Chapter 163: We can’t let Zenitsu know…
The old man behind him saw the scene, his beard stood up in anger, and he shouted while holding up the cane in his hand.
"Xiao Yue! What are you doing!?"
Then he looked at Zenitsu, whose figure could no longer be seen, leaned forward slightly, exhaled a stream of white air from his mouth, and arcs of electricity shot out around him.
Seeing all this, Xiyue gritted his teeth and muttered in dissatisfaction.
"A biased old man..."
But at this moment, the prosthetic limb on the old man's foot could not withstand the huge force and broke directly, and the old man fell to the ground.
"Deserve it!"
Xiyue on the side was still whispering sarcasm. A strong wind blew past him from behind, blinding his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, the figure of a wolf appeared in front of him without him knowing.
Looking at his hands again, Gion Yue opened his mouth wide. Zenitsu, who had just been designed by him to roll down the mountain, had actually been hugged by the other party around the waist.
On the other side, seeing the wolf suddenly appear there, Xuan Mi looked back and around. He also did not notice when the wolf left. Then he sighed at the terrifying speed of Mr. Hirata while walking towards there with the owl in his arms.
When Zenitsu, who was held in the wolf's hands, saw the old man fall, he struggled to get out of the wolf's hands, ran to the old man and helped him up.
"Grandpa, are you okay..."
Standing up, the old man wanted to say something, but seeing the dusty Zenitsu's face full of concern for him, and the unhappy Giongaki beside him, he was unable to say it. In the end, he just touched Zenitsu's head gently.
"Grandpa is fine."
After saying that, he looked at Wolf and Xuan Mi not far away and asked them softly.
"What do you two want to do in Taoshan?"
When asked, the wolf answered the other party's questions directly.
"Just passing by."
Seeing the wolf's calm expression, the old man naturally believed it. However, with the strength the other party had just displayed, even if the other party had malicious intentions, he, an old man who had difficulty walking without prosthetic limbs, had no ability to stop him.
Looking up at the setting sun on the side of the mountain, then looking at Xuan Mi who was holding a snarling owl to intimidate Xiao Yue on the other side, the old man coughed lightly and said to the wolf.
"The sun has set. You two should stay here for the night."
The wolf hesitated for a moment at the old man's invitation, and finally nodded slightly. Seeing this, the old man also smiled and gently patted Zenitsu who was supporting him.
Zenitsu also understood what he meant, turned around and helped the old man walk up the mountain. The people behind him naturally followed, but the dissatisfaction on Gion's face became even more intense.
Along the way, it seemed like it had been a long time since the place was so lively. The old man chatted enthusiastically with Wolf and Xuan Mi, but mostly it was Xuan Mi who talked with the old man, and Wolf just listened quietly on the side.
By eavesdropping, Wolf also learned that the old man's real name was Jigoro Kuwashima, and that he was actually the retired Sound Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, who lived in seclusion in Momoyama to train the next generation of Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen.
Xuan Mi, who had been working alone in the society since he was a child, directly and affectionately called the other party "Grandpa Sangdao", which made the old man blush and he touched his head and laughed.
When the older generation is happy, they will naturally start talking about the past of the younger generation around them. Zenitsu, who often does not practice well, is the main person they mention, which gives Zenitsu a headache.
The wolf, who had been listening for a long time, remembered most vividly the other person's yellow hair, which was caused by a bolt of lightning hitting his head.
Wolf couldn't help but recall that Miss Yongzhen once mentioned to him the past where Genichirō was electrocuted by Barre and his arm was charred while training in the vortex. He felt deeply moved.
...He was hit by lightning but his hair only turned yellow... Genichirō would surely envy such a physique...
Zenitsu always glanced slightly sideways at the prosthetic hand on the wolf's left arm, his eyes shining from time to time, but when the wolf looked at him, he quickly looked away.
There were laughter and joy along the way, except for Xiyue, who was being stared at by the owl in Xuanmi's arms, which made him quite unhappy.
The owl staring at him didn't know why he hated the other party for no reason. He should like children very much, but when he saw Xiao Yue, he felt disgusted.
Soon everyone arrived at the wooden house on the mountain where Master and Apprentice Kuwashima lived. Zenitsu first helped old man Kuwashima to his room and helped him put on his simple prosthetic limbs.
Leaving behind Xie Yue and Wolf and his group, they looked at each other in bewilderment. Xie Yue, who couldn't stand the owl's hostility, stood up and walked out of the house with a dark face. Before leaving, he did not forget to speak viciously to the two of them.
"If the old man asks, just say I went to the back of the mountain to practice."
After saying that, he slammed the door shut, which made Xuan Mi unhappy.
"What kind of person is this? He has no manners!"
He didn't notice the strange look from the wolf next to him.
…Actually… it’s quite surprising that Busou’s brother is so polite…
Not long after, old man Kuwashima walked out of the room on his new prosthetic limbs. When he saw that Giongaku had left, he sighed slightly. Zenitsu, who was standing beside him, saw that his grandfather looked distressed, so he left a few words and ran out of the house.
"I'll go talk to my brother."
Seeing this, old man Kuwashima's face remained worried, and he spoke dejectedly to Lang and Xuanya.
"I'm sorry to have made you two laugh..."
Hearing this, Xuan Mi waved his hands repeatedly to indicate that they didn't care. Only then did old man Kuwashima raise a forced smile on his face. After pouring a cup of tea for each of them, he asked them.
"What are you two going to do on this trip?"
Faced with the old man's question, Xuan Mi did not dare to answer on his own this time. He sipped his tea while cautiously glancing at the wolf beside him, while the wolf was drinking the hot tea calmly.
Seeing the two of them like this, old man Kuwashima smiled gently and spoke.
"Don't worry, I have no ill intentions. I just saw that the exquisite sword on Xuan Mi's back is undoubtedly the Nichirin Sword, and Mr. Hirata's martial arts are very strong. I am a little curious about the purpose of your visit."
After he finished speaking, the wolf narrowed his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then opened his lips slightly. Old man Sangdao, who had been paying attention to the wolf's expression, also became nervous in an instant. His back straightened unconsciously and he moved slightly closer to the wolf.
“…We’re going to Yoshiwara.”
The old man, who couldn't believe what he heard, opened his mouth wide and unconsciously uttered a puzzled sound.
"what?"
Xuan Mi, who was standing aside, blushed immediately and quickly waved his hand to stand between the wolf and old man Kuwashima, and began to explain to the other party in panic.
"What? Mr. Hirata, please explain clearly. We went to Yoshiwara to investigate the evil spirits there!"
After hearing Xuan Mi's explanation, Wolf nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Seeing this scene, old man Kuwashima finally relaxed and picked up a handkerchief beside him to wipe the non-existent cold sweat from his face.
He muttered softly.
"…We can't let Zenitsu know…"