Ancient Demonic Artifact

"Modern tracking instruments use signals between Magic Energy; when you get down to it, they're no different from cell phones making calls, so Demon Beasts can easily detect them. And Demon Beasts with exceptionally sharp senses, like Swiftwind Wolves, find even magical marks glaringly obvious."

In the lounge, Wang Feng sat across from Bai Mo. A small compass lay on the table before him as he continued, "But tracking magic artifacts are different. This is a magic artifact invented by Lu Ban, an ancient master artificer, specifically for situations like this. Their range is usually quite large too. It's just a pity that the forging technique has already been lost..."

Seeing that Wang Feng, who had been rambling for fifteen minutes, was about to keep going, Chu Yunlong impatiently waved a hand to cut him off.

"Alright, alright, we know it's precious~! Little White isn't going to use it and refuse to return it. Commander Yang is still waiting."

"Little White." Bai Mo's mouth twitched.

"Ah, wait, no, what I meant was, Brother Bai, I'm giving this thing to you! But Old Chu, you have to vouch for me. Get Commander Yang to write me a receipt later so I can get reimbursed!"

"..." Chu Yunlong froze for a moment, then rolled his eyes at him irritably. "So all that buildup was for this? Fine, I agree."

Having achieved his goal, Wang Feng immediately broke into a grin. The higher-ups might not reimburse him for the money he had spent on the Spatial Tracking Magic Artifact, but they would at least give him a magic tool of decent quality.

He pushed it forward and urged Bai Mo in a carefree manner, "Come on, little brother, bind it quickly."

Bai Mo glanced at this captain whose attitude had changed completely before and after, thoroughly impressed by the performance.

Without another word, he raised a hand and picked up the black magic artifact, which looked remarkably like a compass. He easily imprinted it with his soul mark.

The method of using the magic tool naturally surfaced in his mind as well.

When the tracking magic artifact disappeared from Bai Mo's palm, Wang Feng knew that he had bound it. He and Chu Yunlong rose to their feet together.

"Let's go. Any later, and Commander Yang will start cursing."

In the forests of Third Peak, Bai Mo was surrounded by several burly men dressed in Military Mage uniforms.

Before him lay a Swiftwind Wolf that had already been knocked unconscious.

Bai Mo stared at the tracking magic artifact in his hand, as did the burly men surrounding him. As he poured Magic Energy into it, a faint silver glow rose from the small black disc.

As the silver light lit up, it was as if the correct key had been entered to open a treasure chest.

A tiny hole appeared in the center of the compass, and a needle-shaped crystal glowing with the same silver light sprang out. A mysterious fluorescent gleam fell upon the unconscious Swiftwind Wolf.

"Isn't that still a magical mark?" Wang Feng was dumbfounded. He had no idea how tracking magic artifacts actually tracked their targets.

Commander Yang Biao shook his head. "This isn't an ordinary magical mark. It should be a special mark transformed through the magic tool. I can't sense the slightest anomaly on this Demon Beast."

Although Yang Biao could not yet cast High-Level Magic, he had genuinely broken through to the high level. His perception was that of the high level.

Therefore, once he finished speaking, the other four also breathed sighs of relief.

They looked toward the compass in Bai Mo's hand. On its black surface was a white dot and a small triangle, its pointed tip aimed at the white dot.

"The white dot marks the Swiftwind Wolf's location," Bai Mo explained. Everyone nodded; they had already figured that out.

"Hide. Let this Swiftwind Wolf lead us there." Yang Biao nodded, his gaze toward Bai Mo filled with admiration. The Bai Family had produced an extraordinary genius.

He was only in his second year of high school, yet he was already Elementary Level 3. Too bad he was from the Bai Family—otherwise, he would have found a way to recruit him into the military.

The group hid within the crown of a tall tree and watched as the Swiftwind Wolf groggily got to its feet, picked up the Dustwind Raccoon's heart beneath it, and ran in one direction.

With Bai Mo's magic artifact, they were in no hurry. They waited quietly for a while, until the Swiftwind Wolf had run far away.

Only then did they emerge from their hiding place.

Bai Mo looked at the direction indicated by the pointer on the compass in his hand, then pointed in the direction opposite to where the Swiftwind Wolf had disappeared and said to Yang Biao and the others, "That way!"

"Hmph! That wolf cub really is cunning. Let's go." Yang Biao snorted softly and started forward.

After taking two steps, he came back. Looking at Bai Mo with a smile, he said, "Little brother, you lead the way. Don't worry—with me, Yang Biao, here, I guarantee you won't lose a single hair!"

"Alright!" Bai Mo agreed readily, his expression calm as he walked at the front and led the way as if he were on an ordinary patrol.

Nothing unexpected happened along the way. However, the mages in the group with the Wind Element could sense that the Wind Attribute in this area had grown much thinner.

"We're almost there!" Bai Mo glanced at the compass and was about to lead the group onward when he felt a large hand press down on his shoulder.

"Wait. I sense an unusual aura ahead." Yang Biao kept his hand on Bai Mo's shoulder and looked at Chu Yunlong in the group. "Take them forward under cover. I'll bring Bai Mo ahead first to assess the situation."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took Bai Mo with him, their figures slipping silently into the shadows like ice and snow melting into water.

Bai Mo found it fascinating. This was his first time being pulled into the shadows by someone else. The world of shadows was flat; he could only feel an icy chill and a force repelling him.

Without Yang Biao leading him, he would be cast out of the shadows and exposed in an instant.

As Yang Biao led him onward, Bai Mo said, "The direction hasn't changed. It's right ahead."

"I see it!" Yang Biao stopped. His voice became grave and solemn, and Bai Mo could feel the hand on his shoulder tighten.

Sensing something was wrong, Bai Mo stopped examining the world of shadows and followed Yang Biao's gaze forward.

He saw an enormous head that had turned fully around. It was a wolf's head, with drops of blood falling from its slightly open jaws.

On its forehead, a black eye-shaped marking flickered in and out of view.

Then came its enormous body, glowing with cyan light. Its curled limbs slowly rose, long and powerful.

"Shadow Wolf!"

Bai Mo cried out inwardly. Though he did not understand why the Shadow Wolf's fur had changed from gray to glowing cyan, he immediately guessed the Demon Beast's identity from the marking in the center of its forehead.

The Shadow Wolf was a Commander-Level Demon Beast, proficient in shadow and wind magic, and incredibly fast.

As this information flashed through his mind, he felt the wolf's gaze had never shifted from them. His heart clenched, and he reacted at once. "It found us, Commander Yang!"

"I know!" Yang Biao said slowly, one word at a time. He could clearly sense that this Demon Beast was no ordinary commander—it was a Commander-Level creature in the Advancement Stage!

Before an Advancement-Stage Commander-Level Shadow Wolf, his secondary Dark Element cultivation truly was not enough. The Demon Beast was certainly troublesome, but what lay behind it was even more important.

His eyes examined the stone pool exposed after the Shadow Wolf rose, as well as several ores beside it that gave off a cyan glow.

That was Wind Demon Ore! Having worked in mining before, he would never mistake it.

"Awwoooooo—!"

The Shadow Wolf let out a long howl as it stared at the two human mages, and rustling running sounds immediately arose from the previously empty forest clearing.

At the same time, several slender wind blades formed beside the Shadow Wolf and slashed toward the shadows where they were hiding.

"Earth Wave!"

Yang Biao lightly stamped the ground, taking Bai Mo out of the shadows and dodging to the side.

Before he had even steadied himself, a beautiful star chart unfolded beneath his feet. He released Bai Mo.

"Don't worry about killing enemies. Chu Yunlong and the others will be here soon. Protect yourself."

After giving that warning, flames rose across his body. Having witnessed Bai Mo's strength on the way here, he was not too worried that those Swiftwind Wolves could do anything to this student.

"Fierce Fist!"

Scarlet starlight and blazing flames gathered in his fist. Facing the charging Shadow Wolf, Yang Biao had no intention of dodging. His red-glowing fist shot straight forward.

"Booming Heaven!"

BOOM!!!

A massive flaming fist appeared out of thin air. Meeting the oncoming Shadow Wolf, it crashed into it like a train running at full speed.

The grass and trees along its path, along with several Swiftwind Wolves, were reduced to ashes and charred remains.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!

With a thunderous explosion, the sea of fire churned. The rocket-like blast sent the Shadow Wolf staggering backward, but the bursting flames did not inflict much damage on it.

Within only a few breaths, the Shadow Wolf extinguished the flames burning on its body, revealing slightly scorched fur.

The faint burning pain also awakened more of the Shadow Wolf's ferocity. Blade after blade of wind gathered at its side once more.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

The wind blades fell like rain, slashing toward Yang Biao and Bai Mo.

"Mind Control!"

Bai Mo's gaze sharpened. Before Yang Biao could cast his magic, he seized three Swiftwind Wolves charging at him and sent them flying into the incoming wind blades.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!!

For a moment, sounds like tearing leather rang out without end. Yang Biao nodded, secretly praising the boy for having some combat talent.

"Commander Yang, the Swiftwind Wolves in the surrounding area have been pacified. Wang Feng and the others have finished the battle and are heading your way."

The voice in his earpiece made Yang Biao breathe a sigh of relief. The reason Commander-Level and higher Demon Beasts were so difficult to deal with was that a single Intermediate-Level mage could hardly handle them.

Aside from their naturally powerful physiques, which required more and stronger magic to deal fatal damage, there were also their seemingly endless Demon Beast underlings.

This Advancement-Stage commander was even more so. In a one-on-one fight, he might not be able to defeat it, though he could escape. But with so many servants blocking the way earlier, he had nowhere to run.

Now, without the underlings holding him back, Yang Biao seemed not to feel the pain on his skin as though it were being raked by fierce winds, like being hung upside down, even as the Shadow Wolf charged again and slashed at him with its claws.

"Heavy Light Shield!"

Clang!

A shield flashing with dazzling golden light accurately blocked the Shadow Wolf's claw strike. The tremendous impact forced Yang Biao to slide backward several meters.

In Bai Mo's eyes, a dark star chart floated behind Yang Biao. At his chest, light and shadow twisted, and a massive shadow nail could vaguely be seen hovering there.

"Giant Shadow Nail!"

With a flick of his finger, Yang Biao cast Intermediate-Level shadow magic before the Shadow Wolf could launch another attack.

A massive, nearly invisible shadow nail silently streaked through the air and pinned the Shadow Wolf standing right before him.

"Commander, the Swiftwind Wolves are about to break free from their pacified state!"

"Good! I see them. Retreat!"

Having issued the order, Yang Biao steadied himself, then used Earth Wave to reach Bai Mo in a single step.

Knowing the Giant Shadow Nail would not be able to restrain the Shadow Wolf, also a master of shadows, for long, he grabbed Bai Mo and rode the rolling earth waves to rendezvous with the two Military Mages who had come to assist them.

Afterward, the three of them took turns using displacement magic to quickly evacuate from the area.