She clenched her tiny pink fists and said with a strained smile, "Su Chen-kun, why did you dodge so fast? I'm not going to eat you."
But Su Chen didn't fall for it. Instead, he said earnestly, "You never know. I've heard there are 'Ghoul Eaters' in this world. Some people can even eat demons, so why not humans?"
Shinobu Kocho's face instantly darkened. She was about to draw her sword, but Su Chen placed his hand on her hilt first, stopping her.
"You only know..." Shinobu's mouth opened, but she swallowed the rest of her sentence: "...how to bully me."
She was a Hashira, and saying something like that would damage her dignity. But Su Chen was really getting more and more mischievous! Was her Butterfly Step technique meant to be used like this?
Shinobu had just taught Su Chen her life's work yesterday, and today he was already using it to bully his teacher? Very well.
Shinobu Kocho closed her eyes and took a deep breath of oxygen into her lungs.
Su Chen's pupils constricted when he saw this. It seemed he had overdone it...
But just then, the silhouette of a crow suddenly appeared in the courtyard.
"Caw! Caw! Order! Traces of a powerful demon have been found in Autumn Mountain! Shinobu Kocho is ordered to proceed! Caw!"
The crow's cry swiftly halted Shinobu's movements.
Su Chen seized the opportunity. "It seems there's trouble somewhere again. It's alright, the mission is important. You should go first, Shinobu-jie!" He put on an understanding expression, which made Shinobu grit her teeth.
"Train well!" Shinobu said fiercely.
"Yes, yes, yes," Su Chen nodded.
After that, Shinobu gave some instructions to Kanzaki Aoi and Kanao. She went into the house to make preparations. A moment later, her figure flashed, and she vanished from the courtyard.
Su Chen's expression immediately became serious. He asked Xiao Caihui, who was beside him, "Is Shinobu always this busy every day?"
"Yes!" Xiao Caihui said, as if it were obvious. "There are so many demons in this world. Lady Shinobu has to slay demons every day."
Xiao Qing and Xiao Cheng, who were nearby, couldn't help but add, "Lady Shinobu works very hard. Ever since Lady Kanae left, Lady Shinobu has been looking after the Butterfly Mansion all by herself. But she never complains to us about her work. She always talks to us with a smile, just like a big sister."
"Is that so?" Su Chen fell into thought.
Shinobu Kocho, to put it plainly, was just an eighteen-year-old girl. Anyone could see the effort she had put in to get where she was. Even though just living was already exhausting, she still persevered silently. It was possible that only hatred was supporting her and keeping her going.
Su Chen had lived in the Butterfly Mansion for some time now and had experienced its kindness. Especially Shinobu Kocho. She was truly like an angel. She had no Hashira airs and treated everyone in the Butterfly Mansion gently.
Now, knowing that Shinobu had missions every night, Su Chen suddenly felt that he had been too relaxed.
So, while it wasn't completely dark yet, Su Chen practiced with Kanao again. He learned all the remaining forms of Flower Breathing.
Just like that, Su Chen continued to live in the Butterfly Mansion for a few more days. Only about a week was left until his duel with Shinazugawa.
He organized all the skills and insights he had recently gained.
First, there was the clear improvement in his body. Su Chen had brought modern training methods with him. Every day, he not only did weighted running but also one hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, and one hundred squats.
This training volume gradually increased over time. Combined with Su Chen's amazing comprehension, by the fourth day, he could already clearly feel his physical fitness had gotten stronger. Not only did his stamina recover much faster, but he also ran faster than before, and his lungs became stronger.
Su Chen began to refine his breathing technique. He ran all day, overusing his lungs with rapid breathing. So now, he had to practice breathing slowly, very slowly, allowing the air to circulate all the way to his fingertips.
Meditation could improve concentration, so Su Chen would also meditate at different times. During meditation, Su Chen discovered that he could consciously enter a strange state. He called this state 'Bullet Time.'
In 'Bullet Time,' the paths of all movements around him would seem to slow down in Su Chen's eyes. His observation skills would be enhanced infinitely. He could perceive not only the movements of people, but even the rustling of leaves and the blowing of wind nearby. Like a bee's compound eye, Su Chen could see many things that were usually invisible.
Also, in this state, Su Chen's learning ability was terrifying.
Because he used his brain so much, Su Chen would often feel mentally drained. This prevented him from using that time to train his body. So, he divided his comprehension. He would only use 'Bullet Time' when he felt it was necessary to learn. When he didn't need it, Su Chen could use his abundant energy to do other things.
Using this method, Su Chen hadn't learned any new techniques recently. However, he had pushed every muscle and cell in his body to its limit. It was exhausting, but as long as he kept going, he would grow stronger.
In the blink of an eye, two more days passed.
Only five short days were left until the duel with Shinazugawa. Shinobu Kocho had not yet returned from her mission.
The infirmary was getting very busy, so Su Chen quickly learned medical skills and would help Kanzaki Aoi in his spare time. This helped Su Chen get to know the other Demon Slayer Corps members.
To the surprise of Kanzaki Aoi and the patients, Su Chen could heal even the most severe injuries. This made the Demon Slayer Corps members look at Su Chen with new respect.
In fact, a few days later, rumors spread that there was a male "divine doctor" in the Butterfly Mansion. Su Chen just said he was helping out. As for medicine, wasn't that a very simple matter?
"Su Chen-gege, could you please go to the basement to find some bandages? The ones Lady Shinobu brought back earlier have run out," Xiao Qing called out toward the inner room while she tidied up.
Su Chen finished his meditation and casually replied, "Okay."
Then he headed toward the basement of the Butterfly Mansion.
He didn't find the bandages, but Su Chen did discover Shinobu Kocho's laboratory. Seeing no one around, Su Chen quietly walked in.
The instruments in the room were a bit cluttered. On the table were professional documents and research notes, all covered with small notes. However, the room as a whole still looked very tidy. It showed that Shinobu Kocho was a clean person in her daily life.
Suddenly, Su Chen found a notebook on the table. The handwriting on it was dry, so it looked like it was written a few days ago. It was probably a diary Shinobu had written in a hurry before she left.
Su Chen opened it and took a look.
"Tuesday, Weather: Sunny."