Chapter 577: Uchiha Shizuka's Realization
Chapter 577: Uchiha Shizuka's Realization
The sound of a carriage filled the air as Uchiha Yae gazed out the window, her pink eyes taking in the fields beyond.
"After all these years, Konoha remains unchanged!" she exclaimed.
Having moved from the main house to the Heavenly Castle, she had never openly returned to Konoha, though she refrained from mentioning this in private. Her resentment towards the village was evident.
"Do you think there could be any changes with the Leaf F4's style?" asked Uchiha Shizuka, her deputy, sitting across from her.
Despite her advanced age, Shizuka's face showed no signs of aging; instead, she seemed to have reverted to her youthful self.
For the Heavenly Castle, enhancing vitality was no easy task, but maintaining one's youthful appearance was indeed simple.
The group of shrine maidens naturally possessed this foundational benefit.
This alone was enough to ensure the shrine maidens' unwavering loyalty, not to mention their possession of 'spirit energy', a transcendent power, and various material benefits.
It could be said that the shrine maidens' loyalty was unwavering.
As for maintaining youth, something that did not enhance a ninja's strength, it was only natural for ninjas not to pursue it, but the Heavenly Castle had it readily available.
As a high-ranking member of the Heavenly Castle, Shizuka's youthful appearance was not surprising.
"That's true!" Yae nodded slightly.
That's right!
Sarutobi Hiruzen and the three Advisor Elders were known as the 'Leaf F4' within the Heavenly Castle.
Although no one knew the meaning behind the name 'Tang Ping', they could sense the humor in it, finding it amusing.
Terms like 'Pot King Danzo', 'Strongest Hokage Blog', 'Truth Within Kunai Range', and 'Dignity Above Shinobikatana' quickly became popular throughout the ninja world.
"I heard that another area of Konoha's seeds has been compromised this year!" Shizuka said, her words carrying a hint of accusation.
She was referring to the 'Seed War'.
For a long time, the Heavenly Castle's seeds had been stolen by various powers.
Not only were their crop yields high, but they were also resistant to pests and diseases, making them highly desirable to other forces.
However, aside from the mother seeds, all other seeds would experience genetic collapse within a few years, so various powers were determined to obtain the mother seeds, leading to countless sacrifices.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Castle had been creating fake mother seeds to deceive others.
After all, it would take several years for the genetic collapse to occur, making it easier to conduct experiments. However, if the seeds passed several tests without issues, mass cultivation could lead to problems.
"They brought it upon themselves!" Yae replied with a malicious smile, as she took great pleasure in seeing other forces suffer.
These forces had to fall for the Heavenly Castle to rise.
She secretly wished for their demise, hoping they would all perish.
Even Konoha shared this sentiment.
That was why, upon hearing of this opportunity to deal a blow to Konoha, she had come to witness it firsthand.
"By the way, why did you suddenly initiate such a grand plan? It doesn't seem like your usual style." Shizuka probed cautiously.
This question was not just for herself but on behalf of many high-ranking members of the Heavenly Castle.
There had been major operations in the past, but they were straightforward and brutal, involving direct attacks with troops. This time, however, there were many puzzling preparations.
Even the Phantom Country had been sealed off.
It was a crucial source of raw materials, and even a week-long blockade would result in significant losses. Yet, this time, the blockade had lasted for several months, as if they had gone mad.
That was why Shizuka was probing indirectly.
"Is that so?" Yae did not offer an explanation.
The information about Tang Ping awakening from his slumber was the Heavenly Castle's top secret, and the fewer people who knew, the better.
The less the higher-ups knew, the more they could confuse their enemies.
"..." Shizuka frowned but did not pursue the topic further.
She understood that with the other party's keen senses, they would surely grasp the reason for her probing, but their avoidance of the subject indicated a problem.
Her mind raced, and she couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity.
This grand yet chaotic command style had appeared a few times before.
And each time, it had brought immense benefits to the Heavenly Castle.
That's right!
Uchiha Shizuka suddenly realized something peculiar.
During this period, the other party had rarely, if ever, mentioned a certain name.
You see, in the past few years, the other party would mention this person almost daily, especially when they were 'drowning their sorrows in alcohol.'
But for the past few months, the other party hadn't just avoided mentioning that name; they hadn't even invited her for a drink.
Could this mean...
A thoughtful look flashed across Uchiha Shizuka's eyes, but for some reason, her mood had lightened considerably.
Previously, seeing the entire Heavenly Castle mobilized had made her feel incredibly stifled.
Now, even though the Heavenly Castle seemed to be filled with undercurrents, she didn't have a shred of worry.
The carriage arrived at the Konoha gate.
"Get down!"
Uchiha Yae took the lead and jumped off the carriage.
As a ninja, she wasn't used to such noble treatment.
If it weren't for Konoha's insistence, she could have used a few Teleportation Techniques to get here, instead of wasting over half an hour in the carriage.
It could only be said that Konoha was a remnant of the old era; if it were the Heavenly Castle, they wouldn't imitate the nobility in every way.
There was only one carriage, and the others walked alongside it.
Several shrine maidens wore red and white shrine maiden outfits, looking sacred and beautiful, while the ninjas all had forehead protectors bearing the Blazing Sun Symbol.
Previously, they had the 'Heaven' symbol, but now it had changed.
This was also to promote Hot Springs Valley!
To promote Hot Springs Valley as a new sacred site, the Heavenly Castle spared no effort.
Yono Yu had even used the 'Food Delivery' technique.
It was due to the efforts of the Heavenly Castle that Hot Springs Valley was able to 'overtake' the other sacred sites in just a few years, quickly catching up to the three major sacred sites, and it wouldn't be long before they surpassed them.
Although there were many natural energy ninjas, the upper limit had long been fixed, and it was further divided among the four sacred sites.
But faith energy was different; not only did the Heavenly Castle have exclusive access to it, but it also continued to grow.
With such great benefits, the Heavenly Castle naturally promoted itself vigorously.
As for why they brought shrine maidens?
"So beautiful!"
"Where did these shrine maidens come from?"
...
Street vendors and Konoha villagers whispered to each other.
Yes, this was the role of the shrine maidens.
They were the face of the organization!
As representatives of the Heavenly Castle, their presence could garner goodwill for the organization.
People's three views were influenced by the five views.
The shrine maidens were selected from orphans with good looks at a young age and were raised in a unique way in the Phantom Country, ensuring their beauty wouldn't fade. Additionally, with the belief that 'girls should be well-nourished,' their manners and appearance were cultivated.
It would be hard for them not to be beautiful!
This was also why, in the past, they couldn't afford to cultivate too many shrine maidens.
Aside from knowledge, appearance required more resources.
What about the less attractive shrine maidens?
Sorry, those weren't called shrine maidens; they were called 'witches,' and the ninja world was just that realistic.
Later, with the resources of the Heavenly Castle, they were able to cultivate shrine maidens on a large scale. With 'spirit energy' maintaining their youth, the average beauty of the shrine maidens increased, ensuring that there were truly no unattractive shrine maidens in active service.
Uchiha Yae's high-profile visit to Konoha was not only to spectate but also to promote the Heavenly Castle, paving the way for future poaching.
If Konoha suffered significant losses in the Chuunin Exam, and some temporarily migrated to the Heavenly Castle, Konoha wouldn't have much to say about it.
"Your Highness Yae, this way please!"
Makoto Konoha, along with others, stood at the village gate to welcome them.
Indeed, with the current strength of the Heavenly Castle, Yae, as the actual controller, had the right to be welcomed by her, the advisor elder.
As for the past grudges between the two sides, they wouldn't be openly displayed, at least not in public.
Soon, they arrived at the Hokage Tower.
(End of Chapter)
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