Three days later, in a small town on the northwest border.
Uzui Tengen, dressed in ordinary merchant traveler's clothes, strolled through the market. He deliberately restrained his aura, but his flamboyant appearance still attracted many gazes.
"I heard they found blue flowers in the cave over the mountain," a peddler whispered to a customer.
"My cousin saw them with his own eyes; they glow in the moonlight!"
Uzui Tengen's lips curved slightly. It seemed the plan to spread information about the blue spider lily was proceeding as expected.
At the same time, Allen stood atop the town's tallest clock tower, overlooking the entire town. His perception, like an invisible net, enveloped every corner.
"He's here," Allen suddenly murmured.
As night deepened, the streets of the small town grew sparse with pedestrians. Allen stood at the top of the clock tower, his gaze fixed on an inconspicuous corner at the edge of the market.
There, a grotesque pot quietly appeared beside the peddler who had been spreading the news.
"Upper Rank Five, Gyokko."
Allen whispered to himself. His perception clearly captured the demonic blood aura flowing within the opponent's body, many times denser than that of an ordinary demon.
Uzui Tengen seemed to sense something, and he hurried towards the peddler's location.
Gyokko slowly emerged from behind the peddler, the eerie patterns on his pot body glowing faintly in the moonlight. Uzui Tengen's hand was already on his nichirin blade, but he still maintained the relaxed demeanor of a merchant traveler on the surface.
"What a beautiful piece of art~" Gyokko said in a strange tone, the eyes on his pot body rolling around.
"Why don't I turn you into the most perfect collection?"
Uzui Tengen was about to make his move, but Allen's voice suddenly rang in his mind: "Don't expose your strength. You can pretend to be no match and retreat."
Allen stood on the clock tower, his eyes slightly narrowed. He could sense Uzui Tengen's tensed muscles and accelerated heartbeat, but the Sound Hashira controlled his breathing rhythm very well.
"You... you!" The peddler stammered in reply, his legs instinctively weakening, almost causing him to fall to the ground.
Uzui Tengen feigned panic, pulling the peddler back: "Mon... monster!"
Gyokko let out a piercing laugh: "Run, run! The more you struggle, the more beautiful you become!"
He manipulated the tentacles extending from his pot to pursue the two. Uzui Tengen deliberately slowed down, allowing the tentacles to graze his sleeve, creating the illusion of a desperate escape.
Allen nodded with satisfaction from the clock tower. Uzui Tengen's performance was spot on. He lightly leaped, silently following the direction Gyokko was moving.
In a forest outside the town, Uzui Tengen "panted" to a halt, shielding the peddler behind him: "You go! I'll hold him off!"
Gyokko slowly floated over, the eyes on his pot body sparkling with excitement: "What touching self-sacrifice~ Let me turn you into the most perfect piece of art!"
Just as Gyokko was about to launch his attack, Allen's voice once again echoed in Uzui Tengen's mind: "You can counterattack appropriately, but don't reveal your full strength. Let him think you're just an ordinary swordsman."
Uzui Tengen understood and drew his nichirin blade: "Sound Breathing, First Form: Roar!"
His blade traced a brilliant trajectory, but its power was clearly restrained, only severing a few of Gyokko's tentacles.
"Oh? A little interesting~" Gyokko didn't get angry but instead laughed, "But it's still far from flamboyant enough!"
Allen hid in the treetops, his eyes fixed on every move Gyokko made. He could sense the flow of demonic blood within Gyokko's body. This unique energy fluctuation would be key to tracking Muzan.
The battle lasted a few minutes. Uzui Tengen deliberately exposed a weakness, allowing Gyokko's tentacles to strike his shoulder, and blood immediately stained his clothes.
"Ah!" Uzui Tengen "painfully" knelt on the ground, his nichirin blade slipping from his grasp.
Gyokko floated closer triumphantly: "Finally caught you, my new collection~"
Just as Gyokko was about to deliver the final blow, Allen suddenly appeared behind him, his palm gently pressing against the pot body.
"Got you," Allen's voice was cold and chilling.
Gyokko's entire body stiffened, the eyes on his pot body rotating in terror: "You... who are you?"
He, who excelled in reconnaissance, had not even noticed someone appearing behind him, which filled Gyokko with immense fear.
Gyokko's body suddenly trembled violently, and countless cracks appeared on his pot body, with dark purple blood seeping from the fissures.
Allen's palm seemed to possess immense power, a gentle press almost crushing this Upper Rank Demon.
"You... who exactly are you!" Gyokko's voice was distorted by fear, the eyes on his pot body spinning wildly, yet he couldn't break free from Allen's control.
Allen didn't answer, merely easing his grip slightly, ensuring Gyokko could still move but was severely injured. He turned and gave Uzui Tengen a look, who nodded in understanding.
"Hahaha! We are the ones who came to kill you. These are all traps meticulously designed by our Demon Slayer Corps, precisely to kill you demons!" Uzui Tengen laughed heartily.
"Today is your death day! I will have my revenge!" He roared hoarsely, raising his blade and slashing towards Gyokko. Allen then released the pot body, waiting for Gyokko to flee.
"A chance!" Gyokko seized this critical opportunity, his pot body suddenly spewing poisonous needles and corrosive liquid.
"Oh no! Damn it! He got away!" Uzui Tengen deliberately cursed loudly, but a slight smile played on his lips.
Allen had already silently followed the fleeing Gyokko. His figure moved like a ghost through the forest; a mere demon couldn't escape his perception.
Gyokko fled north in utter terror. He had to immediately report this terrifying news to Lord Muzan; a monster capable of easily crushing an Upper Rank had appeared in the Demon Slayer Corps!
"Soon! Almost there," Gyokko muttered to himself, the eyes on his pot body constantly rotating to observe his surroundings.
He completely failed to notice Allen following him unhurriedly in the sky above his head.
"Soon! Almost there!" Gyokko muttered to himself, the eyes on his pot body spinning wildly.
"Lord Muzan will surely praise me."
The outline of Tokyo Prefecture gradually appeared on the horizon. As the distance closed, a luxurious Western-style mansion emerged in the night, its exquisite wrought-iron gate and neatly trimmed lawn all showcasing the owner's wealth.
Allen stood in the distant shadows of the trees, his eyes slightly narrowed. He could clearly sense the powerful and evil aura within the mansion, demonic blood many tens of times denser than Gyokko's.
"Finally found you, Muzan," Allen whispered to himself from the sky, his eyes scarlet, a sinister curve on his lips.
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