Chapter 283: Do You Think I'm Easy to Talk To?

"You... who are you?"

The elder Sand Ninja stared at the youth who appeared before him, his expression extremely sour.

They had only killed a few Yu Ren Cun within Rain Country, never expecting anyone to appear and save them.

Before he could act, he saw the youth's black pupils suddenly turn scarlet.

Then, there was no after.

In the eyes of the three Yu Ren Cun, the youth who just appeared merely tossed a Kunai, and the powerful Sand Ninja collapsed to the ground.

The whole process happened before the opponent could even react, and they were killed.

They didn't even have time to let out a scream.

The leading Yu Ren Cun youth tried to get up from the ground, but the toxin in his body stripped him of mobility.

He might soon succumb to the poison.

"Cough… thank you," the youth coughed up a mouthful of black blood, looking gratefully at the youth wearing a conical hat.

Lian Ye gave him a glance, then rummaged through his Ninja Tool Bag for the Antidote.

"You all return to the Village to treat your wounds; you don't need to worry about me," the youth said with a wry smile, looking at his two teammates. "The thousand blades are poisoned; I might not make it back."

"Captain, let's go back together!"

"If we go, we go together; we can't leave you behind."

Their two-Genin squad went out on a patrol mission, but unfortunately encountered three Sand Ninja, and in the end only the three of them survived.

Naturally, the two teammates didn't want their squad leader to die like that, even though they were gravely wounded and still wanted to bring the captain back.

"How touching, meow," Dao Ba murmured softly as he approached the three.

The three looked at the suddenly appearing black Fat Cat, and the melancholy they had barely mustered vanished.

"Alright, this bottle contains the Antidote," Lian Ye tossed a Ceramic Bottle.

The three Yu Ren Cun stared at the Ceramic Bottle before them, frozen and at a loss.

"Cough cough cough..." the youth coughed up another mouthful of black blood.

"What are you all still staring at, meow?" Dao Ba tilted his head, looking puzzled at the three. "Hurry and take the medicine, or you'll really be poisoned to death."

They couldn't have been hit in the head by the Sand Ninja, could they? The Antidote is right in front of them, yet they don't know how to use it.

"Yes, yes, the Antidote—drink the Antidote!" the Yu Ren Cun with a wounded abdomen hurriedly grabbed the Ceramic Bottle, opened it, and poured it into the captain's mouth.

Lian Ye saw his mouth twitch slightly; was that little toxin enough to make him swallow the whole thing?

What a mess, truly a waste of resources.

But he said nothing more, just watched silently.

The youth's originally bluish‑black complexion turned rosy the instant he took the Antidote, but because of his injuries, it gradually grew pallid again.

"Benefactor, thank you," the youth struggled to rise from the ground, bowing deeply toward the man and the cat.

The other two, seeing this, quickly helped each other up and bowed toward them.

"Hold your thanks for now; my rescue comes with conditions," Lian Ye explained under the trio's puzzled gazes. "Take me to find Shanjiaoyu Banzang."

The three are ninjas from Rain Hidden Village, so meeting Shanjiaoyu Banzang is naturally easier for them. That is also the fundamental reason Lian Ye saved them; having a guide is certainly better than groping around blind.

"You want to find the leader?" the three instantly furrowed their brows, hesitating for a moment.

Although the youth before them had just saved them, they didn't know what purpose he had for meeting the leader.

If they rashly took him to see Lord Ban Zang and he harbored ill intentions, what would they do?

Even though Lord Ban Zang is powerful, they wouldn't dare take that risk.

"Hmm, I want to meet Shanjiaoyu Banzang," Lian Ye nodded without denying.

His main purpose in coming to Rain Country is to gauge Shanjiaoyu Banzang's strength, to see if he can bear the future title of Half‑God.

Frankly, he's just here to cause trouble for fun...

"What's your purpose in seeking the leader?!" the youth's expression hardened, his hand instinctively gripping the Kunai tighter.

If he dares entertain evil thoughts toward the leader, he will launch an attack without hesitation.

In the hearts of everyone in Yu Ren Cun, Lord Ban Zang is a deity‑like figure; no one may desecrate him, not even his savior!

"Purpose?" Lian Ye observed their subtle movements, "Of course I'm here to spar with Lord Ban Zang."

"Spar?!" the youth's face grew colder. "Sorry, we can't take you there!"

The youth before them displayed power clearly at Elite Jonin Rank.

As ninjas of Yu Ren Cun, they cannot allow such a dangerous presence into the village, lest it cause irreparable damage.

And they certainly must not cause trouble for Lord Ban Zang!

"Do you think I'm easy to talk to?" Lian Ye stared at the youth expressionlessly, saying coldly, "I'm not negotiating with you."

These guys are getting a bit too bold.

As he spoke, his black pupils instantly turned red, and three black Curved Jewels began to spin slowly.

The three Yu Ren Cun froze on the spot, three Tomoe appearing in their eyes, clearly under Genjutsu control.

"If it had been like this from the start, meow?" Dao Ba snapped, giving him a cold stare; if it were Lord Ban now, he'd already be inside Rain Hidden Village.

Lian Ye said nothing, guiding the three severely wounded ahead.

The rain eased, yet the air still hung with damp vapor.

Lian Ye stood before the towering steel gates of Rain Hidden Village, looking up at the ninja village cloaked in countless pipes and steel structures.

Rainwater dripped down the rusted metal pipes, producing a rhythmic sound.

"How gloomy, meow," Fat Cat hid behind Lian Ye, its tail twitching uneasily.

Four Rain Hidden Ninjas stood on either side of the gate; unlike the three Genin guiding the way, they all wore Breathing Masks, revealing only a pair of vigilant eyes.

Four wavy lines were etched on their foreheads, symbolizing the emblem of Yu Ren Cun.

"Stop!" The guard stepped forward, his voice muffled by the mask, "State your name and purpose."

They did not ignore Lian Ye because three Genin from the Village ahead were leading the way; not everyone can freely enter Rain Hidden Village, this was a command that Lord Ban Zang had long given.

With no other choice, Lian Ye could only activate his Sharingan to control the guard.

The heavy iron gate slowly opened, emitting a harsh metallic scraping sound. Lian Ye stepped into the interior of Rain Hidden Village and immediately felt a suppressing atmosphere.

Pedestrians on the street hurried by, almost no one speaking. All the buildings were equipped with complex drainage systems that channeled rooftop rainwater into underground passages.

"The people here don't seem to live very well, meow," Dao Ba muttered softly.

Lian Ye gave no reply, his gaze sweeping across both sides of the street. The buildings of Rain Hidden Village were mostly made of steel and concrete, their surfaces covered with rust and water stains.

His sight finally rested on the tallest building in the center.

If nothing is amiss, Shanjiaoyu Banzang is inside there…