strictlysupreme Chapter 685 Meditation
Chapter 685 Meditation
Xiyan fell into deep thought. She knew what joining the Dark Division meant—it meant taking on more responsibility and facing more dangerous missions. But when she thought of Jifeng's longing eyes, her hesitation vanished. For Jifeng, she was willing to give everything.
She raised her head, her eyes fixed firmly on her shadow clone, Zhang Hai. "I promise you, Teacher Zhang Hai. I'm willing to join the Dark Division."
A barely perceptible smile curved the corners of Zhang Hai's lips. He had succeeded. He had seen the potential in Xi Yan, and he had also seen her sense of responsibility towards her companions. This kind of child was worth nurturing.
“Very good.” Shadow Clone Zhang Hai said with satisfaction, “Since you have agreed, I will start teaching you from the very basics.”
He drew a wooden sword from his robes and began to wield it in the moonlight. His movements, seemingly slow, contained endless variations. The Thirteen Basic Sword Techniques, each move exquisitely refined, encompassed all the fundamentals of swordsmanship. His blade traced graceful arcs in the air, each strike brimming with power and beauty. He used no chakra, relying purely on his physical skill and understanding of swordsmanship to execute these thirteen techniques flawlessly.
"These thirteen forms are the foundation of swordsmanship," Shadow Clone Zhang Hai said as he demonstrated. "I have never stopped practicing them. No matter what level your swordsmanship reaches, you must never give up honing your basics. They are your foundation, the source of your strength."
Xi Yan was completely stunned as she watched Zhang Hai's shadow clone demonstration. She had never imagined that swordsmanship could be so beautiful and so profound. The swordsmanship she had learned before focused more on power and speed, but Zhang Hai's swordsmanship made her feel a sense of artistic境界 (jingjie, a concept encompassing artistic realm, state of mind, and spiritual level). Her learning attitude underwent a subtle change at this moment. She was no longer just learning for the sake of speed, but also pursuing the beauty and ultimate perfection of swordsmanship itself.
When the shadow clone Zhang Hai sheathed his sword and stood still, Xi Yan finally snapped out of her shock. Her eyes were filled with admiration and longing, "Teacher Zhang Hai...you...you're amazing!"
Shadow Clone Zhang Hai smiled slightly, "These are all basics. How much have you memorized?"
Xi Yan scratched her head a little embarrassedly, "I only remembered a little bit...it felt too difficult."
“It’s alright.” Shadow clone Zhang Hai’s tone was gentle, with a hint of patience. “Learning swordsmanship requires a gradual approach. I will teach you slowly until you have fully mastered it.” He wielded the wooden sword again, demonstrating the thirteen basic sword techniques once more, slowing down each movement and explaining the key points in detail.
Under the moonlight, in the training ground, one figure patiently and meticulously demonstrated swordsmanship, while another figure intently imitated and learned. A gentle breeze swept by, bringing a touch of coolness and wiping away the beads of sweat from their foreheads.
Meanwhile, in Tsunade's laboratory, Zhang Hai, after a night of diligent research, finally completed all the tasks Tsunade had assigned him. On the lab table sat two glass bottles filled with blue liquid. These were the new paralyzing toxin and antidote he had successfully concocted based on Tsunade's notes. He rubbed his sore eyes; though exhausted, he felt a sense of accomplishment.
"Phew... finally done." Zhang Hai breathed a sigh of relief. He looked out the window and saw that it was already bright daylight. The first rays of sunlight shone through the window and fell on the lab table.
"Squeak..."
The laboratory's iron door opened again, and Tsunade walked in, looking refreshed. She had changed into clean clothes and was full of energy, as if the fatigue of the previous night had never existed for her. Her gaze swept over the two glass bottles on the lab table, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"Oh? I didn't expect you to actually finish it." Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Looks like you're not entirely useless after all." She walked to the lab bench, picked up one of the glass bottles, and carefully examined the liquid inside.
Zhang Hai rubbed the back of his neck and said helplessly, "Lady Tsunade, aren't you torturing me? I stayed up all night to finish this."
Tsunade glanced at him and said nonchalantly, "Staying up all night is nothing. I used to go for days and nights without sleep for research." She shook the glass bottle in her hand, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "However, seeing how hard you've worked, I can consider giving you a reward."
"A reward?" Zhang Hai's eyes lit up slightly, a hint of anticipation in his heart.
Tsunade handed the glass bottle to Zhang Hai and picked up another one. She uncorked it again, took a deep breath, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
"This...this is a modified paralyzing toxin?" Tsunade's voice carried a hint of surprise, her face showing an unusual seriousness. "You actually succeeded! And the potency is even purer and more potent than I expected!" She picked up the antidote made by Zhang Hai, smelled it again, and her admiration deepened. "And this antidote, it's actually this effective. To complete these two tasks in just one night, you're a monster!"
She looked at Zhang Hai, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration, "Zhang Hai, I only asked you to finish one bottle, and that would have been considered exceeding the target. I didn't expect you to bring me two surprises."
Zhang Hai was a little embarrassed by Tsunade's sudden praise, but he still took the opportunity to make his request: "Since I have exceeded the mission, then tonight... can Lady Tsunade let me rest for a while?" He pointed to his panda-like dark circles under his eyes, his face full of fatigue.
Tsunade merely snorted coldly and gently put down the bottle in her hand. "Rest? Dream on! You think you can relax after finishing these few tasks? I still have a whole bunch of research items waiting for you to complete!" She pointed to the mountain of bottles and jars piled up in the laboratory, her eyes filled with a sense of "exploitation".
Zhang Hai's face instantly fell. He knew that, given Tsunade's personality, if he continued to stay here, he probably wouldn't even have time to sleep. He had to find a way to escape Tsunade's "torture."
His eyes darted around, and a figure flashed into his mind—his teacher, Hatake Sakumo. Sakumo was Konoha's "White Fang," a hero of Konoha, and his most respected teacher. Perhaps, only Sakumo could help him escape Tsunade's clutches.
"Lady Tsunade, since you are so satisfied with my work, does that mean I can now go and complete some more important tasks?" Zhang Hai said, feigning seriousness.