It was deep into the night. The wind in Barren Stone Gorge carried a dry chill as it threaded through the rocks, letting out low, mournful whines.
The campfire had already gone out, leaving only dark red embers faintly glowing in the darkness.
Five sleeping bags formed a circle, while Flender and Zhao Wuji took turns keeping watch.
Flender had taken the first half of the night, and Zhao Wuji had relieved him for the second half.
Zhao Wuji sat on a boulder with his arms crossed, his eyes closed.
He was not asleep, merely dozing lightly.
His ears constantly caught every sound around them. Nothing, not even the slightest rustle of wind or grass, could escape his senses.
Time passed little by little.
The night grew deeper, and everything remained as silent as usual.
Just as Zhao Wuji was about to shift his posture, his ear suddenly twitched.
A faint patter of footsteps came from afar. They were light and scattered, unlike those of a large soul beast, more like a group of small predators on the move.
Zhao Wuji opened his eyes and swept his gaze through the darkness. His nostrils flared slightly, and then he frowned.
Wolves.
Not just one—an entire pack.
He stood and walked over to Flender's sleeping bag, giving it a kick. "Old man, wake up."
Flender opened his eyes without a trace of grogginess, flipping to his feet in an instant. "What is it?"
"A wolf pack."
Zhao Wuji lowered his voice.
"There are quite a few of them. More than thirty. They're closing in on us."
Flender narrowed his eyes in the darkness.
With his and Zhao Wuji's cultivation, a pack of wolves posed no threat. But there were three children in the group, and one of them had just absorbed a