"I saw a poor wretch who had lost his way at the gates of truth, building himself a throne from the corpses of countless lives."
At those words, Orochimaru's smile froze.
For the first time, naked astonishment appeared in his inhuman golden snake eyes. Even the palpable killing intent, enough to make Kage Level powerhouses tremble, stalled for an instant before Ling Xuan's calm words.
"...A poor wretch?"
Orochimaru slowly repeated the words, one syllable at a time. Then he let out a low, hoarse laugh, filled with a sick delight.
"Heh heh... Heh heh heh... It's been so many years since anyone dared describe me with a word like that. And from the mouth of a snot-nosed brat who hasn't even fully mastered chakra, no less."
The killing intent that could nearly freeze a person's soul ebbed away like a tide. In its place came something more dangerous and unsettling: an extreme, feverish curiosity, as if he had found the most interesting toy in the world.
"You're an interesting little brat." Orochimaru's neck stretched out like a snake's, seemingly without limit. With a strange sort of elegance, he leaned toward Ling Xuan until his golden, slit-pupiled eyes were less than half a foot away.
"You're special. It seems you can see beyond appearances. Tell me." Orochimaru's voice was full of temptation. "What else do you see in me?"
Sasuke and Naruto, standing off to the side, were completely pinned down by this terrifying presence, unable to move a muscle. They watched Ling Xuan stand close to that monster without so much as changing his expression. Along with their fear, they felt an even greater bewilderment they couldn't understand.
Ling Xuan knew he had successfully shifted Orochimaru's attention from seeing him as mere "prey" to viewing him as a "subject of study."
"What I see..." Ling Xuan calmly replied, meeting those snake eyes that could drive anyone mad. "Is a seeker who has taken the wrong path."
"A seeker?" Orochimaru tilted his head with interest.
"That's right," Ling Xuan continued. "You long to learn every jutsu in this world and explore the limits of truth. You're not wrong to want that, but your methods are deeply flawed."
"You're like a greedy hoarder, frantically collecting all kinds of ninjutsu and bloodlines, piling them haphazardly onto yourself. You think that the more you possess, the closer you are to the truth, but you've never truly stopped to understand the principles behind those jutsu. All you've done is patch up your own body, stitching it together in a clumsy, makeshift fashion."
"You broke the rules of life and death, using a forbidden jutsu like Living Corpse Reincarnation to prolong your existence. But you didn't achieve immortality. Instead, you became enslaved by the very rules you broke. You have to keep seeking out younger vessels like a parasite, living forever in fear of your soul's decay. You seek eternity, but all you've gained is an endless, agonizing state of being neither fully alive nor dead."
Every word Ling Xuan spoke was like a precise scalpel, ruthlessly dissecting the essence of Orochimaru's existence.
These weren't guesses. Through the Eye of Truth, Ling Xuan had directly seen the truth of Orochimaru's life form.
The smile vanished completely from Orochimaru's face.
In its place was an expression of shock and anger, mixed with the feverish excitement of having his deepest thoughts laid bare.
"Wonderful... Simply wonderful!" Orochimaru's long tongue slid over his lips, and possessiveness practically spilled from his eyes. "Your eyes, your mind, your understanding of the principles behind things! This is the true truth I've been searching for! Sasuke-kun's body is merely a perfect vessel. But you... you yourself are the most precious treasure I've yet to uncover!"
Orochimaru had made his decision. He wanted Sasuke's body, but he wanted the black-haired boy's soul and eyes even more!
"Then let's leave my Sasuke-kun a little present first."
Orochimaru's attention turned once more to Sasuke, who could barely move from his injuries and fear.
He abruptly opened his mouth, his neck stretching out at lightning speed in defiance of all reason, ready to leave the Cursed Seal of Heaven—an emblem of power and corruption—on Sasuke's neck!
"Not a chance!"
Ling Xuan had already anticipated this. The moment Orochimaru opened his mouth, he sprang into action. Instead of attacking, he hurled a small crystal vial from his ninja pouch. It had been specially prepared in advance by his research clone.
He detonated the vial midair with precisely controlled Chakra Threads. A cloud of pale green, odorless neurotoxic gas, refined from Ghost Lantern Grass, instantly enveloped Orochimaru.
The small amount of toxin couldn't truly harm a ninja of Orochimaru's caliber, but its momentary numbing effect still caused his movements to falter for the briefest instant!
That instant was all Ling Xuan needed!
His figure shot forward like a cannonball. He didn't attack Orochimaru; instead, he shoved the startled and furious Sasuke hard to one side!
"Chomp!"
Orochimaru's fangs finally sank in like a venomous snake's, but thanks to Ling Xuan's interference, he missed the vital artery in Sasuke's neck and bit into his left shoulder instead!
An evil, icy chakra, brimming with ominous energy, surged wildly into Sasuke's body!
"AAAAAAAH!!!"
Sasuke let out a bloodcurdling scream. Three black, tomoe-shaped curse marks appeared on his left shoulder. Like living things, they began spreading across his body, bringing him unbearable pain.
"Heh heh heh... The spot was a little off, but I delivered the present all the same." Orochimaru withdrew his neck, watching Sasuke writhe in agony on the ground with satisfaction.
He turned his head, his golden snake eyes fixing on Ling Xuan once more.
"Now it's your turn, my most precious—"
Before he could finish, several figures silently appeared around the forest.
They were Konoha's Anbu!
At their head was Hatake Kakashi, who had raced there at full speed after receiving the emergency signal.
"Orochimaru!" Seeing the hellish scene before him, one of the legendary Sannin, and Sasuke rolling in agony on the ground, Kakashi's Sharingan turned bloodred with rage!
"Oh? Reinforcements have arrived? They're pretty quick." Orochimaru glanced at the surrounding Anbu, then at the wary Kakashi. He knew there was no longer any chance of capturing Ling Xuan here today.
He licked his lips, wearing a regretful yet expectant smile.
"Well, it seems we'll have to end our party early today."
"But we'll meet again soon, Sasuke-kun..." His gaze shifted to Ling Xuan. "And you too... my most, most fascinating little analyst."
With that, Orochimaru's body sank slowly into the ground and disappeared, as if he had no bones.
The terrifying pressure that had blanketed the entire area finally dissipated.
Before you continue