Xia Li would never believe that the wheels of history couldn't be changed.
Because although he couldn't change the fate of this body's original owner, he had at least changed the fate of Mount Sinai!
The so-called "inertia of the original plot"? What a joke.
In the next moment, Xia Li opened his eyes, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"What? This isn't difficult at all!"
As he spoke, Xia Li began forming hand seals. This was his first time actively forming the Flying Thunder God seal. Normally, once the Flying Thunder God mark was inscribed, it already contained everything needed, so additional hand seals weren't required. Ever since learning it, Xia Li had never needed to form seals for it.
But now, even though he could sense the Flying Thunder God mark, the resistance was incredibly strong. So for the first time, Xia Li formed that seal himself.
"Little Xia Li…" Jiraiya immediately noticed that Xia Li had started forming hand seals, and at that moment, a massive amount of chakra erupted from his body!
The next instant, Jiraiya's eyes widened—Xia Li had disappeared. A faint voice echoed by his ear.
"Ninja Art—Flying Thunder God Technique!"
"Little Jiraiya, are you going to keep going?" Fukasaku Sage, who had been concentrating intently, couldn't help but ask when he saw this.
Since Xia Li could enter using the Flying Thunder God Technique, then he should also be able to bring the Third Hokage out with it, right?
"Continue! When the Four Violet Flames Formation disappears, we must hold Orochimaru back!" Jiraiya said firmly.
"Alright." Fukasaku nodded and continued sensing natural energy.
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation:
The Third Hokage looked at Orochimaru, as well as the First and Second Hokage before him, and gradually made up his mind. No matter what, he had to let the First and Second Hokage return to peace.
Staring at Orochimaru, he seemed to see the child Orochimaru once was.
Back then… it had been so obvious.
The Third Hokage took a deep breath and began forming hand seals. But in the next moment, a voice with a hint of mockery sounded beside his ear:
"Grandpa Third, didn't I tell you to break the seal on the Flying Thunder God kunai at the critical moment?"
The Third Hokage's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Xia Li, who had suddenly appeared beside him.
How was this possible? How did Xia Li get in?
Clearly, the Flying Thunder God kunai was still sealed, and there was a barrier separating it from the outside world…
Yet in Xia Li's hand, he casually played with a Flying Thunder God kunai—the very one the Third Hokage had been carrying but hadn't intended to use.
The shock in his heart only grew stronger.
"How is this possible!?" Orochimaru's pupils shrank as he stared at Xia Li in astonishment.
The Third Hokage carrying a Flying Thunder God kunai wasn't surprising—Orochimaru already knew Xia Li could use it. It was normal for the Third to carry one for safety.
That's why Orochimaru had modified the Four Violet Flames Formation to strengthen its sensory defense. In his view, Xia Li's Flying Thunder God Technique couldn't possibly compare to the Fourth Hokage's. The barrier should have been enough to block it.
And indeed, Xia Li wouldn't dare claim his technique surpassed the Fourth Hokage's overall. But in terms of sensing ability alone, he was certain he had already exceeded him.
"Grandpa Third, those two are…" Xia Li asked, looking at the First and Second Hokage in realization.
"They are the First and Second Hokage. Orochimaru is controlling them with a forbidden technique. They may seem immortal, but their strength has been greatly reduced," the Third Hokage said gravely.
"So it really is them. They're definitely not at full strength. If they were, Orochimaru wouldn't need tricks like this to destroy Konoha. The First Hokage alone could wipe out Konoha dozens of times," Xia Li said, letting out a sigh of relief.
The Third Hokage nodded after a moment of thought. He had personally witnessed the First Hokage's terrifying power.
Orochimaru clicked his tongue, his gaze turning cold as he stared at Xia Li.
He knew very well that the First and Second Hokage in their current state were mere shells—far from their true strength.
"Orochimaru, are you still going to continue?" Xia Li asked with a faint mocking smile, casually playing with the Flying Thunder God kunai.
The meaning was obvious—
Your plan has failed.
Chapter 143: Change!
Before Orochimaru could respond, the Third Hokage spoke first:
"Xia Li, you can't let Orochimaru escape! The First Hokage and my teacher must stay! He cannot continue to insult them!"
"Grandpa Third, you shouldn't die here. As for the First and Second Hokage, let the sealing team handle them," Xia Li said after thinking about how to deal with the Reanimation Jutsu.
"Seal them…" The Third Hokage hesitated.
After all, humans are selfish. If there were no other options, he would accept dying in exchange. But when another path appeared, hesitation was inevitable.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
The moment Xia Li appeared, he knew his plan to kill the Third Hokage and destroy Konoha had failed.
If Xia Li could enter the barrier using Flying Thunder God, then he could likely take the Third Hokage out the same way.
Orochimaru also knew that Konoha's ANBU were waiting outside—but that wasn't the biggest problem.
Jiraiya was.
Originally, Orochimaru believed that after defeating the Third Hokage, with the First and Second Hokage assisting him, dealing with Jiraiya would be easy.
But now?
He might have to face both Jiraiya and the Third Hokage together—and constantly guard against sneak attacks from a Flying Thunder God user.
Worse still, the Third Hokage now seemed willing to trade his life to stop him and seal the First and Second Hokage.
That made Orochimaru's skin crawl.
He couldn't hesitate anymore.
He had to leave—immediately.
When it came to valuing one's life, no one was more "honest" than Orochimaru.
In the end, Orochimaru sighed and ordered the four Sound ninja to release the Four Violet Flames Formation.
After解除 it, they gathered beside him and asked respectfully, "Lord Orochimaru, what should we do next?"
"Retreat," Orochimaru said.
"Orochimaru!" At that moment, Jiraiya—his face marked with red sage patterns—arrived with the two sages, staring at him.
"Oh? You actually completed this mode? What a pity… it still seems incomplete," Orochimaru said, licking his lips as he looked at Sage Mode Jiraiya.
Then, in the next moment, the reanimated First and Second Hokage rushed toward Jiraiya.
Yes—Orochimaru had decided to abandon them, even loosening some of their restraints.
If he didn't pay a price, he might really be trapped here.
Though it was a pity to discard such powerful reanimations, his life mattered more.
Jiraiya's eyes widened as he saw them charging at him.
"Orochimaru!!!"
"Haha, shouting won't help. If you want to chase me, deal with them first," Orochimaru laughed.
Then he looked at Xia Li and said coldly:
"Xia Li… Shen Daochuan? I'll remember you."
"Good. Remember it well. Next time we meet, I'll kill you myself," Xia Li replied calmly.
He had no intention of chasing.
His chakra was nearly depleted. Even after taking two recovery pills, breaking through the barrier with Flying Thunder God had cost far more than expected.
If he were in better condition, he would have tried using the Rasenshuriken—it might have worked.
After all, it attacked at the cellular level.
If it hit Orochimaru directly, even his substitution techniques might fail.
But unfortunately, Xia Li couldn't test that.
Killing Orochimaru completely… was probably extremely difficult.
After all, in Naruto, he was practically immortal.
"Haha…" Orochimaru laughed as he retreated.
Without the Third Hokage's orders, no one dared pursue him.
"Jiraiya-sensei, hold them off first," Xia Li said, then turned to the ANBU."Contact the sealing squad immediately. Bring sealing tools. Reanimation requires sealing to deal with."
The ANBU hesitated and looked at the Third Hokage.
He nodded. "Do as Xia Li says."
"Yes!"
They vanished at once.
Soon, the sealing team arrived.
With Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima working together, they restrained the First and Second Hokage.
The sealing squad used scroll techniques—
And successfully sealed both reanimated Hokage.
Meanwhile, Xia Li treated the Third Hokage.
His injuries weren't too severe, but due to his age, recovery would be slow.
Jiraiya finally relaxed after hearing this.
"Thank you, Xia Li," he said sincerely.
"Of course. It's what I should do," Xia Li replied with a smile.
Jiraiya smiled as well.
He couldn't have been more satisfied with this student.
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