108: Back on track

"Bro... brother..."

Unexpectedly, the decapitated Daki was still able to let out a faint call. Her body did not turn to ash; instead, she struggled to reconnect herself.

Gyutaro's head also gave a raspy response: "Sis... sister..."

The two headless bodies groped on the ground, trying to find their respective heads.

"Just as I thought," Lin Luo watched this scene calmly, "this is the truth of their symbiosis."

Uzui Tengen flicked the blood off his blade, his brow furrowing slightly: "How troublesome. However..."

Before he could finish his sentence, spiritual power surged in Lin Luo's palm, and a golden Talismanic Incantation instantly sank into Gyutaro's head. At the same time, Uzui Tengen's twin blades shone once more, swinging down toward Daki's head.

"It's time to end this."

This time, as the two strikes fell simultaneously, the siblings' bodies finally began to turn into flying ash. In their final moments, a hint of relief actually flickered in their eyes.

"Brother..."

"Daki..."

With that final call, Upper Rank Six completely dissipated into the night.

On a distant rooftop, Tsukuyo and the three wives finally breathed a sigh of relief. This battle, which surpassed human understanding, had finally come to an end.

Uzui Tengen sheathed his swords and turned to Lin Luo, flashing his usual flamboyant smile: "A flashy victory, isn't it? As expected, we are an impeccable duo."

Lin Luo waved his hand and looked toward the first light of dawn appearing on the horizon: "I only want to be partners with Kanae; you can take a back seat."

Uzui Tengen was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter, his gold ornaments shimmering in the morning light: "You fellow, you're still as unromantic as ever!"

In the breaking dawn, three figures leaped gracefully from the rooftop and landed beside Uzui Tengen.

Suma's eyes were filled with tears; with her weak temperament, she could no longer suppress her emotions and was the first to throw herself into Uzui Tengen's arms: "Lord Tengen! I—I thought I would never see you again..." Her voice choked up, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

Although Hinatsuru and Makio also had red-rimmed eyes, they were much more restrained than Suma. Hinatsuru gently stroked the back of Suma's head, comforting her softly: "There, there, aren't we all safe now?"

Makio stood to the side, and though she didn't speak, the glint of tears in her eyes said everything. She quietly turned her face away, quickly wiping the moisture from the corners of her eyes.

Uzui Tengen opened his arms and gently pulled his three wives into his embrace. This Sound Hashira, usually so flamboyant and flashy, spoke with an exceptionally gentle voice now: "It's okay, it's fine as long as you all are safe."

He stroked their hair one by one, carefully examining each face to confirm they were unharmed. At this moment, the fierce Sound Hashira of the battlefield had vanished, leaving only a husband relieved that his wives were safe.

Lin Luo stood quietly not far away, watching this heartwarming scene. The morning sun had just fully leaped over the horizon, casting golden light on the four people embracing, drawing a warm conclusion to this thrilling night battle.

"Lord Hosen already knows about this matter," Tsukuyo said, having approached at some unknown time, curls of blue smoke rising from her pipe.

Lin Luo smiled nonchalantly: "If he knows, he knows. He can't possibly blame us after we've cleared out the trouble in Yoshiwara for him."

"He invites you for a talk." Tsukuyo quietly watched this man who always seemed so carefree, conveying the goodwill from the Dominator of Yoshiwara.

Lin Luo shrugged: "No time. I'm exhausted after fighting all night! We're preparing to leave now; after all, this is your territory, and it wouldn't be good to disturb you for too long."

Tsukuyo nodded slightly: "Very well."

"Oh?" Lin Luo raised an eyebrow and smiled, "No wonder this Night King can establish himself in Yoshiwara; he's quite sensible."

"If you have the guts, say those words to his face." Tsukuyo glanced at the loose-tongued fellow, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"You won't go and snitch, will you?" Lin Luo leaned in a bit closer, smiling mischievously.

"I am not that kind of person," Tsukuyo turned her face away. "If you're going, then leave quickly."

Lin Luo laughed loudly, turned around, and walked toward the end of the long street in the morning light, waving his hand with his back to her: "Tsukuyo, come find me for a drink when you're free. If you ever decide to receive guests, I'll definitely be your first customer."

Countless Kunai whistled through the air, but they all landed three feet behind him. He never looked back, only raising his hand to wave as his figure gradually merged into the rising dawn light.

The morning light filtered through the paper doors, softly filling the room.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya sat kneeling on the tatami. Although his gradually eroding illness made his face pale, his blind eyes seemed to reflect the figures returning in triumph from afar. When the news of Uzui Tengen and Lin Luo's safe return arrived, an uncontrollable flush finally rose to his usually calm face.

"Good... that's wonderful..."

His voice trembled slightly, and his hands on his knees tightened involuntarily. Counting the success of this Yoshiwara campaign, the high-ranking members of the demons—the Upper Rank Moons—had already been reduced by nearly half. This was the first time in a thousand years that the Demon Slayer Corps had truly dealt a heavy blow to Kibutsuji Muzan's core strength, marking the second major turning point for the Ubuyashiki family against the demons since Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

"A thousand years..." he murmured softly, as if he could hear the sighs and expectations of generations of ancestors within his Bloodline. The destiny of annihilating the demons and the hope of ending the eternal curse had never felt as real as they did at this moment—so real that it seemed it might be realized in his generation, witnessed by his own decaying body.

The intense excitement triggered his chronic illness, and he began to cough deeply into his hand, with faint traces of blood seeping through his fingers. His wife, Amane, rushed forward to gently pat his back, her eyes full of worry and an equally uncontrollable joy.

Kagaya gently held his wife's hand and shook his head, indicating he was fine. He took a deep breath, struggling to calm his surging blood, and faced the direction where the two were returning, a smile of immense relief and solemnity blooming on his face.

"I must... I must personally greet them." He knew his body was like a candle in the wind, but at this moment, he had to wait here as the Master for the heroes who brought back this historic victory.

"The trajectory of fate has finally changed."

After meeting with the Master and once again clearing the accumulated illness from his body, Lin Luo hurried toward the Butterfly Mansion without pause.

The morning light was just right, making the carefully tended flowers and plants in the Butterfly Mansion courtyard look vibrant. He walked through the familiar corridor, and before he even arrived, he heard a soft humming sound.

Pushing open the ajar door, he saw Kochou Kanae leaning by the window, holding a book. The warm sunlight cast a pale gold glow on her beautiful cheeks, and those eyes, always so gentle, looked up when she heard the movement. Seeing it was him, they naturally curved into two crescents.

"You're back so soon." Her voice was still soft, but it carried an obvious joy.

Lin Luo walked quickly to the bedside and naturally took her wrist, his fingertips lightly touching her pulse point. A faint glow of spiritual power quietly flowed as he carefully checked her body's recovery.

"How do you feel?" he asked in a low voice, his gaze never leaving her face.

"Much better, I can even hold a sword now," Kanae smiled, letting him check her. "It's just that Shinobu is always too tense and won't let me touch anything."

"What sword?" Lin Luo's brow furrowed slightly, his tone carrying an unquestionable firmness. "The medicine was just applied."

The spiritual power at his fingertips increased slightly, confirming that the troublesome corrosive toxins in her body had been completely cleared and the wounds were healing rapidly under the nourishment of the Spirit Medicine. But even so, he added uneasily:

"It takes a hundred days for bones and tendons to heal, let alone being wounded by an Upper Rank. Until I say it's okay, you're not even allowed to touch a wooden sword."

Hearing this, Kanae couldn't help but laugh out loud, her smile exceptionally bright in the sunlight: "Yes, yes, Doctor Lin Luo. Your current tone is even stricter than Shinobu's."

A smile flickered in Lin Luo's eyes as he sat down beside her, naturally recounting the experiences of the Yoshiwara trip. From infiltrating the entertainment district to the fierce underground battle, from Daki's sashes to Gyutaro's blood sickles, he spoke vividly. Kanae listened quietly throughout, sometimes holding her breath in tension and sometimes smiling at his deliberately exaggerated tone.

"...So in the end, that pair of siblings turned to ash under the morning sun." Lin Luo concluded the adventure with this sentence.

Kanae breathed a gentle sigh of relief and watched him tenderly: "As expected, as long as Mr. Lin Luo takes action, there's nothing that can't be solved."

Her gaze was so focused, filled with unmasked trust and admiration. Lin Luo only felt a warmth in his heart, and almost subconsciously, his palm gently covered her hand resting on the bedding.

The moment their fingertips touched, both of them paused slightly.

Kanae's long eyelashes trembled, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks, but she did not pull her hand away. Her fingertips moved slightly under his palm, finally resting obediently within his warm embrace.

The sunlight flowed quietly, casting a soft golden edge on their overlapping hands. Lin Luo could clearly feel the delicate skin and slight warmth of the back of her hand; this moment of tranquility was more heart-stirring than any words.

On the other end of politics, Prime Minister Takaichi, who had just won the election and taken office, was actively making arrangements. To consolidate her power base and win over various factions, she sent out invitations to host many influential political and business figures in the region. During the banquet, although she didn't fully spell it out, she repeatedly mentioned the "major changes" and "potential crises" that Japan might face in the future in a vague but serious tone.

This meaningful statement was like throwing a stone into a seemingly calm lake—though the ripples were slow, they were enough to disturb the entire surface. For a time, undercurrents surged in both political and business circles. Even those who had originally intended to stay on the sidelines had to re-evaluate after catching a hint of the changing winds, and they one after another changed their minds, deciding to personally attend this high-profile banquet.

Political trends have always been the focus of attention for all parties, and in the current Japan, the political situation has fallen into a state of hard-to-discern Chaos. Shadows loomed beneath the surface, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood. Everyone expected this upcoming banquet to clear the fog and illuminate those long-hidden puzzles and answers.

However, for Lin Luo, who never paid attention to current affairs, life had finally returned to its normal track over the past few days. To assist the Demon Slayer Corps in combat, he had not been home for two consecutive weeks. Fortunately, the battle with the demons had come to a temporary halt, and the situation had entered a relatively stable phase.

Lin Luo's home was as lively as ever.

Kirisu Mafuyu knew what he had gone to do. Seeing Lin Luo return unscathed, her heart finally settled, though she still maintained her usual calm on the surface.

Tohru pouted her lips in dissatisfaction, her pout so deep she could practically hang an oil bottle from it: "Why didn't you take me along again?"

"If you left too, who would protect this large family of ours?" Lin Luo smiled flippantly, his gaze turning to Shiina Mahiru nearby.

The girl felt a bit shy under his gaze, and seeing this, Kirisu Mafuyu glared at Lin Luo: "How improper."

Lin Luo didn't care at all, and naturally leaned back into Yukino Mifuyu's embrace. As the back of his head sank into the soft sensation, he squinted his eyes contentedly: "Look, we live together most of the time, so how can we not be considered a big family?" He paused, his voice carrying a hint of laziness, "I quite like it."