Chapter 324: Water Release – Infiltration Technique
At ten thousand meters above the ground, the transparent figure turned from ethereal to solid—revealing itself as Li Yao's Water Release Clone: Hōzuki Mugetsu.
Raising his hand, Li Yao's Water Clone activated a technique. His arm dissolved into vapor, disappearing entirely. In his sensory perception, there wasn't even the slightest chakra fluctuation—as if something had blocked it out completely.
"To think that Water Release at the Kekkei Tōta level would have such unexpected effects!"
"Haha!"
Li Yao's Water Clone laughed heartily, clearly pleased with the capabilities he had unlocked after advancing his Water Release to the level of Kekkei Tōta.
Half a month ago—on the same day Black Zetsu orchestrated the incident to abduct Obito—Li Yao's Water Clone finally succeeded in developing the Water Release – Infiltration Technique, a jutsu he had spent years perfecting.
His water-natured chakra had finally reached the Kekkei Tōta threshold.
Because he was in the midst of that critical breakthrough—and because Obito's Sharingan hadn't been passed to Kakashi as in the original timeline—Li Yao hadn't managed to mark Obito with Flying Thunder God.
As a result, when White Zetsu took Obito away, Li Yao lost track of him.
Initially, that infuriated him.
But when he began experimenting with the Infiltration Technique—an advanced form of liquification—Li Yao accidentally discovered one of its unique features.
At the Kekkei Tōta level, Water Release had gained extreme permeability. It could even seep through and dissolve metal instantly—proof of how absurdly penetrating it had become, beyond Li Yao's expectations.
When Li Yao liquefied himself using the technique, his body turned into near-invisible micro-water particles, small enough to seem like they existed in a quantum subspace.
Once in that form, he could merge with any substance—air, earth, anything.
When he merged with the air, he gained a unique sensory ability. The atmosphere became part of him—an extension of his own body.
Through it, he could detect everything it touched. It was like activating a full-range 3D scan—every object within 100 kilometers appeared clearly in his mind.
When merged into the earth, it became an extension of his body, and he could sense every vibration and anomaly for 100 kilometers in all directions.
Thanks to this newfound sense, he was able to clearly perceive White Zetsu's underground movements—something that had previously eluded him.
He immediately liquefied and infiltrated the ground in pursuit.
Upon closing in, he discovered another terrifying perk of this form—
Total sensory invisibility.
Once waterified and merged into the earth, he became part of the terrain itself. Both his soul and chakra were completely masked by the surrounding matter.
It was like hiding inside a sealed iron sphere—no one could detect him, not even White Zetsu, who specialized in sensing through the ground.
This made Li Yao realize just how terrifying this stealth technique was.
It was thanks to this that he had witnessed Madara's death firsthand and discovered where Obito's Sharingan had been hidden.
Those two thought they were so clever—but Li Yao's Water Clone had watched it all unfold from just meters away.
"Time to head to Sunagakure."
His body liquefied and merged into the air, becoming transparent as he soared toward the Sand Village.
Originally, Li Yao had intended to mark Obito with Flying Thunder God.
But now, it wasn't necessary.
Obito's remaining Sharingan had been sealed away in an underground chamber. It wouldn't move.
With his new infiltration-based sensory abilities, tracking White Zetsu and Black Zetsu was effortless. Finding Obito again would be child's play.
He would return once Obito awakened Kamui.
Until then, any interference might cause problems. What if Obito awakened a different Mangekyō ability? That would ruin everything.
Better to let Black Zetsu carry out the plan undisturbed—for now.
First, he would scout Sunagakure for a suitable vessel for possession, then resume research on the puppet array.
Li Yao placed immense value on the puppet array.
Even his Wind Clone had once considered killing Sasori early—just to seize control of the technique's development. That alone showed how seriously he took it.
To Li Yao, the puppet array had immense potential. In terms of raw power, it rivaled even space-time techniques.
In some scenarios, it might even surpass them.
In his vision, the puppet array had a horrifying development path—one so formidable that even the Ōtsutsuki would be forced to kneel before it if realized.
He didn't know what direction Sasori would take it in the future.
But whatever it was, Li Yao had to be personally involved. He couldn't afford to just piggyback off someone else's work—lest it backfire one day.
There was still a certain Sage of Six Paths lurking in the shadows. Li Yao had to prepare early.
Meanwhile…
Another Naruto World.
"Soon…"
In the depths of the Dragon Vein beneath Rōran, Li Yao had both hands pressed against the Dragon Vein chakra, immersing his mind in its shifting nature.
Just like that, two years had passed in the Rōran timeline.
In those two years, Li Yao had analyzed and understood most of the Dragon Vein's ever-changing chakra properties.
If all went well, he would be able to replicate it in another six months.
However…
He frowned as he recalled the three Konoha shinobi who had arrived in Rōran a few days ago.
Minato had shown up. And according to the "Lost Tower" movie plot, Naruto would be arriving any day now.
"I'm sure of it… Naruto's appearance will definitely trigger a space-time disturbance in the Dragon Vein."
Li Yao's brows furrowed.
A few days ago, after Minato's team entered Rōran, there had already been some spatial fluctuations in the Dragon Vein chakra—though minor.
But even small changes altered the chakra's properties, making it harder to fully analyze.
It was precisely this volatility that had prevented Li Yao from replicating the Dragon Vein chakra over the past two years. Its space-time element was highly unstable, and its nature was in constant flux.
Thankfully, many of the changes were repetitive, which gave Li Yao a chance.
If not, he would need to simultaneously perceive all possible fluctuations at once—which was impossible, no matter how long he spent inside.
And that was in its dormant state.
Now that Naruto, like himself, had entered via space-time travel, the spatial disruptions would be far more intense. The Dragon Vein's nature would change drastically again.
So even his six-month prediction was now uncertain.
Still, as long as the Dragon Vein didn't vanish, he could continue his analysis. Even if it took another year or two, it wouldn't be a waste.
But Li Yao was worried that the Dragon Vein's existence might be time-limited.
Back in his own timeline, the ruins of Rōran in the Land of Wind had long exhibited periodic bursts of Dragon Vein power—suggesting its chakra wasn't permanent, but cyclical.
In the "Lost Tower" movie, Minato eventually sealed the Dragon Vein, making it disappear.
Now that Li Yao had arrived in this world, he naturally wouldn't allow Minato to seal it.
But what if the Dragon Vein simply disappeared on its own, even without intervention?
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997