Prowling Tiger

Old Manager Huang carefully watched over the few servants he'd gathered to serve the new lord. Food preparation, cleaning, weeding, waste management- he'd overseen it all. In fact, he would personally request the Lord to dine every day as well.

After the servants arranged the dishes to his standard. The old man briskly strode over to Orochi Maru's study to fetch him. This lord Orochi liked his meals hot.

"Come in." The Sanin's smooth voice commanded.

Old Manager Huang opened the sliding door and entered the room. His eyes darting around briefly. This was the first time he'd been able to enter here. From what he could see there were various scrolls littered around the room.

He approached the little desk of OrochiMaru; who continued writing on a scroll. He bowed deeply; making sure to take a good glance at the writing on the paper.

"Y-your food is ready young master." Old Huang said. He was a little distracted by what he saw in the page. The young master was writing odd things on the scroll. The placement of the characters were random gibberish.

'Pig, road, blood, pan, shoe, sky?' Old Manager Huang was baffled.

"Thank you. I'll be right there." Huang Lin saw the smiling face of his master. His features were rather androgynous. With an oval shaped face, soft cheeks and thin lips. The longer old Huang worked for him it seemed the more feminine he'd become.

Soon the, the young man tidied up and the two of them made their way over to the dining hall. Manager Huang carefully uncovered the food and eating utensils.

Orochimaru tapped on old Huang's shoulder lightly. "Manager Huang, I must thank you dearly. Whatever would I do without your care?"

"It's my duty to serve you young master. Please enjoy your food." Old Manager Huang smiled gently while gesturing to the food.

The Snake Sage sat and began tasting the food; audibly complimenting both Huang Lin and the few other servants.

"Oh! Didn't you say you would be off in town today?" Orochimaru asked suddenly.

"Yes young master. We're still very understaffed and I'm trying to get the best servants in the region." Old Huang replied.

"Off you go then." Orochimaru sent the old manager away.

After thanking Orochimaru, old Huang checked up in his staff before leaving the estate with his arms folded behind his back. His face was no longer the calm and friendly face of a elder. But instead a fierce and wicked look. The people of the eastern slums didn't dare to look at him.

With a stoic expression, he walked down the muddy dirt roads, carefully avoiding the filth that lined the streets. At times he'd take rickshaws before getting off and taking the rough and winding paths to a small, rundown tavern and entered it. He the strolled unhindered through the establishment, down the stairs to the basement. The candle light down there was very low, the air humid and thick with the smell of smoke and wine.

In there sat a group of 6. They were all positioned around a table with food and wine. Old Huang walked up to the table and bowed at the waist level.

"Boss tiger." Huang Lin greeted.

The man sitting at the head of the table was a muscular and rugged man in his 40s. "Hahaha! Old geezer! I thought you forgot your way over here!"

Huang Lin similed and replied. " You asked me to be thorough- it took some time!"

"Since you're back, that means you have everything right? Quickly tell us so we can go take our pound of delicate flesh!" A scarred woman sitting adjacent to black tiger said.

Black tiger nodded and through back a shot of spiced wine. "Go on with your report."

Huang Lin didn't waste time. "This young master is called Orochi Maru. He came with two other silk pants but they were seen leaving a few days ago.  He's at the third Elementary proftound Realm.

"He's quite the strange one too." Old Huang continued. This dandy is cad stranger by even debauchee standards. He mostly buys cheap mortal grade items. With only a couple dozen Elementary Profound Beast species being the exception"

The group of 6 raised their brows. 'This Orochi Maru is an idiot. Of course he'd buy weird stuff.' They thought.

"You'd think he buys extravagant and frivolous things but no. Mostly he bought a lot of herbs, potions, and pellets. Most of them were normal inexpensive herbs. The only reasonable Profound materials he buys are rejuvenation pills."

"Aside from that he also bought alchemic equipment and many scrolls. Some profound arts and diagrams showing the profound entrances and meridians along with medical scrolls."

"Honestly, I don't know what he's doing. At first he looks to be a foolish young master down on his luck. But his actions are a little enigmatic." Huang Lin finished his report.

"What are we waiting for? Who cares about what he buys? The more time we stay put. The more money he'll waste!Let's go rough him up!" A scared man said. His eyes gleaming with bloodlust

The others at the table looked just as eagar to eat up that plump chicken who wad foolish enough to move here with all his wealth.

Just as they were planning to get up black tiger said. "Wait."

Everyone turned to look at the leader. "This Orochi Maru is strange, it could be a trap set up by those damned bastards of the Broken sword gang! They've been sniffing around us for sometine now.

"Give it a couple more days. Then we'll send over some people to make some trouble first. After that we make a rug out of that silk pants."

The group nodded in unison. While Old Tiger seemed like a barbarous meat head at first glance, he was definitely . His decisions and prudence had allowed them to operate and survive in the slums as bandits, tyrants and killers.

"Hurry up and head back, next time when you something to report, send it by bird."

Huang Lin cupped his fist and nodded. "I'll be off."

After Huang Lin left, the scarred lady asked, "Aren't you being to cautious?"

"Maybe, but it's never bad to be cautious. That way we get to keep our heads. Oh and call in that hot headed kid over! Tell him I've got a job for him!" Black tiger spoke before ripping into a chicken leg.

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Upon returning to Orochi Manor, Huang Lin resumed work, however he didn't notice the tiny snake that fell from his sleeve and darted away.

This little snake stealthily slithered through the halls and small crevases of the manor. Eventually, it made it's way to a small underground space. The place was cold and damp. The only sounds inside were the disturbing squelching sounds of wet organs being operated on.

If someone were to see the display here they'd probably pale at the macabre sight. Jars of organs and creatures freshly stored in preservative solutions. Not to mention various butchered body parts were slowly dissolving in a large barrel.

The snake wasn't alarmed. It slithered over to Orochimaru who was washing his hands thoroughly and climbed up his body until it reached his shoulder. The reptile then rubbed it's little head against the sanin's cheek while hissing periodically.

Orochimaru closed his eyes and leaded close to the snake whilst nodding in comprehension before smiling. "So they're finally making their move."

He smiled as he dried his hands before unveiling a fresh scroll, ready to document the information he'd gathered from dissecting and examining fatty Fei and horse-faced Kong.

"Just on time too... I've been short on test subjects. Kukukukuku." Orochimaru grinned.

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Later that day, a couple of skinny farmers with hoes on their shoulders made sure to keep a wide birth as the local tyrants Fen Guhie and his two lackeys strolled through the streets. He walked with an exaggerated swagger while carrying a sheathed sword across his shoulder and a toothpick between his lips.

The thug stopped before a particular compound; his eyes trailing over the newly painted characters on the gate [Orochi Manor].

"Hey what kind of stupid name is this!?" He laughed as he walked up to the gate not even sparing a glance bat the two guards standing at the sides. He circulated his profound energy through his profound veins to argument his foot and with a single kick, the freshly refurbished gates were blasted open!

Splinters flew everywhere!

Unhindered, he strode in! The aura of a peak Elementary profound realm practitioner rolling off his body! Taking a deep breath he shouted out:

"Oroqi- whatever the fuck your name is! come out and welcome this daddy Fen Guhie!"

It didn't take long for the group to see the silk pants appear. He looked calm and collected even when the auras of a peak Elementary Profound Realm and two 5th level Elementary profound realm gangsters showed up.

"Humph, so you're the fucker with the nonsense name? How long have you been here? Don't you know you should be paying protection taxes?"

He pointed behind himself with a thumb. "If you did then maybe our Black Tiger group wouldn't have to visit and you're gate wouldn't have been smashed! This is a dangerous place you know!"

Orochimaru examined at the thugs secretly. Bullies like this guy had a range of personality traits and Mentality that could be easily exploited. He smiled all the more sweetly as he realized that this particular thug would prove to be easily delt with.

"Yes it was my mistake young master Fen Guhie. Please valued guests. Let's discuss things inside."

Fen guhie felt a tinge of satisfaction as the silk pants similed in submission despite being insulted. This was how weaklings were supposed to act.

"Lead the way then sissy." He said, relishing the submission.

The pretty boy nodded meekly and began leading them towards the main Manor. It didn't take long to get there. As they walked down the surprisingly dim hallway the cowardly weakling who was walking six feet ahead of them stopped.

Before Fen Guhie could say anything the pretty boy turned around.

Immediately atmosphere shifted suddenly changed! The air felt heavy and cold. It was then that Fen Guhie and his lackys looked eyes with the silk pants, an action they'd come to regret.

Terror!

Deep within the most instinctal parts of their psyches the aura of terror assaulted them. As they looked in the dark pools of Orochi Maru's eyes, he saw something horrifying! A terrible white serpentine monster with jagged scales and viscous golden eyes stared back at them!

It's face was almost human like giving it an even more vile look. Fen Guhie trembled as his feet were locked to the ground. His forehead and temples felt cold, dark spots appeared in his vision. The spots of darkness eventually lead to a complete loss of sight but by then he was already sprawled out on the floor.

"Haaaaaah." The Snake Sanin walked over to the collapsed gangsters. He stomped on Fen Guhie's head and sighed.

These guys had even weaker mental fortitude than genin. Just a little blood lust was enough to knock them out. Not that he was complaining. Another set of unfortunately souls found themselves trapped the snake's den.