Effects, Horseplay

The setting sun cast a warm orange glow over the Taiichi's courtyard.

The moment the Soundproof Barrier was removed, the sounds of the wind, the rustling of leaves, and the faint noise from the distant streets and alleys, like waves surging back after the tide receded, suddenly filled this small space.

Itachi and Yami opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

After two hours of sitting in meditation, my body was slightly stiff, and the heavy disappointment in my heart hadn't fully dissipated when I was interrupted by a sudden and loud utterance.

"Snoring"

The sound came from Jiangtai, who was lying on his back on the ground.

One leg was stretched out casually, while the other was curled up at will. There was even a suspicious, glistening trace on the corner of his mouth. His snores were even and long, indicating that he had clearly sunk into the depths of a sweet dream.

Itachi and Yami looked at each other, unsure of what expression to make.

While I was intently focused, desperately searching for that elusive Natural Energy, I found nothing, while my companion was—sleeping so soundly?

The lingering disappointment was instantly replaced by an indescribable sense of absurdity, as if the two hours of sitting in silence had become a wordless backdrop.

"Teacher, when did Jiangtai fall asleep?"

Yami carefully moved to Taiichi's side, keeping her voice very low, and while asking questions, she secretly glanced at Taiichi's expression, afraid that he would get angry.

After all, this concerns the cultivation of powerful Senjutsu; such laziness is simply unacceptable.

Taiichi looked at Jiangtai's completely unguarded sleeping face, but a knowing smile appeared on his lips, as if he had expected it all along.

"Oh, this!" he said casually, even with a hint of sarcasm. "About an hour ago. This sleeping position is certainly comfortable, but as for perceiving Natural Energy— " he shook his head slightly, "It's practically a hypnotic remedy."

Seeing that the teacher wasn't angry, Yami's bright eyes immediately darted around, a sly glint flashing in them.

She straightened her little body and volunteered, "Teacher, I'll go wake him up!"

Before the words were even finished, she had already stealthily made her way towards Jiangtai like a nimble Little Cat.

Itachi also walked to Taiichi's side, looked at Yami's obviously malicious "treading lightly", and then looked at Jiangtai, who was completely unaware on the ground. He then sighed in an old-fashioned manner, imitating an adult.

But in those dark, bright eyes, there was a clear, undisguised excitement of watching the spectacle.

At this moment, Yami had successfully sneaked up to Jiangtai's side. The afterglow of the setting sun stretched her shadow long, completely enveloping the sleeping Jiangtai.

A smug, mischievous smile curled at the corner of her lips. She took a deep breath, her cheeks puffing out—clearly, she was about to unleash a deafening "lion's roar."

In that split second!

"Wow!!!"

Jiangtai, who was on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes and let out a strange scream that was ten times louder than Yami had expected! He leaped up from the ground as if he had a spring in his body, and while he was in mid-air, his triumphant laughter had already exploded out.

"Hahaha! Trying to scare me? You're still too green!"

His aggressive, chin-raised face gleamed in the golden glow of the setting sun, instantly making him incredibly irritating.

However, the adage "extreme joy begets sorrow" holds true forever.

Yami, who was terrified by this sudden counterattack, acted entirely out of physical instinct!

She cried out in surprise, her whole body jerking back a small step as if in response. Then, using that retreating foot as a pivot, she twisted her waist sharply, as if pulled by an invisible force, and instantly completed a 360-degree spin!

Using the centrifugal force of the rotation, his long right leg, accompanied by the sound of wind breaking, transformed into a sharp whip shadow, sweeping fiercely towards Jiangtai, who had nowhere to gain leverage in mid-air!

"Bang!"

A muffled thud struck my eardrums solidly.

"Oh!"

Jiangtai's arrogant laughter abruptly stopped, instantly turning into a shrill scream.

He flew sideways like a sandbag being violently swung, tracing a pathetic arc in the air before crashing heavily onto the muddy ground five meters away with a "thud," kicking up a small cloud of dust.

He curled up, clutching his side tightly with both hands, in so much pain that all he could manage were gasps and groans; he couldn't even utter a complete sentence.

The courtyard fell silent instantly. Only the lingering echo of Yami's terrified scream still trembled in the air.

Itachi instinctively covered his side, his face slightly pale, as if the kick had landed on him as well.

Taiichi's lips twitched uncontrollably. He looked at Yami, who was still in the finishing pose of her spinning flying kick, and sighed inwardly:

This girl truly deserves to be called a "big sister"! Her fighting instinct, which explodes instantly and counterattacks precisely under extreme fear, is simply an innate talent. That reaction speed, that explosive power, that instinctive attack without hesitation—she's definitely a born ninja!

As for Jiangtai, still groaning on the ground? He's a classic case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead; he tried to scare people but got beaten up instead. He deserved it.

"T-Teacher!" Yami finally snapped out of her shock and bewilderment at the attack. Seeing Jiangtai writhing on the ground in pain, her face turned pale, and her voice trembled with tears. She rushed to Taiichi's side and tugged at his sleeve anxiously.

"Look at Jiangtai! I—I didn't hold back! I didn't mean to—" She was genuinely terrified; that kick was a reaction of her body faster than her brain.

Taiichi's figure vanished from the spot in an instant, and the next moment he was half-squatting beside Jiangtai.

"Don't move," he said in a deep voice, one hand firmly pressing down on Jiangtai's body, which was still trying to roll over, while the other hand gently covered the back of Jiang Tai's hand that was covering his waist.

A gentle yet extremely pure Chakra instantly probed in.

"Hmm, muscle tear, soft tissue contusion, that's pretty bad."

Taiichi frowned slightly, quickly assessing the injuries. "Fortunately, the bones are fine, and the internal organs weren't damaged. It's not a big problem; you'll be alright in a bit."

As he spoke, the soft green light in his palm suddenly became brighter and more concentrated.

Under Itachi and Yami's tense gaze, after only about a minute, Jiangtai's tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and his rapid breathing subsided.

Taiichi withdrew his hand, and the green light disappeared.

Jiangtai tentatively moved, then carefully touched the spot that had just been in excruciating pain. A look of relief and joy immediately appeared on her face. "Huh? It really doesn't hurt anymore!"

He sprang up with a somersault, bounced around a couple of times, and apart from a slight soreness in his side, he was able to move around without much difficulty.

"Yami!" Jiangtai, now energized, immediately turned to the "culprit," one hand on her hip, the other pointing at her, angrily accusing, "You're too ruthless! That kick almost ripped my kidney out! You're trying to murder a fellow disciple!"

"Who told you to scare me first!" Seeing him lively and energetic, Yami's anxiety completely subsided. Her guilt was instantly replaced by righteous indignation. Hands on her hips, she retorted fiercely, "That was just my instinctive reaction of being startled! Blame yourself for being so reckless! You deserve it!"

"Hey! You're trying to turn the tables on me!" Jiangtai glared at her, choked by her words. He rolled up his sleeves and approached Yami. "Come on, come on, today I'm going to have a go at you and show you what real kung fu is!"

"Enough!" Taiichi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, instantly freezing the two tense little ones in place. "What kind of behavior is this! Stand still, both of you!"

Jiangtai and Yami glared at each other fiercely, each letting out a heavy snort, before reluctantly Earth Flow over to Itachi and rejoining the queue. Itachi looked at the two of them and shook his head helplessly.

Taiichi's gaze slowly swept over the three disciples, finally settling on Jiangtai's face, which still held a hint of indignation. His tone turned serious. "You've all tried it yourselves just now. Sensing Natural Energy, even with my help, is by no means an easy task."

"Boring, lengthy, and elusive—these are the hurdles you can't avoid at this stage." Taiichi's eyes were sharp, pointing straight to the core. "Don't harbor any illusions, thinking you can easily reach the top in one step."

His gaze lingered on Jiangtai's face for a moment longer, the meaning of which was self-evident—especially for someone like you who can fall asleep even while cultivating.

Jiangtai's face flushed under his gaze. Embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head vigorously, chuckled dryly, and admitted defeat.

"Teacher!" Unable to contain his boundless curiosity, Jiangtai raised his hand and asked, his eyes gleaming with gossip, "What happens after you sense it? How do you cultivate after that? Can you give us a sneak peek? An immortal! That sounds so exciting!"

Taiichi's face darkened, and she glared at him irritably. "You haven't even learned to walk properly yet, and you're already thinking about running? I think that kick you just took didn't hurt enough, and you're itching for a beating, aren't you?"

The invisible pressure made Jiangtai shrink back, and he sheepishly lowered his hand, slinking back into the queue.

Taiichi's expression softened, his gaze sweeping over the three, his tone turning serious. "Cultivating immortal Senjutsu is fraught with peril, allowing no room for carelessness!"

He held up one finger and emphasized, "You three, remember this well: once you successfully sense the presence of Natural Energy, you must report to me immediately! Absolutely, absolutely no other attempts are allowed."

Seeing the three little ones' faces suddenly tense up, Taiichi emphasized his words, describing the terrible consequences. "Your own Chakra Quantity are like a drop in the ocean when it comes to guiding Natural Energy; they are simply insufficient to form an effective protective barrier!"

"A slight misstep could Chakra going out of control and damaging all your meridians!" He paused, his voice growing deeper and colder, "And in severe cases—your body could be completely assimilated by the out-of-control Natural Energy, turning you into a mindless stone statue! Or, the rampaging energy could ignite you from the inside out, reducing you to ashes! This is no exaggeration!"

"Gulp." Jiangtai subconsciously swallowed, his side, which had been kicked earlier, seemed to ache again, this time from fright.

Yami and Itachi listened, their faces turning pale. They nodded vigorously, their eyes filled with awe for the unknown power.

Seeing their expressions of finally taking it seriously, Taiichi felt somewhat relieved. "The Natural Energy Seed sealed within you will continue to release a high concentration of Natural Energy for three days. During these three days, arrange your own time, find a quiet place, and continue your meditation and sensing practice."

He concluded by saying, "I will check on your progress in three days. Remember, stay calm, concentrate, and safety first!"

"Yes, teacher!" This time, the three voices answered in unison, without the slightest hint of slack.

The last rays of the setting sun completely sank below the horizon, and twilight gently enveloped the courtyard. Taiichi his hand. "Alright, that's enough for today. Go back now, and be careful on your journey."

Looking at the empty courtyard, Taiichi wondered if his attempt had really worked. If the three of Jiangtai could successfully learn Senjutsu Senjutsu and it became widespread, then the power of Konoha, and even the power of the Ninja World, would surely reach a new level.

The goal is clear, but the road is winding.

Sure enough, three days later, when the three little ones came to Taiichi again after school, the usual laughter and cheerful voices were gone, replaced by their sad little faces.

When Taiichi returned home, this was the scene he saw. Anyone who didn't know the situation would think that Taiichi was about to die. His three disciples had come to mourn him.

"What? You've only been trying for three days and this is how it is? You all underestimate the cultivation of immortal Senjutsu."

Taiichi summoned the three little ones and gave them a stern lecture. This wasn't because they hadn't succeeded in their cultivation, but because they were too self-righteous, arrogant, and unaware of their own limitations.

The three little ones stood obediently, bracing themselves for Taiichi's furious outburst, and at the same time, they understood Taiichi's good intentions.

Taiichi finally stopped lecturing after a full 10 minutes of scolding.

The three children breathed a heavy sigh of relief. It was only today that they realized Taiichi could be so eloquent.

"Alright, we've taught them what needed to be taught. Now, tell me how you've felt about your cultivation during this period."

The three looked at each other, and finally Jiangtai was the first to step forward.

"Teacher, apart from feeling a constant heat in my stomach, I haven't felt anything else."

As he spoke, Jiangtai touched his stomach, as if it contained a small stove. Just as he was about to finish speaking, he clapped his hands and asked nervously, "Um—I've been feeling hungry a lot lately, does that count?"

Upon hearing Taiichi frowned slightly, stepped forward, took Jiangtai's wrist, and carefully sensed his body, but found no signs that his body had been enhanced by Natural Energy.

However, just as Taiichi was about to reveal the truth, an idea popped into his head, but he suddenly changed his mind before speaking, "Hmm, it must be that Natural Energy is strengthening your body. Although you haven't felt it yet, it has already begun to connect with your body. This is a good change, keep it up!"

Taiichi's affirmation was like a shot of adrenaline for Jiangtai; the little guy jumped three feet high with excitement, venting his joy.

When it was Yami's and Itachi's turn, their responses were quite ordinary, with nothing unusual about them.

Seeing the expectant looks on their faces, Taiichi stepped forward and gave them a check-up.

"Yes, although the improvement isn't as obvious as Jiangtai's, you're definitely getting stronger. You guys need to keep up the good work and not let Jiangtai surpass you."

"Yes, teacher!"*2

The two of them also looked excited.

Any progress is good, even if it's not significant. As long as you work harder, you will definitely succeed.

This is the shared mindset of the two of them now.

Next, Taiichi sealed a Natural Energy Orb inside the three of them.

Taiichi's three days were not wasted. With the experience from the first time, Taiichi improved the technique again. This time, the Natural Energy Orb can be used for a full seven days, and the effect is more lasting.

Taiichi let the three boys train individually, and he looked forward to their future performances.