After letting Senju Qin go, Ling didn't look for another place to train. Instead, he returned to the clan territory and found an elder in the clan. He briefly mentioned that he had found traces of the Senju clan at the back mountain and asked them to send summoned beasts to inform the clan members who were scattered at the back mountain for training to gather closer to the clan territory.
"Are there many of them?"
"No, it's just a kid. He was so scared after recognizing me." Ling pretended to be in deep thought. "I could have killed him, but in the end, I let him go. After all, the forest area over there is close to the Senju clan. I'm afraid there might be some Sealing Tags. If a group of Senju clan members are attracted, there'll surely be a conflict.
Moreover, last time, I also let the Senju clan take back some new information about me. When that kid goes back to report, they should also be able to recognize me. Knowing that I'll go there for training from time to time, they'll naturally discipline their own kids.
However, we can't be sure whether they'll choose to shrink back or look for us further. It's better to let the clan members retreat a little – besides, the two clans have just ended a war. It's time for recuperation. I want to avoid as many non - mission - related conflicts as possible."
"Hmm, your concerns are reasonable. I'll send someone to inform them." After noting down the important matter, this clan member's voice became full of concern. "By the way, how's your recovery going, Ling?"
Ling let out a soft laugh and rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed. "Ah... Me? Thanks for your concern, Uncle Hiro. There's no big problem anymore. After adapting to my body a bit more, I should be able to return to the battlefield..."
"Hahaha, No wonder Hiro thinks you're the best of our generation! But don't stimulate the young guys in the clan too much. The medical department was full because of you some time ago."
Uchiha Kazuharu laughed heartily. "You know, my son Hiro has been complaining quite a bit about that."
"Haha... It really gave Hiro a lot of trouble at that time." Ling also laughed. "Ah, but I haven't seen Hiro since that sparring match. I didn't even notice that he came to watch me train secretly... Does Uncle Kazuharu know what's going on?"
"That boy, after he came back last time and told me the result of the fight with you, he took on a long - term bodyguard mission and left. He said he wanted to calm himself down." Uchiha Kazuharu burst out laughing. "My boy has such a prickly personality. Ling, don't take it too seriously. He'll come around on his own."
"I'm relieved then." Ling nodded at Uchiha Kazuharu, with a gentle smile on his lips. "Then I'll leave the matter of notifying the clan members to Uncle Kazuharu. I haven't had time to inform my family about the end of my training, so I'll take my leave first."
Uchiha Kazuharu glanced at the crow quietly squatting on Ling's shoulder and nodded. "Well, go ahead. But given the current situation, Ling, you don't have to push yourself so hard. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."
"Haha... Don't make fun of me, but even if we don't talk about other things, I'm really eager to return to the battlefield. When fighting with the clan members, we always stop short of the finish line, which makes me a little unsatisfied."
"Hahaha - Ling, you're really a natural - born ninja! Well done!" Uchiha Kazuharu patted Ling's empty - placed shoulder and laughed heartily. "Okay, go back quickly. If you wander around in your current state for too long, those little kids in the clan who grew up listening to your stories will be disillusioned - after all, who could have thought that the all - powerful senior in the stories would be in this state?"
Ling also knew that he didn't look good after just finishing his training. Without further delay, he just let out a few awkward chuckles and then asked Yata, who was standing on his shoulder, to show him the way home.
"Master, there's one thing I have to remind you." Yata tilted his head slightly. "Sanshu is not at all suitable to stay at home. He has tricked young master Izuna more than once and succeeded every time."
"Really? I thought Sanshu was quite well - behaved when I was at home..."
"Sanshu also behaves himself when Father and Lord Madara are around, but in essence, it's just that young master Izuna is too easy to deceive." Yata turned his head to groom his feathers. "Being tricked into exchanging lunches is already a minor thing. You really need to take charge of Sanshu."
"Exchanging lunches... Is it okay for Sanshu to eat human food?"
"As for Izuna..." Ling tilted her head and rummaged through the ninja tool pouch behind her waist, then took out a bag of bird food. "Wait a sec while I have a taste first..."
Yata: ...
Feeling the unique fragrant taste of nuts spreading in her mouth, Ling casually picked out a few pieces of bird food and offered them to Yata. "Don't worry too much. I guess Sanshu probably just used the bird food to swindle some food from Izuna. The ingredients of this batch of bird food are all high - quality nuts. It won't be a problem for Izuna to eat some of it.
But I'll have to take Sanshu to get a check - up when we get back... After all, Yugu has told me several times not to give you human food. Oh, and I need to tell Sanshu that bird food with insects can't be used to exchange for food in the future. Nuts are okay, but I can't let Izuna eat insects."
Yata silently picked up the bird food with its beak. "Don't you think Sanshu's behavior is a bit too much, squawk?"
"Haha, didn't Izuna also say that you and Sanshu are our family? Since we're family, such harmless jokes don't really matter. It's also a sign of getting closer to each other." Ling picked up another piece of bird food and put it in her mouth. "This tastes really good. I'd even say it's much better than the Military Rations Pill... Do you think I should ask Yugu to order an extra batch for me as snacks?"
Yata stared at Ling's profile with its small black eyes for a moment, then turned its head away. "Sure enough, the one we can really rely on at home is Lord Madara, squawk..."
"Hey, that's so unfair... Father is also very reliable, okay?"
"When your summoned beast says something like this, you should first reflect on whether you've done enough as a master, instead of trying to convince your summoned beast by finding someone more reliable, squawk," Yata flapped its feathers and took off into the air. "We're home, squawk!"