When Madara read the contents of the paper in his hand, he muttered to himself, absorbing the information.

"As far as I know, this technique enables the user to craft clones from wood, endowed with physical properties akin to the original user. These wooden replicas are durable and versatile, capable of undertaking a multitude of tasks, making them indispensable assets in both combat and reconnaissance scenarios."

"It involves the manipulation of chakra (qi) to transform the user's cells into vegetative matter, resulting in the creation of such clones. This ability holds significant potential for me."

Afterward, he sat down again, crossed his legs, and took some time to comprehend how to perform the technique. Several hours later, he slowly opened his eyes, still in a cross-legged position. In this state, he released his qi and circulated it throughout his body, gradually transforming it into the wood element. As he channeled this energy out of his body, Madara carefully shaped the emerging wood until it formed into a person standing before him.

He couldn't believe what he was witnessing—the figure in front of him was an exact replica of himself. However, he quickly noticed something off about its appearance and physique; it seemed lifeless, like a wilted vegetable, in its posture. Determined to understand his creation better, he stood up from his seat to closely examine the clone he had made using his own qi.

He walked around the standing clone, observing it from every possible angle. After thoroughly inspecting it, he muttered his assessment of the result of his creation.

"It seems I will also struggle with this technique. There are many flaws, such as its appearance and physique; it looks like it's on the verge of death with its shriveled body. Furthermore, it lacks nostrils and ears, not to mention its uneven eyebrows. In its hands, the left one is missing fingers, while the right one has extra, and the same applies to its feet. The only accurate aspects are its height and the length and style of its hair, which closely resemble mine. Everything else is flawed."

Afterward, Madara reabsorbed his clone back into his own body. He sighed deeply, realizing that he still had much to consider to perfect the appearance of his clone. Despite his initial failure, he resolved to try again. Unfortunately, the result remained unchanged. Exhausted and frustrated, he leaned against a nearby tree, pondering where he might be going wrong with the technique.

After meditating to replenish his depleted qi and spending hours in deep contemplation, he slowly opened his eyes. During his meditation, an idea had formed in his mind—a potential solution to resolve the flaws in the technique.

"That might work. There's nothing to lose if I try it," he murmured to himself, feeling a glimmer of hope.

However, as he prepared to commence his training, he noticed the gradual darkening of the surroundings, indicating the approaching sunset. Recognizing the need to postpone his endeavors, Madara began gathering his belongings scattered around him. Amidst the task, he cast a glance towards the waterfall, where Li Lu still sat in deep meditation, undisturbed by the passage of time.

Deciding to intervene, Madara made his way towards her, intent on persuading her to return home before darkness enveloped the landscape.

As he ascended to the top of the waterfall, Li Lu remained in her serene meditative posture, prompting him to scan the surroundings for a suitable spot to sit. Spotting one, he settled down, silently observing her in her tranquil state. 

After a while, Li Lu gradually opened her eyes, noticing Madara's presence. 

"Madara, have you been here for a while?" she inquired.

"Not really," he replied softly. "I was waiting for you to finish what you were doing because it's getting late."

With that, Li Lu shifted her gaze towards the setting sun, swiftly rising from her seated position to gather her belongings nearby. Convinced that she hadn't left anything behind, Li Lu accepted Madara's invitation to head home.

"It's getting dark here," Madara remarked as they began their descent from the waterfall.

Li Lu simply nodded in response, her thoughts drifting as they walked. She stole glances at his back, quietly smiling to herself. In her mind, she whispered a sentiment she dared not speak aloud: "I wish it could always be like this."

After a few hours of traversing through the dense forest, they finally emerged. Before parting ways, Madara suggested they go to the training area together since they were both headed there anyway. Li Lu readily agreed to his suggestion.

Upon his return home, Madara had consumed the food his sister had left for him and proceeded straight to his room to rest and sleep. The next morning, after breakfast and preparing for the day, Madara gathered the necessary items, such as lunch, a sack, and his wooden sword. As he opened the door to leave, he spotted Li Lu waiting outside.

"Have you been waiting outside for a while, Li Lu?" he inquired.

With a joyful smile, she replied, "No, I just arrived."

While meditating with closed eyes, Madara began contemplating the viability of his idea. In his meditative state, he released his qi, allowing it to flow through his body. Once he achieved this, he slowly released it outward, gradually transforming it into the wood element.

During this process, he visualized his entire body, from head to toe, while he gathered his qi within himself and directed it towards the wood element dispersed throughout his body. Completing this step, he slowly opened his eyes, still in his meditative posture, and beheld the sight of his clone standing before him.

Quickly rising from his seated position, he approached the clone to examine it closely from various angles. A smile formed on his lips as he noticed discernible changes in its appearance.

"I didn't expect my theory about this to be correct," he mused, pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

Nevertheless, Madara persisted in his training of the Wood Clone Technique, tirelessly pushing himself until the day's end. By dusk, he had successfully mastered the technique, though he was sweaty and exhausted from the repetitive trial and error. Despite the physical strain, he felt immense satisfaction with the results of his training. 

Afterward, he extended an invitation to Li Lu to accompany him home once more.

The following morning, at the training area, Madara focused on refining his ability to release the wood clone even with his eyes open, a task that consumed him until nightfall. Finally achieving his goal while maintaining consciousness, he reintegrated his clone back into his body and collapsed onto the grassy ground, utterly exhausted.

While lying down, he gazed at the orange sky and muttered to himself, "Finally, I've created a wood clone that is indistinguishable from the original me. However, I still can't command it or make it release its own qi."

As he lingered on the grass, a familiar face appeared before him. "Li Lu, is that you? Have you finished what you were doing?" he inquired.

Sitting down beside him, Li Lu nodded and replied softly, "Yes, Madara, I've finished my training."

Observing his focused gaze on the setting sun, she gently prompted, "Madara, are you watching the sunset?"

Upon hearing this, he responded promptly, "Yes, Li Lu, I am watching the sunset. Would you like to know why?"

She nodded in response, acknowledging his question. Observing her affirmation, Madara turned his gaze back to the setting sun, his thoughts drifting into contemplation.

"Sunsets symbolize the fleeting nature of time and the impermanence of life," he explained, his voice tinged with introspection. "They serve as a reminder that everything has a beginning and an end, urging us to embrace the present moment and cherish what we have."

When she heard his words, she was intrigued, so she turned her gaze towards the setting sun alongside him. Lost in the moment, he eventually rose from his lying position and noticed Li Lu still captivated by the sunset. With a gentle gesture, he offered her his hand to help her stand up.

Observing Madara's gesture, Li Lu met his eyes as he rose, catching a glimpse of a subtle smile on his lips amidst the golden glow of the sunset. Enveloped by the serene atmosphere, Li Lu couldn't resist returning the smile as she reached for Madara's hand. Once on her feet, they began to walk out of the forest together, their spirits uplifted by the tranquil beauty of the evening.

The next morning, at the familiar training area, Madara completed his warm-up exercises before retrieving a piece of paper tucked inside his clothing. Unfolding it, he scanned the contents, focusing on the last technique listed: "Raiton: Kangekiha" or "Lightning Release: Shockwave technique".

Reflecting on his knowledge of the technique, he recalled that it involved releasing a surge of electrical energy from the user's body, typically through physical contact, to shock or stun opponents. Versatile in nature, it could serve both offensive and defensive purposes, delivering a powerful shock to foes or disrupting their movements.

With his mind set on mastering this new technique, he settled into a cross-legged position, initiating a deep and focused meditation.