Chapter 12: Bullied by Wolves
Sensing the strength of the wolf pack outside, Yao Yan remained expressionless. He wasn't the kind to be intimidated by a bunch of low-tier magical beasts. After all, he had witnessed the existence of peak experts on the Dou Qi continent—this little scene couldn't shake him.
If nothing else, he considered himself top-tier in terms of mental fortitude.
Anyone who had been through what he had likely wouldn't even feel fear anymore.
A few Tier 2 and 3 beasts? Even if Hun Tiandi appeared in front of him, Yao Yan probably wouldn't flinch.
"Can't win… should I ask for help?"
Yao Yan was fully aware of his own strength. Dealing with one or two Tier 2 Frost Wolves was manageable. But against a Tier 3 Frost Wolf King and its pack, he'd probably be torn apart before even landing a hit. The gap in strength was far too great—comparable to a Great Dou Master bullying a mere Dou Practitioner.
He believed Yao Nong was likely watching from the shadows. If he called for help, the man would probably show up to handle the situation.
But he wasn't sure if Hun Xuzi was watching too.
If Hun Xuzi found out he was already crying for help on the first night, it would undoubtedly lower his value in the man's eyes. It wasn't about winning or losing—but if he didn't even try, it would seem like cowardice. And who would bother cultivating someone like that?
So Yao Yan held back. He didn't shout for help. Instead, he calmly pushed the Illusory Gold Flame in his palm to its limit. The scorching flame lit up the entire cave, and the fierce energy within the beast flame raged outward.
He wanted to see if the Tier 3 Frost Wolf King would be intimidated.
The Illusory Gold Flame was a true high-tier beast flame. No Tier 3 magical beast should be unafraid of it.
Howl…
Just as Yao Yan predicted, the Frost Wolf King did hesitate. It let out a low growl, and its icy eyes flickered with fear. But it was clearly reluctant to leave. Earlier, it had sensed concentrated natural energy from inside the cave—something that felt like a heavenly treasure, something that might help it break through.
It was already at the peak of Tier 3—just a step away from Tier 4!
Magical beasts were often instinctively suppressed by bloodline pressure, but their desire to grow stronger was also instinctual.
Woo-woo~
The Tier 2 Frost Wolves, however, had far lower intelligence. The fierce aura of the Illusory Gold Flame overwhelmed them with terror. Trembling, they tucked their tails and retreated, not daring to get closer.
Seeing this, the Frost Wolf King let out an angry roar, trying to command them back.
But it was useless.
Not every magical beast was willing to throw its life away in the pursuit of strength—especially when the opponent's power was overwhelming.
With the pack dispersed, the Frost Wolf King had no choice but to give up. Though it was at the peak of Tier 3 and had decent intelligence, it still understood danger. If the pack had remained, it might've dared to challenge even a Tier 4 beast. But against an unknown threat, it wouldn't risk its life.
It glared hard at the cave, then turned and retreated slowly.
Without its underlings, even the alpha didn't dare go in alone.
Inside the cave—
Yao Yan wore a strange expression. He hadn't expected the wolf pack to scare so easily. Just showing the Illusory Gold Flame had been enough to send them running—they hadn't even tried probing his strength.
He couldn't help but laugh. "Not exactly dumb, but definitely not that smart either. Heh~"
A higher-ranked beast likely would've seen through his bluff right away—known he was faking it.
Low-rank beasts just didn't have the intelligence for that. They relied purely on aura to assess strength.
Of course, Yao Yan being hidden inside the cave helped. The wolves couldn't see him, nor sense his actual power. Had he been standing in the open, that Tier 3 Frost Wolf King probably wouldn't have backed off without a bite or two.
Above the valley, concealed in the air, Yao Nong had witnessed the whole scene. For a moment, he didn't know what to think.
He wasn't sure if Yao Yan truly wasn't afraid, or if he had guessed Yao Nong was nearby.
After a while, Yao Nong simply closed his eyes. Since nothing had happened, there was no need for him to intervene.
…
The next morning, Yao Yan realized the danger hadn't passed. More Tier 2 Frost Wolves had appeared around the cave. They weren't approaching, but they weren't leaving either—clearly keeping watch.
Sensing this, Yao Yan went silent. He realized he had underestimated these creatures' intelligence.
"One-star Dou Practitioner really is too weak…"
Yao Yan felt the Dou Qi vortex in his body and sighed softly. He never thought there would come a day when he'd be cornered by a bunch of magical beasts—and helpless against them.
Weakness was a crime. On the Dou Qi Continent, if you were too weak, even magical beasts could bully you.
He knew he couldn't stay in the cave forever. If this dragged on, that smart Frost Wolf King would surely come back to probe. At that point, the Illusory Gold Flame might not be enough to scare it off. With that thought, he looked toward the rock wall—he planned to tunnel his way out the other side.
He wasn't going to sit here playing mind games with a bunch of low-level beasts.
With that, he raised his palm and began using the Illusory Gold Flame to melt through the mountain. As an alchemist, he was no stranger to refining all kinds of materials. A rock wall like this wasn't hard to melt—just extremely time-consuming and energy-draining. He had to keep popping Qi Recovery Pills to maintain his strength.
What came out of the process was worthless—a kind of tough gray stone. It could be further refined, but there was no point.
Yao Nong, still watching from afar, twitched at the sight. He hadn't expected Yao Yan to go this far. For a moment, he was stunned into silence.
Melting through a mountain was certainly… unconventional.
Yao Yan spent three full days and nights burning through the rock. Dust-covered and exhausted, he finally emerged from the other side. Wiping his face, he glanced back at the cave and clenched his fist. Feeling the power of a two-star Dou Practitioner coursing through him, he grinned.
"Frost Wolf King, you better be here when I come back!"
His smile was brilliant. Since arriving in this world, only Hun Xuzi had made him this miserable. Now, for the first time, he'd been pushed around by a magical beast.
A proud Tier 3 alchemist… bullied by a Tier 3 magical beast?
Unacceptable!
He vowed to come back once he reached Dou Master. And when he did, he'd take the Frost Wolf King's teeth and turn them into a trophy pendant!
Without wasting another moment—
He took off running. He needed to leave the area quickly. That valley now belonged to the wolf pack—he had no place there anymore. As a two-star Dou Practitioner, he still wasn't strong enough to face them head-on.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997