Chapter 114: Encounter with the Wolf General
Zhao Suoxiang knelt before Gun Wudi. The other disciples of Gun Wudi also seemed to realize what was happening, their eyes filled with tears.
Gun Wudi, pale-faced, looked at Zhao Suoxiang and spoke softly, "You are all my disciples, but none of you can inherit my legacy. From the day Suoxiang entered the Iron Spear Sect, I noticed his talent. He was born for the spear. The Iron Spear Sect has not flourished under my leadership; it has withered to just a few of you. I am ashamed before our predecessors. However, I know that under Suoxiang's leadership, the Iron Spear Sect will thrive. Although he is only at the Innate Stage, I still appoint Suoxiang as the next Sect Master. If anyone has any objections, speak now, or else you must fully support him from now on."
"Disciple remembers the master's teachings," the eight disciples responded in unison, kneeling.
Previously, there might have been some dissent regarding Zhao Suoxiang, even with the master's dying wish. But after the recent events, the disciples had come to fully support Zhao Suoxiang, despite his lower cultivation level.
Gun Wudi glanced at his disciples with a rare smile. He extended his right hand, slowly reaching towards Zhao Suoxiang's forehead.
Zhao Suoxiang did not flinch, allowing Gun Wudi to reach him.
As Gun Wudi's fingertip neared Zhao Suoxiang's forehead, he said with some difficulty, "From today onwards, Zhao Suoxiang is the sixteenth Sect Master of the Iron Spear Sect."
As he spoke, a silver light emerged from Gun Wudi's fingertip—a silver spear. It shot into Zhao Suoxiang's forehead and instantly disappeared.
Gun Wudi's hair turned white almost immediately.
He was dying. His face wrinkled, and he looked much older.
"Receive my legacy, the 'Heart of the Spear.' From now on, you are the Sect Master of the Iron Spear Sect," Gun Wudi said, his voice trembling.
"Yes," Zhao Suoxiang responded, kowtowing three times to Gun Wudi.
"This place is no longer safe. Assist Suoxiang and go to Shenzhou. Shenzhou is your true home," Gun Wudi instructed one last time.
"Yes, Master," one disciple said, wiping away tears and choking on his words.
Gun Wudi smiled weakly at the disciple and gently patted his head, "Others may not know, but our spirit stone mine is nearly depleted. Take the remaining spirit stones and leave quickly."
"Master, half a month ago, we mined the last of the spirit stones," the disciple said, choking with emotion.
"Good, that's good," Gun Wudi said softly. Then he closed his eyes with a satisfied look and never opened them again.
"Master!" "Master—" the disciples cried out in grief. Gun Wudi had died, but he had given all necessary instructions. He died with no regrets.
After mourning, the disciples looked to Zhao Suoxiang.
Zhao Suoxiang glanced at his master, then at his senior uncles. Accepting his new role, he quickly said, "Uncles, please gather the bodies of our other disciples and give them a proper burial."
"Yes," they responded, tears still in their eyes.
Zhong Shan, Tian Sha, and Bei Qingsi watched from the side, not interfering. They couldn't and shouldn't intervene.
As cultivators, they quickly gathered the bodies and conducted a brief burial. In less than an hour, it was all done, and the bodies were buried.
On their journey to Shenzhou, Zhao Suoxiang led the remaining disciples, carrying the weight of their fallen master and comrades. As they walked through the forest, they encountered a group of menacing figures—a pack of wolves led by a fierce general known as the Wolf General.
The Wolf General, with his piercing eyes and powerful aura, blocked their path. "Who dares to trespass in my territory?" he growled.
Zhao Suoxiang stepped forward, his spear at the ready. "We mean no harm. We are simply passing through on our way to Shenzhou."
The Wolf General laughed, a cruel sound. "Passing through? Not without paying a toll. Leave your valuables and you may go."
Zhao Suoxiang's eyes hardened. "We have nothing to give you. Stand aside, or face the consequences."
The tension in the air was palpable as the two sides prepared for battle. The Wolf General sneered, "Very well. Let's see what you're made of."
As the wolves lunged forward, Zhao Suoxiang and his disciples stood their ground, ready to fight for their survival and their journey to Shenzhou.
In front of a grand tomb, Zhao Suoxiang and eight disciples of the Iron Spear Sect bowed repeatedly. Gradually, the sorrow on their faces was replaced by a resolute determination.
"Master, shall we depart for Shenzhou immediately?" one of the Iron Spear Sect disciples inquired.
"Uncle, prepare yourselves. We will set off shortly," Zhao Suoxiang nodded.
"Yes," the disciple replied promptly.
Zhao Suoxiang slowly made his way toward Zhong Shan.
Seeing Zhao Suoxiang approach, Zhong Shan turned and said, "Brother, Qingsi, please wait a moment."
Tian Sha glanced at Zhong Shan, furrowing his brow slightly but eventually nodded. Bei Qingsi had no objections.
Zhong Shan met Zhao Suoxiang halfway, and the two, as if by mutual understanding, walked to a secluded spot.
"Zhong Shan, I truly thank you for this," Zhao Suoxiang said earnestly.
"There's no need for such formality between us; we are like brothers," Zhong Shan responded immediately.
"No, today's events will remain etched in my heart. No matter what, I thank you," Zhao Suoxiang insisted.
"Hmm," Zhong Shan nodded, not dwelling on the matter.
"We are about to head to Shenzhou. With your abilities, this Tianlang Island cannot confine you for long. One day, you will also step into Shenzhou, and we will meet again," Zhao Suoxiang said thoughtfully.
"Indeed, when we meet in Shenzhou, we will celebrate with fine wine," Zhong Shan said with a hearty laugh.
"Good," Zhao Suoxiang nodded.
Between men, words were often unnecessary. Zhao Suoxiang's gratitude did not need to be spoken aloud; actions would suffice.
"By the way, there's something I need to tell you," Zhong Shan said after a moment's thought.
"Go ahead," Zhao Suoxiang replied promptly.
"I am establishing a puppet dynasty, aiming to dominate the six kingdoms. Among these kingdoms, there are descendants of your Zhao family..." Zhong Shan said with a furrowed brow.
Halfway through his explanation, Zhao Suoxiang understood Zhong Shan's implication. With a swift motion, he produced a purple token and handed it to Zhong Shan, saying, "Present this token when the time comes, and the Zhao family will follow your command."
Seeing the purple token, Zhong Shan felt a wave of emotion. This token symbolized entrusting the fate of the Zhao family entirely to him. He accepted it gently and nodded, "Rest assured, as long as I live, the Zhao family will prosper."
Grateful, Zhao Suoxiang nodded and said, "Thank you!"
Zhong Shan and Zhao Suoxiang continued their private conversation.
In the distance, the others waited patiently.
An hour later, the two men emerged from their secluded spot.
Zhao Suoxiang, with the eight Iron Spear Sect members, headed westward. Meanwhile, Zhong Shan, Bei Qingsi, and Tian Sha flew towards the eastern Wolf Territory.
As they departed, two men in red robes emerged from a hidden spot at the foot of a nearby mountain.
One of them, with a cold gaze fixed in the direction Zhong Shan had flown, said to the other, "Inform the master that the remnants of the Bei family have appeared. I will follow her and mark the path. You all must pursue swiftly."
"Yes," the other red-robed man replied.
After flying for three more hours, Zhong Shan and his companions finally arrived at the so-called Wolf Territory.
At the border of Wolf Territory, countless wolf totems could be seen. The mountains seemed sculpted into giant wolves, standing tall in all directions.
"Up ahead is the Wolf Territory. Follow me," Bei Qingsi said softly.
"Alright," Zhong Shan and Tian Sha both nodded. The three flew deeper into the territory.
As they soared through the sky, Zhong Shan noticed that wolves of various kinds populated the land below, their fur ranging in color from white to gray, black, and red. In this short time, he saw many different species. Truly, this place lived up to its name, appearing to gather all the world's wolves in one region.
The trio flew onward, thankfully without encountering any exceptionally powerful wolves. The deeper they ventured into the mountains, the more rugged the terrain became. The dense forests and high peaks, with ancient trees hundreds or thousands of years old, made the landscape incredibly challenging. For anyone unable to fly, traversing this terrain would be nearly impossible. Climbing even a single peak would be a formidable task. This land was suitable only for wolves, with humans unable to form large societies here.
Occasionally, Zhong Shan asked questions, to which Bei Qingsi responded succinctly. Meanwhile, Tian Sha felt increasingly superfluous. Whenever Zhong Shan asked Bei Qingsi something, she responded minimally to Tian Sha but elaborated when speaking to Zhong Shan.
This infuriated Tian Sha, but what could he do? In the Wolf Territory, Zhong Shan would no longer be in control. The territory was perilous; Tian Sha had only been there once with his master, and the memory was unforgettable. He thought to himself, "Just wait until we reach the inner Wolf Territory; that will be the end of you, Zhong Shan."
As these thoughts festered in Tian Sha's mind, a massive wolf suddenly leapt out from a distant valley. This giant red wolf, standing nearly fifty meters tall, appeared on a mountain peak directly ahead of them.
A fifty-meter-tall wolf deliberately blocking their path?
Seeing this, Zhong Shan frowned slightly. Bei Qingsi remained calm, but Tian Sha's face showed a hint of pleasure.
The enormous red wolf, standing atop the peak, shook its head as if stretching after a nap.
Bei Qingsi led the trio in a slight change of direction.
"Stop!" The giant red wolf suddenly commanded.
A talking wolf?
Hearing the wolf speak, Tian Sha tensed. He knew the wolf was strong but hadn't anticipated it being this strong. According to his master, if a wolf could speak human language, its strength surpassed even that of his master, Tian Xingzi.
"Bei Qingsi of the Kaiyang Sect greets the Wolf General!" Bei Qingsi immediately stopped and respectfully bowed to the giant wolf.
"Tian Sha of the Kaiyang Sect greets the Wolf General!" Tian Sha also bowed respectfully.
"Zhong Shan of the Kaiyang Sect greets the Wolf General!" Zhong Shan followed suit.
"Two at the Golden Core stage, one at the Innate stage. How dare you venture into the Wolf Territory with such feeble cultivation?" The Wolf General glared at them.
Hearing the Wolf General's words, the trio was stunned. Two at the Golden Core stage? The Wolf General had instantly discerned the cultivation levels of Bei Qingsi and Tian Sha? Even those at the Nascent Soul stage couldn't discern cultivation levels so easily. Only those two realms above could do so. Could this Wolf General be that powerful?