Fengqian Zi Quan

"I wonder if Zhou Yang is doing well over there."

"Lord Hanzo, don't worry. Sis has always treated us Rain Ninja Village natives very well."

"But that kid isn't one of us."

"But he's still young. If he lives here long enough, won't he become one of us?"

"That seems right too."

Two figures dressed as ninja were discussing this in the Rain Ninja Village chief's office. They were Shi He and Hanzo.

"You're the person I was supposed to meet!" Zhou Yang declared with certainty.

"Oh my, you finally figured it out. You even tried to attack me earlier. That really made me angry!" The proprietress put her hands on her hips, seemingly still quite upset about what had happened.

Zhou Yang did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Wouldn't it have been fine if you'd told me earlier? What was all that about?"

"You still didn't realize it? This is a major route through the Land of Rain. Did you really think Hanzo wouldn't have someone stationed here?"

"So that's why they were all so peaceful! It wasn't Teacher's threats—it was you." Although the proprietress addressed Hanzo by name, Zhou Yang would never do that outside, even though he wanted to.

"You're really wrong about that. It truly was Hanzo's reputation that kept them in line—or perhaps their leaders gave them such orders."

"Wait, isn't it a little wasteful for a Shadow Level expert like you to be holed up here as a proprietress?"

"I like it. So what? And I'm not Shadow Level. I'm just an Upper Ninja."

An Upper Ninja? Could an Upper Ninja be so disrespectful toward Hanzo? Zhou Yang was puzzled. In his memory, even Shi He, also an Upper Ninja, was extremely respectful toward Hanzo!

"Um... Big Sis, I might be too low in status to say this, but isn't Teacher your superior? Aren't you being a little too disrespectful?"

"Are you going to tell anyone?" The proprietress shot Zhou Yang a look, the meaning obvious.

"No, absolutely not." Zhou Yang frantically waved both hands, afraid she would not believe him.

"Although that answer satisfies me, let me tell you this: even if he were standing right in front of me, I'd still call him that."

Zhou Yang gathered his courage and looked the proprietress over from head to toe. Then, as if he understood something, he nodded.

The proprietress gave him a slap across the face. It was not hard; rather than a slap, it was more like a press.

"What are you thinking? I'm the daughter of the previous Rain Ninja Village chief."

Seeing that the proprietress was rather easygoing and did not put on airs, Zhou Yang grew bolder. "That doesn't conflict with my guess. The Rain Ninja Village chief's daughter could become the next chief's wife."

"Hanzo is just some old uncle. How could he marry a young maiden like me? Besides, besides, that thing happened." At the mention of that matter, the proprietress's expression darkened. It seemed to have been a very serious event.

Zhou Yang recalled that, during all his time in the Rain Ninja Village, he had never heard anything about the previous chief. All he had heard were stories of Hanzo, the current chief. Given the age of the proprietress before him, her elders should still have been alive. Since there had been no mention of them, they must have died. Combined with what she had said, there seemed to be only one conclusion: Hanzo had killed her father.

Zhou Yang did not voice that conclusion, because there were still holes in it. For example, how had Hanzo succeeded him after killing his father?

The proprietress apparently did not want to bring it up either. She turned and sat beside Zhou Yang, tore off his veil in one motion, studied his face for a few seconds, and then asked, "What do you think of the Rain Ninja Village?"

"Its geographical location is terrible, its military strength is terrible, and its educational policies are terrible." With every point Zhou Yang made, he seemed to sense the woman's emotions fluctuating more intensely, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. His voice grew quieter and quieter, afraid of setting it off.

Then she seemed to realize this herself. She gritted her teeth and took several deep breaths, calming down for a while. He seemed to hear her mutter, "Why am I arguing with some brat?" Once she had settled herself, she asked again, "If you think this place is so terrible, why did you come here?"

"I was wandering the Ninja World, so ending up here was merely accidental."

"Then why did you choose to settle down here?"

"Because I met the love of my life." At the mention of Nan, Zhou Yang smiled.

What could a child his age possibly know about love? The proprietress was doubtful, but it still counted as an answer.

"Then why did you become a ninja in the Rain Ninja Village?" The proprietress fired off one question after another, giving Zhou Yang no time to think.

"Because it's close, and Teacher's strength speaks for itself."

"And what about your future?" As she asked this, the proprietress quietly began using genjutsu.

"My future will be here too!"

"Why? Didn't you say this place was terrible?" By the time she asked that, her palms were sweating.

"Isn't it challenging precisely because it's terrible? Besides, I believe that wherever I am won't be terrible."

"Are you always this narcissistic?"

"No. This is confidence."

"Then are you confident you can govern the Rain Ninja Village well?" The proprietress's eyes widened as both hands behind her back formed a seal.

"Of course."

Upon hearing that, the proprietress quietly released the genjutsu, while Zhou Yang remained utterly unaware.

"Zhou Yang, remember what you said!"

"I've always meant what I said."

"Very good. I knew I wasn't wrong to call you my precious." The proprietress finally smiled, and she smiled very happily.

Zhou Yang was at a loss when he saw her like this. He did not know why she was so happy. Was it simply because he said he would govern the Rain Ninja Village well? It did seem difficult to govern, but who was Zhou Yang? He had so many methods from his previous life. All he needed was to choose suitable ones and imitate them.

"Oh, right, ma'am, I have a question. Since you're here, why didn't you just take care of that fugitive yourself?"

Hearing this, the proprietress said, "I'm merely an ordinary proprietress who survives by drawing in customers. Just gathering a little intelligence has already exhausted this weak woman."

"Yes, you're only a weak woman who even dares to curse Hanzo."

"Don't talk nonsense. When did I curse him? You'll have to take responsibility for saying that."

Don't say you wouldn't dare curse him—I wouldn't believe that even if you told me. But Zhou Yang did not say it aloud. He could only hurriedly claim he had misspoken.

"Enough, I'm done chatting with you. Here, this is where that guy is. Go yourself; I won't lead the way."

"Alright, Senior."

"Wait, what did you call me?" The proprietress, who had already turned away, suddenly looked back.

"S-Senior. Was that wrong?"

"Remember this: call me Big Sis from now on. And remember, I'm only eighteen this year."

Eighteen?

Zhou Yang was truly shocked. An eighteen-year-old Upper Ninja should, by all rights, have been capable of challenging the Shadow Level. Why had he never heard her name? Could Nagato have killed her during that clash with Akatsuki?

"Um... may I ask Big Sis's name?"

"What? Are you trying to court Big Sis?"

"Um..." Zhou Yang scratched his head.

"You're too young. If you were a little older, maybe Big Sis would give you a chance! But you still have a chance, the same condition I gave the people outside."

"You mean if I defeat Hanzo, I can really marry you?"

"That's right. I've never lied to them. The same goes for you: as long as you defeat Hanzo, Big Sis will be yours."

"But I already have a wife!"

"Is your wife prettier than me? Does she have a better figure than me?" As she spoke, the proprietress spun around. "Men! There isn't a cat among you that doesn't sneak a taste. Alright, I'm leaving."

"You still haven't told me your name!"

"Zi Quan. Fengqian Zi Quan."