Chapter 873

Her silhouette flickered on the ground, and in the next instant, Lin Cheng and Xiao Jue were transported to her side—Young Yuanzi had directly activated the Summoning Technique.

But she did not summon You and Qiong, the two little green dragons, nor Xixi, a boss-level entity.

A small tear opened in space, and a long blade fell out—just by its shape, one could instantly recognize it as North Wind.

But its surface was covered in pale purple patterns, and the power of the Dragon Veins radiated an extreme, savage aura that surged over the entire chaotic battlefield.

The next moment, as if sensing Xiao Mei had completed her jutsu, the Ice Release: Silent Freeze transformed all drifting mist into solid, drifting ice at visible speed.

Within mere seconds, the surrounding ground turned to permafrost, and even sound vanished.

As if the air itself had frozen and lost its ability to carry sound.

The water prison that had trapped Xiao Mei had become irregular chunks of ice, now floating unnaturally in midair—everything within a thirty-meter radius centered on that point had frozen solid.

"Phew! Almost got taken out with her, huh?"

Jiraiya sat awkwardly at the edge of the frozen zone; his previous position had been nearly at the center. Had it not been for the toad he summoned on instinct, perhaps…

"Huh? Jiraiya, you actually escaped Xiao Mei's secret jutsu?"

Young Yuanzi held North Wind, its surface covered in purple patterns; behind her stood Lin Cheng and Xiao Jue, still stunned. A pale purple half-dome shield enveloped the three of them, conspicuously embedded within the white world created by Water Moon Mei.

"Cough, cough, cough—your tone sounds almost disappointed. You wished I hadn't escaped, didn't you?"

Jiraiya pushed himself up from the ground, retorting irritably to Young Yuanzi's scolding.

This was unprecedented. Though he knew Kekkei Genkai possessed unreasonable power, to wield one's own Kekkei Genkai to this extent—Water Moon Mei had surpassed Jiraiya's prior expectations!

Changing the environment instantly was not terrifying; what was truly terrifying was the flawless, precise control over the exact boundaries of that change!

Within that icy wasteland, no living thing moved except Xiao Mei.

Such temperatures gave reason to believe she had, in an instant, created a lifeless exclusion zone.

Now, looking at Xiao Mei's heavy winter combat gear and overcoat, they no longer seemed out of place.

I need to find Zabuza—there's still a deal between him and me to settle.

The familiar sound of moisture condensing into ice echoed through the air again, and an ice mirror slowly rose.

Jiraiya instinctively glanced at Xiao Mei, but seeing no movement from her, he silently assumed it was her doing.

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Mei—Zabuza Mr. and I have already arrived on the ice mirror!"

A faint, slender figure appeared; by voice alone, she seemed no older than fifteen or sixteen.

The technique, nearly identical to Xiao Mei's, made everyone present immediately grasp the stranger's likely identity.

Connecting the dots made it clear what deal Zabuza and Water Moon Mei had struck!

"Hmph! You're quite attached to my tool, aren't you? Even after being dragged into the Mist Village's pursuit, you didn't leave!"

"Once word reaches the Land of Water, the Lolan Trading Guild behind you won't be able to travel safely through their territory."

When Zabuza reappeared, he was accompanied by another person—the girl who had just spoken through the ice mirror.

From her voice, speech, and figure, she was unmistakably a girl—but her attire bore many masculine styles. Intrigued, Young Yuanzi edged closer to Lin Cheng beside her.

At that moment, Lin Cheng sat on the ground with Xiao Jue resting against her thighs.

"Um… could you help me with something?"

Young Yuanzi tugged gently at Lin Cheng's sleeve, drawing his attention; meeting his puzzled gaze, she boldly voiced her thought.

"The one standing next to the bald uncle—can you use the Byakugan to check... see if they're male or female?"

This was likely the dumbest question Young Yuanzi had ever asked.

Asking a Hyuga clan member to use their famed Byakugan to see through someone's clothing.

She regretted it the moment she spoke—but Young Yuanzi helplessly glanced at the invisible presence beside her; too bad she couldn't turn back time!

"Female?"

Lin Cheng lifted his eyelids slightly, scanned the target Young Yuanzi mentioned from head to toe, then answered calmly.

"Oh… eh?"

Upon receiving Lin Cheng's answer, Young Yuanzi felt no relief from the mystery being solved—on the contrary, she felt…

A certain invisible pressure was slowly making it hard to breathe.

"I was just curious… too embarrassed to ask anyone else, so I begged you!"

Perhaps instinctively, Young Yuanzi pinpointed the source of the pressure, though she sounded slightly panicked.