The two of them walked tirelessly, and it was only by nightfall that they arrived at Mount Fujikasane.
The mountain was draped in countless clusters of wisteria blossoms. From afar, it seemed like a painting, a vision of mystery and solemn beauty.
The heavy fragrance of the flowers drifted through the night air, filling their lungs with a bittersweet scent.
The pale violet petals shimmered in the moonlight, swaying gently as if whispering secrets of protection.
Wisteria was one of the few natural banes of demons. Its toxins, much like the sunlight, corroded their bodies and disrupted their regeneration.
Demons instinctively avoided it. In fact, even within the tales of the Demon Slayer Corps, the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, had once used wisteria poison during the desperate battle in the Infinity Castle, sacrificing herself to take down the Upper Moon Two, Doma.
To demons, the poison of wisteria was something unspeakably terrifying.
This explained why Mount Fujikasane had so many wisteria trees. The flowers grew in thick, deliberate rings along the base and middle of the mountain, creating a natural barrier that prevented the demons trapped inside from escaping.
Yes, there were demons on the mountain, and not just a few.
The condition for passing the Final Selection was simple yet cruel: survive seven days within the mountain.
It did not matter whether one hid, fought, or fled. If they endured until the seventh sunrise, they would be acknowledged as members of the Demon Slayer Corps.
For the unprepared, survival was impossible.
One way or another, direct encounters with demons were inevitable. Hungry demons would sniff out the scent of human flesh and attack relentlessly.
Though most of the demons on the mountain were weaker than those who roamed free, their captivity and starvation had sharpened their bloodlust into madness.
Many were captured alive by Demon Slayers and released here specifically for the trial. With proper training, a candidate should be able to hold their own against a single one of these fiends. Yet it still required both courage and wit.
One needed the bravery to confront snarling monsters with gleaming fangs and burning eyes, and the intelligence to hide when outnumbered, to bind wounds when injured, and to preserve strength until the ordeal ended.
But courage and wit were not qualities every novice possessed. Facing demons for the first time, witnessing their grotesque strength and horrifying regenerative abilities, most candidates panicked. Fear clouded their judgment, and hesitation sealed their doom.
This was why so few survived each year. If even half the participants returned alive, it was considered an extraordinary outcome.
Climbing the stone steps, passing beneath a scarlet torii gate, the two young men entered a vast courtyard. Already, dozens of candidates stood waiting, their shadows long beneath the lantern light.
Li Xuan's eyes swept over the gathering. He spotted Kanao Tsuyuri, the foster daughter and disciple of the Insect Hashira. He saw Zenitsu Agatsuma, once trained under the former Thunder Hashira.
He recognized Genya Shinazugawa, younger brother of the Wind Hashira. The important figures of the future story were all present. The rest, he knew, were nameless souls who would not matter to history.
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming to tonight's Final Selection of the Demon Slayer Corps."
Two twin girls dressed in purple kimono, each holding a lantern, stood before the crowd. Their voices were gentle, yet hollow, like wooden dolls speaking without emotion.
The participants immediately fell silent, recognizing them as official attendants of the Corps.
"In this mountain," one girl continued, "are demons captured alive by Demon Slayers. They cannot leave, for from the foot to the mid-slopes of Mount Fujikasane, wisteria blooms all year round. However, from this point upward, there is no wisteria. The demons roam freely there. To survive seven nights upon this mountain is the condition to pass. That is all. May fortune be with you."
Their emotionless delivery left the crowd tense.
After hearing the rules, Tanjiro leaned closer to Li Xuan and whispered, "Shall we go together?"
Li Xuan shook his head calmly. "We can walk together if you wish, but there is no need."
Because of Urokodaki's intensified training and Li Xuan's occasional guidance, Tanjiro was now far stronger than he had been in the original course of events.
Li Xuan was confident that even the Hand Demon would not pose the same insurmountable challenge it once had. For Tanjiro to grow, he needed to face the trial himself.
So after parting ways with Tanjiro, Li Xuan approached Genya Shinazugawa instead.
Genya was a rough-looking youth with dark, spiky hair styled like a rooster's comb. A scar stretched across his left cheek down to his nose.
Fresh bruises and scratches marred his face, remnants of a scuffle he had just had with Zenitsu.
"What do you want, you bastard?" Genya growled when he noticed Li Xuan striding toward him with a calm, almost curious look. The way Li Xuan's eyes studied him so openly made him bristle with irritation.
Li Xuan, however, was intrigued. Genya possessed a rare ability: by consuming demon flesh, he could temporarily transform, enhancing his strength and regeneration in proportion to the power of the demon he devoured. To Li Xuan, this skill was fascinating and worth obtaining.
He smiled, attempting what he thought was a friendly expression.
But Genya's temper was already hot from earlier. Seeing that smile only convinced him that Li Xuan was mocking him. Rage boiled over, and without hesitation, he threw a punch straight at Li Xuan's face.
Gasps echoed through the crowd as onlookers turned their heads to watch.
Li Xuan's hand slipped to the hilt of his sword. He pushed it slightly, causing the sheath to shift backward. The end of the sheath shot out and intercepted Genya's fist. No matter how much force Genya applied, his hand could not get past it.
"Damn it!" Genya's face flushed red with frustration. He pulled back, trying to swing around the sheath and strike at close range.
But before he could get close, Li Xuan pivoted, swinging the sheath sharply into Genya's back. The impact knocked him to the ground with a thud.
"What the hell are you doing?" Genya spat, his voice hoarse with anger.
"Your temper is too short. Fix it," Li Xuan replied evenly, crouching and patting Genya's shoulder almost as if he were giving advice.
[Sign-in successful]
[Acquired skill: Demon Devour]
The description was simple enough: consume demons to gain strength and temporarily transform.
Not particularly special, and it overlapped somewhat with Li Xuan's existing ability to demonize. Still, he mused that it might serve well as a disguise in the future.
"You think you're somebody?" Genya roared, his pride wounded. Being humiliated in front of so many people stoked the fire in his chest. "If I had my gun right now, you'd see…"
But when he lifted his head again, Li Xuan was gone.
Seething with fury, Genya etched Li Xuan's face into his memory, vowing that the next time they met, he would not lose.
Higher up the mountain, the contrast with the lower slopes was stark. No more shimmering wisteria blossoms filled the air with their perfume.
Instead, a dark, oppressive forest stretched endlessly, the trees casting long shadows that trembled in the moonlight. The silence was heavy, pierced only by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures.
The chill of the air gnawed at the skin, and a faint smell of rot lingered, as if countless unseen things had died and decayed beneath the soil.
The number of participants was not small, yet on such a vast mountain their presence was scattered, like pebbles cast into the sea without a ripple.
The trial tested one's ability to survive alone, to hunt demons, and to endure fear. Forming groups was not forbidden, but few had the foresight or trust to do so.
Most charged in alone, confident in their own skill, unaware of the horrors waiting in the dark.
The human scent spreading across the mountain was like blood in the water, drawing demons from their hiding places.
One by one, twisted forms emerged from the shadows, their claws gleaming, their mouths dripping with saliva.
They had been starved for a year, and the hunger drove them to madness. Their minds were stripped bare, leaving only animal instinct that screamed for flesh.
Li Xuan walked alone through the dim forest. The ground was soft with fallen leaves, and the cool night air pressed against his skin. Suddenly, the silence broke with the sound of rustling.
His sharpened senses, as keen as Tanjiro's or even Urokodaki's, picked up the foul stench of demons approaching. He could hear the wet drip of their drool hitting the ground.
"Human!" one of the demons shrieked, hurling itself toward him. The others, unwilling to let their prey slip away, rushed out in frenzy. In moments, five demons surrounded him, lunging from every side.
Li Xuan did not flinch. His eyes remained calm, his breathing steady. His hand tightened on his sword.
In an instant, the blade gleamed in the moonlight as he drew it.
"Water Breathing. First Form. Water Surface Slash."
The words left his mouth as softly as ripples spreading over a pond.
A wave of blue light unfurled from his sword, arcs of water rippling outward in elegant circles. The demons rushed in, their roars drowned in the sound of crashing waves.
In the blink of an eye, their heads were severed. The bodies fell and disintegrated into ash, fading into the night wind.
For multiple opponents, the Fourth Form, Striking Tide, might have been more efficient. But Li Xuan was unconcerned. Strength meant he could be reckless, and it mattered little which form he chose.
The hunt had begun.
Every demon he slew would raise his contribution value for the side mission. He had no intention of wasting this opportunity.
His keen nose would guide him to every demon lurking in the shadows of the mountain. Weak or strong, it did not matter. They would all fall before his blade.