In an instant, everyone throughout the Snake King Temple froze. They stood like stone statues, motionless and unconscious, utterly helpless.
The scene startled his older sister. The people all around them had suddenly become like mummies. It was horrifying, and even their mother was affected.
"Mom, Mom..." Tu Xiaoyue panicked.
"She’s fine. I’m just letting her get some rest."
While the others had been frozen by Tu Xiao’an, he had put his mother into a deep slumber.
’Mom has been terrified these last few days, leaving her body and mind incredibly fragile. My sudden return, the mix of overwhelming grief and joy... the shock was immense. She really needs to rest.’
’Besides, I’m about to save Xiaobai, and I’ll definitely have to use some special methods. It’s better if Mom doesn’t see.’
’Saves me from a difficult explanation.’
Then, Tu Xiao’an pressed his hands firmly against Xiaobai’s nearly ice-cold body, channeling a powerful force directly into him.
’The injuries are severe. Xiaobai is gravely wounded; it’s a miracle he’s still alive.’
’No exaggeration—this dog should already be dead.’
Suddenly, Tu Xiao’an frowned slightly. He had faintly detected a power within Xiaobai’s body that didn’t belong to him. This power was incredibly profound; it had the aura of a human, the aura of a snake, and even the legendary Dragon Qi.
And it was precisely this unparalleled power that had kept Xiaobai from truly dying, barely clinging to life.
But this power, which contained three auras, was truly exceptional. It even felt familiar to Tu Xiao’an.
’Her?’
’In this whole world, as far as I know, only Luo Ziyun possesses three different auras.’
"Sis, our home was destroyed by a Fierce Beast. How did you two escape? Did someone save you?"
’Xiaobai alone couldn’t have saved Mom and Sis from the Fierce Beast Taotie.’
Tu Xiaoyue carefully laid their mother down behind a pillar and said hurriedly, "That’s right, Xiao’an! It was terrifying. Mom and I were just waiting to die, but at the last second, a woman who looked like a fairy appeared. She killed the horrible monster so easily. That fairy is our family’s great benefactor!"
’A fairy-like figure? Killed the Fierce Beast Taotie with ease?’
A sharp glint flashed in Tu Xiao’an’s eyes. He was certain now—it had to be Luo Ziyun.
’Even if it was only an avatar of the Fierce Beast Taotie, it’s not something an ordinary person could deal with, let alone kill with ease.’
’Besides, the power lingering inside Xiaobai was definitely Luo Ziyun’s. There was no mistaking it.’
’After we parted ways at the Snake Palace, I never expected Luo Ziyun to come to Bai Town.’
’And of all the coincidences, she ended up saving my mother, my sister, and Xiaobai.’
’This is a debt of gratitude as vast as the heavens.’
Tu Xiao’an couldn’t help but smile bitterly. In the Snake Palace, right in front of Luo Ziyun, he had personally killed Demon King Liu—her adoptive father. Yet, he never imagined she would turn around and save his entire family.
’If Luo Ziyun had held even the slightest grudge and simply looked the other way, it would be too late for me to even cry.’
But what Tu Xiao’an didn’t know was that Luo Ziyun’s rescue was a complete coincidence. She had no idea she was saving his mother and sister.
"Where is she?" Tu Xiao’an asked quickly.
His sister recalled, "At that time, several more big monsters rushed out. The fairy told Mom and me to hide here in the Snake King Temple first. She said she’d come find us after she killed the monsters, but it’s been hours now, and she hasn’t come."
"You don’t think something happened to the fairy, do you?" Xiaoyue asked, growing nervous.
"Don’t worry, Sis. She’ll be fine."
’Luo Ziyun’s Cultivation is comparable to that of the Deep Mountain Demon King. How could a mere avatar of Taotie possibly harm her?’
’The only reason she hasn’t appeared is that she probably knows I’m here and is deliberately avoiding me.’
After a moment’s thought, Tu Xiao’an understood more or less everything.
*Sigh!*
’You don’t want to see me, yet you turn around and save my family. This debt... how am I, Tu Xiao’an, ever supposed to repay you?’
’Forget it. It’s not like I didn’t already owe you a lot.’
’Fine. Without a debt between us, how could we ever meet? Ziyan, we will meet again sooner or later. There’s no escaping it.’
In a flash, he recalled something Luo Ziyun once told him: "Xiao’an, our fates were intertwined five hundred years ago."
Now, he believed her completely.
Cutting off his train of thought, Tu Xiao’an focused all his effort on saving his Xiaobai. But healing wasn’t his specialty.
"Charlie, get out here!"
Suddenly, the space in the Snake King’s Main Hall rippled, and a towering tree abruptly appeared before his sister, scaring her yet again.
"Sis, this is a tree that cultivated into a Demon. It’s my pet. Don’t be afraid."
’This damned tree, why did it have to manifest its true form?’
"Master, you summoned Charlie. What are your orders?"
Tu Xiao’an looked at the large tree and said, "Save my Xiaobai. Now."
Charlie glanced at the black dog in Tu Xiao’an’s arms, who was barely breathing, and said, "Master, this dog is too heavily injured. It’s practically dead. Why save it? Besides, its Cultivation is so low."
"Can you save him or not?" Tu Xiao’an asked, his voice chilling.
"I can, but... the injuries are very severe. It’s a bit troublesome and will consume a lot of Ben Charlie’s Energy."
Upon hearing this, Tu Xiao’an glanced at Charlie and said in a cold, flat voice, "My dear Charlie, let me put it this way. If you don’t save this dog, you can be buried with him."
The Tree Demon Charlie shivered violently, its leaves rustling to the ground. It said indignantly, "Master, Charlie is a Rank Three Tree Demon, I’m very precious! This dog is barely Rank Two. Is he even worthy?"
"Enough nonsense. Save him now," Tu Xiao’an’s Killing Intent erupted, scaring the Tree Demon Charlie into immediate action.
A dozen vines instantly shot out from its body, wrapping around the unconscious Xiaobai. An astonishing light flickered along the vines, slowly transferring into the dog.
Tu Xiao’an watched from the side, breathing a small sigh of relief. If Charlie said he could save him, he could definitely save him. The tree’s healing abilities were no joke.
His sister, standing nearby, was completely dumbfounded. She finally understood why her little brother had put their mother to sleep.
The whole spectacle was too much; it would have been terrible if it scared their mother. Besides, it would be a real pain to explain.
A short while later, Tu Xiao’an sensed streams of life force returning to Xiaobai. The wounds covering his body began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye.
’But...’ He thought for a moment. ’It’s still not enough. The effect isn’t potent enough.’
Suddenly, a glint flashed in Tu Xiao’an’s eyes. With a single thought, a large, imposing dog appeared. It was a Rank Three Dog Demon.
The moment the Dog Demon appeared, it began to tremble in fear at the sight of Tu Xiao’an.
"My dog is injured. This king needs to borrow your Golden Core."
This was the Dog Demon that Tu Xiao’an had captured in the Purple Bamboo Forest and stored in his system, intending to use it to raise Xiaobai’s Cultivation in the future.
Now, it was finally time to put it to use.
The Dog Demon nearly started cursing when it heard Tu Xiao’an’s words. A Lifebound Golden Core could be *borrowed*?
"I am a subordinate of the White Demon King! If the Great White Demon King finds out you’ve captured me, he will not spare you!"
It didn’t know that the White Demon King had already been turned into a Lifebound Golden Core and had fallen into Tu Xiao’an’s hands.
"Heh."
Tu Xiao’an just stared coldly at the Dog Demon, his gaze making its fur stand on end.
"Don’t kill me! I can acknowledge you as my master! I’ll obey your every command and never betray you!"
Having failed with threats, the Dog Demon resorted to begging.
Tu Xiao’an shook his head. "I don’t need that. I only want your Golden Core."
"My lord, this little Demon is a Rank Three Demon Spirit! That dog of yours is only Rank Two!"
’You’re taking my Golden Core as a Dog Demon to save the life of a mere Dog Spirit? What kind of deal is that?’
’If you want to kill me, just say it. There’s no need to humiliate me like this!’
Tu Xiao’an couldn’t be bothered with the Dog Demon’s whining. He formed a fist and smashed it without another word.
The Dog Demon couldn’t even scream before it exploded into a cloud of blood mist. A brilliantly shining Golden Core floated in its place.
Tu Xiao’an picked up the Dog Demon’s Golden Core, walked over to Xiaobai, and forced it into his mouth.
Charlie watched, overcome with envy, jealousy, and hatred. ’The master is treating this mere Rank Two dog way too well.’
’What’s this dog’s background anyway? How did it earn such good treatment from the master?’
’My all-out rescue effort wasn’t enough; he even had to use a Rank Three Golden Core to help, as if he was terrified the dog wouldn’t make it.’
’At this rate, not only is the dog going to live, but its Cultivation is probably going to skyrocket.’