With Hikaru Uchiha's request fulfilled, Zhang Zhiwei, the Old Celestial Master, wasted no time.
By morning, he had left Dragon-Tiger Mountain, stepping onto the long road down.
This sudden departure of a sage who hadn't descended the mountain in years—especially following the chaos of the previous day—sent tremors across the shinobi world.
Everyone knew: a storm was coming.
And at the center of it all, stood the Quanxing Organization.
No one dared stand in Zhang Zhiwei's way.
This man, over a century old, gentle on the outside, was forged in blood and battle. Beneath his calm exterior lay a will sharp as a blade.
Quanxing's brazen assault on Dragon-Tiger Mountain had crossed the line.
Tian Jinzhong's death had lit the fuse.
Now, the killing intent within the Old Celestial Master surged like a tidal wave.
In this world, where individual strength had reached monstrous extremes, members of Quanxing fell like autumn leaves before him.
The scale of this war far surpassed anything seen in the original timeline.
Even the Ten Elders came forward, attempting to mediate.
But Zhang Zhiwei, resolute beyond persuasion, gave none of them face.
His rage would be drowned only in Quanxing's blood.
Lu Jin, showing rare wisdom, chose to step aside.
There was no salvaging his old duel footage if it got out—humiliation was guaranteed.
And more than that, he understood:
Zhang Zhiwei had made up his mind.
Trying to stop him would only be a waste of effort—better to hand over Quanxing's acting leader Gong Qing and let him take the fall.
After all, Quanxing had long been seen by many factions as little more than a rogue's den—a place where unwanted teachings, heretical jutsu, and unwanted shinobi were thrown together like garbage in a bin.
Now that blood had been spilled, everyone was eager to step on the corpse.
Even those who had never committed crimes began issuing public statements:
"I've left Quanxing."
"I was never officially affiliated."
"I stand with peace."
The collapse had begun.
At the center of the crumbling tower, Gong Qing stepped forward.
He accepted the blame—knowing full well what awaited him.
Zhang Zhiwei personally delivered the finishing blow.
Only then did the Old Celestial Master turn around and quietly return to the mountain.
With Gong Qing's death, the flames engulfing the shinobi world were finally quelled.
Meanwhile, Hikaru had no interest in the world's noise.
He had already tracked down Biyu Village—his next waypoint.
"So, your village chief isn't here?"
He asked the question while gazing at Liu Wukui, suspended midair, bound by sealing techniques.
"Yes," she replied with a reluctant nod. "So, could you let me down now?"
Despite her awkward situation, she kept a touch of dignity.
Hikaru smiled.
Her attempt to resist had ended in a humiliating defeat—the moment she moved to strike, she had been instantly sealed.
Still, he bore no grudge.
"You know where he went?"
Liu Wukui hesitated. She debated whether to reveal the truth.
But Hikaru hadn't harmed her. And his power had been… overwhelming.
Eventually, she nodded.
"He went after the person who stole one of his tools."
Hikaru's eyes narrowed. He remembered this part from the original timeline—
It marked the beginning of the Chen Duo arc.
And Ma Hongxian's fateful encounter with her.
Chen Duo…
A cursed soul.
A girl trapped by her bloodline, molded by a cult, shattered by isolation.
She never fit in. Never belonged.
Some might say it was the fault of her role as the Gu-Body Saint Child.
Others might say it was the fault of the Wherever Hall Corporation.
To Hikaru, it didn't matter.
She was a walking tragedy.
A girl whose very body was a living poison, who had been locked away in a fortress beneath the world and only released to die slowly in the name of "duty."
He understood the company's logic.
He didn't agree with it.
Chen Duo wasn't beyond saving.
Just… abandoned.
Where they saw a timebomb—
He saw a flower. Twisted, yes, but still capable of blooming.
And so he made a decision.
If no one else in this world can carry her, I will.
Chen Duo was dangerous?
So was he.
At worst, her poison might wipe out a city.
But if he let loose, entire planets would burn.
Without another word, he released Liu Wukui and walked away.
By the time the rest of Biyu's shinobi arrived, he was already gone—just a speck vanishing into the horizon.
From Liu Wukui's account, they quickly understood what had happened.
And the entire village fell into uproar.
A storm was about to follow… again.