Chapter 23

"Medical ninjutsu and those medical arts should just be a hobby. Study them in your spare time. When you have time, you should focus more on improving your strength. That is the foundation for securing your place in the future."

"Only when you're strong enough can I entrust Mikoto to you without worry."

"Even the future of the Uchiha Clan may depend on you."

If Uchiha Yan had not been so young, the First Elder would have wanted to appoint him directly as the next clan head.

Compared to him, Fugaku fell far too short.

He had never been very satisfied with that junior. Back when the clan head had wanted to match Mikoto with Fugaku, he had dragged his feet and refused to agree. In the end, he had given Xuan this brat an opportunity instead.

"I'll remember that."

Uchiha Yan nodded solemnly.

After spending several hours with the First Elder, listening to him recount much of the Uchiha Clan's old history and analyze the clan's current situation once more, Uchiha Yan finally took his leave and went home.

"Xuan, don't put too much pressure on yourself. You're still young, and you're already amazing. I believe in you! Grandpa is just worrying over nothing."

On the way back, Mikoto hurriedly tried to comfort him, worried that her grandfather had put too much pressure on him.

"Heh, don't worry."

Uchiha Yan chuckled and reached out to pinch Mikoto's cheek. "I don't feel any pressure. I have confidence in myself."

At Uchiha Yan's home.

Uchiha Meixin sat in the living room going over the accounts, her brow tightly furrowed as she looked up at Uchiha Senichi. "Honey, we're almost out of money. What should we do?"

Their family had actually always been quite well-off. Senichi held a respectable position in the clan, and his salary and allotted resources were fairly substantial.

But even that could not withstand such spending.

Over the past two years, the medicinal baths for their family alone had cost no small sum, not to mention the underground laboratory they had been setting up for Uchiha Yan over the past half year.

All of it required money to be poured into it.

"Ugh, what a headache."

Uchiha Senichi rubbed his forehead. "I'll think of something and bring back some money."

If it came down to it, he would find an opportunity to leave the village and wipe out a few bandit dens overflowing with riches.

That should keep them afloat for a while.

They could not possibly cut the medicinal baths, could they?

That was absolutely non-negotiable.

They were the key to improving the whole family's strength.

"How about we stop my medicinal baths for now? I'm already at the Kage level anyway, and my strength is enough for the time being."

Uchiha Senichi spoke tentatively.

Uchiha Meixin sighed and nodded. "For now, that's the only way. My strength has reached the elite jonin level too, and my physical foundation has improved quite a bit. It won't matter if I take a break."

Parents always thought of their children first.

"Money? The family's tight on funds? Dad, Mom, you can't stop your medicinal baths."

Uchiha Yan and Mikoto happened to walk in just then, and he immediately asked.

Senichi and Meixin looked up at the same time and smiled. "Xuan, Mikoto, you're back! It's nothing. You don't need to worry about such a minor matter. Your mother and I can handle it."

Feeling somewhat guilty, Mikoto said softly, "Sister Meixin, Uncle Senichi, it was my fault for not thinking things through. I never expected the medicinal herbs to cost so much. I'll tell Grandpa when I get back and bring some money over. From now on, I'll pay for my own medicinal baths."

She felt that she could not separate herself from this matter.

Meixin hurriedly stood up, took Mikoto's hand, and smiled as she patted her head. "Silly child, what does this have to do with you? How much could your medicinal herbs possibly cost?"

She paused before continuing, "The ones that truly cost a lot are your uncle, me, and Xuan. Don't take every bit of responsibility onto yourself."

As she spoke, she even shot Uchiha Yan a glare.

Meixin pulled Mikoto over to sit down. "Besides, we're family now. You're part of this family too. Isn't it only right that we provide you with medicinal baths?"

"Don't even think about going back to get money. Where would we put our faces then? What would your grandfather think of us?"

"This matter ends here. If you bring it up again, I'm going to get angry."

Uchiha Senichi hurriedly nodded in agreement. "Mikoto, don't overthink it. This really isn't your fault."

He turned to Uchiha Yan and said irritably, "Brat, your laboratory has been the biggest expense lately. Those instruments alone are costly enough. How about putting it on hold for now?"

That equipment was outrageously expensive, and not necessarily easy to buy.

"Alright."

Uchiha Yan did not hesitate and nodded. "The equipment we already have will do for now."

He continued, "I'll figure out the money."

"Actually, I already guessed that the family wouldn't be able to keep this up for long, so I made some plans in advance. I'll bring them down for you to look at and pick out a few we can use right now."

With that, he quickly went upstairs, then came back down with a stack of documents. He handed them to his parents and spread them out for them to see.

"Oh?"

Senichi and Meixin exchanged a glance, then opened the thick proposal. Somewhat surprised, they said, "You brat, you've been planning this for a while? Let's see how you intend to make money."

After only a few pages, the two of them were completely drawn in by the contents.

"Pharmaceutical production?"

Uchiha Senichi stared at the list in his hands, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"High-proof liquor? You even wrote down brewing recipes? Heh, this stuff is no ordinary thing."

"Three hundred and sixty recipes, and a chain restaurant plan?"

"An improved explosive talisman production process, a fully automated production line..."

"A space scroll improvement plan?"

"And this... a concept for Medical Talismans?"

When he saw the last few items, he could not help looking up at his son, his face full of disbelief.

"Kid, the earlier ideas are reliable enough, but did you get carried away with the later ones?"

"I believe you can improve explosive talismans, but a fully automated production line... isn't that a little too outrageous?"

"Can something like that really be made?"

If it really worked, would that not mean creating a whole pile of explosive talismans out of thin air?

"And when did you learn about space scrolls? I don't remember the clan ever teaching that."

"Medical Talismans are even more outrageous. If you could really make those, not only would they sell well, they would definitely become strategic supplies. But the question is... can it be done?"

Not even a medical ninja on Tsunade's level had ever mentioned such a concept, much less directly making talismans.

But on second thought, Uchiha Senichi felt that his monstrous son might really be able to tinker one into existence.

After all, this brat had already given him more than enough surprises.

Beside him, Uchiha Meixin also frowned slightly and nodded. "Putting everything else aside, the idea of Medical Talismans is indeed bold. If it can really be achieved, Xiao Xuan, you may become famous throughout the entire Ninja World."

This was simply too important.

Then she asked, "The restaurant and pharmaceutical businesses are doable, but the startup capital won't be a small amount. As for pharmaceuticals, what do you plan to sell? Soldier pills?"

A restaurant would require quite a substantial investment.

If they opened it within the clan grounds, they could save on venue costs.

But the Uchiha Clan had always been exclusionary, and outsiders would hardly come here of their own accord.

Opening a restaurant on the clan grounds was not very realistic.

Uchiha Yan turned directly to his father and asked, "Dad, the Second Elder is in charge of the clan's business affairs, right?"

Uchiha Yan tapped a finger lightly against the table and calmly laid out his idea.

"We can bring the clan in on pharmaceuticals and talismans as well. We'll only be responsible for making them, while the clan handles distribution."

He paused, then added, "The Uchiha have merchant caravans and businesses all over the world. The channels are already there, so we won't have to build a market from scratch. What do you think?"

He did not care much about money, really. As long as he had enough to spend, that was fine.

The problem was—he did not have enough now.

And there would be a great many experiments ahead that would burn through money, while the medicinal herbs and resources his family needed for training were also no small expense.

They truly needed to start a business that could bring in money.

Bringing the Uchiha Clan in had another advantage: the risks and pressure could be shared. He had already drawn enough attention lately, so keeping a lower profile would do no harm.

Uchiha Senichi and Meixin exchanged a look. Senichi was the first to nod. "That approach will work. We'll do as you say."