Having finally found the definitive answer to how he truly wanted to live his life, Shi Yan felt as though a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His deep-seated worries were instantly halved.
For the past twelve years, in his obsessive, single-minded pursuit of absolute power, he had completely forgotten a fundamental truth: this was his second chance at life.
If he merely spent his days hiding away, training like an ascetic without ever pausing to enjoy the world around him, then he was entirely unworthy of the cosmic gifts and heaven-defying powers he possessed.
Make no mistake about it, at his very core, he was still an absolute battle maniac. The thrill of conflict and the pursuit of martial ascension still called to his soul.
However, he had finally shattered the rigid, suffocating restrictions he had unconsciously placed upon his own heart. He was free.
On a remarkably clear, beautiful afternoon, Shi Yan decided to take a casual stroll through the bustling streets of Konoha.
Usually, whenever he ventured out into the village, he wore a high-collared cloth mask over the lower half of his face, much like the elite ninja Kakashi Hatake, simply to avoid unwanted attention. But today? He had decided to discard the mask entirely.
The result was an immediate, chaotic commotion.
Walking down the civilian sector in his pristine white robes, his long black hair swaying in the breeze, Shi Yan's celestial, peerless looks tore through the crowd like a storm.
Countless civilian women and kunoichi alike stopped dead in their tracks, their faces flushing a brilliant crimson, completely intoxicated by his sheer aesthetic perfection.
Conversely, a wave of intense, burning jealousy rippled through the male population, who could only glare at him with envious eyes.
Paying absolutely no mind to the staring crowds, Shi Yan glided elegantly toward a local convenience store.
Creak.
The shop door swung open.
"W-Welcome, honored customer!" a young female attendant greeted him, her voice instantly squeaking as her eyes transformed into literal stars the moment she looked upon his face.
Shi Yan locked his mesmerizing golden eyes onto her and spoke in a cool, smooth, and deliberately detached tone. "Get me the best cigarettes you have."
Yes, Shi Yan was here to buy the accursed tobacco. The very substance that had indirectly caused the end of his previous life on Earth. Back then, he had been an avid, heavy smoker—so desperate for a fix that he had recklessly ventured out into a violent rainstorm, leading to his fatal fall into the raging river.
Restraining himself from indulging in his old habit for twelve long years inside the Naruto world was a miracle in its own right.
'But things are entirely different now,' Shi Yan mused internally, a smirk playing on his lips. 'With my current Nirvana-realm physique, my cellular regeneration is practically god-like. Even if I were to smoke continuously twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, my body would instantly purify and heal itself. I will suffer absolutely zero health issues. With such a miraculous body, only a complete idiot would continue to restrict themselves.'
Since Shi Yan was physically mature, standing at a tall 6'1" with a highly dignified, commanding aura, the shopkeeper didn't hesitate for a single second to complete the transaction though she did try, with endless blushing and stammering, to flirt with him throughout the process.
Stepping out of the shop, Shi Yan pulled a cigarette from the pack, placed it between his lips, and snapped his fingers. A tiny, highly concentrated spark of pure Vermilion Bird fire ignited at the tip.
He took a long, deep, and incredibly smooth breath, filling his pristine lungs before slowly expelling a thick cloud of white smoke. A look of pure, unadulterated euphoria washed over his handsome features.
"Finally... after so damn long."
As he continued his casual walk through the village, the cigarette dangling effortlessly from his lips, his sheer charisma claimed even more victims.
The striking, cinematic contrast of his pure, heroic aura combined with the rough, rebellious edge of a burning cigarette was an absolute feast for the eyes of any women lucky enough to pass him by.
Returning to the Nakamura Mansion later that afternoon, Shi Yan relaxed on a grand lounge chair in his private courtyard.
"Young Master, here is your afternoon tea," a soft, melodious voice informed him politely.
Shi Yan opened his golden eyes to look at his new personal maid, a beautiful young girl with soft, light brown hair and expressive brown eyes who had just been hired the previous day.
The moment his gaze locked onto her face, a wave of long-lost, dormant memories from his past life on Earth suddenly triggered in his mind.
'Unbelievable...' Shi Yan thought, his eyes widening slightly. 'She looks exactly like my homeroom teacher back in junior high. The woman who was my absolute first crush... Ah, what nostalgic, youthful days.'
Feeling the lingering desires of his unchained heart flare up, Shi Yan offered her a devastatingly charming, gentle smile. "You are new here, correct? Come closer. Tell me, what is your name?"
The maid's breath hitched as she stepped closer, the rich aroma of his tea drifting through the air. "M-My name is Rina, Young Master."
Without a word, Shi Yan reached out, his lightning-fast reflexes gently catching her by the wrist.
Before she could even register what was happening, he pulled her smoothly down onto his lap.
Rina let out a startled, soft gasp. Her face immediately flushed a violent, burning red as panic and raw excitement warred within her chest.
Shi Yan smiled gently, looking straight into her trembling brown eyes. Sensing her immense nervousness, she instinctively tried to close her eyes to escape his intense gaze.
"Open your eyes," Shi Yan murmured, his voice low and incredibly seductive. "I love gazing into them."
With a sudden, submissive shudder, Rina obeyed his command, her brown eyes locking back onto his brilliant gold ones. Seizing the moment, Shi Yan leaned in and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss.
At first, Rina's mind went entirely blank with shock, her hands weakly pressing against his chest in a fleeting, panicked resistance.
But within mere moments, the intoxicating, supernatural aura of the young cultivator completely overwhelmed her senses. Melting into his embrace, she let out a soft moan, wrapping her arms around his neck to deeply return the kiss, thoroughly losing herself in his world.
"Shi Yan! I'm finally here!" an incredibly loud, hyperactive voice suddenly boomed from the mansion's main entrance, completely shattering the romantic atmosphere.
Shi Yan pulled back from the kiss, a vein visibly throbbing on his temple. 'What atrocious timing,' he lamented internally, thoroughly annoyed.
Rina, however, was still completely dazed, her eyes glassy and her lips parted as she sat frozen on his lap, entirely stuck in her own blissful world.
Rolling his eyes affectionately at her reaction, Shi Yan gently nudged her off his lap and onto her feet.
"Naruto is here," Shi Yan said, a smirk returning to his lips. "Go fetch him and bring him to the lounge."
As a highly reluctant, completely flustered Rina turned around to walk away, her legs practically shaking, Shi Yan reached out and delivered a playful, firm spank to her bottom.
Smack!
Rina let out a sharp squeak, jumping slightly before looking back at him with an incredibly embarrassed, pouting face.
"Don't make that face," Shi Yan laughed softly, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched her retreating figure. "You will get your proper reward later."
A few moments later, Naruto came bursting into the courtyard, practically vibrating with intense excitement.
As expected, the blond boy had come to enthusiastically inform him that he had officially passed the graduation exam and become a true ninja.
Through their conversation, Shi Yan quickly gathered that the entire canon drama involving Mizuki and the theft of the Scroll of Seals had still taken place the previous night, exactly as it was meant to.
Shi Yan had intentionally chosen not to interfere with those events. He knew better than anyone that the Mizuki incident was an absolutely vital, foundational life lesson for Naruto.
Taking that painful experience away from him would have ultimately stunted his emotional growth and delayed his awakening.
"And tomorrow is the big day, Shi Yan!" Naruto cheered, throwing a mock punch into the air. "We have a special survival drill with our new Jounin instructor, Kakashi Hatake! He seems super mysterious, but I'm gonna totally blow him away!"
Shi Yan smiled warmly at his friend's boundless enthusiasm. "I promise I will come by the training field later tomorrow to watch your drill, Naruto."
In truth, Shi Yan had his own specific reasons for wanting to show up. He had a few very important things he wanted to personally discuss with the Copy Ninja.
After Naruto finally exhausted himself from celebrating, the two enjoyed a massive dinner together before the blond boy crashed out in one of the mansion's luxury guest rooms, sleeping like a log.
Standing alone on the balcony of his room later that night, Shi Yan took one final, slow drag of his cigarette, watching the glowing ember burn down in the darkness.
Tomorrow was going to be an incredibly exciting day. After twelve long, grueling years of doing absolutely nothing but cultivating in the shadows, it was finally time.
Tomorrow, the legendary cultivator Shi Yan would officially make his grand debut in the Shinobi World.