Underground Bounty Station

After getting a good feel for the bustle of everyday life, Qing Si began searching according to the memories in his mind.

As a medium-sized town in the Land of Water, though remote, it should still have an Underground Bounty Station, which could be found throughout the Shinobi World.

From Isshiki's memories, Qing Si learned that the first bounty stations had been jointly established by the nobles of the entire Shinobi World, their sole purpose being to control the Shinobi World's economy and issue a unified currency.

However, after years of conflict and the emergence of shinobi as a profession, the bounty stations had gradually evolved into Underground Bounty Stations. Nominally, they were still jointly controlled by the daimyo of various countries and protected by those nations. In reality, though, during that evolution, the Underground Bounty Stations in each region had become independent. Even the originally standardized currency of the Shinobi World, while retaining its design, now bore the emblems of their respective nations.

Today's Underground Bounty Stations retained only the tradition of issuing the Shinobi World's unified currency in each region; their other functions had long since changed beyond recognition. Their primary business was trade—specifically, assassination bounty transactions. At the same time, they possessed formidable intelligence-gathering capabilities. As long as one had enough money, anyone could be put up for a bounty, and any intelligence could be obtained.

They had all kinds of intelligence. Didn't that sound familiar?

That was right. The one responsible for providing intelligence within the Underground Bounty Stations spread across the Shinobi World was none other than Isshiki Otsutsuki, hidden behind the scenes!

Having survived for over a thousand years, Isshiki had infiltrated the Underground Bounty Stations as soon as they appeared, relying on his knowledge of countless secrets. Over the long years, by continuously providing flawless information that no one else knew, Isshiki had gradually climbed to the position of intelligence chief.

At the end of a street on the northern side of town, Qing Si finally arrived at his destination. It was a rarely visited building. After locating the restroom, he briefly sensed the location of the hidden entrance.

Who knew which genius had designed it, but the location of a dignified bounty station had actually been set inside a restroom.

His nose twitching slightly in distaste, Qing Si endured the foul odor and walked in.

"Right this way!" A fierce-looking man came forward to greet him. He was the attendant assigned to guard this Underground Bounty Station.

"Would the guest like to purchase intelligence or post a bounty?" the attendant asked.

Qing Si did not answer. Silently, he took out a token and handed it to the attendant before him. Based on Isshiki's memories, Qing Si had crafted this token on the way here using the Otsutsuki Clan's unique method through Yin–Yang Release. It was proof of identity that no one in the current Shinobi World could imitate.

Isshiki Otsutsuki had never revealed his true appearance within the bounty stations, always remaining behind the scenes and controlling things remotely. The only proof of his identity was this one-of-a-kind token.

"My lord! How may I assist you?" After verifying it, the attendant immediately dropped to one knee.

"Bring me the latest detailed map of the Land of Water, along with one million ryo in cash." Qing Si was quite satisfied with this and gave the order calmly.

"Please wait a moment, my lord. I'll prepare them right away." The attendant acknowledged the order, turned, and left to retrieve what Qing Si needed.

Before long, the attendant returned with a map and a leather case. After respectfully handing them to Qing Si, he asked.

"Does my lord require anything else?"

"Oh, right. Prepare a storage scroll for me as well." Qing Si casually unfolded the map to inspect it, then suddenly remembered something. He had experienced the convenience of storage scrolls before.

"Yes!" The attendant hurriedly agreed, then took out the storage scroll he carried with him and handed it to Qing Si.

"Not bad!" Qing Si said in satisfaction. Following the method Isshiki had used in his memories, he pointed a finger at the attendant's forehead and transmitted a piece of information. Then, he stored the map and leather case in the scroll before turning to leave.

Feeling the method for training Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet, requiring only ten hand seals, appear in his mind, the attendant was overjoyed.

Water Dragon Bullet was a fairly common B-rank Water Release ninjutsu that normally required as many as forty-four hand seals. Yet Qing Si, who had awakened his memories of a past life and inherited Isshiki's memories, possessed three different simplified casting methods in his mind: three seals, five seals, and ten seals.

"Thank you for your reward, my lord! Farewell, my lord!"

After leaving the bounty station, Qing Si headed straight for a barbecue restaurant he had passed earlier.

"Lord Shinobi, what would you like to eat?" The restaurant owner personally came to greet him.

"Bring me ten portions of every kind of barbecue first!" Having lived on wild vegetables since childhood in this life, Qing Si had experienced the enjoyment of fine food through his memories and was greatly looking forward to this so-called barbecue.

With exquisite knife work, the meat was sliced into thin pieces. The sizzling sound and aroma as it grilled were intoxicating, as if whispering promises of satisfaction into his ear. The color of the meat deepened from pale pink to golden brown, like a work of art displaying barbecue's irresistible allure. The grilled meat was crisp on the outside and tender within, releasing an intoxicating fragrance. Paired with fresh vegetables and seasonings, it left Qing Si savoring every bite.

"This is dozens of times better than the crude stuff I made out in the wild!" Qing Si could not help but praise after his first taste of barbecue.

After devouring the meal like a whirlwind, Qing Si was thoroughly satisfied. Once he had paid, he left the barbecue restaurant and prepared to find a tailor to commission several sets of clothes.

After describing several styles he liked from the memories in his mind, Qing Si paid a deposit and left.

Arriving at the town's only inn, Qing Si lavishly requested the most luxurious room. Having inherited Isshiki's wealth, he had no intention of saving money. With the entire bounty station intelligence network in his hands, Qing Si could now be considered one of the richest people in the Shinobi World aside from the daimyo of the various nations. He might as well enjoy himself.

Soaking comfortably in the hot spring, Qing Si slowly circulated the chakra within his body and began training.

Ten days passed quickly, and it was time to collect his clothes. After breakfast, Qing Si went to the tailor shop, where the old tailor, who had been waiting for him for a long time, handed over the garments Qing Si had commissioned. Qing Si took them and eagerly entered the fitting room. Removing his old tattered clothes, still stained with blood, he quickly changed into the new ones.

Both the Otsutsuki Clan and the Kaguya Clan favored white, and Qing Si was naturally no exception.

He changed into a light beige, form-fitting set of standard shinobi clothes suited for combat, put on a pair of short shinobi boots, and wore a pure white imperial robe over them, embroidered with six black tomoe on both the chest and back.

As Qing Si emerged from the fitting room in his new clothes, the old tailor's eyes lit up.

The youth in white had delicate features, yet possessed an unusual kind of beauty.

His figure was light, his bearing noble, and he exuded a trace of transcendent elegance. Every movement carried an air of calm composure.

Qing Si was extremely satisfied with his new appearance. It had completely achieved the effect from his memories.

Amid the old tailor's respectful farewell, Qing Si returned to the inn.