Back in the original world, the sun had long set, and darkness draped the forest in a blanket of mystery. Ye Xiaotian treaded cautiously, guided by the faint glow of his spiritual light. The path twisted and turned, leading him toward the source of the powerful presence he had sensed earlier. The air grew heavier with each step, and the distant howls of spirit beasts seemed to grow more menacing.
As he ventured deeper, the trees thinned out, revealing a looming mountainside. The jagged rocks jutted out like the fangs of an ancient beast, and nestled at the base of the mountain was a large cave entrance. Shadows danced along the rocky walls, and a chilling breeze wafted from within, carrying the faint scent of earth and something more primal.
Ye Xiaotian approached the cave with cautious steps. Just as he reached the entrance, a sharp, powerful howl echoed from inside, shaking the very ground beneath his feet. Dust and pebbles tumbled down the mountainside as the sound reverberated through the forest.
"A warning," Ye Xiaotian muttered, his eyes narrowing. The howl wasn't just a cry of power; it was a clear warning for any intruder to stay away.
But he ignored it.
With steady determination, he stepped into the cave. The air inside was cool and damp, and his footsteps echoed softly against the stone walls. The further he ventured, the darker it became. The glow from his spiritual light cast long shadows on the cavern walls, creating eerie shapes that seemed to move in the flickering light.
After walking for some time, he reached a vast cavern. The ceiling stretched high above, with a large hole at the top through which moonlight poured in, illuminating a stone platform in the center of the cavern. The soft, silver glow bathed the platform in an ethereal light, casting long shadows that danced across the rocky ground.
On the platform lay a massive wolf-like creature, its fur dark and matted, its eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. As Ye Xiaotian entered the cavern, the creature stirred, lifting its head to gaze at him with fierce, piercing eyes. Its growl rumbled through the cavern, low and threatening.
Ye Xiaotian observed the beast carefully. It had two large, curved teeth protruding from its mouth, and its claws gleamed like polished steel. A fiery mark in the shape of a flame burned on its forehead, pulsing faintly with energy.
"What kind of beast is this?" Ye Xiaotian whispered to himself, his brow furrowing in confusion. He had studied countless spirit beasts during his time in the Celestial Phoenix Sect. He had fought beasts from every corner of the Beihuang Continent. Yet, he couldn't identify this one.
The wolf growled louder, its gaze locked onto Ye Xiaotian. The warning was clear: Stay back.
But Ye Xiaotian took a step forward, then another. His curiosity burned brighter than his caution.
The wolf's growl turned into a snarl, and it tensed, ready to attack. But something held it back. As Ye Xiaotian reached the platform, he noticed what it was.
On the far side of the platform lay a smaller wolf, barely the size of a human child. Its fur was a lighter shade, almost silver under the moonlight. Blood matted its coat, and it whimpered softly, its tiny body trembling.
Ye Xiaotian's eyes widened in realization. "A mother protecting her cub," he murmured.
The larger wolf's hostility made sense now. It wasn't just defending itself; it was protecting its newborn. And judging by the blood trickling from a deep wound on the mother wolf's back, she had recently given birth and was severely weakened.
"No wonder she's so aggressive," Ye Xiaotian thought. "She's injured and vulnerable."
The mother wolf growled again, her eyes narrowing as Ye Xiaotian's gaze drifted to the cub. But her growl lacked the same intensity as before. She was exhausted, barely holding herself together.
Ye Xiaotian took another step forward, this time raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "Hey," he said softly. "I'm not here to hurt you."
The mother wolf's ears twitched, and she watched him warily.
Ye Xiaotian knelt down, his gaze shifting to the cub. It was barely breathing, its tiny chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Blood stained the stone beneath it, and its whimpers grew weaker by the second.
"Your cub…" Ye Xiaotian whispered, his voice filled with concern. "It's dying. It needs nourishment, or it won't make it through the night."
The mother wolf's eyes flickered with panic. She licked the cub's face gently, her moans soft and sorrowful. The sight tugged at Ye Xiaotian's heart. Despite being a spirit beast, the mother wolf's love and desperation were no different from a human parent's.
Ye Xiaotian hesitated, torn between his instincts and his emotions.
"Should I help them?" he wondered. His mind raced with thoughts of danger, of betrayal. But as he watched the cub whimper in pain and the mother wolf's futile attempts to console it, his resolve hardened.
"I can't just stand by and do nothing," he thought.
He stood and faced the mother wolf. "I can save your cub," he said, his voice steady. "But… you'll have to let me place a soul mark on you."
The mother wolf's eyes widened in shock, and she snarled, baring her fangs. Her growl echoed through the cavern, a fierce declaration of her anger.
"She thinks I'm trying to enslave her," Ye Xiaotian realized.
He quickly raised his hands in a calming gesture. "No, you misunderstand me," he said. "I'm not trying to make you my servant. The soul mark is a seal to ensure my secrets remain safe. The method I'll use to save your cub is dangerous for me. If anyone learns of it, my life will be in danger."
The mother wolf's growl softened slightly, her ears twitching as she listened.
"I promise," Ye Xiaotian continued, his voice sincere. "I won't force you to do anything against your will. And if you accept my mark, I'll give you an opportunity to grow stronger. I can help you and your cub."
The mother wolf studied him, her glowing eyes searching his face for any sign of deceit. The tension in the air was palpable, each second stretching into eternity. Finally, she lowered her head slightly and let out a soft moan.
Ye Xiaotian's heart lifted with hope. "She's considering it."
The mother wolf turned to her cub, nuzzling it gently. The cub whimpered again, its tiny body shivering. The mother wolf let out another soft moan, this time directed at Ye Xiaotian. Her eyes shone with a mixture of hope and desperation.
Ye Xiaotian stepped closer, kneeling beside the cub once more. He placed a hand gently on its blood-matted fur. The cub's eyes fluttered open, locking onto his with a pleading, innocent gaze.
"You'll be okay," Ye Xiaotian whispered. "I'll make sure of it."
He stood and turned to the mother wolf. "Are you ready?" he asked.
The mother wolf nodded slowly, her eyes shining with silent determination. She lowered her head, exposing her forehead to Ye Xiaotian.
With a deep breath, Ye Xiaotian gathered his spiritual energy. His fingers glowed with a faint light as he traced a complex rune in the air. The soul mark shimmered, hovering between them.
"Here we go," he murmured, pressing the mark onto the mother wolf's forehead. The mark sank into her skin, glowing briefly before fading away.
The connection was made.
"Let's save your cub."
With the soul mark in place, Ye Xiaotian turned his attention back to the cub. He knelt down once more, gently cradling the tiny creature in his arms. The cub's weak whimpers tugged at his heart, but he knew exactly what needed to be done.
Reaching into his pocket, Ye Xiaotian retrieved the black stone. It shimmered faintly under the moonlight as he poured his spiritual energy into it. A swirling black portal materialized before him.
"I'll be back," he told the mother wolf, stepping into the portal. The mother wolf let out a soft, anxious moan, her eyes filled with both hope and fear.
Moments later, the portal reopened, and Ye Xiaotian emerged holding a small container crafted from spiritual energy. The liquid inside shimmered with a gentle green glow the Chaos Fluid from his master's spirit world.
The mother wolf's eyes gleamed with curiosity and a hint of greed as she watched Ye Xiaotian approach.
"Here," Ye Xiaotian said softly, tilting the container to let a small stream of Chaos Fluid trickle into the cub's mouth.
The cub instinctively began to drink, its tiny tongue lapping up the precious liquid. As the Chaos Fluid flowed into its body, a faint red glow enveloped the cub, growing brighter with each passing moment.
The mother wolf watched in awe, her eyes shimmering with gratitude and wonder.
The cub's body shuddered, and the red glow intensified. Its fur darkened to a deep crimson hue, and two small horns began to sprout from its head. A pair of translucent, moon-blue wings unfurled from its back, shimmering under the moonlight.
Ye Xiaotian's eyes widened in shock and recognition. "This… this isn't an ordinary spirit beast."
He took a step back, marveling at the cub's transformation. "It looks like a Kirin," he murmured, recalling the ancient texts from the Celestial Phoenix Sect.
End of Chapter 6