The night sky stretched endlessly above, moonlight filtering through the sparse canopy. Wu Ming walked with a faint smile, his robes swaying in the cool night breeze. Su Lingxue strode beside him, her usual frosty expression tinged with irritation.
"You're oddly quiet," she said, sparing him a glance.
Wu Ming chuckled. "Merely admiring your presence. Your icy demeanor truly makes this journey feel ten degrees colder."
Su Lingxue scoffed and looked away.
They had traveled beyond the sect's safe perimeter, heading toward Thunderclap Ravine.
His predecessor's memories had left him with ample knowledge of spirit beasts and herbs, including the Dark Thunder Wolves. These creatures had fur as black as the void, with golden stripes trailing from the corners of their eyes. Arcs of lightning crackled faintly across their bodies. They thrived in dark, enclosed spaces and hunted in small packs.
The Dark Thunder cubs, however, were far weaker. Without their guardians, they were easy prey. Their innate lightning-attribute cores, which only formed during infancy, made them highly valuable for alchemy and artifact refinement.
After a short trek through the thick underbrush, they arrived at their destination.
"This should be the place," Wu Ming muttered, scanning the terrain. The ravine's steep walls loomed ahead, jagged rocks and dense undergrowth forming a natural hunting ground.
A pack of wolves prowled below. Twelve fully grown beasts, their dark fur blending into the shadows. Their golden eyes flickered ominously as they moved, muscles taut beneath their sleek forms. Sparks of electricity danced around their paws, leaving charred imprints on the ground.
Near the back of the den, huddled together, were three cubs. Tiny, shivering things, their eyes still clouded with infancy.
Wu Ming studied the scene with calm detachment. Su Lingxue, meanwhile, unsheathed her saber, spiritual energy rippling around her as she prepared for battle.
Wu Ming reached out and placed a hand on Su Lingxue's wrist, stopping her just as she was about to charge in.
"Hold," he said smoothly. "Attacking now would be unwise."
Su Lingxue shot him a cold glance. "They haven't noticed us. This is the perfect moment."
Wu Ming chuckled softly and shook his head. "These beasts are more organized than they appear. If we strike now, we risk drawing all of them in at once. Not to mention, they'll be even more aggressive. And that wolf king over there, its aura suggests it has reached the peak of Rank One. If we want the cubs, we need a plan."
Su Lingxue frowned but didn't argue. "Then what do you suggest?"
"Simple. You lure the adults away while I retrieve the cubs. With you as the distraction, they'll be too focused on you to notice me slipping into the den," Wu Ming said, his tone light, as if stating the obvious truth.
Su Lingxue hesitated. "And if they don't take the bait?"
Wu Ming smiled. "Then I'll come to your rescue, of course. You don't think I'd let you die here, do you?"
Su Lingxue was silent.
"I'll give you a signal when to retreat. Until then, just keep them engaged," Wu Ming added.
She scoffed. "Hmph. Just don't take too long."
Without further delay, she shot forward, her saber flashing under the moonlight. The sudden movement caught the wolves attention immediately. They let out low, crackling growls, lightning flickering wildly across their bodies.
Su Lingxue swung her saber, sending a blooming lotus of icy energy toward the nearest wolf. It howled in pain as frost coated its fur.
The Dark Thunder Wolf King snarled, its golden eyes locking onto her with blazing fury. Under its command, the wolves abandoned their resting positions, muscles tensing before they lunged forward.
Wu Ming watched with an approving nod. 'Good. She's drawing them away faster than expected.'
As Su Lingxue led the wolves deeper into the ravine, her figure dancing gracefully between rocks and trees, Wu Ming slipped toward the den.
Two female wolves remained behind to guard the cubs, their golden eyes glowed with hostility. Low growls rumbled in their throats as arcs of lightning danced across their fangs.
The moment Wu Ming stepped forward, they lunged, claws outstretched, killing intent surging.
Wu Ming's expression remained cold. With two flicks of his wrist, twin jade-green slashes shot forth, cutting through the wind. Sparks exploded as the wolves' lightning met his attack, but Wu Ming had already advanced, his blade tracing a fluid arc.
A jade-green dragon erupted from his blade, flying through the air with a fierce roar before diving down like a falling star. The instant it struck, flesh parted like wet paper.
A sickening spray of blood painted the rocks as both wolves were cleaved apart, their bodies collapsing mid-motion.
One twitched violently, its ribs shattered, intestines spilling onto the cold ground. The other let out a choked gurgle, golden eyes dimming as its severed head rolled away.
Wu Ming exhaled softly, glancing at his sword. 'My predecessor would have needed at least a few minutes to deal with these wolves. But mastering this technique to Great Mastery has given me such a power boost.'
The three cubs remained huddled together, trembling from the commotion. Their eyes were wide, tiny arcs of lightning flickering weakly across their fur.
Wu Ming moved unhurriedly, his sword gleaming coldly under the moonlight. The first cub didn't even have time to react before its throat was slit in a clean, fluid motion. Blood spurted, its tiny body twitching for a moment before falling still.
The second whimpered, scrambling away in a desperate attempt to flee, but a swift stab to the skull ended its struggle.
The third cub pressed itself against the rock wall, trembling violently. Wu Ming knelt, gripping its small body with one hand.
"Shh," he whispered, smiling. "My mission only required two, but keeping one alive might be useful for future hunts. Then again..." His grip tightened. "Perhaps not."
Just as he was about to finish it, a sharp cry rang out from deeper in the ravine.
Wu Ming turned his head slightly. Su Lingxue was still engaged in battle.
'Ah, right. She's been fighting nine Rank One Dark Thunder Wolves and a Wolf King all by herself. How it must suck to be her, hehe.'
With a casual yank, he tore the cub's head from its shoulders. Warm blood tainted his fingers, but his expression remained indifferent. Reaching into the corpse, he dug out a faintly glowing lightning core, its pulsing energy still vibrant.
From his robes, he retrieved a small golden pouch.
This was no ordinary bag. A Yellow Rank low-grade Heavenly Toad Spatial Pouch, refined from the belly of a Rank One Heaven-Swallowing Toad. It contained a pocket dimension about the size of a small carriage. Though inferior to middle and higher-grade Yellow Rank spiritual treasures, it was durable, spacious, resistant to minor spatial disruptions, and required only a thought to store or retrieve items. An essential tool for cultivators.
Wu Ming willed his divine sense. And the corpses vanished into the pouch.
With no sense of urgency, he walked over to the bodies of the two female wolves, slicing off their claws. Their corpses were too mangled to be of much value, and unlike the cubs, they no longer had lightning cores. The lightning essence had already fused into their bones and flesh over time.
"Well, it would be rude to keep her waiting," Wu Ming uttered sarcastically.
Turning away, he followed the sounds of battle, but the speed of his steps could make a snail kill itself in shame, it was extremely slow.
When he finally stepped onto the battlefield, the scene before him was a bloody ruin.
Su Lingxue had fought fiercely, her attacks a blizzard in the night, but the cost was steep. Her expression was grave, her body covered in wounds from head to toe. Her breath came in weak, uneven gasps, and her spiritual essence was nearly depleted.
Out of the ten wolves, she had slain five and even managed to blind one of the Wolf King's eyes.
But now, she was cornered.
'Damn it... where's the damn signal?' she cursed inwardly, her grip on her sword tightening.
'Did that bastard abandon me...? Should I escape?'
The thought barely formed before a voice cut through the night.
"Junior Sister Su. It seems you've gotten yourself into quite the predicament."
She turned sharply. "Took you long enough."
Wu Ming smiled lazily. "Patience is a virtue."
Before she could snap at him, he stepped forward. His blade flickered with jade like brilliance, cutting down one of the wolves in a single, precise stroke. Blood sprayed across the dirt. The remaining wolves hesitated, ears flattening.
Su Lingxue tried to steady herself. "Where the hell were you? And what took you so long?"
Wu Ming flicked the blood off his sword, stepping beside her. "Well, let's just say there were some unforeseen troubles that kept me occupied."
She gritted her teeth, glaring. "You said you'd give me a signal to escape. Why the hell did you change the plan?"
Wu Ming chuckled, wiping his blade. "I saw how much you suffered at the hands of these wolves… and it annoyed me. So I decided to kill them instead."
Her eyes widened, but there was no time to argue. Her head was fuzzy from blood loss, her strength drained. Yet with Wu Ming's arrival, the tide shifted.
The battle was swift and decisive.
Wu Ming fought like an maniac, each strike carving through flesh and bone, while Su Lingxue, though exhausted, pressed on through sheer stubbornness.
One by one, the wolves fell.
The last to collapse was the Wolf King. Its remaining eye burned with unwillingness before dimming forever.
Su Lingxue staggered. She had no strength left to stand. As her legs gave out, Wu Ming caught her, steadying her against his chest.
For a brief moment, their gazes met.
She shook her head weakly. "That was harder than expected."
Wu Ming chuckled. "Exhausted already?"
She huffed, cheeks puffing slightly. "Easy for you to say. You weren't the one fighting the whole time."
Wu Ming voice turned tender, gazing at the moon. "True. You carried the battle beautifully. Like a lotus dancing on a frozen lake."
Su Lingxue blinked, then quickly turned away, hiding the faint flush on her cheeks. "Hmph. At least you acknowledge it."
Wu Ming's expression remained serene.
"Though, it's a pity…"
Before she could react, his sword moved.
A single, clean stab straight through her heart.
Su Lingxue's body stiffened. Her lips parted slightly, as if to speak, but only blood bubbled up. Trembling fingers gripped the blade embedded in her chest.
Wu Ming stepped back, watching her expression shift from shock to disbelief, then to cold realization.
"You…"
She swayed. Then, like a petal caught in the wind, she fell.
As she collapsed, her hands clutched his robes with the last of her strength. Her eyes met his, stripped of all sharpness. No pride, no rage. Just a quiet disbelief.
"Why…?" Her eyes reddened, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
Wu Ming didn't answer. He only gazed down at her with cold, indifferent eyes.
Her body trembled. She tried to say something more, but her voice failed her. Her fingers gripping his robes, slipped away one by one.
Her body hit the dirt with a dull thud.
Wu Ming sighed lightly. "So graceful, even in death."
Without hesitation, he knelt beside her, rummaging through her belongings.
"Hmm… sixteen spirit stones, a bottle of Black River Spiritual Water, and two Yellow Rank high-grade concealment talismans… As for her storage bag, I'd better destroy it."
He smirked before storing all the loot and slicing her storage pouch in half with his sword.
Then, with a final glance at her corpse, he turned away. Walking toward the wolf corpses, he stored the valuables one by one.
The moon hung high, cold and indifferent.
Wu Ming smiled in satisfaction.
"The moon shines bright, the dead sleep soundly. A fine night indeed."