The Uchiha clan, which was wiped out entirely, lacked vision.

Chapter 170 A Backstab from a Branch Family

Chapter 170 A Backstab from a Branch Family

"What a pipe dream!"

An immediately cried out and shook his head repeatedly.

"I won't do anything that doesn't benefit me!"

"You have to let me learn the 'Snake Sage Technique' first before I'll give you the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"If I give you the Mangekyou Sharingan now, and I die while learning Sage Mode, wouldn't that be a huge loss?"

The White Snake Immortal flicked his tongue and said dismissively, "Snake Immortal Techniques are inherently dangerous. Countless geniuses throughout history have fallen here. Who can guarantee you'll pass smoothly?"

"If you're afraid of dying, then don't learn it."

"Come on!" Ann pointed to her eyes and shouted, "Have you forgotten? My eye technique is prophecy! You can't fool me!"

"I know that there are some insights into the cultivation of snake immortal techniques in Ryuchi Cave, and I want to see them now."

"Also, you have to be there to protect me while I cultivate."

"If I fail, you must dissipate the natural energy within me in time."

"Otherwise, if I turn into a stone statue, my Mangekyou Sharingan will naturally become useless, and you will get nothing."

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"Tsk, what a troublesome fellow!" The White Snake Sage flicked his tail impatiently, but eventually gave in.

"Alright, alright, Princess Tianxin, go and show him the journal."

"After he's finished watching, bring him over, and I'll teach him the Snake Immortal Technique."

"Yes." Princess Tianxin hurriedly responded and came out, leading An outside.

After receiving the White Snake Immortal's assurance, An was relieved and went out with a smile.

Konoha Village, the territory of the Hyuga clan.

Neji and the others were forcibly taken to the plaza, where many clansmen were already waiting.

In the very center of the plaza, an elder of the clan stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, head held high, looking at Neji and the others who were approaching.

Behind the clan elder, a group of branch family members stood in a row, surrounding him like stars around the moon.

"Neji, I heard you have a very powerful set of ninja tools that can deflect incoming wind-style ninjutsu?"

Neji scanned the crowd behind the elders of the main family and, sure enough, saw many familiar faces.

Those were his relatives from a branch family whom he had rescued on the battlefield.

When he rescued them, they were extremely grateful to him and showered him with compliments.

But the moment their eyes met his, they hurriedly looked away, appearing guilty and timid.

"Heh, Lord An was right after all. There are quite a few in the Hyuga branch family who are content to be dogs for the main family."

Although he knew all along that this "backstabbing" was bound to happen, Neji still felt a chill in his heart when he faced it in person, and he was utterly disappointed in these people's behavior.

He memorized their appearances, then lowered his eyes and replied, "That's right, Elder Tokuma, there is such a ninja tool called the Flying Twin Swords."

"Where did you get such a powerful ninja tool?"

"The Flying Twin Swords are spoils of war that I seized on the battlefield."

"Spoils of war?" Elder Tokuma sneered. "Why didn't you report such powerful spoils of war to the clan?"

Neji remained silent for a moment before coldly saying, "I believe that powerful ninja tools are far more valuable in the hands of us branch families fighting on the front lines than left on the shelves of the main family as exhibits."

"How dare you!" Hyuga Tokuma roared in fury. "Are you accusing the main family of cowardice?"

Neji's silence only fueled Tokuma Hyuga's anger.

With a single hand seal, Neji felt as if a scalding hot stick was being churned wildly in his brain. He involuntarily screamed and collapsed to the ground, rolling around in agony.

"ah----"

The piercing screams echoed in the courtyard, making the surrounding branch families turn ashen-faced and tremble with fear.

A moment later, Hyuga Tokuma released his hand seals, pointed at Neji, and shouted, "You branch family members only need to fight on the front lines, but the main family has a lot more to consider!"

"Food, medicine, supplies, explosive tags, soldier rations—weren't all these things painstakingly procured by us, the main branch of the family?"

"If it weren't for the main family's efforts in supporting you from the rear, you wouldn't even have been able to get a rice ball to eat up front; you would have gone hungry!"

"You show no gratitude, instead spreading rumors and slandering the achievements of the main family. This is truly outrageous!"

"Now I'm asking you, do you know you were wrong?"

Neji lay sprawled on the ground, groaning incessantly. After catching his breath for a long time, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice, "Since the main branch is working so hard, why don't we switch?"

"When the main family goes to the battlefield, our branch family will suffer hardships and toil in the rear to raise supplies."

"How is it?"

"How dare you!" Hyuga Tokuma was even angrier. He never expected that Neji would dare to talk back after being punished by the "Caged Bird" curse mark.

Such a traitor must be punished!

So he formed another hand seal and activated the "Caged Bird" spell.

The piercing screams echoed in everyone's ears once again.

Seeing Neji rolling around on the ground like a fish on a chopping board, the many branch families felt a deep empathy for him and knelt down to plead with Hyuga Tokuma for mercy.

"Elder Tokuma, Neji is still young, and his father died early. He went to the battlefield before graduating from the Ninja Academy and has not received any education or guidance, which is why he is so ignorant."

"I beg Elder Tokuma to forgive him this time, considering his father's sacrifices for the family."

"We will definitely educate him properly and let him know the family's sacrifices and protection for him."

Amidst numerous pleas for a separation, Tokuma Hyuga finally felt the respect he deserved.

He looked around at everyone and, as he had hoped, saw fear and awe on the faces of the many branch families. Only then did he release his hand seal and let Neji go.

Many branch family ninjas rushed over to help Neji up, using healing ninjutsu to soothe his wounds and relieve his pain, while whispering to him to bow his head and say a few kind words to Elder Tokuma.

No matter how much everyone pleaded with him, Neji remained silent, refusing to say anything against his conscience or beg for mercy. His eyes, however, were filled with hatred and anger.

However, with the many branch families deliberately blocking his way, this look did not fall into Hyuga Tokuma's notice.

Hyuga Tokuma waved his hand, signaling someone to take the twin flying swords that Neji was carrying on his back. He held them in his hands, playing with them, and said to everyone with a smile, "Everyone should know that the village is currently engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy country, and any assistance we can provide requires careful consideration."

"It would be a waste for Neji to have such a powerful ninja tool. It would be better to give it to a strong ninja to make the most of it."

After saying that, he casually handed the Flying Twin Swords to a branch family ninja behind him.

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