Dance of the blades

Chapter 10 The Case Of The Missing Girls

The majestic sun in the sky was already high up in the sky when Lan Sizhui and the three boys had reached the original clearing they all started at. Out of the many participants that first arrived, around ten including the four boys had survived. Looking at the participants that have gathered, Lan Sizhui couldn't find the cowardly participant he had tried to save from the smiling demon, concluding that he had died from another demon without someone else to protect him.

The sound of the gong interrupted Lan Sizhui's attention from his musings, the other participants around him turned their heads to the source of the sound. Standing above the wooden platform the woman from before greeted them with a small smile decorated on her face.

"Congratulations everyone for making this far, I welcome all of you as official demon slayers"

As the woman welcomes the newly official demon slayers, a murder of crows approach them and landed on each shoulder of them. The woman then introduced the messenger crows to the demon slayers, slating that they are used for communication between the demon slayer corps and the demon slayers.

"But before we move on I have something I wish to say to everyone" the woman continued.

"The trails you have faced here is only the beginning to the hardships you will face as demon slayers"

"Right now while you maybe all the lowest rank in the demon slayer corps with barely any experience "

"I hope that in the distant future you will rise through the ranks with your intelligence, determination and bravery, facing on demons stronger than the one's before you and becoming a prime example for the future demon slayers to look upon!"

After finishing her speech, she guided the new demon slayers  that did not have an official personally forged weapon to choose the ore they wanted their weapons to be made from. Meanwhile, the rest of the demon slayers had their size measured for their uniforms. 

Lan Shizui had tried his best to let his discomfort at the constant pocking from the tailor affect his face. Unlike the rest of the young masters Lan Sizhui was not accustomed to the measuring process of custom made clothing, opting to just buy ready made clothing as it was cheaper. He was probably a sight to behold to the tailors with his constant sweating and subconscious shaking of his body.

Once Lan Sizhui had gotten his uniform, he bid the three boys goodbye before heading back to Boashan Sanren's mountain. It was only during his walk back that Lan Sizhui started to feel the fatigue in his body, forcing him to support himself with his sword. The weight of his newly acquired uniform slowly felt unbearable as he keeps moving towards the mountain. 

The sight of Boashan Sanren's house was followed by the sound of the door opening. Tears fell down the boy's face when he sees Lan Wangji awake and moving towards him to embrace him in a hug. 

"Why-" the boy's hands tighten his hold on his father's robes, his soundless tears soon evolve into sobs.

"Why did you sleep so long?" 'I was scared that you would die' the silent plea of the boy was heard by his father as he tried to comfort the boy with his low humming.

At the sight the father and son duo Baoshan Sanren dropped the fire wood in her hands, joining in on the hug between Lan Sizhui and Lan Wangji. 

"Thank you for coming back alive Sizhui" she said as Lan Sizhui could see the tears falling down from her veil.

Having enough of the embrace and sobbing, the three of them walk to into the house and hosted a small celebratory dinner for Lan Sizhui's return. While they were eating Baoshan Sanren informed Lan Sizhui of things he should know as an official demon slayer.

For starters low-level demon's claws and fangs cannot tear Lan Sizhui's custom made demon slayer uniform. He also learned the meaning of his sword changing its colour. Apparently, the ore that was used to make the sword's blade changes its colour depending on the owner, which fascinated Lan Sizhui. 

Baoshan Sanren then goes on to explain that during his journey Lan Sizhui might encounter demons that can use unique abilities once they had eaten a certain amount of humans. She called these abilities as 'Demon Blood Art'. Once she's done explaining though, Baoshan Sanren continues on with her meal leaving Lan Sizhui to process all the information.

The next morning, Baoshan Sanren and Lan Sizhui were greeted by the sound of Lan Sizhui's messenger crow cawing out the new order Lan Sizhui was given. 

"A demon was reported sealing young girls in Fenghua village located in the East"

"Eliminate the threat at all cost!" at the crow's message Lan Sizhui prepared to set off to the village.

"Be careful out there Sizhui, make sure to assess the situation before jumping in" Baoshan Sanren warned the boy as he coaxes Lan Wangji to going into the wooden box made to carry him. Lan Sizhui nodded in response and left the mountain for his mission.

Arriving at Fenghua village, Lan Sizhui could hear the hustle and bustle of the villagers going on their everyday lives as though nothing was amiss. Deciding not to dwell on the villagers' behavours Lan Sizhui went around the village to enquire informants about the missing girls. It was during his conversation with a shopkeeper that Lan Sizhui had spotted a young man being thrown out of a house from another angry man.

"What kind of fiance are you? Leaving my daughter alone to be kidnapped to god knows where!" the angry man yelled while his wife holds him back from punching the young man again.

Looking at the commotion the shopkeeper beside him sighed, a crowd of people soon gathered around the scene while gossiping about what could have caused the man to be so angry. Lan Sizhui could hear only some of the more louder gossipers' words.

"Poor A-jue, his fiancee is gone and now he has to endure the girl's father's ire"

"Well he should of thought better than to take a stroll with his fiancee in the middle of the night! Girls her age have been vanishing left and right in our village!"

Hearing the statement about the missing girls, Lan Sizhui approach A-jue after the girl's father had left him on the streets. A-jue's eyes were filled with surprise at seeing the boy handing him a handkerchief to wipe the dirt he had gotten on his face. 

"I'm sorry to bother you gongzi but could you please inform me on last known location your fiancee was before she went missing?"