"A friendly reminder from the Hyuga Clan: your youthful state only lasts under normal living conditions. Combat or serious injuries can drain the medicine's potency and may undo the rejuvenation..."
"So it's best to keep a few pills on hand, preferably high-quality ones. They work better and build up less resistance..."
"Honestly, the Youth-Preserving Pill isn't anything that special."
"The Youth-Preserving Pill isn't an elixir of immortality. It can't make you live forever. It's just a Secret Medicine for keeping you healthy, so please don't expect too much of it. It's merely an ordinary health supplement."
"It's not as miraculous as you think."
The more Hyuga Seigo explained and downplayed the Youth-Preserving Pill, the more the guests from every faction believed the Hyuga Clan's Secret Medicine was precious, and the more they suspected the clan was making excuses to avoid selling it...
"Clan Head Hyuga, what is the meaning of this? Have you decided not to sell after all? You can't go back on your word!" someone demanded angrily.
"Exactly! Clan Head Hyuga, you invited us here to discuss important matters, only to toy with us like this?" another person chimed in.
"Hmph~ they must be reluctant to part with it..." someone muttered.
"A child is still a child. He'll never accomplish anything great. The Hyuga Clan really has fallen..." someone else said disdainfully.
For a moment, everyone talked at once, throwing the gathering into chaos as the clan representatives began whispering among themselves.
"Everyone, please hear me out..." His voice was quiet, yet it reached every person's ears clearly.
As for Qingwu...
Given his previous bloody record of slaughter...
Everyone still regarded him with some fear.
Hyuga Seigo lowered his hands, signaling for everyone to settle down. "Rest assured, elders. I, Hyuga Seigo, stand by every word I say. I will honor my promises..."
"Then what does the Hyuga Clan mean by this?" Fear was one thing, but the lure of the Youth-Preserving Pill outweighed it.
Hyuga Seigo smiled, thinking, There's someone setting me up after all. "An excellent question, my friend. Surely none of you think Youth-Preserving Pills grow on trees? The Hyuga Clan can't supply enough to meet everyone's needs. At the very least, the Immortal of Hundred Beast Mountain wouldn't agree~"
"Mm-hmm." The representatives nodded in agreement.
"Even if the Hyuga Clan brought out every Youth-Preserving Pill we have, we couldn't satisfy everyone. But every faction can receive an allotment. I guarantee fairness, impartiality, and transparency on behalf of the Hyuga Clan..."
"..."
"Clan Head Hyuga, why not hold an auction instead~?"
At first, some wealthy guests proposed an auction. After all, an allotment wouldn't get them very much, but an auction was different. With their money, they could acquire more pills. There was no such thing as too many Youth-Preserving Pills; they could be passed down through generations.
Qingwu said, "Elders, we Hyuga aren't insatiably greedy. We've always believed in cooperation that benefits everyone."
"An auction would send the price of Youth-Preserving Pills soaring sky-high, and it certainly would earn the Hyuga Clan more money. But then many of our friends wouldn't be able to afford them...~"
"..."
The Youth-Preserving Pills—medicinal dregs—were far, far cheaper than everyone had imagined: 100,000 ryo for one year, 500,000 ryo for three years, 800,000 ryo for five years, and 5,000,000 ryo for ten years. The longer a pill lasted, the less resistance it produced. "Purchases of the one-year and three-year pills will be limited."
"Only our partners may purchase the five-year pills. These are the prices I'm offering you. Whatever you sell them for is none of the Hyuga Clan's business. Let's all get rich together..."
"Hahaha~ I knew the Hyuga clan head was destined for great things. I'm definitely becoming a partner..."
"The ten-year pills are even rarer. Only a sovereign as distinguished as His Highness, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, may obtain them."
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was delighted. "Yes, yes, yes~ only someone as distinguished as me deserves to enjoy something this precious~" His goodwill toward the Hyuga Clan instantly soared.
He took Qingwu's hand and refused to let go.
He wanted to have dinner with him.
And enjoy a long, intimate conversation.
Qingwu declined with a smile. "I must discuss the Youth-Preserving Pills with the Sage of Hundred Beast Mountain today. I can only pay you a personal visit another time, Lord Daimyo~"
Hearing that, the Daimyo stopped insisting. The Youth-Preserving Pills mattered more, after all. "Very well. I'll await a visit from a promising young talent like you. Hahaha~"
With that, he left with his Guardian Ninja.
Watching him leave, Qingwu curled his lip. "What's there to talk about with a fool like you? It's not like you're a girl~"
The negotiations at the Hyuga Clan also came to an end. The clan representatives and envoys from every faction were all satisfied. The cost had been lower than expected. The Hyuga Clan was so honest—people worth dealing with...
Qingwu smiled. "Yes, yes, yes~ we Hyuga are all honest people. We may look cold, but we have warm hearts. We love sharing~" Scamming people and making them thank him for it—what a feat~
The Great Elder and the others who knew the details were speechless.
Have some decency, will you? You toss a pile of weeds into a big pot like you're stir-frying beans, and out comes a whole batch of Youth-Preserving Pills. According to Qingwu himself, those "Youth-Preserving Pills" are merely the dregs left over from the real thing.
They didn't understand it.
But he had done beautifully.
Money. So much money.
So many treasures.
Our Hyuga Clan is rich! Hahaha~
Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Hold it in~
We're the illustrious Hyuga Clan.
Stay dignified. Stay dignified~
I can't hold it in.
Ahahaha~
The Konoha clans familiar with the Hyuga were baffled. "The Hyuga elders usually have poker faces. Today, they're all grinning like blooming chrysanthemums and being unusually welcoming."
Of course they were happy. They had made a fortune, and so many people were practically lining up to give them resources. How could they not be?
All this money should belong to the village! Damn the Hyuga! Damn those bastards! Why won't they think of contributing~?
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo roared inwardly. Watching the Hyuga make money hurt worse than losing their own.
With the Youth-Preserving Pills now available...
The Ninja World took a strange turn.
Those who had Youth-Preserving Pills expanded aggressively and even began adopting a tougher stance. Those without them tried every means to obtain some. These things were terrifying. If you didn't have them, you had to worry about someone who did coming after you.
Women had a competitive streak.
How could they tolerate seeing others regain their youth while their own faces remained those of haggard old wives?
"Hurry up! I want it right now... If you can't get it, don't come back..."
"I'll give anything for a Youth-Preserving Pill."
"You won't even buy me a single Youth-Preserving Pill. You really don't love me anymore... Let's break up... You jerk..."
"I'm sorry... You're a good man... But Nagata promised to buy me a Youth-Preserving Pill... I'm already his..."
"..." The men wanted to cry, but had no tears.
Damn it, this is all because of those blasted Youth-Preserving Pills.
Later, an elderly noble regained his virility and managed multiple rounds in a single night. The men went wild too. I want Youth-Preserving Pills!
Not enough stamina?
Youth-Preserving Pills make you young again.
What do you do when your body is worn out? Take a Youth-Preserving Pill.
The nobles indulged themselves even more wildly.
Before long...
Youth-Preserving Pills were being driven up to astronomical prices on the black market.
Even then, there were none to be had.
Qingwu was fucking speechless. "Holy shit~ how did you turn a perfectly good strategic resource into a little sex pill?"
"You're all geniuses of debauchery."
"But at least my goal of stirring things up has been achieved."
Most importantly, the Youth-Preserving Pills carried the aura of the Small World. Everyone who took them would be marked by the Small World, becoming signal sources it could detect...
Void said, "Hehehe~ so satisfying~"
Nirvana said, "The Mandala Realm is almost ready to take shape~"
The emotional power of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness was generated continuously and sent into the Small World. The negative emotions were then gathered as nourishment for Void to absorb, while the remaining pure power of belief was given to Nirvana.
He was using the Ninja World to sustain himself.
Qingwu had already begun to bare his fangs.
Before you continue