According to known intelligence, the Eternal Paradise Faith was a very special, very niche sect.
The specific origin time of this sect was untraceable, but the characters [Eternal Paradise Faith] had been mentioned in rumors as far back as the late Edo period. Therefore, the Demon Slayer Corps speculated it had existed for at least a hundred years.
This cult rarely developed followers and never engaged in large-scale religious activities.
The only opportunity for it to come into contact with ordinary households was when its monks would occasionally appear in cities and towns, offering psychological counseling and emotional outlet to those who were lost in life or hopeless and helpless.
Life, love, wealth… as long as it was something that caused sadness or pain, one could confide in the monks of the Eternal Paradise Faith.
In the most extreme cases, it seemed nothing more than what Fujino had mentioned: guiding people towards self-abandonment, promoting a negative value system of hedonism and decadence. Compared to those major temples that bullied men and women and owned thousands of acres of fertile land, this seemed like small potatoes.
However, in one aspect, it was especially special even within the dazzling world of religion.
It particularly liked to guide young women with difficult backgrounds or those suffering oppression to participate in religious activities, and these women would later mysteriously disappear.
Initially, the families of these women would report it to the local police, but the conclusion was always that everything was normal and the women's disappearances had no connection to the Eternal Paradise Faith.
Later, as this happened more often, some suspected: either the cult was trafficking these women elsewhere and splitting the profits with the police, or these women were originally pitiful souls secretly rescued by the cult, which was why the government didn't intervene....
Also, according to legend, the prayers of this cult were very efficacious. Those who confided could even truly hear the gods they prayed to speaking to them. Those blessed by the gods could even achieve physical and mental health.... This cast an even more mysterious veil over this small sect.
And now, the monk before Taka harbored the same intention.
Saya of the Fujino Family had lost her child due to illness at the beginning of the year and had been depressed, losing interest in food and tea ever since.
Her family had found doctors for her, prayed to other gods, but her condition never improved.
Until late spring, by chance, she met this novice monk of the Eternal Paradise Faith.
With his several sessions of help, Saya indeed showed considerable change. Her complexion became much ruddier, and she didn't speak so gloomily anymore.
But not long after each spiritual healing session, she would revert to this state, even worse than before.
The family had been waiting eagerly, finally hoping for the monk's return, only to have Taka burst in.
"Forgive my intrusion. Please let me see!" Shinobu, upon hearing the homeowner's explanation, her face instantly darkened. She immediately tried to take Saya's wrist to examine her.
Her husband stepped forward to stop Shinobu but was driven back by Taka's murderous gaze. He watched nervously as Shinobu gently held Saya's cold wrist.
The moment she touched it, Shinobu frowned:
"Her body... it shouldn't have been like this before, should it?"
"....What do you mean?"
"From what you say, she was mentally and physically exhausted before, that's certain.... But her body wouldn't be this cold. This isn't illness. She's been eroded!"
"Ah!!!"
The old woman, the homeowner, stood up in surprise. Trembling, she checked her daughter-in-law's condition, speaking incredulously: "No... no way! Eroded by what? An evil spirit?"
"Worse than that. A demon!" Shinobu stated firmly, pointing at Saya's vacant eyes. "Even now, this young lady is still so unresponsive to the outside world. Her essence, energy, and spirit have likely long been eroded by a Blood Demon Art."
She looked towards the ice Buddha in front of the monk and speculated:
"I guess this demon probably uses its Blood Demon Art to stimulate the human central nervous system and internal organs, creating a feeling similar to a final burst of energy before death, thus proving its salvation."
"In the short term, this feeling of recovering from a long illness is very pleasant. But once separated from the stimulation of the Blood Demon Art, the body on the contrary accelerates its consumption exponentially, even causing tremendous side effects!"
"Just now, were you planning to use that ice Buddha to cure her?"
Hearing Shinobu talk about demons, Blood Demon Arts, stimulation, and such, the old woman and the man looked at each other in confusion, completely unsure how to react. Instead, the child spoke up first:
"That's right! The master said he would cure mother today and take her to see the cult leader!"
Taka's gaze sharpened. He looked back at the monk at his feet and twisted the sword's hilt: "Cult leader? Where?"
The monk, being interrogated by Taka, was in agony, trying hard not to look at his fingers trapped by the blade: "Let's talk! Let's talk!"
Just then, Kanao also escorted the gagged Fujino into the house.
Seeing Taka and Shinobu already pointing their swords at his relatives, Fujino erupted in anger. With a sudden lunge, he broke free from Kanao's restraint and scrambled to the old woman:
"....Ptooey! Aunt! Are you alright!"
He tore the handkerchief from his mouth and looked at his family with concern.
Just as he was about to explode, he abruptly noticed Shinobu seemed to be treating his cousin, examining her temperature with concern.
On the other side, Taka only had his sword against the monk's hand, not harming his family. This made him realize after a moment of confusion:
"Who are you people! What is the meaning of disguising yourselves and following me home!"
Fujino tried his best to appear friendly, while also asking very warily.
By now, Taka had already lifted the monk with one hand while using the tip of his sword to lift the ice Buddha emanating the Blood Demon Art aura.
The monk, dazed, rubbed his fingers, repeatedly begging for mercy: "The cult leader is... is..."
Before he could finish, the ice Buddha suddenly emitted an unsettling fluctuation.
This ice Buddha, which should have been calm and waveless, suddenly moved on its own, emitting a cracking sound.
Looking closer, the corner of the Buddha's mouth had clearly split into a ferocious smile.
Bam!
Several ice spikes, formed from its own shattering, shot out from the ice Buddha and zipped towards the monk's neck!
Taka was quick. He immediately pulled the monk behind him and swung Tonan, severing most of the incoming ice spikes!
Clang Clang Clang!
After a series of violent impacts, cracks were visible everywhere on the ice Buddha, as if it might completely collapse at any moment.
The ice Buddha's attack was swift and deadly. The dense demonic aura within it made Taka frown involuntarily.
'An Upper Moon?'
He also noticed that although he had shattered these ice spikes, they hadn't lost their power upon breaking!
On the contrary, these shattered ice crystals were eerily suspended in the air, even intending to flow into his lungs with his breath!
"Third Form: Rolling Haze!"
This was the Wind Breathing Taka had once improved, now used as his own form.
With him as the center, sword aura howled forth, sweeping a huge swath of blade wind close to the ground!
Crack!
The ice crystals were swept away, completely shattered by Taka's blade wind.
But the monk behind him wasn't so lucky.
Being too nervous and breathing rapidly, he inhaled a large amount of air containing fine ice crystals. His face now looked extremely pale.
He fell to his knees with a thud, vomiting large mouthfuls of blood, unable to speak a single complete sentence.
It seemed his alveoli had unknowingly ruptured. Such a terrifying method.
After this brief outburst, the ice Buddha completely shattered, turning into dark, murky water stains that merged into the ground.
Taka frowned deeply. He had encountered this situation before.
'The Lower Moon Kizuki had once been able to turn his shadow into puppet demons. It seemed this ice Buddha operated on a similar principle.'
'The Eternal Paradise Faith was indeed not simple.'