The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

Changqing exuded a murderous aura on the battlefield, which seeped into the ground and continued to spread.

Enveloped in this, Nagamasa felt as if he had returned to the battlefield of the Battle of Norada, and his hand unconsciously tightened its grip on his sword.

After a long pause, he sighed, "Thank you for the demonstration, Lord Mori."

Kaihoku Tsuna personally ordered the four pagemen to leave, feeling both respect and fear towards this fierce Oda general.

"Lord Mori's 'Ashina Style' is indeed formidable; no wonder he was able to slay two of Saito's generals during the Battle of Moribe."

Akao Kiyotsuna, having somehow received the news, rushed over.

Perhaps to save face for the Asai family, he suggested, "My lord, Lord Mori must also be skilled in archery? Our northern Omi region is mountainous, and a strong bow is essential for our survival. Why don't we invite Lord Mori to the archery range to demonstrate his skills? It would also broaden our horizons."

Compared to swordsmanship, archery is easier to teach. Moreover, it avoids accidental injuries and does not damage the reputation of the Asai family.

Nagamasa clearly knew that swordsmanship could not be mastered quickly, so he said, "Indeed! Lord Mori, would you be so kind as to instruct me in archery?"

Changqing smiled and said, "I also have some experience in archery, and I would like to exchange and discuss with Lord Asai and the two gentlemen."

The group moved to the shooting range on the west side of the city.

The shooting range is set up against a mountain wall on one side, with several straw targets, and the other side is fortifications for defending the mountain city.

The bow and arrows are ready.

At this time, archers were far more lethal than arquebusiers, yet they only comprised about ten percent of the army. This was mainly because training archers was a lengthy process, and the production and cost of bows were high.

Imagine, how can people who can only eat one or two meals a day be expected to draw a 30-40 pound bow and fire ten shots in a row?

Changqing did not rush to demonstrate, but instead asked Changzheng to test the shot first.

Nagamasa did not refuse, took a Japanese bow about five feet long, nocked an arrow and drew the string. With a "whoosh", the arrow left the bowstring and hit the straw target thirty ken away. Although it did not hit the bullseye, it went deep into the wood.

"Excellent archery skills!" Nagayoshi praised. "Smooth draw and decisive release. Lord Asai has a solid foundation."

Nagamasa humbly replied, "Without accurate aim, even great power is useless. Please enlighten me, Lord Mori!"

"Lord Asai, please fetch a suit of armor and place it on the target we just used!"

Qinggang gave a wink, and the servants immediately brought out an old set of doumaru.

"This is the secret technique of my Ashina-style archery, 'Kuenchu-ju'. This technique is not simply about pursuing power and strength. The key is to 'focus the mind on the arrow, direct the energy throughout the arrow's trajectory, and hold it for a long time to break through obstacles'."

He selected a heavy bow seven feet long and three special arrows with thick arrowheads and sturdy shafts.

"Please observe the trajectory of the arrow and the extent of its impact on the target carefully, my lords." After saying this, Changqing took a deep breath and slowly drew his bow.

Stand with feet apart, breath deep and back open. Bow fully drawn like a crescent moon, string taut and resonant.

Presumably, what Changzheng was more concerned about than such a powerful scene was the stillness in Changqing's eyes.

His gaze wasn't fixed on any one point; rather, it was as if his world consisted only of that one point.

His breathing seemed to merge with the bowstring, and his aura suddenly increased. The arrow, before it even left the bowstring, already felt as heavy as if it were filled with iron.

Concentration... complete concentration.

"Whoosh—Pfft!"

The sound of the arrow leaving the bowstring was exceptionally sharp, yet remarkably brief.

The heavy arrow pierced the center of his torso like a meteor, causing the wooden stake behind him to shake violently. The arrowhead protruded from the back of his torso and became completely embedded in the stake!

Thirty armor-piercing rooms!

"Such powerful penetrating force!" Akao Kiyotsuna couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. Such force would probably be too much for most samurai armor to withstand.

He quickly stepped forward to check and saw that where the arrow had struck, the iron plate of the torso had been torn apart, and the damaged edge was curled inward. He quickly took it back and showed it to Nagamasa.

Nagamasa examined the armor thoroughly, turning it over and over, and couldn't help but exclaim, "What excellent arrows!"

"That's not all." Changqing had already nocked a second arrow. "'Piercing the target' is easy, 'holding it for a long time' is difficult. The so-called 'holding it for a long time' does not refer to the length of time the bow is drawn, but rather that after the arrow leaves the string, its penetrating force and spin can continue unabated, and it can maintain its direction and destructive power even when encountering multiple obstacles."

This time, he aimed at a shield about forty bays away. At this distance, even a cannon could not penetrate the shield when the two armies were facing each other.

Draw the bow, concentrate, and focus your breath. The second arrow is released!

This arrow's trajectory was straighter and faster.

With a muffled "bang," the arrow pierced through the wall and embedded itself in the wooden wall behind it.

The overwhelming momentum was enough to startle the onlookers.

"This..." Kaibei Gangchika was also moved.

On the battlefield, if this general were to close within a hundred paces... he found the thought terrifying.

Changqing took a short breath and then picked up the third arrow.

"Finally, it is the 'unity of mind and energy'."

This time he pointed to a straw target about fifty rooms away, but in front of the straw target, someone had hung a gauze curtain there.

The bow was drawn as if about to break, and the man stood firm as a mountain. Changqing's gaze pierced through the fluttering curtain, locking firmly onto the bullseye of the straw target behind it.

The third arrow is released!

……

"Incredible skill!" Nagamasa couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration. "Penetrating light barriers with perfect accuracy, the power concentrated and undiminished—is this the perfect state of 'Penetrating Through the Middle'? Lord Mori, please teach me!"

Seeing that the archery skills were impressive, but were ultimately a ranged technique with no risk of close combat, and that it would greatly benefit the lord's martial arts, Hai Beigang stopped interfering and instead nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Akao Kiyotsuna laughed and said, "Since our lord is so enthusiastic, and Lord Mori is so generous in sharing his knowledge, it's truly a wonderful thing. How about we invite Lord Mori to stay in Odani Castle for a few more days to specifically instruct him in archery?"

Nagayoshi had already planned to become the liaison between the Oda and Azai families, so he bowed to Nagamasa and said, "Lord Azai is exceptionally intelligent and has a solid foundation. If you are interested in Ashina-style archery, I will do my best to explain its intricacies. However, progress in archery still depends on accumulated practice over time and the understanding of the mindset required in battle. The profound meaning of 'Kanchu-jiu' also requires combining it with one's physique and habits to achieve true mastery."

"I understand!" Nagamasa returned the bow solemnly. "Please, Lord Mori, do not hesitate to instruct me. From this day forward, you will be my archery instructor, Mr. Mori! Please teach me, Mr. Mori!"

Changqing was glad that his efforts had not been in vain, and immediately agreed.

From then on, Nagayoshi stayed temporarily in Odani Castle as a "kyudo instructor". Every morning or afternoon, he would spend one or two hours with Nagamasa at the shooting range.

Nagamasa studied very diligently, and during breaks, the two would discuss current events. They were close in age and gradually developed a relationship that included both teacher and friend.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and the day of parting finally arrived.

Outside the city gate, Changzheng held Changqing's hand tightly, reluctant to let go for a long time.

"With the teacher gone, the shooting range will be much quieter." Nagamasa's voice was slightly hoarse. "These days, what the teacher taught was not only archery."

Changqing was also moved. Without saying much, the two raised their cups and drank them down in one gulp.

Changqing immediately mounted his horse and laughed, "Don't you dare become my enemy from now on!"

"If I weren't forced to, Nagamasa would never want to fight a military commander like you!"

Changzheng smiled and patted the horse's rump, nearly causing Changqing to strain his back.