Chapter 150: A Pack of Wolves

(Continuing to ask for monthly votes!)

The back of Maple Mountain was wild, remote, and rugged. Large tracts of it consisted of primeval forests where paths did not exist, and anyone who ventured inside would look up to find the sky blocked out by the canopy. In truth, Chen Jianchen knew very little about the back mountain. This was only his second time entering it. The first time, he had not gone far before encountering a wolf demon chasing Yiying; the second time, Yiying had used magical arts to fly through the air while seated upon the Daoist scripture *The Kunlun Yuqing Spell*.

The back mountain abounded with jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards—this Chen Jianchen knew, though he had never truly encountered any of them before. That first wolf belonged to a wolf demon and had long since transcended the category of a wild beast.

Therefore, hearing the howling of wolves ahead right now, he could not help feeling a bit startled. Judging by those sounds, there were probably no less than dozens of wolves out there—a genuine pack.

*Digu-gu!*

While his mind was wandering wildly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly echoed from ahead. It was Jiang Yu charging back.

Compared to his composure before setting out, he now looked thoroughly disheveled. His armor was splattered with crimson blood, his left hand gripped the reins, and his right hand held a long sword. It was obvious he had suffered a setback.

*Awooo! Awooo!*

Behind him, wolf howls filled the air. At least thirty or forty grey wolves were biting at each other's heels in a frantic, unyielding pursuit, excitedly yelping at the top of their lungs.

*What the hell! Have every single wolf in Maple Mountain come running out?*

Chen Jianchen received a tremendous shock. While it was easy for him to subdue demons and eliminate monsters, dealing with a horde of vicious wolves was beyond his current capabilities.

"Scholar, make your escape quickly! This general will hold them off for a while!"

Seeing Chen Jianchen standing on the roadside like a dazed goose instead of fleeing at the first moment, Jiang Yu mentally cursed: *Scholars are utterly useless; they are all alike. The moment they see wolves, their legs turn to jelly...*

Yet, deep down, he retained a shred of conscience—or perhaps he held a certain appreciation for Chen Jianchen and could not bear to see him perish in the jaws of wolves. Thus, he shouted the warning, leaped down from his horse, and whipped out a broadsword with his left hand. With a broadsword in his left hand and a sword in his right, he prepared to make a desperate stand against the wolf pack.

Earlier, as Jiang Yu was riding deeper into the mountain, packs of wolves had suddenly surged out from all directions in a chaotic flurry. Like an ambush, they had surrounded him completely.

Jiang Yu had been greatly alarmed. Seasoned warrior though he was, being suddenly surrounded by such a massive number of wolves was extremely strenuous, leaving him parrying desperately to the left and right. Fortunately, relying on his extraordinary martial prowess and the mobility of his horse, he had expended a great deal of effort to cut down a dozen or so wolves before finally carving a bloody path out of the encirclement.

At such a critical juncture, the other man was actually willing to act righteously and help him block the wolf pack. Chen Jianchen's impression of Jiang Yu improved drastically. He knew that absolute very few people were capable of doing such a thing.

*Awooo, awooo...*

But right at that moment, from all around the mountain forest and every conceivable direction, wolves continued to pour out in an endless stream. A rough glance revealed no less than a hundred of them, completely blocking the mountain paths in both directions and forming a massive circle. How could Chen Jianchen possibly escape now?

Seeing this from afar, Jiang Yu let out a desolate sigh. He was currently surrounded by a dozen giant wolves and had no time to spare to save anyone else. He thought to himself: *This scholar is a dead man...*

*Eh?*

The scene that unfolded immediately afterward nearly made his eyeballs pop out of his head. The swarming wolf pack had indeed arrived with great momentum, each and every one baring their fangs and claws in a ferocious manner. They surged forward from all directions like a tidal wave, reaching Chen Jianchen's side in the blink of an eye. At that moment, Chen Jianchen did not even have time to retrieve the Demon-Slaying Sword hidden within his scrolls for self-defense.

Yet, at that very second, the countless fierce wolves seemed not to see Chen Jianchen at all. Howling loudly, they rushed past him like a tide without a moment's pause, all of them dashing headlong toward Jiang Yu's side.

At this sight, Chen Jianchen was truly dumbfounded. He watched as fierce wolves rushed past him one after another with astonishing momentum, yet not a single one even spared him a sideways glance. What on earth...

What kind of play was being performed here?

Could it be that he had suddenly attained the art of invisibility, rendering himself invisible to the pack?

Or perhaps, it was Yiying...

Several thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind, none of them certain. When the wolf pack had mostly run past, he hurriedly dashed toward the tree closest to him, scrambling up its trunk with a flurry of grunts and heaves.

At a time like this, climbing a tree was undoubtedly the best choice to ensure his own safety.

Over on the other side, Jiang Yu was already caught in mortal peril. The wolves besieging him were simply too numerous; wave after wave replaced those that fell, seeming utterly endless. Each one was reckless with its life, moving with agile and ferocious intent. As for his fine steed, strangely enough, not a single wolf attempted to bite it either. However, since horses could not climb trees, the beast could only stand forlornly off to the side, wishing to flee yet refusing to move, waiting for its master.

What kind of person was Jiang Yu? Suspicions surged within him, and he was already seven or eight parts certain that these suddenly appearing wolves were specifically targeting him.

Could someone be manipulating these wolves?

Who on earth had a grudge against him?

He let out a cold snort. *Swish, swish, swish!* Amidst flashing blades and gleaming swords, he slaughtered two more wolves, then abruptly thrust his broadsword straight down into the ground. Leveraging the force, his entire body soared into the air like a giant bird taking flight.

*Awooo!*

A large, fierce wolf lunged savagely into the air, snapping its jaws at him.

"Seeking death!"

Jiang Yu's bloodlust had been fully aroused. The treasured sword in his right hand traced a circle of light—*bang!* Amidst a spray of blood, a massive wolf head was severed from its body. Corpse and head parted ways, tumbling down to the earth.

His figure dipped accordingly, but his left-hand broadsword swiftly and accurately tapped the ground to vault him upward once more. In the blink of an eye, he glided over three zhang away, landing squarely back upon his steed with a series of heavy thuds.

"Hyah!"

With a sharp shout, he brandished his weapons to protect himself, determined to carve his way out. Since he was now certain that the enemy's sole target was himself and that they would not harm Chen Jianchen, he believed the wolf pack would naturally disperse once he departed.

"Scholar, this general takes his leave! Take good care of yourself!"

Jiang Yu was burning with intense frustration. Without even laying eyes on his adversary, he had been chased down the mountain by a pack of wolves... Wait, no? To possess such heaven-defying means as to command a pack of wolves for one's own use meant the opponent's background was far from simple. Could there be a cultivator residing in the mountains who disliked being disturbed and used this method to drive people away?

Lawless and untamed! This was a complete disregard for the law of the land!

Thinking of this possibility, Jiang Yu grew even more irritated. *These cultivators are becoming increasingly arrogant! To actually show no regard for a dignified dark-robed guard regional commander like myself—upon returning to the capital, I must report this to the Bureau of Military Affairs and give them a thorough lesson...*

Jiang Yu harbored no fear of engaging in direct combat with cultivators, but since the opponent had used sorcery to command wolves against him, he was left with few good options. Even if a hundred wolves stood completely still for him to hack at, it would take him half a day to finish them off, let alone when the wolf pack was actively attacking and a momentary lapse in concentration could result in a severe bite.

Of the thirty-six stratagems, retreating is the best. It was better to leave and let this storm pass for now.

With this thought in mind, ignoring the ruggedness of the mountain path, Jiang Yu spurred his horse into a gallop. *Clip-clop, clip-clop!* He quickly broke through the wolf encirclement and galloped down the mountain.

*Awooo, awooo!*

After Jiang Yu's departure, the wolf pack simultaneously tilted their heads back and howled, producing an astonishing wall of sound. Then, with great order, they lined up to form a massive circle around the tree where Chen Jianchen was perched.

*You've got to be kidding me. They're just squatting here and refusing to leave?*

As Chen Jianchen sat upon an upper branch, looking up and gazing down, he abruptly saw the wolf pack below automatically part a path for someone. Not only that, but the wolves on both sides of the path sat rigidly upright, lined up in neat rows. They looked less like wolves and more like well-trained hounds, maintaining an expression of absolute sternness and staring straight ahead with an anthropomorphic gravity.

An array like this seemed to indicate they were awaiting the arrival of some great personage.

A moment later, a small, pure white mouse walked out from the front. It stood upright on its two hind legs, while its two front paws were clasped behind its back in a high-difficulty pose, imitating the hands-behind-the-back posture of an adult. Twirling its few bright white whiskers, it strolled leisurely down the path cleared by the wolves, putting on a swaggering gait.

*Xiaoyi!*

Chen Jianchen up in the tree nearly burst out shouting: *Don't think that just because you changed into a fancy vest I won't recognize you...*

Xiaoyi's attire had indeed changed from its previous yellow riding jacket to a verdant green leather vest. Chenian believed that if it were to also wear a verdant green top hat, the comedic effect would be even greater. Its appearance officially confirmed Chen Jianchen's earlier speculation: these wolves were indeed driven here by Yiying; otherwise, why would they treat him like transparent air, not moving even a single hair of his?

Furthermore, judging by their earlier performance, although the wolf pack's demeanor was ferocious, there had always been a sense of "leaving a way out," which was why Jiang Yu had been able to break through the encirclement with relative ease, with not a single wolf pursuing him further.

Xiaoyi strutted forward with its head held high and its belly thrust out. After a period of absence, the little fellow's belly seemed to have grown another circle fatter. Reaching the base of the tree, it immediately lowered its head and bowed, saying very politely, "Young Master, Xiaoyi invites you down the tree! You have been frightened, Young Master, and Xiaoyi is guilty of a crime deserving ten thousand deaths." Its boilerplate flattery was as slick as if its mouth had been greased.

Chen Jianchen laughed and scolded it playfully, then asked, "Where is Yiying?"

Xiaoyi replied, "Young Master, Sister Yiying is washing up ahead. She said she wants to give you a surprise."

*Washing up?*

Chen Jianchen froze. This term was extremely anthropomorphic, practically equivalent to a word reserved exclusively for women. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he blurted out, "Xiaoyi, could it be... could it be..." If this really meant their wish had come true, it was truly a bit hard to believe.

"Hehehe!"

Seeing that he had not come down, Xiaoyi simply used all four of its limbs to skillfully scale the tree itself. It hopped onto Chen Jianchen's shoulder, looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, and then leaned close to Chen Jianchen's ear, whispering secretively and very quietly: "Young Master, Sister Yiying originally wanted me to keep it a secret, but Xiaoyi has always been utterly loyal to you and would never know something and fail to report it. So I'll tell you quietly now: Sister Yiying successfully underwent her heavenly tribulation long ago!"

"Really?!"

Chen Jianchen was both startled and overjoyed—this truly was a massive surprise. Pausing for a moment, he hurriedly asked, "When did this happen? Was Yiying's process of undergoing the tribulation smooth?"

Xiaoyi scratched its head and said, "That happened on the fifteenth of last month. That night, the spring thunder rumbled with unusual intensity, and then Sister Yiying told me she was going to undergo her tribulation and made me go outside to keep watch. There wasn't the slightest sign beforehand, which worried me sick. I originally thought about notifying the Young Master, but I was afraid it would be too late. Yet I never imagined that after I went out for a stroll—less than the time it takes to brew half a cup of tea—when I came back, I found Sister Yiying dressed in clothes, transformed into human form, and sitting properly in meditation inside the cave dwelling."

She had succeeded in undergoing her tribulation in the time it took to brew half a cup of tea?

Chen Jianchen was stunned; this went far beyond imagination. "Come on, take me to see her right away!"

Unable to suppress his eagerness, he leaped down from the tree with a *whoosh*, giving Xiaoyi quite a start: *Since when did the Young Master learn lightness kung fu? The Young Master is truly the Young Master—amazing!!*