Cheng Mo's gaze turned to Tanjirou, who had just finished a round of pillar training and was now adjusting his breathing.
"Tanjirou."
"Yes! Teacher!" Tanjirou immediately stood straight.
"Perform your family's Hinokami Kagura Dance for me, from beginning to end," Cheng Mo said, "Use all your current strength and breathing to perform it."
Tanjirou was startled. Although he didn't understand why his teacher suddenly made this request, he nodded without hesitation: "Yes!"
He walked to the center of the clearing, took a deep breath, and slowly began, recalling his father's frail yet solemn dance.
Initially, his movements were a bit stiff, but soon, that sense of rhythm deeply ingrained in his bloodline emerged.
His movements gradually became fluid and powerful. Every turn, every swing of his arm, carried an ancient rhythm perfectly aligned with his breathing.
The whooshing of the wind accompanied his increasingly rapid movements.
Cheng Mo's [Eye of Truth] was fully activated, his gaze fixed intently on Tanjirou.
In his vision, as the Hinokami Kagura Dance progressed, Tanjirou's vital energy surged and flowed within his body along an extremely complex and intricate path, creating a wondrous resonance with his breathing.
Even more striking was that a certain scorching and pure energy from the heavens and earth was subtly drawn in by this dance, entering Tanjirou's body in faint wisps. Though weak, it was undeniably present!
The breathing energy within Tanjirou's body flowed with it.
Becoming increasingly fiery, increasingly magnificent!
The nature of that energy… vast, bright, warm, as if containing fragments of the sun!
"So that's it," Cheng Mo suddenly understood.
"This is an extremely profound guiding technique. Through specific movements and breathing frequencies, it leverages external energy to refine one's own vital energy."
"The operational principle of Sun Breathing is actually like this! It's not merely about squeezing oneself dry, but about drawing in external energy to nourish oneself. No wonder it's called the progenitor."
This was completely different from the Thunder Breathing he had cultivated before, which focused more on internal excavation and break out (explosion).
It also provided him with crucial reference for perfecting his "Qi Refining Technique."
Perhaps his Qi Refining Technique could not only nourish himself but also attempt to guide external energy?
Tanjirou poured all his strength into completing the entire Hinokami Kagura Dance.
When the final movement ended, he was almost spent, collapsing directly onto the ground.
Sweat dripped profusely, his chest heaving violently, unable even to speak.
But his eyes shone with light. For the first time, he felt as if he had truly touched a sliver of the essence of this inherited dance!
After a long while, he finally caught his breath and looked at Cheng Mo, who had been silently watching him. He couldn't help but ask the question that had been in his heart for a long time.
"Teacher… how do you know about our family's Hinokami Kagura? And it seems… you understand it very well?"
Cheng Mo was silent for a moment, then pointed to Tanjirou's forehead and ears.
"Your forehead scar and the Nichirin flower paper earrings you wear are too conspicuous. The reason I didn't let you accompany me to Asakusa before, besides you not being able to help, was partly because of this."
Tanjirou subconsciously touched the scar on his forehead and his earrings, becoming even more confused: "This… is there anything special about this? The scar on my forehead was left from an injury when I was little, protecting my younger siblings, and the earrings are a family heirloom…"
Cheng Mo looked at the boy's clear yet puzzled eyes, knowing that some things could no longer be vague.
After a slight pause, he decided to use a half-truthful "story" to explain.
"I once saw snippets about the founder of 'Origin Breathing' in some ancient family records and relevant Demon Slayer Corps documents."
Cheng Mo's voice was calm, as if recalling distant records.
"The records mentioned that the founder had a similar flame-shaped scar on his forehead and wore the same Nichirin flower paper earrings."
"Later, that founder passed on his legacy and those earrings to a kind family who made a living selling charcoal, and then disappeared."
Tanjirou listened, dumbfounded, his heart pounding.
His family's Hinokami Kagura… actually had such a grand origin?
And was connected to the founder of the Breathing Technique?
"Tea-teacher… then… what was that original Breathing Technique?" His voice trembled slightly.
Cheng Mo looked at him and slowly uttered four words: "Sun Breathing."
"The origin of all Breathing Techniques."
Tanjirou was struck as if by lightning, standing frozen in place, unable to recover for a long time.
The origin of everything… Sun Breathing… So what his family had guarded for generations was actually something so incredible!
After a long while, he finally recovered from the immense shock, suddenly remembered a question, and asked eagerly:
"Then, Teacher, since you know Sun Breathing, why did you still teach me Thunder Breathing? If you want to learn Sun Breathing, I… I can teach it to you! Although I don't perform it very well yet…"
Cheng Mo shook his head.
"I'm not very interested in Sun Breathing itself, but some of its energy circulation principles are very insightful for me to perfect the 'Qi Refining Technique.' This can improve our basic cultivation efficiency."
He paused, then continued: "As for why I taught you Thunder Breathing… Tanjirou, you must understand that while Sun Breathing is powerful and called the progenitor, after hundreds of years of development, other derivative Breathing Techniques also have their own advantages and characteristics."
"For example, the extreme speed and burst of Thunder Breathing are not fully possessed by Sun Breathing, and it also aligns better with my own combat style."
"What I hope you learn is not a 'strongest' Breathing Technique, but rather to draw upon the strengths of various schools and find the path that best suits you and best brings out your own qualities."
"Blindly pursuing the so-called strongest is putting the cart before the horse. Moreover, the current Sun Breathing is even difficult for you to perform, let alone use in combat."
Tanjirou listened intently. His teacher's words were like morning bells and evening drums, dispelling the slight confusion and agitation that arose in his heart from learning about "Sun Breathing."
Yes, what is suitable is best.
His teacher's Thunder Breathing was incredibly powerful, and Mr. Tomioka's Water Breathing was also exquisitely subtle.
What he needed to do was, like his teacher, see the essence and then forge his own path.
"I understand, Teacher!" Tanjirou's eyes became clear and firm again. "I will diligently cultivate Thunder Breathing, and I will also strive to unravel the mysteries of the Hinokami Kagura… no, Sun Breathing, and find a way to combine them!"
Cheng Mo looked at him, his fighting spirit rekindled, and nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Rest. We'll continue tomorrow."
The next day.
In the mountain morning, the thin mist had not yet dispersed.
Tanjirou was performing weighted rock climbing training on a steep rock face, as per Cheng Mo's instructions.
Cheng Mo stood below, observing his disciple's movements with sharp eyes.
Just then, a rapid flapping of wings sounded from the sky.
A dusty Kasugai Crow swooped down like an arrow, landing precisely on Cheng Mo's raised arm.
"Mr. Cheng Mo! Mr. Cheng Mo! Kamijima's message! Caw!" The Kasugai Crow shrieked, speaking human words.
Tanjirou was also drawn by the commotion, carefully sliding down the rock face and looking over curiously.
Cheng Mo took a small rolled-up paper strip from the bamboo tube on the Kasugai Crow's leg and unfolded it.
On it was Kamijima's slightly scrawled but clear handwriting:
[To Mr. Cheng Mo:]
[Thank you very much for clearing out multiple demons recently. Our pressure has greatly reduced, and casualties among our members are under control.]
[Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku has finished his urgent duties and is actively moving towards your area. He is expected to rendezvous with your unit within two or three days.]
[Furthermore, please be extremely vigilant! Among the demons that have appeared recently, there are some abnormal individuals whose ferocity and regenerative abilities far exceed the norm. They are suspected of having undergone "special enhancement" and are extremely difficult to deal with. Please be very careful if you encounter them!]
[—Kamijima]
Cheng Mo's gaze lingered on the third piece of information for a moment, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"Special enhancement…" he murmured to himself.
No need to think further, this must be Kibutsuji Muzan's doing.
"Teacher, is that a message from Mr. Kamijima? What did it say?" Tanjirou walked over, wiping sweat, and asked.
Cheng Mo handed him the paper strip: "Read it yourself."
Tanjirou took the paper strip and quickly scanned it, his face immediately showing delight: "Mr. Rengoku is coming? That's great!"
He was filled with curiosity and anticipation for the Flame Pillar, whose name he had only heard but never met.
But when he saw the third point, his smile faded, and his brow furrowed: "Specially enhanced demons… will they be much stronger than what we've encountered before?"
"Yes," Cheng Mo nodded, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity. "Muzan's methods cannot be judged by ordinary standards."