The Terrifying Weapon

"Knowing how to wield a weapon is naturally important, but knowing how to lay it down when necessary is even more important. The weapon in your hand can kill demons, but it can also easily kill people."

Before Chu Yang began trying out weapons, Gyomei Himejima had repeatedly drilled those words into him, showing how much thought he had put into it.

"Himejima-sensei, don’t worry. I understand what the power I possess means," Chu Yang answered sincerely, then walked over to the pile of heavy weapons and examined them carefully.

Meteor Hammers, Wolf’s Tooth Clubs, Chain Hammers, gigantic battle axes taller than a person, Horse-Cutting Blades with blades nearly as wide as door panels.

Chu Yang broke out in a cold sweat just looking at them.

This wasn’t choosing weapons—it was choosing torture instruments. It looked like a massive crime-scene evidence display!

There were even long-handled sabers and lances with distinctly ancient Chinese characteristics.

Even Lord Guan himself would have given them a thumbs-up.

Gyomei Himejima’s weapon was actually a modified chain hammer, with a broad axe attached to the other end to further increase its destructive power. Honestly, he had hoped Chu Yang would choose a weapon similar to his own.

However, Chu Yang ultimately chose the Horse-Cutting Blade.

At least this thing was a sword.

The others had absolutely nothing to do with "Nichirin Swords," and Chu Yang really did not want to use them.

At worst, he could rename it Tessaiga or Zangetsu. It looked fairly similar anyway.

Gyomei Himejima sighed, looking somewhat disappointed.

What was wrong with Chain Hammers?

They were powerful, easy to use, and could kill demons in one blow.

He simply didn’t know how to appreciate them!

Gyomei Himejima reminded him, "You are not yet an official member of the Demon Slayer Corps, so the weapon in your hands is only temporary, meant to allow you to participate in the Final Selection."

"Although the weapons differ in form, their techniques are largely similar. You only need to learn how to adapt the details."

Gyomei Himejima picked up his weapon and began demonstrating the sword techniques of Stone Breathing for Chu Yang.

Most heavy weapons shared common techniques, and Gyomei Himejima hoped Chu Yang would find methods suited to himself that could bring out the Horse-Cutting Blade’s strengths.

Chu Yang watched without blinking, firmly committing every technique to memory.

Because Stone Breathing had so few successors, it had far fewer forms than the other styles. Gyomei Himejima stopped after demonstrating up to the Fifth Form.

"The techniques I know end here. The rest is up to you to complete," Gyomei Himejima said, setting down his weapon and pressing his palms together. "If there is anything you do not understand, you may ask me now."

Chu Yang shook his head, indicating that he had no questions.

Seeing this, Gyomei Himejima could not help but sigh. He felt inexplicably lonely. Teaching a genius like Chu Yang was indeed easy, but it was so easy that it left him with little sense of accomplishment.

Especially when it came to Stone Breathing, the most difficult of the five major Breathing Techniques to cultivate.

"For the next while, I will be going out to investigate demon activity and clear the demons within my jurisdiction. You will remain at the temple and train by yourself. Remember to light the Wisteria Incense at night."

When he mentioned the Wisteria Incense, Gyomei Himejima’s expression became somewhat unnatural, as though he had recalled painful memories. He returned to his room to pack his belongings, gave Chu Yang another round of instructions, and only then departed.

After Gyomei Himejima left, Chu Yang carried water up the mountain every day. Even after all the water jars in the backyard had been filled, he still did it tirelessly.

The effects of his training were extremely obvious. Before long, he was able to return to the temple by noon, even freeing up the entire afternoon to practice sword techniques.

But Chu Yang clearly had not taken Gyomei Himejima’s instructions to heart. The Wisteria Incense placed in the temple had never been lit even once.

Another half month passed, and Chu Yang practiced sword techniques in the courtyard until late at night.

Then he suddenly caught a strange smell.

It was a stench that was difficult to describe.

Like a pile of rotting food and corpses left together to ferment.

It was so foul that Chu Yang nearly vomited!

He suddenly realized… this was the smell of a demon!

Chu Yang immediately spread his Observation Haki and finally heard something rapidly approaching from outside the temple, moving as fast as a starving beast that had spotted food.

Chu Yang focused and held his breath, smoothly entering a state of Total Concentration Breathing. His eyes remained fixed on the main gate directly ahead.

Bang!!!

With a deafening crash, the gate collapsed. A black shadow sprang out of the darkness and charged at Chu Yang beneath the moonlight!

At the same time, Chu Yang leaped high into the air!

The Horse-Cutting Blade in his hand came crashing down at the black shadow with immense force!

Stone Breathing Second Form: Celestial Surface Crushing

The tremendous force made the air tremble, and the violent airflow startled the black shadow that had ambushed Chu Yang.

The man wielding that Horse-Cutting Blade was no ordinary person!

As death descended…

The black shadow roared inwardly and desperately tried to twist aside to evade the attack!

It succeeded!

The Horse-Cutting Blade had originally been aimed at its head.

Instead, it cut from its right shoulder all the way down to its right leg, carving it cleanly into two halves!

"Aaaahhh!!!"

The black shadow let out a bloodcurdling howl, partly from pain and partly from fear.

In just one exchange, Chu Yang had severely wounded it!

If it had not been a demon, it would already have died!

After cutting off half the black shadow’s body, Chu Yang passed by it. Both turned around at the same time, seeing each other’s faces clearly.

The black shadow was indeed a demon, and it took the form of a delicate-looking young man.

However, its face was twisted with savagery, covered in strange runic markings.

The young demon’s eyes were blood-red as it stared fixedly at Chu Yang.

It seemed to want to memorize his face so it could find an opportunity to take revenge later.

"I was clearly aiming for the head. What a pity…" Chu Yang felt somewhat uncomfortable. It was his first time fighting a demon, and he had underestimated the other side’s speed.

The young demon, with only half a body remaining and one foot planted on the ground, had no intention of risking its life against the swordsman before it, who appeared to be around its own age.

It knew that fighting desperately would lead to only one outcome: death.

So, without a second thought, it leaped onto the roof, preparing to scale the wall and escape this strange temple.

A gust of wind swept past.

The shadow of death from before surged up within the young demon once more. It instinctively tilted to the right, only for that familiar massive Horse-Cutting Blade to flash past its left shoulder.

With a wet slicing sound, another arm flew away.

With a slap, the arm landed on the ground, joining the previously severed arm to make a pair.

This time, the young demon did not scream. It was as though it had been shoved into an ice cellar, trembling violently. Its fear of death clearly outweighed its pain.

"Oh? Your reactions are pretty quick. I missed again!" Chu Yang looked at the young demon with considerable surprise. Its ability to predict danger was nearly on par with his Observation Haki; it had actually escaped death twice.

"Could your Blood Demon Art be predicting danger?" Chu Yang glared at the young demon with a displeased expression.

The young demon was startled, because Chu Yang had guessed correctly. Its Blood Demon Art could indeed predict danger to a certain extent—it strengthened its instincts.

The young demon’s body was regenerating at a very fast rate.

But it was not sure whether it could stall until its body fully recovered. The youth watching it like a tiger eyed its prey wielded a blade as large as a door panel, one that could easily cut its body apart.

Despite carrying such a heavy weapon, the youth was as fast as lightning!