As Xiao Qing searched for the leader of the Shadow Wolf Pack, Xiao Feng suddenly came over and rubbed his head against Xiao Qing's arm.
"Xiao Feng, what's wrong? Did you notice something?"
"Awwooo!"
"?! Someone's coming this way, and you heard them talking about me!"
Xiao Qing's mood sank to rock bottom. With wolves ahead and tigers behind, getting away now wouldn't be easy.
Of course, even so, Xiao Qing wouldn't choose to surrender without a fight.
Xiao Qing summoned the Prism Ball and recalled A'Man from beneath the tree. It was a little dangerous to leave A'Man down there any longer.
About a quarter of an hour later, Xiao Qing heard the noisy voices of people, too.
The voices seemed to be coming from quite a distance away, so they were very faint.
But Xiao Qing could tell there were quite a few of them—at least four or five people were talking, and they were arguing.
"Are you sure it's this way? We've been wandering around this forest for three days and haven't seen a single ghost."
"The wanted notice said that kid had a Wind Shadow Wolf and an Iron-Armored Bear with him. They're easy to recognize. There've been signs of an Iron Armor Bear around this coniferous forest lately, along with wolf droppings. He's almost certainly nearby."
"One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins... Damn, that's enough to live it up for years."
"Don't just think about the money. If someone's offering a hundred thousand for that kid, he's got to have some ability. Don't let a gutter snake bite you."
"What's there to be afraid of? Our boss is a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor. That kid's, at most, a Soul Grandmaster. How strong could two beasts be? Last time he only got away because that damn turtle ambushed our boss. Otherwise, we'd have had those hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins already!"
"Enough. All of you, shut up! That brat isn't the only one around here. That Shadow Wolf Pack is no pushover either."
The group's arguing drew closer. Xiao Qing, lying on the tree, slowed his breathing and gently patted Xiao Feng's head.
Xiao Feng understood and pricked up his ears, listening to what the group was saying.
The group soon came into Xiao Qing's view.
There were nine of them, wearing mismatched leather armor and carrying an assortment of weapons: swords, blades, and axes.
Their leader was a one-eyed man. An eyepatch covered his left eye, while his right eye swept the surroundings with a gloomy look.
Xiao Qing stared coldly at One-Eye. He'd guessed that One-Eye might come back to look for him after refusing to accept his defeat, but he hadn't expected him to show up so soon.
"Stop."
One-Eye raised his hand, and the group halted. He crouched down to examine the tracks on the ground.
They were A'Man's footprints from earlier that day. Though Xiao Qing had already covered them up, One-Eye was clearly an old hand and had still spotted the signs.
"Iron Armor Bear tracks. Fresh—less than twenty-four hours old."
One-Eye stood up, a vicious glint flashing in his eye. "That brat really is in this forest!"
"Spread out and search. Use this spot as the center, and cover a one-kilometer radius. Don't miss a single trace. If you find the target, don't engage right away. Send a signal and wait for everyone to gather before moving in."
"Yes!"
The eight men answered and split into three groups.
One-Eye remained where he was and pulled a booklet from his clothes. The corner of the page with Xiao Qing's information had been folded over.
"Kid, you thought you could just take my Old Mountain Ginseng?"
One-Eye muttered to himself, put away the wanted notice, and chose a direction to search.
Up in the tree, Xiao Qing unconsciously clenched his fists.
Nine of them. Four Soul Elders, with the rest being Soul Grandmasters.
He stood no chance in a direct fight. The best option now was to quietly retreat before they found him.
But the Shadow Wolf Pack's territory lay ahead, and the Wolf King's blood essence was within reach.
Just as Xiao Qing weighed his options, a little wolf suddenly howled. The sound was small, but in the silent forest it carried clearly.
"Idiot! I should've drowned you in a latrine!"
By the time One-Eye reached his subordinate, the little wolf that had howled had already been killed.
After Xiao Feng told him that One-Eye and the others had gathered again, a plan suddenly came to Xiao Qing. He stood up and looked toward the wolf pack stirring in the valley.
A moment later, Xiao Qing leaped down from the tree. He released A'Man in midair and whistled.
At the signal, Xiao Feng rose and jumped down from the tree. A'Man, newly released, reached out and caught him.
One-Eye, who had been scolding his subordinate, immediately turned and ran toward Xiao Qing at the sound of the whistle.
The instant he saw Xiao Qing, delight flashed in One-Eye's eye, but he didn't rush to attack. Instead, he quickly surveyed the battlefield.
"Brat, so you really were here!"
Xiao Qing stood in front of A'Man, drew his short knife, and met Matthew's gaze.
"Kid, come with me quietly and you'll suffer less."
One-Eye spoke unhurriedly, but he couldn't hide the killing intent in his eyes. His creed in life was to repay every slight tenfold.
Xiao Qing had made him suffer a great loss and left him badly injured. How could he possibly let Xiao Qing go?
After returning, he'd paid a hefty price to find a healing Soul Master to treat his injuries, then rushed straight back to Star Dou Forest with his men.
Xiao Qing didn't answer One-Eye. Xiao Feng stood at his side, baring his teeth at One-Eye and rumbling a warning growl in his throat.
A'Man also activated Rock Armor and stood behind Xiao Qing, forming a triangular defensive formation.
"You refuse a toast, only to drink a forfeit!" Seeing Xiao Qing ignore him, One-Eye sneered. "Then don't blame me for being ruthless..."
Before One-Eye could finish speaking, something unexpected happened.
A long, drawn-out wolf howl rang out from deep in the forest.
Then came a second, a third... Dozens of howls rose from every direction, drawing closer as they rapidly closed in around them.
The Shadow Wolf Pack had been stirred.
One-Eye's expression changed. Even with four Soul Elders on their side, facing dozens of Shadow Wolves would cost them dearly, even if they won.
What's more, the Shadow Wolf Pack had a Wolf King. If they really came to blows, half his men might die.
But the little wolf's howl alone couldn't have stirred up the pack. And One-Eye hadn't let the little wolf live to return to them, so it couldn't have provoked the wolves into retaliating.
"Retreat!"
One-Eye made his decision at once. He swung both fists, forcing back two Shadow Wolves that had closed in, then turned and charged back the way they'd come.
His remaining eight subordinates forgot all about Xiao Qing and fled after him in disarray.
Some of the wolves chased after them, while the rest stayed behind. Their target seemed to be every creature that had trespassed on their territory, Xiao Qing included.
But Xiao Qing breathed a sigh of relief. Compared with One-Eye, he'd much rather face the wolf pack.
At least wolves didn't have hearts as filthy as humans.
He looked at Xiao Feng, who looked back at him. Resolve shone in the wolf's eyes.
"A'Man, clear a path. Xiao Feng, let's go!"
Xiao Qing took a deep breath, put away his short knife, and took out a well-maintained slingshot and some meat soaked in lure.
The Shadow Wolf Pack's arrival was all thanks to the meat Xiao Qing had just shot from the tree with his slingshot.
"Awooo~"
As the Wolf King's howl signaled the pack to retreat, the Shadow Wolves that had been chasing Xiao Qing stopped in their tracks, turned around, and ran back.
"We finally made it out alive!"
Riding on Xiao Feng, Xiao Qing let out a long breath. The Shadow Wolves had known the surrounding terrain well and stuck close behind him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake them off.
But before Xiao Qing could enjoy his relief for long, an unfamiliar voice came from behind him.
"Interesting. You're the little boy with a ten-thousand-Gold-Soul-Coin bounty who can control a Wind Shadow Wolf and an Iron-Armored Bear, right? I remember your name is Xiao Qing, correct?"
Xiao Qing drew his knife and turned around, shielding A'Man in front of him. He stared fixedly at the middle-aged man hovering in the air with a boy in his arms.
"Look at you, so young, yet already full of bloodlust! But don't worry. I'm a Soul Saint—I wouldn't stoop to attacking an eight-year-old child."
"I'm just curious: how did you get the Shadow Wolf Pack after you? They're not soft targets like Soft Bone Charm Rabbits."
"Oh, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Flender!"
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