Little Whitie in Danger!

Inbetween the fierce clash of blades and claws, Su Xiaobai watched from a safe distance, perched on the sturdy branch of a tree, his eyes narrowing in curiosity.

The sound of howling had drawn his attention, piquing his interest.

Who would be foolish enough to provoke the Silver Wolf in this region?

he wondered, his mind thinking of possibilities.

It wasn't long before he recognized the figure struggling against the pack of wolves—Fairy Lianhua, the very same woman he had spied on the night before.

His eyes widened in surprise.

'If nothing changes, she's either going to die or lose terribly,' he thought, calculating the odds.

But as he observed more closely, the pieces began to fall into place.

Behind the gigantic Silver Wolf, nearly hidden from sight by its massive frame, stood two small wolf cubs.

"Whimper.."

One of them was injured, a deep wound bleeding sluggishly from its side.

The realization struck Su Xiaobai like a bolt of lightning—this was the reason for the Silver Wolf's fury.

'So, it's about the cubs,' he nodded to himself, 'Some humans must have hurt one of them, and now the Silver Wolf is on a rampage, attacking anyone who dares come near its territory.'

As Su Xiaobai continued to observe, one of the cubs, the one unscathed, caught his eye.

It was playing, blissfully unaware of the battle raging around it, chasing after a blue butterfly that flitted just out of its reach.

The sight would have been almost comical, if not for the deadly situation nearby.

"Woof!" the cub barked playfully, its tiny paws scampering after the butterfly.

Without warning, it turned and started bounding toward Su Xiaobai's direction, drawn by the movement in the trees.

Su Xiaobai's face twitched as the cub headed straight for him.

He was a hundred meters away from the Silver Wolf, and while that distance provided some comfort, he knew better than to be completely at ease.

Still, decades of experience in evading danger had made him cunning, like a rat capable of slipping through the narrowest of escapes.

He wasn't particularly worried about getting caught by a white puppy.

But as he was calculating his next move, his sharp ears caught something that made his heart skip a beat.

Fairy Lianhua's scream echoed through the forest, and within it, he caught the words "ancient ruins".

Map to treasure?

Thousand beast forest?

The thought flashed through his mind, and an almost instinctive greed surfaced, coloring his expression.

His eyes shifted from the chaotic battle to the small wolf cub now frolicking dangerously close to his position.

A plan began to form in his mind, quick and precise.

He weighed the risks and rewards, calculating the odds.

If he could get his hands on that map, it might be worth the gamble.

Without another moment's hesitation, Su Xiaobai's eyes locked onto the little wolf cub.

It was so innocent, so unaware of the dangers around it.

Whoosh!

In a blur of movement, Su Xiaobai descended from the tree, landing silently on the ground.

The little wolf cub, startled, slammed into his legs with a soft thud. Its big, curious eyes looked up, only to meet a cold, calculating gaze.

The cub's playful demeanor evaporated as it realized the danger it was in.

"Woof!" it yelped, the sound more fearful now as it stared up at Su Xiaobai, who was grinning down at it like a devil about to make a deal.

"Silver Wolf!" Su Xiaobai's voice rang out.

He knew exactly how to leverage the situation to his advantage.

Let's see how much you value your cubs.

Su Xiaobai's eyes glinted with ruthless determination as he hoisted the small wolf cub into the air with one hand, its soft whimpers echoing through the clearing.

Swoosh!

His other hand ignited in a blaze of terrifying red infernal flames, the heat so intense that the very air around it warped and shimmered.

The flames danced hungrily, crackling with it's monstrous maw.

"Back off!" Su Xiaobai's voice was cold, devoid of any trace of fear.

He tightened his grip on the cub, lifting it higher so the entire pack could see the flames licking at his other hand."One more step, and this little whitie would be turned to toast—body and soul. Not even a pile of ashes left."

The Silver Wolf, still towering and ferocious, snarled in response, its eyes blazing with fury.

"Grrrrrrr…"

The pack echoed its leader's fury, their growls and snarls filling the air, but none dared to advance.

The half-step Sky-Grade flames Su Xiaobai wielded were no ordinary fire; they were infused with a will, capable of incinerating even the soul itself.

The threat was real, and the Silver Wolf was hesistant.

The beast's gaze flickered between its helpless cub and the terrifying flames that could erase its existence in an instant.

It growled again, a deep, rumbling sound that made the earth beneath them tremble.

"Grrrrrrr…" But even as the fury burned in its eyes, there was a hesitance.

"That's right," Su Xiaobai continued, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

His heart was pounding, but he kept his voice steady, confident.

'Never let them see you sweat', he thought, even though his palms were getting a little slick. "Leave this area now, and once my injured companion is healed, I'll let this one go unharmed. Try anything funny, and, well… say goodbye to little Junior here."

The Silver Wolf's eyes narrowed, a mix of anger and reluctant understanding flashing in its gaze.

For a brief moment, it looked like it might just charge anyway, damn the consequences.

But then, something changed—a subtle, almost imperceptible pressure in the air.

Su Xiaobai felt a chill creep up his spine, like a ghost was breathing down his neck.

'Oh, great,' he thought, feeling the cold tingle of a soul attack coming his way.

This is gonna suck.

But before he could react, the infernal flames in his hand flared up, burning hotter and brighter with a sudden, terrifying intensity, almost as if they had a mind of their own.

"Awwoooooo!" The Silver Wolf howled in pain and frustration as its soul attack was met with a wall of scorching fire, the ethereal energy fizzling out like a damp match.

The beast recoiled, shaking its head in a way that almost looked like it had a migraine.

Su Xiaobai couldn't help but chuckle under his breath.

"I warned you," he said, his voice low but laced with satisfaction.

He twirled his flaming hand in a casual, almost playful gesture, the flames responding with a sharp crackle.

The Silver Wolf growled one last time, a sound that practically screamed, You got lucky, human.

"Grrrrr…"

With a defeated huff that sounded suspiciously like a grumpy old man, the Silver Wolf turned away, gently picking up its injured cub in its jaws.

The pack followed, their growls now more like grumbles, throwing a few last dirty looks at Su Xiaobai as they retreated into the forest.

Grumpy pumpkin-Face, Su Xiaobai thought with a smirk.

As the wolves disappeared into the distance, Su Xiaobai let out a long, exaggerated sigh of relief, the flames around his hand fading to a harmless flicker before dying out completely.

He released the cub, which landed with a soft thud, looking back at him as if to say, You're lucky I don't tell my mom.

"Smart choice, kid," Su Xiaobai muttered, watching the cub glare at him with what looked like a pout.

Yip! Yip!

He leaned back against the tree, letting himself relax for the first time since the confrontation started.

Even though he now had ample techniques and experience, it was all in his head.

Until he went through battles of sweat and blood, he wouldn't be able to fully develop his aura of an emperor.

"Now, about that map…" he whispered to himself, already scheming, already plotting.

A small, sly grin spread across his face as he realized he had managed to get both the girl and the map combined!