Chapter 31 Startling Meeting with the Wolf God
Chapter 31 Startling Meeting with the Wolf God
The day passed quickly, and soon it was late at night again. All of the escorts gathered in my room.
I lowered my voice and said, “The task we must accomplish tonight is very dangerous, so all of you must follow my orders. If we make a mistake, we could be completely wiped out.”
The escorts nodded resolutely.
Wolf said, “Young Master, please give your orders.”
I swept my gaze across them.
“Tonight our target is Wole Mountain, thirty miles to the west. There is a werewolf organization there. Remember, our goal is not to exterminate them but to subdue them. No one is to kill without my orders. Let’s go. There isn’t much time.”
Everyone quickly changed into black night clothes and took up their weapons. Although there were twenty people, not a sound was made. Within moments, the village was far behind us.
A thin mist drifted over, and my clothes became slightly damp, but it did not affect our speed at all. Taking advantage of the dim night, we headed rapidly west.
After using chi to sprint for four hours, a continuous mountain range appeared before us.
Halting, Wolf asked, “Young Master, there are so many mountains here. Which one is the right one?”
I raised my head and looked toward the mountains. Hills connected one after another, stretching endlessly into the distance. For a moment, I could not even judge how high the peaks were.
After thinking briefly, I said, “Let’s enter the mountains. Since the god of the werewolves lives here, there must be guards. As long as we subdue one of them, they will show us the way.”
We entered the mountains at high speed, trying to find a guard. After climbing a small hill, the night had already deepened. The moonlight had grown faint, and the forest was dim. It was difficult even to tell which direction we had come from.
“Everyone, you may rest.”
But the moment I finished speaking, I heard an unusual rustling in the leaves. It was the sound of something moving through thick foliage. Although the other side was careful, they could not escape my hearing.
I roared,
“Who goes there?”
The stillness of the night shattered as my voice echoed through the mountains.
“Who goes there! Who goes there… who goes there…”
Suddenly, the dark forest surrounding us lit up as if it were daytime. The sudden brightness forced us to narrow our eyes.
As our vision gradually recovered, we found ourselves surrounded by forty werewolf soldiers.
These soldiers were different from those we encountered at the border. Each of them wore matching brown light armor and held a long knife and a torch. The torches were what had illuminated the forest.
An ominous glint flickered in their eyes as the torches crackled. The fur on the backs of their necks bristled as they stared at us fiercely, without the slightest hint of fear.
I straightened my chest, raised my head, and clasped my hands behind my back.
“Who are you? Bandits?”
My escorts unsheathed their weapons one by one, forming a semicircle on both sides of me.
A werewolf soldier pushed his way through the group. He was clearly different from the others. A single gray stripe ran across his head, giving him a commanding presence.
He stared at us coldly and waved his long knife.
“Who are you? How dare you trespass on forbidden land? Are you tired of living?”
I sneered.
“What do you think you are? All this land belongs to the Beastmen King, and all beastmen worship the Beast God. What right do you have to claim private territory?”
The leader could not answer. Frustrated, he shouted,
“Take them down!”
I raised my left hand.
“Wait a moment.”
The leader looked at me with contempt.
“Now you’re scared? If you’re afraid, tie yourselves up and wait for us to capture you. You can explain yourselves when we bring you back.”
“Humph. Scared? That word has never existed in my vocabulary. Listen carefully. I am the emissary of the Beast God. I have come here specifically to meet the Wolf God. There is an important matter I must discuss with him. Are any of you willing to bear the Wolf God’s anger for delaying me?”
When he heard that I wished to meet the Wolf God, the leader’s hostility faded slightly.
“How do you know the Wolf God is here? Which traitor told you?”
I looked toward the sky reverently.
“It was the mighty Beast God who told me. The great god ordered me to come here to meet the Wolf God and discuss secret matters. If you have any sense, you should go report this to your superiors.”
The leader frowned.
“The Beast God? That’s just a legend. When has the Beast God ever cared about us? The Wolf God is the true savior of the beastmen.”
Arguing with a small captain was pointless.
“I didn’t come here to debate with you. Take me to see your Wolf God. I have important matters to discuss.”
The leader hesitated for a moment before saying to his soldiers,
“You all stay here.”
Then he turned and ran into the dark forest, quickly disappearing.
His speed was not bad, but it was still inferior to Wolf’s. Among the werewolves, he could already be considered an expert.
Mentioning the Wolf God certainly caught his attention.
The first part of my plan succeeded.
I sat down cross-legged to recover my depleted chi. My guards surrounded me and watched the soldiers carefully.
The thirty-mile journey had consumed quite a bit of chi, and the Wolf God would certainly be difficult to deal with. I needed to be in peak condition when meeting him.
After the time it took to eat a meal, the werewolf leader returned, running and drenched in sweat. It seemed he had not rested even briefly on the way back.
He might only be a minor leader, but his determination was impressive.
After catching his breath, he said,
“Come with me.”
He turned and began leading the way with his soldiers.
I stood and followed closely with my escorts.
The path was narrow and winding. Without a guide, it would have been difficult to find. Only after crossing two mountain peaks did we finally see their base.
It lay in a small valley surrounded by hills. The buildings resembled those of a village, though slightly larger.
In the center stood a gigantic temple, its scale comparable to the palace hall of the Beastmen King.
Around the temple stood a circle of massive stone pillars. At the top of each pillar was a vivid carving of a double-headed wolf. The craftsmanship was extremely lifelike.
That must be the Wolf God’s residence.
As expected, the werewolf leader brought us to the entrance of the temple.
Twelve guards stood watch at the gate.
Unlike the other werewolves we had seen, these guards bore golden stripes, indicating their status was higher than that of the werewolf company leader.
The leader quickly approached one of the temple guards and said respectfully,
“They are the ones the Commander ordered me to bring.”
The temple guard nodded arrogantly.
“You lot wait here. I will go report.”
A mere temple guard acting so arrogantly.
I have never received such treatment before, not even in the palace of the Beastmen King.
This fellow really has nerve.
The werewolf leader stood quietly to the side, not daring to speak. The surrounding soldiers tightened their encirclement, their hands resting on the hilts of their knives.
After a while, another temple guard came out.
“You may take your men and leave. We will handle the rest.”
The werewolf leader bowed respectfully and withdrew with his soldiers.
The temple guard looked us over coldly.
“You people come with me.”
He then turned and walked into the temple.
I signaled Wolf with my eyes and followed.
Just as we were about to enter, the guards at the entrance stopped us.
I frowned.
“What does this mean? Is this how the Wolf God treats his guests?”
The guard leading us replied,
“Only one of you may enter. The rest must wait here.”
I had expected this.
“Very well. I will go in alone. Wolf, all of you wait here. Until I come out, you are not allowed to cause any trouble.”
Wolf looked worried.
“Young Master, we should protect you.”
I patted his shoulder and lowered my voice.
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. If the situation is so dangerous that I cannot handle it, then you would not be able to help anyway. Just wait here and do not cause trouble. Understood?”
Wolf nodded reluctantly and stepped back with the others.
I turned to the guard.
“Can we go now?”
He snorted and led me inside.
The interior of the temple was dim. Candles were placed every ten meters along the walls.
Even with the faint lighting, the murals were clearly visible. They depicted scenes of werewolves slaughtering enemies, farming, and celebrating victories.
The building was enormous and had no supporting pillars, leaving the interior completely open.
The guard led me to the center of the temple.
“Wait here.”
After speaking, he turned and left without waiting for my reply.
Despite the dim lighting, the temple did not feel eerie. Instead, a calm serenity filled the space.
Since I was already here, I took my time observing the murals. Each one seemed to tell a different story.
Just as I was becoming absorbed in them, a gentle voice sounded behind me.
“Are you the one who wishes to meet Lord Wolf God?”
I spun around abruptly.
A cloaked figure stood behind me.
I was startled that I had not noticed his approach, even with my sharp hearing.
Although my attention had been focused on the murals, the man had approached without making the slightest sound.
Still, my instincts told me that this person was not the Wolf God.
I smiled faintly.
“That’s right. I am the one. Are you the Wolf God?”
The figure shook his head and stepped forward, removing his hood.
He was a werewolf—but an unusual one.
His fur was silver.
Even in the dim light, the silver fur gleamed brightly.
A silver werewolf.
Seeing my surprise, he smiled.
“Are you surprised? I am the commander of the Wolf God Guard. You may call me Yin Jian.”
I nodded.
“Commander Yin Jian, I have come to request an audience with the Wolf God. Please guide me to him.”
Yin Jian’s expression remained calm.
“The Wolf God does not meet just anyone. Even I would not dare disturb him without his summons. I heard that you claimed to be the emissary of the Beast God. I wonder what brings you here.”
I had already recovered from my earlier surprise.
“I did claim to be the emissary of the Beast God. That is also the truth. I came here on behalf of the Beast God to meet the Wolf God. As for the purpose of my visit… I’m afraid you are not qualified to ask.”
A flash of anger passed through Yin Jian’s eyes. His cloak stirred even though there was no wind.
He spoke calmly.
“In that case, you will only reveal your purpose after meeting the Wolf God?”
I nodded loftily and continued looking at the surrounding murals.
Yin Jian said, “At first, you were not allowed to come here. But I heard from my subordinates that you claimed to be the emissary of the Beast God. I was astonished that you were able to find this place, which is why I let you in. If you do not state your purpose, do not blame my impertinence later. After all, the secrets here must not be known to outsiders.”
My eyes returned to him, and I smiled faintly.
“Why? Do you plan to launch a group attack on me?”
For the first time, Yin Jian’s expression changed. A trace of contempt appeared.
“We werewolves are a proud tribe. Since you came to request a meeting with the Wolf God according to proper etiquette, how could we lower ourselves to such behavior? How about this—if you defeat me, you may leave with your subordinates. Otherwise, I hope you will remain on this mountain and work for us.”
I replied coldly, “Hmph. You want me to stay as a slave? That depends on whether you have the power to make it happen.”
Yin Jian removed his cloak and tossed it lightly aside, revealing his sturdy body.
The fur covering his body was the same as the fur on his head—completely silver. A powerful pressure rose from him.
He raised his right hand and twisted his elbow, clawing the air. His left hand rose beneath his right palm. His right foot hovered above the ground, while his left foot stepped forward half a pace, his left knee slightly bent.
Looking at his strange stance, I felt puzzled.
What kind of technique is this? I have never seen anything like it before.
I unfastened the sheathed Black Sable from my waist and tossed it lightly aside without making a sound.
“Since you are not using a weapon, let’s fight with bare hands.”
A trace of respect flashed through Yin Jian’s eyes.
“Very well. Since you have such manners, let us have a proper match. Men, bring the lights.”
The entire temple suddenly brightened.
More than five hundred magical lights hung above us. What was strange was that this huge hall contained no statue of the Wolf God for worship.
Under the bright lights, the silver fur of Yin Jian shone even more brilliantly.
Using that fur to make clothing would not be a bad idea at all.
Since he could become the commander of the Wolf God Guard, he was certainly no ordinary opponent. I did not dare act recklessly. Instead, I calmed my mind as the Mad God chi accelerated through my body.
A layer of yellow, mist-like chi slowly seeped out from my body. With the lionman mask still on my head, to an observer it probably looked like a battle between a lion king and a wolf king.
Yin Jian exclaimed in surprise.
“Such powerful chi… Take this!”
His body leaped into the air with a flash of silver light. While flipping midair, one leg extended forward and the other behind, and he kicked toward me.
Yin Jian’s chi glowed silver like his fur.
I poured Mad God chi into both arms and forcibly blocked his thirteen consecutive kicks.
The power of his legs was astonishing. Even with my defense and Mad God chi, my arms became slightly numb.
But I realized that his surprise was even greater than mine.
He clearly never expected that anyone other than the Behemoths—or giants among the beastmen—could withstand his proud Thirteen Successive Kicks purely with brute force.
If my arms were numb, his legs could not be any better. When two forces collide equally, the rebound affects both sides the same.
Our chi levels were similar, but his defensive power was inferior to mine. Therefore, I still held a slight advantage in this first exchange.
After that attack, I had already formed a judgment.
Although Yin Jian was fierce, he was only slightly stronger than Wolf. That was not enough to pose a real threat to me.
I shouted,
“Take this technique of mine—Hurricane!”
I stepped forward and slammed my fist heavily into the ground.
But something unexpected happened.
The Hurricane technique, which should have passed through the ground and erupted beneath my opponent’s feet, was instantly reflected the moment my fist struck the floor.
It was like punching myself.
The powerful force blasted me backward.
Hong!
My body slammed heavily into the wall.
What just happened?
I slid down the wall. Although I did not suffer internal injuries, I was still only at the first stage of the Heavenly Demon Art. My bones ached painfully from the impact.
Yin Jian did not continue attacking. He stared at me in shock, clearly confused as to why I had launched myself backward.
I asked angrily, “What is wrong with this floor? Why can’t my power penetrate it?”
Yin Jian finally realized what I had attempted.
“I apologize. I forgot to mention that the Wolf God placed a barrier throughout this temple. No power can penetrate it, so your indirect attack was reflected.”
Damn it.
Why didn’t he say that earlier?
That mistake had caused me to injure myself.
Of course, it was not that the barrier could not be broken. It was simply that my power was still weaker than that of the Wolf God who created it.
Yin Jian said, “For fairness, do you need to rest?”
His words improved my impression of him greatly.
This fellow is truly honorable.
I have never met such a polite beastman before.
Not bad. I like him.
I smiled and loosened my joints slightly.
“No need. I’m fine. Let’s continue.”
Yin Jian nodded slightly and resumed his strange stance.
With an odd roar, he shot toward me like lightning.
This time he did not attack directly. Instead, he constantly changed direction, making his attacks impossible to predict.
His speed increased faster and faster.
Soon I could only see a silver blur flashing around me.
With my current speed, I could not catch him at all. The only option was to wait patiently for an opening.
I covered my entire body with chi and allowed him to attack freely. Whenever he struck, I immediately countered with my fist.
But of course, I could not hit him.
I simply was not as fast as he was.
At the same time, although I could not hit him, he did not dare repeat the same attack patterns too often. Since he relied on hit-and-run tactics, he could not deal significant damage to me either.
Honestly, I hate this kind of fight the most.
Running around endlessly—how boring.
A direct clash is far more satisfying.
Suddenly I noticed something.
Behind Yin Jian, traces of wind-element magic lingered.
Wind magic?
So his speed is enhanced by wind magic.
A werewolf capable of using magic…
I had already been surprised several times today.
If he can use magic, why shouldn’t I?
I chanted softly.
Countless Level-1 and Level-2 spells shot out in every direction, filling both the air and the ground around us.
No matter how fast Yin Jian was, he could not escape the entire area.
Several spells struck him immediately.
Although they caused little damage, they greatly reduced his speed.
Yin Jian landed about ten meters away and asked in shock,
“You… you can use magic?”
I smiled faintly.
“I am the emissary of the Beast God. Why would that be impossible? Besides, aren’t you using wind magic to increase your speed as well?”
Yin Jian nodded.
“Since you have already discovered my secret—and you can use magic too—then I will go all out.”
Both of his hands moved slowly before his chest as he murmured something softly.
I could feel the wind element in the surrounding air becoming active and gathering toward him.
Gradually, a cyan wind-element sphere appeared before Yin Jian.
He roared loudly as silver light erupted from his body.
His entire form fused with the cyan magical sphere and his silver chi.
The combination of magic and martial power was extremely harmonious—far better than my own method.
However, it had a weakness.
In terms of raw intensity, it could not match mine.
Not only did I feel no fear toward his full-power attack, I secretly rejoiced.
Mad God chi surged rapidly through my body. Dark magic merged with the chi, and the hair of my lionman mask stood upright from the energy flow.
When Yin Jian’s power reached its peak, he shouted,
“Breaking Storm of Magic Wolf!”
His body transformed into a cyan streak of light and shot toward me like lightning.
At the same moment he moved, I leaped into the air.
“Violent Dance of Mad Dragon!”
My body transformed into a yellow dragon and rushed forward to meet him.
Just before the two tremendous forces collided, the yellow dragon I had formed suddenly dipped downward.
I avoided his frontal attack by a hair’s breadth.
Then I twisted around sharply, releasing an even brighter burst of light, and struck directly into Yin Jian’s back.
Yin Jian never imagined that I—who had been defending passively until now—would suddenly use such a tactic at the critical moment.
Hong!
With a thunderous sound, Yin Jian was blasted away like a cannonball and smashed heavily into the wall.
The technique I used was similar to the one the demon princess once used against me.
I did not know how she changed the direction of her attack, but my method was simpler. I deliberately held back a portion of my strength and redirected it at the critical moment.
The result was unexpectedly effective.
Yin Jian fell to the floor, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood. His face turned pale as he pointed at me with a trembling hand.
“You… you are shameless.”
I smiled.
“Tell me, how was that shameless? I merely used a small trick. Didn’t you use similar tricks earlier? I do not recall calling you shameless.”
Yin Jian was speechless. His anger caused him to spit out another mouthful of blood.
At that moment, a clear and resonant voice echoed throughout the temple hall.
“Commander Yin Jian, what he said is correct. There is a saying that deception is not shameful in war. In truth, your skill is not inferior to his, but in terms of strategy you are lacking. Moreover, he was already holding back. Otherwise, you would already be dead. I will handle matters here.”
Upon hearing this voice, Yin Jian’s face filled with reverence.
He struggled to kneel and dared not speak again.
So he has finally appeared.
The owner of that voice must be the so-called Wolf God.
The voice sounded again.
“Friend who has come from afar to meet me, what is it that you desire?”
I asked coldly, “Are you the Wolf God?”
“That is what they call me.”
I nodded.
“Good. Since the true master has appeared, I will speak plainly. I came here to challenge the so-called Wolf God.”
Yin Jian cried out in alarm.
“What? You are challenging Lord Wolf God? Have you grown tired of living? You are seeking death!”
He seemed genuinely worried for me.
Perhaps he believed I could never match the Wolf God.
I smiled.
“That’s right. I have lived long enough. The Beast God sent me here to challenge Lord Wolf God.”
A flash of light appeared beside Yin Jian, and another figure emerged.
The figure’s entire body was hidden beneath a large black cloak.
Seeing his attire reminded me of Yin Jian’s earlier appearance.
Did Yin Jian dress like that to imitate him?
A silver hand extended from the cloak and pressed gently against Yin Jian’s shoulder.
A soft silver light flowed out, enveloping him.
It was chi similar to Yin Jian’s own.
Under the silver radiance, Yin Jian’s injuries visibly improved.
A gentle voice came from the cloaked figure.
“Yin Jian, you may leave. Remember—no matter how our duel ends, do not cause trouble for this person or his subordinates.”
“Yes, Your Holiness. But… is he worthy of being your opponent?”
“That is not your concern. Why are you still here? Leave immediately. And do not allow anyone to disturb us.”
Yin Jian gave me a complicated look, bowed respectfully, and departed.
After he left, the voice of the Wolf God suddenly changed. It became much livelier.
“Phew! That fellow finally left. After so many years I nearly died of boredom! At last someone has come to play with me. I accept your challenge.”
I stared in disbelief.
“You are lonely?”
“If you stayed in one place for more than ten years, with everyone around you treating you with endless respect, wouldn’t you feel lonely too? Young man, show me your true appearance. You could deceive Yin Jian, but you cannot deceive me.”
There was no need to hide anymore.
As I removed the lionman mask, I said, “Then will Your Holiness also show me your true face?”
The Wolf God sounded surprised.
“You… you are actually a human?”
At the same time, the black cloak drifted aside.
What I saw shocked me even more.
The Wolf God truly had two wolf heads.
But that was not the surprising part.
One of his heads was golden, and the other was silver.
Both heads were extraordinarily beautiful. Even more strangely, they had a childish air about them. Their fur was fluffy and soft.
They actually looked… somewhat cute.