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Time always slipped by the fastest when anticipation was involved.
Inside the Training Ground, Li Rong gathered everyone who would be traveling to the new World—Spirit Masters and Spirit Beasts alike.
On the human side stood twenty young elites, led by Gao Feng and Huo Wu. Among them, Qian Renxue's spirit power was the highest.
Originally, she had planned to exchange points for a hundred-thousand-year seventh spirit ring. However, in preparation for this cross-world expedition, she decisively spent sacrificial coins instead, choosing a god-bestowed spirit ring and successfully breaking through to Spirit Saint.
The rest of the Spirit Masters averaged around level fifty in spirit power—roughly equivalent to Chūnin in the Ninja World.
But that was only on paper.
In terms of real combat capability, every single one of them far exceeded what that level implied.
On the Spirit Beast side, twenty carefully selected hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beasts stood in formation, covering a wide range of attributes.
Ditian had originally wanted to send the Fierce Beasts.
Li Rong rejected the idea outright.
Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beasts could still be handled with a few Black Realm Pills and a reasonable salary. Fierce Beasts, however, were another story entirely—too smart, too proud, and far too difficult to "manage."
After transmitting basic information about the new World—language, customs, common sense—Li Rong waited for everyone to digest it before continuing.
He first reiterated the Sacrificial Shop's ironclad rules, then explained the initial shop-opening strategy, and finally laid out the profit distribution plan.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," Li Rong said calmly. "Spirit Masters will operate under this World's mission system. I'll publicly release missions, clearly marking difficulty and rewards. You choose based on your own strength."
He swept his gaze across the group.
"Complete a mission, earn the reward. Any extra gains belong to you. Fail a mission—no penalty."
A pause.
"But fail three missions in a row, and I'll personally send you back to your original World."
The tone was light, but no one doubted he meant it.
"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.
No fear. No hesitation. Only excitement.
Satisfied, Li Rong turned to the Spirit Beasts.
"You're different. You won't follow the mission system. I'll employ you directly on salary. All gains in the other World belong to the shop."
He raised one finger.
"One Black Realm Pill per year, plus two hundred thousand sacrificial coins."
"Are these terms acceptable?"
"We swear to follow our Lord to the death!" the Spirit Beasts roared instantly, voices overlapping as they rushed to express loyalty.
"Pfft—"
Dugu Yan immediately turned away and pretended to cough.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Snow Princess and Bi Ji lower their heads in perfect synchronization, hands covering their faces.
…The intelligence tax on Spirit Beasts was truly unavoidable.
"Good," Li Rong said, nodding. "Three days from now, early morning, gather at the shop entrance. No information about this trip is to be leaked without permission."
"Yes!"
Three days later, on an open plain outside Heaven Dou City, the group assembled.
Li Rong raised his hand and tore open a spatial passage.
Without hesitation, he stepped inside.
Bi Ji, Snow Princess, Dugu Yan, and Ye Leng Leng followed close behind. Then came the twenty Spirit Beasts, and finally the twenty Spirit Masters, maintaining tight combat formations.
When the passage closed behind them, desolation greeted their eyes.
Collapsed houses lay scattered like broken bones. Charred beams were half-buried in the soil. Fire-scorched walls stood crookedly, and weeds had grown rampant through cracked tiles.
A village.
Or rather, what remained of one.
After everyone passed through, the spatial passage slowly sealed shut.
Li Rong said nothing at first. He merely raised his hand and released a wave of golden light that sank into the Spirit Beasts' bodies.
"These three secret techniques," he explained, "allow size adjustment, free flight, and enhanced sensory perception."
"Go cultivate them."
With many Spirit Beasts standing dozens of meters tall—and some lacking flight capabilities—these techniques were necessary just to function efficiently in future missions.
Once the Spirit Beasts dispersed to cultivate, Li Rong waved his hand, clearing a clean area. He led the four women to sit and rest.
"What are you all standing around for?" he said lazily. "This is a World steeped in war. Do I really need to spell out what comes next?"
The lingering shock vanished instantly.
Qian Renxue stepped forward without hesitation.
"Split into five-person teams. Disperse to gather intelligence. Maintain distance—not too far, not too close."
Half an hour later, the teams regrouped.
Li Rong looked around. "Report."
Gao Feng spoke first. "Judging from the remains, this village was once fairly large. It suffered a military catastrophe. Everyday items—pots, bowls, clothes—were left behind. Valuables were taken."
"To the east," Huo Wu added, "we found ruins resembling training grounds. Some facilities weren't completely destroyed."
Jade Heavenheart produced several wooden stakes from his storage spirit tool, pointing to uneven slash marks.
"There were likely Ninjas stationed here. However, we found no weapons."
"There's blood everywhere," Qian Renxue said grimly, gesturing toward a distant slope. "But no bones. Even the graves were dug up—emptied completely."
Ning Rongrong's scalp tingled. "That's not normal looting. That's… systematic."
"Exactly," Shui Bing'er said quietly. "In Douluo, we at least leave the dead intact. Here, even the bones are gone."
"A blood feud?" Yang Xian guessed.
"No," Feng Xiaotian shook his head. "If it were hatred, there would be traces—burn pits, mass destruction. There's nothing."
Xie Yue opened his mouth. "Maybe they carried them away first—"
Qian Renxue shot him a look sharp enough to shave stone.
Yu Heng spoke instead. "Transporting hundreds of bodies requires storage-type tools."
Zhu Zhuqing's voice was low. "Our clan has bone-examination techniques. Some bloodlines possess unique physical traits. Perhaps… the bones were valuable."
Silence fell.
Li Rong finally spoke. "Good. Your deductions are correct."
He then calmly explained the truth.
Uzushiogakure.
A village annihilated jointly by the Five Great Ninja Villages. Men, women, children—none spared. Their sealing techniques and unique physiques made them targets.
Everyone's understanding of this World deepened, darkened.
"Forget mercy," Li Rong said flatly. "Surrender won't save you here."
"They'll kill you, strip your memories, dissect your body."
"This World isn't dangerous because of strength," he emphasized. "It's dangerous because of how they think."
Hostility to outsiders. Suspicion even among allies.
"If you don't adapt," he concluded, "you will die."
No one argued.
Afterward, Li Rong transmitted construction knowledge into everyone's minds.
"Clean this place. This will be our main base."
By noon, a large clearing had been prepared.
Li tossed them dry rations, then looked at the open land.
"I want to build a city here."
"A city?" Dugu Yan blinked.
"We need a benchmark," Li Rong replied. "Something that shows them what's possible."
"But manpower?" Ye Leng Leng asked. "We only brought twenty people."
"Ninjas can be hired," Bi Ji reminded gently.
Snow Princess's voice was icy. "If they can't even handle hiring missions, they deserve what happens."
Dugu Yan suggested, "Let Spirit Beasts accompany them."
Li Rong hesitated. "That's like walking around with tailed beasts."
Ye Leng Leng shook her head. "First impressions matter."
Li sighed. "Fine. Five people per team, two Spirit Beasts each."
Then he turned to the four women.
"Since you're free—want to visit a Village?"
Dugu Yan's eyes sparkled. "The biggest one?"
"Yes," Li Rong said with a smile.
"Konoha Village."
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