The monitors blinked silently, emitting spaced, constant beeps. The air in the ward smelled of disinfectant and stagnation. Rock Lee lay motionless in the bed, his body covered in bandages, his face serene, as if he were merely sleeping.
Li Shang watched in silence. The boy's chakra was weak and unstable, his inner channels vibrating like strings about to snap. Yet Lee's heart beat steadily—a stubborn flame that refused to be extinguished.
'Even unconscious, your spirit remains alert... what absurd willpower.'
He sighed and walked closer. The doctors believed Lee simply needed rest, but Li Shang knew otherwise. His physical body was stable, yes... but internally, his meridians were torn, his energy system in shambles.
'He won't be able to fight for at least a month. And this must have been the first time he's opened so many gates at once.'
Gai had left a few minutes ago, his expression filled with guilt and pride—a paradox Li Shang understood well. Seeing a student nearly die for following his teachings would leave any master divided.
Silently, Li Shang placed two fingers on Lee's forehead.
Instantly, his spiritual body was pulled into the boy's sea of consciousness.
The scenario has changed.
An endless plain, covered in bright green grass, stretched out beneath a golden sky. The breeze was gentle, and the air vibrated with subtle traces of life energy. In the middle of that field, Rock Lee's spiritual body rested, unconscious.
Li Shang walked up to him and, with a gesture, infused a thread of his spiritual Qi.
Lee's eyes slowly opened. He blinked in confusion, then smiled as he saw Neji before him.
"Neji? So it's just a dream…" he muttered, looking around. "I… won the fight?"
"No and no."
Lee tilted his head, uncomprehending. "No and no? What do you mean?"
"This isn't a dream," Li Shang replied calmly, sitting down beside him. "And you didn't win the fight either."
"Ah…" Lee's expression fell, the sparkle in his eyes fading. "I see…"
But then, realizing the weight of his previous words, he turned around in surprise.
"Wait... you said this isn't a dream?"
"Correct. This is your sea of knowledge—the place where your mind and spirit unite. I projected myself here to speak with you privately."
Lee looked around in wonder, feeling the wind and energy pulsing beneath his feet.
"Incredible..."
"You used a power that could have killed you," Li Shang explained. "The gates you opened destroyed your body from within. Your chakra was drained, and your chakra points are in pieces."
"I know..." Lee replied without hesitation. "But I only use this power in extreme cases. Gai-sensei always says that true strength comes from effort, not from fear of pain."
Li Shang watched the boy in silence for a few seconds. That raw conviction, that unwavering gaze—it was almost impossible not to admire him.
"Lee," he said finally, "if there were a way to strengthen your body... to make it capable of withstanding this power without destroying itself... would you do it?"
Lee's eyes widened. "A way? Is it possible?"
Li Shang continued, "If it were something that only depended on training and patience… would you try it?"
Lee was silent for a moment. The wind rustled the grass around him, the soft sound echoing like deep breathing.
"I would try," he replied firmly. "Even if it were dangerous. If there is a path that allows me to keep fighting... I will follow it."
A small smile formed on Li Shang's lips.
'That was exactly the answer I was hoping for.'
"Gai-sensei said that simply training the body would have less effect," Lee continued thoughtfully. "But I never imagined there was another way. Such a powerful technique can't be without risks, can it?"
Li Shang looked at the golden horizon, his gaze distant.
"In my world, there were methods for strengthening the body—physical refinement techniques that allowed the cultivator to withstand absurd forces. If I adapt the method correctly… perhaps he can open some gates without suffering so much."
"I know a secret technique of my clan."
Li Shang's calm voice broke the silence, and Rock Lee stared at him with wide eyes.
"It allows me to refine my body and strengthen my muscles to a level beyond human."
"Seriously?" Lee asked excitedly, but the sparkle in his eyes soon faded. He looked away, embarrassed.
"It wouldn't be right for me to learn anything from your clan. When they find out, you'll suffer the consequences... The last time you broke the rules, you almost died."
Li Shang watched him silently for a moment, his gaze calm, almost melancholic.
'They really do look alike...' he thought, rememberingYang Xiao, the old friend who sacrificed everything for a similar ideal — to grow by merit, not talent.
"That technique is hard to notice, don't worry," he replied with a slight smile. "But I want to propose an exchange. Would you teach me theEight Gates?"
Rock Lee stared at him, confused, and for a brief moment silence reigned in the green immensity of the spiritual sea.
"Neji, I learned this technique from Gai-sensei," he explained hesitantly. "I don't think I should teach it to others without asking permission. Besides... I don't even know if I could. You should talk to him."
Li Shang nodded, understanding.
"Fair enough. But I'll be teaching you a very precious technique. Would that really be fair?"
"But I don't know if I can teach you, even if I want to..." Lee lowered his head, frustrated.
"It's okay, Lee," Li Shang replied, stepping closer. "Relax and focus. Just mentally review Sensei's teachings about the Eight Gates."
"Right."
Rock Lee closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. His spiritual body assumed a firm, disciplined posture. For a moment, Li Shang saw Yang Xiao's image superimposed on his—the same vigor, the same devotion.
'The same heart,' he thought.
As the boy immersed himself in his training memories, Li Shang raised a finger and gently placed it on his forehead.
"Neji?" Lee murmured, partially opening his eyes.
"Just focus on Gai-sensei's teachings, Lee."
Even though he was confused, he obeyed. He took a deep breath and let himself be carried away by memories of sweat and pain, of screams and encouragement, of falls and triumphs. In that moment, he felt something different.
A refreshing sensation, almost like a gentle breeze, spread from the point of contact on his forehead. Energy flowed through his mind and spiritual body, flowing smoothly and steadily.
'What is this?' he thought, intrigued. The sensation was comforting, like a rest after an exhausting day.
Li Shang silently analyzed the information flowing from Lee's mind. Images of the gates formed in his spiritual perception—eight main points aligned along the body, similar to theprimary meridiansof a cultivator. The technique was incredibly risky, but brilliant.
"I see..." he murmured. "Fascinating."
Rock Lee opened his eyes, confused. "Neji, what did you do?"
Li Shang sorriu de leve.
"It was nothing. I just understood better how your technique works. Now... it's my turn to teach you something."
With the same gesture, he touched Lee's forehead again. A faint glow passed over the surface of the spiritual sea, and an ancient symbol briefly formed between them—golden lines intertwining like streams of light.
It was atIndestructible Body Technique, a basic method of physical refinement that Li Shang had learned from Yang Xiao in his past life. A simple yet powerful technique.
'He'll never reach the final stage in this world,' he thought. 'The energy here is too weak... but it will serve to strengthen his body and prevent him from suffering when opening the initial gates.'
The energy spread through Lee's spiritual body, imprinting new patterns on his mind. The boy remained still, his eyes closed, absorbing the knowledge that invaded him like a lucid dream.
When it was all over, Li Shang retracted his finger.
"Lee," he said calmly, "if you practice this technique along with your daily exercises, your body will begin to change. In time, you will be able to use the initial four gates without great risk. You will feel only fatigue, not pain... but you will need to exert yourself."
Rock Lee opened his eyes in surprise, feeling the new energy circulating within him.
"Neji... I..."
But before he could thank him, Li Shang was no longer there.
The spirit plain began to crumble, the grass dissolving into light.
Back in the infirmary, Lee took a deep breath, the monitor beside his bed speeding up for a moment. An involuntary smile formed on his lips.
"Gai-sensei... I can do it..."
Meanwhile, Li Shang walked through the silent corridors of the hospital, his gaze distant.
'Indestructible Body... Yang Xiao, I hope you're seeing this. Your legacy will flourish in this world as well.'
[Author's Note:This story was originally written in Portuguese, so there may be some translation errors. If you notice any, please let me know so I can fix them. Thank you for reading!]