Tears Flowing Upstream

"Hmm?!"

Gui Mei noticed the male wolf's gaze as well!

"How is that possible?"

"With its aura hidden to this extent, how could a mere ten-thousand-year Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf still detect us?"

The Soul Power Gui Mei had released had cut off the auras of all three of them.

Under normal circumstances, with the Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf's abilities, it should have been impossible for it to discover them.

Yet it really was looking in their direction.

Hu Liena lowered her voice.

"Can it see us?"

"Theoretically, it can't."

Gui Mei raised a hand, black Soul Power gathering between his fingers.

"But that look in its eyes..."

He could not be certain either.

And before this—had its roar at him truly meant it had discovered him?

Could the Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf possess some unknown detection method?

The male wolf forced its battered body upright.

Its eyes shifted as it first glanced at the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast.

Then, it actually turned its head and looked toward where the three of them were.

"It really found us!"

Gui Mei frowned slightly.

If the male wolf came over, the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast might discover their location.

"It seems to be... coming toward us."

Hu Liena saw one of the male wolf's hind legs dragging across the ground.

It was walking toward the three of them.

Every few steps, it spat out great mouthfuls of blood.

Gui Mei frowned.

"Could it be that, even at death's door, it still wants to attack Soul Masters?"

"Soul Beasts' hostility toward humans is indeed etched into their instincts, but in this situation..."

Soul Power had already begun gathering in his hand.

If the male wolf really came closer, he would try to kill it without revealing himself.

Then he would quickly relocate with Li Zha and Hu Liena!

If they were targeted by a forty-thousand-year Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast, Li Zha and Hu Liena would be in grave danger!

"Grandpa Gui, wait."

"Senior Gui, wait."

Hu Liena and Li Zha spoke at the same time.

Hu Liena gave Li Zha an incredulous look.

Gui Mei halted the flow of Soul Power.

He looked at Hu Liena first.

"Have you gone softhearted?"

Hu Liena watched the male wolf draw ever closer.

She truly could not bear it.

"Grandpa Gui, let's see what it wants to do... It can't hurt us anymore..."

Gui Mei was indeed not worried that the male wolf could harm them.

At present, the male wolf was clearly on the verge of death.

The Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast could kill it with a casual swipe.

But it had not.

The more intelligent a Soul Beast became, the more likely it was to develop strange habits like this to entertain itself.

Torturing Soul Beasts weaker than itself to death was one of their few pleasures.

Gui Mei slowly turned to Li Zha again.

"And what's your reason?"

Li Zha replied evenly, "It has no intention of attacking us, and I'm curious too.

"Why did it suddenly give up attacking the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast when it was so enraged?"

Gui Mei nodded. "That reason is a little better than Nana's."

"What do you mean? They're obviously the same!" Hu Liena pouted.

By then, the male wolf was only thirty meters away from them.

There was no Soul Power gathering within its body, nor had it raised its claws.

If it wanted to launch one final attack, it should at least have mobilized its remaining Soul Power.

Now, it was merely struggling forward.

Li Zha could clearly see the male wolf's eyes.

From them, two streams of tears occasionally flowed upward.

They were being blown upward by the heat rising from the flames on its body.

The male wolf shuffled forward a few more steps.

Its ears drooped completely.

It looked utterly free of hostility.

On the contrary, it seemed to be trying to please them.

Just like the female wolf before.

Only, the towering killing intent on its body was still plain to see.

Li Zha stared at its movements and suddenly spoke.

"It's asking us for help."

Hu Liena froze.

"For help?"

Li Zha looked at the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast, which was still chewing on flesh and blood.

"It wants us to help it kill that Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast."

Gui Mei's brow tightened.

"A Soul Beast wants a Soul Master to avenge it? Do you think that's possible?"

Li Zha did not answer immediately.

There had never been any trust between Soul Beasts and Soul Masters.

When Soul Masters encountered ordinary Soul Beasts, they thought of Soul Rings and Soul Bones.

When Soul Beasts encountered Soul Masters, they attacked directly as well.

But the male wolf before them had no other choice.

It could not kill the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast on its own.

If it charged again, it would only suffer further humiliation.

The female wolf and her unborn cubs could not possibly come back to life either.

The male wolf suddenly stopped.

It raised the front paw it could still move and clawed a mark into the ground, then turned to look at the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast.

"Awoo!"

This wolf howl no longer carried rage.

It sounded more like a plea.

Hu Liena's breath caught.

"Is it really begging us?"

Gui Mei did not lower his guard.

"Ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts already possess considerable intelligence. It isn't completely impossible for it to make such a choice."

"But why would it think we'd help it?"

The Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast finished the last piece of flesh.

It opened its mouth and licked the blood from its teeth.

Then it turned its massive body and began walking toward the male wolf.

Thud, thud.

With every step it took, shattered stones nearby rolled outward.

The male wolf heard the movement.

It glanced back.

The Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast clearly had no intention of sparing it.

The male wolf did not have much time left.

Gui Mei raised his hand.

"If it comes another ten meters closer, I'll deal with it."

Hu Liena hurriedly grabbed Gui Mei's wrist.

"Wait a little longer."

"Nana, there's still a forty-thousand-year Soul Beast here."

Gui Mei lowered his voice.

"If the male wolf draws it over, our position will be exposed as well."

"By then, I can protect myself, but I may not be able to protect both of you at the same time."

"Just wait a little longer."

Li Zha had been watching the male wolf's eyes the entire time.

It rarely looked at Gui Mei or Hu Liena.

Most of the time, it was looking in Li Zha's direction.

Or rather, it was looking at Li Zha's right hand.

The Flaming-tipped Spear had not been summoned.

Yet ever since the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast appeared, the temperature in Li Zha's right palm had never dropped.

Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolves were naturally adept at sensing flames.

Gui Mei had concealed the Soul Power auras of the three of them.

But he could not completely conceal the fire-attribute fluctuations between the Flaming-tipped Spear and the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast.

Li Zha was basically certain now.

That was why the male wolf had been able to discover them.

"It isn't looking for us."

Li Zha suddenly spoke.

Gui Mei paused briefly.

"What do you mean?"

"It's looking for me."

Hu Liena immediately turned to Li Zha.

"Why is it looking for you?"

"The Flaming-tipped Spear."

Li Zha raised his right hand.

A red glow had already appeared in his palm.

When the male wolf saw that red glow, its ears immediately perked up.

Dragging its ruined leg, it shuffled forward once more.

This time, it was noticeably faster.

Gui Mei's fingers tensed.

Black Soul Power rapidly gathered.

"Stop!"

The male wolf could not see him.

Nor could it understand his words.

Naturally, it did not stop.

It ran until it was only fifteen meters from Li Zha, then suddenly lowered its body.

Its three usable legs bent slightly before pushing off at once.

"Awoo!"

The male wolf let out a grief-stricken howl and charged straight at Li Zha.

"You're courting death!"

Gui Mei's expression changed abruptly.

He stepped in front of Li Zha, the Soul Power in his hand ready to strike at any moment.

But in the next instant!

The direction in which the male wolf charged was not aimed at any of them!

It was the massive boulder ahead where they were hiding!

"What?!"

Gui Mei's brows knitted tightly.

He had not yet figured it out.

The male wolf slammed headfirst into the boulder!

Bang!!