The Sannin returned

After giving the others a few reminders, Qingyun noticed the sky growing dark and turned to Minato Namikaze. "Minato, are the ingredients for dinner ready?"

"Big brother, the rice is cooked, and the ingredients are ready too. We came looking for you because you still hadn't returned."

Minato Namikaze explained the situation to Qingyun.

Qingyun nodded at his words. "Let's go!"

With that, Qingyun used Lingbo Micro-Step and raced toward his home in the Forest of Death.

Before long, Qingyun returned, saw the prepared ingredients, and immediately lit the fire and started cooking.

Cooking was second nature to Qingyun. In no time, all the dishes were ready. He took out the Wine Flask and tipped a mouthful into his mouth, looking thoroughly content.

Although the Buddha's Smile Wine could still increase his internal force a little, the medicinal potency was broken down and absorbed by his Nine Yang Internal Force as soon as it entered his body. Qingyun no longer needed to circulate it deliberately.

Minato Namikaze did not dare drink the way Qingyun did. Even setting aside the alcohol in the Buddha's Smile Wine, a single small sip would knock him unconscious if he did not circulate his internal force to process it.

Nawaki watched Qingyun drink with longing in his eyes. Seeing his expression, Qingyun shook his head helplessly. "Stop staring. This wine isn't suitable for you. Even your sister would burst before she could finish half a flask."

"Brat, what are you saying about me behind my back?"

The instant Qingyun finished speaking, a blur flashed before his eyes. Just as he instinctively began circulating his internal force, he heard Tsunade's languid voice and relaxed.

"Hey, don't—"

Qingyun felt his hand lighten as his Wine Flask landed in Tsunade's hand. She eagerly took a swig.

Fortunately, the Wine Flask had a narrow opening, so she had not drunk much. Otherwise, Qingyun feared something might happen to her.

After snatching Qingyun's Wine Flask, Tsunade took a mouthful. Having gone months without a drink, she was naturally craving one, but the wine in Qingyun's flask far exceeded her expectations.

She had smelled its rich aroma before arriving, which was why she had taken a sip without waiting for Qingyun to finish speaking. Just as she was about to take another, a surge of medicinal potency erupted inside her.

Tsunade froze on the spot, her face flushing red as she stared at Qingyun in shock.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and use your chakra to absorb the medicinal potency!" Watching Tsunade stand there staring at him, Qingyun pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed helplessly. These siblings both seemed a little scatterbrained, each as dumbstruck as the other.

"Oh."

Qingyun's words snapped Tsunade out of her daze. She answered reflexively, completely forgetting that she was the teacher and Qingyun was her student.

With Tsunade interrupting their evening, Qingyun and the others did not start eating right away. Instead, they watched her circulate her chakra to absorb the medicinal potency.

"Huh? What's wrong with Tsunade?"

Just then, Orochimaru and Jiraiya arrived together. They had only just returned to the village when Tsunade hurried straight here. With no other choice, Orochimaru and Jiraiya had taken over her duties, delivering the wounded to the Ninja Hospital before going to the Hokage Building to report to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

After that delay, they arrived to find Tsunade sitting cross-legged on the ground, her face bright red as she circulated her chakra, looking as though she was molding more of it.

Orochimaru studied Tsunade, then sniffed the lingering fragrance of wine in the air. His yellow eyes settled on the Wine Flask in Qingyun's hand. "Qingyun, did the wine you're holding do this to Tsunade?"

Seeing Orochimaru staring at his Wine Flask, Qingyun nodded, then gave Minato Namikaze a meaningful look.

Minato Namikaze understood at once. He went back inside and emerged carrying a wine jar, took out several clean bowls, and carefully filled them a third of the way.

"Minato, why are you pouring so little? Don't be stingy. Fill them up."

Unhappy with the meager amount Minato Namikaze had poured, Jiraiya immediately told him to fill the bowls.

"Master Jiraiya, this wine is unusual. Not only is it extremely strong, but I also added extracts from several medicinal herbs. The first time you drink it, the medicinal potency is released to its fullest.

"The first time I drank it, I only dared to have one cup. You and Master Orochimaru are powerful, but by my calculations, a third of a bowl should already be your limit. Any more could damage your meridians. It wouldn't be worth it."

Seeing Jiraiya's reaction, Qingyun hurried to warn him.

Qingyun was not being stingy. There was plenty of wine left, and he could brew more once it was gone. But drinking too much the first time would unleash the wine's medicinal potency to its fullest. If it all erupted inside their bodies and they lacked enough chakra to absorb it, the rampaging medicinal potency could very well injure them.

Besides, they were already powerful. No matter how much they drank, it could only increase their chakra by ten percent at most. They would merely spend extra time absorbing the medicinal potency, making it more trouble than it was worth.

"That's enough, idiot. Listen to Qingyun. Qingyun, thank you for treating us."

Noticing Tsunade's presence gradually strengthening, Orochimaru interrupted Jiraiya before he could say anything more and thanked Qingyun.

At their level, increasing their chakra was essentially impossible, because they had already drawn out the full potential of every cell in their bodies.

If they wanted to grow stronger, they could only rely on external means, such as powerful ninjutsu, taijutsu, or senjutsu.

Now that Qingyun's wine could actually help increase their chakra, Orochimaru naturally owed him a favor.

After speaking, he drained his bowl of Buddha's Smile Wine in one gulp. Orochimaru's brow furrowed as the wine entered his mouth, its initial burning bite clearly making him uncomfortable. Fortunately, that sensation lasted only a moment before turning sweet. A surge of medicinal potency erupted inside him, and Orochimaru wasted no time circulating his chakra to absorb it.

Seeing Orochimaru drain his wine, Jiraiya quickly took the bowl Minato Namikaze offered him and drank it in one gulp. Then, like Orochimaru, he sat cross-legged and circulated his chakra.

Before long, Tsunade was the first to awaken. Delighted, she examined the state of her body. Her chakra had increased considerably—by about ten percent, just as Qingyun had estimated.

"Well, look at you! While I was away from Konoha, you went and made something this good. What other secrets are you hiding? Out with them!"

After checking her condition, Tsunade opened her eyes and looked at Qingyun with satisfaction. Then she glanced at Nawaki and said disdainfully, "What are you doing here? Did you tell Grandma?"

Nawaki was clearly a little afraid of his violent sister. He scratched the back of his head. "Sis, give me a little dignity in front of my big brother!"

Tsunade paused at his words. Big brother? Then she turned her gaze toward Qingyun.

Seeing her look, Qingyun shrugged, spread his hands, and explained what had happened recently.

"You're saying the Uchiha Clan discovered you? Damn it, I shouldn't have let you treat the wounded."

After hearing Qingyun's account, Tsunade looked full of regret.

Touched by her concern, Qingyun said, "It's all right, Sis—my teacher. Even if I hadn't treated the wounded before, the Uchiha would have noticed me sooner or later. After all, I come first every time, completely outperforming Uchiha Yungang and his brother, whom they sent to the Ninja Academy. And my background isn't much of a secret within the Uchiha Clan. A little digging would reveal it, so you don't need to blame yourself."

Hearing Qingyun's words, Tsunade's expression eased a little.

"Then have they caused you any trouble since?"

"No. They only sent a girl to transfer into my class. I think they're mainly trying to win me over!"

Qingyun shook his head and shared his guess.

Only then did Tsunade feel temporarily reassured. The Uchiha were Konoha's foremost clan. If they deliberately sought trouble with Qingyun, his situation would become extremely dangerous. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi would find it difficult to handle, let alone a child like Qingyun.

Fortunately, the Uchiha had not gone that far. Otherwise, Tsunade would have had to find a way to take Qingyun traveling through the Shinobi World, avoiding the Uchiha for the time being and returning only once he could protect himself.

"Big brother, can I tell her about what happened today?"

Nawaki looked at Qingyun expectantly, clearly eager to show off a little in front of Tsunade.

At Nawaki's question, Qingyun glanced around. Aside from Orochimaru, everyone present was trustworthy. And Orochimaru placed great value on deals. As long as Qingyun made a deal with him, Orochimaru would not do anything to him either.

"Go ahead!"

"Yeah! Sis, let me tell you! Big brother created an incredibly powerful ninjutsu today, and it doesn't even need hand seals!"

As he spoke, he gestured animatedly at Tsunade.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed at his words, and she looked at Qingyun. Only after he nodded did she reluctantly believe Nawaki's claim.

But precisely because of that, shock surged through Tsunade's heart. How old was Qingyun? Nine—not even ten! Yet he had already created a technique with power comparable to A-Rank ninjutsu. And most importantly, it did not even require hand seals?