Upon arriving in Asakusa, Luochuan changed his clothes and entered a local tavern.
"Gathering information."
Places with crowds were the best for data. Luochuan ordered a standard shochu and sat at a table, swirling his glass while listening to the chatter. The noise was a massive stream of data that required constant filtering, but persistence paid off; information regarding "Lady Rei" began to solidify in his mind.
Her family was even more influential than he had anticipated—a prominent household in Asakusa. Her husband had been murdered recently. While the tavern talk didn't identify the killer, Luochuan knew it was Muzan. After the death, Muzan had approached her using the identity "Tsukihiko" and successfully won her favor. Now, Rei trusted him completely, and her young daughter even called him "Papa."
"That's right, I've been helping Lady Rei source medicinal herbs lately," a greasy, pot-bellied man boasted to the crowd. Others looked skeptical; it seemed unlikely a family of her stature would associate with someone like him.
Frustrated by their disbelief, the man grew defensive. "Why would I lie? I'm serious. They're looking for materials related to some 'Spider Lily,' and the buying price is incredibly high!"
The others remained indifferent, but Luochuan's eyes lit up. A herb merchant? Associate of the family? Hasn't met Muzan yet? This was the perfect identity. He moved closer and pieced together the details: the man's name was Yasuhiro, an apothecary owner. Two weeks ago, Rei's family asked him about the Blue Spider Lily. He didn't have any, but the offered price was so high he had been searching everywhere. He eventually gave up, but the connection became his favorite bragging right.
Having confirmed the man's identity, Luochuan left. He began tracking Tanjiro. He didn't know Muzan's scent yet, but he knew Tanjiro's. As long as he found the boy, he would find the Demon King.
Asakusa at night was bustling, a sharp contrast to the eerie stillness of Naraku Town. Luochuan and Zenitsu wove through the crowds until a familiar scent hit his nose. It was moving fast.
"Has he gone after Muzan?" Luochuan moved toward Tanjiro's position.
When they arrived, Tanjiro was pinned on top of a man who was about to turn into a demon. Tanjiro struggled to restrain the victim while looking back toward a retreating figure with gritted teeth. Following his gaze, Luochuan saw Muzan's silhouette beginning to vanish into the crowd.
Luochuan's nose twitched, and his expression stiffened. Muzan's scent wasn't exactly "foul," but it carried a sickening, nauseating quality.
"Zenitsu, go help him!" Luochuan ordered, then gave chase to Muzan.
As the distance closed, Luochuan's heart began to race. His theory that Muzan wouldn't kill to avoid exposure was just a deduction. In reality, Muzan could be temperamental and end him in a split second.
Seeing Muzan help Lady Rei into a carriage, Luochuan exhaled. This was the moment. Yasuhiro might not have met Rei personally, but to approach Muzan using that name, he needed the lady to be gone. Without her there to identify him, and with Muzan wary of acting out in her presence, it was safe.
As the carriage wheels began to turn, Luochuan pretended to arrive out of breath. "Lady Rei! Lady Rei!"
Muzan heard the voice and turned around to see Luochuan bent over, panting. Luochuan watched the carriage pull away, feigned a sigh of regret, and prepared to leave.
Muzan's eyes flashed. He stepped forward to intercept Luochuan. "Do you have business with Lady Rei?"
Luochuan turned his head to look at Muzan. Up close, the scent was terrifyingly thick.
> [Muzan Kibutsuji]
> [Race: Demon]
> [Rank: Super-Hashira]
> [Comprehension: Transcendent]
> [Aptitude: High]
> [Talent: None]
> [Skills: Perfect Mimicry (Perfect), Blood Curse (Perfect), Barbed Whip (Perfect), Gigantic Arm (Perfect), Eight Tube Whips (Perfect), Five Brains and Seven Hearts (Perfect), Self-Fragmentation (Perfect), Baby Form (Perfect), Blood Demon Art: Black Blood Brambles (Perfect), Blood Demon Art: Wide-Area Shockwave (Perfect)...]
>
Muzan's attribute panel was breathtakingly luxurious. Every skill was at the maximum level. Aside from "Aptitude," Luochuan would accept any random reward. But now wasn't the time for greed; fooling Muzan was the priority.
"And you are?"
"My name is Tsukihiko."
"Ah, so you are Lady Rei's..." Luochuan acted surprised.
Muzan nodded, a trace of impatience flickering in his eyes though his expression remained polite. "Why were you looking for her?"
"I heard Lady Rei is searching for the Blue Spider Lily. I wanted to discuss the purchase price with her."
At the mention of the "Blue Spider Lily," a red glint ignited in Muzan's eyes. His voice dropped to a low, heavy tone. "If you can find it, I will give you as much money as you desire."
During the day, Muzan could not overcome the sun and had to rely on these "insignificant humans" to search.
"Truly? Mr. Tsukihiko doesn't look like the type to deceive a friend." Luochuan's heart hammered. Just one more step.
"Of course. I never deceive a friend," Muzan said with a fake smile, his internal contempt hidden perfectly. Friend? No one is qualified to be my friend!
Ding!
[Successfully added Demon King—Muzan Kibutsuji as a friend.]
[Detected: Intimacy is "Acquaintance (Insufficient)." Random reward obtained.]
[Gained Aura: Presence of the Demon King.]
[Would you like to fuse Aura: Presence of the Demon King now?]
No.
Wait, 'Presence of the Demon King' isn't in his skill list? And 'Insufficient Acquaintance'? Isn't 'Acquaintance' the lowest level of friendship already? Luochuan was confused but didn't show it. Having secured the prize, he needed to get away immediately.
"That's good to hear. I will do my utmost to find the Blue Spider Lily. I shall take my leave now." Luochuan acted anxious to get to work. To Muzan, this looked like a man desperate for a payout. Muzan was happy to have someone else searching for him at the cost of a promise he never intended to keep.
Only Luochuan knew what he was actually in a hurry for.