It's normal to get a kaleidoscope as a first deposit of six yuan, right?

Ding! Transplantation is merely a superficial mixing of power. Even a perfect transplant cannot unleash its full potential. However, fusion absorbs the characteristics and power of Hashirama's cells, completely altering the host's physical data.

"Hmm... how much would a perfect fusion cost?"

Ding! If there are interstitial cells, fusion requires 2400 million taels; otherwise, it requires 7998 million taels.

Hearing this number, Zhi Xue felt a chill run down her spine. This system was really shady. Fortunately, she had obtained the Hashirama cells, which would save her a lot of trouble.

Ding! The host's trial card has less than 4 minutes left. Please pack your things and leave as soon as possible.

Upon hearing the system notification, Zhi Xue did not hesitate and opened more than a dozen other boxes, most of which contained useless research materials, with only a few boxes containing funds.

Can you collect all the remaining money, Master?

Ding, received. 2 taels deducted automatically.

At Zhixue's command, a blue light flashed around them, and numerous valuables such as silver and gold seemed to vanish into thin air like ashes.

Ding! You have received 1200 million taels of silver.

Ding, 2 minutes remaining on your trial card.

After emptying Snake's treasure, Zhi Xue, with her powerful Kage-level perception, was about to run outside when she saw a familiar figure at a central fork in the road.

Orochimaru, soaking wet, had just returned when he saw a pair of scarlet three-tomoe swords in the distance.

Upon seeing each other, both Zhixue and Orochimaru felt a pang of unease.

Ding, 1 minute remaining on your trial card.

"Oh no, we've run into Orochimaru and he's gone home." When Zhi Xue heard that there was only one minute left on her trial card, a hint of panic flashed across her youthful face. Little did she know that Orochimaru on the other side was just as panicked as she was.

Feeling the immense chakra that was in no way inferior to that of the Third Hokage, Orochimaru stood still, not daring to make any further moves.

He was still seriously injured. If he were to encounter this guy, he would surely die within three minutes. After all, Orochimaru had just defected from Konoha and was still a mortal without any physical modifications or the Reanimation Jutsu. A kunai stuck in his heart would be fatal.

After Zhixue's crimson eyes met Orochimaru's cold, narrowed gaze, they shifted their positions slightly and carefully switched places against the wall.

After running for a while, Zhixue reached the cave entrance. She looked back and saw that Orochimaru hadn't caught up. She patted her slightly developed chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It seems they haven't found any clues. This is really dangerous."

After Orochimaru could no longer sense Shiseido's terrifying chakra, he also felt his heartbeat gradually slow down.

That situation was far too dangerous. Orochimaru almost gasped when he saw the two three-tomoe swords, initially thinking they were Konoha's pursuers coming to ambush him. But it seemed the situation was much more complicated.

Orochimaru ran to the place where the funds were originally stored. Looking at the broken rubble, he rummaged through the boxes and found that most of the research materials were fine. He only took the funds and a can of Hashirama cells. After that, a smile returned to Orochimaru's face.

Recalling the terrifying Uchiha brat from before, Orochimaru's smile faded.

"It's no longer safe here. We have to find that brat Xuejian and leave immediately." After Orochimaru finished packing up the things he needed to take with him, he quickly formed hand seals, and a cursed seal pattern consisting of three semicircles appeared at the soles of his feet.

……

“You can’t escape…” Wu Tai wandered through several alleys, searching for Xue Jian and Tian Zang’s whereabouts.

After Wutai dashed across the street like a gust of wind, Tianzang lifted a corner of the bamboo cages around him, looked around, and only after finding that Wutai had gone far away did he breathe a sigh of relief and pull Xuejian out.

"Alright, Wutai is gone, let's run quickly."

When Xuejian was asked about the suggestion of sky burial, she hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

"Tianzang, I'm sorry." Xuejian let go of Tianzang's small hand.

"Xuejian, you..."

“I’ve been out here long enough, and I’ve seen all the sights I wanted to see. I was really happy being with the sky burial, but I’m still a member of the clan, so I can’t go with you to see the outside world.”

Faced with Xuejian's rejection, Tianzang took her small hand and said, "Haven't you realized it yet? Wutai is the leader of your clan, and you are just a little girl in the clan. So why would he risk his life to go up the tower to try and take you back?"

Xuejian avoided Tianzang's gaze, looking away as she heard his words.

Clearly, Xuejian could also vaguely see something, but she really wanted to go and see the outside world with Tianzang. She had always been a very well-behaved child, but this time she acted willfully, which she felt was very worthwhile.

At least we know that Tianzang is still alive, and we've been able to play happily with him for so long.

The thought of that man, whose eyes held both coldness and fervor, sent a chill down Xuejian's spine.

This was the same man who took Tianzang away, along with all the other children in the clan except for her. Three years have passed since then, and now it seems her turn is next…

Chapter 28 The Arrival of Shisui

"I've hit the jackpot!" Zhi Xue ran through the muddy mountain rocks, occasionally pressing down the hem of her lotus leaf skirt to avoid revealing that mysterious white area.

Although there weren't many people around, Zhixue still felt very uncomfortable. Weren't all anime dresses supposed to have anti-gravity engines? Why wasn't she experiencing any of it?

Ding! The system store is selling the Anti-Gravity Engine. A five-minute charge provides two hours of battery life, offering super-fast speed, ultra-high efficiency, comfort, and peace of mind. Currently priced at 388 units.

"What am I supposed to do with this? I'd rather use this money to learn the Light and Heavy Rock Technique later. By the way, where are my mission rewards?" Zhi Xue couldn't help but complain when the system suddenly interrupted her.

Ding! The host is not currently in a completely safe state. Please return to the vicinity of Konoha Village immediately to claim the mission reward.

"Alright." When Zhi Xue thought about the mission rewards and what she had gained this time, she felt that good days were coming soon. Fortunately, when she activated the Shadow-level experience card, her wounds were instantly healed, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to run so fast. However, gradually, Zhi Xue suddenly felt a sense of weakness in her body.

Chakra seemed to be hard to mobilize, and it felt as if the strength in his body had been sucked away by something, making every part of his body feel as heavy as if it were filled with water bags.

"What's going on... My body is so sore and tired..." Zhi Xue felt her body getting weaker and weaker, and she lay down swaying next to a big tree.

Ding! This is the weakened period after the Shadow-level trial card expires. The host's current body is not able to perfectly control the power of a Shadow-level character. The system has minimized the damage.

Zhi Xue looked up at the sky. The sun had lost its brilliance, and the bright silver moonlight was spread across the earth. The soft light was not as dazzling as during the day, but it gave many hunters in the darkness the opportunity to hunt.

“It’s already evening…” Zhi Xue wiped the sweat from her forehead, found a secluded spot, and planned to rest for a while before continuing her journey.

The nearby markets and villages are definitely not safe. This place is near Orochimaru's small base, and there might be some kind of mutated beastmen here.

Zhi Xue lay in a natural tree hollow, with a small mat of leaves beneath her. Nearby were small traps made of silk threads and kunai.

After taking out a few ration pills from her ninja tool pouch to recover her strength, Zhi Xue reached under her skirt and untied a blood-stained bandage from her thigh, revealing her originally delicate and smooth perfect skin.

Although the bloodstains on the bandage had dried, it still felt rough and uncomfortable to wear.

While Zhixue was still tending to her bandages, little did she know that a small white snake standing outside had already spotted her location. However, just as it was about to burrow into the ground and disappear, a sharp claw slammed into its head.

It was a glossy black crow with a faint crimson glow in its pupils. After killing the small snake that stubbornly resisted under its claws, it flew into the sky.

Gaa gaa gaa!

……

call out!

While Zhixue was still resting in the tree hollow, an unexpected change occurred at Tianzang.

A wisp of white smoke emanated from the curse mark on the back of Xuejian's neck, and a fiery red light burned across Xuejian's entire body like a brand.

"Ugh... What's going on... How could this happen... The curse mark... Isn't it supposed to stabilize the body's condition...?" Xuejian touched the burning red mark on her back and said in disbelief.

So... Orochimaru tampered with the cursed seals he made for them? They had already suspected it.

"Xuejian!?" Tianzang had never seen this situation before, and while trying to think of a solution, he felt extremely flustered.

Suddenly, Tenzang remembered the fireworks they had prepared to use to signal for help. They had intended to use them from the highest point here, so that the Konoha ninjas could probably see their signal. But now, with that old guy Gota wandering around nearby, there was no way they could get a chance to reach the tower. However, it seemed that they had no choice but to try their luck.

We can only hope that a strong Konoha ninja nearby will be able to see this firework.

Sky Burial took the fireworks out of his pocket, lit them, and launched them into the sky. Location didn't matter anymore; even if Wu Tai discovered them, saving Xue Jian was worth it.

As for stopping Orochimaru's defection, Tenzang had already planned out his punishment upon returning. He couldn't even defeat a mere clansman like Gotae; how could he possibly capture Orochimaru?

Just as Tianzang had expected, Wutai found this place after only a short while. Seeing Xuejian in Tianzang's arms, her face contorted in pain from the curse mark, her body trembling and weak, Wutai's expression turned serious.

"It seems Lord Orochimaru has arrived. Kid, are you still going to resist this time? Time is of the essence. If you don't hurry up and hand Yukimi over to Lord Orochimaru, she will eventually be burned to death by the cursed seal."

Upon hearing this, Tianzang fell silent for a moment, but still clenched his fists and asked Wutai with resentment, "Why, why does it have to be Xuejian?"

Wu Tai walked past Tian Zang and picked up Xue Jian, saying with a gloomy face, "You don't need to know these things... but dying quickly is much better than being tortured to death now."

Upon hearing this, Tianzang's pupils contracted, and tears welled up in his eyes, dripping onto the ground.

In truth, Tenzang knew deep down that Yukimi might be the key to Orochimaru's defection from the Land of Fire. If Yukimi died, Orochimaru's chances of success would be greatly reduced, but he would never do that.

If someone chooses to kill their friend for a mission, how is that any different from being a beast?

Tenzang gritted his teeth, pulled out a kunai from his ninja tool pouch, and followed in Gota's direction.

"I can't back down like this... Xuejian can't die... I have to complete my mission and my friends!" Tianzang hardened his heart and prepared to secretly follow Wutai back to the cave to fight Orochimaru to the death, hoping that there might still be a glimmer of hope.

Just after Tianzang had followed Wutai for a while, Wutai suddenly stopped running, and Tianzang, who was hiding behind a pillar, felt a pang in his heart.

Have they been discovered?

boom!

Under the shocked gaze of Tenzang, Gota fell to the ground, and Yukimi also fell into the hands of a sparse-haired ninja dressed in ANBU attire.

After suppressing the curse seal with the sealing magic seal, Shisui placed the recovered Xuejian on the ground, then looked deeply at the location of the Heavenly Burial before his figure transformed into a crow and vanished.

It was obvious that this was a clone, but it still possessed the power to instantly kill a Jonin like Gota. As for his real body, it had already arrived beside Shisui, and with a dark expression, it struck her on the head with a chop.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in Konoha?"

"Ouch, that hurts!" Zhi Xue clutched her head, which seemed to be smoking, tears welling in her eyes. She crouched down on the ground, holding her head, and was a little afraid to look into Zhi Shui's eyes.

Chapter 29 Getting the Medicine

"Ughhhhhh!..."

In the deep, dark cave, a long shadow stretched out. The bloodstains on the ground and the corpses scattered everywhere testified to an extremely tragic event that had taken place here.

Orochimaru's long neck was removed from the neck of the last Ibri tribesman in the cave.

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Orochimaru twisted his neck and stood up straight.

"Without Yukimi's blood, I really can't escape. The blood of these adults is not enough to let me get away." Orochimaru felt the pain in his abdomen and clenched his fists in resentment.

"We almost succeeded. That damned Uchiha Shisui, I'll remember this grudge."

Orochimaru picked up the scroll containing half of his current fortune and was about to escape along the path when, as he reached the exit, a scarlet eye was watching him from outside.

"Oh dear, you've become such a wretched state after betraying Konoha? But it's alright. As long as you agree to join my organization, I can help you escape Konoha's blockade."

"The Mangekyou Sharingan? You are..." Orochimaru looked at the masked man who emerged from the darkness, his expression changing drastically.

……