Three cultivators, escorted by Manager Qiu jumped down into the arena and greeted the victors with a slight bow and clasped hands.
All the other clans decided to take their leave, this news needed to be spread and quickly.
Many of the lower ranked slaves entered the field and started to collect the bodies of the slain beasts. This would reclaim a significant amount of money for the Black Tower.
"We congratulate you senior on your accomplishment. If only you informed us, prior to your arrival so we could have greeted you properly."
Wu Tianmo raised an eyebrow,
"Since when does a Patriarch like myself need to inform a Junior of their arrival?"
A vein bulged on Manager Qiu's forehead but he didn't retort.
"You're correct senior, this... Junior.... Overstepped."
He looked around at all the death and destruction, his mood somewhat lifting.
He looked back at Wu Tianmo with a slight sneer and smile,
"It was quite the festival. When I report its events, I'm sure the Black Tower will promote our branch to the next level."
A bead of sweat dripped down the back of Wu Tianmo's neck, he understood the implications of that statement,
"A promotion?"
Manager Qiu's smile widened,
"Yes, an administrator will arrive to oversee the promotion."
Wu Tianmo felt the snake on his arm tighten which gave him a bit of confidence. He wasn't alone, he had a powerful demonic beast to share his burden.
"I would very much like to meet them."
He shook his head while sighing,
"If that's the case... I fear you will be sent to another small village. Or forced to look up your entire life."
The cultivators escorting Manager Qiu released their aura, they were at the 9th Stage of the Body Reforging realm.
*Hiss!*
A viridian scaled serpent with golden patterns emerged surrounding them all.
Despite being a few feet long most of the time, it expanded instantly, as if shedding a restriction.
It was revealed to be over 30 feet long, its body which was as wide as a wine barrel coiled around the cultivators like a green noose.
It hissed above the Body Reforging experts, overpowering their aura with its own. Their will to fight left their eyes immediately.
The Black Tower cultivators fell to their knees,
"Senior please spare us! We simply meant to.."
They looked at each other awkwardly.
They couldn't complete their statement, because what they meant to do was deter Wu Tianmo from his threats.
Wu Tianmo was just as surprised as they were but didn't show it,
This serpent has a few secrets I see... Good thing he is on my side!
Clearly, his power rivaled the other patriarch's. Potentially surpassing all those but Zhang Guowei.
The viridian colored serpent brought its head level with Manager Qiu and let out a loud hiss with its massive maw spread open.
Manager Qiu stumbled backwards falling onto the large body of the snake as his legs gave out and his robes dampened.
Wu Tianmo, Wu Tianfeng, and the mortal all laughed in unison.
The large serpent was satisfied and snorted. It then shrunk in size and returned to its chosen spot, Wu Tianmo's left forearm.
Manager Qiu looked away and motioned for his guards to leave with him,
"We will take our leave senior! We will invite you for a banquet another time...Tsk.."
Wu Tianfeng smiled at the mortal and looked at his clansmen Wu Tianmo.
He punched him playfully in the shoulder,
"I knew you would come, but what took you so long!"
Wu Tianmo smirked and grabbed both of them by the arm,
"This isn't the place for idle conversation."
---
The Wu Clan Estate's Training Grounds
---
Wu Tianmo released both of them, the mortal stumbled a bit then made his way behind a large Blackwood Tree to vomit. Moving that quickly wasn't natural for a mortal.
This caused the Wu Clansmen to laugh,
They both sat in the lotus position as Ling'er rushed over realizing her husband had returned. There were many things she wanted to say but it didn't seem appropriate in this company.
"Husband, I'm glad to see you unharmed. Who are these guests?"
Wu Tianfeng looked Ling'er up and down slapped his legs in joy,
"Good, very good. Cousin you got married? Our clan has hope of.... and she's!"
Ling'er blushed slightly,
"I wanted to tell you myself husband, I'm pregnant."
Wu Tianmo walked to his wife. He already sensed this was the case but still needed to play along.
As he walked closer to Ling'er he felt a connection between them strengthen causing him to smile widely,
"There is no better news, we're expecting a child and my cousin has returned to the family."
The mood was elevated, it was a joyous time, until Ling'er disclosed,
"I would like to offer you all some food and drink but all we have is water and fasting pills..."
Wu Tianfeng looked at Wu Tianmo angrily,
"You're making the woman carrying your child eat fasting pills?"
He grabbed a training sword and started to chase Wu Tianmo around,
"Get over here! I must beat you in place of the old ancestor!"
After a bit of time Wu Tianfeng ran out of energy and sat down in the lotus position breathing heavily,
"This doesn't mean you're off the hook! What are you going to do about this? I'm starting to understand why you had to get me released that way."
He shook his head slightly annoyed,
"You never planned ahead, only practicing with your sword."
Wu Tianmo smiled nervously before explaining,
"Things have been... tough cousin. Do not worry, it is about to get much better."
He grabbed the beast storage pouch within his robes and 20 long damaged bodies of the serpents sprawled out onto the training grounds.
Thankfully they had already been drained of their blood or it would have created a mess.
Ling'er took a step back subconsciously, generally a mortal felt a significant oppression when around tier one beasts or cultivators. Like a mountain pressing down upon one's shoulders, yet it was all in the mind.
Those who have been through many trials could overcome this primal fear.
Wu Tianfeng stepped closer to the bodies, examining them,
"Cousin, you have been busy, many tier one beasts even a tier two. Selling these beasts will bring in quite a fortune!"
Wu Tianmo sucked all the bodies back up into the storage bag as if they were never there.
"I was planning on selling these to pay for your release, some unexpected things happened and I was delayed."
He looked into Wu Tianfeng's eyes,
"Cousin. I was late, I'm sorry."
Wu Tianfeng took a deep breath then turned,
"I'm alive, it's all that matters. Plus, now I have made a new brother!"
He placed a hand on the mortal's shoulder, thankfully he was used to Tianfeng's demeanor by now and didn't flinch.
He tried to hide it, but pride was plain across his face. He was one of the few mortals who could stand shoulder to shoulder with a cultivator!
Wu Tianfeng looked back at Wu Tianmo,
"What is next, cousin? Our clan was destroyed and there are less than 5 of the Wu Clan still alive?"
Wu Tianmo looked back at Tianfeng seriously,
"There are others?!"