Chapter 113: Mangekyō Sharingan
Time passed little by little. In the blink of an eye, three hours had gone by. As the effects of the immortal herbs took hold, Zu Zong, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Ye Lingling each experienced different changes.
After consuming the Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Xiao Wu's appearance changed. Her rosy cheeks turned as fair as jade, the baby fat on her face vanished, and her figure became more mature. She was no longer in the juvenile stage of a soul beast but had begun to advance toward maturity. Her beauty was now equal to that of Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong's transformation was the most dazzling. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda floated quietly before her, glowing with seven-colored halos. \
Golden light radiated from her body, carrying the fragrance of tulip, making her appear like a celestial maiden descending. Each pulse of golden brilliance made the pagoda even more radiant.
Zhu Zhuqing, after taking the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, glowed with a faint jade light. As the medicine spread, she shifted from sitting cross-legged to standing upright. Placing her hands on her chest, she silently absorbed the energy.
Ye Lingling sat calmly as a violet glow surrounded her. A faint fragrance filled the air as white light descended in the form of petals. This time, instead of nine, ten petals formed together. Resting in her hands was a pink begonia with five white petals and five pink ones, elegant and graceful, with vines cascading like a maiden's flowing hair.
One by one, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Ye Lingling awoke from their cultivation, only to see Zu Zong still immersed. He sat cross-legged, blazing with scarlet light, his long blue-silver hair fluttering without wind.
The four gazes focused on him. Xiao Wu gasped, sensing the strange balance of heat and cold in the scarlet glow. Zhu Zhuqing squeezed her hand and said softly, "We must believe in Xiao Zong. Didn't he say the Dew of Piercing Autumn Waters would help his eyes? Perhaps—" She stopped short, but the meaning was clear: it might evolve his Sharingan.
Suddenly, the scarlet light condensed into a massive ribcage of fire-red bones, over two meters tall, enclosing Zu Zong. Any Naruto reader would recognize it instantly as the first form of Uchiha Itachi's Susanoo.
"What is that?" Ning Rongrong exclaimed, pointing at the ribcage. At that moment, Zu Zong opened his eyes. Spirit power surged like a storm, knocking over tables and chairs. His pupils turned blood-red, the three tomoe spinning rapidly until they merged into a triangular pinwheel.
When the wave subsided, Zu Zong rose to his feet and the ribcage faded away. Looking at the wreckage, he gave a wry smile. "Why are you all staring at me like that?"
Ning Rongrong recovered first, holding a mirror to him. "Zu Zong, look at your eyes." His heart trembled with excitement—wasn't this Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan?
In his mind he shouted, "System, didn't you say I could only awaken the Mangekyō after absorbing a one-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring?"
[Beep. The host absorbed the heavenly treasure, Dew of Piercing Autumn Waters, greatly enhancing ocular power. It restored light to Uchiha's nearly blind Mangekyō Sharingan.]
"Then I won't go blind from overuse like Uchiha Itachi, will I?"
[Beep. The host has only temporarily awakened the Mangekyō. Once its ocular power is spent, it will regress to the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. To awaken it again, you must absorb a one-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring.]
Hearing the voice in his mind, Zu Zong finally let out a breath of relief. He had truly feared going blind, but it turned out to be just like Tang San in the original, temporarily raising the "Purple Demon Eye" by one full level.
Even so, the strength of his ocular power in the Three-Tomoe state had increased by at least double. At once, Zu Zong reverted his Sharingan back to its three-tomoe form. After all, every use of the Mangekyō's power consumed what was far too precious to waste. It might even be something that could save his life at a crucial moment.
Zu Zong turned to Ning Rongrong and asked seriously, "Rongrong, can I trust you?"
Meeting his eyes, Ning Rongrong found herself leaning closer, her face flushing as she sensed the masculine aura radiating from him. She lowered her head and whispered shyly, "Y-yes, you can."
Zu Zong nodded, then looked toward Ye Lingling. "Lingling, you too should listen."
"This is my second martial soul—the Sharingan." He pointed at his eyes and continued, "It's not that I don't trust everyone, but a twin martial soul is far too shocking. A careless word could bring disaster down on me. Since you've seen it, I won't hide it anymore. But I need you to keep this secret, even from your parents."
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu turned to Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling, saying together, "Please, Rongrong, Lingling."
At that moment, Ning Rongrong was so stunned her mouth almost wouldn't close, and even the always-calm Ye Lingling showed a flicker of surprise.
"Understood," Ye Lingling replied, her tone still cool.
Ning Rongrong also recovered, smiling as she said, "No wonder Teacher Erlong asked whether your martial soul was Blue Silver Grass or the Sharingan. Now I finally understand. Don't worry—even my father won't hear it from me." As she spoke, she patted her chest lightly for emphasis.
Zu Zong nodded, closing his eyes. When he reopened them, the Sharingan had faded. "Don't stare at me anymore. Let's focus on what each of you gained."
"I'll go first, I'll go first! My spirit power jumped five levels, from level thirty-five straight to level forty." Xiao Wu raised her hand and pouted proudly.
Zu Zong blinked, then studied her carefully. A five-level increase was within his expectations, but what surprised him more was the great change in Xiao Wu's appearance.
(End of Chapter)
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