The versatility of "Ki" is immense, and it significantly enhanced Li Zhenwu's abilities in various aspects. He had been slowly discovering the remarkable uses of Ki.
Beyond the improvements in strength and reaction speed, there are other fascinating applications that intrigued him even more.
One of these is his ability to directly sense the Ki of others! Since acquiring Ki, Li Zhenwu has gradually honed this little skill. By focusing his attention, he can detect the distinct flows of others' Ki.
For instance, the Ki of Guy Sensei is like a vibrant blue flame, full of vitality, reminiscent of a rising sun. Inuzuka Hana's Ki is gentle and stable. Shiranui Gensui's Ki feels heavy and calm. Anko's Ki is lively yet faint.
By sensing others' Ki, Li Zhenwu can gauge their strength and approximate personalities—this was one of the intriguing aspects brought by Ki.
"This is really useful," Li Zhenwu thought contentedly.
In the future, when facing other ninjas, he wouldn't be at a loss; he could sense them through their Ki.
Throughout the journey, Li Zhenwu continued to delve deeply into the wonders of Ki.
Unbeknownst to him, they soon arrived in the The Land of Bean Jam...
Anko was overjoyed, partly because she had returned to her homeland and partly because she felt sad about having to bid farewell to her companions from Konoha.
Thus, she invited the Konoha team to stay for a while in the The Land of Bean Jam.
However, having been away for so long, the team members were starting to miss Konoha, so they all ultimately declined.
At the moment of parting, Anko's eyes were misty with tears as she reluctantly said to Li Zhenwu, "You must come to see me again."
"Sure, you focus on being the queen," Li Zhenwu replied with a smile. Anko's feelings for him seemed unusual—likely because he had saved her life.
"Yes, when I have the chance, I'll visit Konoha as the ruler and will definitely look for you," she promised.
"Okay, I'll be waiting for you." Li Zhenwu waved goodbye to Anko. "If you run into any difficulties, feel free to come to Konoha. I'll help you."
...
Not lingering too long in the The Land of Bean Jam, the Konoha team set off on their journey back to the Land of Fire.
As they left, Shiranui Gensui joked, "It seems that Anko from the The Land of Bean Jam really likes Li Zhenwu."
"The charm of youth is irresistible," Guy Sensei said, extending his right hand and giving a thumbs-up with a bright smile that revealed his shining teeth, his tone full of excitement.
"Hmph!" Inuzuka Hana scoffed quietly from the side.
"Ahem!" Li Zhenwu cleared his throat a couple of times.
"Gensui, don't say such things."
Shiranui Gensui obediently fell silent, sensing that the atmosphere had become a bit odd.
Within their team, Li Zhenwu and Inuzuka Hana had a close relationship, having been desk mates throughout school, and later remaining in the same squad as ninjas.
If Li Zhenwu were a bit older, their relationship might have progressed even further...
Nonetheless, even at his young age, Li Zhenwu's strength allowed people to overlook his age in certain aspects. At least for Shiranui Gensui, he felt that Li Zhenwu didn't seem like a four-year-old; in terms of mindset, personality, and ability, he was not weaker than others of his age—he even exceeded many.
Thus, it wasn't surprising that Inuzuka Hana had concerns regarding Li Zhenwu's feelings.
The journey back to the village was calm and full of anticipation. Along the way, Inuzuka Hana had slowly forgotten her feelings of jealousy regarding Anko's interest in Li Zhenwu and returned to her old self—gentle, calm, and attentive.
Honestly speaking, Inuzuka Hana was somewhat unsuited to being a battle ninja; she had more talent in medical ninjutsu and interacted much better with ninja dogs than in combat.
Guy Sensei silently noted everything, assessing each member of the team as he, as their leader, should. Shiranui Gensui was a competent ninja but nothing extraordinary—he wasn't mediocre either and stood out in some aspects.
Guy Sensei was quite satisfied with Shiranui Gensui's performance.
As for Li Zhenwu, he was continuously reshaping Guy Sensei's understanding—truly the "Konoha Monster." It wasn't just his unusual tail; it was his rapidly growing strength as well.
The escort mission had lasted nearly a month, and each person had gained something from the experience.
When they caught sight of the village from a distance, Guy Sensei grinned and excitedly exclaimed, "We've returned to Konoha, the place brimming with passion and youth!"
The others were also somewhat stirred—Shiranui Gensui cheered out loud, while Inuzuka Hana's gaze flickered, clearly unable to suppress her emotions.
Even Li Zhenwu, who had spent his first long time away from the village, felt a bit nostalgic upon seeing the village from afar and couldn't help but smile.
"On such an exhilarating return day, how about we all run around the village three hundred laps?" Guy Sensei proposed enthusiastically.
Inuzuka Hana and Shiranui Gensui pretended not to hear him... They had grown accustomed to Guy Sensei's personality over the journey, but they could not bear the thought of actually exercising with him.
"I haven't run around the village in a long time. Guy Sensei, let's do it together!" Li Zhenwu replied with a grin.
"Strength doesn't come without reason," Inuzuka Hana and Shiranui Gensui sighed internally.
"Alright, let's spark our youth with fervent passion!" Guy Sensei laughed heartily.
With a mix of emotions, they walked back to the village, but upon reaching the village gate, they paused—something seemed different in the village...
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