Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 514 Transcending Mortals

The crowd listened silently to Orochimaru's story. His deep, slightly hoarse voice seemed to possess an invisible magic, calming them from their arguments and prompting them to think seriously. After Orochimaru finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the room, but soon a slight commotion arose.

People began to whisper among themselves, their faces showing agreement. These were not fools; although they had considerable confidence in the strength of their own faction, they knew very well that the Akatsuki was no ordinary organization. The powerful figures hidden behind this mysterious group were top-tier beings, their strength unfathomable.

It's important to understand that Orochimaru's strength in this training ground was among the top, definitely belonging to the elite group at the very top. Yet, even someone as powerful as him suffered a crushing defeat in his clashes with the Akatsuki organization, nearly losing his life. This experience undoubtedly made people acutely aware of the Akatsuki's terrifying nature.

Therefore, everyone knows perfectly well that relying solely on the combined strength of the five great ninja villages to completely defeat the Akatsuki and stop their conspiracy is virtually an impossible task. Their training grounds have a clear understanding of the strength of the five great ninja villages, knowing that the so-called Kage of the five villages are utterly incapable of dealing with the mastermind behind the Akatsuki.

Even with the current strength of their training grounds, facing such a powerful and secretive enemy, they must act cautiously and find more effective strategies and methods to have any chance of turning the tide. Moreover, to completely defeat the powerful figure behind Akatsuki, they need to consult with Hyuga Kanan before deciding whether they can truly confront him.

After hearing Orochimaru's viewpoint, Hyuga Neji nodded repeatedly in agreement. In his opinion, it was indeed necessary to consult his teacher before making a decision. After all, the reason their training ground had maintained such a peaceful and stable state was entirely due to Hyuga Kanan, a top-tier ninja renowned throughout the entire ninja world. Back then, Hyuga Kanan, with his unparalleled skills and extraordinary wisdom, overwhelmed all rivals, striking fear into the hearts of countless powerful enemies.

However, not long ago, Hyuga Kanan-sensei announced his seclusion for training, instructing everyone not to disturb him. Now, the situation has drastically changed; the ninja world is about to be drawn into an unprecedented war. According to intelligence reports, this war could completely overturn the existing ninja world order and might even affect their peaceful training ground. Faced with such a dire situation, Hyuga Neji knew he had to act cautiously to avoid bringing annihilation upon everyone. Therefore, even at the risk of violating his teacher's prohibition, he felt he should inform his teacher and ask him to step down and take charge.

Orochimaru and Hyuga Neji stared at each other, their gazes seemingly conveying countless thoughts. After a brief silence, they both nodded slightly, indicating that they had reached a consensus. At this moment, their thoughts were exactly the same—they must first listen to Hyuga Kanan's insights, who was currently in seclusion, before making a final decision.

Without delay, Orochimaru and Hyuga Neji didn't hesitate. They quickly turned to face everyone present and explained the situation and the reason for needing to consult Hyuga Kanan in calm and clear voices. Once everyone understood the situation, the two of them, like two bolts of lightning, sped towards Hyuga Kanan's secluded training location at an astonishing speed.

The wind howled in their ears, and the scenery rushed past them, but Orochimaru and Hyuga Neji's steps remained firm and hurried. They knew that this decision was of utmost importance, and only with the guidance of the highly respected senior, Hyuga Kanan, could they ensure that everything went smoothly.

At this very moment, the vast majority of Hyuga Kanan's consciousness remained immersed in the origin of the world's will, diligently comprehending it. He naturally didn't want to miss even a single second of such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Therefore, he focused all his attention and exerted every ounce of his strength to sense the power of the rules emanating from the world's origin.

This mysterious and incredibly powerful force seemed to be formed from the fundamental laws governing the universe. Every thread and every detail contained endless mysteries and profound wisdom. Hyuga Kanan knew that if he could fully comprehend and master these laws, he could not only elevate his own realm to an unprecedented level, but also lay the most solid foundation for his future cultivation path.

Therefore, he forgot all external distractions and disturbances, focusing all his energy on exploring the power of rules. His mind, like a sponge, greedily absorbed the ever-emerging knowledge and information around him. In this process, he constantly broke through the limitations of his self-awareness, repeatedly refreshing his understanding of the essence of the world.

As time went by, Hyuga Kanan gradually grasped the deeper principles hidden beneath the surface. He began to try to connect these scattered insights into a unique system of his own. This path, forged with countless efforts and sweat, was full of hardships and twists and turns, but it was also the only way to reach the highest realm.

Over the past few days, Hyuga Kanan clearly sensed a tremendous change within himself. Not only had he made a qualitative leap in his understanding of various rules and powers, but the rules and powers he had previously perceived had also become increasingly refined and complete. This series of growths allowed him to have a sense of enlightenment when facing various rules, and to wield them with ease and mastery.

However, recently, a strange feeling quietly welled up in his heart. Hyuga Kanan keenly sensed the restless emotional fluctuations emanating from the World Will, which were continuously transmitted to him. This emotion seemed to be a clear signal, telling him that his time for further enlightenment in this mysterious and ancient primordial land was coming to an end. Although he felt a slight reluctance, Hyuga Kanan knew that this was fate's arrangement, and he must seize the limited time to absorb as much of the boundless wisdom and power contained within as possible.

Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows as Hyuga Neji and Orochimaru stepped into the mysterious and solemn secluded training ground. As they approached its depths, a chilling aura grew stronger.

The moment they finally saw Hyuga Kanan in his true form, both of them stared wide-eyed. Before them stood Hyuga Kanan like an unshakeable mountain, standing silently. The aura emanating from him surged like a raging sea, wave after wave crashing against the surrounding space.

That aura was no longer merely powerful; it had reached a terrifying, chilling level. Every trace of it seemed to contain boundless power and majesty, allowing Hyuga Neji and Orochimaru to clearly feel an immense pressure bearing down on them as they approached. This pressure was as heavy as a mountain crushing an egg, making it difficult for them to even breathe.

This pressure wasn't just physical; it penetrated deep into their souls, instilling in them a fear rooted in the very essence of life. It was as if the slightest misstep would result in their complete absorption by this powerful aura, vanishing without a trace. Faced with such a terrifying aura, both Hyuga Neji and Orochimaru felt an unprecedented sense of gravity, even the usually arrogant Orochimaru dared not underestimate it in the slightest.

Hyuga Kanan, who had been sleeping with his eyes tightly closed, suddenly opened them without warning. In that instant, it was like two bolts of lightning flashing across the dark night sky, catching everyone off guard. His gaze, however, was fixed directly on the newcomer, unwavering and precise.

This was actually the last vestige of his consciousness that he had deliberately preserved. The reason for this was to be on the safe side, so that if anything crucial happened in this cultivation ground that required his decision and advice, he could wake up immediately and provide an accurate response.

The moment their gazes met Hyuga Kanan's newly opened eyes, an indescribable feeling surged within them. They felt as if what they saw before them were not ordinary human eyes, but rather two vast, boundless starry skies. Within them twinkled countless brilliant stars, each radiating a mysterious and unfathomable light, vast and unfathomable.

That single glance was enough to nearly captivate them completely, leaving them utterly mesmerized. It was as if the starry sky held an endless, irresistible pull, threatening to devour their very souls.

Hyuga Neji stared wide-eyed at the figure before him—Hyuga Kanan. An unprecedented shock surged within him, for the Hyuga Kanan before him was completely beyond human comprehension.

Hyuga Kanan was surrounded by dazzling light, a galaxy of countless stars. Each ray of light seemed to be woven from endless power of rules, intertwining and flowing to create a beautiful yet infinitely powerful spectacle.

Even Orochimaru, known for his composure, was deeply captivated by this scene. He could feel the power of the rules he had comprehended stirring within his body, as if summoned by some powerful force and becoming unusually active. The previously indistinct patterns of the rules were gradually becoming clearer, like a mysterious scroll hidden in the mist slowly unfolding.