Starting in The Boys to Become the Ultimate Lifeform.

152. Chapter 152: The Principle of Breathing Styles, Is Activating a Mark Difficult?

"Please help me bury the corpses in the shrine, as for Tanjiro, come with me." Sakonji Urokodaki led Tanjiro aside. He understood that while he could be extremely strict with Tanjiro, he couldn't be with Xia Shang, as it would likely be counterproductive.

Xia Shang didn't hesitate and turned to walk towards the shrine.

After he had buried all the corpses.

He waited there for a while longer until dawn broke. Only then did Sakonji Urokodaki return with Tanjiro. Tanjiro had a red mark on his face, but Xia Shang could see the determination in his eyes. It seemed Sakonji Urokodaki's teaching had successfully ignited his fighting spirit.

"Next is the test to see if you are qualified to learn Breathing Styles. Tanjiro, carry your sister on your back and follow me."

Subsequently, the three ran along the rice paddies. Compared to Xia Shang, it was quite difficult for Tanjiro to keep up with Sakonji Urokodaki's speed. His rapid gasps couldn't even be concealed by the wind blowing across the paddies.

But he didn't give up and kept following behind the two.

Along the way, no one spoke.

As time went by, the scorching sun that rose from the east slowly set towards the west. Xia Shang had been observing Sakonji Urokodaki's breathing frequency and found that his breathing had a certain rhythm. However, when he tried to imitate it, he couldn't replicate it no matter what. It seemed the breathing rhythm was only a part of the Breathing Style.

Just learning the rhythm wasn't very useful.

"If you can't keep up, go home," Sakonji Urokodaki said to Tanjiro, turning his head.

"Huff... I can keep going... For Nezuko to have a better life in the future... I must keep going."

Tanjiro was panting like an ox, his gasps like a broken bellows. Any ordinary human would definitely not be able to persist.

Seeing that Tanjiro refused to give up, Sakonji Urokodaki said nothing more and simply continued running forward on his own.

Finally, just before the sun set.

Xia Shang saw the Wooden Cabin where Sakonji Urokodaki lived at the foot of Mt. Sagiri.

"With your strength, there's no need for a sword arts test anymore. I think even the Hand Demon I imprisoned in the Wisteria Prison is no match for you."

However, he didn't know that the Hand Demon inside the prison had secretly grown stronger.

Sakonji Urokodaki glanced at Xia Shang beside him, whose face wasn't red, who wasn't panting, and who looked completely at ease. He felt a bit of a headache. This guy, before even mastering a Breathing Style, had managed to keep up with him just by relying on stamina.

He truly was a monster!

However, the Demon Slayer Corps needed exactly this kind of monster. In his opinion, Xia Shang already had the qualification to become a Hashira even before learning a Breathing Style.

"Do you know the full name of the Breathing Style?" Sakonji Urokodaki looked towards the stumbling, still running Tanjiro in the distance and asked.

Seeing Xia Shang shake his head.

He continued, "Total Concentration Breathing is a combat method used by the Demon Slayer Corps to fight against demons. Its main function is to strengthen the cardiopulmonary function, allowing the blood to absorb a large amount of oxygen in a short time. After using it, it can instantly and significantly enhance various abilities of the human body.

This technique was developed by a powerful swordsman, Yoriichi Tsugikuni. His Breathing Style is called Sun Breathing and is also the progenitor of all Breathing Styles.

It is precisely because of Sun Breathing that the five major styles of 'Water,' 'Thunder,' 'Flame,' 'Stone,' and 'Wind' branched out. Later generations developed various new schools with different characteristics through these five major styles. I won't introduce them one by one here; you will learn about them later." Yoriichi Tsugikuni was the second son of the Tsugikuni samurai family during the Sengoku period. This guy was born with a Mark and naturally mastered the Transparent World and the principle of Breathing Styles.

Xia Shang collectively referred to such people as 'cheaters'.

After Yoriichi Tsugikuni reached adulthood, he not only created Sun Breathing but also shared it with his elder brother Michikatsu Tsugikuni and other members of the Demon Slayer Corps. Since others couldn't bear the power of the sun, Yoriichi Tsugikuni guided them to develop the five basic styles derived from Sun Breathing.

Later, by chance, Yoriichi Tsugikuni encountered Muzan Kibutsuji, who was traveling with Tamayo at the time.

Their first encounter made Muzan realize the terror of a 'cheater'.

To save his life, Muzan was forced to split himself into eighteen hundred fragments, relying on the advantage of numbers to barely save his tiny life.

Since then, Muzan was completely defeated and ingrained the word 'survive by any means, often cowardly' into his bones.

At the same time, his desire to become a perfect creature grew stronger, which is why he created the Twelve Kizuki to search for the Blue Spider Lily for him.

Because only the Blue Spider Lily could overcome his fear of sunlight, allowing him to become the strongest monster, truly undying and immortal!

Getting back to the topic.

His desire was surprisingly similar to Xia Shang's; both wanted to become undying and immortal ultimate lifeforms.

"Next, I will teach you Water Breathing. Compared to other Breathing Styles, Water Breathing is the most gentle and easiest to master, but it requires the practitioner to have a clear mind, calm as water. Once mastered, you can unleash nimble slashes imbued with sword energy like flowing water."

Saying this, Sakonji Urokodaki demonstrated it once in front of him.

"Interesting."

After Sakonji Urokodaki completed the full demonstration, Xia Shang adjusted the rhythm of his lungs' breathing, while simultaneously allowing his blood to contain more oxygen.

Watching Xia Shang's breathing become increasingly correct, Sakonji Urokodaki, hidden behind his mask, could no longer maintain his inner calm.

This learning speed was simply unheard of; calling him a genius wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Xia Shang didn't need the aid of a calm mind because his control over his body had reached a perverted level. He extended his right hand, which transformed into a blade, and slashed forward. A wave-like sword energy shot out horizontally.

"Currently, the oxygen content in my blood shouldn't be my limit."

After thinking this, Xia Shang accelerated the beating speed of his Heart Engine. His body temperature gradually rose, easily surpassing thirty-nine degrees Celsius. This temperature would undoubtedly cause significant damage to an ordinary human's body, but Xia Shang felt no discomfort. He could even raise it higher!

Meanwhile, under the high-frequency beating of his Heart, his pulse rate was also continuously increasing.

"Due to the change in breathing frequency, my blood flow seems to have also changed. However, my cells can still withstand it. Even if some cannot adapt, they are quickly healing with the help of Self-Healing. Therefore, it cannot cause damage to my body."

However, Xia Shang didn't know that while he was immersed in the changes within his body.

Sakonji Urokodaki beside him looked at him with an expression as if he had seen a ghost. Xia Shang's bare upper body showed several Marks resembling waves. The Marks occupied both sides of Xia Shang's waist and were continuously spreading, as if they had Life Force, slowly crawling up Xia Shang's arms and neck.

(end of chapter)