Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yun fought Zabuza after the rogue ninja attacked the group in the forest, revealing the strength of his upgraded Eight Inner Gates. He wounded Zabuza and raised the enemy’s great sword to finish him, but a woman’s cry interrupted him.

• Zabuza used Mist Release and sent ten clones to attack Hyuga Baijie, who destroyed them with Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.
• Xiao Yun pulled Hyuga Baijie away from a water trap and shielded her from Zabuza’s water daggers, then unleashed his five-colored Eight Inner Gates flames.
• Xiao Yun sent Hyuga Baijie to rest after a water blade cut her calf, and Zabuza tried to flee when the mist cleared.
• Xiao Yun pursued Zabuza, blasted off one of his arms, took his great sword, and prepared to kill him.
• A woman shouted for Xiao Yun to stop.

Xiao Yun learned that Jiraiya was being pursued near Hot Water Village and that the Two-Tails was also in danger. He sent Naruto to rescue the Two-Tails with Haku, while he prepared to find Jiraiya.

• Haku captured Hyuga Baijie and demanded that Xiao Yun release Zabuza, but Naruto emerged from underground and rescued Baijie.
• Xiao Yun prepared to kill Zabuza and Haku, but Zabuza revealed that he had seen an injured Jiraiya being chased by scythe-wielding ninjas near Hot Water Village.
• Naruto offered to rescue the Two-Tails while Xiao Yun went after Jiraiya, and Xiao Yun agreed to trust him.
• Xiao Yun forced Haku to accompany Naruto by threatening Zabuza, then learned that Haku had knocked Baijie unconscious with a special medicinal powder.

Xiao Yun carried the recovering Hyuga Baijie away while Naruto and Haku reached the Two-Tails’ jinchuriki, who was being hunted by Kakuzu. Naruto used his clones to block Kakuzu’s attack and completed the Wind Release ~ Rasenshuriken, leaving Kakuzu facing a potentially fatal technique.

• Xiao Yun left Naruto and the others to rescue the Two-Tails and carried Hyuga Baijie away after waking her.
• Kakuzu overwhelmed the Two-Tails’ jinchuriki and revealed he had arranged for his ninja to intercept her reinforcements.
• Naruto and Haku rescued the Two-Tails’ jinchuriki just as Kakuzu was about to deliver a fatal blow.
• Naruto created more than two hundred Shadow Clones, which formed a line to block Kakuzu’s Lightning Release ~ False Darkness.
• Naruto completed the Wind Release ~ Rasenshuriken and aimed it at Kakuzu, who recognized its deadly power.

Naruto Uzumaki and Xiao Yun’s Wood Release Clones tried to ambush Kakuzu, but his battle instincts let him evade their attacks. Kakuzu deduced that Xiao Yun’s original was absent, leaving Naruto and the clones facing him as the failed ambush came to light.

• Kakuzu dismissed the Rasengan as avoidable and coveted Naruto’s Wind Chakra, hoping to capture him and learn the technique.
• Xiao Yun’s Wood Release Clone sprang a vine trap on Kakuzu, but Kakuzu dodged it with acrobatics and Fire Release.
• Xiao Yun’s two Wood Release Clones emerged and attacked Kakuzu, who recognized them as clones and recalled Xiao Yun’s bounty portrait.
• Kakuzu aimed a fireball at Naruto, forcing the clones to return and block it after opening the first of the Eight Inner Gates.
• Kakuzu concluded Xiao Yun’s original was not present, and Naruto admitted that their ambush had failed.

Naruto killed Kakuzu with the Rasenshuriken after Xiao Yun’s Wood Release Clones trapped him. Xiao Yun recovered while traveling with Hyuga Baijie, and they reached a desolate area near Hot Water Village searching for Jiraiya.

• Naruto hurled his Rasenshuriken at Kakuzu, whose expanded wind blades wounded him before Xiao Yun’s Wood Release Clones bound him and forced him into the attack.
• Kakuzu died in the Rasenshuriken’s explosion, and Naruto ran off to take the Two-Tails to Konoha.
• Xiao Yun suffered injuries from the destruction of his blood-infused Wood Release Clones, so Hyuga Baijie carried him while he recovered.
• After a day, Xiao Yun recovered and carried the exhausted Hyuga Baijie for the remaining two days of their journey.
• Near Hot Water Village, Xiao Yun questioned a Summoning Frog about Jiraiya’s location and asked Hyuga Baijie to search with her Byakugan.

After Kakuzu's death, the Akatsuki paired its members and Tobi asked Itachi to capture Orochimaru for information about Ryūchi Cave. Meanwhile, Xiao Yun and Hyuga Baijie tracked Jiraiya to a faint trace of Natural Energy, where the Masked Man revealed he had pulled Jiraiya into another dimension and demanded information about Ryūchi Cave.

• The Akatsuki mourned Kakuzu, then paired Deidara with Sasori and Itachi with Tobi for future missions.
• Tobi told Itachi that Orochimaru planned to take Sasuke's body and ordered him to capture Orochimaru and bring him to the Akatsuki.
• Hyuga Baijie detected a faint trace of Natural Energy near a bare hill, and Xiao Yun concluded Jiraiya might have been taken to another dimension.
• The Masked Man appeared through a space-time portal and confirmed he had pulled Jiraiya into another dimension while Jiraiya was injured.
• The Masked Man demanded that Xiao Yun reveal everything about Ryūchi Cave and released a powerful aura that Xiao Yun managed to withstand.

Xiao Yun fought the Masked Man outside Hot Water Village and used a trap and Lightning Release to injure him. He rescued Jiraiya from the Masked Man’s spatial dimension, then found him gravely wounded on the ground.

• The Masked Man offered Xiao Yun a place in the Akatsuki Organization and demanded information about Ryūchi Cave, but Xiao Yun refused and asked him to release Jiraiya.
• The Masked Man tried to capture Hyuga Baijie, but a hidden scroll sent explosive-tag kunai at him and blew away part of his mask.
• Xiao Yun shocked the Masked Man with Lightning Release, severed one of his arms, and struck him with a powerful punch.
• The Masked Man fled into his spatial dimension, but Xiao Yun grabbed his foot and called for Jiraiya to escape.
• Jiraiya emerged from the opening, and Xiao Yun escaped before the Masked Man closed it.
• Xiao Yun found Jiraiya covered in blood with many bones exposed and hurried to help him.

Xiao Yun rescued the badly injured Jiraiya from the Masked Man and brought him back to Konoha for treatment. After Jiraiya recovered, he began telling Xiao Yun and Tsunade what had happened in Hot Water Village.

• Xiao Yun carried Jiraiya away from the Masked Man and treated him in a forest until his condition improved.
• Jiraiya thanked Xiao Yun and praised his strength, while Xiao Yun asked how Jiraiya had been injured.
• Xiao Yun carried Jiraiya back to Konoha despite Hyuga Baijie offering to do it, and they admitted him to the hospital.
• Tsunade arrived at the hospital and embraced Xiao Yun, leaving Hyuga Baijie to depart quietly.
• Jiraiya recovered, and Tsunade asked him about Hot Water Village as he began recounting the frightening events there.

At Konoha Hospital, Jiraiya described the hidden curse-wielding group in Hot Water Village and his encounter with the Akatsuki’s masked space-time ninja. Xiao Yun identified the masked man as Uchiha Obito, then found Chinese characters on the parchment Jiraiya had copied from a statue.

• Jiraiya told Xiao Yun and Tsunade that three Jonin-level pursuers nearly killed him with curses inside Hot Water Village, but stopped once he escaped the village.
• Xiao Yun and Tsunade concluded that the secret group’s abilities might be restricted to Hot Water Village, then discussed the masked Akatsuki ninja who had captured Jiraiya.
• Xiao Yun identified the masked man as Uchiha Obito and said Obito had also caused the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha; Tsunade and Jiraiya eventually believed him.
• Jiraiya suggested Kakashi might have awakened a related Mangekyō Sharingan ability, and Xiao Yun explained that awakening the Mangekyō required killing someone close.
• Jiraiya gave Xiao Yun parchment bearing writing copied from a masked statue in Hot Water Village, and Xiao Yun recognized the writing as Chinese characters.

In Amegakure, the Masked Man returned injured and ordered Konan and Pain to target Xiao Yun, while Pain chose to act on his own. A month later in Konoha, Xiao Yun arranged to take the jinchūriki to Mount Myōboku for protection and agreed to learn its Sage Jutsu; the chapter ended with Hyuga Baijie confronting him over Tsunade’s pregnancy.

• The Masked Man emerged in Amegakure wounded and blamed Xiao Yun for injuring him after the battle over the Three-Tails.
• The Masked Man told Konan to notify Pain to find a chance to kill Xiao Yun and to retaliate against the Hidden Stone Village and Hidden Mist Village.
• Pain told Konan he would deal with Xiao Yun himself if an opportunity arose, and privately revealed he knew the Masked Man was Obito.
• A month later, Hyuga Baijie told Xiao Yun that Killer B would arrive in Konoha the next day, and Jiraiya reported that the Toad Sage had agreed to shelter the jinchūriki at Mount Myōboku.
• Jiraiya said the Toad Sage had invited Xiao Yun to sign a contract and learn Sage Jutsu, and Xiao Yun agreed to bring all four jinchūriki there after Killer B arrived.
• Hyuga Baijie pulled Xiao Yun out of Tsunade’s room and reproached him for tormenting Tsunade despite her pregnancy.

Xiao Yun apologized to Tsunade for overexerting her while she was pregnant, but Tsunade initiated another encounter before he received word that the Fourth Raikage and Killer B had arrived in Konoha. As Jiraiya led Naruto, Yugito, and Utakata toward Mount Myōboku, Xiao Yun postponed his own training to investigate Hot Water Village, then tested his strength against the Raikage and asked about Ryūchi Cave and Samui.

• Xiao Yun comforted Tsunade after Hyuga Baijie warned him to restrain himself, but Tsunade later dressed as a secretary and seduced him.
• Hyuga Baijie told Xiao Yun that the Fourth Raikage and Killer B had arrived, and the brothers teased him about Samui.
• Jiraiya brought Yugito, Utakata, Naruto Uzumaki, and Hana to meet the Raikage, who ordered Yugito to stay at Mount Myōboku and sent the group off to train Naruto in Sage Jutsu.
• Xiao Yun postponed his own Mount Myōboku training so he could investigate Hot Water Village first.
• Xiao Yun fought the Fourth Raikage for an afternoon and proved he could match him in strength and speed; afterward, Xiao Yun admitted he still knew nothing about Ryūchi Cave or when he could reach Samui.

The Fourth Raikage tried to secure Samui’s place as Xiao Yun’s legal wife in exchange for the Hidden Cloud Village’s support, but Xiao Yun refused to make the promise. Hyuga Baijie was pressured by Hyuga Hiashi to impersonate Tsunade, and she entered Xiao Yun’s room at night and forced herself on him while he mistook her for Tsunade.

• The Fourth Raikage offered to support Xiao Yun as the future alliance leader and king if he made Samui his legal wife, but Xiao Yun declined to commit.
• Three days later, the Fourth Raikage left Konoha after Xiao Yun repeatedly rejected his demand.
• Hyuga Hiashi pressed Hyuga Baijie to make progress with Xiao Yun and offered to remove Neji Hyuga’s Caged Bird Seal if she completed the mission.
• Hyuga Hiashi gave Hyuga Baijie Tsunade’s outfit and instructed her to impersonate Tsunade.
• Hyuga Baijie entered Xiao Yun’s darkened room dressed as Tsunade, and Xiao Yun mistook her for Tsunade as she kissed him and forced herself on him.

Hyuga Baijie secretly spent the night with Xiao Yun, then went to the Hokage Office, where Morino Ibiki reported that interrogating Hidan had produced results. In his hideout, Orochimaru endured his sealed hands' pain and explained his bargain with Xiao Yun before discovering that Itachi Uchiha had infiltrated the base and choosing to monitor Konoha.

• Hyuga Baijie dressed in professional attire and went to the Hokage Office after secretly sharing Xiao Yun's bed.
• Xiao Yun asked Hyuga Baijie to check on Tsunade, and Morino Ibiki arrived with news from Hidan's interrogation.
• Orochimaru told Kabuto he was delaying Sasuke's reincarnation because Xiao Yun had promised to restore his hands.
• Orochimaru revealed that he had poisoned Kurenai with Lust Snake Venom to pressure Xiao Yun into helping him.
• Orochimaru found a crow in his hideout and realized Itachi Uchiha had infiltrated it.
• Orochimaru stopped Kabuto from pursuing Itachi and ordered him to monitor Xiao Yun and Kurenai in Konoha.

Xiao Yun and Morino Ibiki entered Hidan’s memories and uncovered the violent ritual that gave Hidan his Blood Curse, along with clues about the Heavenly Curse Master. A powerful presence attacked them in the mental space, and after they escaped, Xiao Yun collapsed as Tsunade and Hyuga Baijie arrived.

• Morino Ibiki used the Soul Torture Technique to take Xiao Yun into Hidan’s memories, where they saw Hidan attend a sacrificial ritual in Hot Water Village.
• Xiao Yun read an inscription about the Heavenly Curse Master, the Holy Eye Clan, and Planet Blue Sky, then watched the statue grant curses to the villagers through purple light.
• Hidan received the Blood Curse and demonstrated it by killing his companion through a ritual that also pierced his own heart.
• Xiao Yun and Morino Ibiki saw Hidan get expelled from Hot Water Village and join the Akatsuki Organization before Ibiki reached his limit.
• A majestic voice and gigantic hand attacked them in the mental space, but Xiao Yun held it back while Morino Ibiki released the technique.
• Xiao Yun and Morino Ibiki returned to their bodies, and Xiao Yun collapsed as Tsunade and Hyuga Baijie appeared.

After waking from a two-month coma, Xiao Yun recovered with greatly enhanced spiritual power and new eye abilities, while Konoha villagers demanded that he stay away from women. He remained frustrated by restrictions on his private life until Jiraiya finally returned to the Hokage Office.

• Konoha villagers spread rumors that Xiao Yun neglected his duties for women and staged a petition demanding that women stay away from him.
• Xiao Yun woke after two months unconscious, tried to leave the hospital, and collapsed from weakness as villagers demonstrated outside.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu promised the villagers that Xiao Yun would avoid women and focus on his duties, then restricted his meetings with Tsunade and replaced Hyuga Baijie with Shikamaru as his secretary.
• After three more months, Xiao Yun fully recovered and discovered that his spiritual power had grown immensely and his Purple-Blue Eyes had fused with Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Xiao Yun asked Shikamaru to arrange a hospital checkup with Tsunade, but Shikamaru refused to believe his excuse, and Jiraiya entered the Hokage Office.

Xiao Yun secretly visited Kurenai before traveling with Jiraiya to Hot Water Village, where a prophecy about an approaching calamity set the village searching for the Child of Prophecy. Asahi and Xinyan began their search, but Sasuke Uchiha confronted them and demanded they meet Orochimaru.

• Xiao Yun left a note for the sleeping Tsunade and Hyuga Baijie, then visited Kurenai and promised to return after going to Hot Water Village.
• Xiao Yun and Jiraiya traveled toward Hot Water Village, where an elder revealed that the statue’s eyes had opened and a calamity was approaching.
• The elder assigned Asahi to find the Child of Prophecy, though he could not describe the child’s distinguishing traits.
• Asahi and Xinyan searched the forest while discussing their mission and Xinyan’s feelings for her.
• Asahi blocked shuriken aimed at her and Xinyan, but Sasuke Uchiha appeared and ordered them to come with him to see Orochimaru.
• Asahi refused Sasuke Uchiha’s demand, and he leaped toward them.

Asahi overwhelmed Sasuke in battle, enduring his Chidori and pounding him with powerful greatsword attacks. Just as she prepared a finishing blow, Xiao Yun used his special eyes to move Sasuke to safety and appeared where he had been.

• Asahi blocked Sasuke's sword strikes and kicked him hard enough to send him flying and coughing up blood.
• Sasuke attacked with Chidori, but Asahi's super armor left her unaffected by the lightning.
• Asahi used her greatswords to unleash a wind blade and heavy attacks that repeatedly injured Sasuke until he could no longer move.
• Asahi prepared a charged attack to finish Sasuke as he despaired over failing to avenge the Uchiha Clan.
• Xiao Yun used his special eyes to transport Sasuke onto a tree and appeared in his place, while he and Jiraiya had watched from hiding.

Xiao Yun emerged from hiding and fought Asahi, whose swordsmanship and Wind Release overwhelmed him until he activated the Eight Inner Gates. The two matched each other’s strength, and Xiao Yun kissed Asahi during their close-quarters struggle.

• Asahi revealed that she had held back to draw Xiao Yun out, then attacked him with a powerful wind blade.
• Xiao Yun used his Sage Body, Wood Release, and Threefold Rashomon of Wood Wall to weaken the wind blade before striking it with a punch.
• Asahi’s swordsmanship and Wind Release drove Xiao Yun back, while Sasuke realized she had not used her full strength against him earlier.
• Xiao Yun activated the Eight Inner Gates and met Asahi’s strength with a punch, bringing them to a deadlock.
• Asahi said Xiao Yun had stirred her desire to fight, and Xiao Yun kissed her as their faces drew close.

Xiao Yun provoked Asahi by stealing her first kiss, and she unleashed a devastating Wind Release that drove him into a desperate battle. He countered with Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands as Asahi joined the fight with powerful air waves, leaving Jiraiya and Sasuke stunned by their strength.

• Xiao Yun kissed Asahi, enraging her and prompting Xinyan and Sasuke to react furiously before Jiraiya restrained Xinyan.
• Asahi blasted Xiao Yun away and pursued him with Wind Release: Great Peacock Cyclone Slash, forcing him to flee.
• Asahi caught up with Xiao Yun, and his taunts made her attack again with a weakened tornado.
• Xiao Yun summoned Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands and repeatedly sent wooden hands against Asahi's tornado.
• Asahi recognized Xiao Yun's technique and attacked with compressed air waves while Jiraiya and Sasuke arrived and watched in shock.

Xiao Yun and Asahi fought to a draw before he and Jiraiya tried to question her about Hot Water Village’s Curse Technique. When Asahi rejected Xiao Yun’s claim of a connection to Lord Jashin and refused to cooperate, he threatened Xinyan to force her to talk.

• Xiao Yun and Asahi fought from noon until sunset, then agreed to call the battle a draw.
• Jiraiya arrived carrying the captured Xinyan, and Xiao Yun said they wanted information about Hot Water Village and its Curse Technique.
• Xiao Yun showed Asahi the inscription from the village statue and claimed he came from the same place as Lord Jashin, but she called the claim nonsense.
• Xinyan mentioned the Child of Prophecy, prompting Jiraiya to question him, but Xinyan refused to answer.
• Xiao Yun seized Xinyan and threatened his bloodline with a short blade to pressure Asahi.