"Well, do you want me to leave, little fool?" Wolf Tu asked softly, gradually walking closer to Yan Yuning. His deep and affectionate eyes fixed on Yan Yuning, as though trying to read his heart through his face.

Yan Yuning felt as if he were being ignited by the intense gaze from Wolf Tu, his entire body suddenly burning with heat. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond to Wolf Tu's question. In his panic, he instinctively reached into his chest to pull something out.

Soon, he pulled out the pigeon whistle that he had been hiding in his chest and without hesitation shoved it into Wolf Tu's arms.

"I'm not foolish. This is for you," Yan Yuning said quickly, throwing those words out before he dashed toward the cave entrance, looking like a startled rabbit. His steps were hurried and chaotic as he almost tripped.

The next day, the two of them strolled together toward the bustling market.

"Good... good..." Cheers erupted as a performer spewed fire from his mouth. The flames flew like a dragon.

Yan Yuning tiptoed, stretching his neck to get a better view.

Wolf Tu merely glanced at him calmly.

On the other side, another performer lay on a long bench, with a large stone slab placed on his body. Another performer lifted a big hammer and smashed it down on the stone, breaking it in half. The performer beneath remained unharmed. More cheers followed.

After the performance, the performers held out a copper plate for tips. Wolf Tu gave one or two silver coins, then pulled Yan Yuning, who was busy searching for money, away. The performers’ thanks faded as they walked away.

Yan Yuning paused. "There’s a demonic presence."

He took out the ancient bronze compass he used for detecting demons, and the needle kept shaking.

"Little Wolf, there’s a demon. You should go first." He glanced at Wolf Tu, his expression serious, and continued, "I’ve always been susceptible to evil spirits since I was young. I brought the magical tool my master gave me today. Ordinary demons won’t come near me, but the compass is still reacting. This one should be troublesome. You go ahead."

It was the first time Wolf Tu heard him speak so much. He wanted to pinch Yan Yuning’s little face and tell him, "I’m a demon too."

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"Alright." He swallowed his words, deciding to stick with "alright" as it seemed to fit better with Yan Yuning's serious expression.

Following the compass, Yan Yuning entered a narrow alley, which seemed deserted, with no one around. A cold wind blew past.

Turning around, he noticed someone had appeared behind him.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t exactly a person, but a rat demon.

Another rat demon!

Its face bore some human features, but it still had rat-like traits: a dark pink, upturned nose, small greenish eyes that gleamed, rat ears sticking out from its hair, and sharp claws tinged with dark blue.

"You filthy Taoist, you harmed my wife and child! I’ll take your life today!" It said angrily, looking like it was ready to tear him apart.

Yan Yuning asked, "That white-haired rat demon was your wife?"

The rat demon scoffed, "What? Stalling for time?"

Yan Yuning continued, "Once you've transformed, you should focus on your cultivation. Why harm the old lady of the city?"

The rat demon replied, "Shut up. Her family has many heirs. Eating a couple to boost my power is nothing wrong. I even showed kindness by letting her die in exchange for my life. But her family didn’t appreciate it and sent someone after me. My wife..." The rat demon’s eyes turned sorrowful. "My wife died trying to save me."

With that, the rat demon's eyes flashed with fury, and it charged at Yan Yuning with its sharp claws.

Yan Yuning swiftly dodged, moving to the side to avoid the attack. Just then, he heard a "crack" as the demon’s claws scraped the thick bark of a nearby tree, sending wood chips flying.

Without changing his calm expression, Yan Yuning opened his right hand, and in an instant, a flash of blue light appeared, revealing a green-handled sword. The sword gleamed with a cold light, seemingly full of power.

At the same time, the rat demon also conjured a trident, its tips glinting with a chilling light.

The two faced off, and the air grew tense.

They both attacked simultaneously, their weapons clashing with a sharp sound, sparks flying. The fight between the two was intense, neither willing to back down.

Seeing that the battle wasn’t going well for it, the rat demon quickly looked for an escape. But just as it tried to flee, a shadow appeared out of nowhere, blocking its way.

It was Wolf Tu.

With a concerned look, he asked Yan Yuning, "Are you injured?"

Yan Yuning shook his head and answered, "I’m fine! What are you doing here?"

The rat demon seized the opportunity during their exchange. It grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it into the air, blinding them both.

While they were distracted, the rat demon slipped away.

Once the dust settled, they exchanged a look and both spoke at the same time: "Chase!"

Without missing a beat, they both sprinted after the rat demon.

After running for several streets, the rat demon darted into a place called "Warm Fragrance Pavilion."

Without a second thought, the two of them barged in, ignoring the cries of the innkeeper calling after them, "Two young masters, hey, hey, masters..."

Inside, the air was filled with a floral scent.

They reached a room, and from the crack of the door, Yan Yuning peered inside.

He saw two men embracing and kissing, their hands tearing at each other’s clothes...

Yan Yuning turned to Wolf Tu with confusion in his eyes. "What are they doing?"