Unlike Kurama Natsuki, Jing Xiu did not get right in his face and unleash his power. Instead, he kept a relatively safe distance from Uzumaki Qingzhi.
What Jing Xiu employed was the "initial contact strategy" of modern psychology, also known as the "Icebreaking Technique."
Although Uzumaki Qingzhi did not know what organization Jing Xiu and the others belonged to, finding out that Mito Uzumaki was his older cousin was hardly difficult.
But Jing Xiu's next questions left Uzumaki Qingzhi somewhat at a loss.
Uzumaki Qingzhi knew that, although he was on good terms with the Uzumaki clan head's branch of the family, this was the Warring States period.
There was nothing remarkable about an untalented Chunin going missing during a mission.
The Uzumaki Clan would never send anyone to look for him.
A trace of contempt appeared in his eyes, and he sneered inwardly. This Mei is actually their leader? He's nowhere near as capable as that twisted woman!
Jing Xiu asked again, "Has the Uzumaki Clan discovered some valuable materials and started gathering them in secret?"
As Jing Xiu's questions grew increasingly absurd, Uzumaki Qingzhi stopped even trying to conceal the contempt in his eyes.
Seeing this, Kurama Natsuki intended to step forward and reprimand Uzumaki Qingzhi.
But a glance from Jing Xiu stopped her.
This only deepened Uzumaki Qingzhi's disdain for Jing Xiu. Such a mediocre leader, and he still insists on having everything his own way!
I actually fell into the hands of an organization full of idiots! What a humiliating way to go down!
Jing Xiu rapidly fired several more questions at Uzumaki Qingzhi. "Have you ever secretly read the Uzumaki Clan's Complete Guide to Sealing Jutsu?"
"Are you in love with your older cousin, Mito Uzumaki?"
"Do you despise your younger cousin, Uzumaki Ashina?"
"Has the Uzumaki Clan discovered a place of tremendous value?"
"Has the Uzumaki Clan lost something important?"
In the end, Uzumaki Qingzhi's carelessness made him betray crucial information about the Uzumaki Clan.
Those earlier, inconsequential questions had kept Uzumaki Qingzhi looking down on Jing Xiu.
Jing Xiu did not need a detailed answer to any of his questions. All he needed to know was "yes" or "no."
Clearly, the last two questions were the ones Jing Xiu truly cared about.
Based on the intelligence Jing Xiu had obtained, something must have happened in Uzushio Village. Otherwise, the Uzumaki Clan would not have mobilized its ninja on such a large scale.
With Uzumaki ninja appearing so frequently, they were either pursuing a target or conducting a search.
Jing Xiu had initially leaned toward the latter. He suspected that the Uzumaki Clan had discovered clues to some Ancient Ruins and sent people to investigate in secret.
After all, Sealing Jutsu was different from ninjutsu.
Given enough time, plenty of ninja in the Shinobi World could develop new ninjutsu.
Sealing Jutsu was different, however. Over the centuries, its development had been far slower than that of ninjutsu.
The Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu had not been dreamed up out of thin air. Jing Xiu was very interested in its origins.
Judging by Uzumaki Qingzhi's expressions just now, the Uzumaki Clan had not discovered something. They were tracking something down.
In other words, either a member of the Uzumaki Clan had been abducted, or one of their treasures had been stolen.
Kurama Natsuki watched Uzumaki Qingzhi's ashen face. This was her first time witnessing such an uncanny interrogation technique.
But what Jing Xiu did next sent a chill through Kurama Natsuki.
Jing Xiu tapped several points on Uzumaki Qingzhi's body with both hands.
A moment later, Kurama Natsuki, whose spiritual energy was powerful, sensed a stream of pure spiritual power being drawn out of Uzumaki Qingzhi's body and gathering behind Jing Xiu.
She watched as Jing Xiu tapped and struck at things, occasionally tossing something down or tracing seemingly random patterns in the air.
Finally, Jing Xiu reached behind himself and grabbed at empty air.
Then, as though holding some delicacy, he began chewing it in small bites.
Yet Kurama Natsuki could see nothing but Jing Xiu's strange behavior.
Large beads of cold sweat rolled down her temples. She hardly dared to breathe.
Jing Xiu had used a method from Spirit Summoning and Dispatching to extract Uzumaki Qingzhi's soul directly.
After using the Five Thunder Formation to purge the soul's will and impurities, he read it.
As he examined Uzumaki Qingzhi's memories, Jing Xiu witnessed his entire life.
Even many scenes that had grown hazy in Uzumaki Qingzhi's memory replayed in Jing Xiu's mind like a film.
"So it really was the Complete Guide to Sealing Jutsu?"
Within Uzumaki Qingzhi's memories, Jing Xiu browsed the entire Complete Guide to Sealing Jutsu.
As the culmination of the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu, it recorded not only the Five Elements Seal, which Jing Xiu had already mastered, but also the Four Symbols Seal, which could seal all things.
"A shame it doesn't include the Reaper Death Seal. Otherwise, I'd like to see just what that so-called Death God really is!"
Although Jing Xiu appeared to be devouring a soul, he was not actually swallowing it whole like Wang Bing from the world of the Outcasts.
Having come from the Daoist Sect, Jing Xiu naturally understood the importance of keeping his soul pure.
If he truly devoured Uzumaki Qingzhi's soul, the consequences for his own soul would likely be too severe for someone devoted to attaining immortality like Jing Xiu to accept.
He made those bizarre movements partly to plant a seed of fear in Kurama Natsuki's heart and partly to make himself seem more mysterious.
During their year in the Land of Crafts, Kurama Natsuki's feelings for him had grown increasingly obvious.
Those "feelings," whether real or feigned, had even affected Hatake Ryuichi and Aburame Zhihong's attitudes toward carrying out missions.
Jing Xiu only needed tools. He did not need a woman, especially one so full of herself.
Once he had finished, Jing Xiu looked at Kurama Natsuki. Her face, already somewhat sickly from her frail constitution, looked even paler after so many days underground without sunlight.
"Natsu, I have a mission for you. But it carries an extremely high risk. Are you willing?"
In the two years she had spent at Jing Xiu's side, this was the first time he had addressed her so affectionately.
She agreed without hesitation. "As long as it's your command, Lord Jing Xiu, even if you ask me to die the next moment, I'll die without a single complaint or regret!"
Jing Xiu nodded and slowly approached Natsuki.
The nourishment Jing Xiu had provided her body over the past two years had allowed it to develop considerably. Her bust was far larger than that of other girls her age.
Natsuki's face turned as red as a ripe apple, hot enough to cook an egg.
She closed her eyes, already prepared for Jing Xiu's sweet advances.
Jing Xiu's face, even more delicate than Natsuki's, gradually pressed against her pale, sickly features.
Ever since Kurama Natsuki had first met Jing Xiu and learned of her father's intentions.
She had been looking forward to this moment every waking instant.
The sweetness against her lips made her lose herself. She never noticed that something had quietly been planted in her heart.
Just as Kurama Natsuki lost herself completely, hugging Jing Xiu tightly as though she wanted to become one with him.
Jing Xiu suddenly pushed her away and looked at Kurama Natsuki without expression.
Natsuki was at a loss. She had never expected her eagerness to disgust Jing Xiu.
How stupid of me! Young Master Jing Xiu is younger than I am. Of course he'd feel embarrassed! How could I do that!
Jing Xiu's expression did not change. He took out a set of silver needles and coldly swept his gaze over Kurama Natsuki's shapely body. "For the next mission, I'll need to seal off all the chakra in your body!"
"This may hurt a little. Brace yourself!"