Demon Capital Slayer

Chapter 19 The Blank Country
Roar!
A monster lunged from the edge of the roof, and Yu Jian casually swung out his oil-mixing knife.

The red pigment shot into the sky, easily severing the monster's neck.

Although they look scary, the monsters in these paintings are quite limited in strength and speed, and most of them are even weaker than ordinary people. Apart from the special ability to pass through the picture frame, they are probably just like homebodies who lack exercise.

Their movements were observed by Yu Jian's emerald eyes, not much faster than a tortoise in the eyes of an eagle.

If this world were full of monsters like these, he wouldn't have to worry about safety.

Just like the previous monster, the "Three No's Golden Finger" of the Asura's Dream still hadn't worked. Yu Jian was somewhat concerned about this, but now was not the time to think about it.

Standing on the rooftop, Mitsuki and Isshiki Akane, who was carried on his shoulder, simultaneously looked around.

Looking around, all you see are various antique buildings from the old era. Although the walls are covered with strange colors and various paintings, all the roofs are blank, like sketches that haven't been painted yet.

Further away, a crimson expanse could be seen, with houses, buildings, and even roads all appearing red.

In addition, seven other castle towers rose from the ground, inserted in a very abrupt manner among ordinary buildings that were only two or three stories high.

Their style still retains the unique flying eaves of Eastern architecture, but their size is several times larger than any building in the history of Japan, making them look like huge and towering castles from fairy tales.

The outer walls of the castle tower are also completely different from the surrounding ordinary houses, displaying seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white. From a distance, they look as strange as a mutated tumor growing on normal flesh.

At this moment, the seven enormous buildings each occupied a separate area, facing each other across the central vortex.
It seems different from the painting I saw before I came in...

Yu Jian pondered silently. In his memory, the ceiling painting did not depict a building as tall as the castle tower. It was likely that the painting had undergone an anomaly after it transformed into the ordinary world.

But can a painting become the eternal world? What is the true nature of the eternal world?
That said, since joining the Cat's Paw Society, two consecutive commissions have taken a bizarre turn. This time, it's even more spectacular, taking us directly to a city in the mortal realm with a style completely different from reality.

As for what will happen next, he simply couldn't be bothered to think about it.

When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it; when the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself. Let's just keep going for now.

"Isshiki-senpai, are you sure Yurika is in that direction?" Mitsurugi asked, pointing to the only uncolored white palace tower in the distance.

"Hmm." Akane's voice unexpectedly revealed a hint of disappointment.

"What's wrong?" Yu Jian asked.
"Father's painting is so good. I'm still far from good enough," Akane said softly, lowering her eyes.
Entering directly into the fantastical world created by her father's paintbrush, the scenery that greeted her revealed an extremely high level of artistic achievement. This development, like a fairy tale, initially excited Akane Isshiki.

Gradually, she began to feel frustrated, like an exhausted rock climber looking up and finding the summit still out of reach; that sense of powerlessness is hard for others to understand.

"Recognizing the gap is the beginning of catching up," Yu Jian said softly.

“Impossible, Father is the real one… I… It’s impossible…” Akane’s face turned red and she stopped talking. She was not good at communicating, and in her anxiety, she couldn’t even speak.

"Don't rush, senior, you're only eighteen, right? You have a long future ahead of you."

As she spoke, Mikasa began to run quickly across the rooftop. The cool breeze that blew in her face gradually calmed Isshiki Akane down.

Then, she couldn't help but look at Yu Jian's profile, and felt her cheeks flush again.

Yu Jian was unaware of this. Even while carrying someone on his back, he moved very fast and soon arrived at the alley not far from the white-haired guardian pavilion.

Just now, Yujian noticed that the ordinary buildings near the castle towers of different colors were also stained with similar colors, and the color difference was more obvious the closer you got. For example, the outer area was only pink or light red, but the area near the castle towers was a large expanse of deep red.

As for the pale white castle tower before them, all the surrounding houses remained blank, as if they hadn't been painted. Following the Japanese island's division of one castle and one country, this place could probably be called the White Castle or the Blank Kingdom.

Unexpectedly, after entering the White City, the two did not encounter any more monsters. It was as if all the monsters around them had gone out to the market, leaving the city exceptionally empty.

Miken remained vigilant, simply setting Isshiki Akane off his shoulder, and the two silently walked one after the other towards the castle tower.

Gradually, a commotion arose ahead. Could it be that the monsters in this area were really having a market?

Mikasa slowed her pace, signaling Isshiki Akane who was following behind to keep quiet. She then slowly extended half of her oil-mixing knife along the corner of the wall, carefully peering at the street scene by the reflection of the smooth metal surface of the blade.

Then, he saw the scent of lilies...

The girl was dressed in her finest attire, like a beloved queen, and sat with a smile on her face in a magnificent palanquin carried by dozens of tall monsters.

The term "mirror carrier" refers to a mobile shrine that represents the "vehicle" used by deities during their processions in Japanese traditional culture. Inside, there are often memorial tablets or spirit tablets (such as mirrors or coins) symbolizing the deities, and it is generally regarded as part of the realm of the gods.

The exterior of this shrine resembles an elaborately decorated and ornate carriage, with its roof mimicking the Tang-style gable roof structure commonly found in shrine architecture. Layers of overlapping roof tiles rise upwards in a mountain-like shape, and at both ends of the roof ridge are metal statues in the shape of auspicious beasts.

Various pendants hang from the eaves, swaying like wind chimes and making a crisp sound when moved. The surrounding area is decorated with lacquered and gilded reliefs in the shapes of dragons, phoenixes, lions, or flowers, and the edges are also inlaid with metal decorations.

Just by looking at its appearance, you can tell how incredibly heavy this thing is; even a giant monster would need dozens of them working together to lift it.

But they clearly had extremely bright smiles on their faces... Wait, why do these monsters have facial features?
"Aizen-kun... is she a god?" Akane Isshiki couldn't help but murmur to herself.

"Ah, now he really has become the Great Bodhisattva Aizen." Mitsurugi exclaimed.

The place where Yuriko is now is the throne where the spirit tablets were originally placed.

In addition, Mitsurugi noticed that Aizen Yurika seemed to be holding something in her hand. Various monsters were excitedly following behind the shrine, lining up in a long line to board the shrine one by one, bowing to her and letting her smear paint on their faces. Then they left the shrine happily, with their newly created features.

"A paintbrush?" Yu Jian suddenly understood.

So he got up and walked out of the street, standing alone in front of the procession surrounding the palanquin.

The monsters immediately roared, and all sorts of strange cries mingled into a cacophony of sound that rushed towards us.

In response, Yujian simply raised the oil-mixing knife he was holding.

Silence enveloped the entire venue in an instant.

For the first time, the monsters with mouths uttered words that humans could understand, but the content...

"Exorcising Three Thousand... is 'Evil Blade - Exorcising Three Thousand Emptiness'!"

Yujian was speechless. So, because the painter was from Japan, all of you monsters in the painting have also caught chuunibyou (middle school syndrome), right?
How come an ordinary oil-mixing knife is being called a demonic sword?

Despite being terrified by the mere painting tools, the monsters did not retreat. Instead, they surrounded the palanquin where Yuriko was, their newly formed features constantly dripping snot and tears, while still shouting to protect the adults.

Then, they saw their Queen, holding her skirt, run to the man's side, her face flushed.

what?
what! ! !
(End of this chapter)