Chapter 241: Blue Spider Lily

Kyoto, a thousand-year-old ancient capital. Before the Meiji Restoration, the eternal lineage of the Japanese emperors resided in this ancient city.

Admittedly, with the rise of Tokyo, the decline of Kyoto was inevitable. Japan's land area is limited. Tokyo's gravitational pull absorbed resources from all over Japan, leaving little nourishment for Kyoto to grow.

So, what is Muzan Kibutsuji doing in Kyoto?

Of course, that question isn't the most important. What's more crucial is...

"Oyakata-sama, what is your basis for this?" Li Mo asked.

Japan isn't particularly large, but it's not small either. Searching for a single person in this narrow island nation is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Moreover, the target isn't an ordinary human who needs food, clothing, and shelter. Muzan is a monster who can revive as long as a single piece of his flesh remains.

For thousands of years, the only one in this world who could reliably kill Muzan Kibutsuji was Yoriichi Tsugikuni. With his Sun Breathing, Demon Slayer Mark, and Transparent World, he was the pinnacle of this world.

Yet even such a man, after missing his chance, spent the rest of his life unable to find Muzan again, losing the opportunity to kill him.

"To become a demon, one needs Muzan Kibutsuji's blood. The concentration of Muzan's blood in each demon is fixed. Aside from Muzan himself, if a demon wants to create a new demon, they must extract Muzan's blood from their own body. But doing so weakens their own power.

From these phenomena, we can derive a conclusion.

The appearance of a new demon indicates that Muzan Kibutsuji has been in that area."

A reasonable deduction. Li Mo also understood that this deduction excluded Ms. Tamayo, as she was the only exception among demons.

By judging the number of newly born demons, one could determine where Muzan Kibutsuji had been.

This method was indeed effective.

The Demon Slayer Corps collected data on every demon they slayed daily. After being processed by relevant personnel, the information would be sent to Ubuyashiki Kagaya for final analysis.

Swordsmen had a clear sense of how to rate a demon's strength. Whether a demon was newly born or not was obvious at a glance. The number of demons could also be determined.

The Demon Slayer Corps' data collection, combined with specialized processing, and finally judged by Oyakata-sama.

"Big data processing?"

"What's that?"

"Never mind..."

It was hard to imagine that Oyakata-sama was already using big data processing methods in this era.

After a pause, Li Mo said, "I understand your reasoning, Oyakata-sama. But how do we target Muzan Kibutsuji? Even if we know where he is, we still don't know his next destination."

"I have something he must obtain."

"If it's your life, Oyakata-sama, then I must refuse."

What was important to Muzan Kibutsuji?

The Blue Spider Lily was undoubtedly the top priority. To become the ultimate being and walk under the sun, it needed that flower.

Second was the destruction of the Demon Slayer Corps. In the eyes of the Demon King, the existence of the Demon Slayer Corps was insignificant. But even a mosquito could annoy a human, let alone swordsmen capable of killing the Twelve Kizuki.

As the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, Oyakata-sama's life would certainly attract Muzan Kibutsuji.

But Li Mo would not allow such a scenario.

"If there were no better options, that was my original plan."

Original...

That word was subtle.

Li Mo asked, "Has Oyakata-sama found the Blue Spider Lily?"

"Yes, we have found the Blue Spider Lily," Ubuyashiki Kagaya said with a smile. "And it's all thanks to you, Li-kun."

"It was found near the Kamado family's home, right?" Li Mo said.

In the original manga, in the distant future after the story ended, a descendant of Inosuke Hashibira found the Blue Spider Lily. It was a flower that only bloomed for two or three days a year.

And according to the information Li Mo had found, Tanjiro had seen the Blue Spider Lily when he was a child.

In this era, people didn't travel far from home often.

The Blue Spider Lily grew near the Kamado family's home.

Li Mo's past movements were no secret to the Demon Slayer Corps. It was natural that they would notice the Kamado family.

"Yes... it was found near the Kamado family's home. When the Kakushi first reported it to me, I didn't believe it. But after further observation, I confirmed it. The only pity is that the Blue Spider Lily exists for a very short time. To preserve it, we've tried many methods."

"Where exactly is it, Oyakata-sama?"

"In front of a grave. Judging by the traces, the Kamado family visits it to pay their respects."

"That must be the grave of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's wife."

Li Mo said.

In the world he came from, there was the "Demon Slayer" manga. He could ask the author, Koyoharu Gotouge, how they conceived the story. Was it divine inspiration, or something else?

But then again, was that something he could explore?

The interaction of information between worlds?

Did the story come first, or the world?

Whatever the speculation, it wasn't something he could explore. Instead, he focused on asking about the settings. For example, the Blue Spider Lily.

And he learned that Tanjiro had seen the Blue Spider Lily when he visited a grave with his mother as a child.

"Is that so? Yoriichi Tsugikuni's... wife? Suddenly, the world feels truly mysterious."

The world is indeed mysterious.

Who would have thought that the Blue Spider Lily, which Muzan Kibutsuji so desperately sought, would grow beside the grave of his greatest enemy's wife?

"According to ancient records, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's wife was killed by a demon."

"Yes, Oyakata-sama."

Fate is subtle in this way.

Muzan Kibutsuji would never have imagined that he would miss the Blue Spider Lily in such a manner.

"Let's set that aside for now. We have more important matters.

Li-kun, how confident are you that the current Demon Slayer Corps can kill Muzan Kibutsuji?"

Muzan Kibutsuji.

The Demon King.

Before speaking with Ms. Tamayo, Ubuyashiki Kagaya had tried to imagine how terrifying Muzan's power might be. But after talking with Ms. Tamayo, he realized that Muzan was far more terrifying than he had imagined.

Among the current Hashira, there were those who could threaten Muzan Kibutsuji. But none could kill him. Only with the various targeted drugs created by Ms. Tamayo was there a sliver of hope.

If not for having glimpsed the "future," he might have one day staked his life on that slim possibility.

But now, Li Mo had returned.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya had once prophesied three visions. Two had already come true. What about the third?

"Perhaps in swordsmanship, I still can't surpass Yoriichi Tsugikuni from centuries ago.

But—

I am one hundred percent confident I can kill Muzan Kibutsuji."

As a human, he couldn't kill Muzan Kibutsuji. The demon's terrifying regenerative abilities were a headache for everyone.

But—

As a non-human, Li Mo didn't believe he would lose to Muzan Kibutsuji!

"I understand. Then, I will convene a Hashira meeting."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya said thus.