Gilded Divine Script

Little Flame's soft crimson fur rapidly turned transparent in his field of vision. What finally emerged was a Divine Mark Diagram that made him suck in a sharp breath.

Gilded.

That was the first word to pop into Lin Yi's mind.

The entire set of Divine Markings spread through Little Flame's body, from the tip of its tail to the tips of its ears, from its limbs to its spine. Every line shimmered with a calm yet noble gilded hue.

Those golden markings were unlike any beast Divine Markings he had seen before. Instead, they carried an indescribable... spirituality.

What shocked him most was their complexity.

He had thought that after seeing the Lava Giant Ape's ten-percent Divine Markings, he had already been mentally prepared for the word "intricate."

Yet the density and complexity of this Gilded Divine Mark Diagram within Little Flame did not pale in the slightest compared to that giant ape's.

And the densest, most profound portion of the entire diagram was concentrated around its eyes.

"...I've struck it rich."

Lin Yi's mind raced wildly as he pushed his Spirit Eyes to their limit, platinum-white glimmers flashing fiercely in the depths of his pupils.

Every structural detail of the markings in his vision was imprinted into his mind without the slightest discrepancy.

"Hehe, Little Flame, then Big Brother won't stand on ceremony."

A roguish grin spread across Lin Yi's face as he leaned even closer to Little Flame, looking as shifty as a seasoned child trafficker lurking at a street corner.

He held Little Flame's two front paws, leaned in, and stared unblinkingly into its eyes. The expression on his face was so punchable it begged for a beating.

Little Flame was enclosed in his arms, its amber-gold eyes fixed straight on the face he had brought close.

Then—

It rolled its eyes dramatically.

That eye roll was textbook-perfect, dripping with disdain and a clear "I've put up with you for a long time." It was full of spirit.

If anyone who did not know the truth saw it, they would absolutely wonder whether this fox had become a spirit. Well... it really had become one.

Lin Yi was wholly focused on recording the Divine Markings and did not notice Little Flame's expression at all. But the village chief, walking ahead of them, did.

The old man had been leading the group at the front, occasionally turning his head to make sure everyone was keeping up.

This time, when he turned around, he saw Lin Yi holding Little Flame, white-gold light spilling from his eyes as he stared at it with a wicked grin.

Put bluntly, the sight was downright lecherous.

The village chief paused, and one of his brows twitched almost imperceptibly.

"...You little rascal, what are you doing?"

The village chief's voice was not loud, carrying the unhurried drawl unique to old men, yet it was especially clear within the quiet group.

Lin Yi abruptly snapped out of his recording state. Raising his eyes, he met the village chief's face that plainly said, "You'd better confess honestly." His back instantly stiffened, and his hands reflexively gathered Little Flame closer to his chest. "N-No, nothing!"

"Nothing? Then why are you staring at Little Flame?"

"I—" Lin Yi opened his mouth, clearly lacking confidence. "I was just..."

The village chief stared at him for several breaths. The old man did not ask anything else. He merely turned back around and continued leading the way, tossing out a remark. "Don't make Little Flame angry. Its scratches hurt quite a bit."

Lin Yi let out a long breath of relief. Little Flame in his arms rolled its eyes again.

The village chief did not press further. Lin Yi knew in his heart that this was probably simply because the old man trusted him.

He had no intention of explaining either. Things like Spirit Eyes and Super Brain would only make people worry more if he told them.

The road ahead grew much quieter. While following the group onward, Lin Yi continued recording the Gilded Divine Markings within Little Flame, wholly absorbed in the task.

Up ahead, the village chief occasionally spoke to correct their direction, while Mang and several hunting team members spread out along both sides of the group, keeping watch.

The forest path along the edge of the Great Wilderness was fairly level, and they encountered no real danger along the way.

During that time, two small beasts at the Initial Blood Resonance realm darted out from the grass. They were not much larger than household dogs, and the moment they showed themselves, Mang dispatched them with one clean stroke each.

Lin Yi did not even get a chance to make a move.

Only when dusk gradually settled did the village chief finally raise his hand and point ahead.

"That cave up ahead is the first rest stop. We'll spend the night there."

Lin Yi looked in the direction the village chief indicated. At the foot of a stretch of low cliffs along the edge of the Great Wilderness, there was indeed a natural cave. Its entrance was broad enough to hold twenty or thirty people.

But the instant his gaze fell upon the cave, his pupils shrank slightly.

"Village Chief, there are already people by that cave."

Firelight flickered faintly in the direction of the cave, and several figures could be seen at its entrance. Someone was crouched outside, building a fire.

The village chief slowed his steps and casually raised his right hand. The hunting team members behind him immediately understood. Mang's hand had already settled on the hilt of his blade, while the other members silently adjusted their positions, forming a loose defensive formation.

"Stay alert. Let's approach first," the village chief said in a low voice.

The group steadily moved closer.

The firelight at the cave entrance grew clearer and clearer, and the people there noticed them as well. Several people by the fire rose at once, the weapons in their hands reflecting cold glints beneath the flames.

The two sides faced each other across a distance of more than twenty zhang, the wariness in the air nearly solidifying into substance.

In the Great Wilderness, one's own kind never meant safety. Sometimes, one's own kind meant even greater danger.

Amid the standoff, a solidly built middle-aged man stepped forward from the other group's camp.

He looked to be in his early forties. His face was half-lit and half-shadowed by the firelight, and his blood and qi aura was deep, steady, and at the Mountain-Sinking Realm. His eyes swept swiftly across Lin Yi and the others as he spoke in a booming voice.

"We're from the Gray Wolf Tribe. Which tribe are you from?"

The village chief slowly stepped forward, placing himself within a range where his figure could be recognized in the firelight. His tone remained calm. "We're from the Bluestone Tribe."

"The Bluestone Tribe?" The middle-aged man's brow moved slightly as his gaze swept over the crowd again.

"I know the Bluestone Tribe. But shouldn't Biao be leading your group? And you are?"

The village chief was somewhat surprised. "You know Biao?"

"We met at the past few Trade Gatherings. I recognize that great blade." The middle-aged man paused, then looked the village chief over again. "Biao from your tribe didn't come?"

The village chief answered frankly, "Biao was injured and is recovering in the tribe. I'm leading the group to the Trade Gathering this time."

The moment his words fell, Mang behind the village chief leaned half his body forward, and the firelight illuminated his face.

Mang called loudly to the middle-aged man, "Cang Lan, it's us!"

The middle-aged man called Cang Lan focused his eyes on them, and his tense shoulders finally relaxed.

He turned and gestured to his tribesmen behind him. They all lowered their weapons.

Cang Lan angled his body toward the cave and raised a hand in invitation. "It's getting dark. It isn't safe outside. Come in first."

The village chief hesitated briefly, then turned to look at Lin Yi.

Lin Yi nodded faintly. His Spirit Eyes had already swept quickly over the area around the cave, and he had found no ambushes or abnormalities. Only then did the village chief step forward, leading the Bluestone Tribe members into the cave one after another.

The inside of the cave was deeper than it looked from outside. The Gray Wolf Tribe had brought around a dozen people, spread out in a semicircle on the right side near the entrance. Though they remained wary after seeing them enter, their gazes were relatively friendly.

Taking advantage of Cang Lan stepping away, Mang moved beside the village chief and spoke quickly in a lowered voice.

"His name is Cang Lan. Biao dealt with him at the last few Trade Gatherings. Biao said the man was fairly upright, though they weren't close."

The village chief nodded, his expression unchanged.

At that moment, Cang Lan also took the initiative to approach. He cupped his hands toward the village chief, his tone carrying a trace of apology. "I offended you earlier. When we see strangers, our first reaction is always to be on guard."

The village chief waved a hand. "No need to apologize. Meeting an unfamiliar tribe in a place like this, staying vigilant is the right thing to do. We would have done the same."

The two exchanged a few simple pleasantries. The village chief suggested dividing the cave in two, with each group taking half and not disturbing the other. Cang Lan readily agreed.

Holding Little Flame, Lin Yi leaned against the stone wall on the left side of the cave and watched the two tribes settle into their respective places, separated by the fire.

The village chief lowered his head and glanced at Little Flame. It was curled in Lin Yi's arms, licking its paws, its amber-gold eyes half-closed and its demeanor peaceful.

The village chief calmly withdrew his gaze. Little Flame had shown neither hostility nor wariness, which meant the Gray Wolf Tribe people harbored no ill intentions.

Lin Yi's hands gathered Little Flame farther back against his chest.

He lowered his head to glance at the little fox resting with its eyes closed in his arms, his fingertips quietly brushing the tuft of silver-white fur at the tip of its tail.

"You little thing, your bloodline isn't simple at all," he muttered in a voice only he could hear.

The tips of Little Flame's ears twitched faintly, but it ignored him.