Chapter 45: The Serpent Sage Mode

After Uchiha Douhuan saw through the illusion of the Ryuchi Cave, Tagorihime simply bothered no more with maintaining the genjutsu and instead walked straight toward the depths of the cavern.

Before long, two other maidens dressed similarly to Tagorihime hurried over.

Ichikishimahime, who appeared to be the youngest among them, cast a slightly dissatisfied glance at Uchiha Douhuan and muttered, "It's been forever since we last had a challenger, and it turns out to be like this. How boring."

Unfazed by Ichikishimahime's complaint, Uchiha Douhuan merely followed behind the three of them as they pressed onward.

As they drew closer to the dwelling of the White Snake Sage, petrified human limbs began to appear on both sides of the cave walls.

Yet, Uchiha Douhuan's expression remained entirely unchanged in the face of these gruesome sights.

At this moment, Ichikishimahime could no longer hold back and asked, "Aren't you even the slightest bit curious about what these are?"

"They are nothing more than the failed ones who couldn't pass the sage's trial," Uchiha Douhuan smiled. "If one wishes to pursue power, one must naturally be prepared for failure."

"Master Douhuan certainly has a clear and penetrating mind," remarked Tagonohime, the final maiden. "I do hope you successfully pass the final trial, otherwise we will have no choice but to reluctantly taste Master Douhuan for ourselves."

Soon enough, the three maidens brought Uchiha Douhuan to the innermost depths of the Ryuchi Cave. Dim and flickering lights cast dancing shadows, and upon a stone throne deep within the cavern coiled a massive white snake. Its body was bound by several golden rings engraved with diverse inscriptions, and atop its head, two formidable dragon horns testified that this white snake had already embarked upon the path of ascension into a dragon.

The three maidens standing before Uchiha Douhuan bowed in salutation.

"Very well, the three of you may withdraw. Leave me to have a proper conversation with this Master Uchiha Douhuan," the white snake upon the throne shifted its massive body, the friction of its scales producing a rustling sound.

"Understood." The Three Sage Maidens nodded and retreated.

After the three maidens departed, a short moment passed before the White Snake Sage spoke at a leisurely pace, "In all these years, you are the first descendant of Indra to ever set foot in this place."

"Indra?" Uchiha Douhuan feigned ignorance. "Is he one of our ancestors from the Uchiha clan?"

"You could say that, but this Indra is the very primordial source of your Uchiha clan's bloodline," the White Snake Sage replied.

"The ultimate ancestor of the Uchiha?" Uchiha Douhuan nodded. "It seems the White Snake Sage has met him. No wonder rumors in the outside world always claim that the sages of the three sacred lands possess immensely long lifespans."

"No, I did not have much interaction with Indra, I merely know of his experiences. After all, he was the founder of Ninshu and one of the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths," the White Snake Sage explained.

"Does that mean we of the Uchiha are descendants of that legendary Sage of Six Paths?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.

"That is correct," the White Snake Sage nodded.

"I never expected that one day I would become the descendant of a sage," a playful expression crossed Uchiha Douhuan's face. "Then, what is the purpose of the White Snake Sage telling me these deep secrets? Has the Ryuchi Cave been dormant for too long, growing restless and wishing to influence the human world just like Mount Myoboku? Let me make this clear beforehand: unlike Jiraiya—that unprecedented ninja world figure controlled by a summoning beast—I will not spend my entire life running about for some illusory prophecy."

"No, the Ryuchi Cave has never cared for the human world. It was simply this old hag feeling a sudden burst of sentiment," the White Snake Sage said. "However, aren't you curious at all about the story of your ancestor?"

"What is there to be curious about? Human history always boils down to the exact same things. Is there truly any fundamental difference between the humans of ten thousand years ago and those of today?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.

"Hahaha." Upon hearing Uchiha Douhuan's words, the White Snake Sage burst into laughter. "Though most of my years have been spent in slumber, when I was awake, I witnessed the endless generations of bloodshed between the descendants of Ashura and Indra. Many among them were dazzlingly brilliant talents, but you are by far the most unique existence among them."

"Ashura? The ancestor of the Senju clan?" Uchiha Douhuan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, and the Uzumaki clan as well; they are also his descendants," the White Snake Sage added.

"It seems our two families were destined from our very ancestors to bash each other's brains out as mortal enemies," Uchiha Douhuan smiled.

"Over the years, this old hag has seen countless individuals come seeking the power of the sage. Yet, you are the only one for whom even I hope for success. What path the ninja world will take under your influence... you have even made this old hag begin to feel curious," the White Snake Sage looked down at Uchiha Douhuan. "Extinguish your hand and step forward."

Hearing this, Uchiha Douhuan extended his left hand and removed his wrist guard.

The White Snake Sage upon the throne slowly lowered its massive head and opened its jaws, sinking its fangs deep into Uchiha Douhuan's wrist.

A somewhat violent surge of natural energy poured from the White Snake Sage's venom fangs directly into Uchiha Douhuan's body.

Uchiha Douhuan let out a muffled groan. Within moments, snake scales surfaced across the surface of his skin, and his body began to transform in the direction of a serpent while the tops of his feet initiated the process of petrification.

After returning to its throne, the White Snake Sage quietly observed the scene. Unlike Mount Myoboku, they cared little for the character and willpower of those who came seeking the Sage Mode, nor did they possess protective measures like the black rods used by Mount Myoboku to force out excess natural energy. Everyone who came seeking the sage's power was given a single, fair chance—even though the White Snake Sage held extremely high hopes for Uchiha Douhuan.

Just as the White Snake Sage assumed that Uchiha Douhuan would simply become yet another bleached bone within the Ryuchi Cave, Uchiha Douhuan's tightly shut eyes snapped open. The lightning tomoe within his left eye spun furiously as bloody tears welled up and spilled over.

Within Uchiha Douhuan's body, the senjutsu chakra that had been rampaging wildly just a second prior suddenly stabilized in an instant, merging completely with the physical and spiritual energies that constituted chakra. The three forces melted into a single, harmonious whole.

His already petrified legs rapidly restored themselves, the snake scales on his skin receded, and the serpent-like traces on his face gradually vanished. The only remaining changes were that at the center of the three lightning-shaped tomoe within his Mangekyo Sharingan, a pair of narrow vertical pupils emerged, framed by a ring of purple eye shadow around his eyes.

Uchiha Douhuan reached up to wipe away the blood at the corner of his eye. Feeling the immense power brought by the senjutsu chakra, as well as the natural energy nourishing his overly-depleted ocular powers from the momentary crisis, he could not help but throw his head back and laugh out loud.