Withered Elder, as an old Golden Core demon, was indeed not someone who liked to share.
But when it came to himself, that was another matter entirely.
In order to recover his health, he truly did not care how much he had to pay.
But, but!
Even though he had already resolved to smash the cauldrons and sink the boats, facing Li Hao, this enormous hole, he was still finding it hard to bear.
It was no longer as simple as feeling pained by the expense. It was that there was not enough—far from enough. He was like a bottomless pit, one that could never be filled no matter how much was poured into it.
During the first awakening, that feeling had not been especially strong.
But when the other party immediately began his second awakening without stopping for breath, Withered Elder's mentality collapsed on the spot.
Sending Li Su down the mountain was not, as Li Su had thought, because Withered Elder wanted him out of sight and out of mind, since seeing him made him angry.
Rather, Withered Elder had begun to seriously doubt whether his plan was feasible. He needed to sort through his emotions and reconsider it anew, properly and seriously.
Of course, even as he pondered, his gaze never left Li Su.
After all, Li Su's importance went without saying. It concerned whether his cultivation foundation could be repaired—and perhaps even whether he could go a step further.
Thus, when Li Su faced those at the True Essence stage, the old Golden Core demon had already prepared to intervene.
The reason he had not acted at once was mainly because he did not think those at the True Essence stage could hurt Li Su.
What a joke. This child had been only five when he