"Welcome to... Ryuchi Cave!"
Shin'yu and Orochimaru stared at the woman before them, tilting their heads in unison, the master and disciple displaying an extraordinary understanding in this moment.
"You must be Tagorihime?"
Shin'yu's gaze was scrutinizing.
"Oh? It seems Shin'ya has already told you two. Then I won't introduce myself." Tagorihime covered her red lips slightly, smiling with considerable poise.
Orochimaru's face tightened. The imposing palace, the harmless, ethereal woman... none of this made him feel relaxed. On the contrary, it intensified the unease in his heart.
Under Tagorihime's respectful guidance, the master and disciple entered the palace.
Like its magnificent exterior, the interior was even more splendid, with dragon-carved jade pillars supporting the hall, and a scarlet carpet lavishly spread out. Whether it was the furniture, decorations, or wallpaper murals, everything was extremely luxurious, dazzling the eyes. The hall was even filled with the aroma of food.
"You two have come from afar, you must be exhausted. Please rest here."
Tagorihime led them to their seats. A long dining table was laden with a rich feast, all kinds of meat and vegetable dishes dazzling the eye, the aroma assailing the nostrils. There were also many delicacies that Orochimaru had never even seen before. This was the source of the fragrance in the hall.
Orochimaru frowned slightly, subconsciously glancing at Shin'yu, only to see that his Master's expression was as usual, without any emotional fluctuations.
"Is this... really Ryuchi Cave?"
Orochimaru looked up at Tagorihime. "You knew we were coming?"
The woman smiled politely, pointing to the dining table with her slender fingers. "Yes, everything here is prepared for you two."
"Shin'ya told you?"
"No, it was White Snake Sage's instructions." Tagorihime waved her sleeve. "In comparison, Shin'ya actually told you more information about Ryuchi Cave."
"You're right." Orochimaru's gaze was calm. "Besides your name, Shin'ya also told us that you... are in charge of the first Trial of Ryuchi Cave."
"Oh my, Trials are only for ordinary people." Tagorihime covered her mouth and chuckled. "Ryuchi Cave welcomes you two very much."
"According to you, as long as I want, I can train in Sage Art with White Snake Sage at any time?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, White Snake Sage is currently bathing and changing in the Temple deep within Ryuchi Cave, and has specially ordered me to entertain you two."
Tagorihime bowed slightly. "After you two have eaten your fill and rested enough, you will naturally be able to see White Snake Sage. In the meantime, please enjoy your meal."
Immediately, she personally served a dish of shrimp to the two of them, handing it to them.
But neither Shin'yu nor Orochimaru had any intention of touching their chopsticks.
"Huh? Why aren't you two eating? These are top-quality ingredients!" Tagorihime looked puzzled. "Could it be that you dislike the poor craftsmanship of our Ryuchi Cave?"
Shin'yu smiled slightly, but did not speak, resting his chin on his hand and sitting aside, looking like he was watching a good show.
Orochimaru looked at Tagorihime and suddenly said, "May I ask a presumptuous question?"
"Of course." Tagorihime tilted her head and smiled.
"You... shouldn't be human." Orochimaru said slowly.
Tagorihime was slightly stunned, but after a moment, she regained her smile. "Naturally."
"Then there's no problem."
Orochimaru, however, took the initiative, pushing the plate of shrimp towards Tagorihime, "Sorry, I can't stomach this."
Tagorihime asked, puzzled, "Why?"
At this moment, even Shin'yu looked over with interest.
Orochimaru sighed softly, "I have a friend named Jiraiya. Back when we were training in Summoning Technique, that guy rashly performed it without even signing any Summoning Contract. As a result, he disappeared into thin air right before our eyes."
"It wasn't until two months later that he returned to Hidden Leaf Village with a bitter expression. It turned out that by chance, he had reverse-summoned himself to another sacred land, Mount Myoboku. There, he had no choice but to live and eat with a group of toads who cultivated Sage Art for two months."
"Those two months were miserable for him because there was no food that normal humans could eat. If he didn't want to starve to death, he could only eat bugs with the toads... I still remember the look on his face."
Speaking of this, Orochimaru raised his head, looking directly into Tagorihime's eyes, "The toads of Mount Myoboku eat bugs, so what do the snakes of your Ryuchi Cave eat?"
The air suddenly fell silent.
Tagorihime was stunned for a long time before she suppressed her smile and smacked her lips, "Really, it would have been better to just obediently eat the food. What a cautious little brat."
Suddenly, that beautiful and intellectual face began to distort in an instant. White face, fangs, and eerie vertical pupils, the face covered in white scales revealed a bizarre smile.
Orochimaru didn't show any surprise, "You kept saying there was no Trial, but in reality, the Trial had already begun the moment we met you."
Tagorihime let out a sharp laugh. As she flicked her snake tongue, the lights in the entire palace went out, beginning to shatter inch by inch. The fragrant food from before had long since turned into piles of rotten mud.
Darkness once again devoured the light, and the lingering white mist once again filled the surroundings.
Orochimaru looked around. Besides the bones scattered all over the ground, where was there any trace of a palace?
Tagorihime slowly floated in mid-air, her tone tinged with regret, "Really, I thought I could finally eat the Chakra of a vigorous young man..."
Orochimaru slightly raised his eyes. Two miniature white snakes darted out of his sleeves, and he had already clenched several Shuriken in his hand.
"Don't be nervous, my Trial is over. This time, it's for real." Tagorihime's voice became erratic, "Only those who fail the Trial will be devoured by me..."
As soon as she finished speaking, that white figure merged into the mist and disappeared.
Shin'yu clapped his hands, "Alright, next stop."
Orochimaru glanced at Shin'yu, "Master, did you see through all of this being Genjutsu long ago?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Shin'yu blinked, "There are very few Genjutsu in this world that can deceive my eyes anymore. Even twenty years ago, I could easily see through this level of trickery."
He leisurely walked forward, and Orochimaru followed closely behind him.
After a moment, the white mist dissipated, and the Master and disciple arrived in front of a stalactite cave.
Without saying a word, Shin'yu stepped inside.
"Uh, Master, are we going straight in?"
"Where else can you go?"
"Alright." Orochimaru had no choice but to follow.
He had just entered the cave when a loud "boom" came from behind him. A boulder fell, blocking the entrance tightly.
-----------
This high quality machine translation is powered by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
To read the full translation, as well as more than 555+ fanfic and original translations or request new translations, check out: https:// randomtranslator.com/
You can also join the RandomTranslator community on Discord to connect with other readers: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------