The mighty white wolf saw no problem with having a powerful servant, even if a part of his instinct felt that something was fundamentally off with the black cat. He did not dwell on the matter, and so the wolf gained a servant with unknown loyalties. The cat faithfully brought at least two Nascent Realm victims to the wolf each day. Once he had his cultivation materials secured, the wolf paid no mind to what the cat did with the rest of its time.
For two years, the white wolf lived inside his den, only venturing out for brief moments. During this period, he cultivated intensely. He spent two full months in the Bone-Forging stage, stopping only when his skeleton could not be strengthened any further. He then cultivated in the Blood Purification stage until his blood was the brightest, purest red. Next came the Muscle Strengthening stage. By the time he finished, the wolf's body had increased in size, shifting into a lean and muscular physique that naturally radiated immense power. Afterward, the wolf began the Flesh Refining stage, followed by the Meridian Opening stage, ensuring all of his internal meridians were completely opened before moving to the sixth stage, the Organ Refinement realm. With his foundation now as stable as an ancient mountain, the wolf ended his closed cultivation and finally stepped out of the den.
At first, nothing seemed out of place, except for the black cat standing right outside, its eyes gleaming with a malicious glint. The wolf paid it little attention, knowing the cat shouldn't be strong enough to pose a threat. But suddenly, the cat attacked with lightning speed, sending the wolf flying straight back into the den. The wolf collided heavily with the inner walls of the small mountain, causing the entire structure to shake violently as rocks rolled down its slope.
The wolf emerged from the dust to see the cat grinning, thoroughly pleased with its surprise attack. The wolf, however, was livid. His own servant had dared to attack him, and worse, had actually drawn blood. The wolf felt the sting of fresh wounds from the cat's claws in his flank. The wolf had always known the cat would rebel the moment it felt it was strong enough, but he had not expected the creature to improve its cultivation level so quickly. The cat had somehow broken through to the absolute peak of the Nascent Realm, which was equivalent to the peak of the early Origin Realm on the human path.
Despite his surprise, the wolf's anger was too great to contain. He lunged at the cat, and the two began a fierce battle to determine who was truly master and who was servant. The cat was physically weaker but remarkably more agile, its reflexes superior and its claws sharper than before. The wolf simply used his reinforced, powerful body to absorb the impacts and counter. The trees surrounding the den were instantly shattered into splinters, and the small mountain itself was left on the brink of total collapse from the shock waves.
Meanwhile, deep in the distant Shen mountain range, an illusory figure floated silently above a sleeping, scrawny man. This man was, surprisingly, the former first prince of the Tinding Kingdom. He had been killed by the white wolf with a single bite that ripped off his head, but now his head was perfectly back in place, and he seemed to be breathing without a single problem.
"Did I do something wrong? Why hasn't he woken up for two whole years? Do I really need to struggle for another five thousand years looking for a compatible disciple?" the illusory figure muttered to itself, its voice creating an eerie, chilling atmosphere in the cave.
As the figure pondered what to do next, the first prince, Tinding Mu, suddenly opened his eyes. When he saw the ghostly entity hovering above him, he quickly fell to his knees and prostrated himself flat on the stone floor.
"This unworthy disciple thanks Master for your saving grace," Tinding Mu said in a hoarse, unused voice.
The figure snorted dismissively as it looked down at the prince. "Now that your mortal family is dead, nothing should stop you from following me back to our Nine Demon Sect," the ghostly figure said with clear displeasure.
The prince hesitated for a single moment before finally bowing his head in acceptance. His master noticed the slight hesitation but couldn't care less about the mortal's lingering attachments.