The teacher's voice softened: "I've thought it over carefully. Even if Ueno Tokisada is incredibly strong, I'm confident I can defeat him! However, I must admit he's the closest swordsman to my skill level to anyone who has emerged in Japan in recent decades. Comparing our abilities, I'm only slightly stronger. But…"
But that General Tian defeated Ueno Tokisada without even using a sword; he used a rattan cane instead!
The teacher's voice was filled with defeat: "Although I am arrogant, I am also very clear that I have absolutely no ability to fight Ueno Tokisada with a mere rattan cane!"
Takeuchi Bunzan swayed!
At that moment, the image of the teacher that I had held in my heart like a god collapsed!
"Tomorrow... I will publicly appoint you as the future head of the Kamishin Ittō-ryū family. From now on... I'm counting on you! Please! Takeuchi Bunzan!"
That night, facing the teacher's stern gaze, the young Takeuchi Fumiyama trembled, whether from shock, nervousness, or the cold of the snowy night, he didn't know.
The next morning, the teacher called all his second-generation disciples to a meeting and announced a decision in front of everyone.
At the young age of twenty, Takeuchi Bunzan was publicly bestowed the title of "Naichodo" of the Kamishin Itto-ryu Shinkensai.
The so-called "Inner Elder Hall" is actually equivalent to the head disciple of the sect, formally establishing his status as the future heir of the main family!
Just as this decision was made, and many people around were still looking at him with incomprehension, someone came to report from outside...
General Tian has arrived!
The Chinese man in his thirties with a long beard appeared at the foot of the mountain!
He held the hand of a little girl who was not yet ten years old in one hand, and drifted along the path in the cherry blossom grove!
In his other hand, he was still holding... a rattan cane!
That rattan cane that defeated all the top Japanese kendo masters!
Chapter 136 of the main text: [Old Tian is so handsome!]
Chen Xiao listened with rapt attention, reminiscing about the past when Old Tian, wielding a rattan cane, defeated all the martial arts masters in Japan, forcing them to submit. What a legendary and heroic story that was!
Old Takeuchi was still reminiscing. He sighed softly, "That day, standing in front of the Kensai mountain gate, watching General Tian strolling towards us from afar, I knew... what my teacher told me was true! Although this battle has not yet begun, my teacher has already lost."
"Oh? Why?"
"Because of the momentum."
Takeuchi's tone was somewhat self-deprecating, but also tinged with helplessness and resentment as he slowly said, "One side is on high alert, ready for battle. The other side, on the other hand, is handling it with ease..."
His gaze turned complex and strange: "That was the first time I met the renowned General Tian. Although he had been wreaking havoc in the Japanese martial arts world for months, upon first seeing this master, I found it hard to believe that the man standing before me was the same formidable foe who had practically defeated everyone in Japan with just a rattan cane. He was wearing the simplest sergeant's jacket, his beard unkempt. At that time, countless disciples in our Kensei were on high alert, dozens of them brandishing swords and glaring at him, yet he casually toyed with that rattan cane, holding the little girl beside him. Judging from his demeanor, it seemed as if his entire focus was on that little girl. Even when my teacher spoke to him, he nonchalantly squatted down to brush the dust off the little girl's trousers. He seemed completely unconcerned about the impending decisive battle, appearing extremely confident and without the slightest tension. From his eyes, I had a feeling... it seemed that what we considered a life-or-death battle was, for him, merely a formality. All of us combined were simply beneath his notice!"
"Then, it seemed that the little girl beside him didn't like the scene of swords and bloodshed. She seemed a little nervous. But he focused all his attention on the girl, repeatedly whispering words of comfort to her, saying things like, 'It'll be over soon,' and so on."
Before the duel, the master dismissed all his disciples, leaving only the other five sword masters who had been invited, and me, his most valued disciple. We stayed in the dueling arena.
Originally, our plan was to have my teacher perform last, based on his status as the god of Japanese swordsmanship. Having the other five masters go first, even if they were defeated, would at least allow my teacher, watching from behind, to clearly assess the enemy's strength and weaknesses, and perhaps even… wear down General Tian's morale and stamina.
At this point, the old man Takeuchi gave a wry smile and looked at Chen Xiao: "Don't you think it's despicable?"
"...A little bit." Chen Xiao said frankly, "A war of attrition? Hehe!"
"It was despicable, but that battle was a matter of life and death, a matter of the honor and dignity of all Japanese Kendo. In order to win, we couldn't care less about anything else. You may think it's despicable, but for us... we really couldn't afford to lose!"
Old Takeuchi, having finished speaking, picked up a porcelain bottle from the small table and took a swig. He then discovered the bottle was completely empty. Frowning, he grabbed the bottle in front of Chen Xiao and downed it in a few gulps. Only then did he let out a long sigh.
"But... unexpectedly, at the very last moment of the final battle, the teacher suddenly changed his mind and demanded to go first!"
"Oh?" Chen Xiao was somewhat surprised.
Have these Japanese, who originally intended to wage a war of attrition, changed their minds?
"At that time, the teacher suddenly overturned the previous plan, which greatly surprised the other kendo masters. However, because of the teacher's status at the time, no one dared to object to what he said. At that time..."
At that moment, General Tian looked at the old man in front of him, who was like a grandmaster in the world of Japanese kendo, and smiled slightly: "Oh. You're going to fight me first?"
"Not the first, but the only one!" The old man, Naoyuki Jingu, looked at the Chinese man before him and suddenly bowed slightly. "I apologize. I actually harbored such thoughts of a series of attacks! That was a complete violation of the self-respect a martial artist should have! Today, I will fight you alone. If I lose, then the others won't need to participate! If you defeat me, you will be invincible in Japan!"
The Japanese kendo master looked at the Chinese man before him and said slowly and solemnly, "The moment I saw you in person, I knew that a master like you would not fall because of a series of challenges! I am ashamed of having such thoughts before! I am a martial artist, and even if I lose, I will lose with honor!"
Old Tian then took a second look at the old Japanese man in front of him, and then smiled slightly: "Very good! Since coming to Japan, you are the second opponent that I have considered a true martial artist."
"The previous one was Ueno Tokisada, right?"
Old Tian didn't say anything. He suddenly let go of the little girl's hand, then held the vine with both hands, bent it gently, and snapped the dry vine in half with a crack!
"What is this...?"
"I've made up my mind. I won't fight you with this vine!" Old Tian smiled faintly.
Naoshi Jingu was slightly excited: "Are you planning to use swords?"
Since this Chinese man arrived in Japan and caused a ruckus for several months, his martial arts skills have been exceptionally high, yet he has never used a weapon. Moreover... he defeated so many Japanese masters with just a rattan cane. Such behavior is truly a deep humiliation for the Japanese people, who have a complex mix of inferiority and pride.
At this moment, General Tian took the initiative to suggest not using the rattan cane, which made the old man of the Divine Palace slightly excited. Although he knew that his strength was mostly inferior to that of his opponent, it was a good thing for any martial artist to see such a top expert display his true strength.
"No, I won't use weapons; I'll fight you bare-handed." General Tian's next words enraged the old man of the Divine Palace!
"You! Do you look down on me?!"
What a joke! When he fought that junior, Ueno Tokisada, he used a cane, but he didn't even use a cane with me? He's going to fight me bare-handed? Does he look down on me that much?!
"You've misunderstood." General Tian looked at the Japanese swordsman of the highest caliber before him and smiled faintly. "It's precisely out of respect for you that I won't use the cane. Do you know what a cane is used for in China?"
The old man from the shrine wasn't an expert on China; he simply shook his head.