge blade winds, each over two meters long. He slashed towards Hongyue from a distance of over twenty meters.
The ability to use Sword Forms at will and unleash extraordinary long-range slashes effortlessly was a realm Kurozawa had always struggled to reach.
Before the blade winds arrived, the hot air was already rushing towards her. Some trees that were grazed by it burst into roaring flames, illuminating this area.
Under the firelight, Hongyue's originally pale skin appeared slightly flushed. Facing the whistling, sharp slashes, she remained unperturbed.
"Flame Breathing, as violent as ever."
As the blade winds approached, Hongyue waved her hand, her slender, fair arm, like it was carved from jade, effortlessly shattered them into a sky full of flames. As the fiery rain descended, Hongyue stood within it, her surroundings becoming hazy.
Sizzle. Some sparks landed on the nearby grass, quickly igniting into orange-yellow flames.
This was the unique burning property of Flame Breathing; even if the slash was blocked, the shattered flames could still cause secondary damage.
But the flames licking at Hongyue's body failed to harm her in the slightest.
"Intruding and doing evil in my Mount Fujikasane, you've got some nerve!"
A loud shout rang out. Layers of flames ignited around Shinjuro Rengoku, almost completely obscuring his face.
From the previous slash, he had sensed Hongyue's power, but with absolute confidence in his own strength, Shinjuro Rengoku launched a fierce preemptive strike.
And his first move was his most proficient and powerful Sword Form.
Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger! With a large stride, his Nichirin Blade was held horizontally to the ground, its tip pointing directly at Hongyue's brow.
As Shinjuro Rengoku moved, the flames surged violently, vaguely taking the form of a roaring tiger. The tip of the Nichirin Blade was precisely at the tiger's head. The Flame Tiger crouched low, the flames swirling the air, creating a sound like a tiger's roar.
The tiger roared repeatedly, and the Flame Tiger also arrived in a sudden assault, its jaws opening to bite down on Hongyue.
Hongyue's eyes showed appreciation, then she braced her left foot, spun her body, and suddenly kicked out with her long, agile right leg. The air quivered, letting out a muffled sound.
Demons have tough and powerful bodies, and Hongyue was the strongest among them.
Hongyue's body had always been her strongest weapon. Beneath her cool and slender exterior lay an extremely violent and wicked beast.
Judging solely by the force and speed of this side kick, if Gray-White were to calculate her average stats right now, they would definitely be above 25. This was just her normal state, without factoring in the boosts from various combat abilities, because Hongyue wasn't using her full strength.
Across from her, Shinjuro Rengoku only felt his vision blur. Before he was even directly attacked, the flames swirling around him were already pushed inward by the strong wind.
The Nichirin Blade was only millimeters from Hongyue's forehead, but it couldn't advance any further.
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