Crisis Approaches

Scrambling out of the dirt pit in a sorry state, Shimura Xian Yu retracted his grappling hook into his ninja tool pouch and filled the mountain of excavated earth back into the hole. He didn't bother inspecting the complex of buildings before him, choosing instead to head straight home.

He didn't need to look to know that this was likely the old lair of the Black Wind Stronghold, located northwest of the Great Warm Valley. The gems that had been absorbed by him—or rather, by the system—were undoubtedly the wealth the Black Wind Stronghold had accumulated through years of pillaging.

The Black Wind bandits were actually quite resourceful; they had managed to convert all their loot into gems, making it far easier to transport.

It was no wonder no one knew where his treasure was hidden. By carrying it on his person in small batches to the underground storage room, it was nearly impossible for anyone to notice.

Unlike moving crates upon crates of silver and jewelry, which would inevitably be spotted by observant eyes no matter how well one tried to conceal it.

By the time he returned to his residence, the sun was already setting, and he happened to see Shinozaki Ayumi stepping out of the house.

"Ayumi, send a message to the village." Xian Yu briefly explained the situation regarding the Daimyo Ginseng and requested reinforcements. He also mentioned that a man named Ya Midie would be arriving with his family; he was his bodyguard, and he asked her to have Danzo arrange lodging for them.

Shinozaki Ayumi went back inside to write the letter without delay; the ninja hawk was with her.

Early the next morning, an old man arrived outside the courtyard.

"May I ask who you are?" Although Xian Yu had already guessed the visitor's identity, it was better to confirm.

The old man smiled kindly: "Young ninja, thank you and that young lady for saving my village. I am Hosaka Takashi, the village chief of Yangxi Village."

"So it is the village chief! I haven't even thanked you for providing such a fine courtyard for me to recover in, and here you are being so polite. Since I encountered bandits slaughtering villagers, naturally I couldn't just turn a blind eye. When one sees injustice on the road, one must draw their sword to help." Xian Yu said with a solemn face, radiating righteousness.

Heh, time to show off my real acting skills. Xian Yu thought, feeling quite smug.

It's just a bit of dramatic performance, isn't it?

If he didn't act like a hot-blooded, chivalrous, upright, and kind youth, how would this old man willingly hand over the Daimyo Ginseng to him?

Besides, the things that followed also required this kind of persona.

"Good, very good. In this day and age, heroic youths like you are becoming fewer and fewer." The old man had been quietly observing Xian Yu since he entered. Seeing that the child before him was only eight or nine years old, yet possessed such chivalrous spirit and soaring courage, half of his anxious heart was immediately set at ease.

The old man then told Xian Yu about the Daimyo Ginseng. It was essentially the same as what Ya Midie had said; the Huaqi Caravan from the Land of Rain had even threatened him to his face.

"That is the situation. Now, I have truly led you into a dangerous position, young hero. I am deeply ashamed!" The old man's wrinkled face showed deep remorse as he stomped his feet and beat his chest.

Act, keep acting. Xian Yu almost couldn't help but show his disdain.

Do you really take me, Shimura Xian Yu, for a fool? Oh, let me charge into life-or-death situations, let me take the fall if I fail, and let you reap the rewards if I win... These old foxes are truly wicked to the core. I don't believe a word you say.

However, Xian Yu could understand the other party. After all, if one were to compare the current Yangxi Village to the Three Kingdoms, as the weakest party, they were just trying to survive.

At least in the village chief's words, although there was a hint of a bad intention to goad Xian Yu into risking his life for him.

And although the foot-stomping and chest-beating were mostly for show.

He could still feel a sliver of sincerity.

He wasn't the type of villain who would burn bridges the moment he crossed them.

"Old Village Chief, you need not be like this. As a bright and upright young man, to add a bit of righteousness to the world and leave a ray of sunshine for humanity, I shall go even if thousands of people stand against me!" Xian Yu felt his face flush slightly after saying such a cringeworthy line.

It was just that this old guy kept praising him, practically painting him as the embodiment of justice and a messenger of light...

I'm doing my best to play along with the performance you've set up...

I'm just playing my part, after all. Even if the appearance fee is a bit low.

"Then, I accept this arduous task. Village Chief, please hand the Daimyo Ginseng to me. That treacherous villain Huaqi must have already notified a large group of enemies who are on their way. Time is of the essence; every moment we stay is another moment of danger." Xian Yu cupped his hands and said with a sense of duty.

The old village chief smiled with relief: "Good, good, good. The Daimyo Ginseng is kept in a very secret place in the village ancestral hall. Please, young hero, follow me to the hall to retrieve it."

They followed the old man all the way to the village ancestral hall.

"Hmm? Why is Huaqi here too?" Xian Yu's brows furrowed slightly, and the next moment, he understood.

This old fox! He's trying to shift the disaster onto me!

If he handed it over in private, no one would see, and their village wouldn't be able to escape the consequences. So he deliberately summoned the Huaqi Caravan to witness him handing the Daimyo Ginseng to him in front of everyone.

However, Xian Yu had his own plans, and this actually suited him just fine. He didn't say anything.

As they approached, Huaqi and several guards surrounded them. The old village chief glanced at the child beside him with slight surprise.

He was probably wondering why this child didn't question why the people from the Huaqi Caravan were here.

But after a moment of thought, the old village chief sighed: What a simple child, what a child full of justice.

Thinking of this, the old village chief couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt.

"Er Gouzi, go and bring out the Daimyo Ginseng." The old village chief pointed to a sturdy villager and ordered.

Er Gouzi went around to the back room and returned shortly after, presenting a sandalwood box.

"Child, this is the Daimyo Ginseng. It is entrusted to you. You must help us take it to Linshui City and sell it for a good price. You are the hope of our entire village!" The old village chief opened the lid of the box with great solemnity, revealing the Daimyo Ginseng inside, and then handed the box to Xian Yu.

It was an old ginseng root, 45 centimeters long, with a long spindle-shaped taproot, milky white in color, with a hint of golden yellow.

"Hmph! Village Chief Hosaka Takashi, you had better think this through." At this moment, Huaqi, standing to the side, snorted coldly, his eyes icy.

Beside Huaqi stood a tall young man wearing an Amegakure forehead protector.

Behind the two of them were seven guards with samurai swords at their waists.

Xian Yu cast a gaze full of intimidation and dominance toward Huaqi and his companion: "What? Does President Huaqi intend to take it by force?"

Although Shinozaki Ayumi was not here and he was alone—and even the Three-Tailed Fox could not be summoned for the time being—Xian Yu was not afraid in the slightest.

Although his chakra reserves were still at the peak level of a genin, the three secret Wind Style ninjutsu of his clan were enough to contend with an average chunin, and he could even kill one if he were willing to risk injury.

The Amegakure ninja opposite him was clearly just a genin; a thirty-year-old genin like that would basically have no hope of ever being promoted to chunin in this lifetime. While he had plenty of opportunities to go on missions and possessed rich combat experience, some gaps in fundamental potential could not be bridged by experience alone.

"Hmph!" Recalling the brutal slaughter from the day before yesterday, Hua Qi, who had watched the battle from the sidelines and witnessed this youth killing people with his own eyes, couldn't help but feel a bit cowardly. He didn't dare to clamor at all, merely letting out a cold snort before dropping the matter.

Just wait, once the reinforcements from Amegakure arrive, that will be the end of you!

As it turned out, after Hua Qi realized he couldn't monopolize the benefits of the Daimyo Ginseng, he had settled for second best and sold the information to Amegakure.