On a horizontal bed, a plump, stout white-scaled snake was coiled up, not flicking its tongue but rather holding a pipe in its mouth.
Seeing Qingshui arrive, the snake shifted its form, transforming into a petite old woman who stepped down from the bed.
The old woman's small eyes narrowed into slits, as if she were presbyopic, as she scrutinized Qingshui.
"White Snake Sage, I've heard much about you."
Qingshui was also observing the unassuming old woman before him, sensing only the immense energy contained within her.
This old woman subtly gave Qingshui a sense of threat, like a hunter encountering a fierce beast.
A hunter might be able to kill a beast, but the beast might also turn the tables and kill the hunter.
"Hmm... You are indeed impressive. Though the Sage Art Chakra in your body is small in quantity, it is refined, and there are no signs of abnormality in your body. Your strength is also good. Perhaps in a few more years, your human race will produce a sacred land with a great Sage."
The White Snake Sage puffed on its pipe, looking at Qingshui as it spoke.
Over a thousand years had passed, and finally, another human had emerged who could refine Sage Art Chakra perfectly suited to themselves.
No, the one from a thousand years ago wasn't human; they were an alien.
"Sage, you flatter me. Whether I succeed or not, I still need your guidance."
Qingshui respectfully bowed to the White Snake Sage, neither arrogant nor humble.
"Hmm, guidance is indeed necessary. My three divine princesses were quite presumptuous earlier. I hope Sage Qingshui can forgive them."
Huh?
Me?
Sage Qingshui?
It seems that in the eyes of these non-humans who can cultivate Sage Art, anyone who can cultivate it is considered a Sage. After all, didn't Jiraiya also call himself a Sage?
The Sage Art he cultivates is truly suited for humans, and his strength is far greater. For the White Snake Sage to personally address him as Sage Qingshui, the value of that title must be several levels higher than Jiraiya's Sage title.
"Since you have already learned Sage Art on your own, you are a born Sage, and your future achievements will likely be extraordinary. The Sage Art of my Ryūchi Cave can also be learned by humans, but it is dangerous. After all, this is Sage Art suitable for snakes. If Sage Qingshui needs advice or reference, you may take this scroll of Sage Art to read. If anything is unclear, you can ask the Three Divine Princesses. Their cultivation is decent, and they know what they should know. If there's still anything you don't understand, you can ask me again."
After the old woman finished speaking, she suddenly opened her mouth 180 degrees wide, revealing a gaping maw, and extended a long tongue, delivering a bundle of scrolls still stained with some mucus, which was rolled up in her tongue, into Qingshui's hand.
The White Snake Sage is so polite?
Do I really have that much influence?
Qingshui took the scroll and placed it at his feet.
Seeing this, the White Snake Sage let out a chuckle.
"If Sage Qingshui wishes to learn the Sage Art of my Ryūchi Cave, I will naturally offer it with both hands. If you wish to contract snakes from my cave, the small snakes are free to choose, but for large snakes with over a hundred years of cultivation, their consent is required. Besides that, I have another request."
As expected.
"Sage, please speak your mind."
"My Ryūchi Cave is barren. There are countless snakes and pythons in the cave, and dozens of large snakes with over five hundred years of cultivation. Although there are some hunting grounds inside and outside the cave, most of them are still starving. We snakes can last a year on one meal, and I suppress them, otherwise these fellows in the cave would have long begun to cannibalize each other.
Orochimaru became Hokage outside, and your strength is even greater than his. For as long as you live, would it not be difficult for you to offer a thousand cattle and sheep, ten thousand pigs, and a hundred thousand rats and rabbits to my Ryūchi Cave each year, to fill the bellies of my children in the cave?"
"Is that all?"
Although the number of these livestock is considerable, it's just a matter of spending money.
The conditions definitely aren't that simple.
"Naturally, that's not all. I also need you to assist me unconditionally once you have mastered Sage Art."
"Assist unconditionally once? Against whom?"
Qingshui asked the White Snake Sage.
"Those Toads from Mount Myōboku. I want you to capture every single one of them alive and bring them to me for my enjoyment. Remember, they must be alive. Gamamaru, Fukasaku, and Shima must be alive."
"Sage, aren't you afraid I'll take the benefits and not follow through?"
Qingshui asked the White Snake Sage.
"Heh, then let me ask you, in this transaction, have I lost anything? Without my venom, what use is the Sage Art of Ryūchi Cave outside, other than for your reference?"
The White Snake Sage put its pipe back into its mouth, chuckling as it asked.
What else did the White Snake Sage give besides this scroll?
Those snakes in Ryūchi Cave?
The one thing Ryūchi Cave doesn't lack is snakes.
If Qingshui could deliver those livestock as blood offerings every year as promised, then Ryūchi Cave would already be profiting. If he were to actually catch one or two Toads from Mount Myōboku and bring them back, that would be a huge profit!
As for why the White Snake Sage wanted those Sage Art-trained Toads from Mount Myōboku...
Qingshui naturally understood. Among the Three Legendary Sannin, the snake eats the toad!
If a snake eating a toad could fill its stomach, then if a Snake Sage swallowed a Toad Sage, it would likely bring great benefits.
However...
"White Snake Sage, if I truly capture a Toad Sage from Mount Myōboku and bring it here, I'm afraid the price you've offered might not be enough."
Qingshui chuckled softly at the White Snake Sage.
Gotta charge more!
"Oh? Sage Qingshui certainly knows how to do business."
The White Snake Sage puffed on its pipe, blowing out clouds of smoke for a bit, as if genuinely considering what it could offer as an extra.
It seemed there really wasn't anything.
"Here in Ryūchi Cave, apart from a somewhat decent Sage Art, all I have are snakes. And the only ones who can match those Toads from Mount Myōboku are these three. If you can truly bring one over, why wouldn't I bestow it upon you?"
The White Snake Sage took the pipe from its mouth, held it in its hand, and gestured towards the three Snake Goddesses.
Qingshui was immediately bewildered.
The three Snake Goddesses were even more bewildered.
"White Snake Sage, we..."
"No! Please, White Snake Sage!"
"I don't want to either!"
The three Snake Goddesses instantly floated over to the White Snake Sage, one kneading its shoulders, another rubbing its legs, and a third massaging its back, all while cooing affectionately.
It seemed that those Toads from Mount Myōboku were truly invaluable to the White Snake Sage, so much so that it was willing to give up these three goddesses.
Or perhaps, this old snake was trying to trick him. He could never truly gain ownership of the three Snake Goddesses. Even if they were nominally his, they would ultimately still belong to the White Snake Sage.
After all, the White Snake Sage had ruled Ryūchi Cave for a thousand years, and its authority was deeply entrenched. If he were to clash with the White Snake Sage, these three Snake Goddesses would likely obediently side with it. It was even possible the White Snake Sage held some vital leverage or trump card to control them.
It was probably a bit of both.
This old hag, and most of the snakes and serpents in Ryūchi Cave, were not benevolent beings.
The White Snake Sage might seem kind to him now, but that was because his strength was formidable, surpassing ordinary Kage-level shinobi. He had also developed a Sage Art suitable for humans, leaving the White Snake Sage unable to fully comprehend him, unable to gauge his depth, and lacking confidence in victory. Only then did it show some respect.
If their interests truly conflicted, it wouldn't be so harmonious.
In fact, if he hadn't possessed some skill, he might have fallen prey to Tagorihime's Genjutsu the moment he entered, ending up in a snake's belly.
"Hey, you three, there's so much interesting stuff out there. Don't believe me? Go ask Manda what kind of offerings Orochimaru usually gives him. Things are even more wonderful in human towns: food, drink, entertainment, everything you could possibly want. Things you'll never see in Ryūchi Cave. Manda couldn't take human form to experience it, but if you three could go out, you'd have the chance."
The White Snake Sage put its pipe back in its mouth.
The three Snake Goddesses immediately stopped their actions. The ones kneading shoulders, rubbing legs, and massaging backs instantly turned into Qingshui. Tagorihime even used Sage Art: Inorganic Reanimation to create a stone stool for Qingshui to sit on.
Qingshui: "..."
"Is it really that fun out there?"
Tagorihime's eyes sparkled.
"Is there anything good to eat?"
Ichikishimahime, the loli snake, asked, drooling, while kneading Qingshui's shoulder.
"There are lots of people outside, really?"
Takirihime, who said this, was also drooling.
It was then that Qingshui remembered that the snakes in Ryūchi Cave all ate humans.
Tsk...
Good thing he had no intention of being a hero.
Couldn't get it up.
In their eyes, humans were just like cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs—all the same livestock.
"You three traitors, he hasn't even brought the Toad back yet."
The White Snake Sage looked at the three Snake Goddesses, annoyed.
Tagorihime, however, flicked her tongue, opening her mouth wide in a laugh.
"Well, the Summoning Contract isn't impossible to sign. Orochimaru can't use Sage Art, so we're not interested in him. If we miss Sage Qingshui, how much longer will we have to wait to go out and have fun?"
As Qingshui watched the three Snake Goddesses laugh, revealing a few scales near their mouths, he felt a bit disgusted and quickly stood up.
"If you sign this Summoning Contract, you'll have to obey me outside. You can eat, drink, and have fun, but you must follow human rules. No killing people without my permission."
"But enemy shinobi, surely we can kill and eat them? Manda often brags in the cave that Orochimaru has to prepare at least a hundred offerings for him at a time, and those shinobi offerings have firm flesh and strong bones, the best texture..."
Takirihime babbled on, her mouth not stopping.
If these three Snake Goddesses could sign a Summoning Contract, it would actually be a good thing.
Three snake Sages proficient in Genjutsu and Sage Art certainly wouldn't be weak. At the very least, they could compare to Fukasaku and Shima of Mount Myōboku and would provide some assistance.
Even if they couldn't intervene in battles of his level, they were still far stronger than ordinary shinobi.
At the very least, the Genjutsu Tagorihime used when he entered wouldn't be easy for ordinary jonin to break free from. Even Kage-level experts would be affected.
He just needed to manage them well to avoid trouble.
Moreover, with them around, at least half of Orochimaru's snake-related Ninjutsu connected to Ryūchi Cave would become ineffective.
At the very least, the snakes summoned by Hidden Shadow Many Snake Hands and Myriad Snake Net were completely useless against the three Snake Sages.
The White Snake Sage looked at the three Snake Sages, then at Qingshui, and said, "Then we'll just sign a summoning contract. They'll be your Summoning Beasts, but they'll still be my Ryūchi Cave's snakes. I won't cheat you; Orochimaru pays a hundred blood sacrifices for Manda to act once. Takirihime and the other two know my Ryūchi Cave's Sage Art, and their strength is no less than Manda, who is a thousand-year-old anomalous great snake. They also have more techniques. For one action, it'll be one hundred and fifty… actually, never mind. You might feel uncomfortable if they eat people and then refuse to summon them in the future. So, let's change it to two hundred sheep."
The White Snake Sage's meaning was very clear.
The three Snake Sages going to Qingshui was essentially like becoming mercenaries. As long as Qingshui couldn't capture a Toad Sage to exchange, the ownership of the three Snake Sages would remain with Ryūchi Cave.
Of course, this was the case before capturing a Toad. How things would proceed after capturing a Toad would depend on the situation at that time.
The White Snake Sage felt it wasn't a loss, only a gain, and Qingshui also felt he wasn't at a loss.
After all, he had gotten Ryūchi Cave's Sage Art for free, and he'd also managed to trick the three excellent combatants, the three Snake Sages, into coming along…
Well, it wasn't really a trick; these three silly snakes came of their own accord.
"Then it's settled."
Only then did Qingshui pick up the scroll from the ground and toss it into his Devouring Pouch.
The White Snake Sage saw this and knew it was likely some kind of space-time Ninjutsu that could store items. Though curious, it didn't pry further. After all, with this summoning contract signed, communication between them would naturally increase, and there would be plenty of opportunities to learn about each other's abilities.
"Alright, you three, take Sage Qingshui to see Shinya. I'm tired and need to rest."
The White Snake Sage waved its hand and sat back down on the bed.
"Then we'll take our leave, White Snake Sage."
Qingshui also nodded slightly to the White Snake Sage, then turned and departed with the chattering three Snake Sages.
Once Qingshui was far away, the White Snake Sage transformed from its old lady appearance back into the thick white snake with a cat's eye stone hanging around its neck.
"What a pity. This kid rose too quickly. I didn't get a chance to observe such a person closely in the past, otherwise, I might have known the secret to how he mastered Sage Art. It's a shame he's already a Sage and can sense Natural Energy. My methods of detection are probably useless against him now."
The White Snake Sage sighed softly, flicking its tongue out. It coiled the cat's eye stone around its neck and held it up to its eyes, lost in thought.
Qingshui, of course, had no idea what the White Snake Sage was thinking. He simply followed the three Snake Sages to a stone cave filled with red rocks. By the side of the cave was a large pool, where two giant snakes, one red and one purple, were wrestling.
"Manda and Shinya are fighting again!"
Takirihime exclaimed, watching the two great snakes churn the water in the large pool.
"Is the red one Shinya?"
"Yes, Sage Qingshui. They're fighting over territory. This large pool connects to the big river outside the cave, and there are many fish and shrimp, making it a prime hunting ground in the cave. Also, because there's water, if other creatures want to drink, they'll definitely come to the banks of this large pool, so the banks are also the best hunting spots."
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// beta.randomtranslator.com/
Read 1111+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// beta.randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------