The temple where Gyomei Himejima trained was very far from the Butterfly Mansion.
Chu Yang originally thought they would take a train to leave—but to his surprise, Gyomei Himejima intended to walk back on foot!
"Your physique is extraordinary. It requires harsher tempering!"
That was Gyomei Himejima's explanation.
Chu Yang, however, felt that his master simply wanted to save on train fare.
"A true ascetic…" Just thinking of that inhuman word made Chu Yang's scalp tingle. Gyomei Himejima was clearly cut from that cloth.
Among the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Tokito Muichiro possessed the greatest swordsmanship talent, while Gyomei Himejima possessed the strongest physical talent.
Gyomei had originally been an ordinary monk training in a temple, with no prior exposure to Breathing techniques. Yet, as a mere human, he had fought demons until dawn and even dealt them fatal blows.
That level of physical talent was unmatched in the entire Demon Slayer world. Because of this, Gyomei had been unable to find a suitable successor for a long time.
The techniques he developed based on his own physique were simply impossible for ordinary people to learn.
After walking for a full day and night, Gyomei led Chu Yang deep into a mountain forest.
Only when they reached the mountainside did Chu Yang see a lone temple standing there.
Desolate. Dilapidated.
Living in a place like this, running into demons would be more likely than not.
Once inside, Chu Yang realized it wasn't as bad as he'd imagined.
The temple wasn't large, but it was clean and orderly—even the fallen leaves in the courtyard had been neatly swept into piles.
It was clear that Gyomei was diligent in his daily life.
Gyomei lit all the lamps inside the temple.
Being blind, the lighting meant nothing to him—it was done purely for Chu Yang's sake.
With the lamps lit, the small temple even felt a little warm and cozy.
"Tomorrow, you will formally begin your swordsman training," Gyomei said calmly in the light. "But let me warn you first—the stronger one's physical talent, the more severe the bottlenecks encountered during Breathing training."
"Breathing techniques are also called Total Concentration Breathing. They are a special method created by humans to fight demons. They strengthen cardiopulmonary function, allowing the blood to carry a large amount of oxygen in a short time, greatly enhancing physical performance."
Chu Yang nodded, indicating that he understood.
In truth, due to limitations in Gyomei's understanding, there was one aspect he hadn't mentioned.
Breathing techniques also stimulated adrenaline to a certain degree.
Otherwise, simply increasing blood oxygen content would never elevate human physical ability to a level capable of matching demons.
Gyomei continued, "Breathing is an instinct of survival, a necessity of life. But not everyone truly understands how to breathe. Next, I will teach you the correct way."
Chu Yang listened with complete focus as Gyomei explained the method of Breathing cultivation.
After sharing talents with the other versions of himself, Chu Yang's memory and comprehension had reached a terrifying level. Gyomei only needed to explain something once for Chu Yang to engrave it deeply into his mind.
Gyomei was about to continue when he noticed that Chu Yang's chest was already moving rhythmically, like a bellows.
Thin streams of white air circulated steadily in and out of Chu Yang's nose and mouth—clear signs that Breathing was already running correctly.
Gyomei's pupils contracted sharply.
In all his years with the Demon Slayer Corps, he had never heard of anyone entering a state of Total Concentration Breathing this quickly.
Chu Yang's breathing was deep, heavy, and steady—characteristic of Stone Breathing.
Gyomei stood quietly to the side, guarding him. Beginners rarely lasted long during their first Breathing attempt—the heart and lungs couldn't withstand prolonged stimulation.
Only through constant training could the duration be extended.
Until one reached Total Concentration: Constant, where the body remained in the Breathing state at all times.
On Chu Yang's side, however, every time he felt he was about to reach his limit, a surge of vitality welled up inside him, nourishing his heart and lungs.
It felt like drinking a mouthful of icy water in midsummer—refreshing to the core.
Remaining in the Breathing state for an extended time, Chu Yang not only felt no discomfort—he gradually began to enjoy it.
Time passed, second by second…
Gyomei, who had been silently watching over him, sensed that something was wrong.
Chu Yang had remained in the Breathing state far longer than average. By all past experience, he should have exited long ago.
Yet strangely, Chu Yang showed no signs of distress. His complexion was even more ruddy than before, leaving Gyomei utterly baffled.
All Gyomei could do was recite Amitābha softly and sit in meditation, keeping part of his attention on Chu Yang in case of emergencies.
Only at dawn did Chu Yang finally exit the Breathing state, stretching comfortably.
Gyomei slowly opened his blind eyes and asked gently, "How do you feel? Any discomfort?"
Chu Yang assessed his condition and replied, "My whole body feels warm. Nothing feels wrong."
Sensing the much stronger aura radiating from Chu Yang, Gyomei nodded in satisfaction.
"Being able to grasp Breathing so quickly proves your compatibility with Stone Breathing is extremely high. This allows us to save a great deal of time and focus our efforts on sword techniques."
Fearing Chu Yang might rush things, Gyomei added, "Even though your initial Breathing duration far exceeds others', you must remain cautious. If your body feels unwell, immediately stop using the technique."
"I understand," Chu Yang said eagerly. "So when do we start training sword techniques?"
Gyomei pressed his palms together and replied softly, "I originally intended to let you rest, but given your current state, sleep would be impossible. Then we'll begin now."
"Stone Breathing swordsmen have far greater strength than other styles. As such, ordinary Nichirin swords are unsuitable for us."
He paused briefly, then asked, "You don't yet know what a Nichirin sword is, do you?"
Chu Yang replied, "I saw them when I was rescued, and also at the Butterfly Mansion. But everyone's Nichirin sword seems different."
Gyomei nodded. "Nichirin sword designs vary from person to person. Once you formally become a Demon Slayer, you will have one of your own."
"The material of Nichirin swords differs from ordinary blades. They are forged from a mineral called Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand, which absorbs sunlight and can therefore deal effective damage to demons."
"From ancient times to now, all demons share the same fear—the sun."
(End of Chapter)