After pausing for a while to collect himself, Azhu continued to talk about the past five years ago...

…

…

5 years ago--

"Feng Shang, it seems... your long-term peaceful life has really made your skills deteriorate a lot... It's a shame that I brought so many subordinates here just to be on the safe side."

An old man with a strange gray left eye looked at an old man in front of him who had been suppressed to the ground by several young strong men, and cast a naked look of contempt.

"Jijiu..." The old man who was suppressed on the ground cast a pleading look at the gray-eyed old man in front of him, "I can do whatever you want... Please... let my family go..."

The gray-eyed old man known as "Jijiu" looked away as if he was too lazy to look at this person again.

"Although your current skills have greatly disappointed me, but... you have gained an unexpected reward, and it is considered a worthwhile trip."

Speaking of this, a slight smile appeared on Jijiu's face.

Looking away from Feng Shang, he turned to look at the young girl beside him who was pinned to the ground by two strong men.

This is a girl who would feel guilty if even the word "cute" was used to describe her.

Although the fear visible to the naked eye spread across this cute girl's eyes and cheeks, she still glared viciously at Jijiu in front of her.

"To be able to defeat three of my subordinates at this age is really incredible..." Yoshihisa slowly walked towards the girl.

"Don't, don't touch my sister!" The childish voice unique to a young girl pierced Jijiu's ears - this was Azhu's cry.

Azhu, who was also pushed to the ground by two strong men, glared at Jijiu while struggling hard to break free from the restraints of the two men.

But after all, she was only a 10-year-old girl, how could she break free from the restraints of two strong men.

Behind Ashu were her father and mother - her parents were both in the melee just now, and accidentally passed out. At this time, they were all tied up with hemp ropes.

The father, who was powerless, fainted from a heavy blow to his abdomen at the beginning of the melee.

Azhu's mother followed closely behind her. Facing the siege from all directions, she was helpless. She was accidentally hit on the back of the neck with a hand knife and passed out.

Jijiu ignored Azhu's shouting and didn't even look at Azhu.

"Hey." Jijiu knelt on one knee in front of Azhu's sister, Ajiu, and looked down at her who was pushed to the ground. "What's your name? How old are you this year?"

Ajiu Li ignored Jijiu and continued to glare at Jijiu angrily.

Seeing that Ajiu ignored him, Jijiu was not annoyed. He just turned his head and glanced at Azhu who was not far away: "That person should be your sister, right?"

"I advise you to listen to me and answer whatever I ask."

"Otherwise - I will reward your sister to my subordinates."

"Although your sister is still very young, I think my subordinates should still be able to have a good time."

After hearing Jijiu's naked threat, Ajiu's face turned pale, and then he said hurriedly:

"My name is Ajiu! I just celebrated my 9th birthday!"

"Ajiu... In addition to luck, what other ninjutsu or techniques do you know?"

"I, I can also play shamisen..."

Although Azhu and Ajiu's father was just a small businessman running a grocery store, his business had always been good, so his family was fairly well off.

Their father spared no effort in cultivating his daughters. After they reached the age where they could learn piano, they spent a lot of money to hire teachers to tutor their daughters.

At first, both of them learned pipa, but because Ajiu found that he was more interested in shamisen while learning pipa, their father asked Ajiu to learn shamisen instead, while Ajiu continued to learn.

lute.

"That means you don't know anything except luck." Jijiu stood up slowly, "Feng Shang, you are such a waste of natural resources."

Yoshihisa cast a mocking look at Toyoshang.

"It's hard to raise a granddaughter with such a high talent."

"Fortunately, I came tonight and discovered this piece of jade as early as possible. Otherwise, such a good seedling would have been ruined by you."

"Jijiu..." Feng Shang cast a frightened look at Jijiu, "You...what do you want to do?"

Jijiu didn't even look at Fengshang, he just smiled and looked at Ajiu.

"I have decided - I will accept you as my disciple. I will train you to be the best kunoichi I have ever seen in Iga."

As soon as Jijiu said this, not only Azhu and others, but also Jijiu and his subordinates all looked surprised.

Among them are many old subordinates who have followed Jijiu for many years. It is the first time for them to hear that the arrogant Jijiu takes the initiative to recruit disciples.

Ajiu stared blankly at Jijiu with her big bright eyes.

After a while, her lips moved, and it was easy to tell from the movements of her lips that she wanted to say the words "I don't want".

However... just as she was about to utter these words, she closed her lips tightly as if she suddenly thought of something, and then turned to look at her parents, A Zhu, who were not far away.

After a long moment of silence——

"I...can worship you as my teacher."

Ajiu raised his head and shot a stubborn look at Jijiu.

"But you have to let my family go! As long as you let all my family members go, I will worship you as my teacher!"

"Hey." Suddenly, Jijiu frowned, "You are not qualified to bargain with me."

"This is my only condition!" Ajiu did not give in and looked straight into Jijiu's eyes. "Otherwise, even if you force me to become your disciple, I will seek all means to commit suicide!"

"Ajiu!" Azhu, with a sad face, shouted Ajiu's name, hoping that Ajiu would not do such a stupid thing as "sacrifice himself to save his family".

Their grandfather Feng Shang was also like this, and advised Ajiu not to do stupid things.

However, Ajiu ignored their voices.

Jijiu looked at Ajiu coldly.

It had been an unknown amount of time before Jijiu let out a few self-deprecating sneers.

"Ha... It seems that he is indeed a good young man. At such a young age, he is able to meet my gaze without dodge. It seems that he has a pretty good character."

"Okay, I'm in a good mood now. I'll grant half of your wishes."

"I'll let half of your family go. Your sister and grandpa can let go, but I still have to take your parents away."

"No!" Ajiu screamed, "All my family members must be let go!"

"Hey." Jijiu's gaze was as sharp as a knife, slicing towards Ajiu, "I am willing to let half of your family go, which is a great mercy on my part."

"Don't be ungrateful."

"I really appreciate your talent and would like to accept you as my disciple and train you well."

"But you are not important enough to be indispensable."

"If you make me unhappy... just imagine what the consequences will be!"

After all, Ajiu is a girl who is only 9 years old. Facing Jijiu's oppressive gaze, she can't help but shrink her neck in fear.

After Jijiu's words fell, visible tears slowly appeared in Ajiu's eyes.

After tears rolled in his eyes for a while, Ajiu nodded gently.

"I see……"

Seeing that Ajiu had softened, a gentle smile slowly appeared on Jijiu's face: "Don't worry, I'm not an inhuman evil ghost."

"As long as you obey me, I will let your parents go based on your performance in the future."

After finishing speaking, Jijiu looked at his subordinates beside him and ordered:

"Retreat. Let Feng Shang and that kid go. Take Ajiu and her parents away."

"Sir, aren't we here just for Feng Shang? Are we going to let him go like this?" the subordinate asked.

"Ha." Jijiu sneered, "This guy is used to living a peaceful life, and his skills have deteriorated to the point where it's hard to watch him directly."

"I have no interest in this kind of old man who has mediocre skills and may not have a few years to live. Let him fend for himself."

"To me now, Feng Shang, an old man who is no longer useful, is not as good as a toe of her granddaughter."

Jijiu smiled proudly and turned to look at Ajiu who was being slowly lifted up.

Ajiu lowered her head at this time, making it difficult for people to see her current face and expression clearly.

"Don't be so rough with her." Ji Jiu scolded the two strong men who lifted Ajiu up, "She is now my closed disciple."

After saying these words full of pride, Yoshihisa issued a new order.

"Oh, by the way, remember to knock Feng Shang and that kid unconscious before letting them go. I don't want to see them rushing towards me like mad dogs just after I let them go."

"yes!"

Azhu saw a knife strike towards the back of her neck.

Then...she felt her vision go dark and fainted.

…
To be continued...