Qingshui found that the high temperatures generated by using Separation Breathing were enough to counteract some of the ice crystals, and if he infused Lightning Release Chakra to enhance its power, the effect would be even better.
However, Doma's Blood Demon Art covered such a wide area and produced so many ice crystals that even Qingshui still inhaled a small amount.
But it wasn't a big issue; he just needed to use Delicate Illness Extraction Technique to remove the ice crystals before they could affect his body.
All things considered, his own abilities seemed to be quite effective against Doma.
"Hey! I say, why don't you become a Demon too, and then we can take the heads of two Hashira to Lord Muzan together? With how strong you are, you could definitely become an Upper Rank Demon, hmm... but I get along really well with the other Upper Ranks, what if someone dies in a Blood Battle for position?"
Doma said with a bright smile, while fanning himself and creating a large number of ice crystals and icicles to attack Qingshui and Yoriichi Type One.
Qingshui couldn't be bothered to waste words on this guy.
He had already roughly assessed Doma's strength, and he certainly lived up to his name as Upper Rank Two.
Currently, Doma probably hadn't used his full power yet; at the very least, he hadn't unleashed his strongest move, Lotus Bodhisattva.
That was practically a youthful version of Susanoo.
But for Qingshui, this was actually perfect.
Lower Rank Three was too weak to give him enough pressure to activate the Transparent World, but Doma was just right.
Qingshui's figure flickered like lightning, working with Yoriichi Type One, putting immense pressure on Doma.
Once Score was activated, every single one of Doma's movements was reflected in Qingshui's mind as clearly as a mirror. This allowed him to precisely pinpoint every exposed weakness Doma had.
"Oh dear, you're getting stronger and stronger, is this like Akaza-senpai's ability to sense fighting spirit? But unfortunately, even with that ability, Akaza-senpai couldn't beat me!"
Doma said with a chuckle, brandishing his fan again.
"*Blood Demon Art: Crystallized Child!*"
Several small ice figures, identical in appearance to Doma, appeared and collectively used their abilities to besiege Qingshui and Yoriichi Type One.
"*Blood Demon Art: Frigid White Princess!*"
Maiden-shaped ice lotuses emerged, blowing out endless cold air that practically froze everything around them.
Qingshui dared not use his Breathing Style again. He manipulated Yoriichi Type One to hold his blade horizontally in front of him and quickly retreated.
With such a wide-range, omnidirectional attack, even if he could perceive it with Score, he couldn't find an opening.
Fortunately, the Nichirin Blade in Yoriichi Type One's hand had also turned red from the heat due to the electricity, transforming into a Red Blade. At this moment, it unleashed Sun Breathing's Tenth Form: Beneficent Radiance, forming a sunlight-like blossoming vortex slash in front.
The high temperature of the Red Blade, combined with Sun Breathing, maximized the activation of the solar energy within the Nichirin Blade, producing a scorching aura like the blazing sun, clearing the cold front in front of Qingshui.
However, the temperature of the blade gradually decreased due to heat transfer, causing it to revert from its Red Blade state.
While a Red Blade achieved through external means caused the same amount of damage to a Demon as one achieved when one's power reached its limit, in the latter case, as long as one's grip strength was sufficient, a single swing of the blade could turn the Nichirin Blade into a Red Blade, making it much less susceptible to temperature reduction by cold air.
"*Separation Breathing: Second Form: Separation Flow Dance.*"
Qingshui seized the opportunity, bursting forward with a full-power thrust, slashing at Doma's head.
"*Clang~!*"
The golden iron fan collided with the Nichirin Blade, and a layer of frost spread from the iron fan, permeating towards Qingshui's Nichirin Blade.
At this moment, the ice-clone Domas also swung their ice fans, creating vine-like attacks that lunged at Qingshui, and the ice lotuses and snow princesses once again exhaled cold air.
This time, the Nichirin Blade in Yoriichi Type One's hand was no longer a Red Blade.
"Clink, clank, clatter," the sound of blades shattering ice crystals rang out.
Though suppressed by Doma, Qingshui felt joy instead of worry.
At least with Score, he didn't need to worry about being unable to protect himself.
If he wanted to run, Doma couldn't kill him. At most, he would activate the internal mechanisms of Yoriichi Type One, sacrificing flexibility and some combat power to rigidly use Sun Breathing, temporarily holding Doma back to cover his retreat.
What surprised Qingshui was that the pressure Doma exerted was indeed substantial.
The realm beyond Score seemed to be subtly beckoning to Qingshui.
But in the next instant, that pressure suddenly lessened significantly.
"*Insect Breathing: Dance of the Bee Sting - True Gliding!*"
"*Love Breathing: Second Form - Anguish of Love!*"
Two agile figures swiftly advanced from the edge of the battlefield, heading straight for Doma's head.
It was Kocho Shinobu and Kanroji Mitsuri.
"Ah! My two beautiful ladies, I've finally been waiting for you!"
Upon seeing the two girls arrive, Doma showed a seemingly sunny smile and extended his hand, shooting out countless icicles.
"Qingshui-senpai! We're here to help you!"
Kanroji Mitsuri swung her Nichirin Blade, deflecting the icicles aimed at her, and called out to Qingshui.
Even though she had joined the Demon Slayer Corps a few months before Qingshui and became a Hashira at the same time, she still habitually called Qingshui "senpai."
Meanwhile, Kocho Shinobu, relying on her extreme speed, dodged Doma's attacks, glaring at him with hatred.
Her older sister, the former Flower Hashira Kocho Kanae, had died by Doma's hand.
Her lungs were almost completely frozen. If the sun hadn't risen just then, and if Kocho Kanae hadn't had one last breath left, she wouldn't even have had the chance to see her sister one last time.
It was precisely from Kanae's words that she learned the characteristics of the enemy as Upper Rank Two. Only then did she realize that the Demon before her was her sworn enemy.
"Oh, you're fast, much faster than any Hashira I've seen before," Doma couldn't help but praise.
Qingshui frowned.
Why are these two causing trouble here?
"Kocho Shinobu, Mitsuri, you two go protect the Swordsmiths in the village first. There's another Upper Rank Demon there." Qingshui held his blade horizontally in front of him and said to the two.
"Qingshui, you and Mitsuri go first. Leave this place to me. Once the situation in the village is resolved, then come back to me." Kocho Shinobu replied, her small figure darting to dodge the attacks.
She wanted revenge, but she also knew how powerful the enemy was.
In her mind, the only way to get revenge was to let Doma devour her, and in doing so, also consume the Wisteria Flower Poison she had been injecting into her body for a long time. This would weaken Doma, and then Qingshui and Mitsuri, after dealing with the other enemy, would come to finish him off and kill Doma!
She also believed that, as comrades, the other two Hashira would absolutely not stand by and watch her sacrifice herself, so she had to send them away first.
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