Chapter 120 I Could Show You, But You Still Wouldn't Learn
After Senju Wakama had just the right heart-to-heart with Tamayo Nara.
On the road ahead, Tamayo Nara was noticeably more relaxed than before.
And this time, Senju Wakama took Tamayo Nara to visit areas outside the Hot Spring Street.
The tall Grand Grass on the periphery protected a flawless orchard and fields of rice paddies.
Gazing at this mysterious and dreamlike place.
Tamayo Nara sighed with emotion, "What a fertile, happy, and dreamlike place; it makes one want to linger."
Senju Wakama asked for some ripe bananas and nectarines from the clan members managing the orchard and handed them to Tamayo Nara.
Tamayo Nara didn't stand on ceremony with Senju Wakama, accepting the fruit he offered.
The nectarines were perfectly ripe; with one bite, the juice burst forth.
Tamayo Nara exclaimed, "It's not peach season, and... I've never seen such a smooth-skinned peach. Is this the fruit specially provided by your Senju clan's 'Wood Style'?"
Senju Wakama chuckled, "Every time you bring up terms like 'Wood Style' and 'forced growth,' you emphasize them. I thought you were mocking us."
Tamayo Nara scoffed, "I'm just a little unconvinced, but I have to admit, it's too tempting. No wonder nobles believe in you so deeply. Whether 'Wood Style' forced growth is real or a deception, these delicious and never-before-seen fruits are reality."
Regardless of whether they can extend lifespan. It's true that they are delicious. And only the Senju clan can produce them. This is unmatched by other ninja clans.
No wonder the Daimyo of the Land of Fire is willing to back the Senju clan.
The Senju clan can not only provide medical services that extend life but also these life-extending vegetables and fruits.
The Senju clan even pays large amounts of taxes to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
Tamayo Nara already understood that the Senju clan had become one of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's money bags.
As a member of the Nara clan, one always thinks ten steps ahead.
Tamayo Nara secretly speculated that the Senju clan would not always be subservient. Their reliance on the Daimyo was probably not due to weakness needing protection but because they had other intentions.
However, since this speculation had no evidence, Tamayo Nara didn't voice it.
Tamayo Nara's eyes shifted, "I see this place is an area protected by that dangerous Grand Grass. This must be a secret area of your Senju clan, right? Aren't you afraid of leaks by bringing an outsider like me here? Or do you trust me so much that you think I won't tell?"
Senju Wakama smiled gently, "Even if you stole all the fruit trees here, do you think the fruit these trees bear next year would achieve the same taste you just experienced?"
Hearing this, Tamayo Nara squinted slightly.
"These things aren't something you can get good fruit from just by planting the seeds," Senju Wakama said leisurely. "Our cultivation methods are different from traditional farming; every product utilizes means unknown to outsiders."
As he spoke, Senju Wakama pointed to the banana field ahead, "Take these banana trees as an example. You just ate a banana, didn't you? Did you find any seeds in that fruit?"
Tamayo Nara's expression was grave, "No..."
"Yes, no. Bananas are triploid; they don't have seeds. So, how do you think they grow?"
Senju Wakama simply recorded these things in his notebook, memorized them, and used them for bluffing.
To be honest, even now, Senju Wakama only knew that triploids didn't have seeds.
As for what a triploid was, Senju Wakama didn't understand... not at all.
Although he only half-understood, it didn't prevent Senju Wakama from bluffing Tamayo Nara.
Senju Wakama watched the frowning Tamayo Nara for a while. He had thought the intelligent Nara clan would understand these things.
However, Tamayo Nara probably didn't understand.
Senju Wakama didn't mock her and continued, "These banana trees will only bear fruit once. After harvesting, they become useless. Banana tree seedlings are not cultivated from seeds, but from those old, discarded banana trees. As for how to cultivate them... that, of course, is a confidential technique of our Senju clan."
Tamayo Nara realized something.
What she had just said probably seemed like a joke in Senju Wakama's eyes.
It was clear that even if nobles or Daimyo coveted this cultivation technology, the Senju clan only needed to claim it was 'Wood Style' forced growth.
Nobles, Daimyo, and other ninja clans from various countries would be unable to imitate it. To enjoy all of this, the Senju clan had to remain alive. And the larger the clan, the better.
Because no one knew whether the new generation of the Senju clan would produce descendants inheriting 'Wood Style', as this Kekkei Genkai was too rare.
And Senju Wakama continued to speak, revealing a multitude of eye-opening things to Tamayo Nara.
For example, the Senju clan grew peaches from ginkgo trees and apples from begonia trees... Senju Wakama also generously explained that this was a form of asexual reproduction where one plant was grafted onto another, allowing the spliced part to grow into a complete plant.
Even Tamayo Nara, who prided herself on being well-informed, was truly dumbfounded.
As Senju Wakama said, if other ninja clans were to take over these secrets of the Senju clan without understanding anything, they wouldn't comprehend what they truly were in a short time. Simply transplanting the trees might not achieve what the Senju clan had. Senju Wakama only spoke generally, and many other detailed aspects were not revealed.
For example, preserving fruit requires using nets to encase unripe fruit to prevent skin damage, ensuring ripe fruit looks good and plump.
The fruits and vegetables provided by the Senju clan were beautiful and delicious, and quite expensive.
In fact...
They were merely employing more advanced agricultural techniques than other places in the ninja world. Other ninja clans were still thinking about how to fight, kill, and plunder. The Senju clan had become a unique force that created wealth, and their combat power was still considerable.
Tamayo Nara was silent for a long time before suddenly saying, "The Senju clan is wealthy and backed by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, yet you still invite our clan to form an alliance. Is it because... you're short on manpower?"
During her stay at the Senju clan, Tamayo Nara had seen many Senju clan members using Clone Jutsu daily, working multiple jobs simultaneously, truly to a frightening degree of intensity.
They lacked neither money nor power, but were severely lacking in labor.
"Yes," Senju Wakama looked at Tamayo Nara, "but it's also a mutually beneficial good thing."
"I think, if you come with good intentions, our clan has no reason to refuse such a good offer, however..." Tamayo Nara looked earnestly at the rice paddies and fruit orchards ahead, "You know, our Nara clan, since long ago, has been symbiotic with the Yamanaka clan and the Akimichi clan. We cannot ally solely with the Senju clan."
Senju Wakama understood. He said, "Then please bring the Yamanaka clan and the Akimichi clan along as well."
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