Chapter 135: Returning to One

A group of dark shadows burst out from the forest, charging toward the camp.

Dang Guiyi turned to flee, yet he did not forget to wave his hands repeatedly, urging, "Fellow Daoist Yu, we must go now!"

Yu Ye did not move. He remained by the fire. The three Qin family men were also tending to their carriage.

Dang Guiyi stomped his feet in frustration and took off running, but he was forced to stop after only a few steps. In the blink of an eye, the group of shadows appeared less than ten yards away, surrounding the carriage, the campfire, the horses, and the five people in their midst.

Cold winds swirled, and the horses neighed in terror. The shrill, mournful howling echoed incessantly through the night air.

Yu Ye was also stunned. It was a pack of wild wolves, yet they were different from those in Spirit Dragon Valley. These wolves were large, with sharp, protruding fangs and eyes that glinted with a ghostly light, appearing exceptionally ferocious. As they circled, their movements seemed chaotic, yet they hid a lethal intent, ready to strike at any moment.

"Whinny—"

With another frantic neigh from the horses, Old Man Qin shouted, "Zhuzi, Shuanzi, guard the livestock!"

Before his voice had even faded, several wolves lunged directly at the four horses. Qin Zhuzi and Qin Shuanzi hurriedly brandished their blades to fend them off, but the wolves were incredibly fierce, showing no fear of the steel, forcing the brothers to retreat.

Seeing the situation turn dire, Old Man Qin grabbed a heavy staff to assist, but before he could reach them, he felt a weight land on his back. He didn't dare look back and ducked violently. A shadow soared over his head, and he seized the chance to swing his staff, but with a "thud," the weapon was knocked from his hand. Another wolf lunged at his face. Just as he staggered and failed to dodge, a splash of blood erupted—the wolf had been severed in two at the waist. A figure brushed past him; the long sword in the stranger's hand shimmered with a cold light in the darkness, and in a few moments, the pack attacking the horses was driven back.

"Yu Ye...?"

It was indeed Yu Ye. In this moment of crisis, he no longer hid his abilities; when it was time to act, he did not hesitate.

"Brother Yu..." Qin Zhuzi and Qin Shuanzi, still in a panic, were both surprised and delighted to see Yu Ye step in.

"Fellow Daoist Yu..." Dang Guiyi also scurried over. He looked at the wooden sword in his own hand, then at the long sword in Yu Ye's, and asked in astonishment, "You are a cultivator, how do you know mundane sword techniques?"

The wolf pack, their assault thwarted, retreated immediately. However, they did not leave; instead, they gathered in the periphery, baring their fangs and howling incessantly. Yu Ye and Gui Yuanzi stood in the clearing under the trees, flanked by the three Qin men, with the four terrified horses behind them. A few yards away, the campfire flickered unsteadily in the biting wind.

"Fellow Daoist Dang, is this the 'spirit creature' you spoke of?"

"Ah, that is not exactly..." Before Dang Guiyi could explain, he hurriedly pointed, alerting Yu Ye, "Look—"

At that instant, a white shadow burst from the distant woods—a massive white tiger, moving with the speed of a gale, reaching a point ten yards away. While the sudden appearance of a white tiger in the deep night was shocking enough, even more so was the man standing upon its back. The wolf pack seemed quite intimidated, scattering to either side.

"Whinny—" The horses were spooked once again.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid—" Old Man Qin hurriedly soothed the horses as if comforting children. Though he claimed not to be afraid, he was clearly deeply worried. Qin Zhuzi and Qin Shuanzi exchanged glances, their faces filled with despair.

"Who dares to harm my spirit beasts? Come out—"

The man was in his thirties, clad in white robes with a short beard under his chin. He stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an extraordinary air. Given that he stood atop a white tiger and commanded a pack of wolves, he was clearly no ordinary person.

Yu Ye frowned slightly, about to speak.

Dang Guiyi stepped forward, head held high, and declared, "There are no 'spirit beasts' here. These are clearly demonic creatures. When they tried to harm the village livestock, they were struck down by my Five Thunders Orthodoxy."

The man's expression darkened, and he barked, "Who are you?"

"I am a practitioner of the Five Thunders Orthodoxy, Dang Guiyi by name! And who are you? State your name at once!" Though Dang Guiyi was short, he carried himself with an air of righteous indignation.

"A practitioner of the Five Thunders Orthodoxy?" The man seemed slightly surprised, yet his expression turned disdainful and arrogant. "Hmph, I am Qi Jun of the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor. My spirit beasts were out foraging at night, yet you gathered the villagers to set traps and slaughter them. Tonight, if you do not give me a proper explanation, regardless of what school you claim to represent, you will be a dead man!"

"Ha! So demonic wolves foraging means they can hunt the village livestock?" Dang Guiyi retorted loudly. "You, in your Ten Thousand Beasts Manor, raise predatory beasts to harass the mountain folk, and instead of repenting, you act the bully! With me here, I will not allow you to run wild!"

"A mere boy who has only just stepped onto the path of immortality, you know nothing of the vastness of heaven and earth!"

"And you are only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, yet you dare to be so arrogant!"

"ROAR—"

The man calling himself Qi Jun seemed to lose patience. The white tiger beneath him let out a sudden, thunderous roar.

Dang Guiyi ducked his head in fear and turned to run, only to find his path blocked by four wolves. He scrambled to turn, but realized that wolves were everywhere; there was nowhere to escape. The white tiger, carrying Qi Jun, closed in step by step, accompanied by a wave of foul, blood-scented wind.

"Kid, if you've got the guts, stop running!"

"Ha! Even if I wanted to run, you couldn't stop me!" Dang Guiyi paced in circles, his mouth still refusing to yield.

"Wait!"

Yu Ye had been observing from the side. Seeing that a bloody clash was inevitable, and that the Qin family and their livestock would certainly be caught in the crossfire, he decided to step forward. Since the grievance between these two had nothing to do with the others, why let innocents suffer?

The white tiger swayed with every step, closing to within five or six yards. The murderous aura it radiated enveloped the area, chilling to the bone. Qi Jun, sitting atop the tiger, held his chin high with a threatening air.

Yu Ye was forced to step forward, raising a hand. "Hear me out..."

"And what are you?" Qi Jun did not slow down, shouting, "Get out of the way—"

Dang Guiyi, still brandishing his wooden sword at the wolves, sensed the movement behind him. He blinked his small eyes and urged, "Fellow Daoist Yu, let us join forces to slay these demons!"

Qi Jun paused slightly, turning his gaze toward Yu Ye. The white tiger beneath him shook its head, and another wave of foul wind swirled around them.

Yu Ye took two steps back, his face grim.

"Are you a cultivator?"

"This..."

"Oh, so the spirit beasts from earlier died by your hand?" Qi Jun looked at the long sword in Yu Ye's hand, a flash of malice in his eyes.

"I have only just met Fellow Daoist Dang; we are not well-acquainted. As for the wolves that were killed, I am willing to pay compensation..."

"Heh, can you afford it?" Yu Ye spoke truthfully, but his offer was met only with a cold sneer from Qi Jun.

Dang Guiyi, as usual, couldn't keep his mouth shut, seizing the opportunity to add, "Fellow Daoist Yu, we drank wine together last night and fought side-by-side against demons tonight—how delightful!"

Yu Ye shook his head secretly, yet continued with sincerity, "Everything is negotiable. Please, brother, name your price!"

"Very well!" Qi Jun acted with magnanimous condescension. "One spirit beast, one hundred spirit stones. You killed two of my beasts, that is two hundred spirit stones. Hand them over—"

"Ah..." Yu Ye exclaimed, "I don't have that many..." It was not that he had no spirit stones, but he did not have two hundred.

"You have no spirit stones and yet you dare to toy with me?" Qi Jun questioned, flicking his sleeve.

Before Yu Ye could choose his words, a flash of light appeared before his eyes. It was a beam of sword light, carrying a sharp, murderous intent, arriving mere feet away. At such close range, even a Qi Refining expert would find it impossible to dodge. The cultivator from Ten Thousand Beasts Manor clearly meant to kill him.

Qi Jun sneered, "Heh, a dog with no cultivation acting like a cultivator—what a bold spirit..."

Yu Ye dared not hesitate. A phantom dragon shadow shimmered around him. With a loud "bang," the sword light recoiled. However, he could not withstand the backlash of the magical power and was forced to retreat.

Qi Jun was slightly taken aback, but immediately launched another attack. The white tiger beneath him roared and leaped high into the air.

Yu Ye had just stepped back when a gaping, blood-stained maw loomed over his head. Behind him were the three Qin men and the four terrified horses. He dared not dodge. Setting his heart, he sheathed his long sword, raised his hand, and flicked his finger.

"Pfft—"

The white tiger was a spirit creature, but it possessed no protective magical barrier and could not withstand the Seven-Kill Sword Qi. A flash of blood appeared, and a bloody hole erupted in the tiger's forehead. It lost its ferocity instantly and crashed heavily to the ground.

Qi Jun roared in fury, "You killed my spirit tiger, pay with your life!"

A beam of sword light whistled toward him.

Immediately following, a sound like wind and rain filled the air—not rain, but hundreds of venomous snakes descending from the sky. The surrounding wolf pack also grew violent and frantic, lunging from all directions.

Yu Ye had never encountered such a formation in a duel against an expert—facing a swarm of venomous snakes and wild beasts simultaneously. The danger was clear. He hurriedly thrust both hands out, and over a dozen "Departing Fire Talismans" exploded in the night sky in every direction. Amidst the raging firelight, he vanished.

Qi Jun stood to the side, driving the beasts, but in the blink of an eye, his flying sword missed its mark, the hundred snakes were swallowed by the fire, and the surging wolf pack fled in terror from the roaring flames. He hurriedly spread his divine sense to find his opponent, when suddenly his limbs became constrained, bound tightly by invisible forces. Before he could struggle, a bloody hole erupted in his head, and he slumped to the ground, his soul already departed.

The wolf pack, having lost its master, scattered in chaos.

A moment later, the surroundings grew quiet. The night remained as it was. The extinguished campfire was lit once more. Old Man Qin, Qin Zhuzi, and Qin Shuanzi settled the horses and walked slowly toward the firelight.

From under the carriage, a person crawled out quietly—it was Dang Guiyi, still clutching his wooden sword. He looked at the dead white tiger, clicked his tongue in secret, and then walked toward Qi Jun's remains, picking up a flying sword and two storage rings.

Dang Guiyi looked at his haul, unable to stop himself from gloating, "Heh, no matter how arrogant that Qi Jun was, in the end, righteousness prevails over evil. Slaying demons and eliminating monsters—this is how it should be!"

He puffed out his chest, filled with self-satisfaction, and then added, "Fellow Daoist Yu, you burn Qi Jun's corpse; I will take care of this white tiger..."

No one answered him.

Yu Ye continued to tend the fire. Old Man Qin and his two nephews sat silently by the hearth, all looking grave.

"Eh?" Dang Guiyi asked curiously, "Everyone, why the long faces?"

He heard only a sigh from Old Man Qin.

"Sigh..."