[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong-":3,"chapter-this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-73":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","This Pillar in Demon Slayer Is Extremely Strong but Overly Cautious",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2335999,4566,"Chapter 73: Bond","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-73",73,"\u003Cp>“Tired, so tired!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom was killed, Dad is dead too, and my brother probably…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do? The demon slayer is right here—uh, let’s run away!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spider Demon sister’s voice was filled with fear, and as she spoke, her appearance shifted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei turned to look at the Spider Demon sister’s form, his face brimming with revulsion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out silk threads from his hands, slowly drawing closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No…” The Spider Demon sister felt even greater terror, her whole body trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plop!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spider Demon sister let out a shriek and collapsed to the ground, her face now crisscrossed with fresh wounds, blood spurting out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear and terror kept her from resisting; she covered her face and wept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know, I hate it when your faces revert to their original forms!” Lei’s expression was blank, but his heart burned with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah!” A faint rustle came from behind a nearby tree—so slight, yet Lei, as a demon, could not miss it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lei spoke: “What are you looking at? There’s nothing worth seeing here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing he had been spotted, the figure stepped out from behind the tree—it was Tanjiro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro had been flung by the Spider Demon father’s tree trunk to the other side of the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After landing successfully using Water Breathing Second Form, he heard the scream from this direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curious, he rushed over to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when he stumbled upon this scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing? Aren’t you companions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Companions? Don’t equate us with such shallow things! We are family, bound by deep emotion. And this… is between me and my sister. If you dare interfere, I’ll cut you into pieces!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet despite his words, Tanjiro felt no trace of familial affection—only fear and terror radiating from the Spider Demon sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not what family should be!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—whether family or companions, any bond forged by deep emotion is precious! To call it shallow because there’s no blood tie? That’s absurd!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If emotion is true, trust follows. But all I sense from you is fear, hatred, and rage! Your bond is fake!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words made Lei even angrier; the silk threads in his hands tightened further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… just now… what did you say?!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei’s aura instantly turned dark and oppressive!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Tanjiro felt a crushing pressure settle upon him—even the air grew heavy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Inosuke, forgive me! I’ll come for you right after I defeat this demon! I’ll save you—I promise!” Tanjiro thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… repeat what you just said. Come on, say it again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll say it as many times as you want! Your bond is fake!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lei casually flung several silk threads toward Tanjiro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro raised his Nichirin Blade to block—but even this casual strike forced him back several paces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with his earlier battle, he was already exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen, I won’t kill you outright! I’ll tear you apart limb by limb, then shred you into pieces!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But… if you take back what you just said, I’ll let you die instantly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei’s words did not make Tanjiro retreat; instead, they strengthened his conviction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t take it back! I didn’t say anything wrong—the problem isn’t me… it’s you! You’re the one at fault! Your bond is fake!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh!…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silk threads attacked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro leapt upward, flipping to evade the strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding trees were instantly sliced into segments by the threads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pungent odor in the air faded significantly; Tanjiro’s nose regained its function.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the scent of the silk, he dodged each attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can! I can do this! At least… I can fight him like this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei hadn’t expected this demon slayer’s mind and movements to be faster than he imagined!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t falter from fear!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph… doesn’t matter. You’re dying anyway!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two locked eyes—Tanjiro struck first again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More silk threads shot from Lei’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Tanjiro charged, he leapt into the air to dodge the threads, then unleashed his technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Water Breathing First Form: Surface Slash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph… overconfident!” Lei sneered, flicking a single thread from his fingertip to clash with the Nichirin Blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ting!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thread cut through—the Nichirin Blade snapped in two!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attack didn’t end. The thread, having severed the blade, whipped toward Tanjiro’s head, carving a gash across his forehead, blood spraying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He landed, sliding several meters across the ground before stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the broken blade in his hand—only the hilt and a small fragment remained—unable to believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struggled to his feet, facing the demon before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spider Demon sister and Lei stood nearby, watching him with cold, indifferent eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if what had just happened meant nothing to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro did not retreat—even with his blade broken, he would still sever the demon’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgive me, Master Rokujuro, Master Koyu—I failed in my training. I broke my Nichirin Blade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… I will never give up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Tanjiro’s gaze, Lei felt a deep unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hate your eyes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another silk thread attack came—Tanjiro dodged, and it struck the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he dodged the threads, Tanjiro thought rapidly, searching for a way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I can’t see the threads… then I’ll close the distance and cut his neck!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh! Shhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silk threads attacked one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The plan sounded good—reality was cruel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei’s threads moved like living things, never stopping!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely dodging them had already drained Tanjiro’s strength—how could he possibly close in to sever the demon’s neck?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well? Still not going to take back what you said?” Lei deliberately gave Tanjiro a moment to breathe, then asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Say it as many times as you want! Your bond is fake!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Is that so? Then I’ll tear you apart right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a spiderweb of silk appeared in midair—moving at blinding speed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It surrounded Tanjiro, cutting off every escape route!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No retreat possible. No way to dodge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack! Plop!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood sprayed everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Tanjiro did not split apart as expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Nezuko!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attack had struck Nezuko entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blood on the ground was hers—she had taken the blow to protect Tanjiro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nezuko!” Tanjiro shouted, rushing to support her and dragging her to the nearby bushes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her brother, he had been protected by his sister. Seeing her wounds, he was filled with guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei was equally stunned by this scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had seen everything that just happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A girl emerged from the box behind him… but she has the aura of a demon…” the Spider Demon sister said—but she noticed Lei trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was trembling with excitement and exhilaration!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… that… that girl… are you siblings?” Lei’s finger trembled as he pointed toward Nezuko beside Tanjiro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Nezuko was now a demon, the attack had nearly torn her apart—her wrist nearly severed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still trembling with excitement, Lei muttered to himself: “Siblings… siblings… your sister became a demon… yet you still chose to stay with her…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The sister stepped forward to protect her brother… That’s true bondage. I want it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spider Demon sister, however, thought differently—she screamed at Lei: “Wait! Wait a minute, Lei! I’m your sister! Don’t abandon me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei angrily flung three threads, slicing the Spider Ghost Sister into four pieces, severing her head from her body! A large patch of trees behind her collapsed, dust swirling everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the end, you’ve all failed your duties! Always, without exception!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The severed head of the Spider Ghost Sister cried out on the ground: “Wait… wait… haven’t I, as an older sister, fulfilled my duty? Give me a chance to make it right!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then go right now and eliminate every last one of those wandering fools in the mountains! If you can do it, I’ll forgive you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I understand… I’ll go kill them right away…” The Spider Ghost Sister’s body regenerated completely, picked up her head, and sprinted swiftly down the path behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Lei called out to Tanjiro, hidden in the nearby bushes: “Kid, let’s talk. Come out~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kid? Talk?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m deeply moved! Seeing your bond makes my whole body tremble! There are no words in this world that can express this feeling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you must die by my hand—and that would be truly tragic!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell are you trying to say?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What I’m saying is: let’s make a deal! Give me your sister… If you hand over your sister, I’ll spare your life—I won’t kill you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro immediately retorted: “How could I ever agree to that?! Nezuko isn’t an object—she has her own thoughts and will. I’ll never give her to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so… but it doesn’t matter. I’ll teach her properly! Let her learn through fear what happens when she defies me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words ignited Tanjiro’s fury. He roared: “Stop joking around!!! Binding someone with fear isn’t family bond! Unless you correct the error in your nature, you’ll never get anything you want!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dropped the wooden box behind him and stepped forward alone, facing Lei once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t give my sister to someone like you! I’ll cut off your neck first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh… impressive spirit. But…” Lei pushed back the hair covering his left eye, revealing the characters 【Lower Five】 etched onto his eyeball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sneered: “If you think you can defeat me, a member of the Twelve Kiyotsu, then try!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twelve Kiyotsu… Lower Five?!!” Tanjiro never imagined this seemingly childlike demon was one of the Twelve Kiyotsu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped his broken Nichirin Blade tightly, not backing down an inch despite facing a Twelve Kiyotsu demon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a hateful gaze! Burning fiercely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A father has his duty, a mother has hers! Older siblings protect the younger ones… and do you really think you can beat me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SHHH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei manipulated his threads, snatching Nezuko from behind Tanjiro and pulling her into his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nezuko!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See? I’ve already taken her. Have you fulfilled your duty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let her go!” Tanjiro charged forward with his broken blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nezuko seized the moment and slashed multiple wounds across Lei’s face with her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these wounds were insufficient to harm a Lower Kiyotsu demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within mere breaths, he regenerated completely!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lashed his threads at Tanjiro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Tanjiro pressed forward bravely, the overwhelming power gap soon left him defeated, collapsing to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he looked up again, he saw Nezuko was gone from Lei’s arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tick...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A torrent of blood dripped from midair onto his broken blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up—and his eyes nearly burst from rage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nezuko!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bathed in moonlight, Nezuko had been bound by spider threads and hung upside-down in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where the threads cut into her body, deep gashes bled profusely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the fate of disobedience. If she still refuses to obey, when the sun rises, I’ll let her… get a little roasted!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let… go of Nezuko!!” Tanjiro charged forward again, ignoring the spider threads slicing his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the power of a Lower Kiyotsu demon was far beyond Tanjiro’s current level—the gap was immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Tanjiro was defeated once more, crashing to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lei slowly approached and kicked Tanjiro hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro flew into a tree trunk, then tumbled into the bushes, spitting blood…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lei had no intention of letting him go. He stepped forward and punched Tanjiro squarely in the face!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, the Spider Ghost Sister sprinted wildly through the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling Lei’s cruelty, she trembled with fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But failing Lei’s order would be even worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, she encountered a demon slayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wielded a scythe, his long hair pure white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a word, she shot out a flood of silk-like spider threads, wrapping him into a ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My threads are soft, yet unbreakable! You can’t cut—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she finished, a breeze of fragrance passed, and someone appeared behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so? Then you’re quite impressive~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden voice beside her ear made her shudder uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? When did this guy get behind me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero had already dodged her attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So fast, she thought her threads had struck him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, little brat, you came down from the mountain, right? Over there…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Die!” The Spider Ghost Sister launched another volley of spider threads, catching him off-guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero seemed to have anticipated it—he dodged each strike with effortless grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a flash, he appeared before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One hand clamped tightly around her throat. “Naive little brat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t kill me… please… please… spare me… I… I’ll do anything you say… cough… I’ll do anything…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her throat crushed, gasping for air, she begged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zero’s gaze was so terrifying she dared not resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boring.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snapped her neck, then swung his Nichirin Scythe, decapitating her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he followed the path she had taken down the mountain—upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>",2106,"2026-06-20T21:22:22.338Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","93614d2651aba6ec6d1441ec44625a729f9e43e2ab148acbddafd1af8e3c35d8","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-74","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-72",128,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--cover.jpg"]