Orochimaru tempted Tsunade with money

With Hiruzen Sarutobi there, Qingyun and the others had no need to ask for leave themselves. They followed Orochimaru and the others to the market to buy ingredients.

Young as Qingyun was, he was an expert at picking out produce, leaving Orochimaru and the others looking on in amazement.

"How does a little brat like you know so much about everyday life? Who taught you?"

Tsunade rubbed Qingyun's head, her face full of surprise.

Qingyun rolled his eyes at her words. "Poor children learn to fend for themselves early. If I didn't know these things, I might starve to death even with my Pension.

Miss Teacher, could you stop touching my head? A man's head, a woman's waist—only my future wife can touch it. Or are you planning to marry me when I grow up, Miss Teacher?"

Tsunade laughed and scolded him. "You cheeky little brat! A man's head, a woman's waist? Who taught you that?"

As she spoke, she kept rubbing Qingyun's head. She loved seeing him so helpless, yet unable to fight back.

Looking as though he had lost all will to live, Qingyun hung his head and led everyone to the home he shared with Minato Namikaze.

Before long, they returned carrying bags of all sizes. Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya looked around curiously, their expressions shifting.

They had never expected Qingyun and Minato to live somewhere like this. The Wooden House looked as though it might collapse at any moment. If it rained, it would probably rain inside as well.

"Qingyun, would you like to move into my house and live with me?"

After a moment of silence, Tsunade spoke gently to Qingyun, who was busy preparing the ingredients.

Qingyun's hands paused at her words. Then he resumed preparing the ingredients, his expression calm. "There's no need. You might not mind my background, Miss Teacher, but what about everyone else?"

I'm happy living here. At least it's quiet, and no one disturbs our training.

Besides, having a roof over our heads already puts us far ahead of people who have to wander from place to place."

Seeing how sensible Qingyun was, Tsunade lost the last trace of misgiving she had about his Uchiha Clan origins.

Orochimaru watched Qingyun curiously, finding him more and more intriguing. He was young, talented, and able to endure solitude. As long as he did not die young, someone like him would surely make a name for himself one day.

Just as Orochimaru was about to speak, Jiraiya came out holding a sword whose shape looked very strange to them. With a look of wonder, he asked, "Qingyun, is this sword your weapon? It looks so unusual."

Qingyun raised his head and answered calmly, "Yes."

Jiraiya drew the Azure Edge Sword, and cold light flashed across the blade. He fed a little Chakra into it, and a sharp aura immediately radiated outward.

"An excellent sword, if a little strange. Where did you get it?"

Jiraiya could not help exclaiming.

Qingyun brushed the question aside casually. "Someone left it here. I found it when I moved in. Minato, start the fire."

Minato Namikaze nodded and focused on lighting the fire.

Seeing Minato Namikaze struggling to get it lit, Jiraiya could not resist showing off in front of his student. He handed the sword to Orochimaru, walked over to Minato Namikaze, and proudly unleashed a fireball jutsu.

Minato Namikaze watched with undisguised envy. Jiraiya seized the chance to offer to teach him Ninjutsu, and Minato Namikaze naturally lit up with excitement.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru stared at the three-foot blade before him, lost in thought. Qingyun seemed increasingly mysterious. There was no way he had simply found this sword here as he claimed.

Yet since Hiruzen Sarutobi had brought them to meet Qingyun, he must have thoroughly investigated the boy's background before allowing one of them to take him as a student.

That meant no faction was backing Qingyun. But if no faction or individual had trained him, how had he come this far on his own?

And this sword conducted Chakra exceptionally well. Who would leave such a valuable weapon lying around here?

Everything about him made Orochimaru itch to investigate.

"Qingyun, do you know the Sword Technique? Would you like me to teach you?"

Orochimaru addressed Qingyun.

Qingyun paused in surprise, then shook his head. "Thank you, Lord Orochimaru, but I've created a few Sword Techniques myself, and I'm fairly good at using them."

"You've created your own Sword Technique, too?"

Tsunade asked, her eyes widening in shock.

"Could you demonstrate them for us?"

Orochimaru's pupils contracted slightly as he spoke to Qingyun.

After considering it for a moment, Qingyun nodded, took the Azure Edge Sword, and began demonstrating Basic Swordsmanship.

As Qingyun moved, streaks of cold light flashed across the yard. Gradually, he began performing Quanzhen Swordsmanship.

His movements were somewhat unpracticed at first, but grew smoother with time. Before he knew it, Qingyun had begun feeding Chakra into the sword. Sword light danced through the air, slicing through fallen leaves.

By the end, waves of Sword Energy were spilling outward, leaving the surroundings scarred and torn.

Neither the Basic Swordsmanship nor the Quanzhen Swordsmanship Qingyun displayed was a form of taijutsu Orochimaru had ever seen. Doubts stirred within him again. Was Qingyun really this talented?

Orochimaru quietly gathered Chakra. "Wind Release: Breakthrough!"

An enormous Wind Blade hurtled toward Qingyun.

Sensing an attack coming from behind, Qingyun did not dare take it lightly. He spun around with his sword and increased his output of Internal Force. A formless arc of Sword Energy immediately slashed toward the Wind Blade.

Hiss!

The Sword Energy cut the Wind Blade apart and continued straight toward Orochimaru without losing momentum.

Orochimaru's pupils contracted, and his hands flashed through hand seals. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Bang!

With a dull crash, the earth wall stopped the sword energy. Orochimaru leaped onto the wall, then looked at the shallow mark the attack had carved into it, his expression turning to shock.

Wasn't this Sword Technique Qingyun had created a little too powerful? It had not only cut through the Wind Blade, but even left a mark on the Earth Flow Wall. What if Qingyun grew stronger? Would the Sword Technique become even more formidable?

Moreover, Qingyun's Sword Technique flowed without interruption. Once he closed in, anyone without sufficient taijutsu skill would likely be trapped under his onslaught until he wore them down and killed them.

"Lord Orochimaru?"

Realizing that Orochimaru had attacked him, Qingyun gave him a puzzled look.

"It's nothing. Your Sword Technique was so unusual that I couldn't resist testing it. Did you really create these Sword Techniques yourself?"

Orochimaru stared intently at Qingyun, as though trying to see right through him.

"Of course. Have you seen this kind of Sword Technique anywhere else, Lord Orochimaru?"

Qingyun spoke with a calm expression.

He certainly would not reveal the system. His claim was also meant to lay the groundwork for the future. The system would surely reward him with more and more martial arts, and when he used them, he could claim to have created them himself. After all, he was exceptionally gifted.

Looking at Qingyun's calm expression, Orochimaru could only choose to believe him. Qingyun had a point: in all his years roaming the Shinobi World, Orochimaru had never seen—or even heard of—either the earlier Tai Chi Fist or these two Sword Techniques.

"Tsunade, let me have Qingyun. I'll give you fifty million ryo."

Orochimaru spoke to Tsunade with undisguised admiration.

Tsunade's eyes widened. Fifty million! How long could I gamble with that?

But looking at Qingyun, such a wonderful student, if I lost him, would I regret it for the rest of my life?

Besides, Orochimaru's temperament was far too cold and sinister, and Qingyun came from the Uchiha, a clan known for its extreme dispositions. If he was guided down the wrong path, he might well become another Madara Uchiha.

With that thought, Tsunade mustered tremendous resolve and refused. "Orochimaru, what do you take me for? Am I the sort of person who would sell her student for money?"

"One hundred million ryo."

Clearly knowing his companion well, Orochimaru raised his offer.

At his words, Tsunade's eyes practically turned into money signs.

Qingyun's mouth twitched. I don't want Orochimaru as my teacher! Even if he really is very good at teaching his students.

But Orochimaru is a little twisted. If I spend too long with him, will I turn out like him? The thought of becoming like Orochimaru sent a shudder through Qingyun.

"Y-you can stop talking. I won't agree."

Tsunade stammered out her refusal.

One look at Tsunade's contorted face told Qingyun just how much agony she had endured to force out that refusal.