One person: Lu Jin, do I look like your master?

Something's not right about this world!

He tried to recall fragments of his past life's memories. The events after Mount Natagumo... blurry images flashed by: the final battle in the Infinity Castle? A powerful Upper Moon demon?

And... the final battle seems to involve something more fundamental?

His memories were like a dusty mirror, difficult to reflect clearly. He vaguely sensed that this world was not as simple as it seemed, and that deeper secrets might be hidden beneath the surface of "ghosts" and "breathing techniques."

"Never mind, I won't think about it for now if I can't remember."

Wang Xuan stopped and shook his head. He had a clear understanding of the Dao and knew that clinging to doubts that could not be resolved immediately would only create a mental barrier and hinder his current cultivation.

Since we have sensed the extraordinary potential of the rules of this world, it is even more worthwhile to delve deeper into their understanding.

"Let's try to understand the principles of this world first!"

He sat down cross-legged again, putting aside his confusion for the time being.

"If you can't figure it out, just put it aside for now, because that would waste a lot of time."

For him, time is meaningful, but what is more important is the accumulation of "Tao" within a limited time.

He closed his eyes again, his mind sinking into the seemingly calm but actually profound rules of heaven and earth, like a patient fisherman.

Beneath seemingly ordinary waters, fishing may reveal deeper mysteries.

Time flies and never stops for anyone.

In the world outside the mountains, cherry blossoms bloom and fade, and leaves turn green and then yellow.

In the blink of an eye, a year has passed since Wang Xuan descended to this world and since Tanjiro Kamado found Mount Sagiri.

Throughout the year, Wang Xuan was almost completely immersed in understanding the unique rules of the Demon Slayer world.

Like a dry sponge, he absorbed the laws and rhythms of this world, which were vastly different from those of the world under one person, constantly verifying and solidifying his own "Dao".

His aura became increasingly restrained, and his integration with the surrounding environment became more and more natural. If one did not see it with their own eyes, it would be almost impossible to detect that such a transcendent being existed in this cliff.

Meanwhile, the Demon Slayer Corps has never stopped searching for this mysterious "sage".

Kagaya Ubuyashiki's premonition and Sakonji Urokodaki's endorsement kept this matter at a certain priority.

The portrait was copied many times and distributed to the pillars and trusted core members of the "Hidden" force.

Although most team members were skeptical and even privately found it absurd, their lord's orders were carried out without fail.

With the help of "Hidden", Tanjiro Kamado's family had already successfully moved from Mt. Kumotori to a town near Mt. Sagiri that was protected by their wisteria crest.

Although they lost their charcoal kiln, their only means of survival, the Demon Slayer Corps secretly helped Aoi find a sewing job. The family lived a simple but stable life, and most importantly, they were far from any unknown threats.

Tanjiro, meanwhile, single-mindedly followed Urokodaki Sakonji in his arduous training.

Over the course of a year, the boy shed much of his childishness, his body became stronger, his eyes sharpened, and his understanding of water breathing deepened day by day.

After a year-long, almost exhaustive search and intelligence gathering, the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters finally caught a very vague trace that might be related to the "Sage".

The information did not come from a soldier's eyewitness report, but from the ravens soaring in the sky.

Several ravens, responsible for reconnaissance and information transmission in different areas, flew over a remote, continuous mountain range.

They all conveyed the same "feeling" to their managers—that something was "unusual" about that area.

This "unusual" occurrence was neither a visual or auditory anomaly, nor was it the discovery of ghostly traces.

Rather, it was a more subtle feeling, as if the air there was "calmer," the light "softer," and even birds and beasts subconsciously stayed away from the heart of that area.

But it wasn't because of sensing a natural enemy or danger; it was more like an instinctive... awe?

Or rather, the "natural rhythm" of that area underwent some ineffable, extremely subtle change.

When these scattered, seemingly useless pieces of information were brought before Kagaya Ubuyashiki, he astutely grasped their commonalities.

"An anomaly unrelated to ghosts..."

He softly repeated the report's conclusions, his pale fingers lightly tapping the marked mountainous area on the map.

Could it be... Him?

It's uncertain, but this is the closest we've come to our goal in nearly a year.

He immediately ordered the deployment of more "hidden" members from the vicinity to conduct further observation and recording of the mountain range without disturbing any potential targets.

At the same time, this message was also conveyed to all the pillars who were out and about.

A faint, almost imperceptible line seems to be slowly emerging from the swirling mist, attempting to connect the reclusive "sage" with the Demon Slayer Corps that is desperately searching for him.

Deep within the mountains, Wang Xuan remained completely unaware of this, still wandering in the ocean of rules, searching for the deeper mysteries hidden in this world.

Chapter 12 Found it

In fact, Wang Xuan did not deliberately reveal his whereabouts.

Once someone reaches a state of "integration with the Tao and harmony with nature," deliberately hiding it would seem unnatural.

His very existence is like a high-dimensional coordinate point, constantly radiating a unique "field" that aligns with his Dao realm.

This "field" is neither a violent fluctuation of energy nor a deliberate oppression of momentum, but a more fundamental, subtle assimilation and influence on the rules of the surrounding environment.

During the year he devoted himself to enlightenment, the natural rhythms within a certain radius of his cave were unknowingly imbued with his peaceful and profound Daoist charm.

The growth cycle of plants, the flow of mountain winds, and even the angle at which sunlight falls all undergo extremely subtle changes that are difficult for ordinary people and even common beasts to perceive.

This change will instinctively make birds and beasts, who are used to living under fixed natural laws, feel a sense of "differentness".

Therefore, one subconsciously chooses to detour or keep a distance, which is not out of fear, but rather a natural awe of a higher level of existence.

To the perceptive ravens, this area was like a unique melody that was incomprehensible yet incredibly pleasing to the ear in a harmonious symphony, making it seem exceptionally "unusual."

This is like a clean sheet of white paper, except for a single spot that emits a faint radiation that is invisible to the naked eye but can be detected by special instruments.

Among all the "normal" areas, only here is there an inexplicable "anomaly," which naturally becomes the most conspicuous target.

Upon receiving the message from Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the Pillars immediately set off towards the mountain range marked by the Kasugai Crows.

Since the Pillars are scattered all over the place, the closest ones to that mountain range are the Flower Pillar, Kanae Kocho, who is on a mission in the east, and the Flame Pillar, Kyojuro Rengoku, who is patrolling the nearby area in the west.

The two arrived at the outer edge of the mountain range almost simultaneously. Kyojuro Rengoku's signature booming voice was the first to break the silence of the forest:

"Oh! It's a flower pillar!"

His voice was loud and clear, like a burning flame, full of vitality.

Because he once shattered his eardrums in order to fight against a demon that could control humans through the sound of his flute, he has difficulty controlling the volume of his voice when he speaks, but this has become his unique characteristic.

Not far away, Kanae, like a fluttering butterfly, landed lightly, a gentle and serene smile on her face, and responded:

"Mr. Purgatory, you have also received the Lord's message."

She wore a haori with a butterfly wing pattern, exuding elegance that contrasted sharply with Rengoku Kyojuro's fiery passion.

"The location the raven mentioned is deep within these mountains."

Kanae gazed at the misty, silent, and profound mountain forest before her, her tone tinged with caution.

"The entity we're about to encounter is certainly not ordinary, so it's best to be cautious. Just to be safe, let's act together and look out for each other."

Although Tanjiro's description and Urokodaki Sakonji's confirmation suggest that the "sage" meant no harm, one cannot be too cautious when facing such an unknown being.

"Yeah! No problem!"

Kyojuro Rengoku nodded vigorously, his golden and red hair dancing like flames, and his face beaming with a bright smile.

"Let's go and meet that legendary 'immortal' together! It's something to look forward to!"

Without further delay, the two moved swiftly, like two wisps of smoke, and disappeared into the mountains.

They move incredibly fast; a journey that would take ordinary people several days is just a matter of an hour or two for them.

However, as they went deeper, the two of them slowed down almost simultaneously, their faces showing serious and puzzled expressions.

This mountain range appears no different from other mountains on the outside, with towering ancient trees and craggy rocks. But being in it gives one an indescribable sense of strangeness.

The air seemed unusually "quiet," not deathly still, but a deep tranquility, as if even the sound of the wind carried a certain rhythm.

Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled patterns that appear softer and gentler than those outside, less glaring and more warm.

The surrounding vegetation is vibrant, yet it inexplicably gives people a sense of "order," as if their growth follows some unseen trajectory.

Even the soil underfoot felt different, more "solid"?

"This place... feels so peculiar."

"It's a subtle difference," Kanae Butterfly said softly, her keen senses allowing her to better appreciate it.

"It was as if... the entire space was in a very peaceful and stable state."

It was completely different from the natural environment she usually experienced, which was filled with various subtle life fluctuations and energy noise.

"Hmm! That's true!"

Kyojuro Rengoku also sensed it. Although he wasn't as perceptive as Kanae, he possessed a natural sensitivity to the environment and energy flow, stemming from the Flame Pillar's instincts.

Make it clear to him that this place is "different".

"It's like... everything is in its proper place, operating according to its proper rules!"

He tried to understand it in his own way.

The two understood that this was probably the real reason why the ravens sensed something "unusual" and why wild beasts and birds were unwilling to approach easily.

This area is shrouded in an incomprehensible force or "atmosphere".

Suppressing their astonishment, they searched the unusual area even more carefully.

With the extraordinary perception and tracking abilities of a Pillar-level swordsman, they ruled out one possible location after another.

A day and a night of searching might be a long time for ordinary people, but for the two pillars, it was just a matter of necessary patience.

Fortunately, it was late spring and there was no snow in the mountains; otherwise, the snow cover would have greatly increased the difficulty of the search.

Finally, on the afternoon of the second day, they stopped in front of what appeared to be an ordinary cliff.

The cliff face was covered with vines, and the rocks were no different from anywhere else. But almost simultaneously, the two of them fixed their gaze on a certain spot on the cliff face.

There, the texture of the space seemed to be distorted in an extremely subtle way, and the light was deflected in a way that was difficult for ordinary people to perceive.

If their senses hadn't been far beyond those of ordinary people, and if they hadn't been in the center of this "abnormal" area, they would never have been able to discover this mystery.

"This is it."

Kanae whispered, she could sense that the peaceful and profound "atmosphere" that enveloped the entire mountain range seemed to originate from behind this cliff.

Rengoku Kyojuro also toned down his overly flamboyant expression, his eyes becoming sharp and focused, and he nodded.

His hand unconsciously moved closer to the hilt of the Nichirin sword at his waist, not out of hostility, but out of instinctive wariness in the face of the unknown.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness, curiosity, and a hint of barely perceptible tension in each other's eyes.

They may be facing something that defies conventional wisdom.

Without much verbal communication, years of working side by side had forged a tacit understanding.

Kanae Kocho and Kyojuro Rengoku took a deep breath at the same time, adjusted their breathing, and then stepped side by side toward the seemingly ordinary but actually mysterious cliff face.

As if passing through an invisible curtain of water, the surrounding scenery rippled slightly. The next moment, a deep, clean cave entrance, emitting a faint glow, appeared before them.

Inside the cave, the light was soft, obscuring the depths, but a calming atmosphere slowly permeated the air.

They found them.

Chapter 13 The Two's Shock

Inside the cave, Wang Xuan was deeply engrossed in comprehending the Dao, but his mind covered the entire area within a ten-mile radius around him.

He had already sensed it when Kanae Kocho and Kyojuro Rengoku stepped into this area influenced by his Daoist aura.

However, to him, although the auras of these two people were much stronger and sharper than those of ordinary people, they were just ordinary passersby in this world and were not worth his special attention.

He continued to wander in the ocean of rules until they stopped at the cave entrance, and even stepped into the cave. Only then did his sense of exploration and vigilance become clear, and he slowly awoke from his deep meditative state.

After a brief exchange of glances, the two outside the cave finally made up their minds.

They took a deep breath, adjusted their breathing rhythm, and raised their alertness to be ready to deal with any unexpected situation. Then, one after the other, they entered the cave that exuded a soft glow and a tranquil atmosphere.

Their hands never left the hilts of their Nichirin swords at their waists.