Little Death God

The three were all shocked. They had first defeated two of Konoha's elite jonin, and now even Teacher Guy said he had no confidence.

How strong did the enemy have to be?

At the Hokage level?

Tenten spoke worriedly.

Since the enemy is so powerful, we should find reinforcements before taking action.

Guy nodded approvingly.

So your mission is not only to escort Kurenai, but also to bring this intelligence back.

Inform the Hokage. The old man will naturally send people.

The four immediately split up. As they moved, Guy instructed Neji to use his Byakugan to search for the enemy's trail.

But how could they know that Fei Yun's sensory ability far surpassed Neji's?

You want to use the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan to track me and Karin?

Hmph, how could that be possible?

Fei Yun quickly returned to the hot spring inn. Karin had already dressed and was waiting glumly in the lobby. When Fei Yun entered and saw her unhappy expression, he said, "Ha, sorry, sorry. I just went to deal with something. Let's go."

Karin said nothing. She merely nodded and followed Fei Yun outside.

Seeing this, Fei Yun asked, "Are you still angry with me?"

Karin raised her little face and shook her head. "No, I'm not angry at Lord Fei Yun."

"Then why do you look so unhappy?"

Karin gritted her teeth and said angrily, "They all laughed at the bite marks on my body."

Hearing that, Fei Yun suddenly understood. Smiling, he rubbed Karin's head. "It's nothing. Once you've trained your abilities well enough, whoever laughs at you, just beat them up!"

"Mhm, I'll train hard. I want to become as strong as Lord Fei Yun."

Fei Yun suddenly turned his head and muttered under his breath.

"Hm?"

"Have they found us?"

Karin asked in confusion, "Lord Fei Yun, are enemies coming?"

Fei Yun smiled and nodded. "It's no big deal. Their sensory abilities are only about as good as yours. They can't catch us."

Though Fei Yun said that, he still reached out, picked Karin up, and sped off in another direction.

It was not that Fei Yun had not considered taking the risk of killing Might Guy to obtain the Eight Gates training method, but he suppressed that impulse.

He had previously discussed the forbidden technique Eight Gates Formation with Orochimaru. Fei Yun felt that his Immortal Body was quite suited to such a life-risking forbidden technique.

According to their deductions, each gate of the forbidden technique corresponded to a different kind of bodily energy. In other words, opening even one gate required extensive taijutsu training to raise one's physical fitness and bodily energy to the required level.

Ninjutsu and genjutsu were actually both determined by chakra. Ninjutsu and secret arts were manifestations of yang-nature chakra, while genjutsu was a manifestation of yin-nature chakra, reflected in the use of spiritual energy, such as the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Body Switch Technique and the Nara Clan's shadow-type secret arts.

Taijutsu, meanwhile, was a manifestation of chakra and bodily energy, falling under the category of yang-nature chakra, such as the Akimichi Clan's enlargement technique and the Senju Clan's Unparalleled Strength.

The typical example of developing and using yin-nature spiritual energy was sensory-type ninja, while the typical example of developing and using yang-nature energy was medical ninjutsu that repaired flesh and blood.

To reach the level of bodily strength needed to open all Eight Gates, even freaks like Might Guy and Rock Lee needed decades of training.

Rock Lee had trained for nearly ten years and still could not reach the level of opening the Seventh Gate. Fei Yun could only give up on learning the Eight Gates. After all, he could not focus on taijutsu training for decades; that would drag down his other paths.

There were countless paths to becoming stronger. Why did he have to take the hardest one?

Fei Yun had no desire to jump rope eight thousand times every day, do five thousand squats, or perform three thousand push-ups and countless laps around the village while walking on his hands.

There definitely would not be a third time. Next time, I'll kill you.

The two did not really have any grudge, and Fei Yun did not want to risk his life fighting a single-minded idiot like Might Guy. Otherwise, he would not have tolerated him.

I am the mighty Fei Yun, yet I'm avoiding your edge.

Fine, I'll avoid him for now.

Fei Yun easily shook off the pursuers, then changed direction and sped away. He traveled all the way to the border of the Land of Fire, where he found the Bounty Exchange branch managed by Que Ni.

This was a Bounty Exchange disguised as a toilet, with a hidden world inside.

"Aiya, Brother Wu Ming! It's been so long since you visited this old brother. I've missed you so much I could barely sleep!"

The moment Fei Yun entered through the hidden door, the squint-eyed Que Ni ran over excitedly, smiling like a chrysanthemum at the man he had been thinking about day and night.

Over the past year, Konoha had taken many countermeasures, making the bounty orders on the four great clans difficult to handle. Thus, Fei Yun had not gained any high-priced bounties and had even canceled quite a few orders.

This directly caused Que Ni's performance to decline. His former glory was gone, and even his jonin-level female secretary had been transferred away by headquarters.

Que Ni glanced down at Karin and frowned. "Has Brother Wu Ming fallen on hard times now?"

"You've actually sunk so low as to sell children?"

Karin's eyes widened in shock. Though she was only around ten years old, she knew very well that her bloodline was special and surely worth a great deal.

And this place stank. One look told her it was not a good place. Selling children was certainly possible. Could Lord Fei Yun really be planning to sell me?

Sensing Karin's fear, Fei Yun rubbed her head. "What are you talking about? I have plenty of money. I'm only afraid you won't be able to earn it all."

"This little girl is my companion. Why would I sell my companion?"

"Que Ni, when you're out in the world, loyalty and righteousness are what matter most!"

"Brother Wu Ming is right."

"Hahaha."

Que Ni gave him a thumbs-up and flattered him. "Looks like your recent performance hasn't been too good. I brought you some business. I'm the most loyal and righteous man around."

As he spoke, Fei Yun took out a storage scroll and summoned Asuma's corpse.

Que Ni brought over the bounty notice and related intelligence. After carefully verifying everything, he put away Asuma's corpse.

A completed order worth thirty-five million ryo was decent business. But since it was the Hokage's son's corpse, he did not dare keep it for long and immediately ordered his subordinates to contact headquarters to collect Asuma's body.

After receiving the reward, Fei Yun counted the money and asked, "Have you gathered the flesh samples from Konoha's four great clans that I asked for?"

Que Ni took out a spatial ninjutsu storage scroll. "They're all in here. Every piece has been packed in culture solution and labeled with its owner."

Fei Yun accepted it and added, "You'd better not mix up the people, or use random flesh to make up the numbers. My secretary can tell the difference. If there are mistakes, I'll be demanding a refund."

"Of course."

Que Ni patted his chest. "Brother Wu Ming, when you're out in the world, loyalty and righteousness are everything. If there's any problem, come directly to me for a refund. I won't say a word against it."

Fei Yun chuckled and placed several thick stacks of banknotes on the table. "The extra is for tea."

With that, Fei Yun left the Bounty Exchange with Karin and headed for Shadow Village in the Land of Rice Fields.

The next day, just as they approached Shadow Village, they encountered a battle between ninja. By the time Fei Yun arrived, the fight was already over. The scene was in ruins, thick smoke billowing everywhere, with weapons and corpses scattered across the ground.

At the center of the battlefield stood a white-haired youth alone. His body was surrounded by sinister white bone spikes that slowly retracted into him. He was Kimimaro, the last survivor of the Kaguya Clan and wielder of the Shikotsumyaku bloodline limit.

Kimimaro glanced at Fei Yun, put on his shirt, and turned to leave.

"How is it? One of my finest potential vessels is not bad, right?"

"The strongest defense, the sharpest attack."

Orochimaru's voice rang out, and his figure appeared near Fei Yun and Karin like a ghost.

Fei Yun did not even glance at Orochimaru. His eyes remained fixed on the white-haired youth's departing figure.

"You won't get him."

The smile on Orochimaru's face froze. Frowning, he asked, "Why do you say that?"

"That child's dream is to become my vessel."

Fei Yun shook his head. "His dream cannot be fulfilled. He'll die soon."

Orochimaru was rather helpless. Fei Yun was always saying strange things, but the most important thing was that nearly everything the boy said was later proven correct.

"Fei Yun-kun, can you stop cursing me? He's my most satisfactory candidate for a vessel."

Fei Yun shrugged. "By the way, what happened here?"

"Why did a battle of this scale break out?"

"Something happened in the village. It's nothing more than some people trying to bring down Shadow Village. Just a group of clowns. No need to care."

Orochimaru paused, glanced at Karin, and continued, "So, did you find that Death God's Mask?"

Fei Yun walked toward Shadow Village as he answered, "Of course. Come on, hurry up and prepare the Fourth Hokage's cellular tissue."

The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled upward slightly. Just as he was about to follow, Karin quietly asked from the side.

"What about me?"

Orochimaru handed Karin a forehead protector bearing the Sound Village symbol and said, "Karin, from today onward, you are a member of Sound Village just like Fei Yun. This is your ninja forehead protector. Go back to the village first."

"Yes!" Karin happily accepted the forehead protector and ran off.

In truth, Orochimaru had long had his eye on Karin and her mother in Kusagakure. He had originally planned to take Karin away after the Chunin Exams plan began, but after repeatedly failing to obtain vessels and suffering consecutive setbacks in his attacks and dealings with Fei Yun, Orochimaru hastily brought back the children he had been watching in advance, including Karin.

Fei Yun and Orochimaru arrived at an underground secret chamber. Before long, they each entered carrying a box. Both were very interested in the Death God and the Nine-Tails, so they were somewhat impatient.

"Orochimaru, next it's your time to perform. Put it on!"

Fei Yun took out the Death God's Mask and tossed it to Orochimaru, who caught it.

The instant he touched the mask, Orochimaru's expression changed drastically, and his eyes widened.

"Th-this is the feeling of the Death God's chakra?"

It was incomparably cold, overflowing with fear and deathly intent.

Orochimaru stared blankly at the Death God's Mask in his hand. A moment later, his expression became crazed and fascinated.

"Interesting. This is truly too interesting."

Orochimaru extended his long tongue and waved it around a few times before withdrawing it.

He had originally been unable to resist licking the mask, but he seemed to find it somewhat revolting and gave up.

Fei Yun urged him, "Hurry up and put it on. Once you wear it, you can summon the Death God. Just cut open your stomach and release the Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails."

Orochimaru rolled his eyes at Fei Yun. "Put it on? Do you think I still want to live?"

Fei Yun looked completely puzzled.

"Just as planned, after releasing the Fourth Hokage's soul, use the Immortal Body Reincarnation Technique!"

As Orochimaru took out a scroll, he said, "Do you think he'll just let us toy with him? That is the Death God. One small mistake, and my soul will be gone."

"Even if it's gone, it's not a big deal, right?"

"We can completely revive you."

Fei Yun was naturally referring to reviving Orochimaru by awakening the divided spiritual power within the cursed seal.

But with everyone here, Fei Yun did not say it outright.

Orochimaru still shook his head. "I have other, safer methods. There is no need to sacrifice myself."

"Besides, my Living Corpse Reincarnation can only be used once every three years."