Leaving with the wolf cub

The next second, something astonishing happened!

The wolves, which had been snarling and bristling with aggression just moments earlier, instantly fell silent. Every wolf lowered its head and dropped its tail in submission. Not one dared advance again. They slowly backed away, turned, and vanished soundlessly into the mountain forest without so much as a rustle!

Everyone stood dumbstruck!

The livestream chat froze for an instant, then exploded:

[I Am Ying Zheng]: Holy shit?! This Wolf Cub is incredible!

[UZI]: Already commanding respect like a Wolf King at this age! Amazing!

[Old hand]: What breed of wolf is this? That's unreal!

[Fearless]: They were vicious a second ago, and now they're submitting? Unbelievable!

[Hard work pays off]: Is this Wolf Cub for sale? I'll offer a million! Two million!

[Taoist Yifan]: Just what you'd expect from a cub Chen Hao found—even the wolf is ridiculously powerful!

Looking down at the Wolf Cub in his arms, Chen Hao smiled faintly. "He has the Moonshadow Wolf bloodline. He's barely been born, but he already has the makings of a Wolf King. Commanding a pack is child's play for him."

Cai Jingwen looked at the Wolf Cub in Chen Hao's arms, then at Chen Hao himself. Her sense of mystery about him had reached its peak. Everything around this man was strange and miraculous. He was like an endless treasure trove, impossible to resist exploring.

Chen Siyao proudly lifted her chin. "I knew it! My brother and the Wolf Cub are the best!"

Yang Wanqing waved her arms in excitement. "Oh my god! The livestream's popularity is almost at a million!"

They lingered no longer and turned back toward the car.

Sitting in the car, Li Li watched them return unharmed, even carrying a Wolf Cub. Her eyes went wide as saucers, disbelief written all over her face. She murmured, "This... how is this possible...? They're actually fine... and they even tamed the wolves..."

Chen Hao opened the door and carefully placed the Wolf Cub on the front passenger seat. The others climbed in one after another.

The breeze over Sayram Lake was still cool, the snowy mountains still shone brilliantly, and their road trip through the Northern Frontier continued. But now Chen Hao had two more traveling companions beside him, along with a Moonshadow Wolf cub bearing a Primordial Era bloodline.

The car returned to the winding mountain roads of the Northern Frontier. On the passenger seat, the palm-sized Moonshadow Wolf cub curled into a ball, his dusty gray fluff brushing the back of Chen Hao's hand as his little nose twitched with each snore.

Chen Siyao clung to the seatback, her sparkling eyes fixed on the Wolf Cub. "Brother! Let's give the little guy a name! We can't keep calling him 'wolf cub' forever!" She held up her phone, still livestreaming, and aimed the camera right at his fluffy head. The chat instantly flooded with messages:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Call him War God! He'll follow Celestial Master Chen and conquer the Northern Frontier!]

[Dongmen Chuixue: How about Moonshadow? Sounds like a wolf king!]

[Number one chowhound: Call him Milk Tea! Northern Frontier milk tea smells so good!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Call him Gray! So cute!]

Cai Jingwen turned her head. Her gentle gaze settled on the Wolf Cub before involuntarily drifting toward Chen Hao's sharply defined profile in the driver's seat. Her heart skipped a beat, and she suggested softly, "How about Moontrace? He has the Moonshadow Wolf bloodline—the trace left by moonlight. It suits him."

Chen Hao lightly touched Moontrace's ear with his fingertips. The little fellow nuzzled him sleepily and let out a soft whimper.

"Moontrace it is." His tone was casual, but Cai Jingwen's cheeks warmed slightly, sweetness filling her heart. He actually took my suggestion.

Chen Siyao immediately clapped. "Moontrace! That's a lovely name! Everyone in the livestream, our little wolf king is officially named Moontrace!"

After that string of unbelievable events, Li Li had long since forgotten her miserable divorce troubles. Sitting in the back seat, she leaned over and poked Moontrace. "This little guy is incredible. One howl scared off a whole pack of wolves. It still feels like a dream."

Chen Siyao chuckled. "He's a treasure my brother found. Of course he's amazing! My brother's been different since he was little!"

Cai Jingwen tightened her fingers around the hem of her dress and stole a glance at Chen Hao's profile, ripples spreading through her heart.

The closer she came to him, the harder she fell. Yet he remained utterly unruffled, his eyes holding only mountains, rivers, and the world beyond, without a trace of romantic feeling.

She sighed softly. Never mind. Being beside him like this, seeing all the sights of the Northern Frontier together, is enough.

Chen Hao held the steering wheel and looked straight ahead, completely unaware of the young woman's feelings behind him. He was merely considering how Moontrace's Moonshadow bloodline would still need time to awaken.

"Jingwen, where were you planning to go?" Chen Siyao asked, tilting her head.

Cai Jingwen smoothed the stray hairs the wind had tousled. "We originally planned to visit Nalati Grassland, then Bayanbulak, and then Swan Lake."

"What a coincidence!" Yang Wanqing slapped her thigh. "That's our route too! Isn't this fate?"

Messages flew through the livestream chat:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Fate! Definitely fate! Celestial Master Chen meets beautiful women wherever he goes!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Jingwen is so pretty. She and your brother look perfect together!]

[Dongmen Chuixue: That bull-stopping move earlier was pretty impressive, but my grandpa also subdued a wild horse with one hand when he was young.]

[Clear-Eyed Observer: Stop bragging, guy above. Your grandpa subdued a horse. He stopped a crazed bull. How is that the same?]

[Evening Breeze Meets the Woods: Wanqing, point the camera at the Wolf Cub! I want to see the Wolf Cub!]

Chen Siyao immediately aimed her phone at the Wolf Cub. With the camera right in his face, he opened his eyes groggily and gave a tiny yawn, revealing a tender pink tongue.

"Aaaah, he's so cute!" Yang Wanqing squealed.

The chat went wild:

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: I want to cuddle him!]

[I Am Ying Zheng: This Wolf Cub has an extraordinary presence. He's destined for greatness.]

[Dongmen Chuixue: Absolutely. That howl drove off an entire wolf pack. This is no ordinary breed.]

Looking at Chen Hao's profile, Cai Jingwen asked softly, "Mr. Chen, this Wolf Cub... are you planning to keep him with you?"

“Just call me Chen Hao,” he said calmly. “I'll raise it. Its mother entrusted it to me.”

Entrusted.

The word stirred something in Cai Jingwen's heart. She remembered the Wolf King's eyes just before she died—a mother's reluctance to leave her child, and her trust in Chen Hao. Even a wild beast was willing to entrust this man with her most precious treasure.

“But...” Li Li finally couldn't hold back. “He's a wolf! A wild animal! What happens when he grows up? And how will you raise him when you take him home? Aren't wolves banned in the city?”

Chen Siyao curled her lip. “My brother can raise whatever he wants. Who's going to stop him?”

Yang Wanqing chimed in too. “Exactly. Hao is so capable. What's wrong with him raising a wolf?”

Cai Jingwen looked at Li Li and gently took her hand. “Lili, if it hadn't been for Chen Hao, I might already be...” She paused. “Some people's abilities are beyond our understanding.”

Li Li opened her mouth, then remembered Chen Hao stopping the bull with one hand and swallowed her words.

In the livestream chat:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Exactly! How could ordinary mortals understand Celestial Master Chen's abilities?]

[Dongmen Chuixue: True. Stopping a charging yak with one hand takes strength even my grandpa probably doesn't have.]

[Chen Yong 784: So what's this guy's background, anyway? A retired national-team athlete?]

[Mysticism whiz: I've done a quick divination. This Mr. Chen is no ordinary man.]

[Onlooker: Another fortune-teller?]

The livestream chat kept scrolling madly, gift effects covering the screen:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Moontrace is a great name! Celestial Master Chen has excellent taste! Sending ten rockets!]

[Dongmen Chuixue: Moonshadow wolf god, you've got a bright future! Sending twenty cloud-piercing arrows!]

[Mysticism whiz: Can't wait for Moontrace to grow up and command the wolves!]

The car traveled west, entering the outlying ranges of the Kunlun Mountains. Tibetan-style buildings with red eaves and golden roofs gradually appeared along the road. Prayer flags snapped in the wind, and a faint scent of yak butter hung in the air.

“Brother! The Esoteric Buddhist Holy Land is just ahead!” Chen Siyao pointed at a road sign and cried excitedly. “Let's go have a look! I've wanted to see a Tibetan Buddhist temple for ages!”