When fighting the Uchiha's Sharingan or ocular techniques like the Mangekyō, avoiding eye contact was the safest approach.
Back then, everyone had listened without ever imagining they would actually have to fight that way someday.
But the problem was that they had to judge their opponent's attacks and position purely through perception, without watching his movements.
That was no small challenge for them.
Fortunately, both men were talented, and their perception was far sharper than most people's.
As a result, they managed to hold their own against Itachi, with neither side gaining an advantage.
Mei Terumi and Kurenai Yuhi had no intention of getting involved in a fight at this level.
Seeing Xuan Zhe being chased and attacked the whole time, Rin Nohara was about to rush in to help, only for Mei Terumi and Kurenai Yuhi to surround her.
Although both women were furious that Xuan Zhe had deliberately avoided them, what angered them most was that Rin Nohara had helped him deceive them.
The two women, who normally couldn't stand each other, were now on the same side, demanding to know exactly what had happened between Rin Nohara and Xuan Zhe lately.
As he fought, Xuan Zhe also caught sight of what was happening around Rin Nohara.
He felt considerably more at ease when he saw that the three women hadn't rushed in to interfere.
He had come all this way because he was afraid Kurenai Yuhi would be injured by that dried-up persimmon, just as she had been in the original story.
He might have been avoiding Kurenai Yuhi and Mei Terumi, but he still had to worry about what needed worrying about.
Under their questioning, Rin Nohara had no choice but to honestly explain that Xuan Zhe had been staying at her place lately.
An unattached