Chapter 131: I have to admit, Jing Liu's sword techniques are incredibly powerful, but let's see them in action.
The teenager was visibly nervous, just like the other Demon Slayer Corps members kneeling in the courtyard.
At this moment, the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen, walked over. Despite losing an arm and retiring from the front lines after his battle with Upper Rank Six, he still had to be present at such a crucial moment.
Now in a behind-the-scenes role, he wore a white kimono, and his once-tied long hair cascaded over his shoulders, giving him the air of a handsome man.
"Don't worry, Tanjiro. In the Demon Slayer Corps, besides the Hashira, everyone else just needs to remember Yanqing's sword moves. It's okay if you can't remember the full picture; we can piece it together later from everyone's memories."
"But..."
"Tanjiro, don't put too much pressure on yourself. You're not the only one responsible for recording sword techniques; the entire Demon Slayer Corps is. You have to believe in yourself and your comrades."
Uzui Tengen patted Tanjiro's shoulder.
"Also, we'll be responsible for recording Jingliu's sword techniques. You don't need to worry about that."
—
「 "I like your confidence. But 'how can you know who wins or loses before the sword is drawn,' right?" Jingliu scanned her surroundings.
"The abominations here seem to have been wiped out by you. Why don't we find another place?"
The two arrived at a corner of the Artisanship Commission, where many monsters were still gathered in the distance.
"Let's start here," Jingliu said calmly.
"This place is overrun with Mara-struck, and the air is thick with evil, perfect for testing sword skills. Slaying abominations doesn't violate the Cloud Knights' rules, nor can it be called 'gambling with official business,' right?"
Yanqing confidently glanced at Jingliu.
"How do we decide the winner?"
"We go from here to the end of the path without leaving a speck of abomination behind us. The first one to the end wins."
"Alright, it's a deal." Yanqing nodded.
"Lead the way."
Yanqing didn't refuse Jingliu's deference, but as he stepped onto the stairs, he suddenly paused, turned back to look at Jingliu, and teased, "Oh, by the way, you wouldn't take the opportunity to turn around and run away, would you, big sister?"
Jingliu placed a hand on her hip and said coldly, "Jing Yuan really has corrupted you... all talk and no action."
There was a Mara-struck Disciples of Sanctus Medicus on the stairs. Yanqing wielded his flying swords and effortlessly cut them down. But in that brief moment, he hadn't kept an eye on Jingliu, and she had already vanished.
"Where did she go...?"
Yanqing rushed forward for a good while before he finally saw Jingliu standing by a corpse in the distance, seemingly having waited for him for a long time. 」
「 .....」
〜Baki World〜
"So fast—!"
Miyamoto Musashi exclaimed, pounding the table.
"Not just her footwork and speed, but her understanding of the Mara-struck is extraordinary."
"Oh? Musashi, how can you tell?"
Tokugawa asked curiously.
"Look at the wounds."
Musashi pointed at the Mara-struck beneath Jingliu's feet.
"I saw Brother Yanqing slay the Mara-struck, mostly with dense flying sword attacks. While agile and swift, it's more for show and a bit lacking in actual combat."
Miyamoto Musashi paused, then continued,
"The more skilled a swordsman, the deeper their understanding of the enemy. They know the quickest way to kill, without any superfluous movements—like an experienced butcher who can dismember bones and flesh even blindfolded. Jingliu has mastered the art of one-hit kills."
"In contrast, the Mara-struck killed by Yanqing were covered in sword wounds from flying swords, while the Mara-struck killed by Jingliu had intact corpses, with wounds only in critical spots, incredibly... precise."
"But the wounds on the Mara-struck Jingliu killed don't seem to be from a sword?"
Retsu Kaioh asked curiously.
"But isn't she a swordsman?"
"Heh heh, how can swords be so inconvenient?"
Miyamoto Musashi scoffed.
"Do you think you can't kill without a sword?"
"A swordsman of her caliber is no longer constrained by the physical form of a sword. One could even say... the sword itself is a limitation on her swordsmanship."
"Against such unworthy opponents, she doesn't even need to 'draw her sword,' does she?"
—
「 "I didn't even see you overtake me!" Yanqing immediately tensed up.
"You're so slow, little brother." The voice seemed a little disappointed.
In the blink of an eye, Jingliu had vanished from her spot. When Yanqing caught up again, two more Mara-struck corpses lay beside her.
"But... how is that possible?" Yanqing was drenched in sweat.
Jingliu turned her head, her tone seemingly tinged with a hint of teasing.
"This time, what delayed you?"
"Damn it!" Yanqing gritted his teeth, a "creak" sound escaping. For the first time, he felt like a mouse being toyed with by a cat, played with in someone's palm. He realized that Jingliu wasn't even using her full strength, even leisurely waiting for him.
As if she were deliberately trying to demoralize him.
"You'll need to work harder; Otherwise, you won't even catch me in a starskiff."
Before her words faded, Jingliu's figure vanished again, leaving only her cold, snow-like voice echoing in the air, like countless fine silver needles pricking Yanqing's heart.
Yanqing continued to chase frantically, but where were the Mara-struck left for him along the way? Only scattered corpses lay by the roadside, and the woman's voice drifted in the wind.
"It's been a long time since I've had so much fun..." 」
「 .....」
〜Demon Slayer World〜
"That tone, it sounds a little off..."
The Love Hashira, Kanroji Mitsuri, shivered, beginning to worry about Yanqing's safety.
"She's not going to go on a rampage later, is she?"
"That's not important at all, is it?"
Shinazugawa Sanemi irritably slapped his thigh.
"The important thing is that this path is almost over, but we haven't seen Jingliu make a move at all! How are we supposed to learn her sword techniques?"
Following Yanqing's perspective, his moves were clearly visible, but the problem was that after eliminating the first Mara-struck, he didn't even get a chance to fight the other monsters.
Jingliu was like a gust of wind; wherever she blew, Mara-struck died. By the time Yanqing arrived, all he saw were dead bodies on the ground.
...How were they supposed to learn anything like this!?
—
「 Yanqing reached the final platform, but there was only one Mara-struck left gasping for breath.
Jingliu took a deep breath, seemingly still unsatisfied.
"A long time has passed since I wielded this sword... The heat of combat nearly cast me into the darkness."
"Come on, little brother. I'll let you finish up." 」
「 .....」