"I use ninjutsu, which requires chakra within the body, combined with specific hand seals for release. There are very few ninjutsu that don't require hand seals, but I'll demonstrate for you both, esteemed masters, so please watch closely..."
"This is Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu."
"This is Water Style: Water Severing Wave."
"This is Earth Style: Earth Style Wall."
...
And so, he, thinking of how to explain all the ninjutsu in detail, wishing he could write a ninjutsu tutorial, since no one could learn it anyway, explained it all.
The two, on the other hand, were focused on learning, dedicating all their attention to Li Xi, resting neither day nor night. They repeated the release, explanation, and analysis of various ninjutsu over and over. Two days passed like this.
"Esteemed masters, ninjutsu is just like this. It's not that mysterious once you understand it. The most important thing is to have an energy called chakra within your body. And it's not as powerful as you might think; it's clearly weaker than magic in terms of high-end power."
"Mhmm, mhmm, mhmm."
Floating around the two archmages, who were of the Magister rank, were over a dozen magic notebooks. A dozen or so magical brushes that could write on their own were diligently recording every word Li Xi spoke. They even sketched every instant Li Xi released a ninjutsu, piecing them together to form the entire process. Not only that, but five types of observational magic were deployed around the testing grounds where the three were located, ensuring that even if Li Xi secretly passed gas, they wouldn't miss it.
"I've finished explaining all there is to ninjutsu. I'm heading home now."
"We are deeply grateful for Mr. Li Xi's generous and detailed explanations. Our Magic Guild will never forget your kindness; you will forever be our most precious friend." Heme and Pack, in their capacity as rotating councilors, promised Li Xi the highest form of praise. Initially, they had suspected Li Xi was bluffing about teaching ninjutsu; who would be so kind as to reveal all their secrets? But after these two days of interaction, they found that Li Xi truly held nothing back. The knowledge he shared was completely systematic, and many of his viewpoints even provided a new perspective that could be applied to magic, giving Pack and Heme a sense of sudden enlightenment. However, what they could glean from it depended on their own fortunes.
"It is my honor to contribute my humble strength to the advancement of the magical system."
...
At the Cardo City Magic Guild branch, the internal teleportation array lit up, and Li Xi's figure appeared. A large group of not-so-high-ranking mages rushed forward to bow and scrape before him. For these individuals, who were usually arrogant and looked down on everyone, to bend their backs showed that Li Xi hadn't wasted his two days.
"Masters, we are all fellow villagers, no need to be so formal. If you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to find me. You know where I live, right?"
"Yes, yes, we know."
"I'm in a hurry to get home to see my wife now. We'll meet again."
"Safe travels, Mr. Li Xi, safe travels."
Li Xi's half-joking words sent the mages into fits of laughter, but they also cleared a path for him to return home as soon as possible.
The moment Li Xi stepped out of the Magic Guild's main entrance, his haste caused him to miss a fleeting figure in the distance. Upon confirming that the figure was indeed Li Xi, the person tore up a magic scroll they were holding.
With a Shunshin no Jutsu, he returned to his doorstep. Pushing open the door, he found Aise helping Avril, with a stream of delicious dishes being served at the dining table. "Oh, the master is back. Wash your hands and let's eat."
"We haven't seen each other for nearly a month. What's for dinner? I've missed our big bed so much; I can't sleep when I'm away."
"It's daytime now."
"It's all the same with the curtains drawn."
Li Xi, possessed by a lecherous spirit, found his two beautiful wives even more appealing than the tastiest dishes. He grabbed one in each arm and pulled them into the room, ignoring Avril's calls about the food still in the pot.
"Did you miss me?"
"Who would miss a heartless scoundrel like you? I heard that princess you were with for so long slept in your room every day. Tell me, what did you do for all that time?"
"It's a frame-up! Even though she slept in my room every day, I slept on the roof every night. Many people can testify. I remained chaste for you, endured hardship for you, and now you're framing me upon my return. My life is so bitter."
As the three of them were playfully bickering and opening the room door, the originally warm and rosy bedroom suddenly transformed into a world of darkness. There was no sky, no ground, no light source, only the eerie sight of the person beside them.
It was as if they had not returned to their own home but had traveled to another dimension.
"Go!"
Li Xi had encountered many dangerous situations. The moment he stepped in, his expression changed drastically. Without thinking, he wanted to push Aise and Avril behind him out. But no matter how fast Li Xi was, Aise and Avril couldn't escape. The door behind them instantly merged and disappeared the moment they stepped in. This space was like the gaping maw of a Pixiu, only allowing entry and no exit.
"Who's there? Come out!"
Since escape was impossible, Li Xi pulled Aise and Avril behind him. He had seen Rank 8 domains before, but this dark, soundless space with no boundaries filled him with a strong sense of crisis and fear. This fear wasn't from Li Xi's subjective consciousness but from a passive sixth, seventh, and eighth sense deep within his soul.
A person dressed in opulent black, whose face was obscured, suddenly appeared before the three. A pair of emotionless, icy eyes automatically ignored Aise and Avril, focusing solely on Li Xi.
"So strong. You are no match for him. Be careful, be careful, be careful."
"Jinchuriki, be careful. This is a fight for survival."
In the sealed space, the voices of Matatabi and Isobu, the Two-Tails and Three-Tails, were anxiously shouting so loud they were about to burst Li Xi's eardrums. As beings who shared his life force, they were most worried about Li Xi.
"Hmph!"
The sudden appearance of this person startled the two Tailed Beasts into stuttering. Li Xi was speechless. When did such a powerful being start targeting him?
Daring not to delay,
"Kai, Shin, Rin, Kyo, To!"
"Kai!"
His entire skin turned a dark red with engorged blood vessels. The bulging veins wriggled like small worms beneath his skin. Such immense power could even defeat a Rank 7 Twin-Headed Golden Dragon with two kicks. Yet, facing this indifferent man in black, Li Xi still lacked confidence. Increasing his strength tens of times in an instant did not bring him a sense of security. It seemed this person was the most powerful opponent he had ever encountered.
He clasped his hands together.
"Baika no Jutsu!" (Magnification Jutsu)
At its limit of tenfold magnification, Li Xi's body inflated like a balloon, reaching a size comparable to Sun Wukong, standing like a giant that could cleave the heavens and earth within the dark space.
During his Chunin days, Li Xi could only magnify himself fourfold with this technique. Now that his chakra had reached Jonin level, the magnification jutsu naturally improved. His current limit was tenfold.
After tenfold magnification, Li Xi's aura surged with every breath. Looking at the man in black, who was no taller than an ordinary person, even without any killing intent emanating from him, his instincts screamed at Li Xi to run, frantically warning him that he was no match.
"Is this all?"
The man in black finally spoke.
"What?"
"Is this the extent of your abilities?"
"Swish, swish."
Several golden rays of light fell upon Li Xi, causing the giant-like Li Xi's body to swell further. His once slender muscles bulged. This was the divine amplification and enhancement from Aise and Avril.
The man in black remained unfazed, terrifyingly calm. He didn't seem to notice Li Xi, whose energy was raging like a storm, as if everything Li Xi was doing was as powerless as a willow branch in his eyes.
"Dragon bloodline, Flame Demon bloodline, activate!"
On the brink of death, Li Xi knew he only had one chance to strike. Naturally, he wouldn't hold back any longer. He activated both major bloodlines. His height, previously comparable to Sun Wukong, increased again, reaching twenty-five meters. Behind him, dark red dragon wings with barbs swayed, his entire body covered in palm-sized dragon scales, and he even exhaled faint sparks with every breath – the Dragon-born Li Xi had appeared.
However, it was slightly different from before. Li Xi's aura had changed. It was no longer pure dragon energy; it was a mixture of dragon might and the oppressive aura of the Flame Demon abyss, powerful and ferocious. This was also why Li Xi hadn't been recognized as a dragon-born by Adrian.
The man in black simply watched Li Xi. Even though Li Xi's aura made the entire dark space reverberate, the man in black remained unmoved.
"Help me."
"Alright."
A phantom red Tailed Beast Cloak covered his entire body. The two swaying tails behind him firmly protected Aise and Avril.
These were all the abilities Li Xi could bring to bear. If he had faced Adrian, the Twin-Headed Golden Dragon, in his current form, Li Xi would have guaranteed that Adrian would be dealt with in one move. Apart from not having a domain, he was definitively an 8th-level combatant.
"If not, I will act."
The man in black was still like an ordinary person, with no energy fluctuations emanating from him. Compared to the earth-shattering energy fluctuations from Li Xi, it was like the difference between an earthworm and a dragon. Yet, now, Li Xi, this dragon, was filled with fear from the bottom of his heart for the man in black, this earthworm.
"Who are you?" Li Xi's voice echoed through the space, like the roar of a god.
The man in black did not reply, perhaps considering speaking to Li Xi beneath his dignity. He merely seemed to move in Li Xi's sight, or perhaps he didn't. Ephemeral movement made even Li Xi's vertically slitted pupils and three-tomoe Sharingan unable to confirm if the person had moved.
"Sister Aise?"
From behind, Avril's terrified, confused, and frightened voice sounded. Li Xi's heart sank. He looked back in disbelief. Aise was looking at her hands with suspicion. Her hands were covered in bloodstains.
Aise seemed to understand something. She raised her head and looked at Li Xi, a blissful smile on her face. She seemed about to say something, but the moment she opened her mouth, blood spurted from all over her body. In an instant, Aise was drenched in her own blood. In Li Xi's eyes, Aise's life had completely vanished.
Avril embraced Aise, her heart wracked with pain, unable to believe or accept that her sister, whom she had only known for a short time, had left them so suddenly.
Li Xi did not have a moment for a tearful farewell with Aise. Only by avenging her could he be worthy of her love.
But facing the person before him, was there any hope?
He could appear before Li Xi, unseen by Li Xi, and in an instant, make so many cuts that Aise's entire body was covered in wounds. Even the Tailed Beast Cloak of Isobu had been cut open without him sensing it. Was there any hope against such an enemy? Sultan Novel Network.
Li Xi suppressed his anger, remaining unnaturally calm for someone whose wife had just died, and asked again, "Are you, such an important figure, afraid to reveal your name after killing a small fry like me?"
The man in black listened to Li Xi's provocation, remaining indifferent and expressionless. Li Xi could not see through his black clothing, only feeling a coldness from his emotionless eyes, like that of a thousand meters below an iceberg. It was as if, in this person's eyes, the three of them were no different from dirt or dung.
"Boom!"
Li Xi could not discern any flaws in the man in black. This man in black seemed to have merged with this space. The inexplicable pressure made Li Xi's battle-hardened heart begin to waver. If he didn't act soon, he might not get another chance.
His fist, as large as a small house, smashed down heavily. His punches were like the wind, his movements like thunder. Li Xi did not seek to kill the enemy but only to find a weakness and send Avril back.
However, the man in black's body moved slightly, appearing exactly beside Li Xi's fist. Even though the distance between them was less than an inch, and the man in black was shorter than Li Xi's fist, Li Xi's large fists did not even touch the edge of his clothes.
Li Xi's eyes shifted slightly. His left eye, the three-tomoe Sharingan, rotated once before returning to normal.
Too strong. He couldn't even see the movements of the opponent's attack. How could he fight?
His chakra went berserk. Li Xi unhesitatingly shouted his strongest taijutsu.
"Ri..."
But as Li Xi uttered only the first syllable, he widened his eyes as if seeing a ghost. He saw countless dense wounds suddenly appear all over his body. Each wound severed a critical part of his body. His heart in his chest had been neatly cut into small cubes. It was only because the wounds were extremely fine that Li Xi didn't feel any pain.
"Pfft."
Like Aise, slightly golden blood spurted out due to the immense pressure difference within his body. At this moment, over ninety percent of the blood in Li Xi's body was gone, like a prodigal son who never returned. Coupled with his shattered internal organs, his strength began to dissipate.
"Jinchuriki, you're dying just like this?"
"Jinchuriki?"
In the sealed space, the two Tailed Beasts also fell into darkness with Li Xi's chilling powerlessness. No matter how much they shouted or tried to break through the seal to release their complete forms, time and opportunity were gone.
In his final moments, Li Xi turned his head with difficulty, wanting to apologize to Aise and Avril. If not for him, they wouldn't have faced such a life-threatening crisis.
But when Li Xi turned his head, Avril, somehow, was also flowing with pale golden blood. With a smile on her face, her delicate body collapsed beside Aise.
Li Xi wanted to give a wry smile, but with his muscles and meridians severed, even a smile was a luxury. He didn't even know when this man in black had made his move on Avril. He was incompetent, utterly incompetent.