From one person to nine to five

Chapter 816: Battosai (1)

The sunlight penetrates the dense branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground.

The forest was unusually quiet, with only the occasional bird calls, which further highlighted the impending solemn atmosphere.

Xu Fu carried a long spear on his back, the spear was pitch black and emitting a cold luster. He was tall and straight, with a stern face and eyes as sharp as an eagle, scanning the surroundings.

He could sense that the swordsman was nearby, like a poisonous snake lurking in the grass, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any time.

Suddenly, a silver light streaked through the air, like a meteor flashing across the night sky. Xu Fu moved, and the long spear behind him swung out suddenly, with a sharp sound of breaking through the air, accurately blocking the silver light.

"clang!"

The sound of metal clashing shook the valley, sparks flew everywhere. Xu Fu took a step back, removing the opponent's powerful
A figure walked out from behind the tree. It was a man wearing a dark blue kendo uniform and holding a sharp sword in his hand. The blade flashed a chilling light in the sunlight.

He is Kaguya Jiro, a swordsman famous for his speed and swordsmanship, known as "Battosai".

Kaguya Jiro narrowed his eyes, looked at Xu Fu in front of him, and a playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "You are Xu Fu? A guy who uses a long spear, it seems that the rumors are true."

Xu Fu did not speak, but tightened his grip on the spear in his hand. He knew that the other party was deliberately using words to disturb his mind, but he would not be fooled.

Kaguya Jiro stopped talking nonsense and rushed towards Xu Fu like a ghost. His speed was so fast that only a shadow remained. The sword in his hand was pointed at Xu Fu's vital point with a sharp sword energy.

Xu Fu took a deep breath and circulated the Qi in his body to the extreme. He knew that the opponent's speed was his weakness, but he could not retreat and could only face the challenge.

He swung the long spear, and the spear drew arcs, blocking Kaguya Jiro's attack route. The long spear and the sword collided again and again, making a deafening sound.

Kaguya Jiro's swordsmanship was exquisite, and every move was full of murderous intent. His sword was as fast as lightning, tricky and ruthless, making it hard to defend against. Xu Fu relied on the advantage of his long spear to barely resist the opponent's attack.

However, Kaguya Jiro's speed was too fast, and Xu Fu gradually felt a little tired. His arms began to feel numb and his breathing became rapid.
He knew that this was not going to work. He had to change his tactics, or he would surely lose.

Xu Fu stepped back suddenly, putting some distance between himself and Kaguya Jiro. He took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing, and kept himself calm.

"What? Want to escape?" Kaguya Jiro sneered and did not chase after him. He seemed to enjoy this cat-and-mouse game.

Xu Fu shook his head and stared at Kaguya Jiro with a sharp gaze: "I'm just looking for an opportunity, an opportunity to defeat you."

After saying this, Xu Fu suddenly stuck his spear into the ground and formed seals with his hands. A powerful aura burst out from his body, and the air around him seemed to freeze.

A faint golden light began to emerge around his body, becoming brighter and brighter, eventually enveloping him entirely.

Kaguya Jiro's expression finally changed, he sensed a dangerous aura and knew that Xu Fu was going to use his ultimate move.

"Hmph, no matter what secret method you use, you can't change your fate of failure!" Kaguya Jiro snorted coldly and rushed towards Xu Fu again.

However, when he approached Xu Fu, he was blocked by an invisible force. He felt as if he had hit an indestructible wall, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not move forward.
Xu Fu slowly raised his head, his eyes had turned golden, full of majesty and power. He stretched out his hand and gently shook it.

"break!"

A powerful force burst out instantly, Kaguya Jiro let out a scream, and the sword in his hand flew out of his hand. The whole person flew backwards like a kite with a broken string and hit a big tree heavily.

The tree trunk shook violently, and leaves flew everywhere. Kaguya Jiro struggled to stand up, a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, his eyes full of fear and unwillingness.

"Who... who are you?" Kaguya Jiro asked tremblingly.
Xu Fu did not answer, but slowly pulled out the long spear stuck in the ground. He walked towards Kaguya Jiro step by step, the golden light on his body gradually dissipated, but his eyes were still as sharp as a knife. Kaguya Jiro supported his body and wanted to stand up, but found that his legs could not stop shaking. He held his empty hands as if he was holding the scythe of the god of death, and fear gnawed at his heart like a poisonous snake. He had never encountered such a powerful opponent, and the speed and swordsmanship he was proud of seemed vulnerable in front of Xu Fu.

"What...what did you do?" he asked again, his voice hoarse and with a hint of despair.

Xu Fu walked up to him and looked down at him. His eyes were calm and indifferent, like a god looking down at ants.

"I just... showed my strength." Xu Fu's voice was low and magnetic, with an unquestionable majesty, "You are too weak, Kaguya Jiro. Your sword is not fast enough, not strong enough.

Kaguya Jiro's eyes dimmed. He knew that Xu Fu was telling the truth. His sword had once made him invincible and made him the feared Battousai. But now, the sword had lost its edge, and he himself was about to lose everything.

"Will you...will you kill me?" He closed his eyes, waiting for death to come.

Xu Fu was silent for a moment, and the long spear in his hand trembled slightly. He looked at Kaguya Jiro's face full of fear and despair, and suddenly a complex emotion surged in his heart.
He is not a bloodthirsty person, and his goal is not to kill. He came here to find the legendary elixir, to break through his own bottleneck, and to pursue a higher realm.

"I won't kill you." Xu Fu finally spoke, with a hint of helplessness in his tone, "But I won't let you go either."

Kaguya Jiro suddenly opened his eyes, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes.

“You…you
Xu Fu did not answer, but inserted the long spear into the ground again and began to make seals again. A faint golden light appeared around his body again, but this time it was much weaker than before.

"I need your strength." Xu Fu's voice became a little ethereal, as if it came from the distant horizon. "I will seal your power and prevent you from using swordsmanship for a while."

Kaguya Jiro's face turned pale again. He knew that if he lost his swordsmanship, he would become an ordinary person, a lamb to be slaughtered.

"No! You can't do this!" He struggled to stand up, but his body collapsed uncontrollably on the ground. Xu Fu ignored his pleas and continued to make seals. The golden light became brighter and brighter, and finally turned into chains that wrapped around Kaguya Jiro's body.

Kaguya Jiro let out a painful roar, his body shaking violently as if he was in great pain.

"Don't... don't take my sword..." he screamed, his voice full of despair.

Xu Fu closed his eyes and silently said in his heart: "This is not taken away, but just a temporary seal. As long as you are willing to repent and let go of hatred, one day you will regain your power."

As the last chain was wrapped around him, Kaguya Jiro's body completely stiffened. He felt as if something had been taken out of his body. His strength, his swordsmanship, his pride, all disappeared without a trace.

He was like a puppet with his soul drained out, looking at Xu Fu with empty eyes.

Xu Fu opened his eyes and removed the golden light from his body. He walked to Kaguya Jiro and helped him up.

"Come with me." Xu Fu said in a calm and gentle tone, "Perhaps you will find a new direction."

Kaguya Jiro did not speak, but followed Xu Fu silently. His back looked extremely lonely, like a lost lamb who had lost his way. Walking in the forest, Xu Fu could feel that Kaguya Jiro behind him was always silent, like a stone statue.

He occasionally looked back and could only see that expressionless face and the empty and confused eyes.

Xu Fu knew that it would take time and even more guidance for a swordsman who once made a living by using the sword to accept his current situation.

They stopped by a stream. Xu Fu scooped up the clear stream water with both hands, drank a few sips, and then handed it to Kaguya Jiro.

"Have some water." Xu Fu said softly.

Kaguya Jiro took the water from Xu Fu and drank it silently. The cold stream water moistened his dry throat, but it could not soothe the bitterness in his heart.

"Why did you save me?" Kaguya Jiro finally spoke, his voice hoarse and low, "You could have killed me."

Xu Fu sat cross-legged on a rock beside the stream, looking at the endless stream, and said slowly: "Killing cannot solve all problems. What I need is not a dead person, but a person who can change."

"Change?" Kaguya Jiro smiled bitterly, "I have lost my swordsmanship and my strength. What do I have left?"

"You still have life left, the ability to think left, and the right to choose again." Xu Fu turned his head and looked at Kaguya Jiro calmly, "The past is over, what's important is the future. You can choose to continue to indulge in the pain of the past, or you can choose to start over and find new meaning."

Kaguya Jiro was silent. He looked up at the sky. The sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on his face. He began to think, thinking about Xu Fu's words and thinking about his future.

"I...I don't know what to do." Kaguya Jiro lowered his head, his voice full of confusion and helplessness.

"Then let's start with learning." Xu Fu stood up and walked to Kaguya Jiro. "I know some alchemy techniques, you can learn from me. Perhaps, you will find that there are other ways to go besides swordsmanship."

Kaguya Jiro raised his head and looked at Xu Fu in surprise. He had never thought that a man with great martial arts skills could actually make elixirs.

"Alchemy? What is that?" he asked.

Xu Fu smiled and began to explain the principles and methods of alchemy to Kaguya Jiro. He told Kaguya Jiro that alchemy is not only a technique, but also a practice, an understanding and application of nature. He talked about the characteristics and medicinal properties of various medicinal materials, the control of fire and the changes in medicinal properties.

Kaguya Jiro was fascinated by what he heard. He had never been exposed to such knowledge before. He found that the world of alchemy was so wonderful and profound.

"Is there any relationship between alchemy and swordsmanship?" Kaguya Jiro asked curiously.

"Yes." Xu Fu nodded. "Alchemy can hone your character, make you understand your body better, and make you more observant of everything around you. These are also helpful for your swordsmanship."

Kaguya Jiro's eyes lit up. He realized that perhaps learning alchemy could really help him regain his strength and find a new direction.

In the following days, Xu Fu and Kaguya Jiro walked in the mountains and forests together, looking for elixirs while learning the art of alchemy. Xu Fu patiently taught Kaguya Jiro, starting from the most basic identification of medicinal materials, to the control of fire and the changes in medicinal properties, he taught him everything he knew.

Kaguya Jiro also studied very hard. He put aside his former pride and arrogance and humbly asked Xu Fu for advice. He found that alchemy was not easy and required patience, carefulness and perseverance. But he did not give up. He believed that as long as he persisted, he would succeed.

Gradually, Kaguya Jiro began to develop a strong interest in alchemy. He liked to study the characteristics of various medicinal materials, like to observe the changes of medicinal properties in the flame, and like to smell the medicinal fragrance emanating from the alchemy furnace. He found that the process of alchemy was also a kind of spiritual cleansing and sublimation.

In the process of learning alchemy, Kaguya Jiro gradually changed his mentality. He began to let go of the hatred and pain of the past and began to accept himself now. He began to understand that the meaning of life is not only about killing and fighting, but also about exploring and learning, helping others and contributing to society.

He began to try to use alchemy to help the villagers around him cure their diseases. He used the knowledge he learned to prepare medicinal materials for those poor people. He found that when he saw those patients recover and those poor people smiled, his heart was filled with joy and satisfaction.

He finally understood the real meaning of the "change" that Xu Fu talked about. Real change does not mean losing or gaining something, but changing one's mentality, changing one's values, and changing one's attitude towards life.

One day, Xu Fu and Hui Yejiro came to a village. The village suffered a serious plague, many villagers fell ill, and the whole village was shrouded in a haze.

Xu Fu and Hui Yejiro immediately devoted themselves to the work of treating the villagers. They used the alchemy they learned to prepare medicinal materials for the villagers and help them treat their diseases.

After their efforts, the plague in the village was gradually brought under control, and the villagers' condition gradually improved. The whole village was rejuvenated, and the villagers were full of gratitude to Xu Fu and Kaguya Jiro.

(End of this chapter)