Three days have passed since the battle at the Swordsmith Village. Tanjiro and his companions sustained rather serious injuries, while Kanao was relatively unharmed. Mitsuri and Muichiro had already recovered significantly, and Rengoku hadn't been injured at all.
On this day, at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, Oyakata-sama had urgently convened a Hashira meeting. Li Xing was also present.
The others were discussing their encounters with Upper Moons, some with envy, others with concern. Only Li Xing remained unfazed, calmly sipping tea at a table.
Gyomei Himejima had no particular opinion of Li Xing. Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro, however, found Li Xing as detestable as Giyu Tomioka. The others, however, acknowledged Li Xing, especially Shinobu Kocho, Mitsuri Kanroji, Tengen Uzui, and Kyojuro Rengoku.
"Li Xing-kun, Oyakata-sama is about to arrive. Hurry and sit properly, don't be rude," Shinobu Kocho said to Li Xing. Among those present, only Shinobu could probably manage Li Xing.
"Alright, alright." Li Xing didn't want to incur the wrath of everyone, so he obediently came and sat next to Shinobu Kocho. Of course, he didn't sit perfectly straight like the others.
"Thank you for waiting!"
Oyakata-sama entered the room accompanied by Amane. In the original storyline, Amane would have been here to represent Oyakata-sama today, but after Li Xing stabilized his condition, he could act again.
"You are all aware of the demon that can overcome sunlight. In fact, Nezuko has been able to appear in sunlight for months now, but we have kept it a secret."
"However, in the battle at the Swordsmith Village, the recently deceased Upper Moon Four saw Nezuko in the sunlight. It's likely Muzan Kibutsuji knows about this by now. To obtain Nezuko, a great battle is probably imminent."
"And we have received reports of unique marks appearing on Mitsuri and Muichiro. Mitsuri and Muichiro, please inform the other Hashira about the conditions for these marks to appear."
"According to the records of the Ubuyashiki clan, the first Breath users of the Sengoku period almost killed Muzan Kibutsuji. They all bore marks similar to those of demons."
"Because many exceptional swordsmen, upon learning of this, became disheartened and miserable trying to awaken these marks, we were forced to conceal this information."
"However, according to the words left by the first Breath users, whenever a swordsman with such marks appears nearby, a resonance often occurs, leading to the subsequent appearance of more swordsmen with marks."
"And the first swordsman to develop marks was not a single person, nor did they belong to the Hashira. It was Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira. But since they also do not know how the marks were awakened, Mitsuri and Muichiro will explain how to achieve this today!"
Oyakata-sama spoke a great deal at once, and Li Xing barely paid attention. As for the marks, Li Xing was surely the first to awaken them. Wasn't the starry mark on his face obvious enough? Yet no one noticed. He figured they were all dressed like Tengen Uzui.
"Yes! I'll explain! That... it just came. Like *goo*, with a *whoosh*. My heart pounded, my ears buzzed. It was very, very fast." Mitsuri suddenly raised her hand and exclaimed a string of incomprehensible words, startling even Li Xing.
"Mitsuri, what are you saying?" Li Xing asked, confused.
"I'm describing the situation when the mark appeared. I'm sorry, I don't know how to express it." Mitsuri's face was already flushed crimson, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone.
"Marks? I know about those. Heart rate exceeding 200, body temperature over 39 degrees. However, awakening marks causes great harm to the body, so those who awaken marks generally do not live past 25." Li Xing blurted out the conditions for awakening marks. Li Xing remembered telling Kanao about this. Hadn't Kanao told Shinobu?
Li Xing's words stunned everyone. How did he know?
At this moment, Sanemi Shinazugawa spoke, "Kid, how do you know? What's your basis? Don't just say things to curry favor with Oyakata-sama."
"Are you all stupid? Of course, I know because I've awakened the marks. The starry imprint on my face appeared when I first joined the Demon Slayer Corps. None of you noticed?" Li Xing pointed to the mark on his face.
Compared to his previous statement, Li Xing's current words were even more shocking and envied. Oyakata-sama was also somewhat surprised. The kasugai crow had not reported this to him. He had just said that the first to awaken marks were Tanjiro and his companions, but unexpectedly, Li Xing was the first.
"Miss Shinobu, I've been staying at the Butterfly Mansion for so long, surely you didn't know either? This deeply hurts me!" Li Xing turned to Shinobu Kocho, expressing his severe emotional distress.
Shinobu Kocho was also somewhat embarrassed. "Be quiet. I didn't know what these marks were before. When the mark suddenly appeared on your face, I thought it was makeup, like Mr. Uzui's. I couldn't just go and touch your face, could I?"
"Since we now know how to awaken the marks, we should inform the swordsmen below as soon as possible. We must also clearly inform them about the age issue. From now on, I suggest we conduct Hashira training, where each Hashira will specially train the swordsmen below, to enhance their strength for the upcoming great battle and preserve their lives."
Oyakata-sama voiced his thoughts, looking at Li Xing, wondering if he would be willing.
"We agree to this matter." Gyomei Himejima clasped his hands and replied softly. As expected, the owner of the "Yorozuya" shop had a pleasant voice. Li Xing couldn't maintain a serious demeanor listening to it. Gintoki had also said he would always love Shinobu Kocho.
"And what about you, Li Xing-kun?" Oyakata-sama looked at Li Xing, his eyes full of anticipation for Li Xing's help in training the members. A powerful swordsman who knew all Breathing Styles would surely make a good teacher.
"I'm sorry, I have other matters to attend to and no time to help train the members." Li Xing refused with an expression of regret. He had to take Zenitsu away later, and Kaigaku was likely to become a demon. If he didn't hurry, Zenitsu would lose a loved one.
"Very well, from today onwards, your Hashira status need not be hidden. Star Hashira, Li Xing." Oyakata-sama directly announced Li Xing's status. Although hiding it had been of no use, at the time, hiding Li Xing's status was intended to avoid the sacrifice of the current Hashira. It seemed hiding it was futile now.
"What? When did this brat become a Hashira?" Sanemi Shinazugawa was bewildered. While he acknowledged Li Xing's strength, he did not believe someone as ill-mannered as Li Xing was qualified to be a Hashira.
"Is it any of your business when I became a Hashira? Do you want to fight me? I single-handedly took on an Upper Moon and two Seven Moons in the Swordsmith Village, and I helped Muichiro. Does my becoming a Hashira disgrace you?" Li Xing would not be polite to a group of old men, especially Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro. Among the men here, Li Xing only liked Tengen Uzui and Kyojuro Rengoku.
At this moment, Giyu Tomioka stood up. "Since the matters are concluded, the nine of you discuss amongst yourselves. Oyakata-sama, I shall take my leave."
Sanemi Shinazugawa was annoyed again. "Wait, that's too disrespectful. Oyakata-sama is still here."
"It's alright, Sanemi. This Hashira meeting will now conclude." Oyakata-sama understood Giyu's intentions perfectly. He was exhausted from trying to prevent the children from arguing.
"Thank you, Oyakata-sama." Giyu Tomioka offered his thanks and left directly. Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro stared at Giyu Tomioka's retreating back with extreme displeasure.