Naruto: Traveling Through Time Starting with Seizing the Dragon Vein

"Well…!"

Uchiha Tsuki, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, suddenly bent over, clutched his head tightly with both hands, and let out a painful howl.

The memory resurfaced after the Shadow Clone Technique was dispelled, accompanied by a great deal of mental exhaustion and profound insights into Yin Release, crashing into his brain like a torrent.

It felt like something was strengthening my brain.

"Huh...huh..."

Just then, a slightly clumsy little hand, holding a rough, damp cloth, gently pressed it against his forehead.

Yue struggled to open her only remaining right eye.

By the dim candlelight, he saw Uchiha Hikaru's small face so close to his own.

Two months have passed, and Guang is still wearing that ill-fitting combat uniform, but the suffocating deathly stillness emanating from him has faded considerably.

The emptiness in her eyes had lessened considerably, replaced by a hint of worry.

"Does it... hurt again?"

The sound of light was soft, no longer as cold as before.

During these two months, apart from learning through shadow clones, Yue spent almost all her remaining time with Guang in this small tree hole.

There were no more family missions, no more orders to kill.

Yue would teach her how to grill fish until it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside without turning it into charcoal, how to distinguish which mushrooms in the forest were edible and which were poisonous, and even, in her spare time, she would carve a few rough little things out of wood for her.

These mundane, almost boring days planted a seed called "life" in the heart of this weapon-wielding girl.

"It's nothing... I just feel a little unwell."

Yue took a deep breath and used the Yin Release technique she had just learned from Jiri to slowly mobilize the spiritual energy in her body, gradually soothing the severe headache.

He grabbed the hand holding the cloth, but instead of pushing it away, he closed his eyes, taking advantage of the coolness.

"The mysteries of Yin Escape are far more profound than I imagined."

What is the essence of the soul?

What is the connection between spiritual energy and the soul?

What about pupil power?

The more he learned, the more questions he had.

Unfortunately, Zhili probably couldn't answer these questions either.

Chapter 26 Purchasing Winter Supplies

The winters of the Warring States period were more brutal and merciless than imagined.

In just a few days, the continuous autumn rain turned into a howling blizzard.

Inside the hidden tree-hole cave, the underground river that used to flow gently has now formed a thick layer of ice on its edges.

"Ugh~ This damn weather."

Uchiha Yue rubbed his stiff hands and threw the last two pieces of firewood into the dying embers.

The faint flame struggled and flickered a few times, barely dispelling some of the oppressive chill.

He turned his head and looked at Uchiha Hikaru, who was huddled in a corner of the cave.

The little girl was wrapped in Yue's large black robe, curled up into a tiny ball.

She didn't complain about the cold, she just stared blankly at the faint flame.

In the past, when she was a "weapon," no matter how bad the weather was, she had to lie in wait in the freezing cold unless the higher-ups gave the order to rest.

For her, the current environment—with the warmth of a fire, no need to kill anyone, and even a coat that still retains the warmth of another person—is already a "luxury" of treatment.

But Yue knew very well that they were facing a problem more deadly than the cold.

The food is almost gone.

During the winters of the Warring States period, it was nearly impossible to find any wild fruits to fill one's stomach in the forests. The fat fish that could be caught in the underground rivers had also sunk to the very bottom of the water due to the sharp drop in water temperature, making them difficult to find.

They had been hiding because they were afraid of being discovered.

Several months have passed now, and even the most skeptical people must have dispelled their doubts.

"We can't keep wasting time like this."

Yue took a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs and clearing his mind, which had become somewhat sluggish from studying Yin Dun for so long.

He stood up and put the straight sword, which was infused with chakra-conducting metal, back on his waist.

"Guang, get up and stretch your arms and legs. We need to go out for a bit."

Upon hearing the voice, she immediately stood up straight as if by reflex. Although her legs trembled slightly from the cold, she still skillfully gripped the dagger in reverse: "Is there a mission?"

"It's not a mission, we just need to find something to eat."

Yue walked over and unceremoniously reached out to ruffle her messy hair. "If you don't eat something hot soon, you'll really freeze to death in this cave. Stay close to me, and follow my instructions in case of any situation. You are absolutely not allowed to use the kaleidoscope without permission, understand?"

Guang paused for a moment, then nodded slightly:

"Ah."

……

Iron Forest.

This is a gray area where the forces of the Uchiha, Senju, and several other smaller clans intersect.

Here, there is no such thing as family honor, nor is there absolute law.

Wandering samurai, bounty hunters, and even rogue ninjas from various ninja clans mingled among them.

This is paradise as long as you have enough fists or good enough goods.

In order to avoid attracting attention, Uchiha Tsuki deliberately used a special herbal juice that could block perception to smear his and Hikaru's faces, not only concealing their original skin color but also slightly altering the contours of their facial features.

The two wore large straw hats and tattered raincoats, looking like a pair of down-on-their-luck wandering samurai brother and sister.

As you enter the trading area, you are greeted by a cacophony of voices and a wave of heat mixed with the smells of sweat, alcohol, and barbecue.

Knowing the way well, Yue led the way through the muddy streets and arrived at a shop with a sign that read "Junzi General Store".

The name is ironic, but in the Warring States period, those who dared to call themselves gentlemen usually had extraordinary backgrounds.

"Boss, do you buy hides?"

Yue lowered the brim of her hat and threw the huge snow bear skin onto the counter with a "bang".

The owner behind the counter was a slightly overweight middle-aged man with a mustache.

He reached out and touched the quality of the bear skin, and his eyes immediately lit up.

"What a find! The brown bear's fur isn't even scratched; it must be a master!"

"Two bags of fine rice, ten catties of cured meat, plus three hundred taels of loose silver, how about that?"

This price is definitely reasonable on the black market, even 10% higher than the expected monthly price.

I never expected that this seemingly cunning boss would actually be a gentleman.

"Deal." Yue nodded.

Just as the boss turned to get the supplies, Yue's gaze fell on a thick red cotton-padded coat hanging on the shop wall.

It was made of the finest cotton fabric, with a ring of soft, snow-white rabbit fur around the collar. Its vibrant color was like a fire in winter, making it stand out in the gloomy Warring States market.

"Wrap that up too," Yue said, pointing to the red cotton-padded jacket.

The boss followed Yue's gaze, then looked at Guang, who was standing behind Yue, shivering from the cold, and a knowing smile appeared on his face.

"Sir, you have a good eye. These are new goods prepared for the New Year. If you want to buy them, you won't get any of the three hundred taels of silver."

As Yue estimated the price, she felt more and more that the boss was a gentleman.

“Buy it, I have other leather goods.”

After saying that, he used his psychic powers to summon a bunch of leather goods, leaving the boss dumbfounded.

……

Half an hour later, in the inner room of the grocery store.

When Uchiha Hikaru changed into that red cotton-padded jacket and walked out somewhat awkwardly, Uchiha Tsuki was leaning against the counter counting silver.

Hearing the noise, he looked up, a hint of amazement flashing in his remaining right eye.

The light that used to be, dressed in baggy combat gear and looking like a lifeless little devil, is gone.

Instead, there was a girl next door with delicate features, yet a somewhat aloof air.

The red cotton-padded jacket made her originally pale face look a bit rosier, and the white rabbit fur on the collar softened the sharpness in her eyes.

"That's more like it."

Yue walked over and helped her button up her collar, then looked her over with satisfaction. "Don't dress like you're going to a funeral all the time. A young girl should act like a young girl."

Guang looked down at the bright red color on his clothes and touched the soft cuffs of his sleeves, feeling somewhat lost.

"This... isn't suitable for surreptitious activities," she muttered softly, but her hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, clearly quite pleased with it.

"Infiltrate? We're here to go shopping today."

Just as the two finished packing their supplies and the boss was smiling as he saw them off, a piercing explosion suddenly rang out in the street!

"Boom!"

Chapter 27 The Increasingly Radical Uchiha

"Mere scum of the Senju clan!"

"Ha, the inherently evil Uchiha! This is a trading post, and you still dare to attack?"

"Ha! Who dares to stop the Uchiha? And who can stop the Uchiha!"

"You guys are getting crazier and crazier!"