Chapter Summaries

Gaara poisoned and attacked Rock Lee, Shikamaru, and Neji, then trapped Xiao Yun’s teammates to force him to surrender. Xiao Yun faced a dilemma as Gaara threatened to kill the captives if he tried to escape.

• Gaara’s sand attacks wounded Rock Lee, Shikamaru, and Neji, whose bodies grew heavy as their Chakra drained away.
• Xiao Yun arrived as Gaara toyed with the three, while Konoha’s Third Hokage opened paid Forest of Death broadcasts and betting at Moonlight Izakaya.
• Hyuga Yumi warned Xiao Yun that his teammates needed urgent treatment, but Gaara attacked with a powerful sand figure.
• Gaara split the sand figure into bindings that captured Naruto, Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, Hyuga Hiashi, and Shikamaru, then demanded Xiao Yun surrender.
• Gaara threatened to spill the captives’ blood if Xiao Yun ran, leaving Xiao Yun torn between surrendering and protecting them.

Xiao Yun surrendered to Gaara to save his teammates, but Gaara broke his promise and crushed him with Sand Binding. Rock Lee opened the Eight Inner Gates to protect Xiao Yun and launched a powerful attack on Gaara, leaving the fight unresolved.

• Xiao Yun agreed to surrender, and his true body emerged from behind a tree as Tsunade and the Third Hokage prepared to intervene.
• Gaara bound Xiao Yun in sand, then admitted he would break his promise and tightened the binding until Xiao Yun’s bones cracked.
• Rock Lee opened the first three Inner Gates, shattered his sand binding, and declared that he would protect his precious people through taijutsu.
• Rock Lee opened the Fourth Gate and moved at extraordinary speed, striking Gaara’s chin and sending him into the air.
• Rock Lee appeared above Gaara as Gaara searched for him.

Rock Lee brutally defeated Gaara with the Reverse Lotus, while Xiao Yun treated the exhausted Lee after the others escaped Gaara’s Sand Binding. The group discovered that the Gaara buried in the ground was only a sand clone, leaving the real Gaara’s whereabouts unknown.

• Rock Lee broke through Gaara’s Sand Shield and relentlessly beat him as the Third Hokage ordered every channel to broadcast the Forest of Death fight.
• Rock Lee bound Gaara with his bandages and struck him into the ground with the Reverse Lotus, while Gaara heard a hoarse voice offering him power.
• Gaara’s Sand Binding released, freeing Hyuga Yumi, Naruto, Neji Hyuga, and Shikamaru, while Xiao Yun used healing techniques to help the injured survivors.
• Rock Lee collapsed from the technique’s aftereffects, and Xiao Yun cooled and healed him until he woke up.
• Rock Lee asked whether Gaara was dead, but Xiao Yun saw Gaara’s buried body turn into sand and realized it was a clone.

After Gaara transformed with Shukaku’s power, Xiao Yun used Naruto’s Nine-Tails Chakra to fight him, but Gaara overwhelmed Xiao Yun and began dragging him underground. The chapter ended with Hyuga Yumi watching helplessly as Xiao Yun was pulled beneath the earth.

• Gaara reassembled his body in a partial Tailed Beast transformation, and Kakashi pleaded with the Fourth Kazekage to spare Xiao Yun.
• The Third Hokage ordered the livestream cut off as Gaara threatened the Konoha ninja.
• Xiao Yun used the Master-Servant Symbiotic Life-Generating Technique on Naruto and took in Nine-Tails Chakra, warning Hyuga Yumi to protect Naruto and flee.
• Gaara hurled an explosive sand spear at Xiao Yun, who caught it but was badly injured by the blast.
• Gaara trapped Xiao Yun with Sand Binding, drained his Chakra with Sand Seal, and began burying him with Sand Burial as Hyuga Yumi cried out.

Xiao Yun escaped Gaara’s Sand Style attack by opening the Second Gate and drawing on the Nine-Tails’ Chakra. Gaara gave Shukaku partial control, transforming into the One-Tailed Shukaku, and their battle continued as Xiao Yun countered Shukaku’s burning sand cube with Wood Release.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi mourned Xiao Yun’s apparent defeat until the secretary pointed out that he had survived.
• Xiao Yun opened the First and Second Gates and burst free from underground, surrounded by green vapor and orange-red Chakra.
• Shukaku told Gaara he needed full control to win, but Gaara negotiated a limit of forty-nine percent before agreeing to share control.
• Gaara transformed into the One-Tailed Shukaku, and Shukaku attacked Xiao Yun with sand clones and needle volleys.
• Shukaku trapped Xiao Yun in a burning sand cube, but Xiao Yun answered with Wood Release: Fire-Wood Killing Technique.

Xiao Yun defeated Shukaku with Purple Prison Netherflame, then allowed the Nine-Tails to seal Shukaku back into Gaara. After absorbing the flames, Xiao Yun punished Gaara as promised and collapsed from the strain of releasing the symbiotic technique, while a furious Neji approached.

• Xiao Yun bound Shukaku with Wood Release and burned him with Purple Prison Netherflame until Shukaku begged for mercy.
• The Nine-Tails asked Xiao Yun to spare Shukaku and offered to seal him back into Gaara, so Xiao Yun withdrew the technique and Shukaku was sealed.
• Xiao Yun absorbed the Purple Prison Netherflame as Hyuga Yumi clung to him and Neji watched angrily.
• Gaara woke up powerless, and Xiao Yun had Hyuga Yumi hold him down before kicking him and knocking him unconscious.
• Xiao Yun released the Master-Servant Symbiotic Life-Generating Technique and collapsed from exhaustion as Hyuga Yumi began massaging him and Neji threatened him.

Neji Hyuga revealed that he had poisoned the others and attacked Xiao Yun, accusing him of pursuing women in the Hyuga Clan. After the Caged Bird Seal failed to stop Neji, Hyuga Yumi tried to protect Xiao Yun, but Neji struck her down and she threw herself in front of Xiao Yun again as his attack descended.

• Neji Hyuga admitted that he had poisoned the others and declared that he would kill Xiao Yun over the accusation that Xiao Yun wanted the women of the Hyuga Clan.
• Hyuga Hiashi ordered Hyuuga Tenin to activate Neji's Caged Bird Seal, but Neji revealed he had already broken it using knowledge from the clan's sacred grounds.
• Hyuga Yumi blocked Neji and claimed she was carrying Xiao Yun's child, intensifying Neji's rage.
• Neji struck Hyuga Yumi with an Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, sending her crashing to the ground, then leaped at Xiao Yun.
• Yumi used her remaining strength to shield Xiao Yun from Neji's attack and spat out a large mouthful of blood.

Xiao Yun and Yumi survived their confrontation with Neji after Yumi used the second stage of his Caged Bird Seal, while Sasuke joined Orochimaru’s followers in a cave. After Xiao Yun recovered, he and his teammates planned to find Sasuke, but Sasuke’s three teammates arrived without him.

• Sasuke tested the power of his curse mark as Orochimaru’s followers prepared to take him to a secret base after Konoha’s Windmill Operation.
• Yumi used the second stage of the Caged Bird Seal, incapacitating Neji when he refused to spare Xiao Yun.
• Xiao Yun treated his teammates and Neji, and Naruto woke up acting strangely and sang a love song to Xiao Yun and Yumi.
• Shikamaru advised the group to find Sasuke and spare the defeated Gaara to avoid straining relations between Konoha and Sunagakure.
• Three members of Sasuke’s team approached Xiao Yun’s group, but Sasuke was missing.

Xiao Yun survived the Forest of Death, where Konoha defeated Sunagakure after the Sand Shinobi withdrew. Back home, Tsunade confronted him about Hyuga Yumi, then told him to clean up before they went to see the Hokage.

• Sakura and Xiao He claimed Sasuke had died and blamed the Sound Four, while Xiao Yun suspected Sasuke had left to seek Orochimaru's power.
• The Sand Shinobi picked up Gaara and withdrew without fighting Xiao Yun's group.
• The Forest of Death ended early, and Konoha won after nine contestants emerged, while Sunagakure had three dead.
• Tsunade confronted Xiao Yun about his relationship with Hyuga Yumi, and he gave her five million to calm her down.
• Tsunade told Xiao Yun to shower before visiting the Hokage, then teased him by bathing in a separate tub.

Hyuga Yumi took responsibility for Neji’s actions and demonstrated her strength to Hyuga Hiashi, who agreed to spare Neji. Xiao Yun warned Konoha’s leaders that Orochimaru might attack, then learned Tsunade had agreed to his planned marriages to two Hyuga women and marked him with a chakra-based Chastity Mark.

• Maki Hyuga pleaded with Hyuga Hiashi to spare Neji, and Hyuga Yumi claimed she had instigated his actions to make Xiao Yun indebted to her.
• Hyuga Yumi defeated Neji in a brief sparring match, impressing Hyuga Hiashi and securing Neji’s reprieve.
• Xiao Yun told the Third Hokage that Orochimaru might be impersonating the Fourth Kazekage and could attack Konoha using Impure World Reincarnation.
• The Third Hokage ordered Kakashi to monitor the Sunagakure shinobi and summon Jiraiya, then revealed that Xiao Yun was expected to marry Hyuga Yumi and Maki Hyuga.
• Tsunade agreed to the marriages until the Orochimaru threat was handled, placed a Chastity Mark on Xiao Yun, and told him to divorce the women later.

Orochimaru reconsidered the Konoha attack after Gaara was defeated and the Tsuchikage withdrew from their alliance, but he kept the operation alive while pursuing negotiations. In Konoha’s market, Xiao Yun exposed a Hidden Cloud ninja’s watermelon scam and stabbed him in the thigh, prompting the man’s accomplices to cry murder.

• Kabuto reported that Gaara’s injuries prevented him from summoning Shukaku, and Orochimaru swallowed a ninja who wet himself in fear.
• Kabuto told Orochimaru that the Tsuchikage had withdrawn from their joint operation and made trade agreements with Konoha.
• Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to contact the Tsuchikage again and keep the operation going, relying on Danzo and Impure World Reincarnation as trump cards.
• Xiao Yun disguised himself and went to Konoha’s market to buy a watermelon for Tsunade.
• Xiao Yun discovered magnets beneath a Hidden Cloud ninja’s scale and exposed the stall owner’s inflated weight.
• The stall owner attacked Xiao Yun with a fruit knife, and Xiao Yun seized it and stabbed him in the thigh as his accomplices shouted murder.

Xiao Yun was questioned after stabbing Sagolas, who had cheated customers selling Lightning Release Great Watermelons and attacked him with a knife. Konoha released Xiao Yun while promising Samui an answer, and Samui later confronted him over the incident and mocked his relationship with Tsunade before he offered to tell her a story.

• Samui demanded that the Konoha guards interrogate the masked man who had injured her brother, Sagolas.
• Xiao Yun revealed himself and explained that he stabbed Sagolas in self-defense after exposing his watermelon-selling scam and being attacked with a knife.
• The Konoha guards proposed reporting the incident to their superiors, and Samui threatened to make it a diplomatic matter before leaving.
• Konoha released Xiao Yun, who took several Lightning Release Great Watermelons and headed out into the moonlit night.
• Samui stopped Xiao Yun outside the station, insulted him, and claimed that Tsunade would marry the Raikage; Xiao Yun then offered to tell her a story.

Xiao Yun taunted Samui until she challenged him to a duel, then exploited her promise to stop when an opponent surrendered. When Samui insisted on continuing, Xiao Yun launched Thousand Years of Death, leaving her to desperately try to avoid the attack.

• Xiao Yun mocked Samui about her anger and her younger brother until she drew her blade and challenged him to a duel.
• Samui agreed that either fighter could end the duel by surrendering and swore to obey the rule in the Raikage's name.
• Samui attacked Xiao Yun with three Lightning Release Clones, but Xiao Yun immediately surrendered and invoked her oath.
• Samui dismissed the first round and demanded two more rounds without surrendering.
• Xiao Yun sent a Wood Release Clone behind Samui and attempted to strike her with Thousand Years of Death.

Xiao Yun fought Samui after his Wood Release Clone angered her, but her Lightning Release Armor overwhelmed him and began destroying his Wood Chakra. When Samui collapsed from the Thunder Yin Lightning in her body, the system told Xiao Yun he could absorb it by taking her first blood, and he rushed to save her.

• Xiao Yun's Wood Release Clone struck Samui, provoking her to activate Lightning Release Armor and destroy the clone.
• Samui overwhelmed Xiao Yun with her speed and strength, while her Lightning Chakra damaged the Wood Chakra in his body.
• Xiao Yun prepared to open the Eight Inner Gates, but Samui suddenly collapsed as the lightning in her body grew more violent.
• The system identified Samui's power as Thunder Yin Lightning and claimed Xiao Yun could absorb it by taking her first blood.
• Seeing Samui near death from the lightning, Xiao Yun rushed forward and scooped her into his arms.

Xiao Yun survived the night of electrocution while saving Samui, and the experience greatly strengthened his body as their relationship changed. Samui revealed a weakness of Samueru, while the Fourth Raikage planned their marriage and Xiao Yun prepared to open the Third Gate of the Eight Inner Gates.

• Samui woke beside Xiao Yun, considered killing him, then spared him because he had risked his life to save her.
• Xiao Yun's burnt skin peeled away as his body grew stronger, and he and Samui became intimate.
• Samui warned Xiao Yun that he would still be no match for Samueru even if he defeated Gaara, and promised to reveal Samueru's weakness.
• Samui awkwardly avoided Samueru in the Fourth Raikage's lounge, while the Fourth Raikage promised to arrange their marriage after Samueru defeated Xiao Yun.
• Rock Lee told Tsunade that Xiao Yun showed signs of opening the Third Gate after training at Mount Kirr, though Xiao Yun had paid him to cover up where he had really been.

Xiao Yun opened the Third Gate of the Eight Inner Gates after Might Guy helped him find the inspiration to break through. Tsunade reassured him about the chastity mark, then Samui arrived with a Book of Death Matches and left in tears.

• Xiao Yun struggled to open the Third Gate while using Lightning Chakra to temper his body, and Might Guy explained that he needed a flash of inspiration.
• Might Guy gave Xiao Yun wine and urged him to stop forcing the breakthrough; after drinking and reciting poems, Xiao Yun opened the Third Gate and unleashed a surge of green energy and purple lightning.
• Tsunade rushed over, kissed Xiao Yun, and told him she had lied about the chastity mark; she also expressed confidence that he would defeat the Hidden Cloud Village's top genius.
• Samui arrived and saw Xiao Yun embracing Tsunade, then tossed him the Book of Death Matches and left in tears.

After Samueru challenged Xiao Yun to a death match, Xiao Yun reassured his pregnant wife Tsunade and gained a new power from the system. As Sasuke’s victories shook the tournament and Orochimaru prepared his operation, Xiao Yun went to learn new Wood Release techniques and thought of visiting Naruto.

• Samueru challenged Xiao Yun to a death match and demanded that he publicly submit, declare Samueru the Ninja World’s number one genius, and give up Tsunade.
• Tsunade and Might Guy urged Xiao Yun to ignore the challenge, but Xiao Yun promised Tsunade he would defeat Samueru; the two shared a tender moment and talked about their future children.
• The system announced that Xiao Yun had opened the Third Gate, advanced his Wood Chakra, and gained the ability to fuse Lightning Chakra effects into his Wood Release; Xiao Yun accepted a mission to absorb Thunder Yang Lightning.
• At the Konoha Duel Arena, Sasuke had won twenty-two matches in a row for Otogakure, while Orochimaru and Kabuto discussed their plans to begin Windmill Operation once Gaara recovered.
• Xiao Yun entered the Konoha Scripture Pavilion and found four newly available Wood Release techniques, including True Ten Thousand Hands and Multiple Shuriken Technique; he then thought about visiting Naruto in Konoha Psychiatric Hospital.

Xiao Yun and Tsunade visited Naruto at Konoha Psychiatric Hospital, where Jiraiya revealed Naruto had rapidly learned powerful techniques and questioned Xiao Yun about Orochimaru and Akatsuki. After Naruto learned Sasuke had betrayed Konoha, he rushed to the arena and confronted him before Sasuke’s match against Haku.

• Xiao Yun brought Tsunade to visit Naruto, and Jiraiya greeted them at the hospital.
• Jiraiya told Xiao Yun that Naruto had mastered the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu and grasped the Rasengan’s essentials in only a few days.
• Xiao Yun warned Jiraiya about Orochimaru and Akatsuki, and Jiraiya confirmed that Itachi Uchiha had recently joined Akatsuki.
• Naruto learned Sasuke had betrayed Konoha, then rushed to the arena where Sasuke was scheduled to fight Haku.
• Naruto demanded to know why Sasuke had betrayed Konoha, but Sasuke challenged him to win before asking, and Xiao Yun stopped Naruto from attacking.

Sasuke and Haku fought in the tournament, escalating from elemental attacks to their Kekkei Genkai abilities. Haku’s Ice Release trapped and badly wounded Sasuke, while Xiao Yun discovered that his eyes could distinguish Haku’s real body from the mirror images.

• Sasuke deflected Haku’s shuriken, then countered her Water Release attacks with a powerful Fire Release Great Fireball.
• Haku created Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals and trapped Sasuke inside, where even his Sharingan could not identify her real body.
• Kakashi explained that Haku possessed an Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, and Sakura anxiously urged Sasuke to surrender.
• Xiao Yun’s eyes glowed purple, revealing that the Haku in the middle mirror was real and the others were phantoms.
• Haku multiplied her attacks through the mirrors, pierced Sasuke with Ice Needles, and overwhelmed him with another barrage.
• Zabuza mocked Sasuke to Sound Shadow, who told Zabuza not to spoil his enjoyment of the match.

Sasuke brutally wounded Haku in the arena, and Xiao Yun stepped in to save her and accept Sasuke’s challenge. The chapter ended with the two preparing to fight after Sasuke warned Xiao Yun he would show no mercy.

• The Sound Shadow frightened Zabuza in the stands, then turned his attention back to the match.
• Sasuke used a white snake to locate Haku’s true body and pierced her chest with Raikiri, leaving the arena stunned.
• Zabuza tried to save Haku, but two Konoha Jonin restrained him as Sasuke continued to threaten her.
• Xiao Yun jumped into the arena, accepted Sasuke’s challenge, and used Earth Rejuvenation to keep Haku alive until the medical team arrived.
• Hyuga Yumi warned Xiao Yun that Sasuke’s Chakra resembled that of the three Sand Shinobi from the Forest of Death.
• Sasuke told Xiao Yun their match would begin in ten minutes and warned that he would not hold back.