No one paid him any attention, but the short, stocky city lord didn't dare show the slightest displeasure. He waited in place, trembling, listening as the group of people whispered among themselves for a while. They seemed to mention a few names, and also brought up Heavenly Wolf Valley.
After a moment, the group dispersed in a flurry, and not a single person had glanced at him the entire time. Shortly afterward, dozens of figures leaped into the air and departed.
Only then did the short, stocky city lord let out a long breath. He felt his back was drenched with sweat, experiencing an inexplicable sense of relief at having narrowly escaped death.
By now, he knew perfectly well that this group of powerhouses hadn't come for him or his city—they were merely passing through. He really had no idea which bastard had provoked these two great factions, causing so many powerhouses to mobilize at once and leaving him sitting on pins and needles. He cursed viciously in his heart, which helped him feel a bit more at ease.
Heavenly Wolf Valley was an enormous valley surrounded on all sides by towering mountains. There was only a single passage in and out.
As the most outstanding rising talent of Heavenly Wolf Valley, Lan He held an extraordinarily lofty position within the valley. She led Yang Kai inside, and immediately a disciple guarding the entrance stepped forward to greet them: "Elder Lan!"
As they spoke, the disciple curiously sized up Yang Kai, wondering what his relationship with Lan He could be. This was the first time they had ever seen her bring a man back to the valley.
"Are these the Howling Moon Heavenly Wolves?" Yang Kai looked up at the two enormous stone sculptures flanking the valley entrance. They were clearly ancient, standing over a dozen zhang tall, both posed in the act of howling at the moon. Their surfaces were mottled and weathered, bearing the marks of countless ages.
Before, Yang Kai might not have known what creatures the sculptures depicted, but after hearing Lan He's words, he naturally guessed that they were the Howling Moon Heavenly Wolves.
Lan He smiled and nodded. "That's right. The very foundation upon which our Heavenly Wolf Valley was established is the ancient sacred spirit, the Howling Moon Heavenly Wolf. These were left behind by our founding ancestor. They've been here for twenty to thirty thousand years."
"Magnificent indeed." Yang Kai nodded, offering no shortage of praise.
Sacred spirits were not to be underestimated. Despite how loudly he had blustered against the Phoenix in the Ancient Grounds, acting as though he had her completely cornered, if he had truly angered the Phoenix into a real fight, he suspected he might not have been her match.
The Howling Moon Heavenly Wolf was also a sacred spirit, and naturally would not be weak.
"Please, Brother Yang." Lan He smiled faintly and gestured with her hand.
Yang Kai nodded and walked into the valley with her.
Lan He led the way, saying, "I'll take you to see the Valley Master first. If you want to go to Spirit Beast Island, we'll need his help."
Yang Kai hesitated. "This won't put your Valley Master in a difficult position, will it?"
Lan He pressed her lips together and smiled. "Don't worry, the Valley Master will agree." She blinked and added, "I forgot to mention, Brother Yang—the Valley Master is my master. What the disciple has agreed to is the same as the master agreeing."
Yang Kai chuckled.
There were quite a number of disciples in Heavenly Wolf Valley—roughly three to four thousand—spread throughout the valley. There were also some spiritual peaks within, though they were smaller than the mountains surrounding the valley. The spiritual energy between heaven and earth was rich and dense, and the fragrance of flowers was delightful. It could truly be called a place of extraordinary spiritual beauty.
Moreover, Yang Kai spotted many wolf demon beasts throughout the valley—some in groups of three to five, some alone, and others running freely in large packs. The disciples of Heavenly Wolf Valley showed no fear of them whatsoever. Some even kept wolf demon beasts as companions. The sect's unique character was unmistakable, and Yang Kai silently marveled: worthy of being Heavenly Wolf Valley—they were truly committed to living alongside wolves.
As they were walking, a fierce and savage aura rushed toward them. A gray wolf the size of a small calf suddenly blocked their path. Yang Kai clicked his tongue in amazement, for this wolf demon beast was clearly a twelfth-ranked demon beast—in other words, equivalent to a Human Emperor Realm powerhouse.
However, its aura didn't seem particularly strong, so it was probably only at the early stage of the twelfth rank.
What surprised Yang Kai even more was that he could sense a trace of Lan He's aura emanating from this wolf. Recalling everything he had seen, a vague guess formed in his mind.
Sure enough, when Lan He saw the giant wolf, her face lit up with a smile. She rushed over and patted the wolf's head. "Little Five, were you waiting for me?"
The giant wolf nuzzled its enormous head against Lan He's chest, looking extremely affectionate.
Lan He played with it for a moment, then turned and said, "Little Five, let me introduce you. This senior brother is Yang Kai, the one who saved my life back then." She then said to Yang Kai, "This is my war wolf, Little Five."
Their eyes met. The wolf's gaze was sharp, and it dipped its head in a nod, expressing its gratitude to Yang Kai in an almost human manner. Yang Kai knew that twelfth-ranked demon beasts had already awakened their spiritual intelligence and were far beyond ordinary demon beasts. He cupped his fists and said, "Greetings, Brother Five."
The giant wolf let out a howl, looking quite displeased.
Yang Kai was taken aback.
Lan He doubled over with laughter, her body shaking with mirth. "Brother Yang," she said, barely able to contain herself, "Little Five is female."
The words had barely left her mouth when a series of crackling sounds erupted from the giant wolf's body. Its massive form twisted and shifted, suddenly transforming into a burly woman. She stood a full head taller than Lan He, with a broad frame, powerful splayed fingers, and sharp nails like blade edges. She wore a short jacket on top and a short skirt below, her round, thick thighs exposed to the air. The bulging muscles clearly harbored explosive power. She shook her fist violently at Yang Kai and roared, "Are you blind?!"
Yang Kai was incredibly embarrassed, but how was this his fault? Who could have known whether it was male or female just now?
Lan He jumped up and slapped the back of her head. "Don't be rude!"