Ninja Ice House

Chapter 560 Threshold

When two large, precision instruments begin to work together seamlessly, it becomes difficult to stop some things. What Xianglin needs to do is to grasp the big picture, and she doesn't need to worry about the details.

After making the arrangements, Karin, Usami, and Yakumo Kurama discussed other matters.

Especially the "snake shedding technique," which has proven remarkably effective after practical use.

"Karin, to be honest, the principle behind this technique is completely different from anything we've known before. It's not the kind of ninjutsu that can be explained by Yin-Yang Five Elements techniques. It's more like it's directly based on the rules, like the eye techniques of the Mangekyou Sharingan, or the Shikotsumyaku of the Kaguya clan, or the Twin Demon Attacks—kind of bloodline limits that rely entirely on the underlying logic of the ninja world..."

Kurama Yakumo has been studying this technique very thoroughly lately, also in order to increase the chances of waking Jiraiya. Karin nodded in response after hearing this.

"Essentially, it belongs to a divine technique called Yin-Yang Escape..."

After a pause, Karin continued to explain:

"I won't go into detail about Yin Release and Yang Release, but Yin-Yang Release is definitely not a simple combination of Yin Release and Yang Release. Just as Ice Release is not a simple fusion of Wind Release and Water Release, even when the chakra nature of Water Release and Earth Release is transformed to its extreme, it is still far from Wood Release. As for Yin-Yang Release techniques, they are creation techniques at the level of rules, and have actually long since transcended the category of ninjutsu..."

"Then... is it considered a forbidden technique?"

"It's hard to say whether it's a forbidden technique or not, because the concept of 'forbidden technique' itself isn't a type of technique, but rather defined by its harmfulness and destructiveness. However... if judged from this perspective, the 'Snake Shedding Technique' definitely meets the criteria for a forbidden technique, but describing it as a forbidden technique is indeed a bit inappropriate, it really doesn't do justice to its wonder, let's just call it a divine technique..."

In terms of danger, this thing is definitely among the highest. It's weaker than the forbidden technique "Corpse Demon Sealing Technique" because it won't kill you if you use it, but it's more dangerous than techniques like "Reincarnation of the Undead" and "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique".

It is risky and even more difficult to learn. Not only is it more difficult to master than the Reanimation Jutsu and the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, but to unleash its full power, one must be ruthless and cut one's own body and soul. This is too difficult; how could an ordinary person bring themselves to do it?

Having already tried it on herself once, Usami readily agreed:

"I only understood the wonder of this technique after using it myself. In fact, it wasn't very difficult for Uchiha Izumi, who had the Mangekyou Sharingan at the point of separation. However, the feeling of splitting off a small piece of the soul and injecting it into the technique, making it a separate life form to a certain extent, was truly extraordinary."

The method used for Jiraiya is "heavy pruning of flowers," which preserves the core trunk and root system, discards withered branches and weak branches, and concentrates the energy to rest and recuperate, and to grow again. Usami is different; it is equivalent to pruning a normal, healthy, tender branch and then successfully propagating it into another potted flower.

The two methods differ slightly due to different objective conditions, and the results are also quite different, but in essence they are the same thing.

Usami asked earnestly:

"Karin, I know it's inappropriate to pry, even though we're good friends. But this technique is really bothering me. No matter what kind of technique it is, when it's developed, it must have been researched with a purpose or to achieve some goal. This 'Snake Shedding Technique' has gone beyond the scope of ninjutsu or forbidden techniques. It feels like it's not something a ninja should be involved in..."

Taboos and so-called 'forbidden arts' are not the same thing at all, and their severity is completely different.

Usami's problem is also very real.

For example, the development of the Shadow Clone Technique was for non-destructive reconnaissance, allowing important intelligence to be brought out by sacrificing shadow clones when operating in dangerous areas.

The Shadow Clone Technique... especially the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, is not something that no ninja has thought of, but rather something that they cannot do. Only someone with Naruto's chakra reserves comparable to a tailed beast and the superhuman stamina and recovery abilities of the Uzumaki clan's Sage Body can fully unleash its effects.

"Humanoid Tailed Beast" plus "Sage Body" - neither can be missing. Such geniuses are rare, perhaps only a handful appearing in the entire ninja world every hundred years. Those who can follow any path and fully develop their talents are even rarer.

The "Snake Shedding Technique" is so miraculous that developing it must have been incredibly difficult. Only an extremely powerful individual could have researched and developed it. Such a person would not be so bored as to spend so much time and energy developing a "forbidden technique" without a clear purpose.

Moreover, this technique has almost no direct effect on enhancing combat power.

The Snake Shedding Technique is not a medical ninjutsu. The so-called healing and recovery effects are simply the natural restoration of life after using it.

"It can't be that they really don't have enough manpower and want to split one person into two, right?"

Faced with Yakumo Kurama's teasing, Karin smiled calmly and replied:

"Actually, I don't know either. I once asked my father privately, and I only got one answer..."

"what?"

"Living people don't need to consider its side effects..."

"Aren't you considering living people?"

Kurama Yakumo responded with a smile.

"Could it only manifest after death? They've all gone to the Pure Land, entering eternal slumber. What's there to ponder? Are you suggesting we let the corpses buried in the ground think about it? Haha... uh?"

Seeing Karin's somber expression, Yakumo Kurama's smile faded as he tried to laugh.

"No way?"

After eliminating all the impossibilities, the remaining guess, no matter how absurd it may be, must be the final, definitive answer.

Others are not as deeply affected, but Yakumo Kurama, who possesses a bloodline limit at the spiritual and soul level, is quite sensitive to such matters.

After spending more time with Karin, Usami and Yakumo, as her teammates, heard some of the secrets of the ninja world's higher-ups and the causes and consequences of many mysterious forbidden techniques, so they were not completely ignorant.

I don't know much about forbidden techniques like the Reaper Death Seal, Izanagi, and Undead Reincarnation, which can deceive the entire world and reverse life and death. I also know a little about the great terror between Pure Land, Impure Land, and life and death.

As the most intelligent of all beings, the human soul has an extremely complex composition. Why then are there so few ninjutsu techniques in the ninja world that directly target the delicate manipulation of the soul?

Because it's not cost-effective, it's a waste of effort.

It's like a freshly slaughtered, fat cow. Shouldn't it be butchered and sorted to maximize the use of each part?

The Pure Land makes no distinctions, but forces people to sleep, much like burying them in a flower field to compost and nourish the ninja world. It is long-lasting but slow and wasteful.

As for why it's not "processed" further, it's simple: there's too much of it, and we can't handle it all, so we can only bury it and let it rot naturally back into the fields.

Because there is no "deep processing workshop" like the "eighteen levels of hell" that categorizes and processes these elements, and no "heaven" that serves as a "strict selection" channel for choosing high-quality intelligent souls to support others, the inefficiency and extensiveness of the Pure Land are obvious.

The souls of the deceased, carrying too many imprints of their past lives, have such a heavy "smell" that it's difficult for them to be cleansed before they can be reincarnated.

If some high-quality, strong souls could process themselves in advance like "pre-made dishes," wouldn't the subsequent "initial screening" and "strict selection" be much easier?

Of course, these mysteries are beyond the comprehension of the three little ones, but with their knowledge, they can roughly judge that the importance of this technique may not be as simple as its name "Snake Shedding Technique" suggests.

Intelligent people might know that this level of "forbidden art" is probably not so simple and has a necessary deeper meaning, but before reaching that level, they would never know the truth.

Essentially, this is similar to how the extraordinary immortals in the three sacred lands of spirit beasts spread immortal cultivation methods to select suitable "contract seeds." If we regard the recycling and reincarnation of the deceased's souls as garbage recycling and reuse, then sorting or even pre-processing the garbage in advance is obviously more beneficial for improving processing speed and saving costs later.

Of course, the Snake Shedding Technique is not aimed at all the deceased; it only targets some "high-value" ninja masters. It is not worth the effort unless you reach a certain level. The difficulty of learning and using this technique serves as an "entry fee."