Mutual Understanding and Arrangements

The four of them sat together, with Hyuga Hoshishaku taking the lead in initiating the introductions.

Having spent some time together and seen his personality straightened out significantly, Hyuga Yunfei took the lead under Hoshishaku's encouraging gaze:

"My name is Hyuga Yunfei, I am 12 years old, and I am a genin proficient in the Gentle Fist. Currently, I am learning the Eight Trigrams Palms: Rotation and the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms under the young master's guidance."

"I enjoy accompanying the young master to eat delicious food, practicing the taijutsu he teaches, and soaking in the hot springs with him. As for things I dislike, I don't have any anymore."

"As for my dream... I must become a powerful ninja in the future and use my life to protect the young master!"

As he spoke, he actually became quite emotional.

This caused Hoshishaku to rub his forehead in distress, saying helplessly, "How can protecting someone be considered a dream?"

Yunfei scratched his head, asking with some uncertainty:

"Ah? Then what counts as a dream?"

"For example, marrying a beautiful wife, having cute children, or becoming an elder, or perhaps becoming the Hokage of Konoha?"

Hoshishaku spoke with some uncertainty, then felt that what he said didn't seem to fit the situation of the Hyuga clan members.

If the clan system remained unchanged, whether it was happily marrying and having children or becoming Hokage, it seemed destined to be impossible, so he sheepishly shut his mouth.

Instead, Yunfei pondered for a moment, then shook his head, looked into Hoshishaku's eyes, and said earnestly in a boy's uniquely immature voice: "But my dream is to protect you, because it is only with you that I feel like I am truly alive."

Hearing this, Hoshishaku felt a tightness in his throat and a blockage in his heart, but he smiled from the bottom of his heart.

He stepped onto his chair and reached out to pat Hyuga Yunfei on the head.

He said earnestly to this twelve-year-old child: "Rest assured, I will not let you down."

On the other side.

Watching the interaction between the two, the two women, who had been nervous, exchanged glances and actually relaxed.

When Hoshishaku's gaze fell upon her, the older woman took the initiative to introduce herself.

"My name is Hyuga Shiin, I am 36 years old, and I am a chunin within the clan. Before the village was founded, I was always carrying out ninja missions. After the village was established, I applied for a transfer and began working in industrial management. Previously, I had been helping the elders manage clan assets, because that was the only way I could better accompany my daughter."

As she spoke, she turned her gaze toward the young girl beside her.

Only then did Hoshishaku realize that they were mother and daughter.

Hyuga Shiin looked at her daughter tenderly and continued: "I enjoy watching my daughter grow up, and I dislike being away from home for long periods. As for my dream, I hope that Ren can be happy; after all, I owe her too much."

Hyuga Ren shook her head, "Mother, don't say that, you have sacrificed enough."

Seeing that they had relaxed quite a bit and had introduced themselves with genuine sincerity, Hoshishaku had already given Aunt Shiin a passing grade in his heart.

How could a mother who devoted herself wholeheartedly to her daughter be a bad person?

Next was Hyuga Ren's self-introduction:

"My name is Hyuga Ren, I am 16 years old, and I am also a genin. Previously, I had been completing clan mission requests within the clan's ninja squads. I am skilled in reconnaissance and simple medical ninjutsu. I enjoy having free time to read, and the things I dislike are..."

At this moment, Shiin suddenly pinched her daughter's hand under the table, preventing her from saying what she disliked.

But their movements were not subtle, or rather, not as subtle as they thought they were.

Hoshishaku looked at the young girl, who was biting her lip and showing a stubborn expression, and took the initiative to speak:

"What you dislike is the Caged Bird."

Once these words were spoken, the other three turned pale.

Even Yunfei, who had spent a considerable amount of time with the young master, revealed fear in his eyes after the initial panic, let alone the other two.

However, the curse seal punishment they imagined did not trigger.

"It's alright. Although I acknowledge that the Caged Bird is a method to protect the bloodline of clan members with low strength, I do not agree with certain concepts."

Hoshishaku took a sip of tea and said slowly.

These words eased the atmosphere in the room slightly, but the three of them remained somewhat nervous.

Hoshishaku continued:

"I believe that while the weak do indeed need protection, the strong do not need such shackles. That is why I have not placed the Double Caged Bird Seal on the three of you, and I do not intend to do so in the future."

As he spoke, he glanced at Hyuga Ren, and finally fixed his gaze on Hyuga Yunfei.

"Cousin Yunfei, I promise you that if I can secure the position of clan head, and your strength reaches the level of a jonin capable of self-preservation, I will remove your Caged Bird seal."

"Boom!"

Hearing this, Yunfei felt his mind roar, and he felt a sense of dizziness, as if he were dreaming.

At this moment, Hoshishaku shifted his gaze to the two mother and daughter, who were showing expressions of shock.

"The same goes for you two. As long as you can earn my trust and possess the strength to protect yourselves, then the Caged Bird on you will have no reason to exist."

As he spoke, he blinked hard: "Of course, the premise is that I can defeat that foolish Yueye and successfully become the next Hyuga clan head."

After Hyuga Ren regained her senses, she broke free from her mother's grip.

She ran quickly to Hoshishaku's side, her eyes red as she knelt on the ground.

"I will pledge my loyalty to you, I will prove my devotion, I will keep growing stronger, and I will break free from this fate that traps me!"

Watching the girl's frantic expression, Xingzhuo nodded, feeling that this conversation could no longer continue.

He decided to cut the Gordian knot:

"Do not let the content of this conversation leak out. Before I have the capability, I cannot let those old fossils know that I intend to reform the clan."

As he spoke, he directly set the future arrangements for the group.

"Cousin Yun Fei, you will continue to serve as my bodyguard, and use your spare time to practice taijutsu."

"Sister Ren, I'll call you that, if you don't mind. You will also serve as my bodyguard for the time being, rotating with Cousin Yun Fei. Use your free time for cultivation, and I will procure the same cultivation resources for you as I do for my cousin."

Then, he turned his gaze toward Hyuga Shiin.

"Aunt Shiin, your burden is the heaviest. If I am to cultivate them, I must have money, so you must manage the two businesses under my name properly. We will discuss the details of the businesses in a moment."

After making the arrangements, Xingzhuo dismissed the two young people, closed the door to the reception room, and began to explain in detail everything from the renovation and reconstruction of the two shops to their operational goals.

Hyuga Shiin was truly worthy of having helped the elders manage clan assets for six years.

She understood almost everything as soon as it was mentioned, and even if she didn't, as long as Xingzhuo broke down the principles, she could grasp them quickly.

Just like that, the investment, reconstruction, and future management of those two shops were handed over to Hyuga Shiin to complete.

And his previous promise to procure cultivation resources for Hyuga Ren would also serve as a necessary incentive for Shiin to strive forward.