Unaware of Konoha's actions, Ye Zi remained in Ryūchi Cave, focused on his training.
In just one day, he successfully mastered Sage Mode. It was a perfect Sage Mode, much like Minato's, though it had some unique differences.
Afterward, Ye Zi didn't dwell on the fact that the White Snake Sage had injected him with a second wave of natural energy, as the sage explained the benefits to him.
As the White Snake Sage had mentioned, after his first training experience, Ye Zi could clearly sense the invisible natural energy flowing around him. By simply reaching out, it felt as though he could grasp and harness it.
This sensation was incredible, it was something he had never experienced before. When in Sage Mode, it felt as if he had an inexhaustible supply of power coursing through him.
Although he had mastered Sage Mode in just one day, the training was far from over. He needed to practice using Sage Chakra and work on reducing the time it took to gather it.
While stationary, it took him a minute to absorb enough natural energy to activate Sage Mode. However, if he was moving, it would take at least three minutes.
Both durations were far too long. Ye Zi began training to shorten the activation time to mere seconds, with the ultimate goal being instantaneous activation.
Only with instantaneous Sage Mode could its effects be fully utilized.
Beyond shortening the activation time, he also needed to hone his techniques for utilizing Sage Chakra.
Since Ye Zi decided to stay in Ryūchi Cave for continued training, Orochimaru left to return to their base.
Even with Ye Zi successfully mastering Sage Mode, Orochimaru was still unwilling to take the risk of learning it himself. At the very least, he wanted to fully understand Jūgo's abilities through experimentation before considering Sage Mode training.
Thus, Ye Zi remained in Ryūchi Cave, training day after day. Over time, he became increasingly adept at using Sage Chakra, though this meant bad news for Manda.
As Ye Zi's training partner, Manda endured relentless beatings, suffering greatly at his hands.
However, even after all that, Manda, having already submitted to Ye Zi, didn't mind. He believed this was his duty.
Sage Chakra enhanced the power of techniques. For example, when Ye Zi used Wood Release with Sage Chakra, both its power and speed increased by about fivefold. Additionally, Sage Mode significantly enhanced his sensory abilities.
The exact range was unclear, but it was vast enough to encompass the entire Ryūchi Cave.
On the sixth day in Ryūchi Cave, after becoming mostly proficient in using Sage Chakra, Ye Zi sought out the White Snake Sage.
His reason for doing so was to learn Sage Arts.
As an ancient and powerful being, Ye Zi believed the White Snake Sage must possess some extraordinarily powerful techniques.
After explaining his purpose, the White Snake Sage didn't respond immediately. He seemed to deliberate whether to teach Ye Zi a Sage Art.
One characteristic of Snake Sage Mode, aside from its incredible regenerative and life-sustaining properties, was the ability to imbue inorganic matter with life.
This trait could be discovered and mastered gradually after activating Sage Mode, so there was no need for the White Snake Sage to teach it specifically. However, since Ye Zi had brought it up, he decided to explain it in advance.
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation. This Sage Art can be considered the most powerful technique of Snake Sage Mode. I can teach it to you," the White Snake Sage said after a moment's thought.
"Inorganic Reincarnation…?" Ye Zi raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"As the name implies, this technique imbues non-living, inorganic objects with life and allows you to control them. It is fundamentally different from chakra-based manipulation techniques."
The White Snake Sage gently swayed his head, his orange hair flowing with the motion. He glanced at the ground near Ye Zi, and without any visible movement, the stone floor suddenly seemed to come alive. It twisted like liquid and transformed into countless stone snakes, writhing and thrashing menacingly.
The moment the ground changed, Ye Zi noticed it immediately, even without being in Sage Mode.
Now, he could sense the natural energy surrounding him at all times, and he could instantly detect the presence of Sage Chakra.
As the ground turned into countless stone snakes, Ye Zi's reaction remained calm. This technique was similar to applications of Wood Release, except it could manipulate all inorganic matter.
Perhaps finding Ye Zi's response too composed, the White Snake Sage suddenly directed the stone snakes to morph into spikes, which shot toward the ceiling of the palace at incredible speed.
"So fast…!" Ye Zi exclaimed, astonished by the speed of the stone spikes, which rivaled that of Wind Blades.
After the spikes embedded into the ceiling, the White Snake Sage commanded them to transform back into stone snakes. They slithered down into the uneven floor, which soon returned to its original smooth state.
"This is the most powerful Sage Art of Snake Sage Mode?" Ye Zi asked skeptically, even after witnessing the demonstration.
The White Snake Sage didn't waste time arguing. He simply replied, "Whether it's the most powerful or not, you'll know once you master it."
Ye Zi nodded in agreement.
No matter if it was the most powerful Sage Art or not, Ye Zi was open to learning any technique that was useful.
The White Snake Sage proceeded to teach Ye Zi the Inorganic Reincarnation technique. Without wasting time, Ye Zi headed straight to the designated training area to practice the newly learned art.
Activating Sage Mode significantly increased his chakra reserves, which in turn allowed Ye Zi to extend his training sessions.
Standing in an empty training field devoid of any snakes, Ye Zi began practicing the Inorganic Reincarnation technique.
This technique shared similarities with Wood Release. While it wasn't hard to grasp the basics, mastering it was a different challenge entirely.
Using Sage Chakra as a bridge to communicate with and control lifeless inorganic objects, Ye Zi could manipulate them into various forms through sheer willpower. In this sense, it worked much like Wood Release.
If paired with Wood Release, Ye Zi could potentially dominate most terrains, giving him a significant strategic advantage.
With mastery, combining the two techniques might indeed become a formidable trump card.
.....
Land of Stone.
The task force sent by Konoha finally arrived in the Land of Stone and joined forces with Sunagakure's team.
Sunagakure had readily agreed to Konoha's proposal and dispatched a team of 45 shinobi: 20 jonin and 25 chunin.
The combined strength of the two villages formed a powerful force, and their target was none other than Ye Zi's base.
After merging, the two teams ventured into the barren valleys of the Land of Stone.
With precise intelligence about the base's location, they avoided unnecessary detours and made a direct approach to their destination.
Meanwhile, those inside Ye Zi's base remained completely unaware of the looming danger…
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Currently on Chapter 461 - Inner Desires