After six days of travel, with stops along the way, Orochimaru escorted Sasuke and the other two to the village where Tenbin Jugo had once lived, on the border between the Land of Frost and the Land of Rice Fields.
Jugo's clan had lived near Ryūchi Cave, exposed to the Sage Power that seeped out into the world. After generations of inherited genetic changes, the Cursed Seal had finally emerged.
Like the other two sacred lands, Ryūchi Cave was protected by a Sage Art barrier. Unless visitors sincerely wished to seek it out, they could not find the path inside.
They passed through the ruined village and traveled another hundred li into the uninhabited wilderness, where a pale purple mist appeared before them.
Orochimaru stopped and buried a Flying Thunder God kunai on the spot, leaving a marker to guide him on his next visit.
"Sasuke-kun, Kabuto, Itachi, this is as far as I go."
Kabuto Yakushi pushed up his glasses. "Will you be looking for Kāye next?"
Orochimaru nodded. "When the time comes, I'll personally restore sight to your right eye. So, Kabuto, you must become an even more perfect Sage than you were before!"
Kabuto Yakushi said, "I won't let you down, Lord Orochimaru!"
Orochimaru took out a box and handed it to Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun, this is a gift I've prepared for the White Snake Sage. With this, you should encounter considerably less resistance when asking for the medicine."
Sasuke solemnly accepted the box with both hands. "Understood."
Orochimaru turned to Itachi. "Itachi, the Sage Medicine can not only cure your incurable illness, but also fundamentally improve your constitution. As we agreed earlier, I'll then transplant a suitable amount of Hashirama cells into you, allowing you to perfect the Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode you've yet to fully master."