[{"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-92":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},2336018,4566,"Chapter 92: Kneel Before This Empress!","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-92",92,"\u003Cp>More than an hour later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero finally finished dressing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tied up his long white hair, adorned his head with golden hairpins, and wrapped himself tightly in a kimono dress embroidered with intricate patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He appeared without makeup, his demeanor exuding noble cold allure, as if untouched by the mortal world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his gaze lay a detachment from life and death, and only indifference and contempt for the lives of others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding a half-open fan to partially conceal his face, his speech stirred an irresistible urge to kneel and worship at his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero stared at his reflection in the mirror—had one not noticed his gender, it would be nearly impossible to imagine this was a boy…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To appear more convincing, Zero altered his voice through modulation, making himself sound like a supreme empress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also activated the [Analytical Glasses] in stealth mode to facilitate reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, Zero was acting strangely now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at his reflection, he murmured: “Demi… this courtesan position… should change hands… hehe~ You’re only fit to kneel beneath my feet, not even worthy of carrying my shoes… hehe… hahaha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From now on, I am your Empress. Do you dare compare yourself to this Empress?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Zero seemed to awaken a peculiar trait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt he was the Empress of this world, and that every man in Nihon must kneel before him and submit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Uzui Tengen, who had just finished applying makeup to the three boys, was tidying his own appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wiped off all the bizarre facial paint, let his hair fall loose, revealing a strikingly handsome face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, he heard laughter coming from the next room and broke out in a cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that laughter, Uzui Tengen sensed that this mission might spiral into something enormous…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him stood the three boys, each painted in grotesquely ugly heavy makeup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces were caked in thick white powder, with two bright red circles painted on their cheeks—so thick, a light scrape could peel off a whole layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uzui Tengen had given them names:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanzi, Shanzi, Zhuzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zenitsu: “Tanjiro, did you hear that laughter…? I’m scared…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro: “Zero’s room emits an unusual aura—so noble, so cold…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inosuke: “Hmph! Then let this great man go check it out first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the three boys’ conversation, Uzui Tengen decided he should go see for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s been so long—Zero should be ready by now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He arrived at the next room and opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zero, you’re the last one—hello… good… so beautiful…” As soon as he opened the door, Uzui Tengen saw a cold, majestic, breathtakingly beautiful white-haired woman seated there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She fanned herself slowly, every movement radiating irresistible charm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero had vanished—nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Tanjiro and the others entered, and upon seeing the woman, they all shared the same stunned, awestruck expression as Uzui Tengen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glug~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone had swallowed hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uzui Tengen shook his head violently, banishing strange thoughts, and asked: “Beautiful lady, who are you? Where is Zero? Have you seen him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero said nothing, only narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet that single smile enchanted all four of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro: Why does she smell just like Zero…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zenitsu: I wonder if she has a lover? But why is her heartbeat so similar to Zero’s? Could she be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inosuke: Who is this? Where did the white hair go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Zero spoke: “Kneel… before this Empress!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four men were startled by his commanding voice and all knelt instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero rose and walked slowly toward Uzui Tengen, speaking coolly: “What? Don’t you recognize this Empress? Didn’t you just kneel and beg me to help you? Hehehe~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero’s laughter was filled with malice and decay, as if the world would shatter at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zero? You’re Zero?! How did you become like this…?” Uzui Tengen could hardly believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Silence! How dare you look directly at this Empress?! Look at the makeup you gave them—how grotesque!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roar nearly terrified Uzui Tengen—he couldn’t understand why Zero had changed so utterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if he had awakened some bizarre trait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero then approached Tanjiro and the others and ordered: “Raise your heads!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three boys obeyed, lifting their heads to gaze at Zero—this moment, he felt both familiar and alien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero pressed his fan against Zenitsu’s chin and said: “Ugly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to the dressing table, picked up the makeup tools, and reapplied their makeup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, Zero had finished retouching Zenitsu—thick layers of white powder were scraped off, his face washed clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hair was tied into short twin tails with pale yellow ribbons, his lips lightly painted with red, his shoulders partially exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he turned his head, his gaze revealed a pure yet seductive allure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kneeling on the tatami, he turned to reveal a graceful, alluring figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uzui Tengen glanced and his jaw dropped—were they male or female?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the makeup he had applied earlier, this was heaven and earth—utterly incomparable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Zero redid Tanjiro’s and Inosuke’s makeup as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inosuke had intended to resist, but Zero silently pulled out an electric shocker and stunned him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph~ Refuse the wine, drink the punishment? This Empress is doing you a favor by applying your makeup, and you dare resist? Foolish, arrogant brat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overall, it was fine—inosuke had naturally feminine features, so his base was excellent; a light touch of makeup sufficed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoshiwara Flower Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A street brimming with vanity, desire, and the mingled night hues of love and hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind its glittering surface lay countless divergent fates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most who lived here were women sold into this place, forced by poverty or crushing debt to sell their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those of average beauty either worked as servants, became geishas to perform arts, or became courtesans accompanying the courtesan queen on processions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet their livelihoods, food, clothing, and shelter were guaranteed—at least they wouldn’t sleep on the streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likewise, if a woman rose to prominence here, marriage to a respectable man was not impossible!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Women with exceptional beauty were trained as courtesan queens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtesan queen, the foremost among all flowers, blooms before all others—hence the title “Flower Queen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtesan queen was said to be a unique being, possessing unparalleled beauty, cultivation, and artistry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, she became the object of every man’s longing in Flower Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, a high-ranking courtesan queen was not easily seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with boundless wealth, one might still fail to meet her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To approach her, one must seek opportunity at a teahouse called “Yōya.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon arriving, guests must spend lavishly on food and drink and summon geishas to display their wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the madam would probe the guest’s background, determine which rank of courtesan queen suited him, and issue a “Yōya Request Slip” to summon the named courtesan—only then did the main event begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtesan queen’s procession to the Yōya was called the “Flower Queen Procession.” At the front walked a man carrying a lantern bearing the courtesan’s unique crest (similar to a family crest).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came two [Kabuku]—young girls around ten years old who served the courtesan queen, carrying her belongings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the courtesan queen herself, clad in heavy garments and walking on wooden clogs five to six inches tall, followed by several [Shinzō] and bodyguards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the courtesan queen wore garments weighing about twenty kilograms and towering, heavy clogs, there was a saying: “The courtesan queen walks slower than an ox cart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her walking style was divided into “Inner Eight” and “Outer Eight”—Yoshiwara courtesan queens primarily used the “Outer Eight,” yet mastering either required two to three years of training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon arriving at the Yōya, if the courtesan queen disliked the guest, she could simply turn and leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she took a liking to him, it was merely the “First Meeting.” The guest must exhaust every means to display wealth and charm to win her favor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To earn this single glance, a guest might have spent tens or even hundreds of thousands, yet still sit far below her, distant from her elevated seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Second Meeting” followed the same pattern. If mutual affection developed, the third meeting would begin—if the courtesan queen placed chopsticks inscribed with the guest’s name before him, only then did it signify true mutual affection, and only then could he spend the night with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These three meetings resembled courtship, betrothal, and marriage—but the relationship was profoundly unequal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a guest later sought other courtesans in Yoshiwara, he might pay to avoid punishment—or be brutally beaten by the brothel’s guards; yet the courtesan queen could have many regular clients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the courtesan queen was unavailable, a [Shinzō] called “Mingdai” would receive the guest instead—she would not sleep with him, but he still had to pay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Uzui Tengen led Zero and the others into Flower Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before departure, Zero told Uzui Tengen that the three women he had lost were taken by Upper Moon demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, their next actions must be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Uzui Tengen grew more anxious for his wives, yet his strong inner discipline quickly restored his calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally, before departure, Zero deployed his drone in stealth mode to survey the entire Flower Street area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He discovered a subterranean cave at the center, where life signs were detected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was highly likely the demons had captured humans and hidden them there as stored food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Zero used the drone to plant small explosives in unoccupied areas across the district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All preparations complete, Uzui Tengen led the way, Zero followed behind him, and Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Shinobu were treated as maidservants trailing after Zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero had also taken a name for herself: Zerozi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passersby on the street stared fixedly at Zerozi and the four of them, their mouths watering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, two sleazy men approached Uzui Tengen—one fat, one thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ignored Uzui Tengen entirely and walked straight to Zerozi; the thin man put on a gentlemanly air and said: “Beautiful lady, may I…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zerozi pulled a whip from nowhere and lashed it across the thin man’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Shinobu recognized the whip and were instantly reminded of the past months of training under Zero, the devilish instructor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any lapse, no matter how small, was met with merciless lashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fat man, watching this, his face flushed with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uzui Tengen broke into a cold sweat—hadn’t someone just said to proceed with caution?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zerozi stared at the fat man and said: “What? Do you have a problem with Her Majesty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fat man’s reply stunned everyone—he shouted: “Why… why are you rewarding him?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air fell utterly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reward?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What in the world was going on?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when everyone glanced at the thin man, they were speechless—he wore an expression of bliss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This guy must be a masochist…” Uzui Tengen thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zerozi’s forehead twitched with several angry veins; she whipped the fat man again and ordered: “Kneel before me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both the fat and thin men knelt at Zerozi’s feet, foreheads pressed to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zerozi slipped off her shoes and, barefoot in black silk stockings, stepped onto the fat man’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pressed his head hard into the ground, grinding it back and forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disgusting creature, how dare you speak to me? Look at your face—anyone who didn’t know would think you crawled out of a pigsty! You’ve polluted my eyes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone expected the fat man, after such humiliation, to fly into a rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, his face wore a rapturous expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgive me, Your Majesty~ Please continue! More… more… step on me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m done,” Uzui Tengen sighed, slapping his own forehead. “How am I supposed to explain this to Kanao and Mitsuri?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Kanao’s younger sister, Kanao, is Zero’s sister-in-law—if she finds out about this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uzui Tengen imagined one night, asleep in bed, Kanao standing beside him with a needle filled with poison, whispering: “This is what happens to a man who corrupts my sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disgusting creature!” Zerozi looked down at the fat man with revulsion, lifted her foot, and planted it on the thin man’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re no better!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thin man replied: “Forgive me, Your Majesty—I’m merely your dog…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up! I refuse to breathe the same air as you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had she spoken than Zerozi slipped her wooden sandals back on, turned to Uzui Tengen, and flicked her teaching cane across his chest. “Get moving and lead the way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no choice, Uzui Tengen obediently resumed leading them toward their destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding crowd instinctively parted, clearing a path for the five of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Men who gazed at Zerozi trailed behind, wondering which courtesan house she belonged to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes—they all assumed Zerozi was a courtesan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And not just any courtesan—the most unusual, the most extraordinary one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………\u003C\u002Fp>",2118,"2026-06-20T21:22:22.338Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","08d4c4c64243e33df87511a868f89578c1c53a3ca0ebc30b60413fa00b6a5896","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-93","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-91",128,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--cover.jpg"]