The Southern Ridge stretched endlessly, with mountains blending into one another as far as the eye could see, even from high above. Several demon tribes lived within this region, and their various factions claimed territories too numerous to count.
The territory of the Winged Wolf was still quite far from Bo City. After running all night and avoiding some smaller demons out scavenging for food, Mo Fan and his two companions finally arrived at the domain of the Winged Wolf.
All around them, one-eyed demon wolves roamed freely. They even spotted a few three-eyed demon wolves, adding to the danger.
"The Winged Wolf is deeper inside." Zhan Kong informed the two.
If it were just him, infiltrating the area wouldn't have been a problem. Bringing one person along might have still been manageable, but with Mo Fan and Zhang Xiaohou, that made two extra people. If they were discovered, the wolf pack would turn into a massive obstacle, making it nearly impossible to reach the Winged Wolf, let alone kill it.
"You two stay here. I can sneak in alone." Mo Fan suggested.
Zhan Kong paused, watching as Mo Fan melded into the shadows, moving silently through the territory. Even the bone-spiked wolves, who were at warrior-level strength, didn't notice him.
"Wow, Brother Mo Fan has gotten so strong…" Zhang Xiaohou whispered in awe. He couldn't sense Mo Fan at all, but he wasn't jealous—on the contrary, he felt proud and happy for his brother.
Once Mo Fan successfully moved ahead, Zhan Kong led Zhang Xiaohou forward. Although Zhan Kong didn't want to bring him into danger, there was no way to leave him behind safely. Besides, as Mo Fan had said, facing life-and-death situations was the best way to become a true warrior. Survive these trials, and you become strong.
They passed through several nests undetected. Occasionally, some powerful bone-spiked wolves made sounds of alertness, but as long as Mo Fan remained still, even they couldn't detect his presence.
Eventually, Mo Fan reached the Winged Wolf's domain.
"Owwwwwoooo!!!"
The Winged Wolf, already on high alert due to its injuries, howled loudly the moment it sensed the presence of shadow magic in the air.
It hadn't pinpointed Mo Fan's exact location yet, but its instincts told it something dangerous was nearby.
Mo Fan was shocked. Even though he had been incredibly cautious, the Winged Wolf still detected him. The perception of a commander-level creature was truly terrifying.
Just as Mo Fan was about to retreat, a gust of wind blew past him. Zhan Kong had arrived, with Zhang Xiaohou perched on a large tree nearby.
"Winged Wolf, it's time to settle this once and for all!" Zhan Kong's eyes burned with fury as he stared down the beast.
All eyes were now on Zhan Kong.
The Winged Wolf recognized him. After all, Zhan Kong was the one who had gravely injured it before.
But back then, they were in a human city. Now, Zhan Kong had the audacity to step into its territory?
"Owwwooo!!!"
The Winged Wolf spread its wings and roared at Zhan Kong, but it didn't take off. It was still too injured.
The rest of the wolf pack began to converge on the Winged Wolf's location.
"Heavenly Flame Funeral: Blazing Rain!"
Zhan Kong had anticipated this reaction. With a few quick hand movements, he drew the star constellation, and in an instant, flames rained down from the heavens.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
As his command echoed through the air, the flames turned into a radiant streak of light, shooting high into the sky. A moment later, loud rumblings followed, as if the very sky was trembling under the power. Fire spread across the clouds above, creating a blazing canopy. Fiery raindrops then began to descend, crashing into the wolf pack below like the wrath of the gods.
The wolves screamed in agony as they were incinerated. No matter how far they ran, they couldn't escape the fiery downpour. The air filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh as wolves were reduced to ash.
The ordinary wolves and warrior-class beasts stood no chance against high-level magic. Even the Winged Wolf felt the intense bombardment, and despite its superior intelligence, it knew it was outmatched.
"Grrrrooaaahhh!!!"
The Winged Wolf knew it would have to face Zhan Kong alone. None of the other wolves—whether the one-eyed wolves or the bone-spiked wolves—could help it.
With a powerful flap of its wings, it leapt into the air and charged directly at Zhan Kong.
Meanwhile, the wolves that had survived the fiery assault below spotted Zhang Xiaohou. They were numerous, and among them were over ten warrior-class wolves.
Zhang Xiaohou's first reaction wasn't fear—it was confusion. Where was Mo Fan? Which way should he run?
He didn't want to accidentally cause trouble for Mo Fan by running in the wrong direction.
Suddenly, Mo Fan appeared out of the shadows.
Without hesitation, Mo Fan unleashed his fire magic.
"Fiery Fist: Nine Palaces!"
The ground around him lit up in nine burning streaks of fire, forming a grid. Each line pulsed with searing energy, snaking across the earth and spreading towards the approaching wolves. In a flash, fiery pillars erupted from the ground, crashing into the pack.
The blue flames consumed the one-eyed wolves in seconds. Even the bone-spiked wolves, much stronger than their lesser counterparts, couldn't withstand the attack. Mo Fan's devastating strike wiped out nearly half of the pack in an instant.
"Grrrroooaaahhh!!!"
The remaining wolves howled and charged at Mo Fan, sensing his overwhelming power.
At this moment, Zhang Xiaohou finally realized where he should run.
"Wind Disk!"
Not only did he run, but he also took the opportunity to provoke and lure a small group of wolves away, making it easier for Mo Fan to handle the rest.
"Xiaohou, make sure you circle back to me when the time is right!" Mo Fan shouted as he fought off the wolves.
"Got it, Brother Mo Fan! You be careful too!"
Seeing Zhang Xiaohou draw a portion of the wolves away, Mo Fan refocused on the bone-spiked wolves in front of him.
"Shadow Spike!"
Warrior-level bone-spiked wolves weren't easy to kill, especially the higher-ranked ones. Mo Fan could handle regular warriors, but the higher-level ones required more effort.
"Dimensional Summon!"
After wiping out another wave of wolves, Mo Fan summoned his Flame Wolf.
Out of the dimensional void, the Flame Wolf emerged.
"Owwoooo!!!!"
The Flame Wolf howled as it appeared. However, seeing so many other wolves—especially the commander-level Winged Wolf in the sky—made it hesitate for a moment.
"Remember, your master is me!" Mo Fan shouted firmly. "The only thing you need to fear in this world is me. If you want to become stronger, then rise up and fight!"
The Flame Wolf growled low, but it was clear Mo Fan's words had reignited its fighting spirit.
(End of Chapter)