Water wolves rarely set foot on land, but an enemy invading their home was a different matter.
Sensing the approach of Fang Yuan's wolf pack, this wild water wolf pack charged out of its den and clashed with his wolves.
His wolves' charge was checked.
He gave a cold snort, activated Wolf Howl Gu, and at the same time dispatched three reinforcements.
The wild water wolf pack only held for a moment before the pressure overwhelmed them—they were quickly scattered, their fate sealed.
In the distance.
"Chieftain, our things are still back there," a Chai elder said, staring resentfully.
Chai Zhang, the chieftain, sighed heavily. "Forget it. Better to lose the goods than lose our lives."
"Should we stay and watch? A man like Chang Shanyin might not be interested in those three black-skinned fat armored beetles," another Chai elder said hopefully.
But Chai Zhang saw clearly. He snorted coldly. "If you're not afraid of offending Chang Shanyin and bringing his slaughter upon us, you can stay."
That elder's face stiffened.
"Hmph, you think the Zhong clan wouldn't have thought of that? Even if Chang Shanyin doesn't want them, we won't get those supplies! With a powerhouse like Chang Shanyin here, we can't stay at Crescent Moon Lake. Let's pack up and leave while we can." Chai Zhang waved his hand, his tone a mix of helplessness, anger, and mostly powerlessness.
The Chai clan was a small tribe, weak in strength. Especially on the eve of the ten-year blizzard, with the battle for the Royal Court raging. Dragons and snakes rose from the land, and the entire Northern Plains was torn by conflict, a chaotic age.
Clans like the Chai were like small skiffs in the vortex of chaos, adrift at the mercy of the storm. Only by attaching themselves to a stronger power could they increase their chances of survival.
The Chai clan struck camp and left without hesitation.
Soon after, Zhong clan's scout Gu Master, still shaken, reported to Zhong Feiyou: "Sir, the Wolf King has won a decisive victory. With a snap of his fingers, he wiped out that wolf den. Out of over four thousand water wolves, he incorporated nearly three thousand, losing only three hundred of his own."
Zhong Feiyou and the clan's high-ranking members were stunned.
Such a loss ratio was terrifying! No wonder his pack had replenished so quickly.
"Chieftain, you didn't see it with your own eyes. Chang Shanyin's command skills were otherworldly, elevated to the level of art!" the scout added, wiping cold sweat from his forehead.
Zhong Feiyou snorted coldly, unwilling to let his clan's pride fall. He forced out: "Chang Shanyin has a Ten-thousand Water Wolf King, while the leader of that wild pack was only a Thousand-beast King. Once engaged, the water wolf pack would be suppressed by the Ten-thousand Wolf King, weakening their combat power and making them easier to subdue. What happened to those three black-skinned fat armored beetles?"
The scout replied: "They were all swept up by Chang Shanyin."
Zhong Feiyou's face darkened.
This time, he had tried to steal a chicken but lost his rice. Not only had he failed to seize the supplies, but he had also soured relations with the Chai clan.
For that matter, the Chai and Zhong clans were in-laws, with close ties before. Otherwise, they wouldn't have migrated together and chosen to camp side by side for mutual support.
But the present world was cruel.
Now, the Royal Court struggle. For the Zhong and Chai clans, it wasn't just about interests; it affected the very survival of both clans.
Past feelings were merely a means to maintain those interests. When the time came to discard them, they were cast aside without hesitation.
Inside the royal tent, a stifling silence.
After a long while, Zhong Feiyou exhaled turbidly: "A man like Chang Shanyin is beyond the combined efforts of our entire clan. But he's not the only power in the Northern Plains. There are as many as three Slave Path Masters stronger than him! We'll note this. Once we ally with Young Master Liu Wenwu, sooner or later we'll pay back what happened today!"
The Zhong clan elders nodded in agreement.
Not long after, the Zhong clan also struck camp and set off.
Nine days later, Fang Yuan returned to the Ge clan camp, leading a wolf pack several times larger.
Ge Guang led the Ge clan's high-ranking members to welcome him from ten li away.
"Grand Elder, your cultivation has recovered?!" When Ge Guang sensed Fang Yuan's peak fourth-rank aura, he was both surprised and delighted.
Fang Yuan nodded and replied coolly, "Recovered. It was time."
Back then, Chang Shanyin's cultivation was at the peak of the fourth rank. Later, in a massive battle with Hatugu's bandits, he was gravely wounded, near death, and slept hidden underground.
But now, Fang Yuan's first aperture had reached the peak of the fifth rank. Although still suppressed by the Northern Plains, it still emitted a fifth-rank initial level aura.
The current peak fourth-rank aura was merely a disguise using Concealment Gu.
As for his second aperture, because it had been the first to enter the Northern Plains and was recognized by it, it didn't suffer from the suppression of foreign realms and remained at peak third-rank.
By concealing his level and then slowly releasing his aura, he could not only keep trump cards hidden but also allow others to get used to it gradually.
Fang Yuan followed the Ge clan high-ranking members back to the camp.
The Ge clan camp was being expanded, and everywhere were bustling scenes of construction. A large number of mortal slaves, even Gu Master slaves, were being freely commanded by the Ge clan members.
The victor becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit. Such is the cruelty of war, and also its beauty.