Testing

After Uzumaki Ayako finished lecturing Qiancao at the top of the Sealing Tower, it was time for a meal.

The group returned the way they came to the second floor of the Sealing Tower, where several elderly women had already prepared the food.

The meal consisted once again of a massive amount of seafood; Qiancao finally understood the plight of coastal people who were so "poor" they could only eat hairy crabs.

During the meal, Ayako outlined the upcoming schedule: they would rest for the night, and formal ninja training would begin first thing the next morning.

After eating their fill, Qiancao and Wuming returned to their respective rooms, while Senju Arashi remained on the second floor to whisper with Ayako.

Having taken a hot bath, Qiancao lay on the tidy bed and watched the bright moon outside the window; the overly comfortable environment actually made it difficult for him to fall asleep.

Unable to sleep, Qiancao got out of bed and went to the door of Wuming's room next door to knock.

After a short wait, Wuming's door opened a crack, and Qiancao could see one of her large eyes peering through the gap.

Seeing that it was Qiancao, Wuming opened the door fully and welcomed him inside.

"Is there something you need?" Wuming asked, quickly closing the door behind him. She didn't know why, but she didn't want anyone else to see Qiancao entering her room.

Qiancao looked around; Wuming had also just bathed and changed into a white robe similar to Ayako's. Her long, slightly damp hair hung down her back, giving her a temperament quite different from the cold Uchiha girl he usually knew.

Qiancao couldn't help but take Wuming's hand, sit on the bed with her, and tease with a smile, "What? Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong?"

Wuming's face flushed. She had been sitting in her room lost in thought, wondering if Qiancao was thinking of her at that moment. Before she could reach a conclusion, she had heard the knock.

Finding that it was Qiancao had made her heart leap with joy, and she had welcomed him in without a second thought, only to feel inexplicably nervous once he was inside.

Seeing Wuming keeping her head down in silence, Qiancao took the initiative to ask, "Have you been happy lately?"

Wuming fidgeted, head bowed, before bravely speaking up, "As long as you are by my side, I... I am always happy."

Looking at the girl who trusted him so completely, Qiancao didn't know what to say. He couldn't help but lift her small chin and press his lips against hers.

As their lips met, Qiancao could clearly hear both their heartbeats, and a wave of intense satisfaction surged within him.

After a long while, they parted. Wuming's face was redder than an apple. Although she didn't fully understand the significance of the act, she felt a sense of spiritual connection with Qiancao, and the anxiety and insecurity of the past few days vanished completely.

Qiancao didn't make any further moves; he simply held Wuming and whispered, "I couldn't sleep in my room alone. Can I sleep here with you?"

Wuming didn't answer, merely burying her face in Qiancao's chest. Soon, both of them drifted off into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Senju Arashi stepped out of her room. She and Ayako had agreed yesterday that while she remained in the Land of Whirlpools, they would train Qiancao together.

She sat in the third-floor hall, watching Qiancao's door and waiting for him to emerge, but to her surprise, he walked out of Wuming's room next door.

While lamenting to herself that young people these days were truly precocious, she greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Uchiha!"

Qiancao hadn't expected Senju Arashi to be waiting for him and said awkwardly, "Good morning, Miss Senju."

Senju Arashi didn't have any particular thoughts on the matter; in her mind, Qiancao was still just a child.

"Let's head to the dojo next door!" Senju Arashi stood up and stretched, her exaggerated curves on full display. "Your master should already be waiting there."

Qiancao naturally wouldn't refuse, and Wuming, who was in the room, quickly ran out to follow. The three of them left the Sealing Tower and arrived at a massive, circular dojo that resembled a stadium.

They took off their shoes at the entrance and stepped inside. The wooden floor was spotless, polished so brightly it seemed to reflect their silhouettes.

Uzumaki Ayako was kneeling in the center of the dojo, eyes closed in meditation. A ray of morning sunlight fell upon her face, giving her a sacred and tranquil appearance.

Today, Ayako wore a simple, loose white robe with no extra adornments, which only served to highlight her stunning beauty.

As if sensing Qiancao's arrival, Ayako slowly opened her eyes and nodded in greeting, "You've arrived. You aren't late."

Qiancao mimicked his master's posture, kneeling before her, and asked, "Good morning, Master. Do you have any arrangements for today's training?"

Ayako took a piece of white paper from a box nearby and handed it to Qiancao. "There's no rush for the training. First, let's test which chakra nature transformation you are suited for!"

Qiancao took the paper, and Ayako asked, "Do you know what chakra nature transformation is?"

Qiancao, of course, understood the concept of chakra attributes. Before his master could explain in detail, he channeled his chakra into the Chakra Induction Paper in his hand.

This was a special type of paper made from a unique tree that reacted to chakra.

The paper in Qiancao's hand first crumpled into a ball, then suddenly ignited, turning into a pile of ash at his fingertips.

Assuming Qiancao had learned about nature transformation within the Uchiha clan, Ayako didn't think much of it and remarked, "As expected of the Uchiha clan, to possess two nature transformations."

Senju Arashi, standing to the side, patted Qiancao on the shoulder with a smile, "It seems we are quite alike; we both have two nature transformations."

Ayako carefully collected the ashes of the paper into a small bag, then turned to Qiancao and said, "Now that we know your nature transformations, I will find some ninjutsu suitable for your training."

With that, Ayako pulled a scroll and a brush from a bag nearby, spread the scroll out, and began to draw and write upon it.

Qiancao found the patterns his master was drawing somewhat familiar. Before he could recall where he had seen them, Ayako completed a series of complex hand seals.

The black characters on the scroll maintained their shape as they flew into the air, shooting straight toward Qiancao's stomach.

Only then did Qiancao realize this was very similar to the scroll Shiri had used to suppress his seal when he left the Uchiha clan.

Sure enough, once all the characters had adhered to his stomach, he felt the chakra seal that had been binding him loosen significantly.

Ayako explained, "This is the Evil Sealing Method, which can temporarily suppress your seal. Qiancao, don't hold back—use your full strength to spar with Arashi!"