"This is so boring. Training really is more interesting..."
Uchiha Chen gazed at the night scenery along the street and sighed.
As a first-year student at the Ninja Academy, he had spent all this time trying to learn how to extract chakra.
His cousin, Uchiha Ishihara, had successfully extracted chakra months ago, before the Ninja Academy had even opened.
His younger cousin, Uchiha Fugaku, had managed it too, even though he wasn't old enough to enroll yet.
But Uchiha Chen still hadn't taken that first step. He was getting anxious.
If his mother hadn't insisted that he go out for a walk, he'd still be training right now.
Before he knew it, Uchiha Chen had arrived at the Konoha Bookstore.
He knew the bookstore well. When his father, Kagami Uchiha, was alive, he'd often brought him here, where they would spend the entire day browsing.
But ever since his father had died on a mission, he hadn't come back.
Thinking of all the wonderful memories he'd shared with his father, Uchiha Chen felt his eyes grow damp.
"I'll just treat it as a trip down memory lane." With a trace of longing for his late father, Uchiha Chen stepped inside.
The store was quiet. Aside from a teenage employee at the counter, the only other person there was an old man standing by the bookshelves.
Uchiha Chen knew him. He was the bookstore's owner, Murai Anju, a retired Chunin.
"Chen, it's been a long time since you came by," the employee greeted him warmly.
Uchiha Chen managed a faint smile and walked over to a bookshelf.
His father used to love the books on this shelf.
Back then, he'd always ask his father, "Why don't the big sisters in these books wear clothes? Aren't they cold?"
His father would smile and pat him on the head. "They're all incredibly powerful ninja. They don't feel the cold."
His father had been an exceptionally powerful ninja, as well as a student of the Second Hokage and a classmate of the Third Hokage. Uchiha Chen's life had once been so glorious.
But after his father died, his clan members called him a traitor to the Uchiha. Uchiha Chen couldn't understand why they said that.
"This is so boring. I still can't figure out the secrets hidden in these books." He set down the book he'd picked up at random—the one his father had loved most.
"Hm? Why's Grandpa Anju still standing there? Is he reading a book?"
Uchiha Chen walked over, puzzled.
"Grandpa Anju, what are you reading?"
"Oh, Chen. I haven't seen you here in ages. This is a new book that just came in today. Goodness, I didn't realize how long I'd been reading it. I still have things to take care of." As if he'd only just snapped out of a daze, Murai Anju put down the copy of Journey to the West in his hands and hurried out.
At the door, he remembered to tell the employee, Uehara Setsuko, "Setsuko, when you have time, contact the person who brought us Journey to the West. We should print more copies. It's been a long time since I've read such an original, wonderful book."
Curious, Uchiha Chen picked up the copy of Journey to the West.
"The Sage of Six Paths? The Heavenly Court?" He flipped through a few pages. The book wasn't as profound as the ones his father had liked, but it was pretty interesting, so he bought it.
When he returned to the Uchiha Clan Compound, Uchiha Chen gave his mother a brief report, then went back to his room.
Although Kagami Uchiha had died young, he had served as a senior Konoha advisor and completed many high-level missions, leaving his wife and child a considerable inheritance.
But the two of them were frugal, and buying Journey to the West today was the only thing Uchiha Chen had spent money on in months.
He tried extracting chakra several more times in bed, but just like always, he failed again.
It seemed he hadn't inherited his father's talent for training. That cold, hard truth hit him hard.
After doing a few simple exercises, it was time for bed.
As a ninja in training, keeping a regular schedule was very important.
Uchiha Chen climbed into his little bed and was about to turn off the light when he noticed Journey to the West lying on the bedside table.
I'll read for a few minutes before I go to sleep...
That was what Uchiha Chen thought.
The Ninja Monkey went to Fangcun Mountain to ask to see Immortal Bodhi, but the immortal refused to open his door. So the Ninja Monkey knelt in front of the mountain gate. When he was thirsty, he drank rainwater; when he was hungry, he picked fruit and vegetables from the surrounding woods. Come wind or rain, sunrise or sunset, spring or autumn, three years passed in the blink of an eye.
In the end, the Sage of Six Paths had not disappointed the one who waited so patiently. Moved by the Ninja Monkey's unwavering determination, Immortal Bodhi finally summoned him, took him as a disciple, and gave him the name Sun Wukong.
"The Sage of Six Paths had not disappointed the one who waited so patiently... I guess I still haven't been determined enough. I need to keep at it like this Ninja Monkey. One day, I'll definitely learn to extract chakra!" Uchiha Chen murmured as he read.
One day, Immortal Bodhi was explaining the secrets of ninjutsu to his disciples from atop a stone platform.
More than eighty disciples sat below him, all listening attentively.
Only Sun Wukong was dozing off?
"Huh? How could he fall asleep at such an important moment? He went to all that trouble, kneeling for three years before he could become a disciple and learn. He should treasure the opportunity!"
When Immortal Bodhi asked Wukong what ninjutsu he wanted to learn, he rejected everything. The only thing he wanted to learn was the art of immortality.
Immortal Bodhi was so furious that he rapped Sun Wukong on the head three times with his ruler.
At the third watch of the night, while the others were asleep, Sun Wukong quietly got up and slipped into Immortal Bodhi's room. But Immortal Bodhi noticed him.
Immortal Bodhi said, "Wukong, why aren't you asleep in the middle of the night? What are you doing here?"
Sun Wukong said, "You told me to come, Master."
Has this Ninja Monkey lost his mind? How dare he do something so rude and then lie about it? Uchiha Chen grew irritated as he read.
Sure enough, Immortal Bodhi scolded him. "When did I tell you to come here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"
Sun Wukong scratched his head and explained, "During the lesson today, you tapped me on the head three times with your ruler. Didn't that mean you wanted me to come see you at the third watch?"
Immortal Bodhi laughed when he heard this. "You clever little Ninja Monkey, born of heaven and earth. You truly are gifted. I'll teach you the art of immortality right now."
"That works? I guess I really don't have enough insight..." Uchiha Chen's eyes widened.
"Chen, breakfast!"
"Chen?"
"Are you still asleep? Could the child be sick?" (⊙o⊙)?
When his mother's voice woke Uchiha Chen, he had already finished reading Journey to the West, Volume One.
He raised his head and looked out the window. It was already broad daylight.
Had I really read all night?
Though it was called a village, Konoha could easily rival a modern city. Its area was enormous, too.
In this troubled world, a place where people could live in peace like Konoha was incredibly rare. The steady stream of newcomers over the past few years had pushed Konoha's permanent population to just over one hundred thousand.
A week later, the first batch of one hundred copies of Journey to the West, Volume One, had sold out.
Thanks to a heads-up from the employee, Uehara Setsuko, Shinozaki Ayumi had the second printing of five hundred copies of Journey to the West, Volume One ready in time. Xian Yu had worked hard to finish another five hundred copies of Volume Two, which were also ready to go.
With the books priced at 100 ryō each, and printing costs and the bookstore's consignment fee deducted, Xian Yu had earned a total of 9,180 ryō through the Konoha Bookstore.
He couldn't wait. He sent Shinozaki Ayumi to the Konoha Bookstore to collect the money.
Looking at the 9,180 ryō he'd just received and the 2,530 ryō he already had in his pocket, Xian Yu could barely contain his excitement. He could finally open the Black Iron Treasure Chest in his backpack!
"System, I want to deposit 10,000 ryō."
Before you continue