Chapter 179: The Discovery
Although Baishi decided to abandon his pursuit of Orochimaru, he had no intention of leaving the research base empty-handed.
This place, after all, was one of Orochimaru's hidden laboratories. Surely, it held valuable secrets.
"Still..."
Baishi glanced at the ceiling, where chunks of rock and sand occasionally fell. He considered his options before crouching, quickly forming hand seals, and slamming his hands onto the ground.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
With the injection of his chakra, countless massive trees burst forth, their roots and branches expanding to fill the collapsing cavern. They supported the crumbling structure, stabilizing the area and preventing further collapse.
Satisfied with the results, Baishi nodded approvingly. "This will do."
Now that the cave was reinforced, he began his search.
The Search Begins
Baishi moved cautiously, his gaze scanning the surroundings for traps or hidden dangers. Orochimaru was not someone who could be underestimated, even in retreat.
Tap-tap-tap—
The faint sound of footsteps echoed through the cavern. Baishi's sharp senses immediately pinpointed their origin, and he turned in that direction.
After a short walk, he encountered a group of grotesque figures.
Their skin was dark, their bodies marred with incomplete cursed seal patterns, and their eyes gleamed with malice. Some had grotesque mutations—extra limbs, sharp claws, or leathery wings.
To an ordinary person, their appearance would have been terrifying, but Baishi felt only intrigue.
A single glance was enough for him to identify these individuals as Orochimaru's cursed seal experiments. Though their cursed transformations were crude compared to the refined versions used by the Sound Four in the future, they clearly demonstrated Orochimaru's progress.
The root of cursed seals was tied to Jugo's Sage Transformation—a phenomenon stemming from natural energy. Studying these subjects could potentially grant Baishi insights into natural energy itself.
"Excellent," Baishi murmured, a smile forming on his lips.
As Baishi pondered the possibilities, the cursed seal experiments noticed him. Without hesitation, they charged at him like rabid beasts.
Baishi didn't flinch. With a simple thought, vines erupted from the ground, forming a net that ensnared the attackers.
Despite their enhanced abilities, they were no match for the relentless assault of the vines. Within moments, they were immobilized.
Baishi approached the subdued group and activated the Cursed Binding Seal to suppress their movements completely. Then, using the Flying Thunder God Mark, he opened a spatial rift and transported the group into his personal storage space.
Satisfied, Baishi resumed his search, combing through the base's remaining areas. While he didn't find additional subjects, he discovered research notes and various experimental equipment.
Without hesitation, he stored everything in his expansive spatial ring. "You never know when this might come in handy," Baishi thought.
The Collapse
After thoroughly looting the base, Baishi exited the cavern.
As he released the wood jutsu, the cavern finally gave way, collapsing into a massive sinkhole.
Glancing at the aftermath, Baishi noticed that Danzo's body and the injured subordinates who had been incapacitated earlier were gone.
Unperturbed, he muttered, "Minor loose ends aren't worth chasing."
His focus now was on locating Jugo's village.
"Tanokuni… Kurozu Town."
Repeating the coordinates Orochimaru had provided, Baishi turned toward the Land of Fields and took off.
Kurozu Town
Roughly an hour later, Baishi hovered above Kurozu Town.
From his aerial vantage, he saw a modest settlement. The streets were quiet, likely due to the oppressive afternoon heat.
Rather than entering the town directly, Baishi landed outside its perimeter and sat cross-legged.
Activating Heart Eye, he expanded his perception to detect the flow of natural energy in the area.
Within moments, his eyes snapped open, a glimmer of excitement flashing within them.
"As expected, the natural energy here is significantly denser than in other places."
The discovery validated Orochimaru's information.
He rose to his feet and began following the flow of natural energy. Unlike the chaotic dispersal of energy elsewhere, here it was concentrated and directional, converging on a specific point.
Hours later, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, Baishi arrived at a secluded location.
Before him stood a shadowy cave entrance, exuding an eerie aura.
"Here it is," Baishi murmured, sensing the swirling vortex of natural energy within the cave.
The convergence of energy reminded him of the rumored connections between the Three Great Sacred Lands and the outside world. It seemed plausible that this cave might be a similar gateway.
"If I cultivate Sage Mode here, will Ryuchi Cave interfere?" Baishi pondered, furrowing his brow.
While it was an ideal location to harness natural energy, the possibility of interference from Ryuchi Cave could be ignored.
As Baishi deliberated, a weathered voice broke the silence.
"Boy, don't go near that cave!"
Startled, Baishi turned to see an old man with a hoe slung over his shoulder, standing in the distance.
Seeing Baishi's lack of response, the old man shouted again, "That's the Ghost Howl Cave! If you go in there, you'll be eaten alive!"
(End of Chapter)
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