Chapter 41: Mountain Wolf

Wan Tiancang had lived in Lichuankou for over half a year, keeping a low profile day after day. Watching the verdant rice sprouts emerge one by one from the soil brought him great joy. At night, he would cast Spirit Rain Spells upon the spiritual fields in his courtyard. While sitting cross-legged and regulating his breathing, he faintly heard the sound of a bustling crowd outside.

He couldn't help but look up. Amidst the dark night outside the courtyard, he saw flickering lights, as if people were running back and forth carrying torches. His heart instantly sank, and he opened the courtyard gate to look out.

Seeing a child running toward him hurriedly with a torch, Wan Tiancang hurriedly called out

"Child! What has happened!"

"Master! Old Ye from the head of the village is dead! They say a monster has come, and they're calling the whole village to go there!"

The child stopped abruptly, holding the torch and looking at Wan Tiancang with trepidation. Seeing this immortal, who hadn't left his courtyard in over half a year, frowning and taking half a step toward the gate before retreating, the child hesitated.

"To think a monster has struck Lichuankou! These spiritual rice plants were only planted half a year ago; nothing must happen to them."

Wan Tiancang wanted to go find Li Tongya, but he feared the monster might have its eyes on the spiritual rice in his garden. Caught in this dilemma, he could only crouch down and call to the child

"Go and fetch Chen Erniu."

"Yes!"

Just as the child stood up, the two saw flickering lights in the forest as a group of people emerged, surrounding Chen Erniu.

"Immortal Master! What should we do!"

Chen Erniu was drenched in sweat. The master's family had not yet arrived, and two more villagers had died—both with their brains scooped out, their deaths gruesome. Chen Erniu was both terrified and furious, pacing around like an ant on a hot pan.

"Has anyone witnessed this monster?"

Wan Tiancang looked at the sweating Chen Erniu and asked in a heavy, stern voice.

"No! The victims often don't even have time to let out a single wail!"

Hearing this, Wan Tiancang immediately felt like retreating. He was merely a minor cultivator at the peak of the Profound Landscape Realm; where would he get the strength to deal with a monster that seemed to come and go like the wind? He smiled bitterly to himself

"Li Tongya, oh Li Tongya, where the hell are you!"

"Brother Wan!"

Wan Tiancang paused for a few breaths, and just as he was about to speak, a loud shout approached from a distance, interrupting him.

He looked up to see a dignified young man wearing vine armor and carrying a longbow striding toward him with a bright smile.

"Young Clan Leader!"

Chen Erniu hurriedly bowed. Wan Tiancang immediately understood; the person before him was likely Li Xiangping. He quickly cupped his hands and said

"Wan Tiancang of the Wan family greets the Young Clan Leader."

Li Xiangping waved his hand, signaling Chen Erniu to rise, and spoke to Wan Tiancang

"Please wait a moment, Brother Wan."

Turning to face Chen Erniu, he said sternly

"All the elderly, women, and children of the village must gather around this courtyard. The village men will form squads of ten to surround the outer perimeter, spaced three zhang apart. Ensure that every squad is within sight of at least five other squads for mutual protection."

Having said that, he entered the courtyard with Wan Tiancang, ignoring the others.

"Yes!"

Chen Erniu finally found his anchor. He hurriedly complied and went off to make the arrangements.

Once Li Xiangping was inside the courtyard, Wan Tiancang said with a bitter smile

"Brother Li, I fear this monster's cultivation is not low. I am afraid I cannot be of much help."

Li Xiangping laughed heartily and said bluntly

"Brother Wan, there is no need to beat around the bush. Your Wan family needs to protect the spiritual rice, and my Li family needs to protect Lichuankou. Our two families are grasshoppers on the same string!"

Wan Tiancang stiffened, lamenting inwardly. If this monster weren't in Lichuankou, he wouldn't care if it ate people or not! He would have laughed seeing the Li family suffer while protecting the rice, but now he was forced to help.

Setting aside his petty thoughts, Wan Tiancang pondered for a few moments. He took out paper and brush from his room and, while sitting down to write, explained

"The safest plan now is for me to write a letter to call upon my Family Head for reinforcements. It would be best to resolve this before dawn!"

"Correct!"

Li Xiangping nodded and continued

"Write three copies of the letter. I will send people out of the village in three different directions to prevent any accidents on the road that might stop them from reaching the Wan family territory."

Wan Tiancang nodded repeatedly. He wrote for about fifteen minutes before screams and cries for help began to rise from outside the courtyard in a chaotic manner.

Li Xiangping went out with a grim face to investigate. In front of the courtyard, a group of elderly, women, and children sat around various bonfires, looking into the distance with terror, weeping or gasping in fear.

Not far away, the village men had already gathered around the outermost squad, holding long poles and door planks, staring timidly at the nearby forest.

"It is a mountain wolf."

Standing beside Li Xiangping, Wan Tiancang held his brush and spoke deeply, staring at the pair of glowing green eyes in the forest.

A giant wolf, as large as an ox and covered in silver-gray fur, stepped out from the forest with vertical green pupils. Its silver-gray snout was long and its jaws wide; with its ears pricked and tail lowered, it forced the villagers to retreat step by step.

Lifting its head above the crowd, those eyes stared coldly at Li Xiangping, who stood on the stone steps of the courtyard gate. Its long snout curled slightly upward, as if it were smirking.

"That beast..."

Wan Tiancang broke into a heavy sweat. He silently wiped his brow and continued

"Judging by its spirited expression, it has at least consumed the essence of the sun and moon and condensed into the Jade Capital Realm."

Facing the monster, Li Xiangping also felt a chill run down his spine. Looking at the wolf's slightly upturned snout and its cold, green eyes, he could actually sense a hint of disdain.

"If my Family Head is no match for this monster..."

Wan Tiancang suddenly looked up at Li Xiangping, his lips trembling as he spoke with difficulty.

"A Spirit Primordial Realm monster?"

Li Xiangping narrowed his eyes and said deeply

"Always prepare for the worst. If this monster's cultivation exceeds the Jade Capital Realm, we will lure it southeast, past Lijing Village, and up toward Lijing Mountain. My Li family has a formation there. Your Family Head can use the terrain to slay the beast."

"Fine, fine, fine!"

Wan Tiancang carefully revised the three letters and handed them to Chen Erniu. Watching him send the messengers out, he shook his head with a bitter smile

"That beast has reached the Jade Capital Realm and gained intelligence. It must have eaten many people by now and has already set its sights on the two of us. To a monster, cultivators are a great tonic. We have no way out."

"Do not panic."

Li Xiangping waved his hand, staring intently into the monster's eyes. His mouth curled slightly upward, mirroring the wolf's smirk, and he said softly

"When I was young, I saw my father hunt wolves. These beasts are the most cautious. Now that it has reached the Jade Capital Realm, it will be even more obsessed with preserving its life. It targeting us is actually a good thing. Just follow my orders."

"Chen Erniu!"

"Present!"

Chen Erniu hurried forward to listen closely.

"The village men will gradually retreat, surrounding us, and we will all move slowly toward the south. The elderly, women, and children are to stay where they are; the monster will surely come chasing. The men on the perimeter, discard your door planks and hold your torches outward. Once the monster approaches, roar, shout, or curse—do not show a shred of fear! If the monster lunges, use the long poles with blades attached to sweep and strike the ground. A wolf's legs are slender; this monster will be extremely protective of them."

Taking a polished arrow from a quiver, Li Xiangping performed a hand seal, and a faint golden light emerged on the arrowhead.

Nocking the arrow to the string, Li Xiangping said coldly

"Go!"