Hashirama Senju's expression sharpened, and his voice grew grave. "Ninety-nine percent of the Senju Clan chose the Lesser Yang Art, and there's a reason for that."
He patiently explained, "The Lesser Yang Art fuses Yin Release and Yang Release Chakra in a one-to-one ratio, converting the excess Yang Release of a Sage Body into Yin Release. Its only drawback is that the body isn't as strong afterward as it would be with the Pure Yang Art. But we of the Senju Clan are born with bodies much stronger than those of other clans, so that drawback isn't much of a problem."
As he spoke, Hashirama counted off the Lesser Yang Art's advantages on his fingers. "First, it's easy to learn. Everyone in the Senju Clan can master it, unlike the Pure Yang Art, which requires you to extract Yin Release with all your might. Second, it's easy to develop other Chakra natures. Practitioners can become ninjas with every nature and no weaknesses, so naturally, it's easier for them to become powerful. Third, it gives you tremendous resistance to Genjutsu. When fighting the Uchiha, that can directly nullify half the enemy's fighting power. Even a Jonin who practices the Pure Yang Art will go down if an Uchiha Jonin catches him with a glance. Fourth, it gives you plenty of Chakra. Every one of us in the Senju Clan is a Ninjutsu artillery battery, and we don't have to conserve Chakra in a fight." A proud smile appeared on Hashirama's face as he spoke, as though he could already see the Senju Clan sweeping across the battlefield with their powerful Chakra.
Tsubasa thought it over for a while, but still said firmly, "I choose the Pure Yang Art."
Hashirama Senju paused, then smiled with interest. "Oh? Tell me why."
"Master, you practice the Pure Yang Art, so as your disciple, of course I have to choose it too!" Tsubasa held his head high, his eyes full of admiration for his master and devotion to following him. His determination was like a sapling that had taken root, impossible to pull free.
Hashirama Senju smiled with satisfaction and took out a Pure Yang Art scroll, slowly unrolling it in front of Tsubasa. "Come, I'll explain the key points of cultivating the Pure Yang Art. The first step is to control and extract spiritual energy to the utmost. Spiritual energy has neither form nor substance, so to sense it, you must first enter deep meditation. Tsubasa, close your eyes partway, focus on your breathing, bring it into rhythm with heaven and earth, empty your mind, and cast aside all distracting thoughts. Only then can you attune yourself to heaven and earth. Once you're attuned, you can enter a state of clarity and sense your spiritual world. Then you can control your spiritual power, or Yin Power, and make it travel throughout your body. Practice this first step for now. Remember, don't fuse the two powers yet; get familiar with them first." As Hashirama spoke, he recalled the difficulties of his own cultivation back then, and a trace of emotion flashed through his eyes.
Tsubasa immediately did as instructed, and to his surprise, entered the state of clarity in an instant. After all, ever since transmigrating to this world, he had often switched between that state and reality, so he was very familiar with spiritual power. He had even used it to communicate with the energy of heaven and earth, giving himself a Perfect Sage Body. Now, as he guided his spiritual power through his body, he felt a cool sensation lingering inside him. His whole body grew excited along with it, and it felt wonderful.
Hashirama Senju, standing beside him, was dumbstruck, his eyes as wide as saucers. He screamed inwardly, What kind of monster is this? Is he an immortal descended to earth? He entered the state of clarity in no time, and his spiritual power is that easy to control? It can travel through his body without the slightest obstruction? He began to question his life. Back when he had trained in this step, he had started learning the state of clarity at two and spent a full year before he could control his spiritual power and send it throughout his body at three. I must be dreaming, right? Hashirama raised a hand and slapped himself hard twice. "Ow, that hurts. It's not a dream, it's real!" His face was filled with disbelief, and his voice rose without him realizing it.
Tsubasa opened his eyes and saw his master slapping himself. Puzzled, he asked, "Master, what are you doing? Why are you hitting yourself? I've already sensed my spiritual power, and I can make it travel through my body too."
Hashirama Senju gave two awkward chuckles and hurried to cover it up. "It's nothing. There was a mosquito on my face, so I swatted it. You're very good, about as good as I was back then. I could send my spiritual power throughout my body when I was three, so don't get cocky. Now enter the state of clarity and go to the sea of consciousness between your brows. See how big the mass of spiritual energy inside is." Hashirama told Tsubasa not to get cocky, but he couldn't hide the admiration in his eyes.
Tsubasa obediently entered the state of clarity again and went into the sea of consciousness between his brows. But everything before him was gray and hazy. He ventured farther in, yet still couldn't see anything. "Spiritual power mass, where are you? Why can't I see you?" At a loss, Tsubasa could only withdraw from his spiritual sea of consciousness.
Hashirama Senju was terribly nervous, his eyes fixed on Tsubasa. "How big is it? How big was what you saw?"
"Master, I couldn't see it. Everything was gray and hazy. I went deeper into the sea of consciousness, but it was still the same," Tsubasa answered honestly.
Hashirama Senju's jaw nearly hit the floor. His mouth hung wide open, and a storm of shock surged through his heart. Precious disciple, do you know what you're saying? I'm the God of the Shinobi World, and my spiritual power is only the size of a small pond, even after my soul underwent several transformations. The first time I entered my spiritual sea of consciousness, I saw a little gray mass the size of a fist. But you say it's gray and hazy everywhere, even deep inside your sea of consciousness. Has your spiritual energy filled the whole thing? He looked at Tsubasa as if he were a monster from another world, his heart full of shock.
It took quite a while for Hashirama Senju to recover. "Your spiritual energy is good, even stronger than mine. All that gray haze is spiritual energy."
"So that gray stuff is spiritual energy. No wonder it felt a little familiar." Understanding dawned on Tsubasa, and a trace of delighted surprise appeared on his face.
"Now you need to incorporate water-natured or earth-natured Chakra. Basically everyone in the Senju Clan has both natures. Choose one, and once you've cultivated it to the utmost, develop the other. I chose earth back then, while Tobirama chose water." Hashirama Senju patiently guided him.
"Master, can I fuse both natures at the same time?" Tsubasa blinked, his face full of curiosity.
Hashirama Senju smiled and explained, "You can, but it's ten times harder than incorporating a single nature. No one has succeeded yet. I tried it myself back then, but unfortunately I failed. If you want to try, that's fine. At worst, you'll get a little hurt, and with our Perfect Sage Body, you'll recover in a day. First, memorize the acupoint diagrams for circulating the water and earth Chakra natures." As Hashirama spoke, he recalled his frustration when his attempt to fuse both natures had failed, and a trace of dejection flashed in his eyes.
Tsubasa studied the acupoint diagrams on the scroll carefully and memorized them on the first pass. But to be safe, he looked over them several more times, then closed his eyes and went through them from memory. Once he was sure there were no mistakes, he told his master, "I've memorized all of them."
"You've only looked at them a few times, and you say you've memorized them? Don't rush. You have to remember them perfectly. You can't make a mistake when circulating Chakra; taking the wrong route will injure you." Hashirama Senju was skeptical and couldn't help warning him.
Left with no choice, Tsubasa closed his eyes and recited the acupoint diagrams from memory.
This time, Hashirama Senju was thoroughly convinced. He thought that this disciple couldn't be judged by common sense, or he'd be slapped in the face again and again. Looking at his disciple's adorable face, he said, "You really are a genius. You can actually remember everything at a glance. Now you can start refining Chakra. Enter the state of clarity again and draw all your spiritual power into your spiritual sea of consciousness. Then bring out one gram of spiritual power and do your utmost to divide it into countless threads, until it can't be divided any further. Send them throughout your body and combine them with physical energy to form Chakra. Next, gather that Chakra in your lower dantian. Once it's concentrated, make it travel according to the acupoint diagrams: first along the earth-nature route, then the water-nature route, and finally gather it in your middle dantian. Then infuse it with Natural Energy, send it through the liver meridians, and return it to the lower dantian. Guide it into the Qihai acupoint, stabilize it, and finish the circulation. Remember all that?" Hashirama finished in one breath, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Why do I have to infuse it with Natural Energy and send it through the liver meridians?" Tsubasa asked, looking puzzled.
Hashirama Senju smiled and explained, "You know about my Wood Release, right? It actually came about because something went wrong the first time I cultivated Natural Energy. A stream of Chakra infused with Natural Energy rushed into my liver meridians, and in the end it formed Wood Release. Seeing how talented you are, I thought I'd let you try the Wood Release Pure Yang Art I just worked out. At worst, you'll get a little hurt. With me here, nothing too serious can happen. But no one has ever tried this, and it's another ten times harder. Do you dare give it a try?" Excitement shone in Hashirama's eyes, as though he could already see Tsubasa successfully developing the Wood Release Pure Yang Art.
"I'm willing to try. I won't let you down, Master!" Tsubasa nodded vigorously, his eyes full of resolve and courage.
"Be brave and give it a try. I'm here, so don't be afraid!" Hashirama Senju patted Tsubasa on the shoulder, encouraging him.
Tsubasa took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing, and entered the state of clarity. He drew in all his spiritual power, separated out one carat of it, and then divided it into countless fine threads. The spiritual power first split into a hundred strands, then a thousand, and finally became 9,999 tiny particles of spiritual power. He scattered the particles throughout his body like seeds. Before long, Chakra Fruits "grew" all over his body.
Tsubasa began gathering the Chakra Fruits in his lower dantian, then sent the Chakra through the earth-nature meridians and acupoints. The Chakra moved slowly along the meridians in a line, struggling through each acupoint, every Chakra Fruit glowing an earthy yellow. Next, the Chakra began traveling through the water-nature meridians. By then, Tsubasa felt exhausted. Every step was like dragging a burden weighing a thousand pounds, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on. After great difficulty, he made it through the water-nature meridians, and all the Chakra gathered in his middle dantian. It now emitted both black and yellow light.
Tsubasa began infusing the Chakra with Natural Energy, only to discover that it was already present within it. He steadied his mind and rested briefly, then controlled the Chakra as it rushed toward the liver meridian route. The journey was incredibly difficult. Every advance was like struggling through a bog, and the route seemed anything but clear. Tsubasa guided the Chakra forward bit by bit, wearing away at the obstruction. Outside his body, he was already soaked in sweat, his adorable face full of seriousness and concentration.
In the world inside his body, Tsubasa was like a general leading an army of Chakra through the liver meridians. The Chakra was constantly being consumed, but he didn't dare relax for an instant. Relying on the willpower he had forged through six years of training with Natural Energy, he gritted his teeth and persevered. The 9,999 Chakra Fruits dwindled to 3,000, and after a while longer, only 1,000 remained, with the final three acupoints still ahead.
On the outside, Tsubasa looked increasingly terrifying. Sweat poured from him, and thin streams of blood ran from all seven orifices. Hashirama Senju watched from the side, stamping his feet in anxiety, yet he didn't dare interrupt. He could only silently pray for Tsubasa's success.
Inside his body, Tsubasa led his Chakra army to the final acupoint barrier. He looked back and saw that only two hundred Chakra "soldiers" remained. When enemies meet on a narrow road, the brave prevail! Even if we all die along the way, we won't retreat a single step! Tsubasa roared inwardly. He formed his two hundred battle-hardened Chakra soldiers into a charging formation and launched a desperate assault on the final acupoint.
At last, they broke through the final acupoint and entered the lower dantian. Tsubasa looked wearily at the three remaining Chakra Fruits and smiled. The three fruits, originally white, were now a vivid red, wreathed in black, yellow, and green light. They were extraordinarily beautiful.
Tsubasa wearily drew the Chakra into the Qihai acupoint of his lower dantian and gathered his mind. Unable to hold on any longer, he fell unconscious.