He wouldn’t even bear to use it himself.
’Besides, he wasn’t an idiot. Using a Level 38 Lifebound Golden Core to save the Level 37 Wu Tianyi? That was a terrible trade.’
’Besides, there had to be other ways to cure Wu Tianyi.’
"How long has it been since your power increased?"
Wu Tianyi’s expression twitched. "Master, this old servant suffered from cultivation deviation and has a latent ailment. It’s a blessing my cultivation hasn’t regressed. How could it possibly increase?"
This was the truth. Wu Tianyi’s power would only decline, never increase, unless his latent ailment was cured.
Although a solution existed, it was far too difficult. Killing a Demon King was something that even he, the director of the Demon Management Bureau, couldn’t accomplish.
The illness had dragged on for years.
"Wu Tianyi," Tu Xiao’an began after a moment of contemplation, "since you’ve submitted to me and call me Master, I will naturally take care of your illness for you."
At these words, Wu Tianyi asked in disbelief, "Could it be, Master... you have a Demon King Golden Core?"
"I don’t!"
Wu Tianyi: "..."
"Who said your illness can only be cured with a Demon King’s Lifebound Golden Core?" Tu Xiao’an said, a slight smile playing on his lips as he raised an eyebrow. "Wu Tianyi, not only am I going to cure your peculiar illness, I’m also going to raise your power to the level of a Deep Mountain Demon King."
"What???" Wu Tianyi was stunned. ’Is he just bragging?’
But Tu Xiao’an secretly summoned his system. ’System, I want to use the reward for reaching five million followers to raise War Servant Wu Tianyi’s Level by one.’
"Request received. Now raising War Servant Wu Tianyi’s Level by one."
WHOOSH...!
Suddenly, Wu Tianyi’s entire body shuddered. A breathtaking beam of light descended from the heavens and enveloped him, warm and incredibly comfortable.
He soon sensed that this light carried an immensely sacred and powerful energy that was invisibly transforming his physical state.
’Divine Light?’
In just a few moments, Wu Tianyi was astonished to find that the latent ailment he had carried for years was beginning to fade. The light enveloping his body was simply miraculous, possessing the power of creation itself. It was incredible.
Ten minutes later, Wu Tianyi stood within the light, practically glowing with vitality. ’My latent ailment... is healed?’
Under the transformative power of the enveloping Divine Light, it had been healed with ease. He then discovered that the Divine Light was now even beginning to raise his power.
’Heavens, this truly is Divine Light.’
’It’s as if crafted by the gods themselves—a power that reaches the heavens.’
’Could my Master, that snake, truly be an emissary of a Divine Spirit?’ Wu Tianyi couldn’t help but wonder as he was bathed in light.
The memory of him manifesting a Celestial Tribulation to slaughter the Fierce Beasts in the fallen district was still vivid in his mind.
Now, he was being bathed in this vast Divine Light, which was healing his latent ailment and raising his power.
For the first time, Wu Tianyi felt that being subjugated by that snake was a stroke of incredible luck—as if he’d hit the jackpot.
Tu Xiao’an sat casually on the edge of the well, a smile on his face as he watched the light envelop Wu Tianyi. Gradually, the aura bursting from the old man’s body grew increasingly intense, becoming truly astonishing.
’Wu Tianyi’s illness didn’t need such a troublesome solution. A Demon King’s Lifebound Golden Core? What a joke.’
’Tu Xiao’an had the system to help him.’
’All he had to do was have the system raise the old man’s power, and everything would naturally fall into place.’
’A physical transformation and a surge in power, and the latent ailment would naturally disappear.’
「A long while later.」
"Ding! Congratulations, Host. War Servant Wu Tianyi’s Level has successfully been raised to Level 38."
In an instant, the light surrounding Wu Tianyi vanished. What it revealed was a middle-aged man with a commanding presence, imposing without any sign of anger. His aura was immense, and as he stood there, he projected an air of unparalleled dominance.
His eyes shone with a brilliant light, so imperious that the very space around him seemed to tremble.
If Haitang were still here, she would absolutely believe that the gloomy, peculiar old man from before and the man standing here now were two entirely different people.
One was withered and ancient; the other was brimming with vigorous Essence, Qi, and Spirit, his aura blazing to the heavens.
’Level 38. A Deep Mountain Demon King.’ Tu Xiao’an regarded the new Wu Tianyi as if he were looking at the world’s greatest masterpiece.
He had gone from killing one Deep Mountain Demon King to creating another.
’This is a feat that not even a Rank Four Divine Spirit could accomplish.’
SWOOSH...!
Wu Tianyi suddenly shot into the sky and vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, in a fallen district of Wencheng, a Fierce Beast was roaring wildly. Wu Tianyi descended from the sky with unparalleled arrogance. With a single push of his hand, a clap of thunder resounded. A palm print dozens of meters wide materialized from thin air. Before the Fierce Beast could even register what was happening, it exploded into a bloody mist that dissipated like smoke.
"Haha... I have finally recovered my peak power, and I’m even stronger than before!"
Wu Tianyi had originally suffered his cultivation deviation while trying to break through to the level of a Deep Mountain Demon King.
Now, Tu Xiao’an had directly raised his power to Level 38, allowing him to become a Deep Mountain Demon King in a single leap and fulfill his lifelong wish.
SWOOSH...!
Wu Tianyi zipped through the air, a blur of light. He felt absolutely exhilarated. His entire body was brimming with destructive power. It felt as if a single move could cause mountains to crumble and rivers to reverse their course—the power to overturn the heavens and the earth.
For how many years had it been since Wu Tianyi felt so free, no longer tormented by the latent ailment that would cause his face to age and his vitality to wane at a moment’s notice?
RUMBLE...!
The dozen or so Fierce Beasts that had barely survived Tu Xiao’an’s Celestial Tribulation in Wencheng were now hunted down and killed one by one by Wu Tianyi, who had been restored to his peak power.
They became the targets for him to vent his newfound power on.
Before long, Wu Tianyi reappeared in Chen Gao Yang’s courtyard and dropped to his knees before Tu Xiao’an. "Thank you, Master! You have given this old servant a new life. From this day forward, I swear to follow you until death!"
Only now was Wu Tianyi truly Tu Xiao’an’s War Servant, having submitted in both body and soul.
This maneuver by Tu Xiao’an had thoroughly won over Wu Tianyi.
Of course, he had initially relied on the system’s unconditional subjugation ability to forcibly make Wu Tianyi his servant.
But it was clear the man had not been truly convinced, nor had he been willing.
Now, Wu Tianyi wouldn’t dare to harbor the slightest trace of defiance toward his master. He practically worshipped him, ready to prostrate himself in adoration.
Deep down, he now truly saw the snake Tu Xiao’an as a messenger from a god.
"Get up," Tu Xiao’an said with a laugh. "Stick with me from now on, and you’ll be well taken care of." That one-level upgrade from the system had been an incredible bargain.
Creating a Deep Mountain Demon King was far more effective than using the upgrade on the Ape King would have been.
Wencheng was vast and rich in resources. Having an expert of the Deep Mountain Demon King level guarding it would make the city impregnable—a true blessing for its people.
And now, when Tu Xiao’an decided to go to the War Relics, he would have a powerful ally.
Wu Tianyi rose and stood respectfully before Tu Xiao’an, as if awaiting orders.
If any of the bigwigs from the hidden families saw him like this, they would be shocked enough to question their own existence.
In their eyes, Wu Tianyi, the director of the Demon Management Bureau, was an eccentric with a bizarre personality. He was impossible to fathom—a Demon-like existence. Though he represented the state, he was by no means a good man.
But now, with his awe-inspiring and domineering presence, Wu Tianyi finally looked like a true director, whose might could shake the world.
"Now, let’s talk about the Fierce Beast Taotie," Tu Xiao’an said, looking at Wu Tianyi. "Does the Demon Management Bureau know the location of the War Relics that opened?"
Wu Tianyi quickly replied, "Answering Master, we confirmed the location of the War Relics long ago. We just haven’t taken any action yet."
With the sudden descent of the Fierce Beasts, the city had been thrown into chaos. As the director, Wu Tianyi had been overwhelmed. It was a struggle just to protect Wencheng, to say nothing of dealing with the true Taotie.
Tu Xiao’an’s eyes lit up. "Good. That saves me the trouble of looking for it."
"Master, are you planning to kill the true Taotie?" Wu Tianyi asked, startled.
Tu Xiao’an nodded. "If the true Taotie isn’t killed, Wencheng will never know peace. Killing any number of lesser Fierce Beasts is pointless. I’m afraid that in a few days, we’ll just see another wave of them attacking the city."
Wu Tianyi said gravely, "Master, we must discuss this at length. The true Ancient Taotie is not so easily killed. Moreover, the War Relics are fraught with peril. Even a Deep Mountain Demon King who enters would be unlikely to make it out alive."