I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

This woman, who values ​​money, is stingy, and meticulous about every penny, surprisingly took the lead in proposing to offer a yin-style meal to pray for Qing Deng and the others, and has insisted on doing so ever since…

Furthermore, according to Kondo Shusuke's revelation, every morning and evening, Abi would take out her Buddhist prayer beads and recite scriptures with utmost respect.

[Concentration on reciting the Buddha's name: A Buddha image that is never separated from one's person or is kept in the home for kneeling and worship.]

Why was she reciting scriptures?

That leaves it to your imagination.

……

……

After dinner, Kondo Shusuke suddenly summoned Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo to the dojo.

Although the two did not know their master's purpose, they still went to the temple in a daze.

As soon as I arrived at the dojo, I saw Kondo Shusuke sitting in the main seat.

"Tachibana-kun, Toshizo, you're here! Please have a seat."

The two sat side by side in front of Kondo Shusuke.

"I hesitated for a long time... but in the end, I still have to hand this over to you..."

Kondo Shusuke sighed softly as he handed each of them a scroll.

Although they had not yet read the scroll, both Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo opened their eyes wide in surprise.

As disciples of the Natural Rishin-ryu school, they naturally knew what this was—a certificate that allowed the Natural Rishin-ryu school to be taught without permission!

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Chapter 711 Return to Kyoto! Training the Eighth Prince to Unite the Thousand! [4200]

The item is authorized to be transmitted without permission—it is both a symbol of strength and a testament to honor!

Obtaining the license to teach all disciples means officially completing one's apprenticeship and being able to establish one's own school.

In the Japanese swordsmanship world, there is no specific model for assessing the skill level of disciples; different schools use different methods. There have been no fixed rules since ancient times.

However, generally speaking, "all permits are issued without permission" is definitely the highest level of permit!

The upgrade of a license does not depend on the time spent learning, but on a person's mastery of the technique.

In other words, as long as you have the skill and ability, regardless of your age or how long you started learning, you can be granted the right to receive the transmission of the Dharma without permission!

Souji and Saito Hajime are typical examples of this.

Saito Hajime received the Menkyo Kaiden when he was 16 years old.

Souji won this honor at an even younger age.

Strangely enough, Qing Deng had never been able to obtain the full transmission of the Natural Ryōshū school.

The same applies to Hijikata Toshizo.

He started learning the profession earlier than Aoto, but Kondo Shusuke has yet to award him any rank certificate.

Qing Deng has mastered every move and style of the Natural Rishin-ryu school.

In terms of individual strength... to put it bluntly, Aoto's current strength is far superior to Kondo Shusuke's!

Although Hijikata Toshizo's skills are not as good as Aoto's, he is still one of the top combatants of the Shieikan.

Both of them have reached an extraordinary level in terms of their mastery of the Natural Rishin-ryu style and the development of their own strength.

To give a vivid example—their academic level has reached the point where they could win a Nobel Prize, but the universities they attended have been slow to award them their graduation certificates.

Many people have spoken out against the "injustice" suffered by the two individuals.

However, Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo, who were directly involved, didn't seem to care.

In Qingdeng's view, the so-called "exemption from all permits" is nothing but an empty title.

It is certainly gratifying to receive this honor.

However, its actual significance... to put it bluntly, is just so-so.

At one time, Qing Deng also believed that being granted the title of "Master of All Arts" was a remarkable achievement.

Now, after experiencing many things, he suddenly realized that graduating from the dojo was just... standing at the starting line.

Qing Deng had been through countless battles and had encountered numerous adversaries.

Swordsmen who possess catalog licenses, or even unlicensed licenses, should theoretically have outstanding strength, but instead perform terribly in actual combat... Qing Deng has seen plenty of guys like that.

Ultimately, a sword is a weapon of destruction, and swordsmanship is the art of killing.

Swordsmanship that cannot kill is nothing but a useless technique.

A swordsman who cannot win is nothing but a weakling.

In short—as long as we win, that's all that matters!

Whether one possesses those empty titles or is granted this license or that certificate is completely irrelevant.

In the world of martial arts, the power contained within one's body and the sword in one's hand are the only real things!

Therefore, Qingdeng completely let go of the past.

Instead of chasing after empty fame, let's work hard and keep improving our skills!

To be honest, if Kondo Shusuke hadn't suddenly pulled out this license certificate, Aoto would have almost forgotten that he hadn't yet obtained the Mandate of Heaven.

Qingdeng turned the scroll over and over, examining it closely.

"Master, may I open it?"

Kondo Shusuke nodded slightly.

After receiving permission, Qingdeng grasped both ends of the scroll and slowly unfurled it.

On the nearly 2-meter-long scroll, elegant calligraphy is written from right to left and from top to bottom.

The first thing that caught Qing Deng's eye was all the sword techniques of the Natural Rishin-ryu school.

From the most basic Sequential Sword and Slanted Sword to the profound Swallow Slanted Sword, Lion King Sword, and Wuming, everything is available.

Following the "list of moves" are Kondo Shusuke's comments.

This student was admitted to our dojo in January of the seventh year of Ansei (1860). He has completed all the sword techniques of the Tennen Rishin-ryu school and meets the standards for the granting of the Mane-kyoku-kaiden. He is hereby granted graduation. This is the gist of it.

Finally, at the very end of the scroll, the date of the awarding of the certificate is written, namely June 23, 1863, and the signature of the awarder... namely Kondo Shusuke.

Of course, the full name of the person who received the title, Aoto, is also indispensable—Tachibana Aoto Moriharu.

At the end of Hijikata Toshizo's scroll is written his full name: Hijikata Toshizo Yoshitoyo.

The content of the certificate is very standard and can be freely transmitted without a license.

Hijikata Toshizo spread the scroll out on the floor, glanced at it briefly, and then suddenly asked:

"Master, why so suddenly? I thought I would never have the chance to receive the certificate of exemption from all restrictions in my life."

Aoto raised his gaze and cast a puzzled look at Kondo Shusuke in front of him.

Kondo Shusuke crossed his arms and sighed silently.

"To be honest... I do have the idea that I will never grant you the right to receive a license to practice Buddhism."

"Tachibana-kun, Toshizo, do you know why?"

They both shook their heads.

Kondo Shusuke continued the conversation:

"It's not that I'm deliberately trying to suppress you."

"You are my prized students."

"I am proud of you."

"However... 'Only those who are proficient in the Natural Principle of Mind-Style can be taught the Natural Principle of Mind-Style'—this is the rule of our school."

"But what about you two?"

At this point, Kondo Shusuke narrowed his already slender eyes and stared intently at Hijikata Toshizo.

"Sui San, you... tell me yourself, can your swordsmanship still be considered the Natural Rishin-ryu style?"

"You've added all sorts of random, unorthodox techniques to the moves of this school."

"Eye gouging, groin kicking, throat choking... In your hands, everything I own has lost its meaning!"

Upon hearing this, Hijikata Toshizo immediately lowered his head guiltily, keeping his eyes down and his mind focused on his inner thoughts.

Immediately afterwards, Kondo Shusuke glanced sideways and his gaze fell on Aoto.

"Ju-kun, you too. You and Sui-san are two of a kind."

"Sui San is a shady character who has mixed in with street brawls."

"And you are the one who incorporates techniques from other schools."

"The starting stance and chopping hand of the Hokushin Itto-ryu, the monkey cry of the Jigen-ryu, the heavy slash of the Shinto Munen-ryu... your swordsmanship is simply a hodgepodge!"

Like Hijikata Toshizo, Aoto silently looked away.

Arbitrarily altering a martial arts school's moves is a taboo subject in the eyes of old-school martial artists.

At this point, Kondo Shusuke sighed silently again.

"Your swordsmanship can no longer be considered as Natural Rishin-ryu."

"Therefore, there is naturally no reason to grant you the complete transmission of the Natural Principles of Mind."

"However……"

He then changed the subject.

"Recently, my thinking has changed."