Cheng Mo raised his hand and gently placed it on Tanjirou's shoulder.
His palm was steady and strong, carrying a warm temperature.
"Tanjirou," Cheng Mo's voice was a little softer than usual, "look up."
Tanjirou subconsciously looked up, meeting his teacher's deep and calm eyes.
"First, do not use your own limits to measure the height of others; it is meaningless," Cheng Mo's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached Tanjirou's ears, "your comparison should be with your yesterday's self."
He paused, then continued: "Secondly, who told you that my power has reached its peak?"
"Eh?" Tanjirou's eyes widened suddenly.
"My strength is still in a period of rapid improvement."
Cheng Mo's tone carried the calmness of stating a fact, yet it stirred up a storm in Tanjirou's heart!
Still rapidly improving?!
Teacher is already ridiculously strong, and he's still getting stronger?!
"As for Muzan…"
Cheng Mo's gaze swept past Tanjirou, looking towards the bustling streets in the distance, his eyes slightly cold.
"He has lived too long, and the trump cards he has accumulated far exceed your imagination. Rushing into a death match is unwise. Frightening him away and buying time to become stronger was the optimal solution at the time."
He looked at Tanjirou, then suddenly changed the subject: "Moreover, Tanjirou, the power hidden within you might far exceed your own imagination."
"Me?" Tanjirou pointed at himself in confusion.
"Your family's Hinokami Kagura, passed down through generations…" Cheng Mo slowly said, "That is not merely a dance; it is a… extremely ancient and powerful nascent form of power."
Tanjirou was completely stunned: "Hinokami Kagura… it…"
"It is a Breathing."
Cheng Mo stopped there, not revealing more secrets about Sun Breathing; Tanjirou needed to awaken and comprehend it himself.
"A Breathing that might be able to touch the origin of the world. Feel it carefully, combine it with Qi Refining Technique, that is your true path."
His words were like a ray of light, cutting through the fog in Tanjirou's heart.
Teacher is still getting stronger!
And, his family's Kagura dance… is it really that amazing?
A warm current surged back into his heart, dispelling the unease and hesitation.
Yes, how could he be discouraged now?
Teacher is still moving forward, how can he stand still!
He still has Nezuko to protect, and revenge to exact!
He must also figure out the things passed down in his family!
"Yes! Teacher! I understand!"
Tanjirou responded loudly, his eyes once again clear and firm, his previous despondency completely swept away.
"I will work even harder! I will never give up!"
Watching his disciple reignite his fighting spirit, Cheng Mo nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Almost!"
"Good, once you're done, go say goodbye to Mr. Matsushita, and then…"
Cheng Mo paused, looking at the bustling Asakusa streets outside the window.
"Let's enjoy the city today and get something to eat."
"Eh? Enjoy?" Tanjirou was stunned again. Teacher would actually proactively suggest… enjoying himself?
"Yes, we've been here for several days and haven't really looked around," Cheng Mo's tone was still calm, but it carried a subtle, imperceptible warmth, "relax for a day, then we'll depart tomorrow."
When they bid farewell to Matsushita Eiichi, the old shopkeeper was quite reluctant to see them go.
Especially towards Cheng Mo, he repeatedly stated that the doors of Jianji Hall would always be open to him, hoping he would visit often in the future.
Cheng Mo thanked him for his kindness and said nothing more.
Then, the master and disciple truly began to wander aimlessly through the streets of Asakusa.
Cheng Mo seemed to have completely put aside all tasks and worries, accompanying Tanjirou as they walked through the bustling crowd.
They went to Nakamise-dori, where Cheng Mo bought Tanjirou various snacks.
From steaming hot dango to golden pancakes, he himself ate very little, just watching Tanjirou eat with his cheeks puffed out and his eyes sparkling.
They watched street performers; Tanjirou gasped at the fire-breathing acrobatics, while Cheng Mo watched quietly from the side.
Tanjirou hesitated for a long time in front of a hair ornament stall, imagining Nezuko wearing one. Cheng Mo directly paid for a wooden hairpin carved with wisteria flowers.
Cheng Mo even took Tanjirou to ride the then-novel streetcar. Tanjirou excitedly and nervously gripped the handrail, watching the flowing streetscape outside the window.
By the end of the day, Tanjirou's smile grew wider and wider, temporarily forgetting his sadness and pressure.
And Cheng Mo, for the first time in a long time, felt a pure sense of relaxation belonging to "life."
No calculations, no vigilance, just simply walking, watching, listening.
As the sun set, the master and disciple sat by a small food stall. Tanjirou contentedly drank a bowl of hot mochi and red bean soup.
"Teacher," Tanjirou suddenly asked quietly, "where are we going next?"
Cheng Mo looked at the clouds dyed red by the sky and said, "We're leaving Tokyo and heading west."
He paused, then added: "I heard that there is a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps stationed there. Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku. We can pay him a visit along the way."
"Flame Pillar?" Tanjirou's eyes widened. Another Pillar!
"Is he a swordsman as powerful as Mr. Tomioka?"
"Yes, I hear he's a… very unique person."
Cheng Mo recalled the passionate, loud-voiced man from the original work, "Interacting with him might also be beneficial for your training."
More importantly, Cheng Mo silently calculated that befriending this Flame Pillar, who was highly popular and had pure beliefs in the original work, and if he could change his tragic fate through this… the space-time coins he could gain in return might be beyond imagination.
This was also an important "investment."
After a night's rest, the next morning, the master and disciple left the bustling and noisy Asakusa.
Tanjirou looked back at the towering Kaminarimon and the bustling crowd, burying the shock, sadness, confusion, delicious food, and brief joy of the past few days in his heart.
Then he turned around and closely followed his teacher's footsteps.
His gaze was even firmer, and the sword at his waist seemed to be held more steadily.
A new journey had begun.
💎 Power Stone Bonus: Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter
🌟 5-Star Review Bonus: Every 5 (5-Star) Reviews = +2 Extra Chapters
💬 Comment Speed-Up: If any chapter reaches +10 Comments = The Next Chapter Will Be Released Faster!
🔥 Want to Read Ahead? If you want to read advanced chapters, check out my buymeacoffee(.)com/Oyunbozan