Cassius shook his head with a bitter smile. “I tracked him for more than half a month and found nothing. Over a week ago, I inexplicably fainted after leaving this tea house.”
“I went to the hospital for a check-up, and there was no sign of any illness in my body. However, every two days, I would faint, and each time it got worse. I even sought the help of geomancy masters, but none of them were willing to assist me.”
“So, you suspect that the owner of this tea house did something to you?” Leo asked.
“Yes, I guess the owner of this tea house is probably a monster. Otherwise, how could he never age? I’m sure he discovered me tracking him, so he retaliated against me!” Cassius spoke convincingly.
“A monster?” Leo couldn’t help but chuckle at Cassius’s serious demeanor.
In Leo’s view, there weren’t so many monsters and demons, especially one casually running a tea house.
To Leo, the owner of this tea house was likely not an ordinary person. Cassius tracked him, and upon discovery, he faced retaliation.
At that moment, Cassius pointed towards the front counter. “Dr. Bloomer, look, the tea house owner is coming out.”
Following Cassius’s direction, Leo indeed saw a man around his age emerging. He wore a suit, had delicate features, and appeared like an ancient scholar.
While observing with the naked eye, Leo activated his spiritual energy to enhance his vision.
It seemed like the tea house owner sensed something and immediately looked in the direction where Leo was sitting.
Upon a closer look, Leo was astonished.
This tea house owner was indeed no ordinary person. However, he wasn’t a martial artist or Daoist cultivator; he was an ageless person!
Leo was quite knowledgeable about ageless individuals. He thought ageless people had become a legend, assuming they no longer existed in the world. Unexpectedly, he encountered one in this ordinary tea house.
What was an ageless person?
As the name suggests, an ageless person doesn’t age or die. While ordinary people experience birth, aging, sickness, and death, ageless individuals only go through birth and sickness. They don’t age or die. This was why, from Cassius’s great-grandfather to Cassius himself, the owner of this tea house remained the same young man.
Moreover, even though ageless people transcend death, they can still die. However, only Daoist cultivators or Demon cultivators can use special secret techniques to kill ageless individuals. Ordinary people cannot kill ageless people.
For example, if Cassius were to attack the tea house owner with a knife now, although it would make the owner bleed and lose breath, three minutes later, the owner’s body would disappear, and he would be reborn in a predetermined river.
While ageless people possess the coveted traits of eternal youth and immortality, they live cautiously and fearfully.
Why is that?
Because ageless people are incredibly tempting to Demon Cultivators.
Demon Cultivators practice a special technique specifically aimed at ageless individuals. By using this technique to refine and absorb an ageless person, the cultivator may not gain eternal youth, but their lifespan could multiply.
In other words, if a Demon Cultivator’s lifespan is originally only eighty years, refining and absorbing an ageless person could potentially extend it to three or four hundred years.
Whether Daoist cultivators or Demon cultivators, their greatest weakness is their short lifespan. With enough time, they could comprehend the great Dao and understand the universe.
Therefore, the allure of ageless people to Demon Cultivators is immense. It even leads some Daoist cultivators to fall into the ranks of Demon Cultivators in pursuit of refining ageless individuals.
For this reason, ageless individuals in Atraria are almost extinct. Even if they exist, they remain deeply hidden and almost unknown to the public.
Encountering an ageless person like Leo did today was purely coincidental. If this ageless person were to encounter a Demon Cultivator, his fate would be sealed.
Although ageless people are not ordinary, they are born with a curse. Even though they live without aging or dying, they are limited to the spiritual realm. Therefore, the combat power of ageless individuals is very low, and they lack the ability to defend themselves against slightly more powerful Demon Cultivators.
At this point, Leo could almost be certain that the evil poison on Cassius was inflicted by the ageless person.
Although ageless people are not malicious, they will ruthlessly retaliate against ordinary people who dare to pry into their secrets to protect their identities.
The secret of ageless individuals not aging or dying is their greatest taboo.
“Dr. Bloomer, the tea house owner is coming our way,” Cassius’s expression changed as he spoke, giving a subtle reminder.
Leo naturally noticed the tea house owner’s approach, withdrew his gaze, and picked up the tea cup on the table, taking a sip.
“Dear guests, how is the tea in our humble establishment?” the tea house owner asked with a smile.
Due to suspicions in his mind, Cassius appeared slightly nervous and forced a smile, “Mr. Davis, your tea is the best in the entire Sirencester County.”
“Oh, do you know me?” the tea house owner looked at Cassius, showing genuine interest.
Cassius, feeling a bit uneasy, chuckled, “I am a regular customer here.”
“Since you’re a regular, you deserve the best tea treatment,” the tea house owner said, snapping his fingers toward the counter. “Waiter, new tea for table 9.”
While the tea house owner conversed with Cassius, he used a secret technique to transmit his voice to Leo.
“What’s your surname, Master?”
“Bloomer.”
“Master Bloomer, I don’t want to kill anyone. Planting the poison in him was a desperate act out of necessity.” The ageless person sounded helpless.
Leo didn’t find it strange that the ageless person could recognize him as a cultivator of Daoism and just snorted.
The ageless person continued, “Master Bloomer, please help me.”
“Why should I help you?” Leo was not a particularly benevolent person.
The ageless person spoke solemnly, “As long as you can help me keep the secret of my identity, I am willing to offer three drops of my own blood.”
Leo’s eyebrows twitched, feeling pleased.
The blood of an ageless person is valuable. Unlike the blood of a Daoist cultivator, which can regenerate, the blood of an ageless person cannot. While it doesn’t enhance cultivation, it can extend lifespan.
Three drops of blood could potentially add thirty years to Leo’s life. That was the reason Leo agreed without much consideration. The new tea was served, and after exchanging a few polite words with Cassius, the ageless person glanced at Leo and left.
Sipping the new tea, Leo looked at Cassius and began, “Mr. Hansom, although I saved you today, it’s only a temporary solution. If you want to completely eliminate the issues in your body, you must agree to a condition of mine.”