"It's a demon wolf…"
Standing on the rooftop and gazing toward Yanglu Mountain, Xu Taiping spotted a massive demon wolf darting swiftly through the forest. At first, he wasn't too surprised. After all, the introductory jade slip from the sect had already warned that in these mountains, aside from the designated safe zones, beasts could appear anywhere.
But soon, something felt off.
A second, then a third demon wolf appeared, all chasing downhill.
"Help! Someone, please help me!"
Just as Xu Taiping wondered what the wolves were pursuing, a woman's desperate cries echoed through the mountains. His earlobes twitched slightly. Channeling qi into his eyes using the vision-enhancing technique from the Piercing Willow Arrow martial manual, he focused on the source of the sound.
The scene sharpened. About a mile away, a delicate-looking woman was sprinting through the forest, three demon wolves hot on her heels.
"Where did this sister come from? I don't recall any cultivators near Green Bamboo Lodge…"
Xu Taiping was puzzled.
"Someone, please! Help me!"
The woman burst out of the forest and onto the mountain path, rushing toward Green Bamboo Lodge. The wolves were closing in, their fangs bared.
"Is anyone there? Is there someone in the courtyard ahead? I'm injured—help me, please!"
The woman clutched her bleeding shoulder as she ran, clearly having noticed the lodge.
"Enough overthinking. Saving her comes first."
Xu Taiping shook his head, then slung his bow off his back. Nocking an arrow, he drew the string taut and channeled his Twilight Mist Qi from his dantian through his arm and into the arrow. Frost instantly coated the shaft.
Twang!
As the nearest wolf closed within 500 meters of the lodge, the ice-clad arrow shot through the air with a sharp whistle.
Thud!
The arrow struck the wolf's forehead, piercing clean through. The beast let out a howl and collapsed. The other two wolves, seeing this, turned tail and fled into the forest.
The woman, initially startled, broke into tears of relief when she noticed Xu Taiping standing on the rooftop.
"Thank you, young hero, for saving my life!"
She stumbled to the courtyard gate of Green Bamboo Lodge, glancing nervously over her shoulder.
"The wolves are gone. You're safe now," Xu Taiping called down, still holding his bow.
The girl appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen, petite and delicate, resembling the pampered young ladies from Xu Taiping's hometown.
"If it weren't for you, young hero, I'd have been devoured by those wolves," she said, patting her chest in relief before asking gratefully, "Might I ask your name, young master?"
"My name is Xu Taiping. Just call me Taiping."
He remained on the rooftop, bow in hand, his gaze wary.
"Young hero Taiping, I am Liu Qingmei, an outer sect disciple of the Qingxuan Sect. A few days ago, I rode a spirit beast to gather herbs in the nearby mountains but lost my way. I also misplaced my Cloud-Piercing Flute, and when I encountered those demon wolves, I had no choice but to flee. They chased me all the way here."
As she spoke, she pulled out a bronze mirror from her sleeve. Seeing the mirror, Xu Taiping's guard lowered slightly.
The Xuanling Mirror was exclusive to outer sect disciples, and its presence confirmed her identity.
"Young hero Taiping, might I trouble you for a night's shelter? The sun has already set, and with my injuries, traveling at night would be difficult."
Her plea was earnest.
"Sure… Huh?"
Xu Taiping was about to agree, having verified her identity, but his gaze inadvertently fell on her shoes.
She wore embroidered cloth shoes with layered soles—ordinary at first glance. But something felt off.
The shoes were too clean.
"Never mind whether cloth shoes are suitable for herb gathering. The fact that they're still pristine after a whole day of being chased by demon wolves proves she's lying," Xu Taiping thought to himself.
"Sister Qingmei, my home is quite humble. You might find it uncomfortable," Xu Taiping said, leaping onto the gate's arch and speaking in a neutral tone.
The girl chuckled bitterly. "Young hero, you jest. In my current state, how could I afford to be picky? Besides, though my family was well-off when I was young, we fell into decline by the time I was ten. Since coming to Mount Yunlu, I've grown accustomed to a simple life. Any shelter will do—I'm in no position to be choosy."
Her words were heartfelt, and had Xu Taiping not noticed the suspiciously clean shoes, he might have genuinely sympathized with her.