Hai Yi's Vigilance

Just as the Kage had expected, a Wood Release construct that had already finished its activation and should have fallen silent suddenly turned on its own. This was absolutely not a natural phenomenon! The only explanation was—the caster himself, or at least someone capable of controlling this residual power, was nearby! And they had noticed nothing!

The glow of Onoki's Dust Release had yet to fade as his old eyes swept over every corner of the ruins like a hawk's. A's Lightning Release senses spread outward, attempting to catch any unusual chakra fluctuations. Mei Terumi and Rasa also employed their own methods, warily sensing their surroundings.

Yet this area had long been designated a temporary restricted zone. Aside from the Kage and their guards, as well as Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tsunade as the hosts, the only one present was Hyuga Qianyu, whom Tsunade had brought in. The guards were trusted confidants whose backgrounds were well known, and neither Hiruzen nor Tsunade could possibly be pulling such a pointless stunt at a time like this...

That left only the boy.

But could an eight-year-old Hyuga child control Wood Release remnants comparable to those of the First Hokage? That was even more absurd than the wooden Buddha moving on its own!

Then only one truth remained—the mysterious Wood Release expert had not gone far! He might even be nearby, watching this place through some method they could not comprehend, casually displaying his presence and power in this way!

This was not an attack, yet it was more intimidating than any attack! It was a naked declaration: Konoha was protected by a mysterious powerhouse, whose strength was sufficient to bring Wood Release constructs to life, and whose movements could evade the senses of every Kage present!

Once they understood this, the expressions of the Kage became exceedingly ugly. They felt like chess pieces toyed with by an invisible hand. All their probing, suspicion, and schemes seemed so laughable and powerless before the other's near-divine methods.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was equally uncertain, but he reacted the fastest. He immediately stepped forward and gave an awkward laugh to smooth things over. "There is no need to panic, everyone. Perhaps this wooden Buddha has a special structure and was affected by the earth veins or the heat from the hot spring, causing it to shift slightly. It merely turned around. It is nothing, nothing."

"Nothing?" Onoki squeezed out the two words through clenched teeth, his old face so gloomy it seemed capable of dripping water. He stared fixedly at the wooden Buddha that appeared to be mocking him, then gave Qianyu, who wore a bewildered and innocent expression, and Tsunade, who was frowning, a long look.

Finally, he turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi, his voice icy. "Lord Hokage, your village's surprises truly come one after another. I am advanced in years and cannot withstand such fright. There are important matters awaiting me in the village. Farewell!"

With that, he gave Hiruzen Sarutobi no chance to explain further. He rose directly into the air and flew toward the outskirts of the village with Kitsuchi and Akatsuchi, without looking back.

"Hmph! Playing tricks!" A also snorted heavily. He was full of pent-up anger with nowhere to vent it, so he could only glare viciously at the wooden Buddha before giving Hiruzen Sarutobi a perfunctory salute. "Hokage, it seems your village has no need for any condolences. We are leaving as well!"

Mei Terumi gave Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tsunade a deep look, her seductive smile carrying hidden meaning. "Konoha truly is... unfathomable. I hope that the next time we meet, there will be more honesty. Farewell." She gracefully turned away with the people of Hidden Mist.

Rasa had spoken the least from beginning to end. At this moment, he merely nodded slightly and led the Hidden Sand shinobi away without a word.

In the blink of an eye, the four Kage and their delegations had departed completely, leaving only the people of Konoha standing beside the hot spring, facing the Great Buddha that had turned around.

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh and rubbed his throbbing temples. He first shot Tsunade a fierce glare, then looked at Qianyu with a complicated expression. He had no time to investigate how Qianyu had done it, or whether he had done it at all. The most urgent matter was handling the aftermath.

After seeing the guests off, Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Qianyu alone. Following what seemed like ordinary concerned questioning, the topic naturally turned to the suddenly appearing Byakugan.

"Qianyu, about your eyes..." Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to keep his tone calm.

"Hokage Grandpa, I don't know what happened either." Qianyu had long prepared his explanation, his face showing just the right amount of confusion and unease. "After I woke up from that fainting spell, I felt that my eyes were a little different. When I tried circulating chakra, they became like that. I don't know why either."

Again, he did not know. Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the boy before him, whose eyes were clear and whose posture was upright, already beginning to display an extraordinary bearing. Countless doubts filled his heart, but they ultimately turned into a helpless sigh.

The Sharingan, Wood Release, and now a seemingly awakened Byakugan—this child carried too many secrets. But after what had happened last night and today, he had already come to see Qianyu deep down as a trustworthy junior who had inherited the Will of Fire, as well as Tsunade's openly acknowledged disciple and his own grand-disciple.

"Since it is an ability you awakened yourself, just master it properly." Hiruzen Sarutobi ultimately chose trust and protection. Lowering his voice, he cautioned, "However, the Hyuga Clan's rules are strict, and they place tremendous importance on the Byakugan. Your circumstances are special. You must be cautious in your daily life and not reveal it easily before outsiders. In particular, avoid drawing the attention of the Hyuga Main Family, lest you invite unnecessary trouble and scrutiny. Do you understand?"

"I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Hokage Grandpa." Qianyu nodded respectfully.

"Go on. Study hard at the Ninja Academy, and listen to your teacher Tsunade."

Qianyu's life seemed to temporarily return to normal. Classes at the Ninja Academy continued as usual, and Ino still clung to him like a little tail every day, sharing bentos and discussing ninjutsu with him, an ever brighter light shining in her eyes.

Tsunade, meanwhile, threw herself passionately into building the Great Buddha Hot Spring. She even had someone write the name "Cangshu Qianyu" directly in the operator field of the planning documents.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat dumbfounded when he learned of it, but Tsunade answered with complete confidence. "You know about my debts! Those creditors have noses sharper than dogs. If they find out I opened this hot spring, won't they block the door and cause trouble every day? Putting it under the brat's name keeps things peaceful! He eats and lives off me anyway, so the money the hot spring earns can help with household expenses!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..." He was somehow unable to refute that. Thus, at only eight years old, Qianyu inexplicably became the owner of a hot spring resort.

On the other hand, cleaning up the mess Danzo Shimura had left behind exhausted Hiruzen Sarutobi both physically and mentally. When he personally led a team into Root's underground base, which had already been abandoned, most of the crucial evidence and equipment had been transferred or destroyed. Yet among some inconspicuous corners, in fragments of experimental records and a small number of materials that had not been completely dealt with in time, they still discovered horrifying clues.

Scattered notes repeatedly contained phrases such as Wood Release cell transplantation, Sharingan compatibility, and fusion reactions between First Hokage cells and Uchiha cells. Fragments from several cultivation tanks still bore nauseating chakra stains.

Worse still, in the corner of a secret room, they found a list that had been deliberately smeared over but remained faintly legible. It contained several names, marked with labels such as "test subject," "observation target," and "suspected bloodline"... Among them, the name "Cangshu Qianyu" was prominently listed and circled for emphasis. Beside it was a hasty note: highly suspected target, requires further confirmation and control.

Every clue pointed to forbidden human experimentation, with the targets being the two great bloodline limits of Wood Release and the Sharingan. And the experimenter had actually extended his claws toward shinobi from the same village, even orphans!

"Wood Release, Sharingan, people from the same village..." Hiruzen Sarutobi clutched those tattered scraps of paper, his hands trembling, his eyes filled with grief, rage, and lingering fear. "Danzo... you truly deserved to die!"

At last, he completely made up his mind. Danzo and his followers had to be uprooted entirely. There would be no mercy!

Konoha slowly rebuilt amid grief and busyness, outwardly returning to its usual order.

That day after school, Inoichi Yamanaka personally came to pick up Ino. When he saw Qianyu walking out beside his daughter, the intelligence chief, who had always been calm and reserved, actually gave Qianyu a smile that could be called "kindly."

"Qianyu, you have worked hard lately. Ino hasn't caused you too much trouble, has she?" Inoichi's tone was gentle. "We made some nice food at home tonight. If you don't mind, would you like to join us for a simple meal?"

At the side, Ino tugged on her father's sleeve and looked eagerly at Qianyu, her little face filled with expectation.

Seeing Ino's pitiful yet adorable expression, and considering that Inoichi had personally extended the invitation, Qianyu found it difficult to refuse either emotionally or logically. His heart softened, and he nodded. "Then I'll be imposing on you, Uncle Inoichi."

Dinner at the Yamanaka home was as plentiful and warm as ever. Inoichi and his wife warmly welcomed Qianyu, while Ino excitedly kept placing food onto Qianyu's plate. The atmosphere at the table was harmonious.

After dinner, Inoichi wiped his mouth and said to Qianyu, "Qianyu, if it is convenient, would you join me in the courtyard for a cup of tea? There are some small tricks regarding chakra control that may be helpful to you."

Without suspecting anything, Qianyu followed Inoichi into the quiet courtyard. Moonlight flowed like water over the carefully tended flowers and plants.

Inoichi poured two cups of tea, but he did not immediately discuss any chakra techniques. He set down the teapot and lifted his head, looking at Qianyu with a gaze that was calm yet exceedingly sharp. It was no longer the gentle look of an elder at the dinner table, but the depth and piercing force belonging to Konoha's highest-ranking intelligence officer.

He slowly spoke, his voice low but every word clear.

"Qianyu, there are no outsiders here. Should I call you... Uchiha Qianyu, or Senju Qianyu? Or are you both?"

Qianyu's heart jolted, his pupils suddenly contracting as the teacup in his hand paused slightly. He immediately realized that he might have made a fatal mistake—one that had exposed a flaw to the Yamanaka Clan head, renowned throughout the shinobi world for the Mind Body Switch Technique and intelligence analysis!

He forced himself to calm down, letting an appropriately surprised and puzzled expression appear on his face. "Uncle Inoichi, what... what do you mean? I don't understand."

Inoichi took a light sip of tea, as though savoring its fragrance and as though organizing his thoughts.

"You have been quite thorough in your actions. Altering memories, erasing traces—you even deceived the Hokage." Inoichi set down his teacup, his gaze blazing. "But you overlooked one detail. It may be insignificant to ordinary people, but for a shinobi who specializes in handling intelligence, especially intelligence involving the dead, it is a crucial detail."

He paused, then said each word distinctly. "After a person dies, brain cells rapidly lose their vitality, and the memory regions solidify and fall dormant. Ordinary genjutsu or memory seals may be able to affect the living, but a brain that has already completely died... cannot be altered. It can only be smashed."