Stepping out of the dense forest, Ye Ming felt the long-lost warmth of sunlight cascading over his body. The gentle touch of light was like a pair of soft hands caressing his skin, dispelling the lingering gloom of the dark and treacherous environment he had endured. A cool breeze swept through, carrying the faint fragrance of wisteria flowers, intoxicating and soothing.
Ye Ming stretched, inhaling deeply, savoring the crisp freshness of the air.
Beside him, Zhen Gu smiled.
"Finally out," she sighed in relief. "This should mean we've passed the test."
Ye Ming glanced around. Around ten people stood nearby, all survivors of the trial. The usual pass rate for this exam was notoriously low, but thanks to Ye Ming's overwhelming strength, many had survived who otherwise wouldn't have made it.
A familiar voice greeted them.
"Welcome back."
Ye Ming turned to see the same woman who had sent them off at the start of the trial. She approached gracefully, stopping at a table draped with a purple cloth.
"Congratulations, everyone," she announced. "It's a blessing that you've returned safely."
She gestured toward the table. "First, we will distribute team uniforms. Please step forward to have your measurements taken."
Several hidden members of the corps emerged from the shadows, wielding measuring tools as they swiftly took Ye Ming and the others' sizes.
"From today onward, all who passed will officially be Ghost Slayer Corps swordsmen, ranked at the lowest level—Gui. There are ten levels, from A to Gui, with Gui being the starting rank."
With that, she pulled aside the cloth covering the table, revealing a collection of ore that resembled volcanic rock.
"Now, each of you will choose a piece of 'Jade Steel'—the core material for forging your Nichirin swords."
She clapped her hands, and a chorus of caws echoed in the sky. Crows descended, each landing on a new swordsman's shoulder.
Ye Ming reached out, gently stroking his crow's head in fascination. "So this is the talking crow… Kanae and Shinobu both have one, right?"
The woman nodded. "These crows will serve as your messengers. They will relay orders and updates from the Corps."
Stepping aside, she gestured toward the ore. "Now, please choose your Jade Steel."
Ye Ming and Zhen Gu approached the table, scanning the stones before them.
"They all look the same to me," Zhen Gu muttered, narrowing her eyes in concentration. She leaned closer, inspecting them carefully, but couldn't discern any differences.
Ye Ming, however, activated his Six Eyes. Instantly, every minute detail of the stones became visible to him. In his vision, each rock emitted an aura of radiant heat, reminiscent of the sun—likely the key to their demon-slaying properties.
Without hesitation, he selected the one radiating the strongest sun-like energy.
"This one," he said, handing it to a hidden corps member.
Then, he turned to Zhen Gu, who looked at him in shock.
"Ye Ming, can you actually tell the difference between these?" she asked, surprised.
Ye Ming didn't hide the truth. He pointed at his unique eyes.
"My Six Eyes allow me to see things others can't. They grant me certain special abilities."
Zhen Gu nodded in understanding. "Oh, that makes sense. My master has an enhanced sense of smell, so I guess it's not that strange."
She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you heading back to Butterfly Mansion now?"
Ye Ming remembered that she wanted to learn the Insect Breathing technique from Shinobu.
"Yes. Do you want to come with me?"
Zhen Gu shook her head. "No, I'll head home first. I need to tell my master the good news. He's lost too many disciples to this trial… He should hear that at least one of us made it through."
Ye Ming nodded in agreement and pulled out a map. He marked the location of the Butterfly Mansion and handed it to her.
"Once you're ready, come find me here."
With that, they parted ways—Ye Ming heading toward Butterfly Mansion, and Zhen Gu toward Mount Sagiri.
The journey to Butterfly Mansion would take about three days. Eager to reunite with Kanae and Shinobu, Ye Ming decided to travel day and night to shorten the trip.
As night fell, he traversed a narrow mountain path, his Six Eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. Silver beams filtered through the treetops, casting eerie shadows along the ground. The air was deathly silent, save for his own footsteps.
Then, even the distant animal cries faded.
Ye Ming's grip on his sword tightened. His instincts screamed of approaching danger.
He stopped, eyes shifting toward a cluster of rocks. His voice was calm but sharp.
"If you're planning a sneak attack, hurry up. I don't have time for games."
To an ordinary observer, it might have seemed like Ye Ming was speaking to himself. But he knew better.
A moment later, the rock formation suddenly shifted—sharp stone spikes shot toward him in an instant.
Ye Ming didn't flinch. He didn't even bother drawing his sword.
The spikes froze mid-air, mere inches from his body.
From below, the ground split apart as a massive humanoid figure emerged—a gargoyle-like creature made entirely of stone. Without warning, it swung a colossal fist at Ye Ming.
This demon had planned to ambush him, waiting underground until Ye Ming walked past. But Ye Ming's enhanced perception had foiled the surprise attack.
The gargoyle, however, wasn't worried. Its Blood Demon Art allowed it to control the surrounding rock, encasing itself in layers of unbreakable stone armor. Most Demon Slayer swords couldn't even reach its true body.
"Die, ghost hunter!" the demon roared from within its stone shell, launching another strike.
Ye Ming remained motionless, eyes calmly analyzing the enemy.
"So you're hiding inside the rock? That's annoying… I'd rather not damage Kanae's sword."
The gargoyle's fist halted just before touching Ye Ming.
"Wh-what?" The demon's voice trembled. "Why can't I move forward?"
No matter how much force it exerted, the attack refused to land. Cold sweat dripped down the gargoyle's hidden face. Then, its eyes met Ye Ming's.
Those glowing Six Eyes…
A crushing sense of dread overwhelmed the demon.
This… This human is a monster!
Panic surged within it. "I-I have to run!"
The moment the thought entered its mind, it turned to escape underground.
But it was already too late.
A voice, chilling and absolute, rang behind it.
"Reversal Technique: Cang."
A deep blue light flashed.
The demon felt an unbearable force pulling it backward. The stone armor encasing its body shattered piece by piece.
In that instant, it knew—there was no escape.
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