Chu Yang naturally didn't want to leave.
So he found Shinobu Kocho and requested to become a Demon Slayer Corps member.
"Shinobu Kocho-sama, can you teach me how to become a swordsman?"
Chu Yang's request seemed to stump Shinobu Kocho; the young girl stood before him hesitantly, wanting to speak but holding back.
Not falling for it?
Chu Yang gritted his teeth and shouted loudly, "Shinobu Kocho-sama, please accept me as your Tsuguko!"
In the Demon Slayer world, the so-called "Tsuguko" actually refers to a successor's identity; to put it simply, they are the true disciples of a Hashira-level swordsman.
Normally, Hashira-level swordsmen would take swordsmen with similar Breathing Styles as their "Tsuguko," but there were also special cases where different Breathing Styles became "Tsuguko."
Hashira-level swordsmen have the authority to summon Demon Slayer Corps members of any rank, but if they wish to summon someone else's "Tsuguko," they must obtain the permission of that Hashira.
"Tsuguko" is a very special identity within the Demon Slayer Corps.
Hearing Chu Yang's wish to become her "Tsuguko," Shinobu Kocho's pale face visibly flushed.
She frantically waved her hands at Chu Yang.
Chu Yang clicked his tongue, feeling that the Shinobu Kocho in front of him was strange and very different from his impression of her.
"Hahaha, someone actually wants to be little Shinobu's Tsuguko, how interesting!"
A bell-like laugh rang out behind Chu Yang; he turned around and saw a girl who looked seventy to eighty percent similar to Shinobu Kocho, but was more mature and gentle.
The girl had a pair of lively light purple eyes, long, shiny, smooth black hair that reached her waist, butterfly-shaped hair clips on both sides of her head, and a colorful butterfly-patterned haori draped over her shoulders.
The girl bounced and hopped over to Chu Yang, teasing, "Little Shinobu isn't a Hashira, so she's not qualified to take a Tsuguko. I, however, still am. Are you interested, little brother?"
Chu Yang stared blankly at the girl in front of him, not because she was beautiful, but because she was...
Kocho Kanae!
Kocho Kanae was still alive!
This proved that the current time point was at least four years before the official start of the plot!
No wonder Chu Yang always felt that the Shinobu Kocho in front of him looked like a baby; she really was a baby...
"It's very impolite to stare at a girl like that, you know."
Kocho Kanae took a step forward and whispered into Chu Yang's ear.
Chu Yang shivered, quickly retreated, and apologized profusely; his mind was a bit muddled right now.
"I can sense your aura. As an untrained ordinary person, your physique is excellent, and you have the potential to become a powerful swordsman."
Kocho Kanae chuckled softly, "I was just joking with you. Your physique isn't suitable for practicing my Breathing Style. If you truly want to become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, I can recommend you to another Hashira."
Chu Yang snapped back to attention and immediately nodded, saying, "Then I'll trouble you."
"You're lucky; he'll be over soon."
Kocho Kanae's eyes were full of smiles, somewhat anticipating what kind of sparks would fly between Chu Yang and that Hashira.
Shinobu Kocho seemed to have guessed which Hashira her sister was referring to, and subconsciously showed a surprised expression.
Chu Yang watched them play their guessing game, completely bewildered.
After a while, a tall, burly figure pushed open the door, muttering "Amitabha Amitabha." He had a long, narrow scar on his forehead, both eyes were blind, a string of prayer beads hung around his neck, and he held prayer beads in his hand.
The Monk!
Gyomei Himejima!
Chu Yang turned to look at Kocho Kanae, who was smiling so wide she couldn't close her mouth, and let out a deep breath.
Gyomei Himejima was very strong!
He could even be said to be the strongest Hashira, without a doubt!
The moment Gyomei Himejima entered the door, he immediately noticed Chu Yang. With his blind eyes, his perception had become extraordinarily powerful. If he hadn't smelled no demon scent from Chu Yang, he would have almost swung his weapon to attack!
Kocho Kanae smiled, "Himejima-san, it's hard to see you normally unless it's a Hashira Meeting. Are you always training?"
Gyomei Himejima nodded, then eagerly asked, "Who is this person beside you?"
"A survivor."
Kocho Kanae summarized Chu Yang's experience in three short words, then said, "He wishes to stay in the Demon Slayer Corps."
If it were an ordinary person, Gyomei Himejima would have directly advised him to go back and live a normal life, but the strong aura emanating from Chu Yang was simply too difficult to ignore.
Gyomei Himejima said in a deep voice, "This will be a path of hardship beyond your imagination."
Chu Yang replied, "I understand."
Kocho Kanae suggested, "I think you should teach him personally. A cultivator might not be able to fully unleash his talent."
Gyomei Himejima hesitated for a moment, during which he once again felt Chu Yang's aura, and finally couldn't help but nod.
His Stone Breathing finally had a successor!
Chapter 56: The Special Training of Stone Breathing
The temple where Gyomei Himejima trained was very far from the Butterfly Mansion.
Chu Yang originally thought the two of them would take a train, but he didn't expect Gyomei Himejima to actually take him back on foot!
"Your physique is extraordinary and requires more rigorous tempering!"
This was Gyomei Himejima's reason for Chu Yang.
But Chu Yang felt that the other party simply wanted to save on train tickets.
"An ascetic monk..."
Chu Yang felt a chill down his spine at the thought of this anti-human term; Gyomei Himejima was undoubtedly of this demeanor.
Among the Demon Slayer Corps Hashira, the strongest in swordsmanship talent was Muichiro Tokito, and the strongest in physical talent was Gyomei Himejima.
Gyomei Himejima was originally an ordinary monk training in a temple, having never received any enlightenment on Breathing Styles.
However, he was able to battle a demon as an ordinary person until dawn, and even inflict fatal damage on the demon. This physical talent was unparalleled in the entire Demon Slayer world, and it was precisely for this reason that Gyomei Himejima had been unable to find a suitable successor for so long.
The sword techniques he created based on his own physical conditions were simply impossible for ordinary people to practice.
After walking for a day and a night, Gyomei Himejima led Chu Yang into a deep mountain forest.
It was only halfway up the mountain that Chu Yang saw a solitary temple standing there.
Desolate and dilapidated.
Living in such a place, it would be harder not to encounter demons.
After entering, Chu Yang found that it wasn't as bad as he had imagined.
The temple wasn't large, but the interior was clean and tidy, and even the fallen leaves in the courtyard were neatly swept into a pile on the side.
It was clear that Gyomei Himejima was very diligent in his daily life.
Gyomei Himejima lit all the lamps in the temple.
He was blind, so it didn't matter whether the lamps were lit or not; this was for Chu Yang's sake.
After the lamps were lit, the small temple even seemed a bit cozy.
"Tomorrow you will officially begin your swordsman training. Let me remind you first: the stronger your physical talent, the more severe the obstacles you will encounter in the process of practicing Breathing Style."
Gyomei Himejima slowly said under the bright lamplight, "Breathing Style, also known as Total Concentration Breathing, is a special technique created by humans to combat demons. It is used to strengthen cardiopulmonary function, rapidly infuse the blood with a large amount of oxygen, and promote the enhancement of bodily functions."
Chu Yang nodded, indicating that he understood.
In fact, Gyomei Himejima, due to the limitations of his own knowledge, had not mentioned one aspect.
Breathing Style has a certain stimulating effect on adrenaline.
Otherwise, simply increasing the oxygen content in the blood would make it very difficult to elevate human athletic ability to the level of demons.
Gyomei Himejima continued, "Breathing is a human's instinct for survival and a necessary condition, but not everyone knows how to breathe. Next, I will teach you the correct way to breathe."
Chu Yang listened attentively as Gyomei Himejima expounded on the training method of Breathing Style.
After sharing talents with his "selves" from other worlds, with Chu Yang's current memory and comprehension abilities, he only needed Gyomei Himejima to explain it once, and he could deeply engrave the content in his mind.
Gyomei Himejima wanted to continue explaining in detail, but found that Chu Yang's chest was already moving up and down rhythmically like a bellows.
A faint white airflow circulated in and out of Chu Yang's nose and mouth; this was a sign that the Breathing Style was operating correctly.
Gyomei Himejima's pupils suddenly constricted.
After so many years in the Demon Slayer Corps, he had never heard of anyone entering the state of Total Concentration Breathing so quickly.
Chu Yang's breathing was very steady and powerful; this was a characteristic of Stone Breathing.
Gyomei Himejima quietly stood guard nearby. Beginners who practiced breathing for the first time would not last long, as their cardiopulmonary system could not withstand prolonged stimulation.
Only through continuous training could one extend the breathing time.
Eventually reaching "Total Concentration: Constant," which means keeping the body in a constant breathing state.
On the other side, whenever Chu Yang was about to give up, a surge of vitality would emerge within him, nourishing his heart and lungs. It felt like drinking a mouthful of ice water in midsummer, refreshing and invigorating.
Chu Yang, who had been in a breathing state for a long time, not only didn't feel uncomfortable but gradually began to enjoy it.
Time passed by minute by minute...
Gyomei Himejima, who had been silently guarding Chu Yang, sensed that something was amiss. Chu Yang had been in a breathing state for too long, far exceeding the average level. From past experience, he should have exited this state long ago.
Yet, strangely enough, Chu Yang didn't seem to have any discomfort; in fact, his complexion was even rosier than before, leaving Gyomei Himejima utterly perplexed.
Gyomei Himejima could only utter "Amitabha Amitabha," then quietly sat in meditation, placing some of his attention on Chu Yang, ready to respond to any sudden situation.
It wasn't until dawn that Chu Yang exited the breathing state and comfortably stretched.
At this moment, Gyomei Himejima slowly opened his blind eyes and softly asked, "How do you feel? Is there any discomfort in your body?"
Chu Yang felt his body's condition and said, "My whole body feels warm, and there's no discomfort anywhere."
Gyomei Himejima sensed the aura emanating from Chu Yang, which had grown considerably stronger, and couldn't help but nod with satisfaction, "Being able to quickly master Breathing Style proves your high compatibility with Stone Breathing. This way, we can save a lot of time and focus our energy on sword technique training."
Perhaps fearing that Chu Yang might be too eager for quick success, Gyomei Himejima also reminded him, "Although your initial time in breathing was longer than others, you must be careful. If you feel any discomfort in your body, you must interrupt the Breathing Style in time."
"I understand."
Chu Yang asked excitedly, "Then when do we start training sword techniques?"
Gyomei Himejima put his hands together and said in a low voice, "I originally wanted you to rest, but you're definitely unable to sleep in your current state, so let's start now."
"Swordsmen who have practiced Stone Breathing throughout history are much stronger than those of other schools. Therefore, ordinary nichirin blades are not suitable for us."