Chapter 136: Subjugation

The sinister old man truly did not wish to die here. With his keen eyesight, it was not difficult to see that the two spells controlled simultaneously by Xu Wen were no ordinary magic: one was a six-star Earth Emperor spell, the other a five-star Mysterious Heaven spell. Their combined power rivaled that of a seven-star ordinary spell. Compared to him, aside from having slightly weaker physical strength, Xu Wen indeed possessed the capability to hold his own in a direct confrontation.

Moreover, the opponent had two contracted beasts—one of earth, one of sky. If he intended to run, escape was impossible.

With such a formidable rival before him, backed by over thirty six-star cultivators as guards and a six-star demon swordsman whose demonic transformation made him conspicuous, the situation was decidedly disadvantageous.

Continuing this stalemate was futile.

Besides... reaching the eighth tier had involved some trickery on his part; he could not sustain an eight-star level for long.

“What kind of medicine?” he asked.

“I’m no soothsayer; how could I have prepared it for you in advance? All you need to know is, I can concoct a remedy to dispel demonic transformation,” came the reply.

At these words, Xu Wen immediately sensed an opening, though he showed no sign of relaxation. “Surrender your soul flame, and I will give it to you. If it weren’t for how rare seven-star marauders are, I wouldn’t bother keeping a servant like you.” His tone grew impatient as the golden flame giant bow tensed to its limit, radiating the aura of imminent eruption.

The sinister old man endured the intense gazes of three fiery pythons while constantly staying alert to the golden flame bow suspended overhead. Behind him, more than thirty six-star guards stood ready, forcing his mind to whirl rapidly.

“Old Youngest, how do you intend to deal with him?” Xu Wen inquired.

“Him?” The young swordsman maintaining the six-star defensive battle technique glanced back briefly before shaking his head slowly. “He’s unworthy of being my servant, and you have no room to bargain. The soul flame—this is your last chance.” His gaze bore into the old man as he calmly extended an open hand.

Above, the golden flame giant bow’s light intensified, its impatience finally manifesting as it began to spin slowly... then faster and faster!

At last, it transformed into a radiant golden orb, resembling a blazing sun, with only the arrowhead protruding.

The single golden arrowhead rapidly multiplied and shrank—ten, fifty, hundreds, countless as fine as needles.

A rising hum vibrated ominously, releasing a terrifying oppressive aura.

Simultaneously, the three fiery pythons opened their massive jaws, tongues flickering as they bared savage intent, poised to devour their prey.

The young lord and his guards collectively raised their aura to its peak, locking onto the sinister old man.

Any sign of refusal or movement from him would trigger immediate attack.

Under this overwhelming pressure from all sides, the old man found breathing increasingly difficult, especially with the countless golden flame arrows in the air, spinning uncontrollably, reaching a critical point.

“Enough. I hope you keep your word,” he sighed.

The over four-meter-tall demonic figure slammed down one golden brick and one jade pillar before collapsing with a thunderous crash.

Using his hand as a brush, he traced a strange contract pattern in the air, then spat a mouthful of blood onto it. The pattern instantly emitted a dazzling red glow, flickering several times before flying toward Xu Wen.

A master-servant contract!

Xu Wen, eyes sharp, did not relax as he squeezed a drop of crimson blood from his fingertip, placing it precisely at the center of the pattern.

The pattern flickered twice before splitting into two beams of light, shooting respectively into Xu Wen and the old man’s bodies.

Xu Wen immediately sensed a faint, almost intangible presence entering him. Closing his eyes, he could detect a wisp of white flame hovering above the chaotic sea of consciousness — the soul flame of a self-fallen slave, now firmly in his control, granting him power over the old man’s life and death at any time.

Having accepted the old man, Xu Wen finally breathed easier. The shattered golden flame arrows shifted slightly in direction, their countless slender golden needles piercing the air to form a massive golden beam that rained down continuously for hundreds of meters.

The ground rumbled violently, shaken as if by an artillery barrage, the entire area sounding like it might be overturned.

The magical assault lasted a full ten seconds before finally ceasing.

Where the spell had passed, not a blade of grass survived. Vast swaths of earth looked as if they had been swept by a hail of armor-piercing rounds, riddled with pits and emitting scorched heat.

The power rivaled that of any seven-star high-level spell, yet Xu Wen controlled it with ease because of its profound nature. After all, it was only a five-star spell, so its mana consumption was far less terrifying than that of a seven-star.

Everyone who witnessed the scene, including the old man, inhaled deeply, realizing Xu Wen’s earlier threat was no empty boast.

What they did not know was that Xu Wen’s display was meant to assert dominance over this newly acquired servant and simultaneously establish his prestige in the eyes of the young lord and his entourage.

Honghui Town was a fine place.

Moreover, before the aftereffects of the ‘Devil’s Eye’ could manifest, there was no more suitable, secluded location. He needed these people to fear him, ensuring his safety during his period of weakness.

He immediately ordered Xiao Hu to rush toward the young lord’s group... the sinister old man silently followed, beginning to fulfill his duties as a servant.

After revealing his identity to the young lord, the latter naturally expressed surprise and shock.

A six-star fire mage from the Qingyun Empire, only fifteen years old; a five-star beast tamer with two contracted beasts of four-star high level—almost equivalent to five-star.

Most importantly, Xu Wen wielded such terrifying magic at such a young age.

That was the crux.

Status was secondary. His strength and future achievements could only be described as boundless.

When Xu Wen expressed his intention to return to Honghui Town for secluded cultivation, while preparing the remedy to dispel the demonic transformation for his new servant, the old man readily agreed. He even proactively offered him a residence to avoid alarming the townsfolk—though he was quite curious why Xu Wen chose such a desolate place for seclusion.

Having agreed, the sinister old man had no objections. Xu Wen’s willingness to concoct the medicine had already earned a measure of gratitude in his heart.

Soon after, the young lord, Aono, arranged for a spacious cargo cart to secretly transport them back to town.

The old man took residence in a courtyard beside Aono’s mansion. Upon returning to the city, Xu Wen entered the underground cultivation chamber frequently used by Aono, forbidding any disturbance.

Three days passed.

When Xu Wen emerged, his demeanor remained spirited, though his spiritual cultivation had reverted to the original six-star second tier.

He found the sinister old man in deep meditation, eyes closed, accompanied by the youngest swordsman, Duan Qi, a six-star warrior who ranked last among the group.

Xu Wen said nothing, simply glanced at them, then pulled out two bottles and tossed them over.

“Internal pills and external powder. The pills can suppress your demonic transformation for three days. There are thirty in total. The powder promotes blood circulation and tissue regeneration. You must change that terrifying appearance of yours—it’s too frightening and unfit to accompany me.”

This temporary suppressant was no advanced medicine, merely a folk remedy. It was easy to procure. Since the next period of seclusion was imminent, Xu Wen had prepared a three-month supply for the old man as a contingency.

The old man accepted the bottles with a joyful expression and silently nodded.

Xu Wen chuckled softly, knowing that despite his seven-star status, he could not yet address the old man as ‘Master’.

But that was fine; he was in no rush. Accepting the old man stemmed from his current inability to survive the chaotic world alone. Two seven-star level individuals were far stronger together than he was by himself.

Besides.

Having roamed as a marauder for years, the old man surely possessed insight and experience beyond ordinary men—something Xu Wen valued greatly.

However... Xu Wen glanced at the ‘youngest brother’ who stubbornly kept his head bowed, and said,

“Forget the name ‘sinister old man’. From now on, you’ll be called Xie Lao...”

The old man raised a brow but offered no objection, merely hesitating as he looked at Xu Wen.

“Can I try?”

“Try it,” Xu Wen nodded.

No one liked a figure caught between man and demon.

After swallowing the pill, the old man’s swollen, hardened body shrank rapidly like a deflated balloon, his aura receding before Xu Wen and the youngest swordsman’s eyes.

Within minutes, Xu Wen frowned and stepped out of the room.

True practitioners of dark magic were indeed formidable, but with bodies in such a state—no smooth spot to be found—they were like walking poisons. It was unbearable to look at! Especially the thing down there… better go cleanse your eyes.

“Brother Xu!”

Not long after exiting, a cheerful voice greeted him. Aono came out of his mansion with a smile. “I heard you emerged from seclusion, so I came right away. How did it go? All smooth?”

“Heh, thanks to Lord Aono, it went well.”

“Brother Xu, no need for such formalities. Just call me Aono. By the way, since the medicine is ready, what are your plans?”

“Well... I’m afraid I’ll be lingering here a while longer,” Xu Wen hesitated. “Lately I’ve felt an impending breakthrough approaching and want to focus on cultivation. Unfortunately, there are always some trivial matters there, so I plan to hide away in a remote place to find peace.”

“In that case, you’re welcome to use my cultivation chamber freely.”

Being able to stay was ideal. Aono worried Xu Wen might take the old man and leave abruptly, leaving no chance to build connections.

“That would be a great help.”

Xu Wen did not decline; cultivating beneath the lord’s mansion was far safer than the usual places marauders frequented.

The two exchanged pleasantries and began discussing cultivation insights.

Last time, Xu Wen had leveraged Aono’s status to accept the old man; now, he discreetly shared some classic cultivation methods and experiences gleaned from past posts, which made Aono’s eyes sparkle with enthusiasm, his tone growing more respectful.

Toward evening, someone hurried in.

Xu Wen recognized him as one of Aono’s guards who had accompanied him out of the city earlier.

“Lord Aono, Master Xu.”

“What is it?”

Aono raised an eyebrow; he had ordered no interruptions. Could something have happened in town?

The guard hesitated before speaking directly.

“The Mercenary Association was here just now. They issued orders to notify all cities and towns to strengthen defenses and inspect and reinforce fortifications.”

“What?” Aono was momentarily stunned, then lowered his head in thought. What was this about? Did a small place like Honghui Town really need enhanced defenses?

“Wait! You said all cities and towns? Does that mean every settlement under the Crimson Blood Alliance?!” Xu Wen suddenly interjected.

The guard seemed just as puzzled and confused by the news but nodded respectfully.

“Yes, that is what the Mercenary Association said.”

(To be continued)