Returning Home

Uchiha Zhuang cajoled and reasoned, even resorting to using his Sharingan to cast a hypnosis spell, before he finally managed to escape. Passing through the marketplace, he bought several daggers for the women to defend themselves, along with some gold and silver jewelry and hair ornaments. Finally, he also picked up a local specialty of Baiye Town: a Kappa figurine.

Continuing his journey, he left Baiye Town. When he passed by Great Marsh Lake, the feeling of unease vanished, leaving only a trace of regret. Ignoring it, he strode towards home. The peaceful villages and beautiful natural scenery along the way refreshed his mind and spirit. Without excessive industrial pollution, this world was rich in natural resources. Didn't he see colossal summoning beasts the size of mountains, or Konoha's Death Forest's giant wild boars as large as small trucks? While clearing his mind, he immersed himself in ninjutsu training. He had basically mastered all the basic Water and Fire Style ninjutsu he had exchanged for earlier, and nearly half of the intermediate ones. He had also mastered a few advanced ninjutsu. The Fire Style: Fire Dragon technique he used against the Giant Catfish was a ninjutsu he had mastered during his travels when he had nothing else to do, constantly practicing in his mind. The terrain grew increasingly flat, and he returned to the border town where the women were. Looking at the detached house, still without a label on the door, Uchiha Zhuang felt a pang in his heart. He never thought he would have his own house, let alone several maids. Shaking off these base thoughts, he pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard.

Hanako, inside the house, saw a figure enter the courtyard. Upon closer inspection, she recognized the familiar, resolute face. Hanako felt both gratitude and fear. While grateful that he had saved her and her daughter, she also feared his power and coldness. Looking at the woman and her two children under the warm, pale yellow light inside, they seemed to have become even more radiant in his absence. Although Hanako was a mother of two, women in chaotic times married and had children early; giving birth at fourteen or fifteen was very common, so she appeared quite young. Only with ample material security and a peaceful environment could women live beautifully. Uchiha Zhuang mused again, pitying the pathetic simps who had nothing yet harbored grand ambitions. In reality, they were not even worthy of being wiped on by the strong, but merely used as sanitary napkins by the "green tea" girls. The closer they got to their dreams, the more humble they became, tsk tsk~

"I'm back, Hanako. Is my dinner ready? I brought you back souvenirs!" "Really?" Tsugutama, with her innocent and cute demeanor, began to let loose after getting used to the master's temperament. Ootama and Hanako were surprised but didn't voice it. A moment later, Hanako quickly brought the two girls to the courtyard to welcome their master. She handed them the bags on her back. Uchiha Zhuang walked directly to the dining room. The exquisite meal was for four people! It seemed they did this every night, otherwise, it wouldn't have been a coincidence that there was enough food for four people on the day he returned. A warmth spread through him. The women put down their things and followed him inside. At the dinner table, Uchiha Zhuang sat at the head and slowly recounted his experiences during this period. The women were so captivated by his thrilling adventures that they held their breath, their chopsticks frozen in mid-air, as if they were in the story themselves. "Um, Master, can you really write Chinese characters?" Tsugutama asked curiously. "Of course, I learned it from my clan's heritage. Only I in our clan can learn the Chinese characters because I am the chosen one. This chaotic world will be ended by me. I am the chosen one, and the only one." Uchiha Zhuang's confident words seemed to be spoken to the women, and also to himself. How could the women have ever heard such earth-shattering boasts? This was no different from wanting to be the king of this world! It was too crazy, too arrogant. Faced with such wild pronouncements, the women instantly sobered up, lowered their heads, and quietly ate their rice. Uchiha Zhuang observed their expressions and understood their limited horizons and awareness. One cannot discuss ice with a summer insect, perhaps that was the case. For a man who mastered core technology, conquering this ninja world was only a matter of time. Uchiha Zhuang gave a self-deprecating smile, then continued to describe the magnificent mountains and rivers between the peaks. The women put down their chopsticks again, listening with rapt attention. When they heard, "The golden wheel still exists in the vast sky, and countless lives are born and die ceaselessly," the women sat stunned and silent for a long time. Uchiha Zhuang called out to them, but they didn't react. It seemed the women had been profoundly impacted. Tsk tsk, combining spiritual and physical manipulation... Uchiha Zhuang immediately suppressed such a "harmonious" thought and quickly cultivated some senjutsu to calm his agitated body.

After a long while, the women, having calmed down, looked at Uchiha Zhuang, who was sitting cross-legged on the sofa after finishing his meal. They seemed to sense a feeling of happiness and well-being emanating from him, and a warmth spread through their hearts. His previous cold impression was slowly fading. After finishing his senjutsu cultivation, Uchiha Zhuang watched the women washing dishes, boiling water, and preparing the beds. He felt incredibly content; this was how maids were meant to be used. Being served as he bathed, dressed, and went to bed, Uchiha Zhuang felt a wave of relief. He slept soundly through the night. The next day, as sunlight shone on his face and Ootama gently massaged him, Uchiha Zhuang slowly awoke with a reluctance to leave. However, after slapping himself a few times, he came to his senses. "A gentle embrace is a hero's tomb; a pink tent is a bone-dissolving bed." He must remember these common sayings from Earth!

After breakfast, Uchiha Zhuang looked at Hanako and the two women and said seriously, "I am from the Uchiha clan of Konoha Village. I am going back to continue my training in Konoha Village." The shocked expressions on the women's faces were evident to Uchiha Zhuang. After all, the Sharingan, which had emerged from the Warring States period, was known to women and children alike. He opened his eyes, and his two tomoe began to spin slowly. His wine-red eyes seemed to possess a magical power, drawing in anyone who looked at them. The women were unconsciously hypnotized. Uchiha Zhuang helplessly reached out and touched them, channeling some chakra. The women gradually regained consciousness. Uchiha Zhuang continued, "I will meet with you regularly. I need you to establish an organization for me, specifically to adopt stray children and orphans from wars, primarily girls, preferably those with special talents. Don't interrupt me. Yes, it will be difficult for you, as you are just weak women. But as my servants, or rather, my possessions, I expect you to willingly die for me. After all, I am a relatively benevolent master, aren't I?" The women instantly recalled the man's ferocity and violence in the past. This period of comfortable living had made them accustomed to their cozy home, but they no longer thought of spreading their wings and soaring. Little did they know that this era was about to be turned upside down, and only by sticking closely to this man could they survive! After a moment of silence, recalling the hardships of past wars, the women painfully knelt down and expressed their submission to Uchiha Zhuang. Yes, Uchiha Zhuang felt he was not much of a man, showing off his might in front of women. What a disgrace. Uchiha Zhuang sneered at this thought. Could living in a peaceful world make one forget past suffering? Could having a warm home make one complacent? Women he couldn't control were better off released. If Uchiha Zhuang were betrayed, forgotten, or utterly defeated, these cowardly women would be of no use other than to pique the interest of crude bandits. Uchiha Zhuang did not want this to happen, nor did he want it to happen to them. After all, cowardice was temporary, while strength was constantly developing. Only by refusing to be mediocre and ordinary, and by becoming stronger, could one avoid becoming the ugly excrement of the powerful.

"Believe me, I am doing this for your own good. I believe that one day, you will willingly die for me. Remember my requirements: sufficient funds, and you find the location yourselves. A base underground would be best. I believe your experiences surviving wars will guide you on how to deal with orphans and human traffickers!" He drew out a small dagger with the clan's "ping pong paddle" emblem from his person and presented it to Hanako, saying, "This is a token of the Uchiha clan's emblem. With this, any official, merchant, commoner, bandit, samurai, ninja, monk, or wizard with some knowledge will not trouble you. If you encounter someone who is not afraid of death, immediately go find the owner of 'Daikokuya,' Tanba's Old Turtle, Hatano Yu. He can help you." Seeing the women trying to maintain their composure, Uchiha Zhuang smiled, "If you haven't done these things by the time I return next, I won't do anything to you. At that time, you can take whatever you can carry and leave this place to start a new life. I swear by the Uchiha clan that you will leave safely." Looking at Uchiha Zhuang's faint smile, the women became even more frightened. "Then, until next time, my maids." A flash of golden light flickered, and the Echo of the Distance activated. Uchiha Zhuang disappeared from Hanako's sight, leaving only a Golden Scroll (gray) on the ground.