First Meeting with Orochimaru

After being set free, the kid became quite the chatterbox.

He talked about raising crows, even explaining the Crow Clone Technique and Crow Substitution Technique.

Qian Yun took the opportunity to ask about genjutsu and insights into the Three-Body Technique, then seemingly casually brought up the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Sure enough, the foundation of a great clan was different. Shisui had mastered it at just five years old, and he seriously explained that it was a forbidden technique.

Qian Yun nodded. "Mm, I definitely won't mess around!"

After saying that, he stared eagerly at Shisui, his meaning obvious without words.

That foolish kid Shisui taught him the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique on the spot and even explained the techniques for using it.

Just as they were chatting merrily, Might Guy suddenly came charging over in a whirlwind.

"Qian Yun... Qian Yun..." Might Guy shouted at the top of his lungs.

Shisui seemed rather afraid of strangers and immediately Body Flickered away.

Qian Yun sighed. Even the ANBU member behind the tree sighed along with him.

It turned out Qian Yun was not the only one interested in Uchiha Clan techniques.

As soon as Might Guy arrived, he started talking about taijutsu and invited Qian Yun to train with him.

They had expected Qian Yun to refuse, but who would have thought he actually followed Might Guy to practice kicking wooden posts.

Kick after kick, the two quickly fell into the same rhythm.

The ANBU member was speechless and leaned against the tree, yawning.

Winter passed and spring arrived. Another year had begun.

That day, Qian Yun sat in the classroom, recording the key points of genjutsu from the classroom upstairs while secretly learning the Uchiha Assassination Technique and Konoha Hospital's Skin-Cleansing Technique.

Suddenly, an ANBU ninja Body Flickered in and solemnly delivered the Hokage's order.

"Special medical genin Qian Yun, Lord Hokage summons you. Report immediately!"

Qian Yun swiftly packed up his stationery and immediately Body Flickered out of the classroom.

Obito cried out, "That bastard! So he already knew the Body Flicker Technique! He actually dared to lie to me yesterday and say he couldn't use it!"

Might Guy said, "Maybe he learned it after school yesterday!"

Asuma said, "Ah-ho, judging by the way he moves, he obviously learned it before enrolling!"

Genma Shiranui said, "Damn it, he grew another half foot taller this month. A whole half foot!

"If only I could grow taller too!"

Izumo said, "His height isn't the only thing growing quickly. Didn't you notice when you all peed together?"

Kotetsu said, "Exactly! He really is enviable!"

Asuma said, "Um... Kurenai, don't worry. I'll definitely catch up to him!"

"Idiot! A peeing contest doesn't prove everything. Size doesn't determine strength either, so don't take it so seriously!"

Kurenai Yuhi looked furious, her little face red enough to drip blood.

With a single sentence, she exposed both her perceptive abilities and certain little quirks. Even the teacher froze on the spot.

Hahahaha...

The classroom was full of laughter, but the atmosphere around Qian Yun was oppressive.

Orochimaru's laboratory.

By the time Qian Yun was brought there, quite a few people had already gathered.

Konoha's F4, the medical class, Orochimaru, Kushina and Minato, the heads of every clan—basically everyone with some standing was present.

Several corpses lay at the scene, with little saplings growing from their bodies.

Those who were still alive were barely hanging on, and the black aura around them was gradually thickening.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured for Qian Yun to treat an old man. A section of the small sapling on the man's chest had been cut off, and his body was covered in sealing formulas.

Qian Yun quickly took out beast blood and a brush when an angry shout suddenly rang out from beside him.

"Idiot, don't touch the seal!"

Turning his head, he saw that Hundred Herbs was there too.

Hundred Herbs broke out in a cold sweat, even the hairs all over his body standing on end. Everyone present had cast hostile looks his way.

The corners of Qian Yun's lips curled up slightly as he swiftly put away the beast blood and brush.

He cast the Mystical Palm Technique, even though he knew it was useless.

Nothing unexpected happened. Three minutes later, the old man lost all vital signs.

Qian Yun wiped the old man's eyes, and his wide-open eyes finally closed.

But Qian Yun's sleeve seemingly brushed against the old man's blood by accident.

Qian Yun stood and stepped back, his expression utterly calm.

Hundred Herbs beside him was still sweating. It seemed he had done something foolish.

Apparently, Qian Yun held a slightly higher position in the eyes of Konoha's upper ranks than he, the rising star of the medical class, did.

Gulp!

He swallowed hard, then lowered his head and reined in his aura.

Another five minutes later, all the injured had died. The Third Hokage removed the pipe from his mouth and spoke.

"Scientific research is always accompanied by risks. Distribute compensation to the families of our comrades according to the volunteer agreements.

"I ask everyone not to speak of what happened today, nor bring it up again in the future!

"As for..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused here and glanced at Orochimaru, who unexpectedly lowered his head without speaking.

This scene was vastly different from what Qian Yun had expected. He suspected this was not the domineering Snake Lady he knew.

"Dismissed!"

After Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, everyone began leaving one after another.

Hundred Herbs suddenly caught up to Qian Yun and asked in a low voice,

"Hey, errand boy, stop right there! Let me ask you, do you know sealing techniques?"

Qian Yun glanced sideways at Hundred Herbs, who could not help shuddering.

For that instant, he felt as though he had been watched by a venomous snake.

"I definitely don't know as much as Lord Hundred Herbs!"

After saying that, Qian Yun Body Flickered away, and Hundred Herbs shuddered again.

He had not even learned the Body Flicker Technique, yet Qian Yun could already use it proficiently.

Had he already been surpassed?

He was no longer that little runt from last year... the one he could order around at will.

Damn it!

What was there to be so smug about? I definitely won't let you enter Konoha Hospital. Even if you get in, I won't let you become a medical chunin.

Hundred Herbs secretly made up his mind to suppress Qian Yun for the rest of his life, just as he had last year.

However, the old fellows behind them sensed the conversation outside the door, as well as every change in Hundred Herbs's expression, with perfect clarity.

Meanwhile, Qian Yun bathed and changed clothes at home, appearing completely normal.

Yet the moment he entered the basement to extract the old man's blood for experimentation, Hiruzen Sarutobi used his crystal ball to spy on him.

What left Qian Yun speechless was that people from both ANBU and Root were watching him again.

Qian Yun was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Why did conducting an experiment make him look like a thief?

Just as Qian Yun was hesitating over whether to continue, buds had already sprouted from the blood inside the culture dish.

Qian Yun secretly damaged the seal inside the culture dish.

Hiss...

Smoke rose from the culture dish.

The experiment had failed, and everyone spying on him was deeply disappointed.

Qian Yun found it amusing. He cleaned up the failed specimen, then secretly extracted a drop of intact blood and placed it into his sealing space.

The blood had originally been continuously deteriorating, but after entering the sealing space, it actually began recovering, and the buds stopped growing as well.

It seemed... the Hashirama Cells experiment could continue.

And theoretically, this beast-taming sealing space could preserve flesh and blood without letting it rot.

Then what if he stored blood samples containing bloodline limits, or even preserved corpses or Sharingan?

That was quite a good discovery.

Qian Yun smiled. Fortunately, no one was watching him anymore.

Time flew by, and another half month passed in the blink of an eye.

Recently, that ANBU captain with the Blood Wheel Eye had tripled his alcohol tolerance and even frequently visited the pleasure district.

Qian Yun inadvertently discovered that this man had drugged and raped a female ANBU member two years ago.

Yet the matter had ultimately been dropped. It turned out that bastard was Hiruzen Sarutobi's eldest son.

His name was Sarutobi Shinnosuke, and that was far from the only disgusting thing he had done.

Qian Yun's Carefree Pleasure Virus merely accelerated his fall; it had not changed his original nature.

That day, wounded people were sent back one after another from the Valley of the End defensive line, which meant the war had begun again.

After deliberation, Konoha's upper ranks decided to select genin from the ninja academy to handle routine missions, while the mission ninjas being replaced would have to enter the battlefield.

The changing of the times was accelerating, while Konoha's upper ranks always wanted to keep both the war and missions going.

Once some routine missions were lost, Konoha Village would find it difficult to survive, just like the Hidden Sand Village, which had long been tightening its belt.

Once news of the genin assessment spread, students throughout the entire ninja academy became restless.

The rules were that regardless of age or grade, anyone who passed the teachers' assessments would qualify.