"He is somewhat similar to the Jugo Clan outside, yet completely different." Tagorihime spoke after a moment.

From her perspective, the rich natural energy surrounding them became gentler, affectionately arching towards Kiyoshi.

The Jūgo Clan had a similar effect, but it was much more violent.

The wild natural energy would rush in, completely disregarding whether the Jūgo Clan members were willing, as if to assimilate them.

The result was that Jūgo Clan members often went berserk and suffered physical deformities. They could not control this natural energy.

Therefore, although their clan could frequently enter a state of "Sage Transformation," they could only live in remote, uninhabited areas.

"Jūgo Clan?"

Orochimaru's eyes flickered.

Did Kiyoshi also possess such talent?

"Let's skip the first trial. Proceed to the second trial."

Tagorihime waved her hand, and the previously magnificent building instantly transformed into a thick mist.

Beneath the mist were countless skeletal remains, both human and beast.

Anko jumped in fright. Everything just now was a Genjutsu.

She had seen many fragrant foods in the palace earlier, but they all disappeared in an instant.

"You two continue forward, Ichikishimahime is over there." Tagorihime pointed in a direction.

If it were anyone else, Tagorihime naturally wouldn't be so kind.

But after witnessing Kiyoshi's unusual nature, she didn't mind forging a good relationship.

"Hiss hiss..."

The white snake seemed to smell a familiar scent and poked its small head out from Kiyoshi's sleeve.

"Go on, Kiyoshi."

Orochimaru and Anko remained in place.

Kiyoshi nodded and continued walking into the mist.

The first trial just now tested one's greed.

If one lingered here and consumed a large amount of food, both their body and Chakra would be devoured by her.

Soon, only Kiyoshi was left, engulfed in the mist. He arrived at a cave.

The cave walls were filled with irregularly shaped gaps, and on the ground were stones that resembled these gaps.

"As long as you fill the gaps in the wall with the stones on the ground, I will let you pass."

This was Ichikishimahime, the guardian of the second trial. Her attire was similar to Tagorihime's, but the edges of her robe were blue.

Her figure was less voluptuous than Tagorihime's, much more petite.

"Fill them, huh."

Kiyoshi extended his hand, and all the stones on the ground were swept up by a whirlwind and roughly jammed into the gaps.

"Done."

In less than three seconds, Kiyoshi spoke.

He looked up at Ichikishimahime, who was floating in the air.

These snakes of Ryuchi Cave, capable of transforming into human form, possessed the ability to fly.

Kiyoshi guessed it was some kind of Sage art.

"Huh?"

Ichikishimahime was about to sarcastically mock Kiyoshi when she heard him say he was done.

Indeed, all the gaps were filled with stones.

It was because the stones on the ground were very brittle. Parts that couldn't fit were squeezed out, and for smaller gaps, another stone was used to continue filling.

Thus, all the gaps on the wall were completely filled.

The solution to Ryuchi Cave's three trials was actually revealed in the Boruto series.

Boruto's method was to manually crush the stones and then insert them. Kiyoshi simply streamlined this process.

"You... you passed."

Ichikishimahime's eyes widened.

In these hundreds of years, Kiyoshi was the first person to clear it so quickly.

Should she say this person was quick-witted, or arrogant?

Ichikishimahime pondered. Immediately, she discovered the same fact as Tagorihime.

Natural energy affectionately guarded Kiyoshi, carefully swirling around him.

Even on the White Snake Sage, she had never witnessed such a phenomenon. It was marvelous.

Ichikishimahime immediately moved aside and pointed Kiyoshi to the location of the next trial.

Two minutes later.

Suddenly, a dark shadow lunged at Kiyoshi's neck, biting down.

Thud!

A muffled sound.

"What a tough neck."

Tagitsuhime covered her mouth. Caught off guard, her teeth were almost shattered.

"You're the final trial, aren't you?" Kiyoshi spoke calmly.

"Of course, I'm here to test your heart... If you fail, I will devour you." Tagitsuhime spoke, her eyes adorned with pink eyeshadow.

She wore a white long robe, with three magatama-shaped green ornaments on her ample chest.

Despite her beautiful appearance, her words sent shivers down one's spine.

"So, have I passed the trial?"

Kiyoshi's expression was calm, showing no signs of being under Genjutsu.

"My Genjutsu has no effect on you?" Tagitsuhime frowned, momentarily unsure.

Although her teeth almost broke just now, she had still injected Chakra into the blood vessels of Kiyoshi's neck through her fangs.

That Chakra should have started interfering with Kiyoshi's optic nerves.

What was going on?

Watching Tagitsuhime's perplexed expression, Kiyoshi chuckled softly.

There were two ways to break Genjutsu.

Non-Dojutsu Genjutsu could be dispelled by disrupting one's own Chakra flow.

Dojutsu Genjutsu could only be broken by having another person disrupt the Chakra flow.

Tagitsuhime's method of injecting Chakra through her fangs was naturally a Non-Dojutsu Genjutsu.

Kiyoshi's Chakra reserves were already immense, and with the continuous operation of Lightning Chakra within his body, he had already dispersed and dissolved Tagitsuhime's Chakra in the first instance.

Any residual effects Kiyoshi could easily eliminate.

From an outsider's perspective, Kiyoshi appeared as if he had never been caught in a Genjutsu.

"You... you passed."

Tagitsuhime waited another minute, and after realizing that Kiyoshi was indeed unaffected, she moved aside.

The mist dispersed, and the true appearance of Ryuchi Cave emerged before Kiyoshi.

It was a palace with flying eaves and upturned corners, covered with red tiles, and the eaves were adorned with exquisite dragon carvings.

The characters "Ryuchi Cave" were prominently written on the plaque.

The palace leaned against jagged rocks, deep within the cave, giving it a chilling sensation.

Kiyoshi walked forward, stepping onto the stairs one by one.

"Tagitsuhime, he even passed your test." Tagorihime exclaimed.

Beside her was Ichikishimahime.

The three princesses were all high-ranking members of Ryuchi Cave, dressed in ethereal robes, with ribbons floating behind them.

If any ordinary person saw them, they would probably kneel and call them goddesses descended from heaven.

"How dare you mention me?" Tagitsuhime withdrew her gaze from Kiyoshi.

Like the other two snakes, she could feel Kiyoshi's uniqueness.

It was as if… Natural energy was being drawn to him.

How could this be?

At most, a person's physique might attract the infusion of natural energy, but that would be passive.

It is rumored that the progenitor of Ninjas, Sage of Six Paths, also learned to perceive natural energy through acquired study, and only after training did he master the method of blending natural energy and his own Chakra in proper proportions to form Senjutsu Chakra.

If natural energy truly resonated with someone, wouldn't that mean he was blessed by the earth?

Or perhaps he was a child of nature?

Tagorihime said, "Didn't the Uchiha only inherit the 'eyes' of the Sage of Six Paths?"

The three of them, like Fukasaku and Shima of Mount Myōboku, had lived for hundreds of years.

During their centuries of serving the White Snake Sage, they had learned some hidden historical secrets.

"That vigorous life force is just like the Senju and Uzumaki. It's hard to say if he's a descendant of one of these two clans. This kid perfectly inherited both bloodlines." Ichikishimahime, the shortest and most loli-like, spoke.

The 'body' of the Sage of Six Paths was inherited by these two lineages.

In that case, did Kiyoshi gather both the 'eyes' + 'body'?

Tagorihime said, "Not necessarily. Their ancestors never showed such abilities, so how could this guy? Perhaps it's his own talent."

The three women looked at each other, feeling as if they were witnessing history.

They floated in the air, quickly flying into Ryuchi Cave.

***

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