The night was as dark as ink. In the Senju Clan's territory, a figure moved through the night wind. Mito Uzumaki held a beautifully sculpted infant tightly in her arms. The child's eyes were closed, and long eyelashes cast soft Yin Shadow in the moonlight. It was Tsubasa, who had taken the alias Tenki. Her steps were so fast that she almost became a blur, and she had only one thought in her mind—to take the child to see the mother she most needed to see, Senju Ga.
The gates of the Ten Family's Divine Weapon Pavilion slowly opened in the night. The guards, seeing it was Mito Uzumaki, were all startled and were about to bow when she waved them off. " Lady Mito, is there something important that you are visiting the Ten Family so late at night?" the head of the Divine Weapon Pavilion guards asked in a low voice, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the infant in her arms.
"Take me to your patriarch immediately." Mito Uzumaki's voice was authoritative, her palm gently stroking the infant's soft hair. "This matter concerns the Ten Family; there can be no delay."
Passing through the third floor of the Divine Weapon Pavilion, the villa where the Ten Family resided came into view. Warm yellow runic lights still shone inside, and the silhouette of a woman could be vaguely seen through the window. Mito Uzumaki took a deep breath and gently knocked on the villa's door. "It's me, Mito."
The villa gate opened with a click, and Senju Ga, wearing an outer robe, came out to greet her. Upon seeing the infant in Mito Uzumaki's arms, the weariness on her face vanished instantly, replaced by an indescribable bewilderment. "This child... seems..." Her voice trembled slightly, her gaze fixed on the infant's face, her fingertips involuntarily reaching forward, only to stop just before touching it.
The night wind swirled the fallen leaves in front of the villa, Senju Ga's pupils suddenly contracted. A familiar, visceral throbbing surged from the depths of her heart, as if transcending the barriers of time and space, creating a wondrous resonance with the life force of the infant in her arms. It was the throbbing of being together day and night during the ten months of pregnancy, the concern of caring for the child at the sickbed for six years, and the bond between mother and child etched into their very bones.
" Lady Mito, this child is..." Senju Ga's voice choked with sobs, as if hot sand was stuck in her throat. "Whose child is he? How can he look so much like Tsubasa when he was little..." She finally couldn't help but gently touch the baby's cheek. The warm touch made her realize that the contours of his eyes and brows, the curve of his nose, even the slight furrow in his brows when he was asleep, were exactly the same as her eldest son when he was a baby and had been bedridden since birth.
The infant in her arms slowly opened its eyes. Its clear pupils lacked the usual infant's bewilderment, instead revealing a calmness and gentleness beyond its years. "Mother," a childish voice rang out, yet carried a familiarity born of a lifetime, "I am Tsubasa, I've come back to see you."
Senju Ga shuddered, staggering back half a step before managing to steady herself by grabbing the doorframe. Mito Uzumaki quickly handed the child over. "Hana, he is indeed Tsubasa, but let him tell you why he was reborn like this."
With trembling hands, Senju Ga took the infant and held him tightly in her arms, tears instantly streaming down her face. She remembered the six years since Tsubasa's birth, the sleepless nights by his bedside, the countless silent prayers in the dead of night, and the heartbreak when her eldest son, Mo Ming, disappeared for six years. All of this now turned into a torrent of scalding tears. She could clearly feel the child's heartbeat in her arms, the rhythm perfectly matching the throbbing in her own chest—a bloodline resonance that no pretense could imitate.
"My son..." Senju Ga, stroking his soft hair again and again, feeling his real body temperature, "Where have you been all these years? Your mother has missed you so much..."
"Mother, I've been in the Shikkotsu Forest." Tsubasa reached out his small hand to wipe away her tears, his tender face revealing a heartache beyond his years. "I've just existed in a different form. I came back as soon as I recovered to let you know I'm fine, I'm still alive, and I wanted to see you and our family." He paused, then added earnestly, "Please keep this a secret for now, Mother. I don't want to be talked about in this baby form; that would be too embarrassing."
Senju Ga nodded repeatedly, hugging him even tighter. "Okay, I'll listen to you. My son, it feels so good to have him back..." She felt the warm little body in her arms. The longing and worry of the past six years had finally found a home, and the deep-seated concern had finally found a place to rest.
Tsubasa gently patted his mother's hand, softly comforting her. "Mother, don't be sad. I have broken through to the Golden Core Realm and gained a thousand-year lifespan. This body will grow extremely quickly, and in three to five years I will be able to return to adult form. At that time, we can get along like before."
Senju Ga calmed herself slightly, carefully examining the child in her arms, her eyes filled with the joy of having found what she had lost. "Then you shall stay in the Ten Family and grow up with your mother. Your mother will never let you leave her side again."
"Mother, I need to go to Shikkotsu Forest." Tsubasa gently shook his head, his clear eyes revealing determination. " The Spiritual Qi there is abundant, which is more suitable for my physical development and cultivation. This time, I came back to Konoha with Tsunade specifically to see you and my family."
Although Senju Ga was reluctant to part with him, she knew the importance of Shikkotsu Forest to the child, and could only agree with tears in her eyes, "Alright, you've always been decisive. It's not too late to leave tomorrow after you've seen your family. I'll go to Shikkotsu Forest to be with you then."
The next morning, the Ten Family's dining room was filled with the aroma of food. The long wooden tables were filled with the Ten Family members, and the clinking of bowls and chopsticks and their laughter created a warm morning melody. When Senju Ga carried Tsubasa in, the room fell silent instantly, and dozens of eyes turned to the exquisitely beautiful baby.
"Who is this child? Mother, when did we have a baby?" Tenka, the little girl sitting at the end of the table, asked curiously, her eyes full of wonder.
Qian Shouhua sat down in the main seat, holding Tianyi in her arms, a gentle smile on her face, "This is Tianhui, Yue Qingxin's disciple from Shigulin. He'll be staying in Shigulin from now on. I thought he was cute, so I brought him over to play with him today." She gently patted Tianyi's back and introduced them one by one, "Hui'er, these are Zhiyun's two children. The older sister is Tiange, who is six years old, and the younger brother is Tianhua, who is five years old."
A girl of about six years old quickly stood up Teuchi, while the little boy beside her blinked curiously and whispered, "Little brother, you're so cute, where did you come from?"
Tsubasa blinked and waved in Senju Ga's arms.
"And this one, Tenmei's son Tengaku, is a little over three years old." Senju Ga pointed to a chubby-faced little boy on the other side.
Tengaku stared wide-eyed at Tsubasa, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, "I have a little brother! I'm not the youngest in the Ten Family anymore, I'll protect you from now on!"
The atmosphere at the table instantly became lively, with everyone chattering about the suddenly appearing little baby, their curiosity tinged with goodwill. Tsubasa looked at the harmonious scene before him, feeling the warmth of his family, and a satisfied smile appeared on his little face. The sense of kinship became incredibly clear at this moment, and he knew that no matter how many reincarnations he went through, this family bond would never fade.
After the meal, Mito Uzumaki picked up Tenki and said goodbye, "Hana, I'm taking Tenki back to the Senju family home. My Little Tsunade will be anxious soon." She emphasized the words " Tenki " and gave Senju Ga a meaningful look.
Senju Ga understood immediately and nodded, saying, "Be careful on the road." Watching Mito Uzumaki's departing figure, she remained lost in thought for a long time, then lowered her head and softly murmured to herself, "My family is all well, you can rest assured."
In the distance, Tenki nodded gently, his little face full of a relieved smile.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Hokage's office was heavy. The Anbu members stood with their heads bowed Hiruzen Sarutobi, his face grave, said to Tsunade, " Tsunade, we've investigated all day but haven't found any clues about Tenki's parents. Are you sure he's from Konoha Inner Village?"
Tsunade frowned, her fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table. "Uncle, continue the investigation. Make sure you find out the child's origins." After the Anbu withdrew, she rose and went to the Senju ancestral home. Looking at the infant in Mito Uzumaki's arms, she sighed helplessly, "Grandma, if we can't find the child's family, I'll take him back to Shikkotsu Forest first."
Mito Uzumaki gently stroked the baby's cheek, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "Go, it's best to leave it with Yueqing."
Tsunade, carrying Tenki, arrived at Shikkotsu Forest via the teleportation array. Walking towards her master's villa, she was filled with remorse. When she handed the child to Tian Yueqing, she whispered, "Master, I'm sorry, I couldn't find this child's parents. We checked every family in Konoha but couldn't find any information about them. Where did you find him? Did he have any identification?"
Tian Yueqing took the child, gently stroking his forehead, and whispered, "It's alright, it's normal not to find him. This child is destined for me, it's good that he stayed in Shikkotsu Forest." She looked at Tsunade's guilty expression and smiled faintly, "You don't need to blame yourself, perhaps this is Ten'i."
After Tsunade left, Tian Yueqing carried Tenki into the cave. Tian Yueqing learned that Mito Uzumaki and Senju Ga already knew the truth, and breathed a sigh of relief. This secret was too big; she had to bear it all alone. Her sisters would surely blame her later.
Just then, a Tian Yu dressed in white leaped out, holding a scroll in its hand, and asked in a clear voice, "Mother, who exactly is this child? Why does the DNA test report show that he is related to me by blood?"
Tian Yu flicked its antennae and handed the scroll to Tian Yueqing, on which the bloodline identification results were clearly recorded. Tenki, seeing the scene before him, knew he could no longer hide it and sighed softly, " Xiao Yu, I am your father, Tsubasa. You must keep this a secret."
Tian Yu froze, her body trembling slightly. "Father? But you're clearly a little child... Could you be a clone?" She carefully examined Tenki, suddenly feeling that familiar bloodline pulse, and her eyes instantly lit up with surprise. "It really is Father! How did you become like this?"
"It's a long story," Tenki shook his head helplessly. "You have to keep this a secret. Father doesn't want to be laughed at in this state."
Tian Yu swayed happily and gently touched Tenki's cheek. "Okay! This is our little secret! Father is so cute even when he turns into a baby!" She excitedly circled around Tenki a few times.
As night fell, Tian Yu nestled beside Tenki and whispered about her extraordinary adventure, "Father, I've recently awakened many memories of my past life. It turns out I'm the reincarnation of the Katsuyu Sage, your summoned beast." She proudly puffed out her chest. "No wonder my cultivation speed is so fast. I'm only seven years old and already at the Late Foundation Establishment, which makes me a strong figure among the High Immortal Realm!"
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Tenki's eyes. "My Xiao Yu is really amazing."
In the days that followed, Tian Yueqing led Tenki and Tian Yu to cultivate Senjutsu in the cave every day. The rich Spiritual Qi of the Shikkotsu Forest nourished Tenki's body, and in just one month, he grew from an infant in swaddling clothes into a one-year-old child. The way he walked amazed Kaidō Senju and Senju Ga, who came to visit.
"This child is growing up so fast, and he looks a lot like Tsubasa. Could he be a clone of Tsubasa?" Kaidō Senju teased Tenki, looking at his features that were exactly the same as Tsubasa's when he was a child, and became even more certain of her guess.
Tenki giggled, waving his little hands as he rushed towards Fourth Sister's Kaidō Senju, yet his heart was at peace. The warmth of family dispelled his loneliness, and in this Spiritual Qi rich Shikkotsu Forest, Tsubasa was quietly growing, waiting for the day he would return to his peak.