Fang Hao was quite satisfied with his previous sword technique; Yang Lei was a sword technique he created by combining Sun Breathing and Thunder Breathing, but it could only be considered a temporary, or even forced, fusion of breathing styles.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have created the Seventh Form of Thunder Breathing, but a new breathing style altogether. Yang Lei, as the name suggests, means to imbue lightning with some characteristics of the sun, and it does not refer to the Yang Lei of the Five Thunders Righteous Law.
The speed and burst of lightning, combined with the scorching and demon-restraining properties of Sun Breathing, were fully displayed in this sword technique, Yang Lei. Unfortunately, as he said before, Fang Hao only integrated the two major breathing styles when using this sword technique. Otherwise, every sword strike he unleashed could have been called Yang Lei.
Of course, what he now calls Thunder Breathing is a combination of the previous Thunder Breathing and Water Breathing, so in that sense, Yang Lei would be a sword technique that combines three major breathing styles.
Fang Hao put down Nezuko, who was in his arms, and gestured for them to go towards Zenitsu and Inosuke.
But the next moment, a thin sword stabbed towards Nezuko beside him.
During the brief and swift clash of metal, Fang Hao also clearly saw the appearance of the attacker: a female, dressed in a Demon Slayer Corps uniform with a haori featuring a butterfly wing pattern over it, purple eyes, black hair, and wearing butterfly hair ornaments.
Insect Pillar, Shinobu Kocho…
Seeing her attack blocked, Shinobu Kocho did not linger, but drifted backward like a butterfly for a distance, looking in surprise at Fang Hao, who had blocked a fatal blow for a demon.
Shinobu Kocho was the Pillar Fang Hao least wanted to face. Although the Insect Pillar was certainly considered weak among the Pillars, Fang Hao had no solution against poison. While theoretically Shinobu Kocho wouldn't use poison on them, they couldn't handle things like sleeping gas.
The most crucial point was that Shinobu Kocho was a human, and a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps at that. Fang Hao had no means to control people. No matter how weak Shinobu Kocho's strength was, she was still a Pillar, and Fang Hao wasn't confident he could knock her out either…
"This is troublesome…" Fang Hao looked at Shinobu Kocho with a distressed expression.
"You two, you must be trying to protect her, right? But the one beside you is a demon, you shouldn't misunderstand," Shinobu Kocho said gently, looking at Fang Hao and Tanjiro.
"No, that's not it…" Tanjiro quickly tried to explain, but then realized that what Shinobu Kocho said wasn't wrong. "No, you're right, but… she's my sister, Nezuko is my sister."
Fang Hao had no intention of saying much to Shinobu Kocho. He remembered that Shinobu Kocho's entire family had died at the hands of demons, and he didn't think Shinobu Kocho would accept Tanjiro's explanation.
"Tanjiro, you and Nezuko go first," Fang Hao stood in front of the two, raising his sword towards Shinobu Kocho.
"Oh, are you protecting this demon?" Shinobu Kocho's tone became even gentler.
Tanjiro, at his side, said, "Fang Jun, this young lady is so gentle, she should listen to us if we talk to her properly…" His words carried a hint of uncertainty, but his eyes still showed anticipation.
Fang Hao, Zenitsu, and Inosuke's acceptance of Nezuko had given Tanjiro a lot of confidence. Although Master Urokodaki had told him to avoid the Demon Slayer Corps, there should be people within the Demon Slayer Corps who could be reasoned with.
At this moment, Shinobu Kocho's face turned back to Tanjiro, "Little brother, your sister is truly pitiful. So… I'll kill her with a poison that won't cause her any pain." Her face, which had initially been smiling, became calm, even showing murderous intent…
"What a great facial expression," Fang Hao was not at all surprised by Shinobu Kocho's sudden change of expression. He remembered that Shinobu Kocho's smile seemed to be an imitation of her sister's, and her true personality seemed to be irritable or something…
"No more thinking, I'll get a headache if I think any more," Fang Hao decided to act directly.
"Whether you believe it or not, Nezuko has never eaten a human," Fang Hao charged at Shinobu Kocho, swinging his long sword.
"Clang." Again, blades met, and their sword guards collided. They simply decided to test their strength against each other.
"Whether she has eaten humans now or not, she will in the future," Shinobu Kocho said indifferently.
"Like eating, right? How ridiculous." Fang Hao's blade gradually approached Shinobu Kocho's body. "It seems my strength is greater." He tightened his grip on the sword a bit more, then pressed the blade closer to Shinobu Kocho.
"Thump!" Fang Hao blocked Shinobu Kocho's kick aimed at his shin, then took the opportunity to kick Shinobu Kocho in the stomach. Shinobu Kocho rolled twice on the ground before the force was dissipated.
Standing up, Shinobu Kocho's entire face seemed to have turned dark. With a hint of anger, she narrowed her eyes: "This gentleman's actions seem to violate the corps rules." Her tone remained gentle, but to those present, it sounded somewhat terrifying.
"Haven't you violated the corps rules? Attacking a member of the Demon Slayer Corps without reason," Fang Hao said calmly.
Tanjiro: ? Wasn't Fang Jun the one who attacked first? Did I remember wrong?
"Since you chose to attack, what's wrong with me acting in self-defense?" Fang Hao said righteously, so much so that even he believed it. Shinobu Kocho had no reason not to believe it, right?
Hearing Fang Hao's words, the veins on Shinobu Kocho's forehead gradually bulged, but she didn't refute. Instead, she said, "No matter what, protecting a demon is still wrong, isn't it?"
"Nezuko is just an ordinary person who turned into a demon. Strictly speaking, she's a victim. How can you call her a demon?" His serious words stunned everyone present.
Tanjiro: Huh?
The veins on Shinobu Kocho's hand, which was gripping her sword, also bulged. This guy was the most infuriating person she had ever met, but she still suppressed her anger. Not only did she feel she couldn't defeat Fang Hao, but also because Nezuko hadn't eaten anyone…
If either of these two reasons were missing, she wouldn't be speaking to Fang Hao so calmly. Without the first reason, she would have pinned Fang Hao to the ground and beaten him. Without the second reason, it would truly be an endless fight… She could absolutely not forgive man-eating demons.
"My point is, if this demon lady truly hasn't eaten anyone, I can refrain from attacking her… However, since she is a demon, and also the sister of a Demon Slayer Corps member, shouldn't they, the brother and sister, be brought back to the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters and handed over to the Master for judgment?"
Shinobu Kocho felt this was her most good-tempered moment. If she weren't outmatched and had to maintain her persona, she really wanted to let this brat know what the dignity of a Pillar was…
"Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters?" Fang Hao pondered. In the original work, Tanjiro and Nezuko were recognized by the Master, but would this still be the case in reality? Fang Hao would not consider the original work as authoritative; reality is more logical than anime and manga.
"Headquarters…" Tanjiro's feelings were very complex. Were he and Nezuko being targeted by a strong member of the Demon Slayer Corps? Should they go? Or should they try to escape? If they escaped, they would only be able to ask Fang Jun for help, but Fang Jun was also a member of the Demon Slayer Corps… For a moment, Tanjiro's thoughts raced, but he couldn't make a decision.