"Emperor, what is wrong?"
Seeing Yuzuru staring at her the entire time, Ichikishimahime could not help feeling confused.
Yuzuru came back to his senses and smiled.
"Nothing. I just suddenly became a little more interested in this trip."
"Lead the way."
Yuzuru's attitude left Ichikishimahime somewhat puzzled, but she did not ask any further.
She led Yuzuru all the way to the deepest part of Ryūchi Cave, where a massive, thick white snake appeared before his eyes.
On either side of the white snake were two more figures dressed similarly to Ichikishimahime.
They should be Tagitsuhime and Tanshinshinki.
When the White Snake Sage saw Yuzuru appear, it also transformed into a human form, turning its upper body into the image of a strange-looking old woman.
Seeing the White Snake Sage sizing him up, Yuzuru gave a cold snort in his heart, and a terrifying power instantly erupted outward.
Under that powerful pressure, Ichikishimahime, Tagitsuhime, and Tanshinshinki immediately stood in front of the White Snake Sage.
Their original transformation techniques could no longer be maintained, and they all turned into ferocious snake faces with sharp fangs and long tongues.
"Stand down."
After sensing Yuzuru's power, the White Snake Sage smiled and waved its hand, then crawled down from its seat.
"Greetings, Emperor."
The White Snake Sage bowed according to human etiquette, its attitude respectful.
Only then did Yuzuru withdraw his aura and nod faintly.
Before the current him, no matter who it was, they had to lower their eyes and bow their heads. Even sages were no exception.
Moreover, he had come this time for Ryūchi Cave's cultivation method. If he did not display enough power to make the other side fear him, the other party probably would not agree to his request so easily.
After Yuzuru sat down in the White Snake Sage's seat, the White Snake Sage's thoughts moved, and the rocks inside the cave suddenly changed, transforming into a massive stone chair.
Seeing this, Yuzuru nodded inwardly.
In the original work, when Kabuto Yakushi fought the Uchiha brothers, Sasuke and Itachi, he had once used a similar ability.
Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!
It could grant life to inorganic matter that had no life of its own and then control it. It was quite a good ability.
The White Snake Sage spoke first.
"May I ask what brings you here this time, Emperor?"
Yuzuru was just as direct and said straight to the point, "I want Ryūchi Cave's cultivation method."
"And... from this day forward, Ryūchi Cave must submit to me. Without my orders, you are not allowed to interfere in the affairs of the shinobi world."
After hearing Yuzuru's demands, anger appeared on the faces of Ichikishimahime, Tagitsuhime, and Tanshinshinki.
He had merely unified the shinobi world, yet he already wanted to ride over their heads and lord over them.
Ryūchi Cave had transcended the mundane world for thousands of years. It even had the White Snake Sage presiding over it. How could it obey the orders of a mere human?
However, what they had not expected was that the White Snake Sage's expression did not change at all. It only smiled and said, "This old one understands. Ryūchi Cave is willing to obey the Emperor's instructions."
"As for the cultivation method..."
The White Snake Sage took out a scroll from who knew where.
"Inside this is Ryūchi Cave's complete cultivation method. Please examine it, Emperor."
Yuzuru accepted the scroll. After briefly looking through it, he stored it in the Kamui Dimension.
"In that case, I'll be leaving first."
"Goodbye."
After Yuzuru finished speaking, he directly activated Kamui and vanished from where he stood.
After he left, Orochimaru immediately undid the Reverse Summoning Jutsu as well.
Once the two of them were gone, Ichikishimahime immediately asked in confusion, "Sage, why did you agree to Yuzuru's conditions? He was far too arrogant!"
Tagitsuhime also nodded and said in a deep voice, "Sage, Ryūchi Cave has stayed out of the world for too long. Humans have almost forgotten their fear of us."
"In the past, humans were nothing but our food!"
Tanshinshinki did not speak, but the dissatisfaction in her heart could be seen from her expression alone.
The three of them were all the White Snake Sage's trusted aides and capable subordinates, so they did not have too many reservations when speaking.
The White Snake Sage swept its gaze over Ichikishimahime, Tanshinshinki, and Tagitsuhime, then sighed.
"Ah... do you think that was what I truly wanted?"
"The Emperor is too powerful. If we did not choose to submit, Ryūchi Cave would only have invited a disaster of extermination upon itself."
"What?!"
After hearing the White Snake Sage's words, Ichikishimahime, Tanshinshinki, and Tagitsuhime all spat out their long tongues in shock.
In their impression, the White Snake Sage was omnipotent.
Even a top powerhouse of the shinobi world like Orochimaru did not dare act recklessly before the White Snake Sage.
But now...
The White Snake Sage was actually afraid of a human!
Seeing the expressions of the three, the White Snake Sage asked, "Do you know why I brought our clan here to live in seclusion back then?"
Ichikishimahime immediately answered, "It was because the Rabbit Goddess descended upon the shinobi world and used forceful methods to kill all the forces that refused to submit to Her."
"You and our ancestors were afraid of being targeted by the other side, so you found such a hidden realm and went into seclusion."
"That is right."
The White Snake Sage nodded and said with a bitter smile, "The Emperor just now has already reached a level very close to that Rabbit Goddess from back then."
"So... do you understand now why I made that choice?"
After hearing the White Snake Sage's words, cold sweat flowed down the foreheads of Ichikishimahime, Tanshinshinki, and Tagitsuhime.
When Yuzuru released his pressure just now, they had been the first to stand in front.
If Yuzuru had truly intended to attack, they would probably have been killed first, right?
"We will go outside and warn everyone right now."
Ichikishimahime, Tanshinshinki, and Tagitsuhime immediately ran out.
From now on, they had to be more careful. They absolutely could not keep treating humans as food whenever they felt like it, as they had in the past!
After returning to Konoha from Ryūchi Cave, Yuzuru handed Ryūchi Cave's cultivation method to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was also full of confidence.
With so many complete methods as references, combined with the knowledge in his mind, creating a cultivation method suitable for humans should not be too difficult.
After taking the scroll, Orochimaru could no longer hold back and said, "Yuzuru, then I will go get busy first."
He had coveted senjutsu for a long time.
Now that he had the chance to personally create a cultivation method, naturally, he did not want to wait even a moment.
Watching Orochimaru's hurried departing figure, the smile on Yuzuru's face gradually deepened.
Back then, not killing Orochimaru and instead choosing to spend some effort making him his subordinate had simply been the most correct decision he had ever made.
What boss would not want to have such a subordinate?