The two faced each other, neither willing to give an inch. Their auras flared, as if a fierce battle might erupt at any moment...
But the next moment, Orochimaru revealed a faint smile and withdrew his aura. He licked his lips and said, "Since Yei-kun has come here, you must have already decided what you need me to pay, correct? After all, I have always kept your kindness in sparing my life firmly in mind!"
Yei also reined in his aura. Rather than responding to that, he simply said, "Lord Orochimaru, how much do you know about the Caged Bird Curse Mark of my Hyuga Clan?"
Orochimaru did not intend to conceal anything. "The Caged Bird Curse Mark is a curse mark engraved deep into the soul. It is like a lock that seals the souls of your Branch Family members. Moreover, it is a lock without a key. Once it is locked, there is no way to undo it."
"The soul is an extremely mysterious and complex thing. Any slight error could lead to exceedingly serious consequences! I know that the Byakugan vision of your Branch Family is not all-encompassing. The reason is that your Branch Family's souls have been locked away and are not whole and complete. That is also why there is a blind spot in your Branch Family's Byakugan vision!"
Yei nodded slightly. He had known all this long ago. "Does Lord Orochimaru have no way to break it either?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "I already told you before. I have indeed studied your Caged Bird Curse Mark, but even if I obtained the entire process of engraving it from your Main Family, I likely still could not reverse-engineer a way to break it. This lock has been completely sealed shut..."
Yei and Orochimaru spoke as