"I have a feeling that I won't stop here," Orochimaru said with a smile.
After that night, Orochimaru locked himself in his home, obsessively poring over past research and analyzing his own predicament.
When Xu Ming saw him again, a full month had passed.
After weeks of isolation, Orochimaru's face had visibly thinned, but his spirit was higher than ever. His sharp eyes gleamed like stars.
"I've found the problem!"
As soon as Orochimaru emerged, he immediately sought out Xu Ming. While devouring his meal with urgency, he eagerly explained:
"My physical and spiritual energies are imbalanced. Just as Lady Mito suggested, the issue lies in the excessive affinity between my physical energy and natural energy, which prevents me from maintaining the required 1:1:1 ratio of spiritual energy, physical energy, and natural energy."
"When natural energy enters my body, it immediately erodes and assimilates my physical energy, causing it to turn against me."
"The battlefield shifts from a two-on-one fight to a one-on-two battle."
Xu Ming listened attentively, nodding as he processed the explanation.
Within the human body, both spiritual and physical energy—whether in terms of quality or quantity—are far inferior to natural energy. To master Sage Mode, both energies must work together to suppress natural energy and establish balance.
It requires careful adjustment to reach the 1:1:1 equilibrium.
However, Orochimaru's physical energy was too closely aligned with natural energy.
As a result, instead of resisting, his body's energy immediately sided with the invading force, leaving him unable to fight back.
"So, have you come up with a solution?" Xu Ming asked curiously. This was a level of detail never explored in the original timeline.
"My current idea is to weaken the erosive impact of natural energy on my body. That means finding natural energy sources that are either gentler or naturally inclined toward spiritual energy. This could create a new balancing act," Orochimaru explained between bites of food.
"How do you plan to do that?" Xu Ming asked.
"By reviving my previous research on domesticating plant-based organisms. I suspect that plant-derived natural energy might be less aggressive," Orochimaru replied. He then paused before adding, "Also, I believe we can explore the concept of secondary precipitation."
"Secondary precipitation?" Xu Ming raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. In nature, some plants grow symbiotically on animals—take, for instance, the moss that forms on a turtle's shell."
Setting down his chopsticks, Orochimaru continued earnestly: "If natural energy is present within the flesh and blood of such a host, then the plants growing on it might carry a milder, second-hand form of natural energy."
Clap, clap!
Xu Ming couldn't help but applaud.
"Brilliant."
The theory of secondary precipitation might not be foolproof, but it undeniably opened a new path for exploration.
"Orochimaru, your mind was made for scientific research," Xu Ming remarked, genuinely impressed.
"Haha, I think so too," Orochimaru grinned.
After finishing their meal, Orochimaru received a shot of Yang Release treatment before immediately heading into the mountains.
Over the past month, he had compiled extensive research notes, cataloging various rare and exotic plant species.
Natural energy accumulation follows a pattern—when it enriches an organism, visible changes occur. These changes make the creature stronger, larger, and often give it a distinct appearance.
The same principle applies to plants.
Once Orochimaru entered the mountain, two months passed without anyone seeing him.
Xu Ming only received occasional updates about his condition through the old white ape, who provided him with daily necessities.
Autumn had arrived.
Uzumaki Mito and the Third Hokage both began to worry.
"Why is Orochimaru becoming more reclusive? He used to come out once a month, but now it's been two months without a trace!" Mito commented.
"Xu Ming, don't you think he's pushing himself too hard?" the Third Hokage asked.
As insiders, both were aware that the path of Sage Mode was a dead end for most.
Xu Ming, however, remained optimistic.
"Can't you have more faith in Orochimaru?"
But both the Third Hokage and Uzumaki Mito shook their heads.
It wasn't that they doubted Orochimaru's genius, but history had seen countless prodigies fail in the pursuit of Sage Mode. Orochimaru, while remarkable, was not necessarily an exception.
"Tell me, Xu Ming," the Third Hokage looked at him seriously. "Why do you have so much confidence in him?"
Because I know the future.
Xu Ming knew that in another timeline, Orochimaru circumvented these limitations and mastered senjutsu.
While Shigego—an essential material for his later experiments—had yet to be born in this era, Orochimaru's early start on research gave him a significant advantage.
"Do you have a solution to Orochimaru's problem?" Uzumaki Mito pressed.
"No, I don't," Xu Ming admitted. "I can't help him."
"Then why do you have such faith in him? Excessive expectations can sometimes crush a person," Uzumaki Mito reprimanded.
"Alright, I'll check on him now," Xu Ming sighed and set off toward the mountains.
Guided by the old white ape, Xu Ming finally found Orochimaru.
Two months of isolation had left Orochimaru visibly frustrated.
"Xu Ming, you're just in time! I was about to find you!" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"What's the matter?" Xu Ming asked.
"I've found a solution!" Orochimaru exclaimed.
Xu Ming was taken aback. He had hoped for progress but hadn't expected results so soon.
"Go on, I'm listening," Xu Ming encouraged.
Orochimaru nodded eagerly.
"I confirmed that my physical energy is immediately corrupted upon contact with natural energy. Initially, I tried using plant energy as a substitute, but it didn't work!"
"Once natural energy settles into an organism, it carries the will of that creature—it can't be erased!"
"So I asked myself: What if it doesn't need to be erased?"
A sly smile spread across Orochimaru's face as he revealed his boldest idea yet:
"What if the will infused into the natural energy comes from me?"
Xu Ming's eyes widened in shock.
Orochimaru continued, "Since parasitism and symbiosis allow for secondary precipitation, why not use my own flesh and blood as the medium? I can transplant my tissues into another organism, allowing my own cells to host and adapt to natural energy."
Xu Ming was stunned by the audacity of the idea.
"Brilliant!" he finally declared. "Absolutely brilliant."
Orochimaru let out a breath of relief. His methods would be considered unethical by many, but he only cared about Xu Ming's opinion.
"However, you must keep this secret," Xu Ming warned.
"Of course, you're the only one I'm telling," Orochimaru assured him.
Then, leading Xu Ming deeper into the forest, he revealed a gray wolf with patches of missing fur.
"I tried implanting my hair first. Using blood caused severe rejection, so I had to adjust my approach," Orochimaru explained.
Xu Ming examined the wolf. Though its condition seemed weak, its vital signs were stable.
"You should ask Danzo for a specialized laboratory and prepare anti-rejection drugs," Xu Ming advised. "With my Yang Release, even transplanting your heart would be viable."
Orochimaru chuckled. "You're more ruthless than I am, Xu Ming."
"So, what's next?" Xu Ming asked.
Orochimaru gazed into the dense forest and murmured:
"Snakes. I have always felt a connection to them..."