Cultivation in the Pirate's World

After days of observing Shanks' training sessions, Xiao Yan's attention was drawn to the distinct way Haki flowed during swordplay, noting patterns that seemed to hint at deeper principles.

"Shimotsuki Village," Benn announced, exhaling a stream of smoke. "Small place, but it's got quite a reputation thanks to Kozaburo's craft."

The morning mist parted to reveal a modest village nestled against rolling hills, its silhouette dominated by a single dojo standing proud on the highest point.

Xiaojin circled the ship once before settling on its usual perch, the phoenix's flames burning steadily as it observed the approaching shore. Since their time at Azure Reef, the divine creature had shown increasing interest in this world's different manifestations of power.

"The swordsmith's work is remarkable," Shanks added, casually deflecting a practice strike from one of his crew with Haki-imbued steel. "They say his blades can become something special in the right hands."

Within his dantian, the spiritual bead pulsed gently. The herbs from Azure Reef were thriving in its space, but Xiao Yan's thoughts now turned to other possibilities. Each observation of Haki's flow revealed patterns that reminded him of certain cultivation principles.

"Your Haki," he noted, watching another exchange, "it moves differently during bladework than in other applications."

"Oh?" Shanks paused, interest sparked. "How so?"

Before Xiao Yan could respond, Xiaolong surfaced nearby, the dragon's scales shimmering as he sensed something unique about the village's atmosphere. Even from this distance, there was a distinct quality to the air – not quite qi, not purely Haki, but something that spoke of dedicated practice and refined technique.

A news bird swooped overhead, briefly interrupting their conversation. The morning's headlines held little interest for Xiao Yan, whose attention remained fixed on understanding the subtle ways Haki manifested during different activities.

"The flow of power," he said finally, choosing his words carefully, "follows certain paths, whether it's Haki or..." he left the sentence unfinished, but his meaning was clear to those who knew of his unique background.

"Planning to study our methods?" Benn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Every path to strength holds its own wisdom," Xiao Yan replied simply, while in his dantian, the spiritual bead hummed in quiet agreement.

As they approached the village's small harbor, more details became clear. The dojo's training grounds were visible now, where students moved through sword forms under careful supervision. A single path wound up the hill, leading to what appeared to be a forge set slightly apart from the other buildings.

"Kozaburo doesn't take many visitors," Shanks mentioned, watching Xiao Yan's careful observation. "But he might make an exception for someone who asks the right questions."

Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his mind already connecting patterns he'd observed in Haki's flow with principles he understood from cultivation. Some truths revealed themselves slowly, like a blade being carefully forged – and this village might hold keys to understanding he hadn't expected to find.

The harbor drew closer, promising new insights into this world's unique approaches to power. And if the slight smile on Xiao Yan's face held a hint of deeper understanding, well, some discoveries were best kept private until properly understood.