Departure

The reason ordinary people fail to live out their natural lifespan is that their spirit is squandered in vain.

Among the primary ways this spirit is depleted, speaking and looking are the most significant.

By keeping one's mouth shut and pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth, one can slow the drain of spirit to a certain extent; the same applies to the eyes.

The old saying about closing one's eyes to nourish the spirit exists for this very reason—a person's vital energy and spirit leak out through their eyes.

It is precisely because of this leakage that some experts can sense when they are being watched.

Bai Sui gathered his focus, using his primordial spirit to draw back his scattered energy, placing himself in a state where no internal scenery was revealed and no external influence could enter.

In this state, Bai Sui did not need to worry about his gaze attracting the attention of others.

Especially since the person before him was a ninja who dealt with spiritual energy, it was only natural for Bai Sui to be a bit more cautious.

The result of this was that, to an outsider, Bai Sui's eyes appeared vacant and dull, making him look not particularly bright.

Ignoring those unimportant details, he focused on the person in front of him.

After some observation, he noticed quite a few tears in the man's clothing. He could not tell if this was due to a lack of funds or if the war was so urgent that there was no time to change.

To be honest, Bai Sui hoped it was neither; he would rather believe the man was simply too slovenly to change. After all, either of the former options implied that the current situation of the Uzumaki Clan was dire.

Although he was participating in a low-risk transport mission, there was still risk involved. If the war turned too unfavorable, even if Bai Sui managed to slip away from the Uzumaki Clan Territory, leaving the combat zone safely would be no simple matter.

Furthermore, Bai Sui noted that the person before him was young, appearing to be only in his teens. However, considering that in this world's lore one could become a genin at eleven or twelve, he did not seem that young after all.

Silently following his footsteps, they arrived at a snow-storage area where five people were standing. Aside from one dressed in the standard Uzumaki attire, the other four were civilians, seemingly arranged to transport supplies just like Bai Sui.

The two Uzumaki clansmen exchanged a glance before turning to the civilians present. "Very well, everyone is here. Some of you have participated in this before, while others are doing this for the first time. It doesn't matter; just follow instructions.

Do you see the supplies over there? Each of you will take one cart and be responsible for transporting these goods to the forward camp. We will protect you along the way. As long as you listen, there will be no danger. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord!" The group's response was ragged, but the Uzumaki clansmen did not seem to care, waving their hands to signal everyone to start loading the supplies.

Bai Sui followed the others to the storage area. These were clearly pre-prepared supplies; over twenty wheelbarrows were lined up, each loaded with bundled scrolls. They appeared to be sealing scrolls containing supplies, much like the last transport mission Bai Sui remembered.

The ninjas of this world possessed such miraculous items as sealing scrolls. Even if other clans didn't, the Uzumaki Clan were masters of sealing—how could they not utilize this advantage?

Don't let the twenty-something carts fool you; the supplies inside might be enough to sustain the consumption of a small-scale war.

Without saying a word, Bai Sui picked a wheelbarrow at random and pushed it before the two Uzumaki clansmen, waiting for them to lead the way.

Soon, the remaining few also pushed their carts over, and the group of eight set off under the moonlight.

To accommodate the civilians, a torch was stuck to the front of each cart. Under the light of these torches, the group managed to make their way through the night.

After all, not everyone was like a ninja, capable of seeing clearly in the dark with only a sliver of light.

Of course, Bai Sui could, for the crystal had already formed within his dantian, and he was fundamentally changed.

His head was clear and his eyes sharp; he could see the sun by day and objects in the dark by night. From afar, he could observe the stamen of a flower a hundred paces away; up close, he could see a mosquito larva swimming in a pond. He was strong and tireless, and the sound of wind and thunder could occasionally be heard in his belly.

His dantian was warm, his need to urinate diminished, his limbs were light and healthy, his spirit was refreshed, and he could travel five hundred li in a day. His complexion was lustrous, his skin supple, his body emitted a faint fragrance, his mouth produced sweet saliva, his heart was clear of distractions, his desires were unmoved, and love, joy, and sorrow all arose from his own will.

He could perceive the heavens, know the shifts of wind and rain, and understand the alternation of cold and heat. He could distinguish the four seasons, categorize the five elements, and occasionally feel premonitions, knowing the portents of fortune and disaster.

Right now, even if all the torches were extinguished, Bai Sui could still see the veins of leaves a yard away.

Bai Sui even suspected that, excluding ocular jutsu and related bloodline limits, the ninjas were no better than him in terms of pure eyesight alone. Perhaps this was an advantage of his own.

Bai Sui suddenly felt a premonition: there would be rain by noon tomorrow. Moreover, based on his intuition, it would be a heavy downpour. It seemed the timing for this supply run was not well chosen.

The night passed without incident. The group traveled about thirty kilometers, and as the sky began to pale, they finally arrived at a village.

It seemed these supplies were urgently needed, as six villagers were waiting in the village. They took the wheelbarrows from Bai Sui and the others, and continued on with the two Uzumaki clansmen.

As for Bai Sui and the others, they were to rest briefly in this village before returning to the Uzumaki Clan Territory on their own. This mission could be considered very easy and safe.

At the same time, Bai Sui realized that his chance to break away from the Uzumaki Clan had arrived—so sudden, and so peaceful.

All the conflicts he had anticipated failed to materialize, and just like that, peacefully and safely, the opportunity to leave had come.

Considering that once he left, there was a high probability someone would report it, and being targeted by the Uzumaki would make it difficult to escape, Bai Sui did not set off immediately. Instead, he had to rest and wait until the rain started at noon to depart.

For one, the two Uzumaki clansmen would be far away by then, and for another, the heavy rain would hinder any civilian from reporting him and mask the traces of his departure.

Bai Sui hurried into the assigned room to rest. He had been pushing a cart and traveling for an entire night, and he did not know what he might encounter next, so he naturally needed to restore his spirit.

He slept until noon. The reason for this was that with so many people around, it was inconvenient to meditate, so he had to rely on low-efficiency sleep to recuperate.

When Bai Sui woke up, the sky was already overcast. After a quick lunch, the heavy rain began to fall.

The spring rain, with its characteristic chill, drove everyone still active outside back into their houses. Seeing that only the sound of rain remained outside, Bai Sui rose and stepped out the door.

Telling the others he was going to the latrine, Bai Sui donned his straw raincoat and walked away with a swagger.