18 Master.

Sato woke up from his sleep.

Today was the day, the Hokage said that he would meet his new master today.

He did have some reservations about it, however the benefits was exorbitant. He did not want to let this opportunity pass.

Sato hurriedly got ready and ate his breakfast. He took off to the Hokage's office not wasting any time.

As he was running he spotted a white cat that was leisurely walking on the walls of a building. The cat was spotless white, and had fur covering it's body, which made it seem as if the cat was plump.

However as he noticed the cat, Sato thought there was something really strange about it. He did not know what it was and payed no attention to it anymore. He was too excited to meet his new master.

Sato arrived at the Hokage's office and was promptly let in. When he arrived Sato noticed Sarutobi talking with a swordsman.

This person was a tall person of 180 cm and had a square face he had a long beard that was black and it reached below his neck. He also had a mustache that integrated with his beard. His eyes were brown and his pupils was black. He wore a japanese male's kimono and had a sword tied to this waist. The kimono was a purple-pink and the bottom was white.

As Sato walked in, Sarutobi and the swordsman noticed, and halted their conversation.

"Ah, Sato-kun, come in come in, I would like to introduce you to the one who will be your mentor, Hajime Aoshi." spoke Sarutobi.

"Nice to meet you." greeted Sato.

"Nice to meet you as well" replied Aoshi.

Apparently, Aoshi was to be his new master. Sato took a look at him but was disappointed with what he saw.

Sato knew that the man was a swordsman. While this was an exceptional martial art, in the face of a true shinobi these guys were cannon fodder.

Sato looked at Sarutobi with a wry smile. He knew that Konoha would not trust their S-ranked shinobi and their resources to other villages, but he at least expected to be trained by a shinobi.

While Sato was thinking all this, Aoshi also accessed Sato.

He looked at the young man and thought "His eyes hold great power but his body is a little lacking."

Aoshi also noticed the disappointment on Sato's face. Even though he had only showed it for a second, it was enough time for Aoshi to noticed it.

As they accessed each other Sarutobi sensed that the two was not too happy with the arrangement, but they were trying their best to oblige.

Aoshi took Sato to a training ground to test his skills. When they got there however Aoshi suddenly spoke,

"Sato-kun, I know you do not want me as your teacher, so I will test your skills and if you can pass my test I will ask for someone else to teach you."

When Sato heard this his eyes lit up and he looked at Aoshi with a doubtful face.

Aoshi saw this and nodded to him. He then withdraw his sword and took a stance.

Sato on the other hand knew that from the actions that Aoshi took, that he was not telling him a lie. While still doubtful, Sato took up a battle stance.

As they were both ready, the fight begun.

Sato quickly showed his superior speed and close the gap aiming at Aoshi with a head kick from his right foot.

Astonished by Sato's speed, Aoshi, swayed his head backwards and barely dodged his attack. Thinking that he was now out of danger he prepared to counterattack and sliced his sword vertically at Sato's legs which were in the air.

Sato saw this and propelled his body into the air by pushing his left foot off the ground. Using this force Sato spun in the air and rotated so that the sword would pass through the space between his legs and then kept the momentum and launched another kick with his right foot once more.

This surprised Aoshi and he was not able to dodge it this time. The kick connected to his lower jaw and dazed him. Blood started trickling down the edges of his mouth. The kick was fearsome, the power it held was enough to knock even jonin level shinobis out cold.

Sato quickly followed his attack with a swift punch infused with his qi to Aoshi's stomach and directly hit his liver.

Feeling this blow Aoshi dropped to one knee and raised his hand to signal that the fight would be over.

Sato saw this and withdrew.

Unbeknownst to them, they had an audience watching their spar. The first person was the Hokage.

He sat in his office observing the fight from his crystal ball, and was shocked at the movements Sato displayed.

Although Aoshi was a swordsman, Sarutobi thought that a grown man who wielded the sword, as if one of his own arms, would still defeat a six year old kid. Unfortunately what he prophesied did not happen and Aoshi lost.

The other person who was watching the spar was the white cat Sato spotted earlier. It sat at the side and observed the battle with a smile on it's face.

It seemed to approve of the way the kid it was watching, fought.

Sato did not know that he was being observed but he did have a weird feeling.

After the fight had ended, Sato saw Aoshi sat on the ground and motioned for him to come.

"As I said, I would resign from being your teacher if you passed my test and you did." said Aoshi.

"I will talk with the Hokage and ask him to find someone better to come and train you." continued Aoshi.

Sato clasped his hand and uttered, "Thank you, Hajime-san".

Then he turned to leave back in the direction of his cottage. Sato was disappointed that the person he would have as a teacher would not be able to help him at all, but he held a glimmer of hope that he would get someone better.

Sato was lost deep in thought and quickly arrived before his cottage. When he got there, something unexpected happened.

Sato saw that time had been stopped and that a crack had appeared out of the void in front of him.

He had no idea what was happening and stared at the phenomenon in shock. When he regained his senses he found that something was approaching him from out of the void.

Sato took up a battle stance and readied himself for battle. He knew he couldn't possibly defeat anything that was powerful enough to open a crack in the void but maybe he might be able to run away.

However before he could even react a silhouette approached him. When Sato took a closer look at this silhouette he noticed that it was the white cat from earlier.

Suddenly the white cat spoke to him, "Kid, I see that you are looking for a master to train you."

Sato was stunned. He looked at the cat carefully and fear was apparent in his eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Sato.

Sato did not know who or what this cat was but he knew one thing. This cat was powerful. Probably the most powerful existence he had ever seen.

He was even more cautious because the cat did not exhibit any form of energy from it's body.

Normally even though he was not able to wield it, Sato could sense the chakra of those around him. He was even able to sense objects that had qi contained in them. But as he stared at the cat he could not sense anything.

It was like the cat was a ghost.

The cat however, was amused by Sato's probing with his qi, and it's mouth curled into a slight smile.

"Good, you are trying to assess the situation before rushing in and impulsively fighting with me." spoke the cat.

"This shows that you are contemplating and have a good understanding of what you should and should not do." the cat continued.

"However if you think with your skill, you would be able to assess my strength with your low qi, then I will have to disappoint you." the cat smirked.

When Sato heard that the cat mention his qi, he became dumbfounded. This was the first being that was able to recognize what type of energy he cultivates.

Sato was now sure that this cat was no ordinary being. He knew he was right when he heard the cat next, "I know what you are thinking."

"Let me ask you this in return. Do you think an immortal would not know about qi?" asked the cat.

Sato once again was astonished.

"Immortal being?. This cat is an immortal?. Why is he here?," thought Sato.

As if able to read his mind the cat had a slight smile on his face and then he said, "So kid, Do you want to be my disciple?."

"If you become my disciple, I can answer some of your questions and will also help you increase you cultivation." continued the cat trying to entice Sato.

"And why would you do that?" asked Sato, wary of the cat's motives.

"Kid, if I wanted something from you do you think I would not be able to kill you?" the cat refuted him with another question.

"That's true." thought Sato. Then he lowered his guard and came before the cat.

"He he he. Kid I can guide you through the path of cultivation and help you become an immortal. All you have to do is accept me as your master." said the cat.

Sato pondered for awhile. He did not have anyone that could guide him. He also needed someone to train him to become stronger. He knew no one else in this world would be able to train him as he was cultivating qi. After struggling a bit, Sato replied the cat.

"I am willing to acknowledge you as my master." said Sato with a tensed face.

"Good. Then you have officially become my disciple. Now bring me to your home and give me some food. I've been starving for a long time now." replied the cat who at this time dispelled the frozen time.

Sato was stunned. This cat who was an immortal being was complaining about starving and it wanted to come home with him?. What sort of joke was this?.

The cat saw Sato's stunned face and became irritated that his new disciple was being so slow.

He quickly chided, "What? Did you not hear me? Hurry it up!."

"Ye...yes master." stuttered Sato.

The two then went to Sato's residence and walked into the cottage.

Inside Midori was waiting for Sato's return. He had left early this morning and did not allow her to accompany him.

When Midori saw Sato walk in she quickly stood up and came before him.

"What happened?, Where is your new teacher?, What is with that cat?" questioned Midori.

Her questions fired off one after another, not giving Sato anytime to reply to them. She spoke too fast which bewildered Sato.

After calming down aunt Midori, Sato began to explain what had happened.

Then he pointed to the cat and said, "This cat, is my new master now. He will be teaching me how to become stronger."

"This..." said Midori who was astonished by what she had heard.

Then she looked at the cat that was now eating food, and she stared back at Sato with a weird face.

Sato knew what she was thinking and quickly spoke, "Do not judge it by it's looks, this ..... this..."

Then Sato turned to look at the cat and suddenly remembered, he had asked for it's name but it did not reply him. He took a cat as his master and still did not know it's name. Sato became flustered and hurried before the cat.

He then asked, "Master, What is your name?".

Midori heard what Sato had said and she almost fell over, she wanted to puke up blood. She thought, "Not only did you not take the Hokage's generosity, you took a cat as your master and .... you do not even know it's name?."

Midori was so angered, she wanted to give Sato a good beating but restrained herself.

The cat on the other hand was still eating when he heard Sato asked for his name. Remembering that he had not told his new disciple what his name was, he stopped feasting and looked at Sato.

"I am known as Xu Fen. but I will have you address me as you have been doing till now, as your master." said Xu proudly.

Both Midori and Sato heard what the cat had said and then Sato immediately replied, "Yes master".

Midori was stunned once more, she did not know whether to laugh or cry, and then she pulled Sato away to yell at him.

After some time spent trying to calm aunt Midori down, Sato finally came before Xu and asked him for guidance. Sato was assured that his new master Xu would be able to correct him on his cultivation and would be able to raise his strength to become an immortal. After all, he did split apart the void and walked out of it like it was his own backyard.

"You have been cultivating by yourself, and you have been doing it all wrong!" exclaimed Xu.

After hearing this Sato was stunned once again. He did cultivate by himself and he used a technique he derived on his own, he did not have anyone to help him as no one in this world cultivated qi. Instead they cultivated chakra. He adjusted himself and awaited his master's judgement.

"You have the Yin and Yang body but you was not able to fully utilize it and it's been put to waste." continued Xu.

"With the Yin and Yang body, you were able to sense qi since birth and was able to use this energy to enhance your body but because of your low comprehension on the Dao, you squandered your gifts, and made cultivation even harder for yourself." explained Xu.

"To be honest with your meditation technique it was surprising that you were even able to reached the Minor Qi Condensation stage." said Xu.

"Master you mean... that I've been cultivating wrong this entire time?." asked Sato.

"Of course" replied Xu with a harsh tone.

"Did you think that a Minor Qi Condensation realm cultivator would be as weak as you?. You have been gifted a divine body for cultivation, but the world you are in is not the most suitable for you." explained Xu.

This shocked Sato even more, his mouth was opened so wide that an egg would fit inside it. Sato was able to understand what his master just told him.

This world is not suitable for him to cultivate, this meant that this world was most likely one of the lower worlds that cultivators would not usually come too. And most probably there are more bigger and better worlds out there, for which he could achieve more better results cultivating in. But then why is his master here?.

Sato was curious but he knew that his master would tell him in the future. What he needed to do now was follow his master and gain strength.

Xu continued explaining to Sato, "Your meditation technique and this lower world is holding you back. You don't even possess 1/10000th the strength of a true Minor Stage Qi Condensation realm expert have."

Hearing this Sato grew worried. The power he had grasped until now was truly frightening yet, his master just told him that he didn't even possessed 1/10000th of the power that other cultivators at the same realm possessed.

Just what kind of monsters were immortal cultivators?. How strong would his opponents be if he had to fight others at the same realm as him. Would he even survive against them.

These thoughts float through his mind and he kneeled to his master and spoke, "Master, please guide this unworthy one."

Sato knew that this master in front of him was his only hope to redress his weakness and improve further.

"Don't get anxious, while you did cultivate wrongly, we are lucky that you did not advance to the Foundation Establishment Stage yet. We still have the time to fix your problems." said Xu.

"Master, what should I do?" asked Sato.

"You will just have to change your meditation technique to one that is suitable to you." answered Xu.

"With this and a few other things, you will be a true cultivator on the path to becoming an Immortal." said Xu looking at Sato with a sight smile on his face.

Sato nodded his head and looked on, anticipating how his master planned to train him.