Just as doubts began to stir in Fang Qianyuan's mind, a rustling suddenly came from the bushes beside the mountain path ahead.
Fang Qianyuan looked over warily, only to discover, to his surprise, a gray wolf emerging from the bushes. It sat there like a large dog, watching them.
Gong Yuan reminded him, "Don't be nervous. This isn't a wild wolf."
Fang Qianyuan asked in surprise, "Not a wild wolf?"
The gray wolf before him was not an incarnation forged from spirit essence by a Spirit Tamer, something that could be nurtured within the spirit sea and summoned into physical form. It was a genuine creature of flesh and blood.
Yet what puzzled Fang Qianyuan was that, upon seeing him and Elder Gong, it showed none of an ordinary wild beast's unease or hostility. Instead, it was as docile as a large dog.
A vague thought flashed through Fang Qianyuan's mind. He seemed to have some idea of what this place was.
"Could it be... this is where our sect keeps its wolf packs?"
"Exactly. You've finally figured it out, though that isn't quite accurate. This is only the Wolf Valley our Training Institute fenced off for itself. It can't even begin to compare with the sect's Wolf Sage Paradise!" Gong Yuan said with a smile.
Surprise showed on Fang Qianyuan's face as he urged the blue-eyed gray wolf beneath him to slow down. The gray wolf sitting beside the path merely tilted its head, its eyes holding an indescribable spark of intelligence as it watched him draw closer.
Suddenly, the gray wolf rose, turned, and slipped into the bushes, disappearing from sight.
"Uh..."
Fang Qianyuan stretched out a hand, intending to call to it, but for some reason, the gesture felt rather strange. He could only lower his hand