Chapter 56: The Special Training of Stone Breathing

The temple where Gyomei Himejima practiced was located far from the Butterfly Mansion.

Chu Yang had assumed the two of them would take a train to leave, but he never expected that Gyomei Himejima would actually make him walk all the way back!

"Your constitution is extraordinary; you require more rigorous tempering!"

This was the reason Gyomei Himejima gave Chu Yang.

However, Chu Yang felt the man simply wanted to save a bit of money on train fare.

"An ascetic monk..." The mere thought of this anti-human term made Chu Yang feel a bit uneasy; Gyomei Himejima undoubtedly embodied this very style.

Among the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Muichiro Tokito possessed the greatest swordsmanship talent, while Gyomei Himejima possessed the greatest physical talent.

Gyomei Himejima had originally been an ordinary monk practicing in a temple, having never received any enlightenment regarding Breathing Styles.

Yet, he was able to fight demons alongside ordinary people until dawn and still deal lethal damage to them. This level of physical talent was unparalleled in the entire world of Demon Slayer; it was precisely because of this that Gyomei Himejima had struggled for so long to find a suitable successor.

The sword techniques he created based on his own physical capabilities were impossible for an ordinary person to practice.

After walking for a full day and night, Gyomei Himejima led Chu Yang into a deep, ancient forest.

Only when they reached the mountainside did Chu Yang see a temple standing there in isolation.

It was desolate and dilapidated.

Living in a place like this, it would be harder not to encounter a demon.

Upon entering, Chu Yang discovered that the interior was not as bad as he had imagined.

The temple was not large, but the inside was clean and tidy; even the fallen leaves in the courtyard had been swept neatly to one side in piles.

It was evident that Gyomei Himejima was very diligent in his daily life.

Gyomei Himejima lit all the lamps in the temple.

Being blind, it made no difference to him whether the lights were on or off; he did this to accommodate Chu Yang.

Once the lamps were lit, the small temple felt somewhat warm and cozy.

"Tomorrow, you will officially begin your training as a swordsman. I will give you a warning first: the greater the physical talent, the more severe the bottlenecks encountered during the practice of Breathing Styles."

Under the bright lamplight, Gyomei Himejima spoke slowly: "Breathing Styles, also known as Total Concentration Breathing, are special techniques created by humans to combat demons. They are used to strengthen cardiopulmonary function, allowing the blood to contain a large amount of oxygen for a short period to promote the enhancement of bodily functions."

Chu Yang nodded, indicating that he understood.

In truth, due to the limitations of his own knowledge, there was one aspect Gyomei Himejima had not mentioned.

Breathing Styles also had a certain stimulating effect on adrenaline.

Otherwise, it would be difficult to raise a person's athletic ability to the level of a demon simply by increasing the oxygen content in the blood.

Gyomei Himejima continued: "Breathing is the instinct for survival and a necessary condition for life, but not everyone knows how to breathe correctly. Next, I will teach you the proper method of breathing."

Chu Yang listened with rapt attention as Gyomei Himejima explained the cultivation method of Breathing Styles.

After sharing talents with his "selves" from other worlds, with Chu Yang's current memory and comprehension abilities, he only needed Gyomei Himejima to say it once to engrave the content deeply into his mind.

Gyomei Himejima intended to continue with a more detailed explanation, but he discovered that Chu Yang's chest was already moving up and down like a bellows, with extreme regularity.

Faint white currents of air circulated in and out of Chu Yang's nose and mouth; this was a sign that the Breathing Style was operating correctly.

Gyomei Himejima's pupils suddenly contracted.

In all his years in the Demon Slayer Corps, he had never heard of anyone being able to enter the state of Total Concentration Breathing so quickly.

Chu Yang's breathing was very steady and powerful, which was a characteristic of Stone Breathing.

Gyomei Himejima guarded quietly by his side. A beginner practicing breathing for the first time would never be able to persist for long, as the heart and lungs could not withstand prolonged stimulation.

Only through continuous training could one extend the duration of the breathing.

Ultimately, one would reach "Total Concentration: Constant," which meant keeping the body in a continuous state of breathing.

On the other side, whenever Chu Yang reached the point where he could not hold on any longer, a surge of vitality would well up within his body to nourish his heart and lungs, feeling like taking a gulp of ice water in the height of summer—refreshing to the very core.

Instead of feeling uncomfortable while remaining in the breathing state for a long time, Chu Yang gradually began to enjoy it.

Time passed minute by minute...

Gyomei Himejima, who was silently guarding Chu Yang, sensed that something was wrong. Chu Yang had been in the breathing state for far too long, far exceeding the average level. Based on past experience, he should have exited this state long ago.

But strangely, Chu Yang did not appear to be in any discomfort; in fact, his complexion looked even more ruddy than before, leaving Gyomei Himejima utterly perplexed.

Gyomei Himejima could only chant "Amitabha" and quietly entered a state of meditation, directing part of his attention toward Chu Yang to respond to any sudden emergencies.

It wasn't until dawn that Chu Yang released the breathing state and gave a comfortable stretch.

At this moment, Gyomei Himejima slowly opened his blind eyes and asked softly, "How do you feel? Is there any discomfort in your body?"

Sensing his physical state, Chu Yang said, "My whole body feels very warm. There is no discomfort."

Gyomei Himejima sensed the aura around Chu Yang, which had grown significantly stronger than before, and could not help but nod with relief. "To master the Breathing Style so quickly proves that you have a very high affinity for Stone Breathing. This will save us a lot of time, allowing us to focus our energy on practicing sword techniques."

As if fearing Chu Yang might be too eager for success, Gyomei Himejima reminded him again, "Although your initial duration in the breathing state was longer than others, you must be careful. If you feel any discomfort in your body, you must interrupt the Breathing Style immediately."

"I understand." Chu Yang asked enthusiastically, "Then when do we start practicing sword techniques?"

Gyomei Himejima pressed his palms together and said in a low voice, "I originally intended to let you rest, but in your current state, you certainly won't be able to sleep. So, we shall begin now."

"Historically, the strength of swordsmen who practice Stone Breathing is much greater than those of other styles. Therefore, ordinary Nichirin Swords are not suitable for us."

At this point, Gyomei Himejima paused. "You probably don't know what a Nichirin Sword is yet, do you?"

Chu Yang replied, "I saw them when I was being rescued, and I saw them among the injured swordsmen at the Butterfly Mansion, but it seems everyone's Nichirin Sword is different?"

Gyomei Himejima nodded. "The style of a Nichirin Sword varies from person to person. Once you officially become a Demon Slayer, you will have your own Nichirin Sword."

"The material of a Nichirin Sword is different from ordinary swords. It is made from a mineral called Scarlet Crimson Ore, which can absorb the energy of the sun, allowing it to effectively kill demons."

"From ancient times to the present, no matter what kind of demon it is, their fear of the sun remains the same."