Chapter Seventeen: Meeting the White Serpent Immortal

The Ten Thousand Serpents and Xin Fang were no match for Orochimaru. Without resorting to attacks like the Tailed Beast Bomb, Orochimaru defeated both simply with his physical prowess. His Eight-Branched Serpent form was unlike any ordinary transformation technique—it was his own unique adaptation. It was akin to the Uchiha clan’s Susanoo, or the True Several Thousand Hands of Hashirama Senju. Yet, for now, it could not be compared with Susanoo or the True Several Thousand Hands—it was not even on the same level, but several tiers below. Still, Orochimaru knew he would soon reach that realm. He had a clear vision and plan; he was not blindly ambitious.

“Can you step aside now?” Orochimaru returned to his human form, his face retaining that cold, sinister smile, but the Ten Thousand Serpents and Xin Fang were filled with dread. “Y-yes…” The Ten Thousand Serpents stammered, unable to reconcile the image of the previously “reasonable” Orochimaru with this sudden surge of power. It defied all logic! The trio of green, brown, and blue serpent maidens who had been watching hurriedly bowed and gestured for Orochimaru to proceed. “After you.” Orochimaru nodded coolly.

…

Nothing in Ryūchidō escaped the gaze of the White Snake Sage—it already knew everything. As Orochimaru reached the inner sanctum, he looked at the White Snake Sage seated on the throne and asked, “White Snake Sage, do you know anything about the House of Rashomon?” Orochimaru deliberately revealed his power, a red mist swirling around his body—the power of the House of Rashomon.

The White Snake Sage, an enormous serpent, had now assumed the form of an old woman, lazily reclining on the throne. “Orochimaru, after you’ve slaughtered countless of my serpents in Ryūchidō, you still dare to come and question me?” Orochimaru’s gaze did not waver. “The White Snake Sage does not concern herself with worldly affairs, only with the training of those who seek to learn sage arts. My killing of countless serpents—what concern is that of yours? Other serpents will seek vengeance on me; let them come as they wish.” The White Snake Sage replied, “Since you know I do not meddle in affairs, why come to question me? You may leave.”

A smile tugged at Orochimaru’s lips. “So, you won’t tell me?” Suddenly, the White Snake Sage’s brow furrowed. Just now, it had attempted to peer into Orochimaru’s future, and found that if it refused to tell him now, Ryūchidō would one day face a great calamity. “No, stop now!” The White Snake Sage immediately ceased its divination—what it had glimpsed was fixed in the river of fate; it could not be changed, and would inevitably come to pass.

If it kept looking, Ryūchidō might truly face destruction.

“Orochimaru, are you threatening me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you right now!?” The White Snake Sage’s gaze grew fierce, her aura billowing towards Orochimaru. She had survived since the era of Kaguya—her power was unmatched! Orochimaru’s lips twisted further, his face twisted with a sickly, menacing darkness. “Go ahead, kill me.” “You—!” The White Snake Sage intensified her pressure, not just upon Orochimaru, but letting it spill over the entire Ryūchidō. Outside the cave, the green, brown, and blue serpent maidens collapsed in terror, prostrating themselves on the ground. Within Ryūchidō, countless other serpents also flattened themselves, unable to move.

This was the mightiest pressure, drawn from the depths of their bloodline.

Even the strongest, like the Ten Thousand Serpents and the powerful Xin Fang, lay flat and motionless, deeply shaken. For Orochimaru to provoke such a reaction from the White Snake Sage! Both serpents thought to themselves—if he survives this, we truly must never cross him again.

Deep within Ryūchidō, Orochimaru said calmly to the White Snake Sage, “Put it away. It’s useless against me.” The White Snake Sage regarded him deeply, then withdrew her aura.

Orochimaru had won this confrontation.

The White Snake Sage asked, “When did you realize?” Orochimaru replied, “The moment I entered Ryūchidō and wasn’t killed.” The White Snake Sage fell silent, then laughed. “I see. If I had truly wanted to kill you, I would have ended your life the instant you set foot here.” Orochimaru had slaughtered over two thousand minor serpents in Ryūchidō. If it had been an issue, he would have faced the harshest punishment instantly upon arrival. Yet, nothing happened. He even fought the Ten Thousand Serpents and Xin Fang after transforming. All of this signified that Ryūchidō had never intended to take his life. The reason was unclear, but the result was all that mattered.

The White Snake Sage said, “Let me take you somewhere.” She stood up, and the eight-headed, eight-tailed young serpent sleeping behind her was startled awake, lifting its heads and hissing defiantly. But the next moment, it saw Orochimaru below the throne. Especially as Orochimaru turned to look at it, it immediately lowered all eight heads, trembling in fright! Orochimaru had destroyed and resurrected it countless times—the experience was burned into its memory. To it, Orochimaru was a demon!

The White Snake Sage said, “That’s Xiao Ba. It’s a new species of serpent, and one day it will repay the fortune you granted it.” “Heh.” Orochimaru glanced with interest at the eight-headed, eight-tailed serpent. He hadn’t expected that the small creature he’d casually created would be considered so blessed. How amusing.

They continued forward, and soon the White Snake Sage pointed ahead. “We’re here.” Before them was a broken cliff overlooking an abyss, thick white mist billowing below. Orochimaru stepped forward to the edge and looked down. “The source of Ryūchidō?” The White Snake Sage nodded. “Ryūchidō lies between reality and illusion. This is its source—also the source of its power.” In her old woman’s form, she lifted her hand, gathering white mist into a swirling orb upon her palm.

Orochimaru found it familiar. He extended his own hand, and red vapor gathered, spinning into a sphere in his palm as well. Compared side by side, aside from the difference in color, they were nearly identical.

The White Snake Sage said, “I don’t know the origin of the House of Rashomon, but I do know it is the source of power for a certain hidden realm, just as the white mist is for Ryūchidō.” Orochimaru regarded the red vapor sphere in his palm, deep in thought. No wonder this thing could grant immortality.

The White Snake Sage had lived for countless years, and would continue to do so, all because she had absorbed the power of the white mist in Ryūchidō. The Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku must have also absorbed the source power of Mount Myōboku to survive to this day. The power of the House of Rashomon had a similar effect.

The White Snake Sage continued, “Ryūchidō exists because of the white mist. Mount Myōboku exists because of toad oil. The House of Rashomon—at one time, it must have also developed its own hidden realm.” Orochimaru dispersed the red vapor sphere. “So, that hidden realm no longer exists?” The White Snake Sage nodded. “Only when a hidden realm collapses is its source power drawn away.” Orochimaru fell silent, then said after a moment, “I understand.”