For Haitang, a Cat Spirit who had lived her entire life in Wencheng, the agents of the Demon Management Bureau were the ones she feared most. Their relationship was basically that of cops and robbers.
To say nothing of the fact that this strange old man was the director of the entire Demon Management Bureau—a truly formidable figure.
Tu Xiao’an’s reckless outburst had truly terrified Haitang.
She had expected the strange old man to fly into a rage, but what happened in the next second was enough to make Haitang question her very reality.
The sinister-looking old man suddenly dropped to his knees before Tu Xiao’an with a THUD and said respectfully, "This old servant, Wu Tianyi, kowtows to his Master. Master, please don’t be angry. This old servant was merely teasing this little cat."
Huh...!
Haitang gasped, her mind reeling as she froze in place, utterly petrified.
"Haitang, go inside and keep Gao Yang company. Leave this to me," Tu Xiao’an said, patting her shoulder.
Once Haitang came to her senses, her gaze was filled with adoration as she looked at Tu Xiao’an, as if he were a Divine Spirit.
She knew Tu Xiao’an was a snake, but for a snake to make the director of the Demon Management Bureau treat him as a master... What did that even mean?
"Go on, don’t just stand there gawking," Tu Xiao’an repeated. Only then did Haitang dazedly walk away.
As soon as Haitang left, only Tu Xiao’an and Wu Tianyi remained in the courtyard.
Tu Xiao’an casually sat on the edge of the well in the courtyard and glanced at Wu Tianyi. The man looked ancient. His skin was like a crumpled-up ball of paper, and his bald head was dotted with only a few dozen sparse hairs. He looked as if he was about to be buried at any moment. Only his two deep-set eyes were profound and bright, seeming full of spirit.
"Been under a lot of pressure lately?" Tu Xiao’an asked mockingly.
"Master jests," Wu Tianyi said, his body slightly bowed. He was still not used to this master who had popped out of nowhere.
In fact, he had almost forgotten all about being subjugated by a snake.
In truth, Wu Tianyi was also a stranger to Tu Xiao’an. Despite their master-servant relationship, this was only their second time meeting.
He usually kept his subdued Battle Companions by his side, but right after subjugating Wu Tianyi, he had left him to his own devices and run off to the Yaoling Mountain Range.
After all, Wu Tianyi’s status was unique. As the most powerful and influential man in Wencheng, he couldn’t very well follow Tu Xiao’an around the world on a whim.
Besides, it was Wu Tianyi’s status that Tu Xiao’an had been interested in. Of course, the old man’s power was also terrifying—he was a full Level 37.
Don’t be fooled by Wu Tianyi’s currently ancient appearance; he possessed the ability to revert to the age of a child, something Tu Xiao’an had seen for himself. It was a terrifying sight, fueled by absorbing Supreme Yang Energy.
’Judging by Wu Tianyi’s current appearance, has he been so busy that he hasn’t even had time to go to the prison and absorb the blood of Demons?’
With the advent of the Fierce Beast Era, one could only imagine the pressure on Wu Tianyi. He was the director, after all.
Wu Tianyi, in turn, was carefully sizing up this master of his. He had been utterly dumbfounded when he was first subjugated.
’For a mere Snake Spirit to have been able to forcibly subjugate him... it felt as unreal as a nightmare.’
In terms of power, Wu Tianyi could have killed Tu Xiao’an’s snake form in an instant.
However, that was in the past. Now, after not having seen him for barely a month, this snake was no longer what he once was. It was like a carp leaping the dragon’s gate; his power had become unimaginable.
The giant snake’s slaughter of the Fierce Beasts in the overrun districts had been a shocking display of power. Now, as they stood face-to-face, his very presence exerted an immense, formless pressure on Director Wu Tianyi.
’What did this show? It showed that even if this snake were not his master, he would no longer be his match.’
Tu Xiao’an found Wu Tianyi’s ancient appearance awkward; it was an eyesore. He took a Spirit Fruit, dense with Energy, from his system and tossed it to him. "Eat it."
"A Third-grade Spirit Fruit," Wu Tianyi murmured in surprise as he caught it, clearly sensing the rich aura of Energy within.
With a glint of greed in his eyes, he began to eat it immediately. As he did, his sparse hair grew thick, and his entire person seemed to de-age by more than a decade.
As long as Wu Tianyi had Supreme Yang Energy, he could make himself look younger in a matter of moments.
The fruit Tu Xiao’an had thrown him hadn’t come from Charlie; it was a Third-grade Spirit Fruit called a Purple Sun Fruit, which he had acquired from the White Demon King’s herb garden, and it was extremely precious.
Although he had no particular feelings for Wu Tianyi, the old man was his War Servant, and he couldn’t afford to treat him shabbily.
"Many thanks for Master’s gift," Wu Tianyi said, completely revitalized after finishing the fruit. He had returned to looking like a man in his fifties or sixties.
Tu Xiao’an kept his eyes on Wu Tianyi and asked calmly, "There’s something wrong with your body, isn’t there?"
"Master’s eyes are sharp. This old servant was too hasty in his training back in the day and suffered a cultivation deviation. It left me with a latent affliction, and my body now ages a hundred times faster than a normal person’s," Wu Tianyi said, his statement nothing short of shocking.
"A hundred times?" Tu Xiao’an was astonished. ’That rate of aging is terrifying. It’s a miracle he’s still alive.’
This was all thanks to Wu Tianyi’s status and power.
His power allowed him to cling to life, and his position as director gave him access to large quantities of Demon blood to resist the decay, preventing the latent affliction from tormenting him to death.
"Is there a cure for your condition?" Tu Xiao’an asked.
’To suffer from such a latent affliction and still be at Level 37... Wu Tianyi truly is a man of prodigious talent.’
’If his strange affliction were cured, he would be even more powerful.’
Wu Tianyi replied without hesitation, "There is. If this old servant could obtain a Demon King’s Lifebound Golden Core, I could surely recover and restore my strength to its Peak."
Tu Xiao’an rolled his eyes. ’He’s got some nerve.’ A Demon King’s Lifebound Golden Core was more precious than any Heavenly and Earthly Treasure.
Tu Xiao’an might not have a Demon King’s Lifebound Golden Core, but he did have the Lifebound Golden Core of the Deep Mountain Demon King.
It was just that Tu Xiao’an would never give the White Demon King’s Lifebound Golden Core to Wu Tianyi. ’Are you kidding me? I’m not that generous.’