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"Since the White Sage has consented and you have become a contractor of our clan, we naturally will not oppose it. But remember this—never attempt to force our kin. The members of our clan would sooner die than submit to such binding. To endure a curse is one thing, but to violate our will is another!" Feathers Fairy said, his tone edged with dissatisfaction. Clearly, he was not pleased with Chen Xing.
Chen Xing thought to himself that if not for the summoning contract binding the lizard clan, there would have been no need for him to plead or endure. If Yu Qing had been here in person, the matter might have turned violent, and then the contract could have been broken altogether. (Though killing one's summoner was forbidden, the bond itself could be dissolved.)
"I'm not interested in such boring curses," Chen Xing replied flatly. With his temperament, he had no intention of enslaving his summon beasts like some cruel ninja. He understood well that spirit beasts were not playthings—they needed to hunt and feed to live. If denied sustenance, they would starve, no matter how strong the contract was.
Over the next few days at Lon Lon Mountain, Chen Xing gradually became familiar with members of the lizard clan. Guided by the two elder lizards, Yu Qingxian and Feathers Fairy, he began learning the basics of their summoning arts.
For example, the so-called "Curse of Tongling" was, in essence, a specialized summoning technique—similar in mechanics to the Kuchiyose no Jutsu, but unique to their clan. Among their kin existed illusion specialists: "phantom lizards" capable of weaving structures and landscapes entirely from chakra. They could reshape the surroundings into castles, labyrinths, or familiar scenes to entrap intruders—much like the genjutsu of the Sand Demon Samaki's line, but rooted in the lizard clan's unique abilities.
Though not particularly strong in direct combat, their illusions were so potent that even Chen Xing would need considerable effort to dispel them. A moment's distraction could already prove fatal.
Through this, Chen Xing came to understand the lizard clan more clearly. They did not organize themselves as a great family like the toads of Mount Myōboku or the snakes of Ryūchi Cave. Instead, they were a small and scattered race, led only by their two elders, Yu Qingxian and Feathers Fairy. The clan's lineage of "ancestor sages" had long since weakened, leaving them far less renowned than the three great holy places: Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest.
Chen Xing also realized why those three realms were exalted as the "Three Great Sage Places." They each had a structured system for Senjutsu—methods of gathering and balancing natural energy. The toads had the Great Toad Sage, the snakes had the White Snake Sage, and Shikkotsu Forest was guided by Katsuyu. By comparison, the lizard clan's methods were incomplete and highly dangerous. They had no perfected system, and those who failed to master natural energy often turned into stone lizard statues—silent reminders of their failure.
---
"Then… does this mean I can't cultivate Senjutsu here with the lizard clan?" Chen Xing asked one evening, his gaze fixed on the elders.
Yu Qingxian shook his head. "It cannot be said to be impossible. But the risks are far greater than at Mount Myōboku or Ryūchi Cave. We lack a complete method. The balance between chakra and natural energy is fragile—failure means becoming stone, swallowed by nature itself."
Feathers Fairy added gravely, "In all our history, only one human summoner has ever succeeded. And that was hundreds of years ago. Many more tried—and failed. Their bodies remain as stone statues in our caverns."
Chen Xing frowned at this. Out of hundreds of names inscribed in the summoning scroll, only one had ever reached Sage Mode. That probability was frightening.
"Your chakra reserves are indeed vast," Yu Qingxian admitted, "so your chances are higher than most. But even then, the risk remains. If you must attempt Senjutsu, do so only after reaching Kage level strength. Until then, I advise patience."
Hearing their words calmed Chen Xing's restlessness. Though ambitious, he agreed that now was not the time. For the moment, he chose to focus on refining his elemental chakra and taijutsu.
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Lon Lon Mountain – Waterfall Training
"Boom…"
Beneath a towering waterfall, Chen Xing stood shirtless on a stone ledge, his black hair drenched, his body braced against the relentless torrent. His hands pressed forward, unmoving, as water thundered down upon him.
Suddenly—
"Fshhh!"
A pale-blue wind blade erupted from his palm, slicing cleanly through the cascade. For ten meters, the waterfall split apart, spraying into mist before crashing down again.
From a distance, the elder lizards observed.
"To think he has already mastered Wind Release to this degree… at such a young age!" one remarked in admiration.
Feathers Fairy, however, frowned slightly. "This child's obsession with strength worries me. If he attempts Sage Mode too hastily, he may not survive…"
Yu Qingxian replied, "That is the way of power. Senjutsu's allure has tempted many before him. All we can do is watch, and pray that his resolve guides him safely."
---
Days later, Chen Xing sat cross-legged upon a stone boulder, his breathing deep and steady. His muscles pulsed rhythmically, blood surging through his body like roaring streams. Heat radiated from him until his frame was shrouded in a mist of white steam.
For hours, he endured, pushing his body's resilience to its very limit.
At last, he opened his eyes. "So… this is the first barrier of the human body's limits."
He knew his physical strength had reached the peak of what raw training could achieve. To progress further, he would need advanced taijutsu methods—like those of Might Guy and Rock Lee—otherwise, his body would remain capped by its own natural limits.
"I've stayed here nearly a month," Chen Xing muttered, rising to his feet. "It's time to return."
After bathing beneath the waterfall, he clothed himself once more in deep blue garb and went to meet the elders.
"Feathers Fairy, Yu Qingxian," he said respectfully, "my training here has reached a stopping point. It is time I leave Lon Lon Mountain."
Yu Qingxian gave a slow nod. "Very well. Should you wish to return, simply have Bai summon you through the contract. Our clan will answer."
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