"Nannan Dong, Nannan Dong, Li Xing, immediately proceed to Mount Da Yue to hunt demons, proceed with caution!"
"Kanzaki Kanae, immediately proceed to Mount Da Yue in the northeast direction to hunt demons, proceed with caution!"
After a few days of rest, Li Xing's first demon-slaying mission arrived. Coincidentally, Kanae also had a mission, and it was separate. Li Xing felt a great regret that they couldn't team up, it was such a pity.
"My first job? Hehe, it's just a shame I couldn't go with Kanae. Oh well, I'll go see Kanae after I finish my mission."
After packing his belongings, Li Xing left the Butterfly Mansion. Shinobu looked at Kanae with some worry. The previous three Tsuguko had all sacrificed themselves. They must come back alive.
"Kanae, Li Xing-kun, may your journey be blessed!"
Li Xing didn't look back upon hearing Shinobu's words, he simply waved goodbye. He heard that the reason for not saying goodbye was the desire to meet again, so Li Xing didn't dwell on those frivolous and sentimental thoughts.
However, given Li Xing's current strength, he should be able to slay a Lower Rank demon. If he encountered an Upper Rank again, he would have to use his cheat abilities. If he met Muzan, he would have to use the power of the Heavenly Dao of Data. At least he wouldn't die in this world.
"Li Yun, help me calculate my current strength level."
"According to the data statistics, Xing's strength is around Gyutaro and Daki, the Upper Rank Six. Currently, in the Demon Slayer Corps, you are estimated to be slightly below Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira."
"(￢_￢)"
"Am I that weak? Before Gyutaro appeared, I should have been suppressing Daki, right? How am I on the same level as her?"
"Answer: The combat power comparison between two individuals cannot be determined by a single battle. If data simulation is performed ten, one hundred, or one thousand times, you and Daki are at a sixty-four split."
"Alright~_~ It seems I still need to train hard!"
With that, Li Xing quickened his pace towards Mount Da Yue.
...
After several days of travel, Li Xing finally reached the vicinity of Mount Da Yue. As soon as he entered Mount Da Yue, Li Xing felt something was wrong. There was a very oppressive feeling here, as if his power was being suppressed.
"Li Yun, have I been poisoned?"
"Xing has not been poisoned."
Li Xing felt relieved upon hearing this. But if he wasn't poisoned, why did he feel this oppressive sensation? Could it be a Blood Demon Art? This felt very wrong.
"Charge forward! Charge forward!"
At this moment, a pig-headed creature rushed out from the forest. Li Xing was startled. Damn it, that was too loud!
"Inosuke!" Li Xing shouted. Inosuke suddenly stopped and looked at Li Xing.
"You know me? Perfect, fight me!"
Li Xing was speechless. This Inosuke's brain really wasn't working well. Didn't he feel the presence of a demon here? Fight? Isn't he afraid of a demon ambushing them and killing them both?
"Do you feel the presence of a demon here?" Li Xing asked Inosuke.
Li Xing remembered that Inosuke had a spatial perception skill, which should be able to locate demons, right?
"Demon? Where? This is my territory!"
"Forget it, asking is useless. This brain, how did he survive?"
Li Xing didn't want to waste any more time with Inosuke. The priority was to find the demon and dispatch it. He turned and headed deeper into Mount Da Yue.
"Human! Where are you going? Come and fight me!" Inosuke watched Li Xing walk away and quickly ran after him, still shouting about a fight.
...
Upon entering the mountain, Li Xing smelled a foul odor and immediately deduced it was the smell of a demon. Although Inosuke had been bothering him for a while, it might be better to have him along now. If it was a demon's nest, he could share some of the pressure.
"Inosuke, keep up, I've found a demon!" Li Xing ran towards the direction of the stench. When Inosuke heard there was a demon, he ran even faster than Li Xing.
"Ara ara, where are you two heading?"
At this moment, a demon walked out from the side. This demon had an ugly face, with three barbs growing on its left cheek and its right hand shaped like a blade.
Li Xing never underestimated any demon. Demons have varying strengths, but one should not let their guard down. He immediately drew his Nichirin blade and confronted this Barbed Demon.
Inosuke didn't care about anything else and charged forward, shouting "Charge forward!"
"Inosuke, be careful!" Li Xing saw Inosuke charge and followed him, thinking a two-on-one would be safer just in case.
"Kekekeke! Such good luck!" The Barbed Demon let out a villainous laugh, which gave Li Xing goosebumps. What an unpleasant sound.
"Beast Breathing, Second Fang, String Shredding!"
"Snow Breathing, First Form, Drifting Snow!"
The two attacked simultaneously, but the Barbed Demon did not panic, instead wearing a sinister smile.
"Blood Demon Art, Reset!"
Suddenly, Inosuke fell to the ground, unconscious. Li Xing also felt a sudden weakness, almost fainting.
"Kekekeke, become a part of me!"
The Barbed Demon lunged at Li Xing, ignoring Inosuke. In its eyes, the pig had lost its combat ability. It would deal with the man in front of it first. As for why he hadn't fainted, it didn't bother to think about it.
"What kind of technique is this? Oh my god, I'm going to fail."
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*
Li Xing barely managed to parry the Barbed Demon's attacks. The hardness of the demon's hands was comparable to steel, especially the blade-like appendage on its right hand.
"No, if this continues, I'll fail. I need to change my attack method," Li Xing thought to himself.
"Sun Breathing, Second Form, Twisting Whirling Rays of the Blue Sky!"
Li Xing used Sun Breathing to fight. This was a technique from the man at the pinnacle of combat power in Demon Slayer, and it had absolute restraint over demons.
With one strike, he severed the demon's raised arm. The Barbed Demon cried out in pain and immediately retreated. Its body trembled slightly. Was the demon afraid? No, it was Muzan's blood encountering that man's power; it was Muzan who was afraid.
"What is happening? I'm actually trembling. Who are you? Why weren't you affected by my Blood Demon Art! Why? Why hasn't my body regenerated?" the Barbed Demon roared at Li Xing.
"Who am I? I am Li Xing, the Sword Immortal of the Demon Slayer Corps, presenting myself!" Li Xing looked at the Barbed Demon with arrogant eyes. If it weren't for not knowing how he was affected by the Blood Demon Art and having his strength suppressed by more than half, he could have dispatched this level of demon within five moves, if not instantly.
At this moment, Inosuke attacked from the side. Although he didn't manage to kill it, he still inflicted two wounds.
"Damn demon, you made this Great Lord fall asleep! You deserve to die!"
Then, the two and the demon began to fight. Although it was their first time teaming up, their cooperation was surprisingly good, and they had already begun to suppress the Barbed Demon.
The Barbed Demon's combat power had decreased due to the severed arm, and it was also enduring the pain from Sun Breathing. For a moment, it was beaten back repeatedly.
Seeing that it could not hold on any longer, the Barbed Demon shouted towards the sky, "Lord Hatred, save me!"