After dropping off the Hyuga Clan, we'll head to the other clans along the way.
As Hyuga Clan Konoha's top clans, the Hyuga clan's residence occupies a very large area.
Their clan rules are also more numerous than those of other clans.
When Zhang Yu arrived at the Hyuga residence, a series of collision sounds were coming from the training ground.
Hinata and Neji stood facing each other.
Both of them had already rolled their Byakugan.
Neji, his palm aimed directly at Hinata's pressure point on her chest.
Hinata dodged to the side and Teuchi.
Snap!
The two palms collided.
Chakra exploded from his palm.
The two men simultaneously took half a step back, then charged at each other again.
" Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!"
Neji's speed suddenly increased.
Hinata also adopted the same starting stance.
"Two strikes!"
"Four palms!"
"Eight Palms!"
Their palms kept colliding.
After sixteen blows, Hinata's breathing became erratic.
Neji, however, did not stop.
"Thirty-two palm strikes!"
The final palm strike landed.
Hinata stumbled back several steps, nearly falling.
Hyuga Hiashi stood on the sidelines and spoke directly.
"Stop."
Neji withdrew his hands.
Hinata managed to stand up, but then, exhausted, she sat down on the ground to regulate her Chakra.
Hyuga Hiashi looked at her.
"Your strength and speed have both improved."
"But the action wasn't decisive enough."
In actual combat, the enemy will not give you a chance to hesitate.
Hinata replied softly, "Yes, Father."
Neji stood on the other side, without saying a word.
His attitude remained indifferent.
Even when facing Hyuga Hiashi, there was little closeness.
The divide between the Main Family and the Branch Family has always stood between them.
Just then, a member of the Hyuga clan strode into the training ground.
"Chief."
Someone has come to visit outside the mansion.
Hyuga Hiashi asked, "Who is it?"
" Zhang Yu, the owner of the Undead Tavern."
Upon hearing this name, Hyuga Hiashi's attitude immediately changed.
He had already met the people around Zhang Yu.
Hashirama Senju.
Tobirama Senju.
Madara Uchiha.
There are also Indra and Asura.
None of these people are people the Hyuga Clan can afford to offend.
Not to mention, they were all under Zhang Yu's command.
I will go to greet you personally.
Hyuga Hiashi didn't delay and immediately headed to the mansion gate.
Neji watched his retreating figure, his brows furrowing slightly.
He rarely saw Hyuga Hiashi greet someone with such formality.
Hinata, however, had already guessed who the newcomer was.
She quickly stood up from the ground and straightened her clothes.
At the entrance of the Hyuga residence.
Hyuga Hiashi strode out.
" Boss Zhang Yu."
"I have failed to greet you properly."
Zhang Yu handed him an invitation.
"A week later, the Undead Tavern will hold Summer Festival."
"If the Hyuga Clan has time, they can participate together."
Hyuga Hiashi accepted the invitation with both hands.
" The Hyuga Clan will definitely be there."
"It is an honor for the Hyuga Clan Boss Zhang Yu personally delivered the invitation."
Zhang Yu nodded.
Where is Hinata?
"Currently practicing Gentle Fist at the training ground."
Hyuga Hiashi immediately turned his body to the side.
"I'll take you there."
The two crossed the courtyard and arrived near the training ground.
Hinata and Neji had already resumed their sparring.
Neji's attack was even faster than before.
" Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
He took a step closer.
"Both palms!"
"Four palms!"
Hinata kept retreating.
Her Chakra has not fully recovered.
Faced with Neji's relentless attacks, he quickly found himself at a disadvantage.
"Sixteen palm strikes!"
"More than thirty-two palm strikes!"
The palm strike blocked all of Hinata's escape routes.
Just when she was about to give up, she suddenly caught sight of Zhang Yu on the sidelines out of the corner of her eye.
Hinata tensed up.
She didn't want to lose to Zhang Yu.
She didn't want him to see her being completely overwhelmed and powerless.
Hinata gritted her teeth and forcibly gathered her Chakra.
Neji's palm struck down, and she turned her body to the side, her hand almost grazing her shoulder.
She narrowly avoided the attack and immediately turned to counterattack.
Snap!
Hinata slapped Neji's arm away.
With his other hand, he went straight for the acupoints on his chest.
Neji quickly retreated, creating distance.
Both of them stopped moving at the same time.
Hinata looked at Zhang Yu, her cheeks slightly flushed.
" Boss Zhang Yu."
Neji also turned his head.
He first looked at Zhang Yu, then glanced at Hyuga Hiashi standing beside him.
Zhang Yu did not immediately walk towards Hinata.
Seeing Neji's indifferent expression, he said directly, " Hiashi."
"So much time has passed, and you still haven't been able to resolve the conflict between the Main Family and the Branch Family."
Hyuga Hiashi sighed.
"This is not a problem that can be solved in a few words."
The Hyuga Clan has long been divided.
" The Main Family doesn't trust the Branch Family."
" The Branch Family also stemmed from long-standing resentment towards the Main Family."
"Without the Caged Bird Seal suppressing them, the Hyuga Clan would probably have already descended into internal strife."
Zhang Yu turned to look at him.
"Using Cursed Seal to prevent the Branch Family from rebelling is considered resolving internal strife?"
His voice was quite loud.
Hinata and Neji both heard it clearly.
The two stopped sparring and looked at Zhang Yu.
Just then, a system notification appeared in front of Zhang Yu.
[bite!]
[A new quest has been triggered.]
[Mission Title: Resolve the potential internal strife within the Hyuga Clan.]
[Task Reward: 500,000 Gold Coins.]
[Quest Reward: One summon of the undead.]
Five hundred thousand gold coins.
Summon the undead.
Zhang Yu accepted the task immediately and then walked into the training field.
He approached Neji.
Neji could figure out what he meant, Zhang Yu had already raised his hand.
Bang!
He punched Neji in the stomach.
Neji bent over, his feet scraping the ground as he stumbled back several steps.
He clutched his lower abdomen, his face contorted with anger.
But Hyuga Hiashi was right next to him.
Zhang Yu's strength and status speak for themselves.
Neji dared not make a move and could only stare intently at Zhang Yu.
Hinata was startled.
" Neji- nii!"
Hyuga Hiashi never expected Zhang Yu to make a sudden move.
" Boss Zhang Yu, this is..."
Zhang Yu pointed at Neji.
"Did you see that?"
He was beaten.
He was very angry.
But he didn't dare fight back.
"This is the root cause of the internal strife within the Hyuga Clan."
Neji clenched his fists, his arms trembling.
Zhang Yu continued, " The Branch Family is tightly controlled by the Caged Bird Seal."
" The Main Family can decide their life or death."
They suffered injustice, but they couldn't resist.
"Endure it once, endure it ten times, endure it for a lifetime."
Do you think someone like that wouldn't harbor resentment?
Hyuga Hiashi frowned.
" The Caged Bird Seal exists to protect its Byakugan."
"Once a member of the Branch Family dies, the Cursed Seal will destroy the Byakugan, preventing the Kekkei Genkai from falling into the hands of outsiders."
Zhang Yu interrupted him directly.
"Absurd."
"This kind of Cursed Seal outdated and foolish."
The person who invented the Caged Bird Seal was utterly stupid.
The expressions of the surrounding Hyuga clan members all changed.
Hinata stood there, stunned.
Neji slowly raised his head as well.
No one in the Hyuga Clan has ever dared to comment on the Caged Bird Seal in such a way in front of the clan head.
Hyuga Hiashi's face darkened.
" Boss Zhang Yu."
" The Caged Bird Seal tradition has been around for many years, so there must be a reason for its existence."
What's the reasoning behind that?