Caught by Yechen, and under the gaze of his Mangekyō Sharingan at that, Orochimaru knew his chances of escape were slim. He changed tactics, trying to achieve his goal by cooperating with Yechen.
Whether they could actually cooperate would depend on whether Yechen played along.
Yechen naturally understood what Orochimaru was thinking. The lure of eternal life might send countless people flocking to him, but how could Yechen fall for it?
Perhaps Orochimaru's path could lead to that realm. Later on, for instance, Orochimaru developed "Living Corpse Reincarnation," which could theoretically keep his soul from perishing.
Orochimaru was indeed a genius.
However, his methods were somewhat too cruel, and his path differed from Yechen's.
Yechen's cultivation path emphasized attuning himself to heaven and earth, breaking free of his mortal flesh, and evolving into a transcendent state.
The two were fundamentally different, though they might ultimately lead to the same destination.
At that thought, Yechen felt some reluctance to waste such talent. Simply taking Orochimaru back seemed to give the village too good a deal.
Still, Orochimaru was an unpredictable factor. Getting him to submit sincerely was hardly possible, and he might turn around and bite Yechen someday.
Thus, Yechen thought of controlling Orochimaru. Kotoamatsukami had one slot left, so he might as well reserve it for him.
With Kotoamatsukami controlling him, Orochimaru could devote himself wholeheartedly to serving the Gods Alliance.
Yechen had no use for his methods, but others could try them. Perhaps Orochimaru really would get his wish and create a path to eternal, undying life.
With that thought, Yechen made his decision, and his gaze softened considerably as he looked at Orochimaru.
"Cooperation is certainly possible..."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's lips curled slightly. I was right. No one can resist the temptation of eternal life.
However, Yechen's next