While swinging his sword, Kokushibo kept a large portion of his attention focused on guarding against Xia Feng's sneak attacks.
He still remembered very clearly the strike Xia Feng launched from underground earlier!
Beside him stood a large tree.
Moonlight shone through the canopy, casting a shadow across the trunk.
Suddenly—
Xia Feng burst out from the shadow!
Kokushibo had long been prepared. He thrust his sword straight toward Xia Feng's forehead.
This strike was as fast as lightning!
Kokushibo was confident that even a Hashira-level swordsman would not be able to dodge it.
Yet Xia Feng seemed to have predicted the attack.
Under Kokushibo's shocked gaze, Xia Feng tilted his head by a hair's breadth, narrowly avoiding the blade, and continued his slash toward him!
In Xia Feng's eyes, the entire world had slowed down.
Although Kokushibo's strike was terrifyingly fast, it wasn't impossible to track.
Missing his first strike, Kokushibo twisted his blade.
Moon Breathing, Third Form — Loathsome Moon, Chains of Destruction!
A massive wave of crescent-shaped sword energy erupted once again!
Xia Feng was completely engulfed in a sea of blade slashes.
Mitsuri gasped.
It's over!
Countless blades of energy passed through Xia Feng's body.
Yet—
Xia Feng looked completely unharmed.
Every slash simply passed through him as if they didn't exist.
His sword continued descending without pause!
SLASH!!!
Without hesitation, Kokushibo lowered his head.
The blade that had been aimed at his neck instead split open the top of his skull!
Gray-white brain matter was exposed to the air.
For any human, such a wound would mean instant death.
But demons…
Were simply that unreasonable.
Kokushibo leapt backward several times.
By the time he landed, the wound had already completely regenerated.
"So… you really can completely evade my sword."
Mitsuri quickly landed beside Xia Feng, preparing to defend him in case Kokushibo launched another sudden attack.
Xia Feng looked at Kokushibo and suddenly said,
"I have a question."
Kokushibo paused slightly, then nodded.
"Go ahead."
Although Muzan's voice kept urging him in his mind to hurry up, he still decided to hear Xia Feng out.
Under Kokushibo's gaze, Xia Feng said,
"Honestly… you used so many techniques just now, but aside from the shape of the sword energy changing…"
"…what's actually different between them?"
"People who know might think you're announcing your sword forms."
"People who don't know might think you're reciting a restaurant menu."
"I've been wondering—maybe you don't actually have many techniques, so you split one move into several versions and gave each of them a different name to sound impressive?"
After hearing this, both Kokushibo and Mitsuri froze.
A few seconds later—
Mitsuri burst out laughing.
She quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
But her shaking shoulders gave her away completely.
Kokushibo took a deep breath.
Except for the time long ago when he had nearly been killed by that man in a single strike, he had never felt such fury before.
His hands were trembling.
"Xia Feng… you…"
His face darkened to an almost terrifying degree.
Xia Feng quickly laughed awkwardly.
"Just kidding, just kidding!"
"Actually, your techniques are pretty flashy."
Kokushibo didn't even know what to say anymore.
He felt like it was impossible to have a conversation with Xia Feng.
Mitsuri was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
Her admiration for Xia Feng skyrocketed.
Facing such a terrifying opponent as Upper Rank One, he still had the mood to tease him!
Even while laughing, she remained vigilant.
An enraged Kokushibo could attack at any moment.
But Kokushibo proved far calmer than she expected.
After a moment of silence, he said,
"I also have a question."
"Go ahead," Xia Feng replied calmly, as if he didn't care about stalling for time.
Kokushibo stared at him.
"What ability did you use just now?"
"My sword clearly struck you. Why did it have no effect?"
Hearing this, Xia Feng tilted his head slightly and revealed a mysterious smile.
"It's simple."
"Your heart was unsettled… so you couldn't see my true position."
"My true position?" Kokushibo repeated.
For a moment, he instinctively believed Xia Feng.
After all, a swordsman of Xia Feng's level would never lie in the domain of swordsmanship.
Xia Feng only smiled faintly, saying nothing more, standing quietly like a wise master waiting for enlightenment.
His composed demeanor created pressure in Kokushibo's mind.
Meanwhile, Mitsuri's eyes were practically glowing pink.
Mr. Xia Feng looks so cool right now!
Just like those mysterious masters in novels!
Kokushibo narrowed his eyes, carefully recalling Xia Feng's movements earlier, trying to find this so-called "true position."
But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't find any clue.
Finally, he sighed.
"I can't figure it out."
"But that won't stop me from swinging my sword."
If he couldn't understand it, he would figure it out during battle.
He raised his sword again, preparing to attack.
Then—
He paused.
To his surprise, his body felt as if it were bound by invisible threads.
Meanwhile, the previously calm and dignified Xia Feng suddenly charged forward without any trace of elegance!
"Surprise! Surprise?!"
Xia Feng grinned widely.
In the darkness, he looked like a demon crawling out of the abyss.
In his left hand, several invisible threads were stretched tight.
Those threads were what bound Kokushibo.
Puppet Threads!
Against someone as powerful as Kokushibo, the technique couldn't take effect instantly. It required time.
That was why Xia Feng had been acting like a mysterious master earlier—to stall for that time!
Anger flashed through Kokushibo's eyes.
He had actually been intimidated by Xia Feng's fake "master aura."
And this man had the nerve to accuse him of lacking a swordsman's pride!
Clearly he was the one with no pride at all!
Mitsuri stood there completely frozen.
She felt like her girlish admiration had just shattered into pieces.
Where was the elegance?
Where was the dignity, Mr. Xia Feng?!
With a roar, Kokushibo unleashed a surge of sword energy, slicing apart the invisible puppet threads!
But that brief moment was already enough for Xia Feng.
Under Kokushibo's furious gaze, Xia Feng's sword flashed with silver-blue light and swept toward his neck!
Kokushibo instantly retreated.
But at that moment—
Golden lightning exploded across Xia Feng's body!
His speed increased once again!
Kokushibo's pupils shrank.
Only then did he remember that when Xia Feng first appeared, he had used something resembling Thunder Breathing.
From the beginning of the battle until now—
How many breathing styles had this man used?!
Water Breathing.
Flower Breathing.
Thunder Breathing.
And another unknown breathing style.
Four different breathing styles!
By the time that thought flashed through his mind—
Xia Feng had already dashed past him.
Behind Kokushibo, Xia Feng exhaled slowly and sheathed his Nichirin blade.
Kokushibo stood frozen.
Blood suddenly burst from his neck.
Seeing this, Mitsuri almost shouted with joy.
"We won!"
Mr. Xia Feng had actually defeated Upper Rank One in a one-on-one battle!
In the entire history of the Demon Slayer Corps, it was almost unheard of for a single person to defeat an Upper Rank.
Especially Upper Rank One!
Mr. Xia Feng was unbelievably strong!
Under Mitsuri's excited gaze, Xia Feng suddenly ran straight toward her.
Mitsuri froze.
What was he doing?
Was he about to propose to her after defeating Upper Rank One?
It would be such a romantic moment…
But it was also so embarrassing. How should she answer?
While Mitsuri blushed nervously—
Xia Feng rushed up, threw her over his shoulder, and started running!
"What are you standing there for? Do you want to die?!"
Xia Feng said helplessly while carrying her.
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