Land of Hot Water

Xiao Xi, who had been practicing the Gentle Fist Technique, jumped at the sudden appearance of a figure. Instinctively, she assumed the opening stance of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. Chakra flowed between her palms, already carrying considerable power.

Only after seeing that it was Neji did she cry out in surprise, hurriedly withdraw her chakra, and run toward him.

"Young master, you're back!"

The girl smiled sweetly, as if Neji were her entire world.

"You brat, why are you back so soon? How did it go? Did you succeed?"

Hearing the commotion, Tsunade and Shizune emerged from the tent. Upon seeing Neji had returned, they bombarded him with questions.

"Teacher! I'm back! The training went smoothly. I can already draw natural energy into my body. The rest is just a matter of steady practice. Elder Katsuyu said I only need to go for two hours every day."

Neji answered.

"Hahaha! Good! Now my disciple can learn Sage Art too. Let's see how Jiraiya can keep acting so smug the next time we meet. Hahaha, I can't wait to see that sour look on Jiraiya's face. Hahaha..."

Watching Tsunade laugh heartily, a hint of relief appeared on Neji's face. It was clear that much of Tsunade's inner burden had lifted.

Ever since his rebirth, he had been plotting and calculating at every turn. Only this little group, though brought together by mutual interests, had gradually developed into something Neji truly liked.

"It's just a pity that Teacher Tsunade hasn't awakened Wood Release. Otherwise, the First Hokage's Sage Art, True Several Thousand Hands, Top Transformed Buddha, and other ultimate techniques could return to the world. Well! No rush. My Qi may be able to change a person's physique. When I get the chance, I'll help them all sort out their bodies and see whether their bloodlines can be reactivated."

Neji muttered to himself.

"Hahaha, I haven't been this happy in a long time. Come on, I'm treating you all to a hot spring!"

With a grand wave of her hand, Tsunade decided their next destination.

"Yay!" Shizune clapped her hands and cheered.

Neji spread his hands, indicating that he did not particularly care. Anywhere was fine.

Xiao Xi followed closely behind Neji, occasionally helping him straighten his clothes.

Afterward, the group packed up their things and headed toward the Land of Hot Water.

They had already been near the border, and before long, with a ninja's speed, they entered the territory of the Land of Hot Water.

The Land of Hot Water bordered the prosperous side of the Land of Fire. It was filled with mountains and rivers and possessed hot springs renowned throughout the Ninja World. Due to its earth veins, the springs remained warm year-round, making it a country with a highly developed tourism industry.

Relying on its tourism-based economy, the Land of Hot Water had once developed a fairly strong ninja village. However, after the Third Great Ninja War, it cut its ninja expenditures, and the ninja village was gradually marginalized.

The villages and towns open to outsiders in the Land of Hot Water were filled with hot spring inns of all sizes. The scenery was beautiful, mist hung in the air, streams murmured across the plains, and waterfalls crisscrossed the mountains.

The group had traveled hard all the way here. Seeing such beautiful scenery, they immediately erupted in cheers and were instantly refreshed. They hurriedly found a decent hot spring inn and checked in.

Under Xiao Xi's resentful gaze, Neji sent her to the room next door and changed clothes by himself.

Neji was the first to arrive at the hot springs. Hazy steam drifted around pools of all sizes, as if immortal mist shrouded the area. The springs rose and fell at different levels; some were open-air, while others had partitions. Neji did not overthink it and chose a relatively large pool with a good view before jumping in.

"Ah~ Hah~ So good~"

Neji immediately let out a long, satisfied sigh. The pleasure ran from his toes to the top of his head. The slightly hot spring water stimulated his skin, and faint tingling sensations seeped into his muscles, instantly washing away the exhaustion of the past several days.

Neji sighed comfortably once more, closed his eyes, and eased the weariness in his mind.

"You... young master!"

Suddenly, Xiao Xi's hesitant voice sounded beside Neji's ear.

When Neji opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Xi in a loose bathrobe. Her face was red as she shyly fiddled with her fingers and looked at him. Her delicate toes curled helplessly against the ground.

Her full chest seemed even larger than the last time Neji had seen it, revealing a deep cleavage.

"Get in already. What are you standing there for? Enjoy yourself properly. Ninjas rarely get this kind of free time. Come on, scrub my back!"

Seeing that she was still acting bashful, Neji gave her a reason she could not refuse and coaxed her into the water.

"Ah! Yes, young master!"

The girl first cautiously dipped one small foot into the pool. Seeing the steps beneath the water, she slowly walked down them. The hem of her bathrobe immediately floated across the surface, while her long, fair legs appeared faintly through the shimmering water before Neji's eyes.

"You... young master, turn around!"

Xiao Xi said with her head lowered.

Neji withdrew his gaze at her words and obediently lay facedown on the stone ledge. Before long, a pair of soft hands pressed against his back. The strength of her slender fingers was just right, deepening Neji's enjoyment even further.

"You brat sure knows how to enjoy himself! Come on, Shizune, give me a massage too!"

Tsunade and Shizune appeared on the other side of the pool. Seeing how much Neji was enjoying himself, they could not hold back either and hurried into the water. The moment Tsunade sat down, the movement made even Neji's eyelids twitch.

Compared with Tsunade, Shizune was much slimmer, with her slender arms and calves exposed. Hearing this, she said, "Yes, Lady Tsunade!"

After saying that, she imitated Xiao Xi and began massaging Tsunade.

"Mmm~"

The long nasal sound seemed to convey just how comfortable she felt at that moment.

"All right, Sister Xiao Xi, soak by yourself for a while. You don't need to worry about me."

Neji turned around, leaned comfortably against the edge of the pool, and spoke to Xiao Xi.

"Mm."

Neji closed his eyes and began sorting through his plans for the future.

First, he needed to spend several months getting started with Sage Art. During that period, he could stay in the Land of Hot Water and also learn some of Tsunade's other skills, such as medical ninjutsu, the Monstrous Strength Technique, and sealing techniques.

As for the Yin Seal and the Strength of a Hundred Technique, he did not know whether men could learn them.

Even if he could not, it did not matter. After all, his foundation lay in Qi, and the effects of his Dantian Qi Sea surpassed those of the Yin Seal.

"I just wonder whether Teacher Tsunade, once she fully recovers, will start thinking about returning to the village?"

Neji considered this carefully.

For Neji, it was naturally better not to return to the village. Training outside allowed him to better approach the natural way of the Dao. It was far better than cultivating under everyone's watchful eyes in the village.

In Neji's plan, Tsunade would ideally return to Konoha as Hokage after the Chunin Exams. That way, as the Hokage's disciple, he would also gain considerable authority.

Furthermore, with Tsunade backing him then, he would not need to worry about his accomplishments being buried when taking missions. He would be able to achieve more, rather than returning now and getting caught in the storm of power struggles.

"Let's wait and see. So far, Teacher has shown no sign of wanting to return. The fact that she did not even meet the Hokage during this trip back to the village shows her current attitude toward Konoha's higher-ups. Tsunade isn't foolish. She naturally understands the pros and cons of returning now. If she really does want to go back, I can probably persuade her after giving her a few words of advice."

Neji wiped his face and set the course for the next few years.