The Wolf Pack Attacks

Dou Qi Cultivation was quite interesting, especially before reaching the Dou Wang realm.

The Dou Qi stage was a period of nurturing. The Dou Qi cultivated at this stage could mostly only nourish the muscles and bones, strengthen the body, and greatly enhance one's physical constitution. Likewise, it was the foundation that determined how far one could go in the future. Most youths lacked the patience to slowly temper their muscles and bones at this stage, blindly pursuing breakthroughs in strength until they exhausted their potential.

A Dou Zhe condensed a Qi vortex and gained preliminary control over Dou Qi, allowing them to empower their attacks with it. Though they could not release it externally, it could greatly enhance their strength, defense, and speed, somewhat resembling internal energy.

A Dou Shi transformed Qi into liquid, gaining the ability to release Dou Qi externally for the first time and condense a gauze-like Dou Qi garment. At this stage, the body's enhancement increased dramatically, and one could begin learning to control Dou Techniques.

For a Da Dou Shi, the liquid Dou Qi condensed into solid crystals, somewhat like the Golden Core stage of immortal cultivation. Their Dou Qi began increasing drastically, and they could also condense Dou Qi Armor. At this level, one could secure a place in some remote small city.

Dou Ling was the final stage before Dou Wang. This stage was more like a process of tempering Dou Qi, allowing one to condense Dou Qi into real objects to fight enemies.

Just like the Golden Flame blade Yao Yan had condensed using the Profound High-Rank Dou Technique—Blazing Fire Blade. However, he had achieved this through a Clever Trick. If he did not possess a beast flame like the Illusory Gold Flame within his body, accomplishing this would not have been easy. It allowed him to gain early control over an ability only a Dou Ling could normally wield.

Condensing Dou Qi into objects!

Of course, this was also related to Yao Yan's somewhat abnormal Physical Fitness. With the talent of his previous body, he could not have done this.

Yao Yan pondered for a moment. With a thought, the Golden Flame blade hovering above his palm instantly turned into dazzling golden fire. It then flowed like golden magma, covering his entire body in an instant. He closed his eyes and sensed it. The next moment, the Illusory Gold Flame covering his body became solid, identical to the previous state of the flame blade.

He opened his eyes and Knocked on his arm. The sound of metal striking metal immediately rang in his ears. Its defensive power was clearly quite good.

"This state is somewhat like the Golden Light Spell."

A trace of surprise flashed through Yao Yan's eyes as he Secretly Thought to himself.

However, maintaining this state consumed a great deal of Soul Power and required him to keep the Dou Technique running at all times.

After pondering for a moment.

Yao Yan dispersed this little trick. The minor methods he was tinkering with were useful for now, but not particularly useful.

He understood the nature of Dou Qi very clearly. The cultivation system of the Dou Qi Continent enhanced all aspects of a person. As long as one's level rose, the strength of one's body would increase as well. Whether it was speed, defense, or strength, all would be enhanced. Dou Techniques could only make up for such gaps to a certain extent.

Just as among Dou Sheng Level experts in the later stages, even a single star's difference was an overwhelming advantage.

"I'll study it later. I should inspect the surroundings first and make sure it's safe."

After thinking it over, Yao Yan circulated Dou Qi through his body and leaped toward the dense forest around him. He needed to examine the environment first. Barring any surprises, he would be staying here for quite some time.

Yao Yan did not know exactly How Old the Shennong Mountain Range was, only that it was an unimaginably vast mountain range. Perhaps only Dou Zun level experts could barely measure it. To him, still merely a Dou Zhe, even a single valley was enough to keep him busy for several hours.

It was not until dusk that Yao Yan returned to the cave, carrying a First Order Magical Rabbit in his hand. He skillfully skinned it, lit a fire, and began roasting it.

His Storage Ring did not lack cultivation resources, but he had to find his own food.

While the flames roasted the rabbit.

Yao Yan rose and walked to the Cave Mouth, using vines on the cliff wall to conceal it. He then took out a bottle of medicinal powder from his Storage Ring and scattered it around. The powder had been refined to imitate the scent of high-level Magical Beasts. It was not expensive, but its effect was excellent, capable of driving away some Low-Rank Magical Beasts too foolish to know better. This was a method he had learned from the Iron Guard of the Yao Clan.

As for high-level Magical Beasts, any Magical Beast above the fifth order possessed intelligence no weaker than a human's. Scent alone could not conceal anything from them.

Yao Yan did not need to worry about Magical Beasts of that level. He believed Yao Nong would handle them properly.

Since the other man had dared to leave him here, it meant there were no high-level Magical Beasts in this area. His afternoon search had confirmed this. There were not even traces of humans in the vicinity. It was a remote wilderness with few resources, and the strongest Magical Beasts here were only second order. They would not be difficult for him to deal with.

If he used the Illusory Gold Flame, even second-order Magical Beasts would not dare confront him head-on.

Once he had eaten and drunk his fill, Yao Yan extinguished the fire, sat cross-legged, and entered a cultivation state. The surrounding Heaven and Earth Energy swiftly enveloped his body. However, compared to Pill Cauldron City, the Heaven and Earth Energy in this valley was much thinner, barely enough to support his cultivation. Fortunately, he had pills to assist him, so it would not affect anything for the time being.

Cultivation time always passed quickly. Before he knew it, moonlight streamed into the cave through the gaps between the vines.

At the same time, wolf howls rose outside the cave, one after another.

At first, Yao Yan paid them no heed. Only when the howls gradually drew closer did he realize something was wrong. He interrupted his cultivation, and a flicker of golden flame flashed in his eyes. Being interrupted during cultivation was an unpleasant feeling, but the approaching howls outside made him afraid to continue.

He was currently in the Shennong Mountain Range. This was not a safe place like Pill Cauldron City.

"How could this be..."

Yao Yan glanced at the medicinal powder scattered at the Cave Mouth and frowned. He believed the Yao Clan's Iron Guard would not joke with him about such matters. Besides, he had been on good terms with the man at the time and had even refined a second-grade Qi Recovery Pill for him to restore Dou Qi.

He closed his eyes and spread out his Soul Power. Over the years, his Soul Power had also strengthened considerably due to the Yao Clan's Dou Di Bloodline. If not for his Dou Qi limiting him, he would have even wanted to try refining a Fourth Grade Pill.

Very soon, he sensed every movement within several Hundred Meters.

More than a dozen wolf-like Magical Beasts were slowly approaching the cave.

"These are second-order Frost Wolves?"

Yao Yan's gaze swept over the medicinal powder at the Cave Mouth again. With the powder's ability to confuse Magical Beasts, how did second-order Frost Wolves dare approach? Perhaps some special fourth-order Magical Beasts might be capable of it.

He had no interest in fighting a pack of second-order Frost Wolves in the middle of the night.

After pondering briefly.

Yao Yan raised his hand and released the Illusory Gold Flame, making no attempt to conceal its temperature or aura. He wanted to use the high-level Magical Beast aura naturally carried by the Illusory Gold Flame to send the second-order Frost Wolves outside a message: this place was dangerous!

"Whimper, whimper~"

As the Illusory Gold Flame appeared, the cries of the Frost Wolves outside immediately turned fearful. Magical Beasts were extremely sensitive to auras.

The Illusory Gold Flame under Yao Yan's control originated from a Seventh Order Magical Beast—the Fire Scorpion Dragon Beast. For a Magical Beast like this that contained a trace of Dragon Bloodline, its intimidation toward Low-Rank Magical Beasts was obvious.

"Awooo!"

At that moment, a savage wolf howl drowned out the cries of the Frost Wolves.

Yao Yan's gaze sharpened, for his Soul Perception detected a wolf-like Magical Beast with an even more powerful aura: a third-order Frost Wolf King.

"My luck really is good..."

Yao Yan could not help mocking himself. No wonder these second-order Frost Wolves had dared approach the cave. It was not that the medicinal powder had failed, but that a wolf king commanding the pack had appeared outside. A wolf king of a third-order Magical Beast pack already possessed considerable intelligence. Perhaps it had sensed the fluctuations of energy here, or perhaps it was something else. It had led a group of Subordinates here to hunt.

Wolf-like Magical Beasts had always been a type of Magical Beast that preferred hunting in packs.