Chapter 68: Bai Cangshu's Transaction

【You killed Pingye Zhonger, gained 5 Dimension Points】

【Milestone: Murderer (Rare) progress updated, current: 1/1000】

"Ah! Run!"

Several farmers holding muskets, seeing Bai Cangshu slowly pull his lower leg—which had been completely stomped into Pingye Zhonger's chest—out, were so frightened they fled in a panic.

Bai Cangshu did not pursue; he just wanted to tell these people one thing: if you open fire on me, then be prepared to be killed by me; this kind of thing cannot be resolved by a simple "I saw wrong, I'm sorry" and a bow.

When Bai Cangshu returned to Kyoto, the "riot" in Kyoto had already been quelled; those powerful clans that had cultivated in Kyoto for hundreds of years found it easy to take control of this city.

Bai Cangshu immediately received treatment and bandaging from a physician.

However, Bai Cangshu's right hand had suffered devastating damage; the bones were twisted and shattered, and a significant amount of flesh had been sliced away; this was not an injury they could resolve.

Even Bai Cangshu himself did not use his healing medicine or the remaining 【Medical Ninja Arts Scroll】 on such an incurable injury.

During this time, the Professor and Liu Qi and others returned once, informing Bai Cangshu that the entire Demon Slayer Corps had been mobilized, prepared to dig three feet into the ground near Kyoto to find the trail of Kibutsuji Muzan.

Moreover, they had united with noble families like the Tsuchimikado to strictly screen household registers, requiring every household to keep their lights bright throughout the night for these few days.

They would not give Kibutsuji Muzan the chance to eat humans to replenish his strength and repair his injuries.

Bai Cangshu had no objections, and that afternoon he saw Himejima Gyoumei and several other Pillar-level swordsmen.

These powerful Demon Slayer swordsmen, with the cooperation of local powerful clans, began searching house by house.

Many hidden man-eating Ghosts were killed.

Bai Cangshu, however, did not cooperate with their actions; on the contrary, Bai Cangshu always appeared very detached. He not only rejected Kochou Kanae's idea of wanting to help him treat his wounds but also refused Himejima Gyoumei's suggestion to act together.

Bai Cangshu sat in an exquisite residence; the owner of the residence was an official under Hirohito who had already died in the morning's riot.

Bai Cangshu sat in the courtyard, watching everyone's intense search for Kibutsuji Muzan's trail, and indifferently closed the courtyard gate.

This action caused the other Reincarnators who had been secretly observing Bai Cangshu to breathe a sigh of relief.

In fact, ever since "Tao Baibai" returned to Kyoto, Elizabeth and the Professor had been in a state of constant tension; they had been following near the Demon Slayer Corps, ostensibly to hunt down Kibutsuji Muzan.

But in reality, they were doing it to... avoid danger.

As for the source of the danger, it was clearly their previously strongest teammate—"Tao Baibai" himself.

Regarding the battle with Kibutsuji Muzan and multiple Upper Ranks, although they knew "Tao Baibai" had utilized the advantage of the terrain and the daytime sunlight, and that 【Ripple Qigong】 was simply one of the most restraining abilities against man-eating Ghosts.

Under those circumstances, a 【Paper】-level Reincarnator, driven by sufficient courage, indeed possessed the ability to kill a 【Bing】-level man-eating Ghost across ranks.

However...

If a 【Paper】-level Reincarnator had to face the world BOSS Kibutsuji Muzan and the top few Upper Ranks simultaneously, it was basically a dead end.

The image of "Tao Baibai" appearing alone while carrying the heads of two of the strongest Upper Ranks truly chilled them all to the bone.

Because the words that the 【Hunter】 shouted before dying were actually heard by all of them.

The information that "Tao Baibai is a Special Reincarnator" had already become a consensus within this temporary cooperative team.

And the identity of a Special Reincarnator was information far more important than the foundation of a Reincarnator's abilities.

This led to the current awkward atmosphere within the temporary team. Everyone was afraid that "Tao Baibai" would assassinate them in the remaining time; the Professor even knew that "Tao Baibai" was likely a 【Great Sin】-type Special Reincarnator, which made her even more uneasy.

She even had the thought of settling the Main Mission early and leaving this world.

But this mission was his 【Special Trial】, and he did not wish for the completion rate to be too low, so he had to invite the Demon Slayer Corps, hoping to use the Plot Characters to restrict the injured "Tao Baibai."

"Speaking of which, where is Vincent?"

Seeing Bai Cangshu close the courtyard gate, looking as if he were not prepared to communicate with anyone, the Professor relaxed her attention and noticed that Vincent, who had been left on the Demon Slayer Corps side, had not arrived with the main force.

For this operation, because someone was needed to monitor whether the Upper Ranks were lured away that night, Elizabeth, who possessed the 【Team Space】, and Vincent decided to split up.

Then, they used the convenience of the Team Space to communicate remotely.

Hearing the Professor's words, Elizabeth also frowned.

"Vincent said he triggered a solo mission and needed to stay there to finish it."

Elizabeth felt some doubt in her heart, because she had gained a lot here, even obtaining multiple Singularities, yet Vincent was not tempted.

What kind of hidden mission could make him give up the potential Singularity rewards...

In fact, Kochou Kanae told her that Vincent only met them on the first night, and subsequently had almost no contact with the Demon Slayer Corps.

She hid her misgivings and only said on the surface,

"It doesn't matter if he doesn't come; the remaining aftermath consists of small tasks, and we only need to cooperate with the Demon Slayer Corps to suppress Muzan's space."

"Even if we can't kill Muzan, as long as it cannot come out to stir up trouble again, our Main Mission completion rate will inevitably be very high."

The Professor seemed not to notice the gloom on Elizabeth's face and turned to leave.

The group's high-pressure search policy was maintained for an entire day and would continue for the next few weeks.

Because they knew that Nakime, who could perform spatial teleportation, was dead, they all firmly believed that Kibutsuji Muzan could only escape by using the cover of night or Hantengu's abilities.

Night fell, and the Demon Slayer Corps began to take over from the Onmyoji who had lost their spellcasting abilities, patrolling everywhere in Kyoto; everyone carried special fireworks that would be triggered once they encountered a man-eating Ghost.

A curfew was imposed in Kyoto tonight, and the former prosperity instantly turned into silence.

Everyone was waiting for that scream that might ring out.

But a night passed, and nothing happened.

For two consecutive weeks, it was the same, just as the Demon Slayer Corps also began to lean toward the idea that Kibutsuji Muzan had escaped Kyoto by some means.

In the night, Bai Cangshu sat by the edge of the crater under the silver moon; this crater, which remained from the deathmatch between Bai Cangshu and several Upper Ranks, exuded a faint, lingering killing intent.

"Kibutsuji Muzan, just how afraid are you, that you've lingered here for so many days and still don't dare to come up and see me?"

"The trade I offered you is still valid; give me Miss Nakime's ability, and I can bestow upon you that thing you dream of."

Bai Cangshu looked down at the crater, a wanton smile on his face.

(End of chapter)