After Meihui unleashed his new secret ninjutsu, Eight Trigrams Azure Dragon Ice Spiral, Super Deva Path tried to resist, only to be frozen solid the instant he used Shinra Tensei.
Meihui's technique could do more than freeze someone solid. The truly terrifying part came afterward, when the ice shattered: anyone trapped inside would break apart along with it.
He had intended to shatter the ice immediately, but then he realized that if he actually destroyed Yahiko's corpse, Nagato might fly into a rage and summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to bombard Konoha.
Although Meihui had little attachment to Konoha, it would be awful if Nagato went around smashing all the flowers and grass.
Besides, Konan was still around. If Meihui really did that, she would probably bury him in Explosive Tags.
Meihui did not dare gamble on whether Konan had bought that many Explosive Tags. Trying his luck with those things would mean trying out death.
That was why Meihui had not activated the second stage of this ninjutsu. He did not dare. He had chickened out.
Seeing Super Deva Path frozen solid, Naruto and Sasuke were both dumbstruck.
"Holy shit, Meihui's gotten stronger again. That absolute monster. Living with someone like him is just rotten luck."
Sasuke grumbled and cursed, while Naruto felt nothing but admiration for Meihui. This was his big brother, after all. His brother was strong, and he was proud of him.
Meanwhile, over at Nagato's hideout...
Nagato, who had been perfectly fine just moments before, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
That gave Konan, standing beside him, a terrible fright. She hurried over to check on him.
"Are you okay, Nagato?"
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Nagato grew even paler.
"I'm sorry, Konan. They've sealed Yahiko's body."