Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

Moonlight Gale's mood instantly became very pleasant.

Tomorrow, Zongxian has arranged to spar with someone. The implication is that he will use the Konoha-style sword technique called "Fuyue" in the spar. Although it may not be so easy to learn, such an opportunity is invaluable.

Speaking of which,

That little girl is truly enviable!

With a master like the Hokage, as long as he's not a hopeless fool, his future achievements are destined to be great. At the very least, becoming a Jonin shouldn't be a problem. But right now, he's only a Chunin, and there's still a considerable distance to go before he becomes a Jonin.

And to be honest, he wasn't very confident that he could calmly deliver a performance for a Jonin...

"Getting back to the main topic, you've been watching here for half a day now. What do you think of my little disciple's performance?" Zong Xian steered the conversation back to the main point.

"Very hardworking and dedicated."

Moonlight Gale pondered for two seconds before cautiously offering his opinion.

He didn't comment on the Earth Spider Firefly's talent. He was self-aware enough to know that he wasn't a genius. He didn't think he had the ability to judge the strength of others' talents. Rather than talking nonsense about things he didn't understand, it was better to honestly explain what he could see.

You can't just show off in front of your superiors, otherwise you won't get any credit and might even be disliked.

"Have you been working hard and putting your heart into it? Very good!"

Zongxian nodded. With these two points, plus her decent talent, Tsuchigumo Hotaru's future achievements should not be too low. However, just not too low... does not quite fit Zongxian's thinking. Even if she cannot compare to Yakumo, she should not be too far behind.

"Dunbei!"

Zongxian called out.

Two seconds later, Dunbei flipped down from the roof, and the skilled old man stood respectfully in front of Zongxian.

"Lord Zongxian, I'm here."

He treated Sogen with great respect, not only because he was Konoha's Hokage's assistant. In Dunbei's view, the identity of Konoha's Hokage's assistant was far less important than the identity of Hotaru's master. Since Sogen was Hotaru's master, he would show Sogen the same respect he would show to Hotaru's father, as long as it would not affect Hotaru.

As mentioned earlier,

Dunbei was a child taken in by the Ennogyoku. He originally ran errands for the Ennogyoku, but was later assigned by the Ennogyoku to follow Tsuchigumo Hotaru's father. However, Tsuchigumo Hotaru's parents died in another attack, so Dunbei continued to serve the Ennogyoku. Now, in accordance with the Ennogyoku's last wishes, he is Tsuchigumo Hotaru's attendant.

"Do you have the scroll containing the secrets of the Word Binding Technique?"

"...Here with me."

Dunbei hesitated for half a second, then nodded.

"Bring me the things."

Zongxian unceremoniously demanded the family secret techniques passed down through generations of the Earth Spider clan.

Dunbei's expression shifted. He opened his mouth several times, wanting to ask, "What are you doing, Assistant Hokage? The Binding Technique is a secret technique of the Tsuchigumo clan that is never passed on to outsiders," but unfortunately, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

after all,

Ultimately, Dunbei is not a member of the Tsuchigumo clan.

He was just a child picked up by the Enno-gyōzō. He cared about the Enno-gyōzō and Miss Hotaru. As for the Tsuchigumo clan, who had fallen out with the Enno-gyōzō, he didn't care about those people at all, and naturally, he didn't care about the secret technique being passed on.

Feeling that his body was gradually weakening, before going to the daimyo prefecture, the traveler worried that if he suddenly died, he would not be able to personally teach the Word Binding Technique to Hotaru. Therefore, he used special means to entrust the secret technique scroll to Dunbei for safekeeping. If something happened to him, Dunbei would ensure that Hotaru would not lose the inheritance.

The Traveler did not leave any restrictions on Dunbei, because he believed that Dunbei would never voluntarily reveal information about the secret technique.

However, the Traveler clearly did not expect that someone would directly ask Dunbei for the secret technique.

"The secret technique is hidden inside my body and can only be retrieved using unique methods."

Dunbei answered honestly.

"Then wait a moment and take it out for me. Don't think I would embezzle the secret techniques of the Earth Spider Clan. Those belong to Hotaru. The reason I asked you for the scroll is to better determine Hotaru's training plan. The Word Binding Technique is Hotaru's greatest asset in the future."

Seeing that Dunbei didn't ask a single question,

Zongxian had no choice but to offer his own explanation.

This was his honest opinion. He really had little interest in the Word Binding Technique. He had already learned from his previous conversation with the Traveler that the core of the Word Binding Technique was Yin Escape, and he was making quite rapid progress in his Yin Escape Technique training, so he did not lack similar methods for practicing Yin Escape Technique.

and,

The mysteries he has just gleaned from the Flame Fan, Banana Leaf Fan, and Amber Purification Bottle alone require him to spend a great deal of time digesting them. Right now, he has no extra interest in learning new secret techniques or forbidden arts. Cultivating the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, Rinnegan, and Sage Mode is the most important thing for him.

He didn't care whether Dunbei believed him or not.

He wasn't doing this to make anyone believe him; he was simply expressing his thoughts and attitude. As for how people would react... he didn't care. He cared about himself, his family, and his friends. Apart from that, he only had one pursuit in his heart: to become stronger.

In order to protect his family, clan, friends, and village as they navigate the unpredictable and uncertain fog of the future and reach their ideal destination, he dared not slacken for a moment; his steps forward could not be halted.

Time passed by,

The sun sets.

The pitch-black night sky enveloped the heavens.

The lights on the training field were turned on.

In this daylight-like environment, Tsuchigumo Hotaru completed a thousand shuriken throws with immense perseverance. When the thousandth shuriken was embedded in the wooden stake that had been cleared more than fifty times that day and was so dilapidated that the target pattern drawn on it was no longer legible.

Having been teetering on the brink of collapse for quite some time, the Earth Spider Firefly, who had been gritting her teeth and refusing to fall, finally fainted and crashed to the ground.

only--

Just as the little girl was about to give the ground a close cheek kiss, Zongxian appeared beside her, reached out and grabbed Tsuchigumo Hotaru by the back of her collar, and carried her back to the corridor like a piece of pork, placing this newly accepted second disciple on the corridor floor.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious, just a bit of exhaustion and a muscle strain, nothing serious."

Zongxian's words calmed Dunbei down, who had been worried and whose eyebrows were raised.

Without needing to find the embassy's medical ninja, Zongxian began to heal his new apprentice himself. The speed of his [Healing Palm Technique], which was not at all like that of a novice, was quite fast in repairing the strain on Tsuchigumo Hotaru's body. To be honest, for ninjas, this kind of minor injury is nothing. Ninjas grow little by little through the process of constantly getting injured.

of course,

With the help of medical ninjutsu, injuries heal faster, saving time on recuperation and allowing more time to be devoted to training. Moreover, Zongxian is happy to have more opportunities to practice his medical ninjutsu, as his training in Yang Release techniques is basically based on medical ninjutsu.

after all,

The essence of Yang Escape Technique is the power of the physical body.

Studying medical ninjutsu is itself a way of comprehending the mysteries of Yang Release techniques.

The treatment was immediately effective. Just a few seconds after Zongxian stopped, the unconscious Tsuchigumo Hotaru's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her turquoise eyes rolled around blankly, and after several more seconds, her gaze fell on Zongxian.

"Master?"

She said in a low voice.

"How are you feeling? Is there anything that's bothering you?"

"Arm... Huh? It doesn't hurt as much anymore?" Hotaru Tsuchigumo gently moved her right arm, which had been in so much pain before she fainted that it was almost uncontrollable. She found that the pain was now so weak that it was almost non-existent.

"It's good that it doesn't hurt anymore, Hotaru. You did a great job with your homework today, but..."

Zongxian deliberately dragged out his words, watching his disciple, whose expression quickly turned slightly apprehensive before he could even feel happy, before continuing, "This is just the beginning. The training ahead will only be more rigorous than today, so be prepared!"

"Yes, Master."

The Earth Spider Firefly swallowed.

Will tomorrow bring even harsher training than today? That's... terrifying! The little girl was on the verge of tears, and subconsciously wondered if she had made the wrong choice.

"What? Regretting it now? Too late. My disciple will not be allowed to betray the sect."

Zongxian chuckled as he teased his little apprentice, since Hotaru and Fujika were the same age! Although the two were completely different in appearance and personality, seeing Hotaru still reminded him of his own little sister.

[Chapter 288. Springtime Again]

Konoha Calendar, Year 59.

The cherry blossoms are in bloom, painting the streets of Konoha Village with a delicate pink hue, full of the spirit of spring.

"So much time has passed!" Hotaru Tsuchigumo walked down the street, looking at the scenery around her that was no longer unfamiliar, and let out a long sigh full of complex emotions. However, at the age of eleven, the girl was almost at the point where her emotions would fluctuate dramatically.

She came to Konoha with her master in the early autumn of five years ago. Before she knew it, the seasons changed and time flew by like an arrow. More than five years had passed quietly through her fingers.

In a blink of an eye,

It's spring again.

"Hotaru, hurry up! If you keep dawdling, we're not going to bother with you anymore."

The girl at the front turned around and walked backwards, smiling as she reminded her companions who had slowed down. She was slender, with a radiant smile, and her long, black hair swayed gently in the spring breeze. Pink petals drifted through her hair, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Even though she was also a girl, Hotaru Tsuchigumo's heart couldn't help but race at that moment.

Human beings' pursuit of beauty is not limited to the distinction between men and women.

She took a breath, calming her wandering thoughts, and retorted, "Fujika, you ran too fast, didn't you? Look, Yakumo isn't walking fast either! Well, although she's a little bit faster than me... Anyway, Fujika, you ran too fast. What's the point of going so early? You're just listening to those idiots arguing in the classroom."

"Ok?"

A question mark appeared on Kurama Yakumo's forehead. How could this involve him?

"You can say whatever you want, but don't drag me into it."

After spending five years together, Yakumo Kurama knew his two friends' temperaments well. To describe them as lawless would be an exaggeration, but they were definitely not obedient and honest people.

Once she's involved...

I'm definitely going to have another headache.

only--

She underestimated how shameless her friend was.

"Look, Yakumo already said you were walking too fast. And Fujika, walk properly, you'll bump into people if you walk like that. Turn around quickly." This wasn't just misinterpreting what Kurama Yakumo said; it was complete nonsense, and she did it with such confidence that Kurama Yakumo was speechless for a moment.

"How could you possibly have hit someone?"

Uchiha Fujika said with an air of arrogance.

“Even without looking, I can sense the presence of people who are close to me, and Yakumo didn’t say anything…” As she spoke, she actually closed her eyes and walked backwards. Kurama Yakumo watched her two friends bickering and sighed helplessly.

These two...aren't they tired?!

Just then, she saw a familiar figure appear from around the corner. The person put their index finger to their lips, signaling "shut up." Kurama Yakumo had no choice but to swallow back the words she had already uttered and looked at her companion, who was walking backwards with her eyes closed, with pity.

The hand knife fell silently from the sky.

It struck Uchiha Fujika squarely on the head.