The last glow of the setting sun lingered on the horizon.
Snowflakes drifted down slowly, some as fine as grains of sand, others large and fluffy like goose feathers.
Having sold off the last of his charcoal, Tanjiro was preparing to head home.
Li Xuan, who had been watching the town from the window ledge for quite some time, finally decided to make his move as well.
Before leaving, he handed a letter to the innkeeper, asking him to pass it on to his companions. In that letter, he made his intentions clear: he wished to leave and act alone, and they should not trouble themselves over his absence.
Earlier that afternoon, some of the other reincarnators had come to invite him to scout for information, but Li Xuan had refused with the excuse that the sudden cold had made him ill. They did not seem to care much and simply went off without him.
The reason he avoided joining them was simple. Li Xuan was not eager to learn about demons from unreliable sources.
Meeting Tanjiro had changed everything. There was no need to waste time gathering rumors when following this boy would naturally lead to battles against demons.
The demons Tanjiro encountered in his early journey were usually weak ones, though that was only in comparison to the stronger, more terrifying demons that lurked elsewhere.
For example, the demon Tanjiro fought in the temple at the beginning of his story would still be dangerous even for Li Xuan. Though his body was trained to the level of a peak human and his combat skills were strong, facing such a creature head-on would not be without risk.
Still, there would always be opportunities to strike at the weakened enemy after Tanjiro had fought it down.
As for the reincarnators he had been grouped with, their usefulness was questionable. The veteran Ye Miaoyi certainly had the strength to be reliable, but she was no babysitter. Her goal was to evaluate new recruits with potential, not to waste her time handholding the inexperienced.
And truthfully, Li Xuan had no desire to act under her authority. She was stronger and more seasoned than him, and if they worked together she would inevitably restrict his actions. He despised being constrained.
Confronting the group directly about his decision would have been troublesome, so he had chosen to slip away without farewell.
The truth was that Li Xuan had never felt much bond with the members of Zhongzhou's Fourth Squad. To him, they were nothing more than passing acquaintances. Leaving them behind cost him no effort and no regret.
Stepping out of the inn, he walked toward Tanjiro, who was just about to begin his journey back home.
Sensing someone approaching from behind, Tanjiro turned and looked at the stranger.
When he saw Li Xuan, a man he had never met before in town, Tanjiro greeted him with a gentle smile.
"Sir, are you here to buy charcoal? I am sorry, but I have already sold out for today. I will be back again tomorrow if you need some."
"Ah, no," Li Xuan replied with a shake of his head. "I am a traveler. Unfortunately, a thief stole all of my belongings."
Tanjiro's expression shifted into one of concern. "Sir, I have a very keen nose. I can help you track down the thief and recover your things."
As he spoke, Tanjiro raised his nose slightly and sniffed the air.
He was inhaling Li Xuan's scent.
Tanjiro's sense of smell was extraordinary, so sharp that it bordered on the impossible. He could perceive not only physical scents but even the faintest hints of a person's emotions or nature.
Tracking stolen property would be a trivial task for him.
As he continued to breathe in, Tanjiro detected Li Xuan's character. The man before him seemed to be good-hearted. Yet there were layers in his scent that puzzled him. Something did not quite add up.
"Uh…" Tanjiro hesitated.
Li Xuan felt a pang of guilt. His casual lie had clearly captured the boy's attention far more seriously than he expected.
"You will not be able to find it," Li Xuan admitted, softening his voice. "The theft happened while I was still on the road, before I even reached this town."
Of course, one lie required another to cover it. Yet to his surprise, Tanjiro did not seem to notice the deception. Perhaps he simply had not considered that possibility.
"I see," Tanjiro said at last with clear disappointment. "If that is the case, then you must not have any money to stay at an inn. Would you like to come to my home for the night?"
Perfect.
Li Xuan's plan was working out exactly as he hoped. By following Tanjiro, he could not only secure food and shelter but also come into contact with Tanjiro's future teacher, the retired Water Hashira, Urokodaki Sakonji.
The Hashira were the most powerful fighters in the Demon Slayer Corps, each one a symbol of peak strength in this world. If not for Tanjiro, finding one in this vast and underdeveloped land would have been nearly impossible. Even if he managed to locate one, there was no guarantee they would take him in.
Urokodaki, however, was different. Having retired from combat, he dedicated himself to training the next generation of slayers. By attaching himself to Tanjiro, Li Xuan could naturally gain a place as one of Urokodaki's disciples. Daily training under a Hashira would provide him endless opportunities to grow stronger.
Still, he could not help but marvel at Tanjiro's lack of suspicion. How easily this boy invited a complete stranger into his home.
Suppressing his inner thoughts, Li Xuan smiled warmly and reached out his hand in thanks.
In truth, Tanjiro was not a fool without awareness. He did possess a pure heart, but his decision here was not based on naivety alone. He had already confirmed through scent that Li Xuan was not a bad person, and that was reason enough for him to trust.
Tanjiro grasped Li Xuan's hand firmly.
Li Xuan's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Sign in."
The familiar notification echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations. You have obtained the skill: Keen Sense of Smell.]
Immediately, Li Xuan's senses shifted. His nose opened to the world in a way he had never known before. Every scent grew sharper, more distinct, as if the air itself were layered with countless hidden notes. The range of his perception expanded dramatically, allowing him to feel even the emotions of Tanjiro beside him.
This was no ordinary sense of smell.
Now that he had acquired Tanjiro's gift, Li Xuan realized how extraordinary it truly was.
"Let us go, sir," Tanjiro said gently. "The sky will be dark soon."
"My name is Li Xuan," he replied, introducing himself despite knowing that his foreign name would sound out of place in this land.
"I am Kamado Tanjiro. Please take care of me."
Li Xuan nodded in acknowledgment.
The two of them began their journey up the mountain path toward Tanjiro's home. With every step, the sky darkened, shadows lengthening across the snowy ground.
As fate dictated, they soon passed by the solitary dwelling of an old man. The elder refused to let them continue on, insisting they remain under his roof. Tanjiro attempted to decline, but the man's earnestness could not be ignored. He warned of the dangers of demons that roamed the night and pleaded with them to stay.
Though Tanjiro was not entirely convinced, he could not bring himself to reject the lonely old man. Reluctantly, both he and Li Xuan agreed to stay the night.
That evening, Li Xuan entertained Tanjiro with wondrous tales from his original world. To Tanjiro, these stories were the thrilling experiences of a well-traveled wanderer. He listened with rapt attention, eyes gleaming with delight, until the old man urged them to sleep.
At dawn, under the old man's kind smile, the two set out once more.
As they walked, Tanjiro continued to pepper Li Xuan with questions, fascinated by the strange wonders of the outside world. His eyes shone with excitement, his breath puffing white in the cold morning air.
The closer they came to Tanjiro's home, the more eager he became, already imagining how he would share Li Xuan's stories with his younger siblings, showing them the vastness of the world beyond their mountain.
Yet in the very next moment, their cheerful conversation came to an abrupt halt.
Both of them froze.
In the cold mountain air, the unmistakable stench of blood, thick and overwhelming, struck their senses all at once.