As Yi Chang stepped out of the cave, the egg cradled carefully in his arm, he glanced over at Old Man Feng. The old steward had been watching him with wide eyes, still shaken by the entire ordeal. Yi Chang, noticing the growing discomfort in Old Man Feng's expression, approached him with the egg.
"Here, hold this for a moment while I gather the rest of the wolves," Yi Chang said, extending the mysterious egg toward him.
Old Man Feng took one look at the egg, the same unease he'd felt earlier flooding back. His face paled slightly as he took a step back, raising his hands defensively. "Ah, Young Master, I... I don't think I should handle that. I'll go fetch the van instead. Yes, I'll bring it closer for you."
His tone was polite, but it was pretty clear—Old Man Feng wanted nothing to do with the strange egg.
Yi Chang raised an eyebrow but didn't push the matter. "Okay, suit yourself," he muttered, placing the egg gently on the ground. He turned back toward the cave entrance. "Go get the van."
Old Man Feng nodded quickly and practically rushed off to retrieve the vehicle. As he disappeared into the trees, Yi Chang re-entered the cave. The scent of blood lingered in the air as he began dragging the Eurasian wolf corpses out one by one. Each beast was massive, their once fearsome eyes now dull and lifeless. Their mutated forms were evidence of the strange power that had been at play here.
After pulling out several of the wolves, he raises the alpha Eurasian wolf on to his shoulder and bring it out as well, Old Man Feng finally returned with the van. As he brought the vehicle closer, he stepped out, eyes widening in shock at the sight before him. Corpses of wolves—mutated, dangerous wolves—were sprawled out in front of the cave. And the sight of them was far more terrifying than the egg had been. The old steward's mouth hung open as his gaze flickered between the dead beasts and Yi Chang, who stood calmly beside them.
"Young Master..." Old Man Feng stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "You... killed all these wolves?"
Yi Chang gave a short nod. "Yes."
Old Man Feng stared, utterly bewildered. He had taken care of Yi Chang since he was a child, but this... this was beyond anything he could comprehend. Mutated wolves, an egg of unknown origin, and now his Young Master—who had come here to hunt ordinary animals—had somehow killed these beasts with his bare hands, even martial artist won't be able to do this. The steward couldn't wrap his mind around it. He wanted to ask, to demand an explanation, to understand what kind of power Yi Chang wielded and who this Yi Chang really was, ever since he got back from home from Shanghai back home his whole personality seemed to have changed. But the words wouldn't come. Something held him back—whether it was fear, respect, or the strange sense that maybe, some things were better left unknown.
Instead, he nodded slowly, swallowing his confusion. "I... see," he finally muttered.
Yi Chang glanced at him, noticing the storm of thoughts swirling in the old man's eyes but choosing not to address it. He had the intention of explaining things to Oldman Feng but he doesn't intend to do so now. For now, it was better to leave Old Man Feng in the dark for now.
"Open the van," Yi Chang said.
Old Man Feng did as he was told, opening the back of the vehicle. Yi Chang wasted no time, lifting the heavy wolf corpses and stacking them inside with ease. Each body hit the floor of the van with a dull thud, their size and weight evidence of their once-dangerous presence. Old Man Feng watched in silent disbelief. Even for a fit young man, handling so many large beasts so effortlessly was unnerving. But Yi Chang isn't usually very fit.
After the last of the wolves had been loaded, Yi Chang turned his attention back to the egg. He picked it up carefully, holding it close to his chest. The strange, faint pulsing of life inside is still quite intrigued him, but now wasn't the time to unravel its mysteries.
With the wolves and the egg secured, Yi Chang stepped into the passenger seat of the van while Old Man Feng, still somewhat dazed, climbed into the driver's seat. The engine roars, and they began their journey back out of the forest.
As they drove in silence, Yi Chang's thoughts drifted back to the events of the day. What was supposed to have been a simple hunt had turned into something far more significant. He had encountered mutated wolves, battled a Grade 2 beast, and discovered a mysterious egg—an egg that seemed to hold the key to the strange occurrences in the forest.
"Old Man Feng," Yi Chang said suddenly, breaking the silence.
The old steward glanced at him quickly. "Yes, Young Master?"
"Don't tell anyone about this. What happened in that cave should stays between us."
Old Man Feng nodded immediately. "Of course, Young Master. My lips are sealed."
Yi Chang leaned back in his seat, the egg still in his hands. Though the day had been unexpected, it had also been fruitful. And as they drove further away from the forest, he knew this was just the beginning of something far more profound than he had anticipated.
After the long drive, they finally arrived home. Yi Chang and Old Man Feng stepped out of the van, the lingering tension of the day still hanging between them. Yi Chang wasted no time, opening the back of the vehicle and pulling out the wolves' heavy corpses, dragging each one inside to the garage and laying them out on the floor. The once-living predators now lay motionless, their blood staining the ground.
Old Man Feng stood by the side, his eyes following Yi Chang's every movement with a mixture of awe and confusion. Despite everything that had happened in the forest, he still couldn't grasp how his young master had managed to take down those mutated beasts. Now, as Yi Chang went to work, pulling out a butcher's knife and setting it on the floor, Old Man Feng felt the question gnawing at the back of his mind—who exactly was this strange Yi Chang?
Yi Chang grabbed the knife and with practiced skill, he began dissecting the corpses of the wolves. His movements were precise, every cut deliberate. Old Man Feng watched in silent disbelief as Yi Chang carved through the flesh of the beasts as though he had done it a hundred times before. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty—just a quiet confidence that bordered on unnatural.
Then, as Yi Chang reached the alpha wolf—the Grade 2 beast—he paused for a moment. His hands moved more deliberately as he made a careful incision into the wolf's chest. Slowly, he reached inside the cavity, feeling around for what he knew lay within. A moment later, his hand emerged, clutching a small, glowing sphere—the beast core.
Old Man Feng's breath caught in his throat. The glowing core pulsed faintly in the dim light, casting a soft, eerie glow across the garage. "What... what is that?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.
Yi Chang held up the core, examining it under the light. "This," he began, "is the beast core. Only Grade 2 beasts and above possess them. It contains the spiritual essence of the creature, a powerful source of qi that can be used for cultivation."
Old Man Feng's mind raced. The implications of what Yi Chang was saying were staggering. Beast cores? Cultivation? He had heard of such things in legends, but he had never believed they were real—until now.
Yi Chang could see the confusion and shock written on the old steward's face. He took a deep breath, setting the core aside. It was time to tell him the truth. "Old Man Feng," he said, his voice calm yet firm, "there are certain things you need to know."
Old Man Feng looked up, meeting Yi Chang's gaze, a growing dread gnawing at him. "What is it, Young Master?"
Yi Chang paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I am not the Yi Chang you once knew. At least, not entirely." He let the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "I was once a powerful cultivator in a far higher world known as Endless World—I was just about to breakthrough to the deity realm. But I was betrayed, poisoned by those I trusted most. I died... but I reincarnated into this body, the Yi Chang you've known and brought up since childhood."
Old Man Feng's eyes widened in disbelief. "Reincarnated...?"