Chapter 57: Fear Not Those More Gifted Than You

Tang Shen had not anticipated that the undercurrents within the waterfall would be so fierce, nor that there would be nowhere to set foot—it was exceptionally challenging. The effort required here far exceeded what he had expended training by the seaside, but it was not so overwhelming as to render progress impossible. Tang Shen felt fortunate that he had first acclimated himself in the ocean, rather than leaping straight to training beneath the waterfall. Training, indeed, had to proceed step by step in an orderly fashion—anything else was unrealistic.

Otherwise, when he and Kuina first arrived at the ancient pool, the current would have swept them far away in an instant. Moreover, as it turned out, training with swords in the waterfall was vastly different from practicing in the sea.

After hundreds of attempts, Tang Shen and Kuina finally reached a point just five meters from the waterfall. There, a smooth reef jutted out of the pool—such rocks were even more difficult to find than in the ocean, for the waterfall's ferocity was relentless. Fortunately, they were already used to standing on rocks in the sea. Though the undercurrents here surged more violently, the two of them gritted their teeth and rooted themselves firmly atop the stone, as if taking root in the earth.

But soon enough, a sudden surge in the current swept them away again, forcing them to fight their way back to the reef. For a moment, it felt as if they were reliving those first days of sword training at sea—failing again and again to climb the rocks, but persisting with relentless effort.

Beneath the surface of the deep pool, the undercurrents were anything but stable, fluctuating within a certain range, though occasionally they would swell unpredictably. To remain steady on the reef, they had to respond to the currents' changes at any moment, especially now, when they could barely withstand the force. This was when their adaptability was most crucial.

As Tang Shen and Kuina pressed forward with unyielding resolve, Koushirou watched them with a complicated heart. He wanted nothing more than to shout at Tang Shen, "Damn it! Your routines are endless!"

Indeed, the routines were endless. He had thought that sword training in the sea was already impressive, innovative, and formidable—how could Tang Shen be so extraordinary? And yet, it turned out that practicing in the sea was merely a prelude to the true challenge: training beneath the waterfall. Each routine led seamlessly into the next, leaving Koushirou in a perpetual state of shock and admiration. "Why don't you just ascend to the heavens?" he thought wryly.

Of course, Tang Shen was oblivious to Koushirou's internal turmoil—the envy, the admiration, the frustration. Tang Shen was wholly focused on steadying himself atop the reef, concentrating his breath and sinking his energy deep within.

Under such pressure, every experience was unique; he relished the feeling of being pushed to his limits. Perhaps his recent grueling training had shaped this mindset, for now, even in hardship, he found a strange enjoyment. When one is fully immersed in cultivation, time seems to pass in the blink of an eye. Just like sword practice in the sea, progress under the waterfall was incremental—slower, perhaps, but still visible to the naked eye.

Bit by bit, he inched forward, feeling the awe-inspiring power as the waterfall crashed vertically into the pool below. The closer he drew, the more palpable the impact became. Even with his eyes shut, he could sense the force in every detail. Water plummeting from above struck the pool with a violence that sent ripples and thunderous noise in every direction—an intimidating spectacle.

Tang Shen and Kuina, in essence, were battling these ripples. As expected, by day's end, Kuina had to be carried back by Tang Shen, stripped and deposited directly into the bath. The early stages of every training seemed to unfold in this way.

Day after day passed, each one filled to the brim with a rigorous training schedule. Everything else was pushed aside, squeezed into whatever time remained; even the most important matters became mere leisure in comparison. Training came before all else—it was the highest priority.

They trained with utter devotion, almost to the point of obsession, never tiring. Two pure souls striving to grow stronger for strength’s sake—their dedication left Koushirou ashamed and deeply moved. He couldn't help but think that if he had been this diligent in his youth, he might not have ended up as he was now.

Zoro, too, was among those most deeply affected. The other students at the dojo completed their assigned routines and then left to play or relax—who would willingly train with such intensity? It was simply too arduous. But Zoro could not rest. He knew that Kuina, under Tang Shen’s guidance, was training with an intensity that left her so exhausted she had to be carried back, sometimes nearly unconscious.

Zoro always remembered Tang Shen's words: "Don't fear those more talented than you—fear those who are more talented and work even harder than you."

Tang Shen had told him plainly: his own talent did not surpass Kuina's. If he could not match her in effort, he would never surpass his goal. So every day, Zoro threw himself into his training with desperate intensity. Whenever fatigue set in, he thought of Tang Shen and Kuina fighting on, and was instantly invigorated, rising to continue his practice.

Gradually, he became faster than anyone at eating, at working, even at going to the bathroom—he fell asleep more quickly and woke earlier than any other student.

Apart from Kuina, he was the earliest to rise and the latest to sleep among all the students.

Training! Training!

Training as if possessed!

His regimen left his peers in awe and made the adult disciples at the dojo wince in pain just watching him, their legs trembling at the thought, but still he pressed on, fueled only by the knowledge that others were working even harder.

Koushirou was delighted to see Zoro’s dedication. After all, Zoro was the one he had the highest hopes for—the true inheritor of his dream. Perhaps, deep within, it became a silent contest: would the Kuina shaped by Tang Shen surpass Zoro, whom he himself had trained? Though the comparison seemed unfair, it was, in its way, an even match.

Kuina had a greater foundation from early childhood, her swordsmanship already far beyond Zoro’s current level. Yet Tang Shen’s abilities were still not on par with Koushirou’s, and the world of swordsmanship already had its own established standards. What’s more, Zoro was receiving personal guidance from a master swordsman.

Thus, a seemingly uneven yet balanced contest emerged—though it was only Koushirou who saw it as such. Tang Shen felt nothing of this; he merely wished to be a good teacher and to strengthen himself.

It was much like when Zoro challenged Kuina—she always accepted, but always finished the match in a single move. To her, these contests were little more than extracurricular amusements, just as hunting beasts in the forest once had been—a bit of relaxation, nothing more. For now, Zoro was not yet a rival in her eyes.

Kuina was improving, and so was Zoro.

Koushirou had no objection to Tang Shen’s guidance of Zoro. He had his pride, so he would not simply copy Tang Shen’s methods for his own use, but there was nothing to stop Tang Shen from teaching Zoro directly.

As many times as Koushirou felt the urge to draw his sword against Tang Shen, this did not diminish his admiration. What he respected most was Tang Shen’s selfless spirit. Putting himself in Tang Shen’s shoes, Koushirou knew that if he possessed such miraculous training methods, he would never share them with anyone outside his closest kin or disciples.