Li Xuan suddenly slapped Gyokko on the forehead.
"Put away your aura."
The demon on the ground visibly shuddered after that slap.
A moment later, the oppressive atmosphere lifted, and everyone in the room felt a sense of relief.
Yushiro gave Li Xuan a deep, meaningful glance.
To think that such a powerful demon would be captured alive and still tremble in fear of him. Just how terrifying was his strength?
"Upper Moon Five. Gyokko, is it?" Tamayo folded her hands calmly in front of her and took a moment to settle her racing thoughts before speaking.
"You recognize him?" Li Xuan asked.
"I do not. I deduced it from the number in his eyes and some information I had heard about his appearance," she replied.
"Then you don't seem all that surprised."
"I saw the sack twitch earlier and guessed that Mr. Li Xuan might have captured a demon. I just didn't expect it to be Upper Moon Five."
Tamayo's voice was calm, but her words carried weight.
"What is Upper Moon Twelve?" Tanjiro asked with wide eyes.
Tamayo and Yushiro patiently explained everything to him in detail.
"So this demon is terrifyingly powerful?" Tanjiro murmured after listening.
Tamayo nodded with a grave expression.
"Then his blood should be useful," Li Xuan said, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Indeed. The blood of an Upper Moon demon is extremely close in nature to that of Muzan Kibutsuji," Tamayo replied as she pulled out a syringe.
She tried to pierce Gyokko's skin, but the needle immediately snapped against his hardened scales.
Gyokko's scaly flesh was tougher than diamond. While Li Xuan's demonified blade sliced through it like tofu, that did not mean its toughness was exaggerated. On the contrary, it was dangerously real.
Tamayo retrieved another syringe and carefully searched for a spot where the needle might penetrate. However, there was nowhere suitable. Even his eyeballs were too hard, almost like stone.
She eventually turned to Li Xuan with a silent plea for help.
In her eyes, anyone capable of reducing Gyokko to such a state could surely break his defenses for blood extraction.
"Do you want to do this yourself, or should I help you?" Li Xuan directed his gaze toward Gyokko.
"You damned bastard! Are you mocking me?!" Gyokko, who had been lying silently, suddenly lifted his head. His eyes flared with rage.
Li Xuan slowly placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
Gyokko's defiance instantly deflated. His eyes dimmed, and he fell back, silent again, a mouth in his eye socket now drooling blood onto the floor.
Yushiro hurriedly placed a container beneath the dripping blood, catching it as it flowed steadily.
"Is that enough?" Li Xuan asked when the basin-sized container was full. "If not, I can make him bleed some more."
Gyokko, pale and crumpled on the ground, nearly choked on his own blood at those words.
"That will be sufficient," Tamayo responded.
Gyokko inwardly sighed in relief. He had been nearly drained dry. Any more and he might truly die.
Suddenly, Li Xuan furrowed his brow and made a sound of confusion.
In an instant, his Nichirin Blade was drawn and hurled toward the wall.
The blade sliced through the wooden wall like lightning, followed by a soft popping sound as it struck something in the darkness.
Then came a loud crash as the sword embedded itself in the stone wall outside, sending debris flying.
Everyone inside, humans and demons alike, were startled by the sudden action.
"What was that?" Tanjiro asked quickly.
"Someone just attempted to attack us," Li Xuan answered, eyes narrowing.
Yushiro's face turned grim.
"My Blood Demon Art was disrupted. The concealment spell has been broken. Someone has infiltrated the building."
"Let's head outside and investigate," Tamayo suggested.
Li Xuan nodded.
Gyokko, still lying on the ground, noticed something critical—the blade was gone from Li Xuan's waist.
His weapon is no longer with him.
To a demon slayer, a Nichirin Blade was essential. It was their primary weapon, their only means to kill demons. Without it, their sword techniques would be far less effective.
Just as he considered making a move, a soft but terrifying voice whispered from nearby.
"If you move, I will eat you alive."
Gyokko's body trembled violently.
He had forgotten something crucial. This demon slayer was far from normal.
He had no doubt that Li Xuan meant it. This man could transform into a demon himself. And demons eating other demons… that was usually forbidden without Muzan's explicit permission. But someone like Li Xuan, who could convert both humans and demons at will, could very well devour him on the spot.
Gyokko quickly abandoned any ideas of resistance and returned to playing dead.
If there was even the slightest chance of survival, he would take it. He still had work to do for Lord Muzan. He couldn't afford to die here.
When he finally met Muzan again, he would see to it that this slayer was obliterated completely.
With that thought, Gyokko reaffirmed his determination.
Li Xuan lifted him and shoved him back into the sack, then walked outside with Tanjiro and the others.
The scene awaiting them was far from pleasant.
Not far away, a man in a monk's robe was pinned to a stone wall by a Nichirin Blade embedded in his shoulder. He was suspended helplessly, like a grotesque ornament.
Beside him, a woman holding handballs was desperately trying to pull him free. However, the blade was lodged too deeply.
"They're both demons," Tanjiro said at once.
"Which one do you want?" Li Xuan asked.
His meaning was clear—one demon for each of them.
Although Li Xuan could end both demons with a single strike, he knew Tanjiro needed real combat experience. This was necessary for survival.
With Tanjiro's current strength, he held the upper hand against either demon individually. It would be a good test.
"I'll take the male demon," Tanjiro replied, just as expected.
"Damn it!" shouted Yahaba, the demon dressed as a monk, still pinned to the wall. Enraged at being ignored, he tore through his own flesh, slicing off part of his shoulder to free himself.
His body slid down, and the wound rapidly healed.
"You bastard!" Yahaba's eyes remained closed, but the two eyes embedded in his palms glared directly at Li Xuan.
He could see clearly now. That blade embedded in his shoulder had been thrown by Li Xuan. He had seen the empty sheath at his waist.
Dust covered him. His clothes were filthy. He had a severe cleanliness obsession.
That sword had soiled him.
The rage within him erupted. His mind spiraled out of control.
Beside him, the female demon with the handballs, Susamaru, noticed her partner's fury and did not interfere.
"Looks like the one who threw the sword is yours. Be careful not to die," Susamaru said with a sneer.
"I don't need your advice," Yahaba responded sharply, crossing his arms and preparing to unleash his Blood Demon Art.
But in the next instant, Li Xuan vanished from his sight.
"He chose you, so you'll fight him," came a cold voice from beside him.
Yahaba's heart nearly stopped.
Then pain exploded through his chest as Li Xuan delivered a powerful whip-kick, shattering every bone in his body and sending him flying.
Yahaba crashed into a cherry tree in the courtyard, collapsing in a heap of broken limbs.
Li Xuan turned toward Susamaru.
"You're the one left. I'll be your opponent."
The arrogant expression on her face faded, replaced by a look of deep concern.