Regarding Your Mother, Lady Tsunade

This is how it is.

When the words Ryuu Uchiha appeared, the air suddenly froze.

The female Jonin from Sunagakure narrowed her eyes slightly, the kunai in her hand already a cold glint.

Before this, the Sunagakure ninja behind her had already secretly begun forming hand seals. The chakra fluctuations of Wind Release: Great Breakthrough instantly tore through the air, the flames of Scorch Release: Flame Bullet reddened half the sky, and mixed within were countless kunai projectiles and the explosions of Explosive Tags!

The Sunagakure ninja attacked without any warning.

Qing Long's Spring Embroidered Sword was unsheathed almost at the same instant. The wound on his shoulder burst open, and the HP warning [30%] flashed on Qing Xuan's retina, but the arc of the blade still precisely deflected the incoming kunai.

Qing Xuan, with a heavy expression, was thrown onto his back. The lingering scent of blood on his Flying Fish Robe assaulted his nostrils.

"Form ranks!" Shikaku Nara's voice was exceptionally clear amidst the chaos.

The Konohagakure ninja were already poised for battle. The Shadow Imitation Technique spread out like a spiderweb, precisely locking onto the five closest Sunagakure ninja.

Yet, seven figures broke through the defense line. Their target was clear—Qing Xuan on Qing Long's back.

It was evident they never intended to let Qing Xuan leave the Land of Wind alive from the start.

Qing Long's blade drew the trajectory of the Big Dipper under the sun. As his True Qi surged, a Blade Wheel Barrier formed by fourteen parent-child blades managed to block the attacks of these pursuing ninja for a short time.

But his HP was rapidly dropping, [28%] [27%]. With his Ice True Qi at full power, every drop of blood that seeped out condensed into ice crystals in mid-air, and the ice crystals exploded into puffs of blood mist under the scorching heat.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"

"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

The combined ninjutsu of Sunagakure stirred up monstrous sand waves. It was then that Qing Long made a surprising move—he threw Qing Xuan backward towards Shikaku's direction and charged into the ninjutsu himself.

His Flying Fish Robe flapped noisily in the strong wind. The moment his HP dropped below [25%], his pupils contracted into pinpricks, and his Spring Embroidered Sword suddenly emitted a dazzling blue light.

"Heaven and Earth Reversal!"

All his Ice True Qi surged out, released entirely through the sharp edge of the Spring Embroidered Sword, transforming into a massive ice-blue blade aura that directly collided with Sunagakure's combined ninjutsu.

The explosive blast overturned the three closest Sunagakure Genin. Qing Long's figure flickered in and out of the dust and smoke.

His HP had fallen to [12%], but he still stood firmly between Qing Xuan and Sunagakure, like an insurmountable wall.

Shikaku's Shadow Binding Technique finally brought the situation under control. The Konohagakure ninja, with cold expressions, turned their blades towards the Sunagakure ninja. What they couldn't tolerate was someone attacking their comrades, especially when that person's father was a hero who sacrificed himself for the village!

Therefore, after learning Qing Xuan's identity, they didn't hesitate at all; they all stood up.

"Bastards!"

The female Jonin from Sunagakure's icy gaze swept over Qing Xuan's face. The bone-chilling hatred within it made one's blood run cold, even in the scorching desert sand.

"Ryuu Uchiha is the murderer of the Third Kazekage!"

The Sunagakure ninja had indeed guessed this child's identity long ago. No wonder they dispatched so many ninja to pursue him.

Shikaku Nara looked at Qing Xuan's face, so similar to his father's, and said without backing down, "Konoha already provided an explanation before the Third Shinobi World War. The death of the Kazekage of Sunagakure has nothing to do with Ryuu Uchiha!"

He stared intently at the Sunagakure ninja, his words growing firmer, "Don't try to provoke a needless war!"

"Furthermore, Ryuu Uchiha died six years ago..."

At this point, the implication was clear.

The female Jonin from Sunagakure's gaze lingered on Qing Xuan's face. Faced with Konoha's unwavering stance, she finally snorted coldly, "Let's go."

After the last Sunagakure ninja disappeared behind the sand dunes, Qing Long finally couldn't hold on and knelt on one knee. His HP froze at [10%], sweat mixed with blood forming cinnabar-colored ice beads on his chin. Shikaku Nara quickly stepped forward, but suddenly stopped as he reached out to help.

Shikaku's pupils contracted slightly. His gaze fell on Qing Long's bleeding chest and neck. As an experienced Jonin, he knew too well what these fatal wounds represented.

Yet, this person was still alive...

"Sir..." Shikaku's voice remained steady, but his shadow had already silently extended to Qing Long's feet, as if ready to control him at any moment, "May I ask your origin?"

Qing Long calmly sheathed all his weapons, his movements fluid and natural, completely unlike someone severely injured.

Shikaku noticed that the blood beads that seeped out turned into fine light particles before hitting the ground. These were by no means characteristics of a normal human.

"I am merely the young master's guard," Qing Long's voice was hoarse from excessive blood loss, but Shikaku keenly caught the abnormality in his words.

The Konohagakure medical ninja wanted to step forward to treat him, but Shikaku raised his hand to stop them. His shadow had already completed its encirclement of Qing Long; with just a thought, he could initiate the binding. Qing Long seemed to sense something. He slowly raised his head, the old scar on his left eye particularly striking in the setting sun.

But he made no move to resist or defend himself.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes slightly, "I need you to return to Konoha with me for an examination."

His voice was still gentle, but his shadow had already wrapped around Qing Long's ankle.

Just then, Qing Xuan's childish voice interrupted their conversation. He walked to Qing Long's side.

He simply said, "You've worked hard during this time, stand down, Qing Long."

The Imperial Guard, covered in wounds, then bowed slightly to Qing Xuan.

"Young Master, please protect yourself. Qing Long takes his leave."

As his words fell, amidst the wind and sand, this loyal Imperial Guard Commander suddenly turned into light particles and slowly dispersed.

And on Qing Xuan's status panel.

ID: Qing Long

HP: 11%

MP: 1%

Status: Critically Wounded, Fatigued, Poisoned [Recalled, Recovering]

Affiliation: Cinematic World Imperial Guard

Position: Imperial Guard Commander

Weapon: Fourteen Styles of Great Ming [Not Upgraded]

Abilities: Internal Energy [Upgraded to Ice True Qi]

This scene shocked everyone. Only Shikaku Nara watched the Fourteen Styles of Great Ming, which had also turned into light points, with a thoughtful expression.

"Is it a special clone cast using a secret technique?"

Qing Xuan understood his meaning and nodded innocently, "This is a friend of my father's, he's been protecting me all along."

As the sky gradually darkened, Qing Xuan finally arrived at the village's outpost on the border with the Konohagakure Ninja.

The wind and sand still raged. Qing Xuan sat in the tent, awaiting the second round of questioning.

From the way the other Ninja kept looking at him along the way, Qing Xuan could sense that his unseen father was not simple.

To be honest, if it weren't for the letter titled To My Dearest Son in his ninja pouch, Qing Xuan wouldn't have known that Fugaku Uchiha suddenly had a younger brother.

The arrangements in the letter were extremely comprehensive. He only needed to reach the border and hand another letter to the Ino-Shika-Cho. He didn't need to manage anything else. And the person sitting in front of Qing Xuan right now was precisely Shikaku Nara, one of the Ino-Shika-Cho.

Could a person who had been dead for six years really do this?

What kind of person was he?

Shikaku Nara put down the letter in his hand. At this point, he had confirmed the identity of the boy before him.

Looking at the boy's face, which was almost identical to Uchiha Itachi's, he couldn't help but think of a long-standing rumor within the Uchiha Clan—it was said that Itachi was the second uncle's biological son.

Looking at Qing Xuan's appearance now, even Shikaku, who didn't care for gossip, couldn't help but feel that perhaps the rumor was true?

"There are no problems with your identity. I will write a letter of certification and give it to Lord Hokage."

Shikaku couldn't help but glance at him again.

"Oh, right. Regarding your situation, the village might notify your mother..."

"Mother?"

"Lady Tsunade..."