I connected to Mingnu's mind and asked her to teleport me to the designated spot. The dark clouds blocked the sun, so moving during the day wasn't a problem.
As the pipa's notes faded, my vision blurred for a moment. When it cleared, I was in an open space surrounded by bare, dead trees. I walked along a path I already knew.
Snow was still falling, and the wind cut through my cloak. Each step sank into the deep snow, leaving a small hole. The only sounds were the crunch of my boots and the wind whistling through the trees.
At the foot of the mountain
"Grandpa Sanlang… what's a ghost?"
Inside a small wooden house, a black-haired boy with a hint of red sat on the floor. A small table in front of him held a few empty bowls.
The boy stared blankly at the old man, who was laying out a mat. After a pause, the old man finally spoke:
"Since ancient times, cannibals appear after sunset… so never go out at night."
The boy frowned, still confused. He reached for a cup of hot tea and took a careful sip.
When the mat was ready, the old man went to the window, picked up his pipe, and started smoking. He turned to the boy.
"Eat quickly, then go to bed. We'll talk more tomorrow."
The boy finished his tea, tidied the small table, and crawled under a quilt. He watched the old man's back and spilled all his questions about the world.
The old man answered each one patiently. Hours passed. Eventually, he finished smoking, turned off the lights, and they both fell asleep.
On the mountainside
Darkness was falling, and I was still lost.
"I give up… maybe I'll just get lost here."
I glanced back at the crooked trail I'd made—it looked like I'd been running from a bear.
I pressed my hat down, squinted, and looked toward a distant flicker of light. It vanished almost immediately.
"Forget it… I'll rest here for a while. I'm exhausted."
To my left, I spotted a small, ruined house. Cobwebs draped every corner, and the roof had a large hole. I sank into a shadowed corner and closed my eyes.
Being a ghost, I didn't feel the cold, so I didn't need a quilt.
Back at the foot of the mountain
The sky lightened, though clouds still blocked the sun. The red-haired boy waved goodbye to the old man who had sheltered him that night and set off toward home.
The wind brushed against his face. A wooden tag earring swung from his ear, a scar marked the left side of his head, his red eyes gleamed, and his empty backpack bounced on his shoulders. He smiled.
"Charcoal's sold out for today. I can feed my brothers and sisters this year."
Halfway home, he spotted a small wooden house to the left. Its door hung open. He hadn't seen anyone live there in years. Curious, he stepped closer—and froze.
In the corner, a man in a suit sat on the floor. His eyes were half-closed, his face pale, lips bloodless.
"This is…"
"Wait… what? Can someone really move like this in a dream?"
I didn't know why, but my body started shaking. Blinking awake, the first thing I saw was a flash of red hair. Rapid breathing and footsteps hit my ears.
Maybe because I moved, the red-haired boy—Tanjiro—stopped. He gently set me on the ground, his face tense.
"Are… are you okay?" he asked.
I froze, blinking at him. Tanjiro? Why is he here?
I stood, brushing the snow off my clothes, but didn't answer. A gust of wind blew, and snow swirled, blocking Tanjiro's view. When the snow settled, I was gone.
"Strange…"
Tanjiro sniffed the air, but couldn't detect me at all, as if I had never been there.
From a high branch, I watched him, hiding my scent with my Blood Demon Technique.
We need to get to his house—fast.
From my vantage point, I spotted a wooden house nearby. That had to be his home. I landed lightly on the snow, moving without Tanjiro noticing.
As I approached, I was shocked—Tanjiro was already there. Was his stamina that good? Or was there a shortcut I didn't know about?
I observed him from a distance. Suddenly, the door opened, and two children ran out, hugging Tanjiro tightly. Then more people emerged. In my memory, I only knew Tanjiro, Nezuko, and their mother, Aoi Kamado. The rest were unfamiliar.
The story has been disrupted. Time to act.
I focused, my hands morphing into soft, whip-like extensions. Just as I prepared to strike, a tall figure stepped onto the path beside me.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi?!" I thought, stunned.
Yoriichi walked toward the Kamado family calmly. Tanjiro and his family greeted him warmly.
"Mr. Yoriichi… you're here again today," Aoi said.
"Ah," Yoriichi replied, his face unreadable. His Sun Sword hung at his side.
Even seeing him, I refused to back down. I had prepared for this.
"The First Form—Round Dance."
A faint sound, a flash of fire, and Yoriichi vanished from the family's eyes. The clash of steel rang out in the distance.
"You already knew I was here, huh," I muttered.
My right hand lashed like a whip, meeting his Sun Blade. Sparks flew, but the blade still cut into my arm. Pain flared, but it was minor—he hadn't activated his Red Blade yet.
"Why are you here… and why like this?" Tanjiro's thoughts echoed in my mind.
I smiled, my face twisted in a strange, eerie way.
"As a ghost, I'm here to kill. What else do you expect?" My voice was hoarse, almost like a whisper from the depths of hell. My body began to ripple and melt.
Yoriichi's red eyes scanned, sword drawn.
I shifted my real body elsewhere, leaving a clone to clash with him. My hands became whips again, striking the cabin walls. I didn't attack the family directly—Tanjiro needed to see my intent.
The wall crumbled with a crash. Aoi turned in panic, but before the debris hit, Ji Guoyuan appeared.
"Tenth Form: Brilliant Enlightenment!"
A column of fire erupted from Yoriichi's Sun Sword, blasting a hole in the collapsed house. I watched him save the family and couldn't help but grin. Not stupid at all.
The blast forced me back several meters. My jacket tore, my hat fell off.
"It's you!" Tanjiro shouted, rage burning in his eyes. Flying debris had grazed his family, and his fear turned to anger.
I snapped my fingers. Two ghosts appeared behind me, summoned from nearby, hungry for blood.
Aoi and Nezuko shielded the children. Tanjiro drew his axe, standing beside Yoriichi.
"I'll kill you—!" he yelled.
I stripped the remaining clothes from my torso. With my modifications, my abs were perfectly defined. Using whips could hurt me, so I extended my nails into sharp blades, raising an intimidating glare.
"You want to kill me? First, you have to survive."
On the outside, I looked majestic. Inside… I was panicking.
If I keep this up, I might have to run. If I don't… I could die here.