"Roar~"
"Awooo~~"
In a valley somewhere deep in Wushan, Linley held a dagger and crouched slightly, warily watching the area ahead.
Four wild wolves stood in a line, their forelegs lowered as they prepared to attack at any moment.
"Huff~ Huff~ Huff~"
Linley quickly adjusted his breathing so it wouldn't affect the fight.
"Linley was far too reckless this time."
Inside the Coiling Dragon Ring, Doehring sensed the battle outside and furrowed his brow.
He didn't dare speak to Linley directly just then, afraid of distracting him.
An eight-year-old child had actually dared to venture deep into Wushan and fight a pack of wolves.
Even though Linley could now cast magic and was a first-level mage, he could only cast one spell, and casting it took a fair amount of time.
In Doehring's eyes, this was far too dangerous.
Yet for some reason, Linley had stood firm in his decision. No matter how Doehring tried to persuade him, nothing worked.
"Ah, these old bones of mine!" Doehring shook his head helplessly. "I hope nothing happens, or else..."
Doehring's gaze grew profound.
Though he was now only a soul, he had once been a Saint-level powerhouse.
He could still manage to cast a few spells.
But doing so would consume the essence of his soul.
Still, if Linley were truly in danger, Doehring wouldn't hesitate to protect him.
Meanwhile, outside the ring,
Linley's breathing gradually steadied.
The pack had originally numbered seven wild wolves, and Linley had already killed three.
The remaining four had refused to give up, chasing him all the way into the valley.
But Linley wasn't worried. If anything, he was a little excited.
Energy Point: 6 White Energy Points
Looking at the system information before him, Linley's lips curled slightly.
Each wild wolf was worth 2 White Energy Points.
The four wolves in front of him could still yield another 8 Energy Points.
The next moment, Linley's lips moved, and obscure magic incantations spilled from his mouth.
As beasts, the four wild wolves naturally couldn't understand why Linley was making those sounds.
They only bared their teeth and growled at him.
"Earth Spike!"
When he finished the incantation, Linley shouted.
"Pfft~"
A spike about thirty centimeters long suddenly thrust out of the ground beneath the wolf in front, piercing clean through its waist.
The wolf's body hung limply from the spike, twitching weakly.
The other three wolves were startled by the sudden turn of events.
But Linley was already moving.
"Pfft~"
The sound of a blade sinking into flesh rang out. Linley stabbed another wolf through the eye socket.
"Awoooo~~~"
The wolf howled in agony. Linley held its head in place with one hand and twisted the dagger with the other.
With its brain destroyed, the wolf's howling abruptly stopped.
The other two wolves recovered and lunged at Linley.
But Linley retreated, choosing to put more distance between himself and the two wolves.
The stench of blood from their dead companion kept provoking them.
Farther away, Linley crouched slightly, staring intently at the two remaining wolves.
"Earth Spike~"
The next moment, Linley cast the spell again.
This time, however, the spell only slashed open one wolf's belly. It didn't kill it.
The only uninjured wolf saw this and tucked its tail between its legs, preparing to flee.
"Where do you think you're going, you beast!"
Linley roared, planted his right foot against the ground, and charged after the wolf.
"Die!"
Linley raised the dagger high and brought it down hard.
"Crack~"
The dagger plunged into the wolf's back, striking its spine. A crisp cracking sound rang out.
The wolf ran a few steps forward from the force of its momentum, then toppled to the ground.
Linley turned back. The wolf whose belly had been slashed was now barely breathing.
A huge gash split its abdomen, and its entrails spilled across the ground.
"Crack~"
Linley stepped forward, gripped the wolf by the neck with both hands, and ended its suffering.
Energy Point: 14 White Energy Points
Linley opened the Attribute Panel and glanced at his balance, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
The blood smeared across his face, though, made him look rather frightening.
Especially with his young, eight-year-old face, set against a valley thick with the smell of blood.
"Linley." Doehring emerged from the Coiling Dragon Ring, his face dark. "Leave here at once. This strong stench of blood will attract stronger beasts. There might even be Magical Beasts."
Doehring's serious expression brought Linley back to his senses, dispelling his joy at the victory.
In a hurry, Linley hoisted the wolf carcass, its innards already emptied, and headed out of Wushan.
"Roar~"
Not long after Linley left, a black bear over two meters tall arrived in the valley.
The bear sniffed the air, then fixed its gaze on the direction Linley had gone.
It wanted to chase after him, but it also didn't want to leave the wolf carcasses in the valley.
After hesitating for a moment, the bear ultimately gave up the chase.
If it went after Linley, there was no guarantee it would get any meat. If it stayed, there was meat right there.
Before long, the sound of chewing echoed through the valley.
Linley, however, knew nothing about any of this.
"Linley." Doehring floated beside him, his expression stern. "You absolutely mustn't take such risks again."
"Grandpa Doehring." Seeing Doehring's stern expression, Linley felt deeply touched. "Don't worry. I always know what I'm doing. I'd never put myself in danger."
As Linley spoke, he kept his gaze fixed on Doehring's.
For a moment, Doehring fell silent.
Linley really was a sensible child. Could it be that I'd underestimated him?
To become strong, one couldn't just focus on cultivation. Fighting was essential.
But Linley was still so young—he wasn't even nine yet!
If Linley were fourteen or fifteen, Doehring wouldn't have said so much.
Had I really been spoiling Linley too much?
"Very well." Doehring finally gave a slight nod. "I won't interfere with your decisions from now on, but you have to promise me that you'll never do anything beyond your abilities."
"Don't worry, Grandpa Doehring." Linley smiled when he heard that. "I promise I won't."
The disagreement between grandfather and grandson was soon resolved.
"Linley, what are you going to do with that wolf carcass?" Doehring asked, puzzled, as he looked at the wolf slung over Linley's back. "Its meat is tough and tastes awful."
"Grandpa Doehring, you forgot." Linley grinned. "There's still a mouse in the back courtyard that's so hungry it's been eating stones and wood!"
"You mean the Mutated Shadow Mouse we saw yesterday?"
Doehring sounded surprised.
Last night, during the final part of Linley's treasure hunt, they'd seen a Shadow Mouse darting around everywhere.
It was only about the size of a palm, but it was very fast.
From Doehring's estimation, it moved as quickly as a fourth-level warrior.
And for a Shadow Mouse, it had the unusual habit of gnawing on stone.
That was why Doehring had called it a Mutated Shadow Mouse.
"That's right, Grandpa Doehring." Linley nodded with a smile and pointed at the wolf carcass on his back. "I'm going to use this to make that Shadow Mouse my Magical Beast."
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