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Rengoku Shinjuro said: "The previous lord was a very gentle person. But he was too gentle, and he always blamed himself for the deaths of the Demon Slayer Corps members. He probably wanted to commit suicide a long time ago. It was only because of the responsibility of the Demon Slayer Corps and the Ubuyashiki family that he survived until the current lord grew up. He probably chose this path because he saw how outstanding the lord was."
Li Mo was silent. From Rengoku Shinjuro's tone, he knew that he had a close relationship with the previous lord. The Rengoku family had been the Flame Pillar for generations, so it was natural that they had a close relationship with the Ubuyashiki family...
"I am not sad, nor do I despise him. On the contrary, I respect the previous lord. It is very painful to watch my companions die."
"My lord, he is very good... Where is the tumor on his forehead now?"
Li Mo recalled it first, then said: "The right side of the lord's forehead is all covered with it. Mr. Purgatory, is there any problem?"
"A year ago, the lord was still a normal person with a handsome appearance." Rengoku Shinjuro said solemnly, looking at the ramen in front of him.
Chapter 51: Purgatory Family
Anyone who has seen Ubuyashiki Kōya knows that he is not at all "handsome" now. The large purple area on his forehead is intimidating.
You told me that this spread within a year? Then according to this trend, wouldn't the lord be completely blind in another year? Wait... I remember that the lord was already blind before the battle of Infinite City, and his body was about to fail, right? The lord's current situation is not much worse, right?
"Last year, something happened?"
"The lord said he seemed to see something, and this is the price. The specific reason is unknown... The Ubuyashiki family has intermarried with the priest family for generations, so it is normal for them to have mysterious abilities." Rengoku Shinjuro said: "As far as the Rengoku family's ancestors have observed, the lord's family has extraordinary observation abilities and has not suffered a major disaster in the past thousand years. The most dangerous time was during the Warring States Period hundreds of years ago, when a swordsman who knew breathing techniques became a ghost."
After a pause, Rengoku Shinjuro said, "How is it! Junior, have you ever experienced the process of a member of "Hidden" sending you to the lord's house?"
"I've experienced it, and to be honest it's terrible. The whole process is just a conversation with myself."
"Haha, I won't do that again. It will be convenient for me to go to the next meeting!"
"When I left, I left under the guidance of 'Hidden'. Mr. Purgatory, I came to you because I have something to ask you."
Rengoku Shinjuro nodded: "The master has explained your purpose in the letter. I'm going home soon, so you can go with me to look through some books. I don't remember such a thing!"
He is not ashamed of his shortcomings. He just doesn't know. His answer is very generous.
Rengoku Shinjuro is a passionate man, just like his name "Flame Pillar". After a night's rest, he rushed to his home without stopping, and the way to go was on foot.
The times were limited, trains could only reach a limited number of places, roads were not built to every corner, and horses were an important and scarce resource. Feet were still the most commonly used means of transportation.
Everyone’s pace is pretty fast, and although they are all “pillars” there might be some differences, but Li’s upgrades and one-stop services make them completely able to keep up with the pace.
"Junior, you're quite strong! Haha, you can keep up with my pace. I'm really happy to meet such an outstanding junior." Rengoku Shinjuro said with a big laugh.
"Isn't the senior's speed a bit too fast?"
"I can't wait to see my wife!"
Arriving at Rengoku's house, they walked along the road and stopped in front of a courtyard. Rengoku Shinjuro pushed open the door and saw the child standing in the courtyard. He went up to hug him, holding him up and said happily: "Ah! Kyojuro, you've become heavier again!"
"Father, welcome back." The little boy showed the same smile as his father: "Is this a guest? Hello, my name is Rengoku Kyojuro, and I am father's child! Please give me your guidance!"
Rengoku Kyojuro, now twelve years old, is the eldest son of Rengoku Shinjuro.
For time travelers, the name of Rengoku Kyojuro is well-known. His death will be the beginning of a great war, and the thousand-year feud between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan Kibutsuji will begin from here.
but now……
"Hello, I'm Li Mo." Li Mo held the little hand that Rengoku Kyojuro extended.
In addition to the head of the Rengoku family, Rengoku Shinjuro, and the eldest son Rengoku Kyojuro, there are also the mother Rengoku Ruka and the second son Rengoku Chijuro. It is easy to get along with this family. The father and son are both warm and cheerful people, and their behavior and words are not embarrassing. The only serious one is the mother Rengoku Ruka. After knowing Li Mo's purpose, she went to the study to look for relevant books, and Rengoku Shinjuro followed.
Li Mo and the two children were in the courtyard. Chishouro was only one or two years old and had just learned to walk. Rengoku Ruka was previously taking care of the child. But since the other party was helping him, it was only natural for him to help take care of the child.
——Originally, that’s what he thought.
Rengoku Kyojuro squatted down and encouraged Chijuro to walk. Even if his brother accidentally fell, he would not immediately help him up. He said in a serious tone: "Chijuro, you can do it. Come on, stand up."
Li Mo, who had taken care of the children in Zaomen's house for quite a while, suggested: "How about supporting him to walk? This way it will be more convenient."
Rengoku Kyojuro rejected the proposal. Senjuro would have walked this distance a few days ago, so there was no reason why he couldn't walk down now. The children of the Rengoku family didn't need help from others for things within their capabilities.
Isn't it embarrassing to just watch like this? It's like someone else is working and you are just slacking off instead of helping. Li Mo's sense of shame has not been completely lost, but he soon accepted himself like this. He squatted with Rengoku Kyojuro and encouraged Chijuro to slowly come over.
It was easiest to deal with children, whose laughter, anger and scolding were all shown on their faces. As they were playing, Chijuro felt tired and dozed off while sitting next to them.
Rengoku Kyojuro looked at his sleeping brother and immediately asked Li Mo: "Is Mr. Li Mo's breathing method the "Sun Breathing"? Ah, it's a breathing method I haven't heard of before! Is it Mr. Li Mo's own original breathing method?"
Apparently, Rengoku Kyojuro didn't know that "Sun Breathing" was the origin of the breathing method. In the original world line, Rengoku Kyojuro didn't know the story of "God of Fire Kagura" and the sun wheel earrings.
Li Mo tactfully told Kyojuro that this was not a breathing method he created, but one inherited from someone else.
"I see! I heard that Mr. Li Mo had mastered the breathing method of "Full Concentration·Changzhong" before participating in the "Final Selection"? It's really powerful! Father mastered this technique several years after becoming a soldier. Does Mr. Li Mo have any tricks?"
Breathing is a technique that speeds up blood circulation in the body, increases energy intake, and allows for stronger physical fitness. Ordinary swordsmen have mastered breathing techniques, but cannot use them often. The lungs and heart may not be able to withstand the pressure. "Full Concentration·Changzhong" is a technique that continuously maintains breathing, which challenges the human body's functions and will.
Li Mo said: "The trick is to blow up the gourd. Blow up the special gourd and you can practice. After this gourd bursts, change to a bigger one next time."
The gourd-blowing training method was copied from the original book by him, and it is very useful. The gourd-blowing training contributed to his ability to master the "Complete Works·Changzhong" so quickly.
Later, Rengoku Kyojuro asked Li Mo to practice with him. Li Mo did not refuse, but taught him moves. He knew nothing about "Breathing of Flame", but he had experience teaching moves to Santo and Tomioka Giyu. In addition, the difference in strength between the two sides was too great, so Li Mo was quite adept at it.
Until Rengoku Ruka and Rengoku Shinjuro appeared again, they looked through ancient books and found information about "Sun Breathing". They summarized the information that "Sun Breathing" was the origin of all breathing methods, and even that the unknown swordsman was expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps, but the ancestor of the Rengoku family was still in contact with him and helped him replace the Sun Blade and other details.
Apart from some details, what the Purgatory family recorded was similar to what Li Mo knew.
"If Ruhi wasn't here, I wouldn't be able to find such detailed information. Haha! It's so good to have Ruhi as my wife!" This is what Rengoku Shinjuro said that day.
The relevant information was found from many ancient books, and many of the information was fragmented. It was only because Rengoku Ruka sorted out the ancient books of the Rengoku family in his early years that he was able to find it easily. Rengoku Shinjuro could not do that.
He doesn't even know how many ancient books he has at home.
After staying at Rengoku's house for two days, he accompanied Rengoku Kyojuro in training and taught him some moves. Today, Li Mo received a new mission.
Chapter 52: One Year as a Pillar
A year just passed like this.
There is almost no difference between being a "pillar" and not being a "pillar". The members of the Demon Slayer Corps often move forward with the goal of "killing demons". They are proficient in how to kill demons. But how to find demons is the responsibility of the "in".
The number of members of "Hidden" is far greater than that of swordsmen. The horrific death rate of swordsmen means that the number of members will not increase. If it were not for the "final selection" that is carried out every year to provide fresh blood for the team members, it would be questionable whether this organization can continue to operate.
The work of the "pillar" is closely related to the "hidden" and the "soldiers". When a large number of soldiers die in a place and reinforcements are needed, the "pillar" needs to come forward. In this year, Li Mo provided various support and subjugated powerful ghosts under the report of the "hidden". These ghosts may be difficult to deal with compared to ordinary soldiers, but for Li Mo himself, most of them are a matter of one sword, and if it doesn't work, he will come back with another sword.
During the journey, he encountered the Twelve Ghost Moons, but it was not the upper six strings, but the lower six strings. Because of the opponent's blood ghost technique, Li Mo spent a lot of effort to chop off the opponent's head.
He and Ms. Tamayo have never stopped communicating. During this period, he also sent a lot of demon blood to Ms. Tamayo, but as her research deepened, her blood requirements became higher. It seems that in the future, only the blood of the upper strings will be needed.
——Let your future self worry about it.
"Next, what area will I be on duty in?"
Standing in the forest, this is a mine. The evil spirits living here have caused a commotion, so that work cannot proceed. The person in charge here is someone who has heard of the existence of the Demon Slayer Corps and invited them here. Many regular soldiers have died here, so Li Mo had to come here to work overtime.
"Ha ha - next, it's time for the idiot to rest." The Crow spoke when it landed on Li Mo's shoulder.
"Silly bird, I have told you countless times, don't call me stupid. Believe it or not, I will pluck your hair off and roast it to eat!"
"Gah—if you have the ability, do it!"
"Oh, I have such a bad temper!" Li Mo grabbed the crow's feet and swung them back and forth, causing several of its feathers to fall off. He had to rest for the next few days anyway, so there was no place for the crow to be used.
"Gah-Gah, bastard, bastard! Here's another letter for you."
"Oh? I thought this thing on your foot was just a decoration. Tell me, how many times have you fooled me?" Although he said that he didn't believe in his crow, Li Mo still stopped tormenting his crow and took the letter out of the crow's foot.
Crows usually don't carry any letters, as their intelligence ensures that they can repeat what people want to express at that time. The assignment of tasks follows this process, but for relatively private letters, this method will not be used. Crows will take on the responsibility of delivering letters like traditional carrier pigeons.
Let go of the crow's feet, and the other party should not retaliate against him. Using its aggressive beak to attack is one way, but before that, Li Mo will catch him again. The reaction speed of the "pillar" is not simple.
"A letter from Kanae?"
Looking at the signature, Li Mo remembered that gentle woman. The last time he met her was probably two years ago. After such a long period of training, she participated in the "final selection" this year and became a formal member. In addition to her own situation, Kanae also wrote about Kocho Shinobu. This year, it seems that there are outstanding players who are fighting demons everywhere on Fujiki Mountain, so much so that Kocho Shinobu, who can't even cut the neck of a demon, has passed the assessment.
In the letter, Kanae also specifically wrote that Shinobu Kocho poisoned an oni to death on Fujira Mountain, and was angry that there was no second oni as material for poisoning.
"Xiantu, you did a good job." Li Mo touched the back of his head. What he couldn't see was that the corners of his mouth were raised very high.
Destiny has been changed.
This year, Santu and Tomioka Giyu participated in their "Final Selection". This time, Santu was no longer killed by the hand ghost, but successfully passed the level. With the child's talent and strength, it is almost impossible for him to get into trouble in the "Final Selection" unless he encounters a ghost like the hand ghost who has taken advantage of loopholes. Last year, when participating in the "Final Selection", Li Mo chopped from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, and then chopped from the top of the mountain to the foot of the mountain again. He dug three feet into the ground, and it was impossible for a ghost with super strength like the hand ghost to appear.
It was hard for the swordsmen, as they had to capture a lot of ghosts alive and throw them to Fuji Mountain. As a "pillar", Li Mo had never done such a thing. To him, most ghosts were equally weak.
——Everything can be solved with one sword.
Li Mo once used this as a trump card to help others complete this kind of task.
"Gah—do you want to take a few days off?"
"Take a week's rest. I want to go back and see Mr. Urokotaki." Li Mo said.
Of course, it was impossible to set off immediately tonight. Li Mo, who had just entered the mine tunnel to kill the ghost, was dirty all over, and even his feather ornament was painted black.
If the death of a ghost did not take away all traces, he would probably have a lot of blood on his body.
Coming to a nearby mansion with a wisteria family crest, Li Mo rested for a night. Then he opened the system panel and entered the "Upgrade" interface, where he saw the experience bar that was almost zero.
"I finally reached level 12. The experience bar gets longer as I go further. Is it like the last five levels of the original god? The total experience bar is more than the first fifty-five or so."
Li Mo couldn't make up his mind. Who knew what would happen to this broken thing?
Seeing the extra six attribute points and his unchanged six-dimensional attributes, he closed the system interface. From the attribute point of view, he did not get stronger at all. But in terms of overall strength, he became much stronger. "Sun Breathing" and "Power Dissipation" were mastered more deeply through day-to-day training. He even mastered the use of "Power Dissipation" to unleash powerful destructive power.
That is, master the changes of relaxation and tension. Use this change at the moment of attack to generate unparalleled destructive power, and it is no problem to split mountains and crush rocks. The only pity is that Li Mo cannot use this change on the Sun Wheel Sword. He can only rely on his fists. He tried it with his ordinary sword, but the price was that the blade broke directly.
——The Japanese sword is a weapon that can be easily broken from the side.
"Next, should I find a time to disappear and go home? I just don't know what the speed of time will be like after I leave? Will the time I enter again be the same as when I left?"
"This is a piece of junk."
The system has been repaired a lot now. At least the interface is not as dog-gnawed as before. It is intact and looks good. That's all.
So far, you have only fixed the appearance. Why don't you fix the function?
I'm getting used to the unreliability of the system.
Complaining all the time, Li Mo looked at the time, took a rest, and then fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 53: Intermission, Daily Life
Li Mo quickly got out of work after a hard-earned vacation. The responsibilities of a "pillar" are very heavy, especially when the current "Nine Pillars" are vacant, the workload is very heavy.
In Li Mo's limited memory, he was running for more than 300 days a year, fighting evil spirits that ordinary soldiers could not deal with. To be honest, it was very hard, because the spirits that could kill swordsmen and needed the "pillars" to deal with them often did not gather in the same place. He often had to run around.