Chapter 33: Don't Disappoint Me

The darkness before dawn had not yet faded, and a thin frost clung to the blue stones of the Training Ground.

"Remember, brat," Qianshou Feijian's voice was low: "A true ninja must end a fight before the enemy even notices."

He flicked his fingers lightly, and three Shuriken shot out in a V formation, landing precisely on the distant target's bullseye.

Lian Ye focused all his attention on capturing every detail.

His black long hair still clung to undried dew, and his pallid face was full of solemnity.

When Qianshou Feijian suddenly lunged forward, he instinctively leaned back, and a Kunai skimmed past his nose.

Qianshou Feijian withdrew his hand, his robe flapping in the wind, "In battle the enemy will not give you a second chance."

He raised his hand to form a seal, and dozens of Shadow Clone Jutsu surrounded the Training Ground, leaving no escape.

Lian Ye's pupils narrowed, his eyes darted rapidly, trying to locate the original among the clones.

Sweat slid down his cheek, soaking the collar.

This was one of Lian Ye's daily trainings, requiring him to find Qianshou Feijian's original, honing his insight.

He only had three chances to act...

"Brat, have you found it?" twenty voices sounded at once.

Lian Ye carefully observed these Qianshou Feijian.

Some crossed their arms, faces teasing.

Some wore expressionless faces, silently staring at him.

Others held Kunai, their faces solemn.

Lian Ye looked helpless; finding the original among twenty clones was no easy task.

Moreover, this was Qianshou Feijian's Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

"Brat, you should give up!"

Lian Ye gave no reply, inhaled deeply, trying to find a flaw in the minutiae.

He knew that Shadow Clone Jutsu, though equal in power to the original, always bore a faint chakra fluctuation.

As long as he found that subtle fluctuation, he could distinguish the original.

The first Shadow Clone Jutsu moved, thrusting a Kunai straight at him; Lian Ye sidestepped, his gaze fixed on the opponent's footsteps.

Each footfall's force could serve as a clue.

Lian Ye suddenly launched an attack, targeting the clone on his left.

However, the instant the Kunai touched the target, the figure dissolved into a puff of white smoke.

"Wrong," he thought silently, fine beads of sweat already seeping from his brow.

"Brat, you should give up," the clones chorused.

"Shut up," Lian Ye said, irritated.

He began to observe carefully; his peripheral vision caught a Shadow Clone Jutsu behind the crowd moving.

At the instant the clone moved, Lian Ye's Kunai in hand shot out swiftly.

"Could it be the original?" Lian Ye murmured.

Under Lian Ye's hopeful gaze, the clone dissolved into white smoke.

Seeing this, he did not lose heart, showing a "just as I thought" expression.

Qianshou Feijian could not make such a basic mistake, unless he intended to trap him.

But he dared not gamble; what if it truly was the original?

"Brat, you have one final chance!"

"I know..."

Before the words finished, all Shadow Clone Jutsu launched attacks simultaneously.

Facing eighteen Shadow Clone Jutsu, Lian Ye's mouth twitched upward slightly.

"This is what you offered voluntarily, don't blame me."

Lian Ye leapt from the spot, forming a seal in midair, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Blazing Lie Huo swept the Training Ground, the eighteen Shadow Clone Jutsu flickering in the sea of fire.

At the moment the flames were about to die down, Lian Ye suddenly charged toward the northwest corner, his Kunai aiming straight at the figure.

In front of him, Qianshou Feijian extended a hand, blocking Lian Ye's attack, a faint smile curling his mouth.

"Not bad, you can judge the original from the lingering chakra, looks like you've improved."

Although he deliberately gave Lian Ye a chance, the chance was hard to seize.

Lian Ye's ability to spot the original indeed exceeded Qianshou Feijian's expectations.

Lian Ye let out a long breath, his tense nerves finally relaxed, and he plopped down onto the ground.

The morning training each day made Lian Ye love and hate it.

Qianshou Feijian, that old kid, really trains him to the death...

Sometimes the two spar, and Qianshou Feijian shows no mercy, beating him half to death before the Medical Ninja comes to treat him.

Lian Ye felt that the old kid did it on purpose, just looking for an excuse to beat him...

Though the training was a bit harsh, the progress was truly evident.

Lian Ye's current strength has already surpassed that of an ordinary Genin.

He believes it won't be long before he can fulfill his glorious wish to punch the King of Pressure and kick Ri Zhan.

Just as Lian Ye daydreamed about the future, Qianshou Feijian, with a grim face, pulled out the report card.

"Uchiha Lianye, tell me, how did you achieve this score?"

Lian Ye looked at the 5-point test paper, awkwardly scratched his head, "Haha, uncle, let me explain..."

"Damn Uchiha Xiao Gui, you really haven't learned anything!" Qianshou Feijian roared loudly.

"Uncle, don't slander me, I studied," Lian Ye said sheepishly.

Hmm, flipping a few pages before the exam counts as studying, right?

Although the study time was short, just say you didn't learn!

He already did his best; there's nothing to do about a poor score, right?

"If you get the same result next time, I'll do it myself..."

Qianshou Feijian narrowed his eyes slightly, and two fingers clasped the middle of the kunai.

"Crack!" The kunai snapped in response!

Lian Ye subconsciously swallowed, then nervously said, "Uncle, calm down, it's not that bad."

Qianshou Feijian said nothing, his gaze coldly fixed on Lian Ye, with no hint of joking.

If Lian Ye gets such a disgraceful score again, he will definitely show no mercy!

For such an easy test paper, if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never believe anyone could score five points in his whole life!

Speaking of which, can a guy who can score five points really still be considered human?

The more Qianshou Feijian thought about it, the angrier he became, and a powerful killing intent erupted from his body.

This was Lian Ye's second time confronting Qianshou Feijian's killing intent, which almost pressed the breath out of him.

Is this the pressure of a Shadow-level Strongman?

If he weren't sitting on the ground, he'd probably be crushed to his knees.

"Un... Uncle, I'll strive to pass next time, you... you first..."

Having received Lian Ye's assurance, Qianshou Feijian let out a cold snort and suppressed the killing intent on his body.

"Xiao Gui, this won't happen again!" Qianshou Feijian tossed the test paper to Lian Ye and turned away.

Today's guidance is over; he still has to be busy handling his disciples' affairs.

He needs to cultivate a batch of geniuses with the Will of Fire for Konoha Village, turning them into the village's High-End Combat Power.

And these geniuses must be taught personally by him.

As for Lian Ye, forget it...

Qianshou Feijian does not expect a guy who scores five points on a cultural exam to inherit the Will of Fire.

He even seriously doubts that Lian Ye doesn't even know what the Will of Fire is...

His expectations for Lian Ye are low; as long as he doesn't do anything that harms the village, that's enough.

Although Lian Ye's current character is decent, he hasn't awakened his eyes yet; the specifics will have to be observed after he does.

Based on Qianshou Feijian's understanding of the Uchiha, after a typical Uchiha Clan's Member awakens the Sharingan, their personality undergoes some changes.

He also can't predict how Lian Ye's personality will be in the future; he can only teach him the right path as best as possible.

"Xiao Gui, don't disappoint me..."