Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 238 Crisis Moment

The surrounding darkness was like a colossal beast, its gaping maw revealing menacing fangs, ready to devour everything. Hyuga Neji looked at the boundless darkness around him, a sense of dread washing over him. He dared not linger any longer, for this forest was far too eerie.

He couldn't help but regret his earlier reckless act of venturing into the woods to investigate the other party. His recent experiences seemed to have lowered his guard considerably. He knew perfectly well that the woods were the other party's territory, yet he still barged in without hesitation.

Now, he realized he had made a serious mistake. In this unfamiliar and dangerous environment, he had to remain calm and vigilant to protect himself. With that thought, Hyuga Neji took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and prepared to deal with any potential dangers.

Byakugan scanned the area, but still saw no trace of the enemy. This heightened Hyuga Neji's vigilance even further. He knew that this hidden enemy was definitely not simple. Hyuga Neji considered for a moment and decided to retreat from the forest first, and then devise a new plan. After all, finding traces of the enemy in such a complex environment was not an easy task.

Hyuga Neji quickly left the forest and returned to safety. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and used his spiritual power to sense everything around him. In this way, he could detect subtle changes and anomalies. Soon, he discovered a faint aura moving in a certain direction. Hyuga Neji immediately opened his eyes and moved swiftly in that direction.

That direction led directly to the main road. The main road had no trees to obstruct the view, and the terrain was relatively open, allowing Hyuga Neji to better observe his surroundings and more easily deal with hidden enemies. Furthermore, the main road was a relatively safe place, as it was usually frequented by more people, providing a degree of protection.

Hyuga Neji quickened his pace, knowing that time was of the essence. If he couldn't find and defeat the enemy quickly, it could pose an even greater threat to him. He gripped his short sword tightly, preparing for the impending battle.

Hyuga Neji could sense a faint presence watching him, a presence like a venomous snake, sending chills down his spine. He tried to quicken his pace, but the presence followed him relentlessly, growing faster and faster.

"Damn it!" Hyuga Neji cursed under his breath. He knew he was being watched, and that the other person seemed to know him well and wanted to block his path in advance. This feeling made him very uneasy, and he began to think about how to get out of this predicament.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. He decided to use his surroundings to conceal himself. He quickly disappeared into a grove of trees and bushes, trying to evade the scent's pursuit.

However, just as he entered the woods, he heard a faint sound of footsteps. His heart sank, realizing that the other person had discovered him. He immediately stopped and cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

“Come out, I know you’re here,” Hyuga Neji said softly, forming a palm seal with his hands, ready to attack at any moment. His eyes were sharp and calm, and a faint killing intent emanated from him.

After a while, a dark figure slowly emerged from behind a tree. The person was completely shrouded in a black robe, obscuring their face, revealing only a single, deep-set eye. Their gaze was cold and sharp, sending chills down one's spine.

"Who are you? Why are you following me?" Hyuga Neji asked, his voice tinged with hostility. He stared intently at the other man, not daring to relax his guard for a moment.

The man in black robes did not answer, but silently watched Hyuga Neji, as if sizing him up. Then, he slowly raised a hand, a faint light shimmering within it.

Hyuga Neji's heart tightened; he immediately sensed a powerful force gathering. Without hesitation, he activated his Byakugan, seeing the chakra flowing within the black-robed man's body.

"Such immense power..." Hyuga Neji murmured to himself, a look of shock on his face. He had never encountered such a powerful opponent before; even his father, a Jonin, could not compare to the person before him.

Just then, the man in black robes made his move. The light in his hand instantly became dazzling, unleashing a sharp branch that pierced towards Hyuga Neji at lightning speed.

Hyuga Neji quickly dodged to the side, a branch grazing his shoulder and causing a sharp pain. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain, his figure flashing as he swiftly created distance between himself and the man in black.

"Who exactly is this guy? How can he be so strong?" Hyuga Neji wondered to himself. He kept a wary eye on the man in black robes while considering how to deal with him.

The man in black robes did not pursue further, but stood quietly in place, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. He said calmly, "You brat from the Hyuga clan, your strength is too weak. You are no match for me at all."

Hyuga Neji gritted his teeth and said, "I will not lose to anyone! Even a strong person like you, I will fight with all my might!" As he spoke, he activated his Byakugan again, searching for the black-robed man's weakness.

The man in black robes shook his head slightly and laughed, "You overestimate yourself. Since you're so eager to fight, let me see what you're capable of." With that, he raised his kunai again, preparing to launch a new attack.

Hyuga Neji took a deep breath, focused his mind, and prepared to face the attack from the man in black. This battle was crucial for him; he had to give it his all to find a chance to escape.

The vortex of energy in his dantian spun wildly, absorbing spiritual energy from the outside world like a whirlpool. As the vortex accelerated, streams of refined, pure energy flowed rapidly through his meridians, surging like a rushing river. This energy continuously nourished every muscle and bone in his body, significantly enhancing Hyuga Neji's speed once again. His figure moved with lightning speed, covering dozens of meters in the blink of an eye.

At the same time, Hyuga Neji's fingers clenched into a sword-like gesture, gleaming with a dazzling light, like a sharp blade. He concentrated his mind, gathering all his strength at his fingertips, causing the sword-like fingers to exude a chilling aura. With a deep shout, "Gentle Fist - Bagua Palm!" Instantly, a huge Bagua pattern enveloped his opponent. The lines within the Bagua pattern intertwined, forming an unbreakable cage that trapped his enemy within.

Sensing he had successfully trapped his opponent, Hyuga Neji charged towards him with ghostly speed. His pace was dazzling, almost impossible to follow. In the instant he closed in, his sword-like finger thrust forward without hesitation, aiming for his opponent's throat with a fierce, almost piercing aura. This strike contained all of Hyuga Neji's power and skill; if it landed, it would inflict fatal damage.

The figure in black robes remained firmly rooted to the spot, without moving an inch, not even the hem of his robes fluttering. A slight, disdainful smile played on his lips, a smile that seemed to contain contempt and mockery for his opponent. Yet, his eyes were deep and mysterious, utterly unfathomable.

At the same time, Hyuga Neji's attack was as swift as lightning, rushing straight towards the black-robed man with a fierce momentum. His hands clasped together, and powerful energy gathered at his fingertips, forming a sharp sword aura. This sword aura shot towards the black-robed man at astonishing speed, reaching its target in the blink of an eye.

However, something surprising happened. When the sword energy made contact with the black-robed man's body, it did not cause an explosion or damage as expected. Instead, the sword energy seemed to penetrate an illusory barrier, passing through the black-robed man's body without any hindrance. At that moment, the black-robed man's body became transparent, as if it had lost its physical form.

Hyuga Neji stared wide-eyed at the scene before him in disbelief. He knew the power of his attack was enough to easily pierce through solid rock. But now, his attack had completely missed, causing no harm whatsoever to the man in black. This shocked him, and a sense of unease welled up within him.

What shocked Hyuga Neji even more was that when his hand passed through the black-robed man's body, he felt nothing at all. It was as if the black-robed man's body didn't exist in this space, but was merely an illusion. This bizarre phenomenon filled him with fear, and at the same time, gave him a deeper understanding of the black-robed man's strength.

"This... how is this possible?" Cold sweat beaded on Hyuga Neji's forehead, his mind reeling with shock. His Byakugan had been active throughout the attack, and under its gaze, he was certain his opponent hadn't used any genjutsu. Yet, his attack had indeed passed right through his opponent's body, without him even feeling a jolt.

This bizarre situation left Hyuga Neji somewhat bewildered; he had never encountered an enemy like this before. He stared intently at his opponent's figure, trying to find a weakness, but the opponent's expression remained calm and unfathomable.

"Could this guy really have some special ability?" Hyuga Neji wondered to himself. He took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and decided to launch another attack. This time, he gathered his energy in his palm, preparing to unleash the Eight Trigrams Palm.

With a low shout, Hyuga Neji charged forward, his palms striking out rapidly in the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique. However, his attack, as before, passed right through his opponent's body, without any sense of striking a physical target.

"What?!" Hyuga Neji's eyes widened, a sense of foreboding rising within him. He quickly turned around, only to see the other person appear behind him at some point, holding a tree branch and coldly staring at him.