"Alright, let's begin training!" Kyoujurou said cheerily after seeing Chiba Yo.
"Okay, I'll do my best," Chiba Yo nodded and said firmly.
Chiba Yo then followed the Flame Pillar to the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters' training ground, where two other people were present.
Both were girls; one had long black hair with purple tips in her bangs, a butterfly hair ornament, purple eyes, and wore the Demon Slayer Corps uniform with a haori featuring a butterfly wing pattern draped over it.
The other also had black hair and purple eyes, wore the Demon Slayer Corps uniform, with a knee-length black pleated skirt and white long boots, and a white cape with a dark pink bow tie over her uniform.
The two seemed to be practicing sword techniques. Upon seeing Kyoujurou and Chiba Yo arrive, Kochou Shinobu and Kanao Tsuyuri temporarily stopped.
"Mr. Rengoku is back. How was the mission?" Kochou Shinobu put away her nichirin blade and stepped forward with a smile to greet him.
Kyoujurou didn't speak, looking at Chiba Yo behind him.
After seeing Kyoujurou's reaction, Kochou Shinobu seemed to understand something. She dropped her smile and looked at Chiba Yo with a sympathetic expression. Kanao, as usual, maintained a somewhat blank smile on her face.
"This is my new Tsuguko, Chiba Yo!" Kyoujurou broke the silence first, introducing Chiba Yo to Kochou Shinobu and Kanao in a cheerful voice.
He then introduced Kochou Shinobu to Chiba Yo: "Xiao Yang, this is Kochou Shinobu, our Demon Slayer Corps' Insect Pillar. She is a respectable strong individual who can develop poisons targeting demons and fights without being affected by her physical disadvantage!"
His voice was as cheerful as ever.
"Insect Pillar-sama," Chiba Yo respectfully greeted Kochou Shinobu after hearing Kyoujurou's introduction.
Kyoujurou had previously explained the Demon Slayer Corps' ranking system to him. As the strongest existences in the Demon Slayer Corps, Chiba Yo felt it necessary to be respectful towards them.
"Mr. Rengoku, you're truly too kind. Xiao Yang, you don't need to be so formal. Just call me Shinobu-jie jie from now on," Kochou Shinobu said with a smile, a little embarrassed by Kyoujurou's praise.
"Yes! Shinobu-jie jie," Chiba Yo replied, greeting her respectfully again.
Kochou Shinobu looked a bit helpless at this.
"She is my Tsuguko, Kanao Tsuyuri. You two should be around the same age, right? How old are you, Xiao Yang?" Kochou Shinobu then introduced the Kanao next to her to Chiba Yo.
"15 years old," Chiba Yo replied.
"She's even a year younger than Kanao," Kochou Shinobu sighed.
"Kanao should be going to the Final Selection soon, right?" Kyoujurou asked Kochou Shinobu.
"Yes," Kochou Shinobu nodded.
"Do your best!" Kyoujurou loudly encouraged Kanao.
Kanao simply smiled at Kyoujurou.
"Alright, our training for today is almost complete. We'll head back now."
After saying this, Kochou Shinobu left with Kanao.
"Rengoku-sensei, what is the Final Selection you just mentioned?" Chiba Yo asked Kyoujurou after Kochou Shinobu and Kanao left.
"The Final Selection is the final assessment to become a Demon Slayer Corps member. The content is to survive for seven days on Mount Fujikasane, where demons reside. As long as you pass this assessment, you can obtain your nichirin blade and become a Demon Slayer Corps swordsman," Kyoujurou explained to Chiba Yo.
After hearing Kyoujurou's words, Chiba Yo felt a bit confused. He thought this assessment seemed too simple.
The Green-skinned demon from before was very easy for him to deal with, and although he later learned that these demons could only be killed by sunlight or beheaded by a nichirin blade, Chiba Yo still felt it wasn't difficult.
Moreover, this Final Selection only required surviving for seven days in that mountain, which meant it might be possible to pass even without killing demons.
Perhaps the demons there are all very strong, Chiba Yo thought.
"However, the Final Selection is still too early for you. You must first gain my approval before you can participate in the Final Selection. So! Start training hard! First, do two hundred push-ups!" Kyoujurou shouted to Chiba Yo with passionate enthusiasm.
"Yes! Rengoku-sensei!" Chiba Yo replied, then immediately lay down on the ground and began doing push-ups.
At the same time, he quickly adjusted his breathing, and a white rainbow exhaled from his mouth.
!
Kyoujurou was instantly startled by what he had just seen.
Breathing Technique? I haven't taught him that yet.
Uncertain, Kyoujurou approached Chiba Yo and began observing him.
"113! 114! 115! 116!…"
Chiba Yo focused on his push-ups, his breathing rhythm extremely even. After doing so many push-ups, there wasn't a single drop of sweat on his face, and his expression was very relaxed.
After observing him up close, Kyoujurou finally saw clearly.
It was indeed a Breathing Technique. It didn't resemble any specific style of Breathing Technique, and it had even reached the level of Total Concentration Breathing, Constant, maintaining Total Concentration Breathing unconsciously at all times.
Kyoujurou was silent. The current situation was beyond his imagination.
"197! 198! 199! 200!"
Chiba Yo finished two hundred push-ups, stood up from the ground, still without a single drop of sweat on his face, looking very relaxed.
"Rengoku-sensei, I'm done. What's the next training?" Chiba Yo asked Kyoujurou.
It was indeed Total Concentration Breathing, Constant; it hadn't stopped even now.
Kyoujurou was staring at Chiba Yo, his heart filled with shock. Hearing Chiba Yo's words, he asked, "Xiao Yang, when did you learn Breathing Technique?"
Chiba Yo froze at the question.
"I haven't learned Breathing Technique. Sensei hasn't taught me yet…"
However, he quickly realized something, slapped his forehead, and said with a sudden realization:
"Oh, is Rengoku-sensei talking about my method of adjusting my breathing? I figured this out when I was five or six years old. By adjusting my breathing, I can greatly increase my strength and stamina, allowing me to do many things I normally couldn't. That way, I could help my mo—…"
As he spoke, Chiba Yo couldn't help but recall past events, and a wave of sorrow welled up in his heart.
However, he quickly composed himself.
Mother must have wanted me to live well, just like how I felt when I saw her wanting to end her life back then…
Chiba Yo was silent for a moment, then asked Kyoujurou, "Is that what Breathing Technique is?"
"Yes, it certainly looks like a Breathing Technique, and it has already reached a very high level of Breathing Technique, Total Concentration Breathing, Constant, which means maintaining Total Concentration Breathing all day," Kyoujurou nodded and said.