Hot Spring Village! (Seeking collection, seeking follow-up reads!!)

"Hahaha, Brother Seishin, thank you for everything on this journey. If not for you, I'm afraid we wouldn't have made it back so smoothly. About a hundred miles ahead lies our Hot Spring Village."

Izumitani Yoju pointed toward the main road on his right, smiling broadly. It was clear he was in a very good mood.

"No need for such formalities, old man."

Uchiha Chen smiled with a hint of embarrassment. After all, he hadn't really done anything on the trip; he had essentially hitched a ride. To make matters worse, Izumitani Yoju had treated him like an honored ancestor these past few days, feeding him well and taking such good care of him that he felt he had even gained a little weight.

"It is necessary, absolutely necessary! Once we reach the village, I must host a banquet in your honor. Brother Seishin, you simply must stay with us for a few days."

Izumitani Yoju waved his hands frantically, terrified of appearing disrespectful to Uchiha Chen.

"Old man, I really can't. I'm a wanderer by nature, with no fixed home. This time, I'm headed to the Land of Wind to see the boundless desert. As for your village, perhaps next time—I'll definitely visit next time."

Seeing Izumitani Yoju's overwhelming enthusiasm, Uchiha Chen could only offer an apologetic smile. If he weren't currently on a mission, he would have genuinely liked to visit and look around.

Upon hearing Uchiha Chen's words, however, Izumitani Yoju's eyes lit up, and he let out a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha, if you're planning to go to the Land of Wind, then you must visit our village even more! It seems you and our village are destined to cross paths, Brother Seishin!"

"Oh? How so, old man? If I recall correctly, according to the maps, the road to the Land of Wind doesn't pass through Hot Spring Village, does it?"

Seeing Izumitani Yoju's bright, cheerful smile, Uchiha Chen almost began to doubt his own memory.

"That is something you wouldn't know, Brother Seishin. While the official maps indeed don't show a route through our village, we actually have a secret path that leads to the Land of Wind. Taking this shortcut can even save two or three days of travel. It's just that very few people know of it, and as luck would have it, I happen to know the way."

Izumitani Yoju raised an eyebrow and stroked his graying beard, his expression filled with pride.

"There's such a stroke of luck? In that case, I must pay a visit to Hot Spring Village. Sorry for the intrusion!"

Uchiha Chen hadn't expected that a random act of kindness toward a merchant caravan would yield such an unexpected reward.

"Not at all, not at all! I couldn't be happier to have you," Izumitani Yoju chuckled.

Hearing that Uchiha Chen was willing to visit, Izumitani Yoju's smile widened even further, the wrinkles on his face blooming like a chrysanthemum.

"Hahaha, since Brother Seishin is coming to be our guest, I must give you a proper introduction."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, old man..."

"Our Hot Spring Village has a specialty: we have an abundance of hot springs. You absolutely must try them, Brother Seishin. Just imagine, when you're at your most exhausted, soaking in a hot spring—not only does it relieve all the fatigue in your body, but it also has healing properties..."

As the carriage rolled forward, Izumitani Yoju continued his endless introduction, while Uchiha Chen nodded and smiled in response from time to time.

Hot Spring Village was located in the Land of Rivers and served as the only ninja village in the country, much like how Leaf Village was to the Land of Fire or Cloud Village was to the Land of Lightning. "Hot Spring," as the name implied, meant thermal waters, hot water, and bathhouses. These springs were the pride of the village; due to the rich water resources—especially the prominent hot springs—the village was filled with bathhouses. For reasons unknown, the people of Hot Spring Village were exceptionally gentle in temperament. They practiced pacifism both internally and externally, rejecting war. Because of this, the village was known as "the village that has forgotten war."

However, in a ninja world defined by constant conflict, a pacifist village like this was an anomaly—an anomaly that society did not accept. As the saying goes, the kind are often bullied, and the gentle are often taken advantage of. Because the villagers practiced pacifism, the ninjas of Hot Spring Village had grown weaker in practical combat, eventually losing their ability to fight altogether. This led to the village becoming increasingly fragile, to the point where it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that anyone could bully them.

Listening to Izumitani Yoju's introduction and combining it with the memories in his mind, Uchiha Chen already had a preliminary impression of the village before they even arrived.

"Brother Seishin, look! That is our Hot Spring Village!"

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he heard Izumitani Yoju call out with delight, pointing ahead.

Following the direction of his finger, a village with a rustic, ancient atmosphere came into view. Surrounded by mountains, the village was nestled among lush trees and fields. The village gate was constructed of stone, and on one side stood a massive stone tablet with a prominent character for "Hot Spring" carved into it.

As soon as they entered the village, they heard the excited cries of several children.

"Wow, the Village Chief is back!"

Immediately after, the children scrambled toward the center of the village, shouting, "The Village Chief is back!"

Before long, hundreds of villagers swarmed toward the entrance, every face beaming with joyful smiles.

"Old man, so you are the Village Chief?"

Uchiha Chen looked at Izumitani Yoju in surprise. He hadn't expected this plain-looking old man to actually be the leader of Hot Spring Village.

"When traveling abroad, especially since this concerned the village's essential supplies, I had to be cautious. I hope you won't take offense, Brother Seishin."

Izumitani Yoju quickly bowed toward Uchiha Chen to explain.

"It's fine, I understand."

Uchiha Chen smiled slightly; after all, he was currently using a pseudonym himself.

"Let me introduce everyone to Seishin. It is thanks to him that our supplies were able to be brought back to the village. To thank our benefactor, I intend to throw a grand banquet to welcome him. What do you all say, is that a good idea?"

"Yes!"

As Izumitani Yoju raised his arms and shouted, all the villagers responded with smiles.

"Brother Seishin, please."

Izumitani Yoju gestured with an inviting motion. Uchiha Chen nodded and followed in Izumitani Yoju's footsteps into Hot Spring Village.

Following Izumitani Yoju's instructions, the villagers distributed the several carts of supplies he had brought back before dispersing to return to their own duties.

Walking into the village, one could see a small alley paved with stone slabs. On both sides of the alley stood various buildings, with steam constantly rising from above them.

There were many shops along the road, but the most numerous were the hot spring establishments hanging signs with the character "Hot Spring."

Soon, the two arrived at what appeared to be the largest hot spring establishment. They walked inside.

"Brother Seishin, this hot spring shop is managed by me. Why not go in and experience it? After traveling for so many days, a soak will surely make you feel much better."

Uchiha Chen was just about to refuse when he saw several young, beautiful women walking out from inside, looking as if they had just finished bathing. Furthermore, Uchiha Chen noticed a sign placed in a corner that read: Co-ed Bathing!

The refusal that had been on the tip of Uchiha Chen's tongue was promptly swallowed back down.