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Several days later, under the silent and efficient escort of the "Kakushi" corps members, Cheng Mo traversed the final stretch of rugged mountain road.
Cheng Mo looked up.
A steep stone staircase wound upwards, disappearing into a dense peach grove.
The flowering season had passed, and the branches were laden with green, unripe fruit.
He took a deep breath and ascended the steps.
His steps were steady, his breathing even; the Myriad Realms Physique made this level of climbing seem effortless.
At the end of the stone staircase, the terrain suddenly opened up.
A carefully leveled clearing came into view, with several simple wooden huts at its edge.
The sound of a wooden sword cutting through the air, mixed with a teenager's incessant wailing, made it exceptionally… noisy.
In the center of the clearing, a figure was practicing sword swings, dripping with sweat, the wooden sword whistling through the air.
It was a black-haired teenager with sinister eyes and an indelible fierceness in his brows; each strike was incredibly vicious, as if he were sparring with an invisible enemy.
Kaigaku.
This name and relevant information immediately popped into Cheng Mo's mind.
On the other side, a loud, blond-haired teenager in a yellow haori was clutching his head, wailing at a wooden post:
"No, no! I'm going to die! I'm definitely going to die! I've already swung my sword a thousand times today! Grandpa is definitely a demon! Ahhh! My arms are going to break!"
He cried and screamed, but upon closer inspection, his stance was very stable, and the unconscious twisting of his body carried a certain rhythm of exertion.
Agatsuma Zenitsu.
Cheng Mo's gaze swept over him, and he added in his mind, the future developer of Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form, with immense potential.
And on a large rock nearby, an old man sat.
He had only one leg; in place of his missing right leg was a smoothly polished wooden prosthesis, supporting his slightly hunched but still upright figure.
The old man's face was stern, his wrinkles deep as if carved by a knife, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp and clear, fixed intently on the movements of his two disciples in the field.
He was not tall, even somewhat gaunt, yet he naturally exuded a dignity forged by years of experience and hardship.
The former Sound Pillar, Kuwajima Jigorō.
Cheng Mo's arrival caught the attention of the three.
Zenitsu's wailing abruptly ceased, and he looked over curiously.
Kaigaku stopped his movements, warily and indifferently sizing up the uninvited guest.
His gaze lingered particularly on Mr. Cheng Mo's unusually calm demeanor and overly clean and tidy clothes for a moment; his lips seemed to twitch, carrying a hint of imperceptible disdain.
"Zenitsu! Shut up! Add another hundred swings!"
The old man's voice was like thunder, carrying an undeniable authority that instantly overpowered Agatsuma Zenitsu's wailing.
Zenitsu's screams abruptly stopped, turning into desperate whimpers as he tremblingly picked up his wooden sword again, weakly continuing to swing it.
Kuwajima Jigorō then turned his gaze to Cheng Mo and the "Kakushi" members who had just arrived.
"Mr. Kuwajima."
The leading "Kakushi" member stepped forward and quietly explained his purpose, "By the command of the Master, I escorted Mr. Cheng Mo here to train in Thunder Breathing."
Cheng Mo stepped forward, took out Kagaya Ubuyashiki's personal letter from his Pregnant, and presented it with both hands: "Junior Cheng Mo greets Elder Kuwajima. I have come by the command of the Ubuyashiki family head, disturbing your peaceful cultivation. This is the Master's personal letter."
Kuwajima Jigorō took the letter but did not open it immediately. Instead, he carefully scrutinized Cheng Mo again, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
Steady steps, long breath, calm eyes… and a very faint scent of blood and herbs on him.
He mused, "The Master specially recommended him; he must not be an ordinary person."
He grunted, opened the letter, and quickly read through it.
As he read, the stern expression on his face softened slightly, finally dissolving into a light sigh.
"Since it is the Master's will… I understand."
He put away the letter, his gaze once again becoming sharp.
"Cheng Mo, is it? I have no rules here, except for one—absolute obedience to commands, and the ability to endure hardship! Thunder Breathing is not child's play; if you can't handle it, you can turn around and go down the mountain right now!"
His voice was loud, carrying a powerful sense of oppression; Zenitsu, standing nearby, shrank his neck in fright.
Cheng Mo bowed, his tone calm yet firm: "Junior understands. Having come here, I am fully prepared for everything. Please, Elder, instruct me strictly."
"Hmph, pretty words are useless." Kuwajima Jigorō tapped the ground with his cane, "Let me see what you're made of!"
He pointed to the stone weights and weighted bags piled by the side of the field: "First, run twenty laps around this area! Then, lift that fifty-pound stone weight fifty times! Finally, pick up that wooden sword over there, and let me see your swordsmanship fundamentals!"
He showed no leniency whatsoever, despite Cheng Mo being a "connected" individual or appearing scholarly; from the outset, it was an extremely high-intensity test.
Kaigaku, nearby, stopped his practice, watching with cold eyes, a hint of imperceptible sarcasm seemingly curling his lips, waiting to see the newcomer make a fool of himself.
Zenitsu, meanwhile, mechanically swung his sword while secretly glancing over with a sympathetic yet somewhat schadenfreude-filled look.
Cheng Mo did not hesitate, simply responding: "Yes."
He took off his somewhat cumbersome outer garment, revealing the active wear underneath, and without any warm-up, immediately began running.
For a body initially enhanced by the Myriad Realms Physique, this level of physical testing… was just right to assess his current limits.
As he ran, he calmly sensed his body's feedback.
His speed was extremely fast, his steps light and steady, and his breathing rhythm barely changed. After twenty laps, only a slight sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing remained stable.
Kuwajima Jigorō's gaze flickered slightly.
Next was lifting the stone weight.
The fifty-pound weight felt as light as nothing in his hands. His movements were standard and fluid, his core stable, and he completed the fifty repetitions with ease, his arms not even trembling noticeably.
The sarcasm on Kaigaku's face disappeared, replaced by a hint of gloom and scrutiny.
Zenitsu, meanwhile, gaped, forgetting to swing his sword, muttering: "No way… he's not tired at all?"
A flicker of imperceptible admiration crossed Kuwajima Jigorō's eyes.
"Pick up the wooden sword over there." He pointed to a practice sword on the weapon rack by the field.
Cheng Mo picked it up as instructed; it felt heavy in his hand, not much lighter than his own real sword.
"Attack me, using every method you know."
Kuwajima Jigorō stood on one leg, not even picking up his cane, his hands empty.
Cheng Mo's eyes narrowed.
He knew this was a test of his swordsmanship fundamentals and his on-the-spot reactions.
Without hesitation, he let out a low shout, stepped forward, and the wooden sword, whistling through the air, chopped straight down!
His movements were concise and sharp, his force smooth, thanks to his extraordinary muscle control.
Kuwajima Jigorō merely shifted his body slightly, and with a precise flick of his finger on the side of the wooden sword, he easily neutralized the attack.
"Strength is decent, but the angle is too direct!"
Cheng Mo twisted his wrist, changing the chop to a thrust, aiming directly for the center.
"Too slow!"
Kuwajima Jigorō's palm, as if prophetic, blocked the path of the thrust with a gentle push.
Cheng Mo took advantage of the momentum to spin, the wooden sword tracing an arc as it swept low!
"Your changes are rigid!"
The old man didn't even move; his cane, appearing from nowhere, precisely parried the wooden sword.
Cheng Mo attacked again and again, and again and again, he was effortlessly parried, flicked away, and advised.
His chopping techniques came from practical combat experience, without any flashy skills, but each move was standard and powerful, demonstrating solid physical fitness and good body coordination.
More importantly, his learning speed was astonishing.
With each piece of advice from Kuwajima Jigorō, he was able to immediately adjust and improve in the next move. Although he still couldn't touch the old man's clothes, his attacks visibly became more threatening.
Zenitsu, nearby, was already stunned.
Kaigaku had completely stopped his practice at some point, his face grim as he watched the field, his fingers gripping the wooden sword turning white from exertion.
He could tell that this newcomer's fundamentals were ridiculously good!
And that speed of improvement… it made him feel a strong sense of threat.
Finally, after Kuwajima Jigorō parried one of Cheng Mo's diagonal slashes, he lightly leaped back, creating distance.
"That's enough."
Cheng Mo immediately sheathed his sword and stood upright, breathing slightly, his forehead covered in fine sweat, but his eyes remained bright and calm.
Kuwajima Jigorō looked at him, and a very faint, almost imperceptible softening finally appeared on his stern face.
"Exceptional stamina, solid fundamentals, excellent comprehension… and more importantly, a steady temperament, able to take advice."
He pondered, but his mouth asked: "…He is indeed a good prospect, but the Master's letter said you are not from a swordsman background?"
Cheng Mo stood with his sword sheathed, his tone still calm: "My family once hired a martial arts instructor to teach me self-defense for a few years, and I myself have never neglected my training. I apologize for making you laugh, Elder."
"Never mind." The old man waved his hand, "Since your foundation is good, then it should be honed even more! Starting tomorrow, you will undergo basic Thunder Breathing training just like them! If you can't keep up…" His eyes sharpened, "Then get out of my sight!"
"Yes, I will strictly follow your teachings, Elder."
Cheng Mo bowed again, his gaze calmly sweeping over the complex-eyed Kaigaku and the "oh no, another monster" expression on Zenitsu's face.