Siege (Part 1)

Madara asked, "Mo, so... what's your plan?"

"Big brother, take half the elites and lie in ambush on the eastern side of the clan grounds; Izuna will take the other half and lie in ambush on the western side," Qin Mo replied in a low voice. "I'll assume Hyuga Tennin's identity and lead the Hyuga Main Family's people in the first attack."

Izuna asked in confusion, "Why not subdue the Hyuga Main Family too? After all, their combat strength..."

"Without Hyuga Tennin, the Hyuga Main Family is nothing but a pack of clowns." Qin Mo sneered. "What I truly value is the combat strength of the Hyuga Branch Family.

But to make them submit from the heart, every member of the Hyuga Main Family has to be eliminated. Only then can the Caged Bird Curse Mark be broken."

Qin Mo's words instantly sent chills down the backs of everyone present.

"Fine!" Madara nodded. "Then that's what we'll do!"

Everyone quickly split up and moved out.

Hozuki Dark Moon and Xue Tahai returned to their strongholds first, while Qin Mo swaggered toward the Hyuga Main Family's camp.

"Lord Tennin!" The Hyuga jonin on guard immediately saluted. "You're back!"

Qin Mo imitated Hyuga Tennin's arrogant tone. "Gather everyone at once and prepare to move! The Uchiha Clan Grounds' defenses are empty right now. This is the perfect chance for a surprise attack!"

The Hyuga Main Family's ninjas suspected nothing and quickly assembled more than a hundred and fifty elites, among whom a hundred and twenty were from the Hyuga Branch Family.

At the same time, in the Hozuki Clan's camp, Hozuki Dark Moon distributed the Water of Life to the clansmen one by one.

"Clan leader, such precious Water of Life..." A Hozuki jonin held the cup in both hands, which were trembling slightly. "You're giving it to all of us just like this?"

Hozuki Dark Moon's expression was grave. "The Uchiha Clan's strength far exceeds our imagination. This Water of Life can not only heal hidden injuries, but also increase strength. This old man does not want to see any clansman die in vain in the coming battle because their strength was insufficient."

When the clansmen heard this, moved looks appeared in their eyes.

An elderly jonin's eyes brimmed with hot tears. "The clan leader thinks so much for our sake... We absolutely cannot disappoint him. Isn't that right, everyone?"

"Yes!" everyone echoed in unison.

The same scene was also playing out in the Snow Clan.

Xue Tahai watched the clansmen drink the Water of Life, the corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly. Now that he had pledged loyalty to Qin Mo, he could only walk this road to the end.

"Clan leader, when do we move?" a Snow jonin asked.

Xue Tahai said in a low voice, "Wait for the signal. Remember, once you see the red flare, act according to the new plan at once."

On the other side, Qin Mo, transformed into Hyuga Tennin, was facing the doubts of the Main Family ninjas.

"Clan leader, wouldn't it be more suitable to let the branch family's people scout the path?" A Main Family elder frowned. "The Main Family bloodline is noble. How could we..."

"Shut up!" Qin Mo cut him off sharply. He took a small bottle of Water of Life from his robes and shook it in front of everyone. "This old man found traces of the Spring of Life on the way back.

Do you want those branch family mongrels to get a share too?"

The eyes of the Main Family members immediately lit up, greed written all over their faces.

"So that's it! The clan leader is wise!"

"Those wastes from the branch family truly don't deserve to enjoy such a divine thing!"

"We'll follow you there right away!"

As for the Hyuga Branch Family jonin standing to the side, the hatred in their eyes was almost turning tangible.

A young branch family jonin clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, only to be held down firmly by an elder beside him.

"Don't be impulsive," the elderly branch family jonin whispered. "Don't forget the Caged Bird..."

Qin Mo took all of this in, sneering inwardly.

Then he turned to the Main Family members. "There's no time to lose. We set out at once. The branch family will stand by here. No one is to move without my order!"

Thirty Hyuga Main Family ninjas followed Qin Mo out of the camp in high spirits, completely unaware that they were about to jump into a trap Qin Mo had already prepared for them.

Qin Mo led the thirty Hyuga Main Family elites swiftly through the dense forest. Moonlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground.

Though the Main Family ninjas were puzzled as to why they were drawing closer and closer to the Uchiha Clan Grounds, they looked at the back of the "clan leader" ahead of them and suppressed their doubts, following close behind.

"Clan leader, are we going the wrong way?" a Main Family jonin finally could not help asking. "This place is too close to the Uchiha Clan Grounds..."

"The Spring of Life is just ahead," Qin Mo said without looking back, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.

The Main Family elder rubbed his hands, greed flashing in his eyes. "The clan leader is wise! Once we obtain the Spring of Life, the Hyuga Clan's strength will surely rise to another level! When the time comes..."

"When the time comes, what?" Qin Mo suddenly stopped and turned to face everyone. "You'll try to contend with the Uchiha and Senju Clan?"

The Main Family members froze, then laughed awkwardly.

"It's right here." Qin Mo pointed at the ground beneath his feet.

"Here?" The Main Family elder looked around, his face full of confusion. "But there's nothing here..."

"If I say there is, then there is." Qin Mo's voice suddenly turned bone-chillingly cold.

At that moment, the shadows of the trees all around suddenly swayed. Uchiha Madara and Izuna appeared in an instant with nineteen elite jonin, surrounding the Hyuga Main Family's people completely.

"Uchiha!" The Main Family elder's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly formed hand seals. "Clan leader, be careful! It's an ambush!"

The other Main Family ninjas also immediately assumed combat stances, veins bulging around their Byakugan.

"Clan leader, give the order to break out!" a Main Family jonin shouted anxiously.

But Qin Mo stood where he was without moving, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smile.

"You still don't understand?" Madara's Sharingan flashed with a bewitching light in the darkness. "The one standing in front of you isn't Hyuga Tennin at all."

"What!" The Main Family members looked at Qin Mo in terror.

"Look closely at who I am." Qin Mo formed seals with both hands. As white smoke dispersed, his original appearance was revealed.

"Who are you!" the Main Family elder shouted in accusation. "Where is Lord Tennin?"

"He went to the Pure Land one step ahead of you," Qin Mo said coldly. "Now, it's time to send you to keep him company."

"Attack!" Izuna's furious shout tore through the night sky.

Nineteen pairs of Three-Tomoe Sharingan lit up with a demonic red glow at the same time.

The Uchiha elites pounced at the Hyuga Main Family's ranks like ghosts.

Veins bulged on the Hyuga Main Family elder's forehead as he shouted sharply, "Form the Eight Trigrams Palm Formation at once and break through!"

Fifteen Hyuga jonin instantly formed three circular defensive rings, Gentle Fist chakra drawing pale blue trails through the air.

However, just as they assumed their stances, two suffocating waves of chakra suddenly descended from the sky.

"Susanoo!"

Boom!

Green and orange chakra skeletons rose from the ground.

Uchiha Jin's Susanoo brought its twin axes down heavily onto the ground, shaking up a ten-meter-high wave of earth.