Thanks, Master Xing!

The next day, Ming Jing, Yuexi, and Qing Yan arrived at the Ninja Academy, where they were to wait for their respective captains.

Qing Yan asked curiously, "Young Master, who will the Three Great Hokages send to be our captain?"

Ming Jing tilted his head and thought for a moment before replying listlessly, "Asuma Sarutobi, the Third Hokage's son."

"Why? Does the Third Hokage want to influence us through his son?" Tsukishiro Yuexi frowned and asked. If that were the case, the Third Hokage's actions would be too obvious.

"Asuma Sarutobi was once a member of the Guardians of the Twelve and has a close relationship with the Daimyo," Ming Jing said slowly. "Our mission is probably to manage the Land of Fire. Sigh... why was I so stupid? What do you think will happen if we refuse the mission?"

"It will be terrible." Before Yuexi or Qing Yan could answer, a slightly rough voice came from nearby. Asuma Sarutobi walked in, a half-smoked cigarette in his mouth and his hands in his pockets. He looked at the three of them: the polite and gentle Tsukishiro Yuexi, the ordinary and stubborn Qing Yan like a rock, and... the unfathomable Akira Kurama!

"I am Asuma Sarutobi, not Asuma. I'm a Jonin of Konohagakure. I specialize in Wind Release, Fire Release, and Taijutsu. My favorite foods are sausages and yam noodles, my hobbies are smoking and playing cards, and I dislike reckless and unruly people. For a long time to come, I will be your captain." Asuma Sarutobi walked onto the platform and introduced himself. He then took a deep drag from his cigarette and looked at the three of them, asking, "Who among you three first??"

Worried about an awkward silence, Tsukishiro Yuexi raised her hand and smiled, saying, "I'll go! My name is Tsukishiro Yuexi, the Young Master's assistant. I specialize in Wind Release, Water Release, and Ice Release. My Taijutsu is rather poor. My favorite foods are refreshing shredded chicken and Sichuan husband-and-wife lung slices, and my hobby is making delicious ice cream."

"Hmm... what is your dream?" Asuma Sarutobi was leading a team for the first time. After listening to Tsukishiro Yuexi's introduction, he suddenly remembered that the "Team Leading Rules" mentioned asking teammates about their dreams. Ming Jing gave Asuma a strange look, thinking he had been possessed by Wang Feng.

"That..." Tsukishiro Yuexi thought for a moment, then smiled gently and said, "I hope to always stay by the Young Master's side."

"Yo... what a youthful dream!" Asuma looked back and forth between Ming Jing and Yuexi with a knowing look. Ming Jing rolled his eyes, too lazy to explain anything.

"My name is Qing Yan, the Young Master's shield! I specialize in Taijutsu and taking hits. My favorite food is grilled meat, and my hobby is training. My dream is to one day be able to block an attack for the Young Master, even just once!" Qing Yan stood up and said solemnly.

Asuma Sarutobi glanced at Ming Jing, thinking that this kid was quite skilled at training subordinates! Look at these two children, they were completely obedient to Ming Jing!

Asuma nodded and said, "Don't worry, your wish will probably come true soon."

"I hope it never comes true." Qing Yan shook his head. If the Young Master truly needed him to block an attack, it would likely be a very dangerous situation. He didn't want his Young Master to be in danger, even if the skills he trained day and night went unused.

"What a loyal fellow! Alright, only you are left." Asuma nodded, appreciating Qing Yan. After all, he had protected the Daimyo before and understood the feeling of "wanting to prove oneself while not wanting the person being protected to get hurt."

"My name is Akira Kurama. I specialize in Swordsmanship and Illusion Techniques. I like plain vegetables, and my hobby is studying Illusion Techniques. My dream is to become the strongest in Illusion Techniques!" Ming Jing stood up, stating his goal in the Naruto world for the first time: to become the strongest in Illusion Techniques!

"That's a remarkable dream!" Asuma Sarutobi nodded, then took out two bells from his pocket. "Next, let me see your abilities! I have two bells here. If you can snatch them, I will recognize you as my subordinates."

Ming Jing's eyes lit up. "If we don't get them, do we have to go back to the Ninja Academy to repeat our studies?"

"Dream on! If you don't get them, you'll be doing extra training tonight!" Asuma flicked his wrist, catching the bells, and said as he walked away, "Training Ground 7, you have five minutes to get there!"

"Young Master?" Tsukishiro Yuexi and Qing Yan didn't move immediately but looked at Ming Jing.

"Since we're ninjas, let's follow the ninja way! Asuma is a Jonin, which is perfect for testing your current strength," Ming Jing said with a smile as he stood up.

"Yes!" Yuexi and Qing Yan nodded simultaneously, then rushed towards Training Ground 7 together.

Asuma Sarutobi, with his Jonin speed, arrived quickly. The three of them were not slow either, arriving within five minutes. Asuma nodded with satisfaction; at least the situation he had worried about didn't happen. His originally serious expression relaxed slightly. He hung the bells on his waist and beckoned to the three of them, "Come on!"

Qing Yan bent his legs and pushed off the ground like a cannonball, charging towards Asuma with his iron fists aimed directly at him. Asuma didn't dodge; he raised his arms and blocked Qing Yan's punch head-on.

"Hmm?! Such great strength!" Asuma was startled. He hadn't expected such power from a mere newly graduated genin.

But strength alone wasn't enough!

Asuma twisted his wrist, grabbed Qing Yan's hand, and threw him like a discus.

"Water Release: Water Colliding Wave!" Tsukishiro Yuexi completed the hand seals in an instant and spat out a wave of water towards Asuma.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Asuma was not to be outdone. After forming the hand seals, he spat out a massive fireball. Even from the farthest distance, Ming Jing could feel the intense heat of the flames.

"Water Release..." Tsukishiro Yuexi wanted to use Water Release again, but Ming Jing stopped her before she could form the seals. Facing the oncoming fireball, Ming Jing calmly drew his sword. Asuma heard a "clang" as the fireball he had spat out was cleanly split in two.

"As expected, cutting fireballs like this is the most satisfying. Yuexi, want to give it a try?" Ming Jing asked with a chuckle, looking at the stunned Asuma and then at Yuexi beside him.

"No, no need..." Tsukishiro Yuexi shook her head, not believing she could calmly draw her sword against such a large fireball like her Young Master.

"Hey, hey, hey! This is a test! You two need to be serious! Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!" Asuma appeared beside Ming Jing out of nowhere and pulled him into the earth with an Earth Release jutsu, leaving only his head exposed.

"Young Master, Ice Release: Ice Fountain!" Tsukishiro Yuexi was shocked and immediately used her most proficient Ice Release. A pillar of ice suddenly shot up from the ground, like a fountain, blasting Asuma away.

"Oh dear, I've been buried again!..." Ming Jing sighed. It seemed he was fated to be buried these past two days!

"Young Master, don't worry, I'll save you!" Qing Yan charged forward like a bull, plunging his hands into the earth.

"Go grab the bells first. I need to calm down anyway," Ming Jing said, rolling his eyes at Qing Yan.

"But Young Master, you..."

"It's fine. This is Konohagakure, and Asuma, a Jonin, is nearby. I'm not in danger. Besides, do you think I couldn't get out if I wanted to?" Ming Jing smiled confidently. Hearing this, Qing Yan felt it made sense. He abandoned Ming Jing and joined forces with Yuexi to deal with Asuma.

Ming Jing looked up at the sky, but his mind was on what the Daimyo had said. Managing a country sounded truly tempting! However, when he thought about his own strength, he felt a sense of uncertainty.

The Goose Illusionary Book was very powerful!

But the problem was that Ming Jing himself wasn't strong!

Profound things in China emphasize enlightenment, and the Goose Illusionary Book was no different. This was why Ming Jing had only reached the stage of "learning" rather than the deeper level of "mastery."

How many stages were there for Illusion Techniques? The Naruto world didn't have clear classifications, at most dividing ninjutsu by power into A-rank, B-rank, and C-rank. But for the concept of Illusion Techniques, there was only superficial understanding and mastery.

The old man in the Goose Illusionary Book had clear divisions: Belief, Truth, Sincerity!

Self-belief, others' belief, all beings' belief.

All things are true, true is not true.

Sincerity in the heart.

It seemed simple, and Ming Jing could understand it, but the problem lay in "enlightenment."

What did "believing in oneself" mean? Ming Jing initially understood it as confidence. Later, he felt it wasn't quite right; did one need confidence for an illusion technique? What kind of logic was that?

Ming Jing sighed, it was truly troublesome! Couldn't the old man give a bit more of a hint?

He looked at the clouds in the sky and suddenly felt that one cloud was so cool! It looked like someone tilting their head back to smoke, and its profile was quite similar to Master Xing!

Huh??

Master Xing!!!

Ming Jing suddenly remembered a line from Master Xing's King of Gamblers: "If you can't even fool yourself, you have great potential as a con artist!"

So that's what it was, so that's what it was!

So "believing in oneself" meant this!

Ming Jing wanted to throw his head back and laugh. The so-called "believing in oneself" meant "if you want others to believe you, you must first believe in yourself!" No wonder so many movies and TV shows said the highest level of deception was fooling even yourself!