BUILDING A VILLAGE IN NARUTO WORLD

"Knock, knock, knock!"

At this moment, there was a knock on the door, and Hancock's voice rang out: "Zhi'an-nee, is it okay if I come in? Dinner's ready! Come eat!"

"Creek..."

A moment later, Uchiha Zhi'an opened the cabin door, smiling as she greeted Hancock: "Have you eaten yet? Thank you! Please lead the way!"

Turning, she waved toward Xuanqing, signaling for him to follow as they went into the room with Hancock.

Xuanqing paused his writing, then followed them into the room.

Soon, they arrived at a large dining hall.

"Zhi'an-sama, welcome!"

"Welcome!"

"Thank you, Zhi'an-sama, for your rescue!"

...

A group of warriors from the Nine Snake Island stood and greeted Uchiha Zhi'an, respectfully thanking her with admiration and gratitude. Their eyes were filled with both reverence and enthusiasm. Clearly, the stronger the person, the more intense their admiration and worship.

However, a few of the warriors began teasing Xuanqing, causing him to have a look of irritation.

What the heck was this all about?!

"Alright! Now that Zhi'an-sama and the others are here, let's eat! Zhi'an-sama, please sit here!"

The leader clapped her hands and quickly led Uchiha Zhi'an and Xuanqing to sit at the main seats. Once they began eating, the others were invited to join in.

"Huh? This meat..."

After swallowing a piece of meat, Uchiha Zhi'an felt warmth in her stomach, and warm currents began flowing through her body. Her eyes immediately brightened.

This meat, full of vitality and nutrition, would be considered a rare and precious medicine in the ninja world.

It was hard to believe this was just meat from a sea beast here.

Considering the powerful life force she sensed from the sea creatures and Xuanqing's condition, she calmly asked the leader, "This should be meat from a Sea King, right?"

"Yes!" The leader confirmed, nodding. She smiled and added, "It's not just any Sea King, but a hundred-meter-long one. Does it suit your taste?"

Actually, the leader had noticed something unusual about Uchiha Zhi'an and Xuanqing.

They didn't appear to have particularly strong physical strength or vitality, which was strange because their overall condition seemed weak. It was hard to believe that Uchiha Zhi'an, who appeared physically weak, had such immense strength.

In the world of pirates, it was generally understood that the stronger someone was, the stronger their vitality and physical prowess. Even those who relied on Devil Fruits had far more vitality than ordinary people.

However, Uchiha Zhi'an didn't seem to fit this usual pattern.

Xuanqing's condition was even more concerning—his vitality and physical strength barely seemed to match that of an ordinary civilian.

But the leader didn't press the issue, as it was possible that something was wrong with their bodies. After all, they seemed to have been prepared for illness in the first place.

"This is quite good! It's... warm!" Uchiha Zhi'an smiled and responded, but she was still surprised.

"If a hundred-meter-long Sea King's meat has this effect, then imagine what meat from one that's several hundred meters, or even a thousand meters long, would do."

It was unimaginable.

She felt that just by eating this Sea King meat, combined with some health cultivation, Xuanqing's vitality and physical strength would increase several times over within a month.

As the Sea King's meat continued to be digested, waves of warmth spread through her body, and she could distinctly feel her cells absorbing the nutrients eagerly.

Her physical condition began improving noticeably, her complexion becoming noticeably healthier. The long-term chakra refining, combined with the enhancement of her life force, was showing clear effects.

Meanwhile, Xuanqing had just swallowed a piece of Sea King meat, and he felt a pressure in his stomach. There was a slight discomfort and slow digestion.

The slowly digesting bits of meat contained life energy and nutrients, warming him from the inside. The fatigue and soreness from his training dissipated, and the lingering ailments faded just a little.

"Is my stomach and digestive system really this weak?"

Uchiha Xuanqing frowned, then quickly ate a few more pieces of meat. After pausing, he turned to his mother and the leader, who was with them. "Mom! I don't feel like eating much. I'll stop here for now and take some food back to my room!"

He planned to try combining the nourishment of his cultivation with his digestion, hoping it would help. However, considering the situation, this Sea King meat might be too much for him to handle.

If even his cultivation techniques couldn't help, he might have to take some digestive aids to assist with the process.

"Hmm?"

Uchiha Zhi'an, hearing him, was momentarily stunned. She exchanged a glance with Xuanqing and quickly understood what he meant. She nodded. "Alright! Take it easy."

She then turned to the leader, apologizing, "Sorry, this child's body is still too weak."

"It's fine!"

The leader immediately shook her head. "We hope he recovers soon!"

"Don't worry, we'll finish up quickly and take him to Magnetic Drum Island for treatment."

The leader then turned to Hancock, who was nearby. "Hancock, could you take Xuanqing back to his room?"

"Sure!"

Hancock nodded, setting down the food and waving at Xuanqing. She then led him out of the living room.

Xuanqing hurriedly grabbed the plate of meat and followed her.

On the way, Hancock glanced at him with concern. "Your illness seems pretty serious. I hope you recover soon!"

"I'm fine," Xuanqing said with a faint smile, giving a slight nod. He was confident in his recovery after a bit of rest.

At the same time, he sensed Hancock's emotional affinity with him had reached 52 points, which wasn't low.

"Unfortunately, my strength is still too weak. If I had helped save Hancock and the warriors of Nine Snake Island this time, perhaps Hancock and some of the warriors would have already met the binding affinity requirements," Xuanqing thought with some regret.

It wasn't an exaggeration. The warriors of Nine Snake Island were rather pure, and those who owed their lives to someone tended to have a higher affinity.

Soon, Hancock took him back to his room. Xuanqing didn't plan to stay long and instead went back to his meal.

After Hancock left, Xuanqing set the food aside and stretched his body. He could already feel his fatigue and soreness significantly reduced after some rest and the Sea King meat's nourishment.

He began cultivating again. As he progressed, Xuanqing clearly felt the digestion of the Sea King meat accelerating. Warm currents spread from his stomach throughout his body, filling him with a comforting, cozy sensation.

[Eating Sea King meat assists with cultivating nourishment: proficiency +3, lifespan +3, life essence +0.01]

"Wow! Not only has the lifespan effect doubled, but it's even restoring my life essence? This is incredible!"

"This life essence must be related to the foundational weakness I had before."