Bounty Exchange House Destroyed, the Shrine's True Essence Cultivation Reaches Great Completion!

The courtyard fell completely silent.

Orochimaru lowered his head and stared at his hands.

This body was no longer his original body.

Living Corpse Reincarnation had allowed him to escape death once, but it had also left an indelible fracture in his soul.

Previously, Fugaku's Tsukuyomi had lasted only a brief instant in reality, yet it had robbed him of the ability to resist.

What if he underwent reincarnation several more times?

His soul would only become more fragile.

In the end, perhaps he would not even need the Mangekyo. Ordinary Sharingan genjutsu alone might be enough to make him lose control of his body.

That sort of "immortality" merely pushed true death back by a few decades.

Lumen had not been wrong.

It was like drinking poison to quench thirst—utterly foolish.

But the Great River Qi Refinement Method was different.

It preserved one's own body, strengthened one's soul, absorbed the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, and extended one's lifespan by several hundred years. Then, by following the complete path into the Transcendent realm, one could obtain a lifespan of three thousand years.

On one side was the flawed Living Corpse Reincarnation, which constantly ravaged the soul.

On the other was a top-tier cultivation method with a clear direction that could truly complete the transformation of life.

There was no need to hesitate.

Orochimaru suddenly laughed.

This time, there was no longer any probing or perfunctory politeness in his smile.

He rose to his feet, walked before Lumen, and slowly lowered his head.

"Lord Uchiha Lumen."

"From today onward, I am willing to join the Uchiha Shrine."

"I will present all my achievements in potion refinement, bloodline research, and the fusion of soul and body."

"As long as the Uchiha fulfills its promise, I will accumulate enough merits for