All the clues linked together in his mind: the solitary Wolf King, the immature spirit medicine, its abnormal tolerance... Mu Bai suddenly rose to his feet, a bold guess surfacing in his heart.
The Silver Moon Wolf King had just given birth to cubs! The Dragon Sparrow Grass was meant for the cubs!
The thought made Mu Bai's heart race.
If it was true, then the Wolf King had to leave regularly to hunt and nurse its young. That would be his only chance!
To verify his guess, Mu Bai decided to risk returning for another look.
He regulated his breathing for a moment. Once his injuries had stabilized, he quietly made his way back toward Spirit Mist Valley.
At noon the next day, Mu Bai hid behind a massive boulder, his gaze locked on the Dragon Sparrow Grass a hundred zhang away.
The Silver Moon Wolf King was still guarding it. From time to time, it gently nudged the spirit medicine with its nose, seemingly checking how ripe it was.
Suddenly, a succession of wolf howls rose from afar.
The Wolf King immediately lifted its head, its ears twitching alertly.
The howls continued without pause, as though conveying some sort of message.
The Wolf King grew somewhat restless, pacing back and forth around the Dragon Sparrow Grass and repeatedly glancing toward the source of the howls.
At last, it let out a deep, answering howl. After casting one last reluctant look at the Dragon Sparrow Grass, it finally strode away.
Mu Bai held his breath and waited patiently for half a quarter-hour. Only after confirming that the Wolf King had truly left did he cautiously approach the Dragon Sparrow Grass.
He did not dare pluck it rashly. Instead, he carefully inspected the surroundings.
Sure enough, in a patch