aircannonsinc Chapter 426 Effects, Playing Around
Chapter 426 Effects, Playing Around
Chapter 426 Effects, Playing Around
As the setting sun casts its golden rays, it bathes Tai's family courtyard in a warm orange hue.
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.
"Hoo-hoo-hoo"
The sound came from Jiang Tai, who was lying on his back on the ground.
He had one leg stretched out casually, the other leg curled up at will, and 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 concentrating my mind and trying to find that elusive natural energy, I came up empty-handed, 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 Jiang Tai fall asleep?"
Yami carefully moved to Taiichi's side, keeping her voice very low, and asked questions while stealing glances at Taiichi's face, afraid that he would get angry.
After all, this concerns the cultivation of powerful immortal techniques; such laziness is simply unacceptable.
Taiyi looked at Jiang Tai's completely unguarded sleeping face, but a knowing smile appeared on his lips, as if he had expected it all along.
"This?" he said casually, even with a hint of teasing. "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, Ya Mei'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 she finished speaking, she had already stealthily made her way towards Jiang Tai like a nimble kitten.
Itachi also walked to Tai's side, looking at Yami's obviously malicious "treading lightly", and then at Eta who was completely unaware on the ground, and sighed in an old-fashioned manner, imitating an adult.
But in those dark, bright eyes, there was a clear, excited glint of anticipation, which he couldn't hide.
At this moment, Yamei had successfully sneaked up to Jiang Tai's side. The afterglow of the setting sun stretched her shadow long, completely enveloping the sleeping Jiang Tai.
A smug, wicked smile curled at the corner of her lips. She took a deep breath, her cheeks puffing out, clearly preparing to unleash a deafening "lion's roar."
In that split second!
"Wow!!!"
Jiang Tai, who was on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes and let out a strange scream that was ten times louder than Ya Mei 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 menacing face, with its raised chin and snarling teeth, gleamed in the golden glow of the setting sun, instantly making him incredibly irritating.
However, the adage "extreme joy begets sorrow" holds true forever.
Yamei, who was terrified by this sudden counterattack, acted entirely out of her physical instincts!
She cried out in surprise and jumped back a small step as if in response. Then, using that stepping foot as a pivot, she twisted her waist sharply and, as if pulled by an invisible force, 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 Jiang Tai, who had nowhere to gain leverage in mid-air!
"Bang!"
A muffled thud slammed into my eardrums.
"Oh!"
Jiang Tai's arrogant laughter abruptly stopped, instantly turning into a mournful wail.
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, unable to 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 turning slightly pale, as if the kick had landed on him as well.
Taiichi's lips twitched uncontrollably. He looked at Yami, still in the finishing pose of her spinning flying kick, and sighed inwardly:
This girl truly deserves to be called the "Big Sister"! That fighting instinct—the ability to instantly and precisely counterattack under extreme shock—is practically an innate talent. That reaction speed, that explosive power, that unwavering, instinctive attack—she's definitely a born ninja!
As for Jiang Tai, still groaning on the ground? A classic case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the bait instead; trying to scare someone but getting beaten up instead. He deserved it.
"Teacher!" Yamei finally came to her senses from the shock and bewilderment of the attack. Looking at Jiang Tai rolling on the ground in pain, her face turned pale and her voice was trembling with sobs. She rushed to Taiyi's side and tugged at his sleeve anxiously.
"Look at Jiang Tai! 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.
Taiyi's figure vanished from the spot in an instant, and the next moment he was half-squatting beside Jiang Tai.
"Don't move," he said in a deep voice, one hand firmly pressing down on Jiang Tai's body, which was still trying to roll over, while the other hand gently covered the back of his 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."
Taiyi 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, Jiang Tai's tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and his rapid breathing subsided.
Taiyi withdrew his hand, and the green light disappeared.
Jiang Tai tentatively moved, then carefully touched the spot that had just been in excruciating pain. A look of relief and joy immediately spread across 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.
"Ya Mei!" Jiang Tai, 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, Ya Mei's anxiety completely subsided. Her initial guilt was instantly replaced by righteous indignation. Hands on her hips, she retorted fiercely, "That was just my instinctive reaction to being startled! Blame yourself for being so reckless! You deserve it!"
"Hey! You're trying to turn the tables on me!" Jiang Tai glared at her, choked by her words. He rolled up his sleeves and approached Ya Mei. "Come on, come on, today I'm going to have a go at you and show you what real kung fu is!"
"Enough!" Taiyi'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!"
Jiang Tai and Ya Mei glared at each other fiercely, each letting out a heavy snort, before reluctantly walking over to Itachi and rejoining the queue. Itachi looked at the two of them and shook his head helplessly.
Taiyi's gaze slowly swept over the three disciples, finally settling on Jiang Tai's face, which still held a hint of indignation. His tone became serious: "You have 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." Taiyi's eyes were sharp, pointing straight to the core. "Don't harbor any illusions that you can easily achieve success in one step."
His gaze lingered on Jiang Tai'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.
Jiang Tai's face flushed under his gaze. Embarrassed, he raised his hand and scratched the back of his head vigorously, chuckling dryly twice, as if admitting defeat.
"Teacher!" Unable to contain his overwhelming curiosity, Jiang Tai 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? It sounds amazing!"
Taiyi'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 Jiang Tai shrink back, and he sheepishly lowered his hand, retreating back to the queue in a dejected manner.
Taiyi's expression softened, his gaze sweeping over the three, his tone turning serious: "Cultivating immortal arts 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 in private."
Seeing the three little ones' faces suddenly tense up, Taiichi emphasized his words, describing the terrible consequences: "Your own chakra reserves 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 lead to your 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, you could be ignited from the inside out by the rampaging energy, turning into ashes! This is no exaggeration!"
"Gulp." Jiang Tai 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 genuine seriousness, Taiyi felt somewhat relieved. "The natural energy seeds sealed within you will continuously 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 meditative 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 were in unison, without the slightest hint of slack.
The last rays of the setting sun sank completely below the horizon, and twilight gently enveloped the courtyard. Taiyi waved 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 them could successfully learn Sage Mode and it could become 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 Tai's house again after school, the usual laughter and joy had disappeared, replaced by their sad little faces.
When Taiyi returned home, this was the scene he saw. Anyone who didn't know the situation would think that Taiyi 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 arts."
Taiyi summoned the three little ones and gave them a stern lecture. This wasn't to scold them for their lack of success in cultivation, but rather to reprimand them for being too self-righteous, arrogant, and unaware of their own limitations.
The three little ones stood obediently, bracing themselves for Taiyi's raging storm, and at the same time, they understood Taiyi's good intentions.
Taiyi finally stopped lecturing after a full 10 minutes of scolding.
The three children also breathed a heavy sigh of relief. It was only today that they realized Taiyi could be so talkative.
"Alright, we've taught them a lesson. Now, tell me about your feelings and experiences during this period of cultivation."
The three looked at each other, and finally Jiang Tai 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, Jiang Tai touched his stomach, as if there was a small stove inside. 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 this, Taiyi frowned slightly, stepped forward, took Jiang Tai's wrist, and carefully sensed his body, but found no signs that his body had been enhanced by natural energy.
However, just as Taiyi 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!"
Taiyi's affirmation was like a shot of adrenaline for Jiang Tai; 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, Taiyi stepped forward and gave them a check-up.
"Yes, although the improvement is not as obvious as Jiang Tai's, you are indeed getting stronger. You guys should also keep up the good work and not let Jiang Tai 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, Taiyi sealed a natural energy ball inside the three of them.
Taiyi's three days were not wasted. With the experience from the first time, Taiyi improved the technique again. This time, the natural energy ball can be used for a full seven days, and the effect is more lasting.
Taiyi let the three boys train on their own, and he looked forward to their future performances.