The Converging Pillars

Feiniao leaned against the cold platform pillar, closing her eyes to rest under the dim gaslight.

But no matter how much you try to nourish your spirit, it's been too long.

He glanced at Shinobu Kocho, who was sitting quietly in the waiting area of ​​the platform next to him, flipping through her notes and occasionally looking towards the tracks that stretched into the darkness.

More than half a day has passed, and we are four hours late for the scheduled rendezvous.

"Tsk." Asuka clicked her tongue impatiently and kicked a pebble at her feet.

"Are you in a hurry?" Butterfly chuckled, looking at Asuka with curiosity. "I thought you were the type who wouldn't let external factors affect your emotions no matter what."

"...This is taking too long. I'm worried that Mr. Tomioka might be in danger," Asuka replied sullenly.

This is not a lie.

After the battle with the Upper Moon Demon Moon, Asuka had a fairly deep impression of this powerful predator.

Giyu Tomioka's failure to appear at the expected time made him a little worried that the other party might have encountered the Upper Moons ahead of time.

"Don't worry, Mr. Tomioka..."

Before Shinobu could finish her sentence, the distant rumble of a new train and the rhythmic sound of wheels rolling over the tracks filled the air.

The night train, puffing out white smoke, slowly pulled into the platform and came to a stop with a screeching sound of brakes.

The doors opened, and a few passengers disembarked.

Finally, a figure wearing a two-tone haori with a Demon Slayer Corps uniform underneath, and with a low ponytail, appeared at the car door.

Water Pillar Tomioka Giyuu stepped onto the platform expressionlessly. His face, which seemed to be forever expressionless, showed no apology or explanation for being late, only his usual calm.

Or rather, it's a silence that's hard for others to understand.

He walked straight toward the two people who were waiting.

"Mr. Tomioka, you're long late." Asuka spoke directly, without any intention of beating around the bush: "Even if you had other plans, you should have had Kasugai Crow deliver the message to avoid us making the wrong judgment."

Seeing that Giyu Tomioka was not in danger, Asuka's slight concern for him turned into dissatisfaction.

Time waits for no one. Although he and Shinobu Kocho had gathered important intelligence from the Fujino family in the countryside, which sped up the mission, it was no excuse for being slow.

Giyu Tomioka paused, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something.

But in the end, he only gave a faint "hmm" as a response.

Shinobu took a small step forward at the opportune moment, a gentle yet knowing smile on her face, and explained softly:

"Haha, Asuka, you wouldn't know this..."

She waved to an old jay circling on the roof of the car, as if to say hello: "Mr. Tomioka's jay is quite old. Sometimes it leads the wrong way or makes mistakes... It must have mixed up the instructions again and gone in a big circle before finally returning to the station."

Shinobu Kocho had experienced Giyu Tomioka's foolishness several times before, so she wasn't surprised that he was late.

She looked at Yiyong, who did not deny it, but simply looked away slightly, which was considered an admission of Shinobu's speculation.

Asuka thought of her capable shrew, and then glanced at the old shrew that looked somewhat dejected and whose feathers had become much duller, which was perched on Tomioka Giyuu's shoulder. The dissatisfaction in her heart dissipated, and she sighed helplessly.

"Never mind, it's good that they've arrived." Asuka waved her hand, not wanting to dwell on the topic. "Our investigation in the countryside has made progress, although the process has been a bit strange..."

Together with Shinobu Kocho, he quickly recounted the events that had occurred at his relatives' house in the Fujino countryside:

"...Unfortunately, that monk is dead. We didn't have time to get more information out of him. Kanao is currently conducting an autopsy on him." Shinobu Kocho said seriously, "By the way, he mentioned a name—Doma. Have you found out anything about it?"

Asuka added, "That ice Buddha made by the Blood Demon Art can act on its own. We don't know how many of these remotely controlled puppets that demon can make. Judging from the concentration of demonic energy within them, it is very likely an Upper Moon demon."

Giyu Tomioka nodded silently, listened attentively to the two men's reports, and then said in a deep voice:

"I don't have much useful information here, but I can confirm that the sect's headquarters is located in Mount Miaogao."

"Let's go then."

With a clear goal, no further words are needed.

Without further delay, the three set off immediately, leaving the deserted station under the cover of night and heading deep into the Xinyue Mountains.

The night was deep, and the mountain road was rugged.

Far from human habitation, the air in the mountains and forests becomes primitive and chilly.

The mountains and forests in late autumn should be ablaze with color, a tapestry of reds and yellows. However, on the way to Mount Myoko, as the altitude increases, the air temperature begins to drop sharply.

While it may still be chilly at the foot of the mountain, snowflakes have already begun to fall on Mount Miaogao, covering the forest with a thin layer of the first snow.

Moonlight spilled onto the pristine snow-covered slopes, reflecting a cool glow that made the entire mountain appear exceptionally solitary and desolate against the deep blue night sky. No wonder it is also known as Echigo-Fuji.

"Asuka, have you heard the story of 'Mikoshi Nyudo'?" Along the way, Shinobu Kocho suddenly remembered a folk legend:

"It is said that there is a monster on Mount Myoko that will quietly appear above the mountain path when travelers are climbing it, and look down at them."

"When pedestrians look up at it out of fear or curiosity, it will grow taller and larger, more and more terrifying, until it scares the traveler out of their wits and causes them to fall into the abyss..."

"Legends are often another way of saying reality, and they may not be entirely unfounded."

"Perhaps these legends were originally the actions of evil spirits, but they were distorted and turned into strange tales after being passed down for a long time," she said seriously.

Asuka nodded in agreement, but also stated frankly, "If it were me, I would draw my sword the moment I saw that monster."

"...Asuka, that's not how the supernatural tales go."

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the group rounded a huge, snow-covered, bare rock face and finally came to a flat clearing in the forest.

It was a shrine.

Contrary to what Asuka had imagined—an ancient or dilapidated shrine deep in the mountains—the building before her exuded a deliberately crafted, almost eerie, sanctity and luxury.

The vermilion torii gate was so vibrant it looked as if it had just been painted, and it stood out dazzlingly in the snow and moonlight.

The bright red column is intricately carved with golden lotus patterns, layer upon layer, winding from the base to the top.

Behind the torii gate, the lanterns on both sides of the approach path are carved from crystal-clear ice crystals, reflecting the thin layer of snow covering them in a cool blue light.

The bird walked ahead and entered the courtyard of the building first, and could see the large characters on the plaque of the main hall from afar.

"What does it say on it?" Asuka asked in a low voice.

Giyu Tomioka replied expressionlessly, "The Eternal Paradise Cult."

Is this the main camp of the Eternal Bliss Cult?

Asuka drew her weapon and prepared for battle ahead of schedule.

The response he received was a deliberately affected and unpleasant male voice:

"Oh dear, oh dear, why are you already resorting to violence before we've even exchanged a single word?"

The sliding door was pulled open from the inside by two human monks, and a man stepped out.

The person who emerged held a pair of golden iron fans and looked down at the pillars with eyes like seven-colored glass.

Upper Moon 2

Upon seeing this person, Shinobu's pupils constricted, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

This was not fear, but extreme anger.