Chapter 8: The Power of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall
Time flew by, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Yamamoto Ryusei had now learned to refine his chakra while doing other things simultaneously.
Senju Miyuki had returned a few days ago. However, after teaching Ryusei the Body Freeze Jutsu, the Body Flicker Technique, and the Hiding with a Cloak Technique, she stopped teaching him any new ninjutsu, saying he was still too young and needed to get a little older.
With a loud boom, Ryusei crashed directly into a tree, knocking off a large swath of leaves. He shook his slightly dizzy head and slowly picked himself up from the base of the tree. He touched his already bruised and swollen face. This was the fifth time. The Body Flicker Technique was truly difficult to master.
Ryusei was currently practicing the Body Flicker. It was the most practical and also the most difficult of the academy-level techniques. It involved using an explosion of chakra in the legs to move at high speeds. However, this burst of power was rather violent, and the resulting speed was so fast that it was difficult to control, making it nearly impossible to stop on a dime.
Ryusei rubbed his legs, which were starting to feel sore. He couldn't continue practicing; he had to let them rest first.
Using the Body Flicker Technique caused damage to the legs. The more it was used consecutively, the greater the damage. Even a Chunin like Senju Miyuki couldn't use it more than ten times in a row. If she hadn't seen how good Ryusei's physical constitution was, she wouldn't have taught it to him at all.
Yamashita So had gotten much lazier recently, training only sporadically. However, since he had already set his sights on becoming a ninja tool blacksmith, Ryusei didn't push him too hard.
Komiya Yuki, on the other hand, was much more resilient and had been training with Ryusei every day. But today, she wasn't training; instead, she was sitting under the shade of a tree, reading a book.
Ryusei looked at her and asked, "Yuki, are you not training today?"
Komiya Yuki looked up at him, her expression serious. "Last night, when I was taking a bath, I discovered that I already have abs on my stomach."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Ryusei asked, a bit confused. "That means your training is having an effect. If you keep it up, your muscles will become more and more developed."
"That's exactly the problem, Ryusei-nii!" Komiya Yuki stood up excitedly. "I'm a girl! What if I keep training and the flesh from my chest moves down to my stomach? How will I ever get married?"
Yamamoto Ryusei imagined a future Komiya Yuki with her cute face but the brawny physique of the Third Raikage and couldn't help but shiver.
He said hurriedly, "That's enough, that's enough! You don't need to train anymore. Just like this. This looks good."
Komiya Yuki's face instantly turned bright red. She mumbled, wanting to say something, but in the end, said nothing and sat back down under the tree to continue reading.
"Big Brother! Big Brother!" Yamashita So came running from a distance, panting as he spoke. "Big Sister Miyuki says the Hokage-sama is back! She told me to tell you to go home!"
"Really?" Ryusei immediately packed up his things. "Let's go, hurry back! I'll make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall for you all to eat today."
The three of them rushed back and saw Senju Miyuki talking with Yamamoto Nami. The moment she saw Ryusei, her eyes lit up. "Lord Hashirama is back! He's celebrating with the clan tonight. This is the perfect opportunity! Can that 'Buddha Jumps Over the Wall' be ready before dinner?"
After coming over to freeload so many times, Miyuki now knew that these dishes were all invented by Ryusei (in reality, they were plagiarized).
Ryusei patted his chest and said, "No problem! Just leave it to me."
Miyuki patted his shoulder. "Then I'm counting on you. And don't forget my share!"
Ryusei went into the kitchen and began to make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.
The authentic recipe for this dish contained as many as eighteen ingredients: sea cucumber, abalone, shark fin, dried scallops, fish maw, flower maw, razor clams, ham, pork belly, lamb elbow, pig trotters, tendons, chicken breast, duck breast, chicken gizzards, duck gizzards, shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, and so on.
However, there were some ingredients Ryusei couldn't afford, so he had to find substitutes. He left out the shark fin entirely.
First, Ryusei prepared each ingredient separately using various methods like pan-frying, stir-frying, stewing, and deep-frying, creating distinct dishes with their own unique characteristics. Then, he layered them one by one into a large wine jar. Lacking a Shaoxing wine jar, Ryusei found a substitute called a "Bamboo Leaf Green" wine jar. He added an appropriate amount of high-quality broth and Bamboo Leaf Green wine, allowing the soup, wine, and ingredients to fully merge. Then, he sealed the mouth of the jar with a lotus leaf, covered it tightly, and placed it over a fire to heat. After simmering on low heat for about five hours, it was ready.
Ryusei made two jars: one to be sent to Hashirama Senju, and one for them to eat themselves.
Five hours later, as dinner time approached, Ryusei and Miyuki pushed a small cart. On the cart was a charcoal stove, and on the stove sat the jar of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, slowly being pushed towards the Senju clan's territory.
In front of the Senju Clan Gate
Two Senju clan members guarding the gate saw Miyuki and a small child approaching with a cart. "Miyuki, the banquet has already started, why aren't you there yet? What is this? Where are you taking it?"
Miyuki declared proudly, "This is an unparalleled delicacy made by a top-tier chef, which I am about to present to Lord Hashirama for his enjoyment."
One of the ninja looked at the jar, which was still being heated. "Then let me help you push it inside. But this child can't enter."
"Thank you, Big Brother Ryoshin."
Miyuki turned to Ryusei. "You should head back first. And you must wait for me before you eat the other jar."
Although this jar was not small, it was only enough for about a dozen people. It would likely be finished by the upper echelons alone; the people below probably wouldn't even get a sip of the soup.
Miyuki and Senju Ryoshin pushed the cart into the Senju compound, passed through the courtyard where the ordinary clan members were gathered, and entered the house where the clan leaders were.
There were three tables in the room. At the innermost table sat Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Mito Uzumaki, and—unexpectedly—Madara Uchiha. Madara had probably been dragged here by Hashirama; he was drinking wine while staring coldly at Tobirama.
On the surface, Tobirama was eating calmly and composedly, but in his heart, he was cursing Hashirama to high heaven.
Miyuki and Ryoshin pushed the cart to the side of the table, and then Ryoshin left.
Mito Uzumaki looked at the jar and asked, "Little Miyuki, what is this?"
Miyuki said with a straight face, "This is to celebrate Lord Hashirama's triumphant return. It is an unparalleled delicacy that I had a top-tier chef prepare."
Hashirama was immediately interested. "Oh? This jar is a delicacy? Then let's open it and see."
Miyuki slowly unsealed the lid. As soon as the lotus leaf was removed, the aroma from within the jar burst forth, rapidly spreading outwards.
Everyone in the room stood up, their heads involuntarily stretching towards the jar. The fragrance wafted across the courtyard, and the Senju clan members who had been drinking and boasting immediately fell silent. A moment later, an even louder commotion erupted.
"What is that? It smells so good!"
"I've never smelled anything so fragrant! Where is it coming from?"
"It seems to be coming from where the Hokage-sama is!"
"Let's go see! I have to know what that is!"
The Senju clansmen in the courtyard swarmed towards the house like a tide. They didn't enter but crowded around the entrance, completely blocking it in no time.
The people inside the room were still mesmerized by the aroma of the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.
"Gulp."
No one knew who did it first, but the sound of someone swallowing saliva broke the spell, followed by a chain reaction of gulping sounds.
Mito Uzumaki wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve. She glanced left and right and saw that the other clan members were all staring at the pot of soup; no one had noticed her lapse in composure. Relieved, she said, "Little Miyuki, please serve a few bowls of soup for us to try. Miyuki? Miyuki...?"
Miyuki was completely dazed and only snapped out of it after Mito called her several times. "Yes, Lady Mito!"
She hurriedly took a ladle and served a bowl each to Hashirama, Tobirama, Mito, and Madara. Then, she quickly served herself a bowl and began to drink it happily.
"What an astonishing aroma and flavor," Tobirama said after taking a sip of the soup. "I never thought cuisine could reach such an incredible level."
"Indeed," Mito agreed. Seeing the other clan members staring at them eating with longing eyes, she said, "You all can take the rest and share it. Give it to the children first."
"Alright!" The remaining Senju members swarmed forward, all grabbing onto the jar and not letting go. In the end, it was the great elder who distributed the soup. The children and the elders all got to drink some. As for the other clan members, they could only smell the aroma.
Hashirama drank in small sips. "This soup is truly delicious. It makes one reluctant to finish it in one go. Madara, our decision was right. Peace has just begun, and such wonderful things are already appearing."
"Mm, this soup is indeed not bad," Madara said, taking small sips. In his heart, some of his hatred for Tobirama had even dissipated.
Miyuki, on the other hand, finished her bowl quickly. She knew there was another jar waiting, so she had no intention of savoring this one slowly.