Ryūchi Cave likewise had a special resource specifically used to assist in training in Senjutsu-snake venom!
To be precise, the White Snake Sage's venom!
Ryūchi Cave's method of training in Senjutsu could be summed up in one sentence:
The White Snake Sage bit you, injecting venom into your body through her fangs.
If you endured it, your training succeeded; if you couldn't, you died on the spot.
When Mount Myōboku's successors failed in their Senjutsu training, they mutated into toad statues.
When Ryūchi Cave's successors failed in their Senjutsu training, they likewise mutated into snakes, then were eaten.
Yes, eaten...
The White Snake Sage and the giant snakes under her command ate those failed successors of Ryūchi Cave who had mutated into snakes as food.
One could only say that it suited Ryūchi Cave's style perfectly...
Orochimaru had failed in his training in Ryūchi Cave's Senjutsu, causing both his body and his soul to mutate.
But he hadn't given up on himself because of that.
Quite the opposite.
Using his mutated body, Orochimaru had specifically developed a Cursed Seal system.
Namely, the [Cursed Seal of Heaven] and the [Cursed Seal of Earth].
They were essentially bargain-bin versions of Ryūchi Cave's Senjutsu.
By biting people, Orochimaru transferred his own cells into their bodies, forming the corresponding Cursed Seal patterns.
This both helped the recipients of the Cursed Seals acquire abilities similar to Senjutsu and gave Orochimaru a "backup."
As everyone knew.
Orochimaru could revive himself through Cursed Seals.
That was getting a little off track.
Back to the point.
It was precisely because Orochimaru had failed in training in Ryūchi Cave's Senjutsu that both his body and soul had mutated.
Madara Uchiha had exceptionally keen eyes.
Just how keen?
Put it this way.
There was the [Shadow Clone Technique] developed by