Chapter 333: The Vanished Wolf Pack
But that strange power, born of the moonlight, was like tissue paper before Shen Daoxing's Venerable Power. It disintegrated on contact.
In a single breath, the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolf King had fallen at Shen Daoxing's hands.
The surrounding Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolves froze for a moment before the reality of the situation hit them. They all took a step back in unison, then, without the slightest hesitation, turned tail and fled.
But they had only managed a few steps before the colossal form of the Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat materialized, blocking their path.
With a snap of its cavernous, blood-red jaws, the Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat swallowed a huge swathe of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolves.
The Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat hadn't had a proper meal since leaving Tianze. With such a delectable feast laid out before him, there was no way he would pass up the opportunity.
The colossal body of the Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat swept through the valley grassland like a gray hurricane under the moonlight, and entire sections of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolf Pack vanished with it.
In a matter of moments, not a single wolf from the once-dense pack remained in the valley.
A gentle breeze stirred the rippling green grass. It was as if the wolf pack had never been there at all.
Meanwhile, the Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat lay contentedly on a hilltop, its belly swollen and taut. It rubbed its stomach and let out a satisfied burp.
He hadn't eaten his fill like this in a long, long time. The Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat opened its mouth and used a claw to pick its teeth, eventually dislodging a wolf bone and tossing it aside.
"Let's go back."
Shen Daoxing's voice was calm and measured.
"SQUEAK!"
The Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat chirped in response. Its massive body abruptly shrank back to its original size. After scurrying around the grassland for a moment, it zipped over and burrowed into the front of Shen Daoxing's robes.
「The next day.」
The sky slowly brightened as warm sunlight spilled into the valley. A gentle breeze rustled through the grass, sweeping away all traces of the previous day's events.
Ma Wan opened his eyes and looked out of the cave. He saw Shen Daoxing sitting on a rock with his eyes shut.
Ma Wan stared blankly for a second before a sudden thought made him leap to his feet. He rushed over to Shen Daoxing in a panic, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him. "Kid! We told you to keep watch for the wolf pack, and you're out here sleeping? If those beasts had snuck up on us, we'd all be dead!"
Ma Wan was furious, but then he sensed something was off. He snapped his head up and looked out at the valley.
All he saw was a valley of lush, swaying grass under a gentle breeze—a picture of vibrant tranquility. Where were the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolves? Where was the pack?
Ma Wan froze, staring blankly at the empty valley, his face a mask of confusion. "The pack... left?"
"Kid, what... what on earth happened? Why did the wolves just disappear?"
Ma Wan whipped his head around to stare at Shen Daoxing in bewilderment.
Shen Daoxing just shook his head calmly.
At that moment, the others in the cave began to wake up. As they emerged, they too were greeted by the sight of the empty valley.
Chu Guifeng was dumbfounded.
So was Qian Gui.
And Luo An and Luo Xi.
Everyone froze, staring at one another in disbelief.
After a long moment, Luo An was the first to snap out of it, his face breaking into a wide grin. "This is great! The wolves retreated!"
With that, he started to rush out into the valley.
But he had barely taken a single step before Chu Guifeng grabbed him and pulled him back.
"Hold on! This could be a trap," Chu Guifeng said, his voice grave. "These Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolves are incredibly cunning. We can't let our guard down. Let me scout ahead first."
Luo An froze, then quickly pulled his foot back. A wave of fear washed over him. 'He's right,' he thought, 'the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolves are known for their cunning.'
The entire group grew tense, holding their breath in suspense.
Chu Guifeng then stepped out of the cave. Parting the tall grass, his eyes darting warily from side to side, he advanced slowly into the valley.
One step, two steps, three... By the time Chu Guifeng reached the center of the valley, the area remained perfectly still. There was only the swaying grass and the gentle breeze. Not the shadow of a single wolf, to say nothing of an entire pack.
Still, Chu Guifeng didn't lower his guard. He continued forward cautiously, heading toward the valley exit.
One step, two steps, three... Chu Guifeng reached the mouth of the valley. The surrounding bushes were silent. There was still no sign of any wolves.
He then scanned the area around the valley exit, performing a thorough check. Only after confirming that the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolf Pack was truly gone did he turn back and wave to the others, signaling that it was safe.
The group stared for a second, then erupted into cheers. "It's true! The wolves are really gone!"
Everyone excitedly poured out of the cave and rushed toward the valley exit, the oppressive, deathly atmosphere that had clung to them completely vanishing.
Meanwhile, Ma Wan, who was trailing at the back, still wore a look of utter disbelief. He couldn't understand why the wolves would suddenly retreat for no reason.
They had been just a hair's breadth from being slaughtered.
Ma Wan numbly walked out of the valley and up to Qian Gui. "Old Qian, have you ever heard of a Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolf Pack letting prey slip through its grasp?"
"No. Never."
Qian Gui replied, his expression dazed. Then, he suddenly broke into a laugh. "But we're still alive, aren't we?"
Then, as if remembering something, he immediately led the trade caravan off in a specific direction. The cargo he'd been forced to abandon was still out there.
Shen Daoxing followed at the back of the group at an unhurried pace. Ever since entering the Jiuli Mountain Range, he felt as if he had been touching the threshold of the Earth Profound Realm. But just as he felt it was within reach, the sensation would vanish.
Tucked away in his robes, the Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat was still letting out little burps.
Elder Mu, holding Xin by the hand, walked beside Shen Daoxing, completely unsurprised by the wolf pack's disappearance.
Qian Gui was in luck. When he found his abandoned merchandise, he checked it over carefully and discovered that not a single item was missing.
Apparently, the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolf Pack had been so focused on driving them into the valley that they hadn't stopped to tamper with the cargo.
Still, it was clear the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolf Pack had intended to wipe them all out.
'A pack led by a Wolf King is truly terrifying.'
Qian Gui recalled the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Wolf King, which had been on the verge of a breakthrough, and a shudder of lingering fear ran through him.
'That was too close.'
'We almost ended up as food for the entire pack.'
'But why did they suddenly retreat?'
The question nagged at Qian Gui.
"Alright, everyone, get ready! We need to get moving."
Chu Guifeng moved to the head of the group and began rearranging their formation, preparing to set out once more.
He did a quick headcount. After the encounter with the wolves, many in their party were injured, but miraculously, no one was missing. They were incredibly fortunate.
The woman who had remained hidden in her carriage finally disembarked. Her old servant supported her as they walked.
However, the woman still wore a thick veil that completely obscured her features.
Shen Daoxing, however, noticed something strange. The woman's hands were stiff and rigid, not like a person's at all. They looked more like the hands of a puppet.