The White Snake Sage: I Can't See Through Qingyu's Fate

Tsunade remained where she was, staring at the empty ground before her.

The evening breeze brushed past my fingers, and petals fell one by one, like a silent snowfall.

"That brat----"

Tsunade frowned.

He's getting older, and he's already daring to take advantage of her like this.

But she felt no anger whatsoever.

She asked herself, how did she Qingyu?

Younger brother?

Or something else?

Tsunade and looked at the petal she had caught in her palm.

I feel like my emotions are a complete mess right now.

Early the next morning, Qingyu went to find Orochimaru.

Thanks to the "Flying Thunder God Technique," Qingyu traveled very quickly.

When Qingyu lifted the curtain and went inside, Orochimaru was standing in front of a long table.

The table was covered with various bottles, jars, and scrolls. A pale green liquid swayed slightly in a glass container, soaking some tissue specimens that Qingyu was reluctant to identify.

"Qingyu."

Orochimaru raised his head.

Upon seeing that it was Qingyu approaching, Orochimaru's pale face revealed a meaningful smile.

"It seems your Body Flicker Technique is almost on par with Minato's."

"Orochimaru- sensei, I'm still far from being as good as Minato."

Qingyu shook her head.

"Ho ho----"

Orochimaru smiled.

Then she continued, "Qingyu- jun came to see me, there must be something he needs to say."

Orochimaru spoke.

Although Qingyu is his assistant, Qingyu will not come unless he assigns Qingyu a task.

Therefore, when Qingyu comes over, it's usually because she has something to ask of him.

"Orochimaru- sensei, I want to learn the 'Senjutsu' of Ryūchi Cave."

Seeing this, Qingyu directly stated her purpose.

Orochimaru was taken aback upon hearing this.

He put down the test tube in his hand, turned around, and looked Qingyu up and down with his golden vertical pupils.

"The 'Senjutsu' of Ryūchi Cave"

"You know, I also tried to practice the 'Senjutsu' of Ryūchi Cave, and I can assure you that the method of practice is different from what you learned in Shikkotsu Forest, and it's quite dangerous."

Orochimaru warned.

"I know. But I already know a kind of 'Senjutsu' technique, maybe I can..."

Qingyu nodded.

Orochimaru's training failed.

His body could not adapt to the erosion of Ryūchi Cave's "Senjutsu Chakra"; that violent Natural Energy repelled his constitution.

He paid a heavy price for this; although he survived, the "Senjutsu" of Ryūchi Cave were forever out of his reach.

Of course, Orochimaru later regained control of this power through a roundabout method.

This is what is known as Cursed Seal.

"You're quite direct."

Orochimaru spoke.

Actually, I had considered this before.

Orochimaru spoke slowly.

Qingyu was not surprised.

Given Orochimaru's personality, after witnessing the power of "Mount Myōboku Senjutsu," he would naturally think of having Qingyu try out "Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu."

After all, Qingyu has already mastered the Senjutsu of the Shikkotsu Forest. If he also masters the "Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu," then he will have collected two of the Senjutsu from the Three Great Sage Lands.

For Orochimaru, this was an irresistible research subject.

"However, Shikkotsu Forest is different from Ryūchi Cave Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest."

Orochimaru continued.

"The White Snake Sage isn't so easy to talk to, and the trials at Ryūchi Cave are far more dangerous than the other two sacred sites. If you're going, you'd better be prepared."

"I see."

Qingyu nodded.

Orochimaru looked at him for a while, then slowly nodded.

"Alright, you go back first. I'll go inform the White Snake Sage. Once she agrees, I'll take you to Ryūchi Cave."

Thank you, teacher.

Qingyu nodded slightly to Orochimaru, then turned and lifted the curtain to go outside.

After he left, Orochimaru stood there, his golden vertical pupils staring at the swaying tent curtain.

"The Senju and Uchiha —they're becoming more and more intriguing to me."

He muttered something to himself, then turned and walked towards the back of the tent.

Orochimaru bit his thumb and Hand Seals.

Summoning Jutsu.

Bang!

A snake was summoned by Orochimaru, and after Orochimaru explained his purpose, the green snake disappeared.

Orochimaru then used the Reverse Summoning Jutsu to arrive at Ryūchi Cave.

"Snort."

Orochimaru frowned.

It's still as cold and damp as ever here.

He could see many snakes slithering in the shadows, their scales rustling against the rocks.

Orochimaru, what brings you here?

One of the Three Great Snake Princesses, Tagitsuhime, came before Orochimaru.

"I need to speak with the White Snake Sage."

Orochimaru said.

"Hehehe, if anything happens, it'll all be your own fault."

A smile immediately appeared on Tagitsuhime's beautiful face.

Despite Orochimaru's exceptional talent, he was still unable to learn Senjutsu.

Naturally, she was also looked down upon by Tagitsuhime.

Orochimaru did not reply to this.

Instead, she followed Tagitsuhime to the place where the White Snake Sage lived.

In a grand hall, Orochimaru met the White Snake Sage.

Orochimaru.

The White Snake Sage's voice came from above. She slowly opened her eyes, and Orochimaru's figure was reflected in her vertical pupils.

"You dare come any closer?"

"I've already shown mercy by not eating you, you failed cultivator."

Orochimaru smiled.

Those who fail to cultivate the Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu will be eaten by the White Snake Sage.

This is the rule of Ryūchi Cave, and also the nature of the White Snake Sage.

It was truly a stroke of luck that he managed to leave alive.

"The White Snake Sage."

Orochimaru's posture was respectful but not servile.

I came not for myself.

The White Snake Sage narrowed his eyes.

"For whom?"

"My disciple, Qingyu."

Orochimaru spoke slowly.

"He wants to practice the Senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave."

"Qingyu ----"

The White Snake Sage murmured the name.

She had lived for a thousand years and seen countless ninjas, but she had been hearing this name more and more often lately.

"That Uchiha - Senju hybrid?"

Orochimaru nodded.

A complex expression flashed in the White Snake Sage's vertical pupils.

The Uchiha and Senju clans share a common origin a thousand years ago: Indra and Asura, the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths.

Their descendants have been locked in a bitter feud throughout history; the hatred between the Uchiha and Senju is deeper than that between any other two families.

It wasn't until Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha joined forces to establish Konoha that the blood feud between the two clans was superficially suppressed.

But mixed race?

Throughout her long life, the White Snake Sage never saw a hybrid of Uchiha and Senju.

The two clans are sworn enemies, too busy killing each other to possibly intermarry.

Although Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha fought side by side, it was a friendship between two men, and not a fusion of bloodlines.

Two different things.

"Interesting."

The White Snake Sage spoke slowly.

"Bring him here."

Orochimaru nodded slightly.

"Yes."

He turned and walked out of the cave until he disappeared.

After Orochimaru left, the White Snake Sage suddenly frowned.

She was trying to glean insights into Qingyu's fate.

But she couldn't see anything.

A blank page.

She had lived for a thousand years and had never encountered such a situation before. Even those beings who changed the course of the Shinobi World's history, she could glimpse their figures in the long river of fate.

But Qingyu seems to exist outside of fate.

"That's strange."

The White Snake Sage looked puzzled.

Why can't I see through Qingyu's fate?

The Three Great Snake Princesses also arrived at the White Snake Sage's side.

"The White Snake Sage?"

The White Snake Sage shook his head, offering no explanation.

Her vertical pupils closed again.

"Let's talk about it when he arrives."

She whispered.

After leaving Orochimaru's Laboratory, Qingyu went straight back to his own Camp Tent.

As soon as he lifted the curtain, he saw Tsunade sitting on his bed, an old scroll spread out in front of her.

Tsunade was looking down at the contents of the scroll, her golden twin tails cascading over her shoulders, and her sleeveless top outlining her full breasts.

Outline.

"Sister Tsunade."

Qingyu walked in.

Tsunade looked up, saw it was him, closed the scroll in her hand, and waved it at him.

"The scroll of the Wood Release Secret Techniques, I retrieved it from the clan's territory."

She handed over the scroll with a swift and decisive motion.

"Most of what my grandfather left behind was sealed in a secret chamber within the Senju Clan Compound. This scroll contains the core cultivation method; the rest were lost in the war."

"Sister Tsunade."

"Nothing."

Tsunade and stood up from the bed.

"Practice diligently, don't waste your time."

She walked up to Qingyu, reached out, and gently patted the top of his head.

"Didn't Sister Tsunade stay angry about what happened last time?"

Qingyu spoke.

Tsunade paused for a moment.

Then she flicked Qingyu's forehead in an annoyed manner.

"You little brat, you dare mention it?"

Her voice carried a hint of feigned anger, and her fingers flicked his forehead with just the right amount of force, enough to make him feel a slight pain.

"If you keep doing this, I'm really going to teach you a lesson."

Qingyu rubbed her forehead and looked at her face.

Tsunade's expression seemed angry, but there was no real anger in her eyes.

Qingyu knew that Tsunade wasn't really angry.

In an instant, he felt there was hope.

So Qingyu took a step forward.

Tsunade watched his movements, her brown-gold eyes widening slightly, and her body instinctively leaning back a little.

"You----"

Qingyu's hand had already risen and touched her wrist.

Tsunade's hand trembled slightly.

Just then, the tent flap was lifted from the outside.

"Qingyu- jun, are you there?"

Yūhi Kurenai's voice came from outside the tent curtain.

She stood through the gap in the tent curtain, one hand lifting the fabric, her red eyes gazing at the scene inside.

Qingyu's hand stopped beside Tsunade's wrist. Tsunade sat on the edge of the bed, and the distance between the two was much closer than usual. The atmosphere became somewhat subtle the moment Yūhi Kurenai appeared.

"Greetings Lady Tsunade."

Yūhi Kurenai spoke.

She simply assumed that Qingyu and Tsunade had a close sibling relationship and didn't think much of it.

Did I disturb you?

"No."

Tsunade stood up, her movements so quick they seemed almost deliberate.

She tugged at the hem of her blouse to smooth out the wrinkles, then walked toward the tent flap.

I'm leaving now.

As she passed by Yūhi Kurenai, she glanced at Yūhi Kurenai, then turned back to look at Qingyu.

Qingyu stood inside the tent, her black hair slightly disheveled from Tsunade's earlier touch.

Tsunade withdrew her gaze, lifted the tent flap, and went outside.

It's better for Qingyu to spend time with people her own age than with an old woman like herself.

As she thought this, she had an indescribable feeling in her heart, as if something had been squeezed into a corner by the appearance of Yūhi Kurenai.

Tsunade shook her head, banishing these thoughts, and walked towards the Medical Unit's tent.

As Qingyu watched Tsunade's retreating figure, he sensed that Tsunade seemed somewhat unhappy from time to time.

"Should it be age?"

Qingyu stroked his chin, already guessing what Tsunade was thinking.

After all, this is the biggest obstacle between the two of them.

However, Qingyu didn't care about any of that.

Even with a woman like Kaguya Otsutsuki, who is over a thousand years old, Qingyu still drove the car without hesitation.

Inside the Camp Tent.

After Tsunade left, Yūhi Kurenai walked up to Qingyu, her red eyes filled with curiosity.

Was Lady Tsunade bringing you something just now?

"Hmm, Wood Release scroll."

Qingyu showed the scroll in her hand to Yūhi Kurenai.

Wood Release?

Yūhi Kurenai blinked and saw two names related to Wood Release on the bound scroll.

She immediately gave a look of amazement.

"Has Qingyu- kun even mastered Wood Release?"

"Just starting out."

Qingyu put the scroll away and looked at her.

"Did you come to see me for something?"

"Oh, right."

Yūhi Kurenai patted her forehead, as if she had just remembered.

"I want to go to a nearby town to buy some daily necessities. We're short on a lot of things at the camp. Will you come with me?"

After she finished speaking, she added another sentence.

"Use your Flying Thunder God; it'll be convenient to travel back and forth."

Qingyu nodded.

"Good."

He walked out of the Camp Tent, with Yūhi Kurenai following behind him.

The two walked to the edge of the camp, and Qingyu put her hand on Yūhi Kurenai's shoulder.

Flying Thunder God Technique!

The next moment, the two figures disappeared from the spot.

The town is dozens of kilometers away from the camp. Qingyu had left the Flying Thunder God technique mark here during a previous mission.

Yūhi Kurenai felt the scene before her eyes shift, as if Ping paused in several places.

When they opened their eyes again, they were standing in a grove of trees outside the town.

The town is small, with only one main street, on both sides of which are scattered dozens of households and a few shops.

Because of its proximity to the war zone, there weren't many pedestrians in the town. Occasionally, a few travelers carrying backpacks would hurry by, their faces showing signs of fatigue from their journey.

Yūhi Kurenai walked lightly beside Qingyu.

She wore a dark-colored dress today, and her black curly hair was tied in a ponytail, revealing her fair nape.

I would glance at the items sold in the shops along the street from time to time, and occasionally stop to take a look.

The two went into several shops, Yūhi Kurenai bought some bandages, medicine, dry food, and some items for girls, which she packed in a cloth bag.

Qingyu followed behind her, occasionally offering advice as she selected items.

After finishing their shopping, the two left the town and walked into the woods along the path they had come from.

Yūhi Kurenai bought several skewers of Three-Color Dango from a stall at the entrance of town, and carried them in a paper bag.

She took out a string of Three-Color Dango.

"Qingyu- jun, open your mouth."

Yūhi Kurenai held the dumpling to Qingyu's lips.

Qingyu glanced at her, opened her mouth, and took a bite.

The sweet aroma of glutinous rice melts in your mouth, blending the smoothness of Anko Mitarashi paste with the subtle bitterness of matcha.

"It tastes good."

Qingyu spoke.

I'll feed you too.

Qingyu also took a skewer, ate one, and then brought it to Yūhi Kurenai's face.

Yūhi Kurenai looked at Qingyu's face so close to hers, her red eyes widening slightly.

She hesitated for a second, then slightly opened her mouth and leaned closer.

Her lips touched the dumpling between Qingyu's lips, and with a gentle bite, she put the remaining half into her mouth.

Their noses almost touched, their breaths mingling in the narrow space.

Yūhi Kurenai chewed for a moment, then her eyes widened.

She found the meatball in her mouth.

The sensation of that half-eaten meatball lingered clearly on the tip of her tongue.

Qingyu stepped back half a step and looked at her.

Yūhi Kurenai immediately blushed.

How could Qingyu come up with such a way of eating?

She felt as if she was drifting further and further away from the innocent girl she once was!

Are you shy?

Qingyu joked.