What Binds You Is Not Just That Caged Bird

As always, Yamei left the training grounds to take Ino and Hinata home, but this time, two little followers, Naruto and Sasuke, were trailing behind him.

Naruto had been pestering Yamei to take him along ever since he saw how hard Yamei trained.

As for Sasuke, he had initially followed Yamei because of Itachi's suggestion, but after experiencing the benefits from Yamei, he became willing.

Over two years, the Art of a Hundred Refinements had seen some special improvements.

Because of Hinata, Yamei had acquired the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms, which he integrated into the Art of a Hundred Refinements. Thus, the teaching was divided into two situations.

What he taught Hinata was the Art of a Hundred Refinements with the Eight Trigrams Palms, while Ino, Naruto, and the other two did not have the Eight Trigrams Palms.

Currently, the Taijutsu of Ino and the other three was in no way inferior to that of a Chunin; perhaps their physical conditioning was the only thing holding them back.

At the same time, Ino had also completely mastered her clan's secret technique, the Mind Transfer Jutsu. Therefore, Yamei taught her the derived secret technique, the Empathic Mark.

Ino had been shocked for quite some time back then because this secret technique was too similar to that of her Yamanaka clan, yet the Yamanaka clan had no corresponding records.

Sasuke and Naruto were also incomparable to their past selves.

Compared to the original timeline, not only had both of them learned the Art of a Hundred Refinements and possessed powerful Taijutsu, but Yamei had also taught them some Ninjutsu.

The Rasengan, a technique whose training principle was basically known and could be figured out by those with talent, was figured out by Yamei and taught to Naruto. Along with it, Wind Style: Thousand Faces Wind was also taught to him.

It was a pity that Yamei didn't know the technique for the Great Spiraling Ring, otherwise… that would have been a ball comparable to Super Heavenly Hand of Pain!

The Ninjutsu taught to Sasuke were Lightning Style: Lightning Ball and Lightning Style: Chasing Fang.

Among them, Lightning Style: Chasing Fang was obtained by Yamei using Magic Hand when he met a friend of Kurenai's while shopping with her on the street.

Regrettably, Kakashi was still in the Anbu, so Yamei couldn't meet him. Otherwise, Kakashi possessed some formidable Ninjutsu.

"Yamei, I'm home, bye!" Ino waved goodbye to Yamei in front of the Yamanaka clan's gate.

"Bye."

After watching Ino enter her home, Yamei turned to Hinata, "Shall we go?"

"Mhm." Hinata lowered her head shyly.

Since Sasuke and Naruto had parted ways with them when they returned to the street, only Hinata and Yamei were left alone.

Although they had been alone for most of the past two years, Hinata still felt shy.

Looking at the bashful young girl, Yamei couldn't help but reach out and ruffle her hair, making Hinata's face turn even redder.

When they arrived at the Hyuga compound, Yamei saw someone standing quietly opposite them.

This person walked towards them upon seeing Yamei and Hinata appear.

"Neji... Brother Neji." Hinata looked up.

Neji glanced at Hinata, then his gaze fell on Yamei, "You're the one teaching Hinata Taijutsu?"

"Brother Neji... I... I asked Yamei to train me!" Hinata stepped forward and said.

"Shut up!" Neji turned and yelled angrily.

Hinata's small face turned pale. She wanted to say more, but Yamei shielded her protectively.

Yamei's gentle smile disappeared, and he stared coldly at Neji, "Hyuga Neji? A rare genius of the Hyuga clan?"

"And what if I am?" Neji said, his gaze falling on Hinata behind Yamei, and he coldly added, "As an heir of the Hyuga clan, to actually learn Taijutsu from an outsider is simply an insult to the Hyuga clan!"

"I..."

Hinata opened her mouth, but before she could speak, the surrounding space suddenly shifted.

"Hyuga clan's Taijutsu? It might indeed be good, but... in my eyes, it's nothing special."

"Don't you look down on my Taijutsu?" Yamei turned to Hinata, "Hinata, can you help me defeat him and prove my Taijutsu?"

Looking at those expectant eyes, Hinata's gaze gradually firmed, and she nodded, "Yamei, I... I will do my best!"

With that, Hinata moved from behind Yamei to stand in front of Neji and confronted him, "Brother Neji, please guide me."

Neji was stunned by this scene. Hinata now... truly exceeded his imagination! She actually dared to face him directly!

However, thinking of his father, thinking of the injustices, his resentment towards the main family instantly surged.

"You were never my match before, you really think you can take me on after training with someone for a while!"

"Byakugan, activate!!"

Neji roared, his body moving like lightning, and the Gentle Fist swung towards her!

"Byakugan, activate!"

Hinata also activated her Byakugan and unleashed the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms in an instant!

Neji's expression changed drastically, and he met her with the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms as well!

But the moment they made contact, Hinata suddenly changed her move! Her body dodged at a bizarre angle, and she simultaneously kicked out!

The Art of a Hundred Refinements, infused with Uchiha Style Taijutsu, Hyuga clan Taijutsu, and various unknown Taijutsu, was diverse in technique and style!

Neji narrowly blocked it. Their figures intertwined, exchanging blows more than ten times in an instant!

It appeared to be an even match, but Yamei, who had been watching the entire time, knew that Neji... was not her opponent!

This was Hinata still holding back! Otherwise, Neji would have been defeated even faster!

After all, Neji hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy yet, his combat experience wasn't extensive, and he hadn't mastered much of the Hyuga Clan's Taijutsu!

And under his tutelage, Hinata's progress wasn't just a little bit!

As expected, as Hinata's resolve gradually strengthened, Neji found himself on the defensive after just a dozen more exchanges, eventually being forced back by a palm strike from Hinata.

Feeling the pain in his chest, Neji stood frozen on the spot, unable to snap out of it.

"N-Neji-niichan..."

Hinata called out with some concern.

"He's fine."

Yamei shook his head. The surroundings returned to the entrance of the Hyuga compound, and even a leaf that had started falling was only just now hitting the ground.

This was Mist Veil Moon, Mist Veil Moon fused with Tsukuyomi.

"Hinata, you go home first. I'll have a word with him."

"Okay." Hinata nodded obediently.

As Hinata left, Yamei turned to look at the still-stunned Neji and sneered, "What? Can't even accept one defeat?"

Neji slowly raised his head, glaring at Yamei, and roared, "What do you know!"

"I don't know anything, but that doesn't change the fact that you're trash."

"You resent the fate you claim you can't change, resenting the Main Family, resenting your uncle! And in the end, you even project it onto a little girl who knows nothing..."

"Tell me, are you trash or not?"

Neji lowered his head weakly at his words.

"You want to break free from the Main Family's control, you want to resist? But you feel powerless? And in the end, all you can muster is that pathetic resentment?"

"Heh heh heh, what binds you isn't just that Caged Bird!"

One sentence shattered Neji's psychological defenses completely, and he collapsed onto the ground, utterly listless.

He considered himself a genius, he resented the Main Family, he resented the Caged Bird.

But... had he ever truly faced the Caged Bird? All he had ever done was run away.

"Do you want to change your fate?"

Neji's head shot up, his eyes trembling as he looked at Yamei.

"Perhaps I can't right now, but... in the future, I might be able to break free from this cage." Yamei met his gaze directly.

Neji, in the end, was just a pitiable person, his life seemingly destined for death.

"Grow up, and show me your worth." Yamei extended his hand.

Staring blankly at the offered hand, Neji tremblingly grasped it.

When he came to his senses, he was still standing at the entrance of the Hyuga compound. It was as if nothing had happened, but the lingering aura in his hand told him that it had all been real.