When Uchiha Yoru opened his eyes, he discovered that the whirlwind had yet to disappear, while the lightning was still launching its final futile attacks.
After sensing his biological clock, Uchiha Yoru was astonished to discover that the purple lightning, the trial of the soul, and the slaughter of so many dead spirits had taken only three short seconds.
It seemed that what had just happened was a temporal dislocation similar to a dream.
It had felt as though a long time had passed, but in reality, only an instant had gone by.
Had he known this earlier, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry.
But since he had already come out, Uchiha Yoru had no intention of returning.
After all, standing upon the sea outside the River Capital's harbor left him far too exposed.
He could already sense that as the unclassifiable Lightning Dragon Tribulation passed, his body had begun undergoing changes.
During the next stage, he would likely lose all awareness of the outside world.
Uchiha Yoru knew that he needed a hidden place capable of shielding him from prying eyes.
He also needed a guard whom he could trust absolutely.
Miwa Masayo.
The moment he thought of his Dao companion, Uchiha Yoru's heart softened.
Even the disguised monkey face beneath his transformation unconsciously revealed a gentle smile.
They had only been apart for several days, yet it felt as though they hadn't seen each other for a very long time.
He missed her deeply.
But first, he needed to find a sufficiently safe shelter.
Uchiha Yoru concentrated and thought for a long while.
He suddenly discovered that he didn't actually possess a suitable location—a lair where he could confidently create an enormous disturbance without worrying.
Suddenly, inspiration flashed through his mind.
Uchiha Yoru raised his head and looked toward the sea, where he saw the noticeably thinner and fainter column of smoke.
[After such a violent eruption, a brand-new island should have appeared there.]
[I created such a massive disturbance here and displayed such exaggerated combat power, completely comparable to that of a tailed-beast jinchūriki.]
[As long as I hide there, no one should go over to investigate, right?]
[They won't. At least not within the next few days.]
[The commanders of the ninja armies on the front lines bear responsibility for the lives and deaths of thousands or even tens of thousands of ninja. They neither have the spare attention nor the authority to decide to provoke a powerful combat force outside the battlefield.]
[Only a ninja village can make such a decision. Let me think...]
[I know the Third Hokage far too well. He is an absolute conservative. As long as something could cause an additional conflict, he would never initiate it, so he won't come provoke me.]
[The Fourth Kazekage, on the other hand, is an opportunistic adventurer. But he is the type who won't make up his mind until he has no other path left, so he won't provoke me either.]
Uchiha Yoru's thoughts moved extremely quickly.
He reached these conclusions almost instantly.
Then he reconnected to the threads of faith and addressed all his believers.
"The disaster has ended. I shall suppress the volcano."
"Those who believe in me must remain brave and optimistic. You must not allow despair to enter your hearts."
"Those with strength must strive to save others. Those without strength must strive to save themselves."
After speaking, while the believers throughout the city knelt in worship, his entire body became enveloped in golden flames.
Like a fiery meteor, he flew toward the smoke over the distant sea.
In only a dozen seconds, the golden fire disappeared beneath the horizon.
When he had first arrived at the River Capital, the wind-and-fire propulsion technique he used could only launch him forward.
Now, it was already sufficient to achieve flight, and its speed was extremely fast.
This method of flight resembled a ballistic missile.
It possessed absolutely no flight control, and the landing-point error was so enormous that it was impossible to control.
It could be said to have countless problems.
At the same time, however, it was fast and spectacular.
It was perfectly suited for making an impressive exit.
After flying fifty-two kilometers, Uchiha Yoru crashed into the sea in a death spiral.
His impact point was a full fourteen kilometers away from the newborn volcanic island.
He could only crawl out of the seawater, which resembled muddy soup, and slowly walk the rest of the way.
Along the journey, Uchiha Yoru tidied his appearance.
He removed the damaged outer garment of his disguise and burned it.
Then he used water-spirit senjutsu to extract fresh water and washed the mud from his body.
His mask had already been lost somewhere earlier.
The deliberately transformed monkey face beneath it was now exposed.
Since he was still using the identity of Zhurong, he didn't undo the transformation.
Before long, Uchiha Yoru reached the newborn volcanic island.
He crossed the boiling shoreline and stepped onto black basalt that was still soft beneath the surface, with only a thin outer shell having solidified.
Standing upon the scorching volcanic island, he couldn't help laughing.
"So this newborn volcanic island in the southern sea will become the first territory of my Zhurong identity after becoming a new god?"
"This island... truly resembles the volcano occupied by the Heart Ape in the Purple Mansion world..."
"Could this be some hidden connection ordained by fate?"
Wearing the monkey face, Uchiha Yoru was unknowingly influenced greatly by the Heart Ape.
That influence mixed with the original persona of his alternate identity.
The moment he thought of fate and hidden connections, he suddenly lost control of himself.
He covered his face with his right hand, raised his left hand slightly in the shape of a hooked claw, threw his head back, and released a wild laugh.
"Jie-jie-jie-jie!"
The mad laughter continued for a full ten minutes.
Amid that strange laughter, the Heart Ape served as the foundation, the enormous power of faith became the fuel, and the settings of the Zhurong identity formed the framework.
All of it condensed upon one of the Dao-Follows-Nature kunai Uchiha Yoru carried with him.
Neither the high-quality steel nor the powerful sealing formulas could resist the distortion caused by such immense power and rules.
When the steel finished deforming, a heart-form divine mask painted with the facial markings of the Great Sage was born.
The instant this miraculous mask finished forming, Uchiha Yoru immediately escaped his madness and returned to a normal state of consciousness.
He held the scorching steel mask in his hands.
Large beads of sweat covered his face.
They were cold sweat born from lingering fear.
So the momentary loss of control just now had been the true third tribulation.
The tornado, lightning, purple lightning, and tens of thousands of dead spirits had all been disguises.
They had all existed to nourish his spiritual power and push him into an extremely excited state.
The true objective was to ignite his mania and pride at the moment he directly faced success, creating a tendency toward spiritual division.
At this special moment, when his body was exhausted and his spirit was both fatigued and excited, the tribulation sought to induce the birth of a second personality.
If that second personality had truly appeared, the enormous imbalance in spiritual power would have crushed his exhausted body and caused a total physical collapse.
In the end, Uchiha Yoru would have died.
Of course, with his powerful self-healing ability, his body might have survived.
But the living Uchiha Yoru would most likely no longer have been the transmigrator Uchiha Yoru.
Fortunately, the even greater power of faith had interfered with the second personality's independence.
Fortunately, Uchiha Yoru's own spirit was even tougher and stronger.
He forcibly fused the divided spiritual power with the power of faith, then used the persona of his alternate identity to forcibly distort the second personality.
In the end, he resolved the enormous crisis.
The moment the problem was solved, the true tribulation finally passed completely.
Uchiha Yoru even obtained a mask that could be called a divine artifact.
Whenever Uchiha Yoru wore the mask, it would automatically activate a Transformation Technique, turning his face into that of a monkey.
It would also produce a natural change in personality, allowing him to perfectly assume the identity of Zhurong, the God of the Southern Fire Spirit.
It could even enhance Uchiha Yoru's fire-spirit senjutsu, strengthen his absorption and control of fire-spirit natural energy, and reduce the difficulty of using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He no longer needed even a single hand seal.
Of course, even with these powerful abilities, the mask still wouldn't qualify as a divine artifact.
The reason Uchiha Yoru regarded it as a true divine artifact was that it possessed the miraculous ability to fulfill divine duties in his place.
The mask could receive and bear the power of faith.
It could also convert faith into divine power and return its effects to the believers.
To make believers feel warmth, passion, courage, and curiosity, it only needed to convert one-third of the faith that had previously been consumed.
This greatly reduced the amount of faith required.
Most importantly, all of this could operate automatically.
It could completely replace Uchiha Yoru in carrying out the mechanical work of harvesting faith and returning divine power.
That was why it truly deserved to be called a divine artifact—a tool capable of replacing a god in fulfilling divine duties.
Moreover, although the mask clearly possessed a physical steel body, it could use the connection between divine power and faith to enter the Purple Mansion world.
There, it appeared upon the head of the Heart Ape.
Heaven knew how many secrets concerning the shinobi world's fundamental rules were involved in such a miraculous phenomenon.
Uchiha Yoru's hands continued trembling as he held the mask.
At first, they trembled because of the lingering fear of narrowly escaping death.
Slowly, however, they began trembling from excitement as he understood the mask's importance.
He looked at the mask in his hands and thought:
With such a divine artifact, how could I not test it properly?
Uchiha Yoru took several deep breaths and slowly placed the mask over his face.
The warm mask suddenly pressed tightly against his skin.
The Great Sage facial pattern on its outer surface transformed into a genuine monkey face.
Golden monkey fur even grew over Uchiha Yoru's head and body.
In only an instant, Uchiha Yoru became a golden-furred baboon—and one standing upright like a human.
He couldn't help sighing.
"Tch. I thought it would be a golden snub-nosed monkey. Why is it a blue-faced, golden-furred baboon?"
"Forget it. I should consider myself lucky that I didn't turn into a red, curly-haired baboon."
The golden-furred baboon muttered as he extended his right hand.
He manipulated a chakra scalpel, cut his finger, and performed the Summoning Technique.
With a small burst of white smoke, Miwa Masayo arrived on the volcanic island.
"Meow!"
The tabby cat cried out in alarm.
As though electrocuted, she leaped onto her caretaker's shoulder and shouted repeatedly.
"Yoru! What's going on, meow? Why is it so hot...?"
Miwa Masayo's head slowly turned.
She looked at the enormous blue-faced baboon head, and her jaw nearly dropped from shock.
Having never seen a baboon before, the tabby cat thought:
What the meow is this monster?
At the same time, however, a strangely familiar and reassuring feeling confused her.
Why does this monster smell like Yoru?
Finally, Miwa Masayo gathered her courage and asked, "Who are you, meow?"
Seeing that he hadn't frightened Miwa Masayo too badly, Uchiha Yoru happily replied, "I am Uchiha Yoru, but I am also the master of the volcanic island in the southern sea—the God of the Southern Fire Spirit, Zhurong!"
The moment Miwa Masayo heard Uchiha Yoru speak, she felt even more familiarity despite the strange voice.
She confirmed that this was Uchiha Yoru's transformation and finally relaxed completely.
She tilted her head and carefully examined the blue-faced, golden-furred baboon.
She looked at his fierce, savage face and enormous fangs.
The curious tabby cat reached out with one paw and touched them.
To her surprise, she could genuinely feel the fangs.
"Yoru, what kind of Transformation Technique is this? It's amazing, meow!"
"This is the transformation effect of a divine artifact. It truly is miraculous."
Uchiha Yoru removed the mask from his face with both hands and instantly returned to his original handsome appearance.
Then he put it on again and transformed once more, demonstrating the divine mask to Miwa Masayo.
Miwa Masayo's eyes filled with stars.
She shouted excitedly, "What an amazing mask! What would I become if I wore it, meow?"
"Huh? I don't know. Why don't we try?"
"Let me try, meow! Hurry and let me try it, meow!"
In the end, Miwa Masayo couldn't put on the Great Sage mask at all.
She could only return it to Uchiha Yoru in disappointment and watch him transform into the golden-furred baboon once more.
The tabby cat asked unhappily, "What exactly is this form, meow? It looks strange. It resembles a monkey, but it looks even more like a stinky dog, meow?"
Uchiha Yoru explained, "It's a baboon, a very fierce kind of monkey."
Miwa Masayo suddenly understood and sighed.
"So the god of the volcanic island in the southern sea is a monkey."
Uchiha Yoru: "..."
Seeing Uchiha Yoru's awkward expression in his golden-baboon form, Miwa Masayo covered her mouth and laughed.
After only a short while, she no longer found the golden-furred baboon frightening.
Instead, she thought this furry version of Uchiha Yoru was rather amusing.
"Meow."
After laughing enough, the tabby cat cleared her throat and asked, "Yoru, did you summon me because you're about to do something important?"
Uchiha Yoru smiled and removed the mask, returning to human form.
Then he answered, "Rika-chan, I have completed the Three Calamities and am about to undergo the final and most important breakthrough."
Miwa Masayo was shocked and quickly asked, "But today isn't the Winter Solstice, meow. Didn't you say the most important day would be the Winter Solstice?"
Uchiha Yoru replied, "The most important day should still be the Winter Solstice. It simply won't begin on that day. Instead, the transformation will continue until that day and be completed then."
The tabby cat suddenly understood and nodded to show that she knew.
Uchiha Yoru continued, "Over the next two days, I will undergo the greatest transformation."
"I don't know what will happen next."
"It may create an enormous disturbance and attract dangerous observers."
"That is why I need your protection."
He extended one hand and gestured around the entire island.
"No matter who it is, anyone who approaches this island must be driven far away."
"It would be best if you didn't reveal yourself directly. Use fire-spirit natural energy to drive them away."
"I just passed my tribulation in the River Capital and created an enormous spectacle."
"That should provide considerable deterrence for a short period."
Miwa Masayo nodded.
"No problem, meow. I'll do everything I can."
"But Yoru, will your transformation definitely require two days?"
Uchiha Yoru nodded.
"My intuition tells me that it truly will take two days."
"Rika-chan, is there a problem with the timing?"
Miwa Masayo swayed her tail proudly.
"Yoru, you always say I'm forgetful, but this time you're the one who forgot, meow."
"The seven days of rest after you completed the regeneration surgery will end tomorrow, meow."
"You'll have to regenerate someone's arm again soon!"
Uchiha Yoru smiled faintly.
He reached out and rubbed Miwa Masayo's head with confidence.
"Rika-chan, do you really think I would overlook that?"
"The critical moment of the Winter Solstice overlaps with the regeneration surgery. How could I possibly forget?"
"Don't worry. I left a shadow clone behind long ago to handle the preoperative examinations and the full three days of preparation."
"There absolutely won't be any problem."
"I don't need to worry about anything happening on the Winter Solstice, December 21."
"Even if I return in the early hours of December 24, I won't have to worry about exposing anything."
"There is plenty of time."
Unable to see her caretaker panic, Miwa Masayo immediately became somewhat dejected.
But then she suddenly heard a trace of weakness in his voice.
She hurriedly raised her head and looked over.
Sure enough, Uchiha Yoru's face was pale.
"Yoru, your condition is bad, meow!"
The distressed Miwa Masayo quickly said, "Hurry. What preparations do you need to make next? Let's complete them quickly, meow!"
Uchiha Yoru smiled.
"It's fine. I can still endure."
"Hurry, meow! Stop forcing yourself, meow!"
"Fine. I need a sufficiently concealed location so that no one can see what I look like during the next stage."
"It would be best if it were simultaneously close to fire, earth, water, wind, and lightning."
"That way, I can absorb whichever type of natural energy I need at any time."
Miwa Masayo stared in stunned disbelief.
Following the direction of Uchiha Yoru's finger, she looked toward the crater spewing rolling gray smoke.
She asked hesitantly, "Are you really choosing that place, meow?"
Uchiha Yoru nodded firmly.
"The crater."
"Although the volcano is only erupting ash now, there must still be magma beneath the crater."
"Fire-spirit and earth-spirit natural energy will definitely be abundant."
"The eruptive materials contain a great deal of water vapor."
"Although water-spirit natural energy will be relatively scarce, it will still be enough for emergencies."
"The eruption itself creates powerful air currents, so wind-spirit natural energy is also extremely abundant."
"As for lightning-spirit natural energy..."
Miwa Masayo looked at the lightning constantly crackling within the rolling gray smoke.
She knew that lightning-spirit natural energy would unquestionably be abundant.
Her thoughts became confused.
She muttered, "It's unbelievable, but after hearing you explain it... the crater really is an extremely suitable place, meow."
Uchiha Yoru took several deep breaths.
He lifted Miwa Masayo from his shoulder and placed her upon the scorching ground.
The tabby cat had begun with fire-spirit natural energy when she became a Cat Sage.
Her paws couldn't be harmed by flames.
Her earlier cries and hopping had merely been remnants of her biological instincts.
As long as she prepared herself mentally, she naturally wouldn't become frightened merely because the ground felt hot.
Uchiha Yoru spoke earnestly.
"Rika-chan, we have already stepped onto the path of immortal cultivation."
"Although I am one step ahead, you are no longer an ordinary life-form either."
"You must quickly become accustomed to your new form of life."
"Become accustomed to a body that cannot be harmed by fire or wind."
"Become accustomed to the fact that I no longer fear dangers such as fire, poison, suffocation, or cutting."
"Our bodies are progressing rapidly."
"Our state of mind must keep pace."
"Otherwise, one day, our mentality will become a burden that prevents us from continuing forward."
Miwa Masayo became thoughtful.
She looked at Uchiha Yoru and nodded solemnly.
Finally, Uchiha Yoru said, "If no one comes to spy on us, then use this opportunity to train yourself to remain calm around fire, Rika-chan."
"The environment here is extremely suitable."
After speaking, he walked resolutely toward the crater and jumped inside.
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