The Gale Wolf King, Wolf King's Plea

Zhao Wuji led Xiao Qing and Oscar, continuing to head northeast toward the Sunset Forest along the transition zone.

As they ventured deeper, signs of human activity diminished significantly, and the trees grew taller and denser.

"Gale War Wolves are pack-dwelling spirit beasts with fixed ranges and a strong sense of territory."

As he walked, Zhao Wuji spoke in a low voice, imparting his experience to the two behind him. "To find them, you must first look for the marks they leave behind."

"Secondly, keep an eye out for the remains of spirit beasts in the area. Gale War Wolves prefer to hunt using wind blades that slice cleanly, leaving very neat wounds. If you see such carcasses, it often means their nest is nearby."

Xiao Qing listened intently, striving to memorize every detail Zhao Wuji mentioned. Oscar also tried his best to remember; these tracking skills would be equally valuable for his future career as a spirit master.

On the evening of the third day, in a hilly area covered with low shrubs and tumbleweeds, Zhao Wuji came to a halt.

Zhao Wuji pushed aside a cluster of weeds at the base of a shrub, revealing several large animal bones underneath that had been gnawed clean, their edges cut smooth.

"Look here, a typical Gale War Wolf 'dining table.' Their lair should be in the nearby hillsides or cave areas."

Having said that, Zhao Wuji turned to look at Xiao Qing, his expression serious. "Are you certain you want to challenge the Wolf King directly?"

"Based on the current clues, it is a Gale Wolf King of over 1,600 years. With its pack, even a Soul Ancestor would find it troublesome to deal with."

"Although I will be watching, once the battle begins, things change in the blink of an eye."

"I am certain."

Xiao Qing's reply was short and forceful.

"Good." Zhao Wuji said no more and turned to Oscar. "You stay here, find a hidden spot to conceal yourself, and no matter what happens, do not come out."

"If other spirit beasts are attracted to this area, use your signal flare, then use a Mushroom Sausage to protect yourself and wait for my return."

Oscar nodded hurriedly, applied ointment to mask his scent, and quickly hid behind a massive boulder.

Zhao Wuji gestured to Xiao Qing, and the two moved forward one after the other, silently creeping toward the rocky slope.

They stopped about a hundred meters from the base of the slope, where they could already clearly hear the low howls of wolves and the playful sounds of wolf pups coming from above.

Zhao Wuji did not hide his presence; instead, he stepped forward, releasing his aura as a Spirit Saint without restraint. It was like a giant boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly shattering the tranquility of the hilly region.

A commotion erupted immediately atop the rocky slope, and the wolf howls became rapid and filled with warning.

Following this, over a dozen agile, blue-gray figures flashed out from behind rocks and cave entrances, crouching low with threatening growls rumbling in their throats.

The Gale War Wolves that leaped out were a size larger than ordinary wild wolves, with blue-gray fur, sharp claws, and fierce glints in their eyes.

These Gale War Wolves were clearly well-trained; they quickly spread out, forming a loose semi-circle that subtly surrounded Zhao Wuji and Xiao Qing.

Behind the pack, on a large, protruding rock, an exceptionally robust figure slowly stood up.

That was the Wolf King.

Its size was nearly half again as large as an ordinary Gale War Wolf, its shoulder height reaching nearly to the waist of an adult man.

The Wolf King let out a howl, and the surrounding pack immediately ceased their growling, though they did not withdraw, maintaining their attack posture.

It recognized Zhao Wuji's strength, but as the Wolf King, it had to stand its ground.

Xiao Qing stepped forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhao Wuji, his gaze calm as he met the Wolf King's stare.

Zhao Wuji crossed his arms and stepped aside; he was not the protagonist of the coming battle.

The Wolf King's gaze shifted from Zhao Wuji to Xiao Qing, a flicker of human-like confusion and scrutiny passing through its eyes.

Xiao Qing's thoughts stirred, and Xiao Feng and A'Man appeared beside him simultaneously.

As soon as Xiao Feng appeared, its gaze locked firmly onto the Wolf King opposite, a low, rumbling growl vibrating in its throat. A'Man let out a low roar, its massive body crouching slightly as it moved to block Xiao Qing's side, assuming a defensive stance.

Without any wasted posturing, Xiao Feng moved directly, utilizing Phantom Shadow to create an illusion and circling at high speed in an attempt to disrupt the Wolf King's judgment.

A fierce light flashed in the Wolf King's eyes; it did not dodge, but instead, blue light surged over its body as it raised a claw wreathed in wind-attribute energy, pouncing toward Xiao Feng and its phantom.

At that very moment, A'Man, who had been coiled like a spring, moved.

It did not wait for the Wolf King's attack to land; instead, it predicted the landing spot of the pounce and condensed Earth Armor in advance to block the strike.

Bang! The Wolf King's sharp claws struck A'Man's thick shoulder armor, producing a dull, heavy thud. A'Man's body shook violently, but it withstood the blow without retreating a single step.

In the split second when the Wolf King's strike was blocked and its old momentum was spent before new strength could arise, Xiao Feng's figure appeared like a ghost at the Wolf King's side, aiming directly for its relatively soft flank.

The Wolf King reacted with incredible speed, twisting its waist in an impossible maneuver to narrowly avoid the vital spot, though its ribs were still slashed open by Xiao Feng's claws.

It let out a long howl, and several wind blades materialized out of thin air, covering Xiao Feng and A'Man in a fan-shaped barrage.

Xiao Feng relied on its speed to dodge nimbly. A'Man took the wind blades head-on, white marks appearing on its body, but its defense remained unbroken.

The more the Wolf King fought, the more alarmed it became.

That Iron Armor Bear had astonishing defense, like an immovable lump of iron, while that Wind Shadow Wolf was incredibly fast with tricky attacks, specifically targeting its defensive gaps and the moments of transition between its strikes.

What frustrated it even more was that several times it tried to unleash a powerful spirit skill to eliminate one of them, it was always perfectly interrupted or blocked by the other.

Its wind blade attacks had limited effect on the Iron Armor Bear, leaving only white marks, and its speed could not keep up with the Wind Shadow Wolf, leaving it to only watch the wolf flicker constantly before its eyes.

The battle had lasted less than ten minutes.

The Wolf King already bore over a dozen wounds; although they were not deep, their accumulation began to slow its movements.

Taking advantage of the moment the Wolf King was caught off guard, A'Man launched a sudden attack to distract it, and Xiao Feng seized the opportunity to slash at the joint of one of the Wolf King's forelimbs.

The Wolf King let out a pained howl, its body staggering.

A'Man seized the opportunity, his massive frame slamming hard into the Wolf King's side and sending it tumbling away; it struggled for a few moments, unable to stand back up immediately.

The outcome was decided.

The surrounding pack let out restless stirrings and low growls, but under the sweep of Zhao Wuji's icy gaze, not a single one dared to step forward.

Xiao Qing walked forward with Xiao Feng following closely behind, while A'Man stood faithfully on his other side.

Looking at the Wolf King collapsed on the ground, Xiao Qing did not issue the order for a final strike, nor did he have Xiao Feng or A'Man knock it unconscious.

Xiao Qing gestured to Xiao Feng, who then stepped forward to stand before the Wolf King, attempting to communicate with it.

The Wolf King struggled to lift its head, looking at Xiao Feng with even greater confusion in its eyes.

It understood the general meaning Xiao Feng conveyed: this human required a drop of its essence blood for a certain ritual, and in exchange, he could grant it one reasonable request.

The Wolf King fell silent.

It looked at Xiao Feng, then at Xiao Qing standing calmly not far away, and finally at Zhao Wuji, who radiated a terrifying aura.

After a long while, the Wolf King let out a low, weary howl.

"It says it can voluntarily give a drop of essence blood. But it has a request."

"A few months ago, a 2,800-year-old Earth Armor Dragon Lizard occupied their river valley and drove them out. Their current territory is too small and food is scarce, causing the survival rate of the cubs to drop."

"It hopes we can help them drive away or kill that Earth Armor Dragon Lizard to reclaim their original river valley."

Upon hearing Xiao Feng's words, Xiao Qing nodded almost without hesitation.