Severing the Caged Bird

At this moment, Yichen saw that Neji's eyes were no longer in their Byakugan form, but were blue, as if containing countless stars.

However, Yichen had a feeling that the stars in Neji's eyes seemed very dim, as if they were just empty shells.

Come to think of it, Neji has only changed the appearance of his Byakugan at most; he's still far from truly awakening the Tenseigan.

After hearing Yichen's words, Neji reached up and touched his eyes.

Then I took off my Forehead Protector and used Forehead Protector to examine myself carefully.

After a while, Neji asked with some disbelief, "Lord Tsuchikage, have I Tenseigan?"

Yichen shook his head and said, "It shouldn't be. Your eyes are too dull; they're probably just all show and no substance."

"It will probably take quite a while for the Tenseigan to awaken. At least a few more fetal movements are needed."

Neji nodded.

Yichen added, "I suspect that your ability to transform your Byakugan into the Tenseigan shape is related to your unintentional connection with the Giant Tenseigan and the use of its Dōjutsu."

"You've become more closely connected to the Giant Tenseigan, which has facilitated the changes in your eyes."

"Alright, you should practice communicating with the Giant Tenseigan properly from now on. This should accelerate the transformation of your eyes."

Neji nodded excitedly.

Yichen waited until he calmed down before asking again, "Try to sense it again and see how the Caged Bird is doing."

Neji's joyful expression vanished quickly upon hearing the Caged Bird. He calmed himself and once again used his soul to sense it.

A moment later, Neji Awakening Eyes with a look of surprise and said, "Lord Tsuchikage, I can feel it, I've escaped the Caged Bird."

"As long as I communicate with the Giant Tenseigan, the Caged Bird on my forehead will be isolated. The Giant Tenseigan can temporarily sever the connection between my eyes, my soul, and the Caged Bird."

Yichen's eyes lit up, and he said, "Good, very good. By the way, isn't there the Yata Mirror?"

"Could you place the Yata Mirror) between the Caged Bird and your soul right now?"

Neji closed his eyes and tried, but he quickly shook his head and said, "Lord Tsuchikage, my Yin Release level is not high enough to control the Yata Mirror."

Yichen said, "Then let me do it."

After speaking, Yichen formed hand Hand Seals and cast the Spirit Transformation Jutsu. His soul Yichen quickly entered Neji's body and appeared beside Neji's soul form.

Compared to the almost transparent soul form he first encountered, Neji's soul form is now much more solid.

No longer like before, as if a gust of wind could blow it away.

When Yichen transformed the Yata Mirror into the shape of Iwa Ninja forehead protector and put it on Neji, he was very careful, afraid that he might accidentally destroy Neji's soul.

Neji's spirit form remained motionless, wearing the Iwa Ninja forehead protector headband, floating silently in place.

Yichen keenly noticed that there were faint threads around Neji, and the other end of the threads was connected to something unknown.

Yichen quickly realized that it must be related to the Giant Tenseigan. Because Neji didn't have these things on him when he came in last time.

The biggest difference between Neji and the last time is in his eyes. Neji's eyes now, like his original form, are a pair of dim Tenseigan.

Furthermore, these Tenseigan can see Yichen.

Neji was delighted to see Yichen arrive before him, and then began to communicate with the Giant Tenseigan.

The next moment, Yichen saw that the originally faint threads around Neji suddenly became bright, and then Neji's soul became more solid at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The next moment, Neji's forehead seemed to move.

Yichen quickly stepped forward and carefully removed the Iwa Ninja forehead protector that the Yata Mirror had transformed into from an Iwa ninja.

Without the Forehead Protector obscuring his view, Yichen once again saw the Caged Bird Cursed Seal on Neji's soul.

However, the energy from those Giant Tenseigan is slowly stripping away from the Caged Bird.

Soon, the Caged Bird Separated completely from Neji's soul. Or rather, a special force temporarily pushed the Caged Bird Separated.

Yichen knew Neji wouldn't last long, so he quickly inserted his Forehead Protector between Neji's soul form and the Caged Bird Cursed Seal.

Because of the Forehead Protector's insertion, the energy that had pushed open the Caged Bird was cut off, and the Caged Bird quickly retracted, as if to re-envelop Neji's head in his soul form.

However, it was a step too slow, and in the end it was just wrapped around the Yata Mirror, with a ferocious cross mark added to the rock representing Iwagakure on the Forehead Protector.

Neji, in his soul form, seemed to sense that Yichen had finished. He moved his hand, probably wanting to touch his forehead.

However, his current Yin Release are not yet capable of achieving this.

Yichen smiled and then withdrew from Neji's body.

As soon as Yichen returned to his body, he heard Neji's voice. "Lord Tsuchikage, I feel it! I feel my soul has been completely freed from the Caged Bird!"

Yichen said, "Yes, the Yata Mirror is a divine artifact. With it, the Caged Bird is kept outside, and your soul will definitely be fine."

"Next is your eyes. This is easy to deal with; I'll just place a seal on the Caged Bird on your body."

"While this seal cannot directly eliminate the Caged Bird, it can buy you time when the Main Family activates Caged Bird."

"The biggest challenge for Caged Bird lies in the dual constraints on both their soul and body; a change in one part affects the whole."

"Now that the soul issue is completely resolved, and with the seal and the Giant Tenseigan helping with the body, you don't need to worry about anything anymore."

Neji nodded excitedly, wanting to say something, but in the end he only opened his mouth, too excited to say anything.

Yichen patted Neji's head and said, "The Caged Bird is finally resolved. Konoha will soon undergo a major upheaval. You'll come with me then."

Neji's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

After thinking for a moment, Yichen said again, "Your Yin Release has improved significantly after the two fetal movements, and you should be able to move freely now."

"Although I can't leave your body, I'm not so helpless that I can't even move."

"This means you haven't yet adapted to the changes brought about by the rapid improvement in Yin Release."

"After returning to the village, practice your Yin Release techniques diligently to quickly adapt to your new strength."

Neji lowered his head in shame. A long time had passed since his first pregnancy, but his Yin Release skills hadn't improved much.

After the first fetal movement, his practice of Yin Release techniques was clearly less diligent than his Taijutsu training.

Yichen didn't seem to mind and said, "With this fetal movement, your strength should have improved again. Let's practice some more."

Upon hearing this, Neji immediately stood up, took out Kunai, and looked eager to try it out.

Yichen found it somewhat amusing. He was well aware of Neji's current state, having experienced a similar surge in his own strength in the past.

In his past life's words, it was like this: Uchiha Sasuke thought he was capable again.

Yichen didn't hold back with Neji. From the very beginning of the battle, he used all Five-Attribute Ninjutsu along with Porcelain Release, defeating Neji countless times in just one hour.

Yichen directly shattered Neji's unrealistic misconceptions.

Then Yichen began to seriously instruct Neji.

It must be said that the genius's progress exceeded Yichen's expectations, Neji quickly adapted to the changes in his own strength.

Moreover, perhaps it was the fetal movement that brought about a change in his thinking, or perhaps it was the realization that the Caged Bird no longer posed a threat to him, that led to a shift in Neji's mindset.

So, the mindset I had been unable to change before miraculously began to shift.

Neji slowly began to fight using the power of his Giant Tenseigan.

And the attacks that complemented the Giant Tenseigan's abilities gradually became conventional, no longer confined to the framework of Gentle Fist.

A few days later, the two finished their sparring session, and Yichen, with Neji sitting wearily on the Porcelain Platform, flew back.

As Yichen flew, he mentally assessed Neji's strength.

Now, after his second fetal movement, Neji's basic strength has reached the level of Elite Jonin.

Furthermore, when combined with the special abilities of the Giant Tenseigan, he would be among the top elite Elite Jonin.

At this rate, after one or two more fetal movements, Neji should be able to reach Kage Level.

Unfortunately, Danzo's Konoha Collapse Plan was almost complete, Neji probably wouldn't be able to wait until the third time. Otherwise, Iwagakure could have gained another Kage Level.

That would provide an extra layer of security for Yichen's upcoming plans.

As Yichen pondered the village's future, he suddenly noticed that Neji's expression was somewhat off.

Neji would steal glances at him every now and then, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Yichen, curious, asked, "Just say what you want to say."

Neji was startled by Yichen's words, then took a deep breath and said, "Lord Tsuchikage, I wish to become your disciple."

Yichen blinked and asked, "Why? Although I'm not your teacher, you should know that your Sister Riori is probably just a front."

"She was actually taking on apprentices on my behalf; the one who truly guided you, Kurotsuchi, Karin was me."

Neji lowered his head and whispered, "I also want to call you 'Sensei' like Karin."

Yichen paused for a moment, realizing that Neji must be moved, so he nodded and said, "Alright then, from now on, you are my disciple."

Neji was overjoyed and quickly called out, "Teacher Yichen!"

Yichen responded calmly, saying, "Yes, from now on, Karin will be your senior sister!"

Neji:...

Sure enough, Senior Brother Katsuya and Sister Natsuki were right; Teacher Yichen is a real goofball.

Yichen said to Neji, "You've been Riori's student for almost a year now, and the village is about to start the Chunin Selection."

"With your skills, becoming Chunin through the selection process is definitely not a problem. But have you thought about which department you'll join after becoming Chunin?"

Neji and said, "I want to join the Anbu. I want to gain more combat experience."

"My strength has improved too quickly over the years, but I've been so focused on training that I haven't been on many missions."

"The Anbu has many missions, and I want to join Anbu to improve my combat experience."

Yichen thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll assign you more tasks."

When the two returned to the Land of Snow through the Space-Time Tunnel, Ōnoki was startled by Neji's eyes and asked in surprise, "Yichen, Neji's Byakugan has evolved?"

"Is this an even more advanced eye, like the Mangekyō Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan?"

Yichen nodded, then shook his head, explaining, "These eyes are called the Tenseigan."

"It's just that Neji hasn't fully evolved yet; these eyes are just for show right now."

"However, you are right about one thing: this is a more advanced eye than the Byakugan, and its level is higher than the Mangekyō Sharingan, and should be comparable to the Rinnegan."

"Once Neji truly completes his evolution, his strength will definitely Izumi Uchiha."

Ōnoki was overjoyed and said, "Great! A powerhouse with the potential to surpass the Kage Level! Train him well, you must train him well!"

Yichen nodded and said, "Don't worry, Third Hokage, I've already accepted Neji as my disciple."

Ōnoki nodded, relieved that Yichen had accepted Neji as his disciple.

After being reminded by Ōnoki, Yichen got Neji a pair of goggles after leaving the Land of Snow, covering up his Tenseigan.

Next, the Iwa ninja held an internal Chunin Ninja Exams. Neji, Kurotsuchi, Karin all advanced.

However, on the second day after their advancement, instead of learning new Ninjutsu, they went to Yichen's office with Uzumaki Riori.

Yichen glanced at Neji, who was wearing goggles, then looked at Kurotsuchi, who had an angry expression, and asked, "Kurotsuchi, what's wrong? Who made you angry?"

Kurotsuchi pointed at Yichen said, "Lord Tsuchikage, why did Neji also become your disciple?"

Yichen was somewhat puzzled. What was wrong with him taking on a disciple? He was about to ask.

Kurotsuchi then said, "Now that Karin and Neji have become Earth Shadow's disciple, why am I the only one who isn't?"

Yichen was taken aback, then gave a gentle smile.

Yichen has been in a good mood these days because after hitching a ride with Neji, Yichen discovered that his Chakra control has improved again.

Although the fifth level is not yet complete due to time constraints, Yichen feels that there are no major obstacles to completing it.

So Yichen decided to tease Kurotsuchi, saying, "Oh, so that's what it is."

"Kurotsuchi, you have to admit that those two are better than you."

"I don't like you, so it's normal for me to choose either of them."

Enraged, Kurotsuchi Tu retorted, "What do I lack compared to the two of them?"

Yichen asked in surprise, "Haven't you sparred with Neji these past few days?"

Kurotsuchi's expression froze; of course she had sparred with Neji.

She also saw Neji's Tenseigan, and the moment she learned that Neji's eyes had evolved, Kurotsuchi challenged Neji to a duel.

Kurotsuchi's talent is undoubtedly very high, and now her strength is enough to Jonin- to-toe with the ninjas.

However, when she fought Neji, she sadly discovered that if Neji hadn't held back, she probably wouldn't have been able to withstand even one move.

Kurotsuchi was speechless at Yichen's exaggerated expression of surprise. Feeling a little embarrassed, she asked, "What about Karin?"

"Karin's fighting ability is not even as good as mine. And how old was she when you took Karin as your disciple?"

Am I not even as good as Karin back then?

Kurotsuchi speaking, Heitu glared fiercely at Yichen, as if she would pounce on him immediately if Yichen dared to nod.

Yichen didn't nod, but said earnestly, "Kurotsuchi, don't you know why I took Karin as my disciple?"

"Karin's Medical Ninjutsu is now among the best in the village. According to the hospital's promotion process, she could easily be given the title of Jonin Karin now."

"Furthermore, Karin is a sensory-type ninja; her sensory abilities are the strongest in the entire village besides mine."

"It should be said that she is outstanding in this aspect throughout the entire Ninja World."

"Therefore, it wouldn't be excessive for me to treat her like Elite Jonin."

With that, Yichen sighed heavily, then continued, "Neji possesses the strength of Elite Jonin, and Karin can barely be considered Elite Jonin as well."

"The reason I didn't promote them was because I was afraid your pride wouldn't be able to handle it. I was actually deliberately putting them down."

"Kurotsuchi, how can you not understand my good intentions?"

Neji and Karin exchanged glances. They weren't stupid; they could tell at a glance that Yichen was teasing Kurotsuchi.

When Uzumaki Riori heard that Yichen was deliberately preventing Neji and Yichen from advancing, she wanted to argue with Yichen, but Neji, who was quick-witted and agile, stopped her.

Kurotsuchi, however, was completely oblivious to this fact, as he was deeply involved in the situation.

Kurotsuchi hearing Yichen's words, Hei Tu's eyes welled up with tears. "So, so I'm really that useless? I thought I was a genius."

Seeing that he had suppressed them enough, Yichen changed the subject and said, "Kurotsuchi, do you know why you are not as good as Neji and Karin, and why there is such a big gap between you and them?"

Hearing Kurotsuchi, Heitu found the words harsh, but she wiped away her tears Yichen looked at Yichen, waiting for his answer.

Yichen said, "It's because you're not working hard enough. Besides regular training, Karin also needs to learn Medical Ninjutsu and Sensory Ninjutsu."

"Besides training, Neji also needs to learn Yin Release, as well as knowledge related to the Caged Bird. He even needs to develop a new Byakugan Secret Technique."

"And you? How can your dedication to cultivation compare to theirs?"

Yichen's words were actually a bit of an exaggeration. Kurotsuchi was also very serious about her training, because geniuses like Sokai, Haku, Neji, and Yakumo Kurama all lived in her house.

Deidara often visits her house, and even Karin, a weirdo, is among her companions.

Because of Yuki Kinuyo, Kurotsuchi is also quite familiar with Sakura and Shion.

So Kurotsuchi is under a lot of pressure, but this pressure is nothing compared to the constant threat of death Neji feels from the Caged Bird.

Kurotsuchi remained silent for a moment after hearing this, then Yichen said, "Lord Tsuchikage, from today onwards, I will also train as hard as Neji and Karin."

"No, I will work even harder than them. Please, Lord Tsuchikage, devise a rigorous training plan for me."

Yichen smiled and nodded with satisfaction, saying, "Very good, Kurotsuchi, you've finally grown up. I promise you, when you satisfy me, I will take you as my disciple."

As he spoke, Yichen took out a piece of paper, wrote out a strict training plan in detail, and then carefully handed it to Kurotsuchi.

Kurotsuchi took the training plan, looked at it carefully, and then carefully put it away.

Yichen nodded in satisfaction. He saw fighting spirit in Kurotsuchi's eyes, but no fear.

After dealing with Kurotsuchi, Uzumaki Riori immediately stepped forward and said, "Teacher Yichen, now that Neji, Karin, and Kurotsuchi have all become Chunin, can I lead them on A-rank mission?"

Upon hearing this, Yichen regretfully told Uzumaki Riori, "Riori, have you forgotten? Your team will disband after they become Chunin."

"They might become captains of other squads, or they might join the Anbu like you did, or they might go to some special department to study."

Uzumaki Riori was stunned. She stared at Yichen, speechless.

She remembered that when Yichen restricted her from taking on A-rank and S-rank mission, he said that once Neji and the others became Chunin, he would let her take on higher-rank missions.

How could they change their minds so easily? And Neji and the others have disbanded, doesn't that mean I'm alone again?

Yichen didn't give Uzumaki Riori a chance to object, and said, "Alright, from now on, Team Riori is officially disbanded."

"Neji, Karin, and Kurotsuchi, you should focus on your training first. The village will assign you tasks in a while."

"Yes." The three of them quickly replied without giving Uzumaki Riori a chance to speak.

Uzumaki Riori glanced at Yichen, then at Neji other two, and even her usually oblivious nature started to sense something was wrong.

She seemed to have been abandoned, abandoned by her own teacher and her own students.

Teacher Yichen to bully me; he's bullied me so many times already, one more time won't make a difference.

But how could Neji and the others? I've been so good to them, teaching them Shadow Clone and the Great Fireball Technique.

They couldn't learn it, so I kept teaching them again and again, I was much more patient than Teacher Yichen.

Neji two lowered their heads, not daring to look into Uzumaki Riori's eyes.

At this moment, Yichen said, "Riori, you've done a great job this year. You've not only trained three Chunin, but Neji and Karin can also be considered Elite Jonin."

"The village has recorded two S-rank mission for you; you can collect the corresponding rewards at the mission location."

Uzumaki Riori was a little confused. Had she really done a good job?

Without giving her time to think, Yichen continued, "Riori, considering your exceptional teaching skills, the village has decided to assign you three more students."

"You'll continue to be in charge of mentoring the new students. How about it? Are you confident? Are you confident you can help them grow as quickly as Neji two?"

Uzumaki Riori straightened her back and said instinctively, "Don't worry, Teacher Yichen, I have confidence!"

Yichen smiled slightly. It's so nice to have such innocent children.

Neji other two secretly looked up at Uzumaki Riori, thinking, "Teacher Riori, you need to be more careful, or you'll be bullied for life."

Yichen nodded and continued, "Very good, Riori, here is the list of your three new disciples. Take it."

As he spoke, Yichen quickly wrote three names on the paper and then handed it to Uzumaki Riori.

Uzumaki Riori took the list from Yichen, while Neji and the other two all leaned over to look.

The three names on the list were: Sakura Haruno, Shion, Yakumo Kurama.

Karin silently mourned for Sakura for a few seconds, while Kurotsuchi and Neji silently apologized to Yakumo Kurama.