Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 237 The Journey

Hyuga Neji experienced many things along the way, which allowed him to truly understand the world for the first time.

He witnessed a variety of people and events, including some shocking scenes. Most strikingly, he saw a group of ninjas wearing masks emblazoned with the Leaf Village symbol engage in a fierce battle with other ninjas in what was once a peaceful village. These ninjas showed no regard for the destruction they caused, plunging the village into chaos and ruin. In this fierce battle, a once tranquil village was reduced to rubble in an instant; countless houses were destroyed, and innocent villagers suffered heavy casualties. Even more infuriating was that after successfully killing the enemy ninjas, the Leaf Village masked ninjas showed no concern for the village's condition, ignoring even the wounded villagers, simply turning and leaving as if it were none of their business. This cold-blooded and ruthless behavior deeply wounded Hyuga Neji, prompting him to reflect more profoundly on humanity.

Isn't Konoha a military force of the Land of Fire? Shouldn't they be protecting the people of the Land of Fire? Why is this happening? Why are so many innocent people being dragged into this? These questions kept swirling in Hyuga Neji's mind, and he began to doubt what he had always firmly believed in.

Hyuga Neji looked at everything before him, his heart filled with sorrow and anger. He felt utterly powerless, unable to stop the war or save the wounded. He felt immense pain and despair, for he didn't know how to change the situation.

He began to realize that the ninjas of the ninja world were probably the source of chaos in this world. The people of the ninja world not only had to face threats from the natural environment, but also had to endure harm and death from the ninjas. This cruel reality weighed heavily on Hyuga Neji's mind. He couldn't help but recall his teacher's evaluation of the ninjas: a group of violent thugs with only brute force and no thought.

Back then, Hyuga Neji was just a child, and he couldn't understand the meaning of his teacher's words at all. But now, he can feel the pain and despair of these villagers who have lost their loved ones. And now, he has once again witnessed the harm that war brings to people, which has awakened the deep wounds in his heart.

Hyuga Neji felt deeply shaken, and he began to contemplate the meaning and actions of ninjas. He realized that the ninja world was ruled by ninjas who only cared about their own interests and goals, neglecting the other citizens, especially the innocent villagers. If such a system became the norm in the ninja world, then true peace would never exist.

After this incident, Hyuga Neji realized that his understanding of the ninja world was far from sufficient. Therefore, he decided he needed to carefully observe the existence of ninjas to see if they were truly as his teacher had described.

As the teacher said, "What you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand." Only by experiencing things firsthand can you truly understand and recognize their principles and significance. For any matter, you cannot rely solely on others' descriptions or instruction to gain knowledge; you must try and explore for yourself to form your own profound understanding and insights. This applies not only to learning knowledge but also to all aspects of life. Through personal experience, you can accumulate valuable experience, continuously grow and progress, and become more mature and wiser.

Hyuga Neji gained a great deal from this journey. He not only witnessed all sorts of people and things, but also had in-depth conversations with many villagers from the Land of Fire. Through these experiences, he truly understood for the first time the views of the people of the Land of Fire towards Konoha Village.

Surprisingly, most of the people of the Land of Fire didn't have a good impression of ninjas, not even those from Konoha. The ninjas they had encountered always seemed aloof and indifferent. When on missions, these ninjas seemed completely unconcerned about the lives of ordinary people, and when battles broke out, they often jeopardized the safety of the village. This situation instilled unease and fear in the villagers.

For Hyuga Neji, this was a profoundly impactful experience. Having grown up surrounded by ninjas, he had always believed his village was revered and respected. However, he now realized that in the eyes of the ordinary people of the Land of Fire, ninjas weren't as perfect as he had imagined. This new understanding led him to reflect on the actions of ninjas and their relationship with the common people.

Perhaps ninjas are the true culprits behind the world's turmoil! Having wielded absolute power and achieved global dominance, the ninjas failed to guarantee stability. Each Shinobi World War inflicted immense suffering on ordinary citizens of various nations, making them the most direct victims in terms of both personal safety and material security.

This was the first time Hyuga Neji had felt such a sense of alienation towards his birthplace, Konoha. He couldn't help but begin to doubt the beliefs he had always held dear. Perhaps Konoha truly cared deeply for its people and cherished the village, but could the Konoha ninja really be considered good people in the eyes of the entire Land of Fire, and even the entire ninja world?

They constantly wage wars, bringing endless suffering and disaster to the people. Innocent civilians become the victims of these wars, their lives utterly disrupted, losing loved ones, friends, and even their lives. Is all of this what they call justice?

"Master is absolutely right!" Hyuga Neji murmured softly. This was the first time he truly felt that his master's assessment of ninjas was incredibly insightful and hit the nail on the head! It was precisely because of this that he understood why his master insisted on sending him down the mountain for training. Through this period of training, he not only gained a deeper understanding of the entire ninja world but also accumulated invaluable life experience. These experiences also made his mind more mature and composed, as if it had been carefully polished.

It was nearing dusk, the sun was setting, and the sky was growing dark. Hyuga Neji sat quietly cross-legged under a large tree, silently adjusting his state. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths of the fresh air around him, feeling the essence of nature. At the same time, he focused on channeling the refined energy throughout his body to restore his strength and alleviate the fatigue from a day's journey. Although he was exhausted, he never forgot to continue his training.

After a period of recuperation, Hyuga Neji slowly opened his eyes. A resolute light shone in his clear eyes. He knew that only through continuous effort could he truly become a powerful person.

Night fell, and the moonlight, like water, bathed the quiet grove, filling the entire space with a hazy atmosphere. Under the moonlight, the shadows of the trees were stretched long, like enormous monsters, their claws outstretched into the distance. The air was filled with the faint scent of grass and earth, bringing a sense of tranquility and comfort, a feeling of returning to nature. However, this tranquility was shattered by a sudden, unexpected prying eye.

Hyuga Neji, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, fixed on the depths of the forest. His eyes revealed a resolute yet vigilant expression, as if he had sensed something amiss. He had just felt a prying sensation through his soul power, and this feeling had been locking onto his body, making him extremely uneasy.

Neji Hyuga's breathing became rapid, and his heart pounded faster. He knew that this probing force likely came from an enemy, but he didn't know their exact identity or purpose. However, he decided to take the initiative and not wait to be killed. So, he quickly stood up and walked deeper into the forest. His steps were light and steady, each step filled with confidence and determination.

As Hyuga Neji ventured deeper into the forest, the surroundings grew increasingly quiet. Only the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the occasional chirping of insects added a touch of life to the tranquil woods. However, Neji remained vigilant, maintaining intense focus and using his spiritual power to perceive the movements around him. He also suddenly activated his Byakugan, meticulously examining his surroundings.

Hyuga Neji activated his Byakugan, taking in everything around him, but still found nothing unusual. However, the unease deep within him grew stronger, as if an invisible eye was watching them, a feeling that sent chills down his spine. At the same time, in his perception through his soul power, the sense of being watched not only didn't weaken, but instead grew even stronger, like a wild beast lurking in the darkness, ready to pounce at any moment.

Hyuga Neji clenched his fists tightly, trying to calm his nerves. This was the first time he had encountered an enemy that even his Byakugan couldn't detect. However, thanks to the soul power he had accumulated through years of cultivating the Spirit Nourishing Technique, he could still sense the opponent's presence, but he couldn't lock onto the opponent's constantly moving figure.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Neji's forehead. He knew his enemy was lurking nearby, watching him intently, but his soul power wasn't yet strong enough to lock onto them. His current situation forced him into a passive defensive strategy, patiently waiting for his opponent to make the first move. However, he couldn't maintain this passive stance indefinitely. To find a breakthrough, he needed to use his speed advantage to retreat, luring his opponent into revealing an opening while pursuing him, thus launching a counterattack.