Chapter 57: Casting the Spell

“Go back? Bloodmane, it’s not a good idea to go back now. They might use this as an excuse to attack you.”

Bloodmane, however, was unconcerned, smirking coldly. “Let them attack. We can just pin the blame on them. Hmph, the Staff of Rebirth is lost; I don’t believe they won’t be anxious. This merit, let’s give it to them!”

The elder werewolf accompanying him pondered for a moment and then asked, “Do you mean that this matter is difficult to handle?”

Bloodmane gave a grim smile. “It’s going to be extremely difficult. Gari is dead, and so is Jilie. We don’t even know who our enemy is, only that it could be a demon offspring, just a possibility. Also, I’ve felt that something strange has been happening in the Black Forest recently. It might be related to this incident.”

The elder werewolf’s expression turned serious, and he slowly nodded.

Bloodmane said, “So, isn’t it better to let them handle it?”

“But, sir, you haven’t made any new achievements for a long time. Your rank in the merit list…”

Bloodmane gave a sinister smile. “Ranking is relative. Even if I stay still and wait for others to make mistakes, my ranking will still rise. Moreover…”

He paused, then continued with a profound meaning, “The dead have no ranking.”

After a while, the massive floating warship gathered the warriors, rose into the air, and flew towards the distance.

On a tree in the Black Forest, Nightgaze lowered the Shadow Ode, puzzled. “Why did they leave? I felt there should be a powerful opponent, at least someone like Count Garder.”

Qian Ye’s expression was somewhat somber. “He must have sensed something was off, so he abandoned the fight. This guy is very perceptive to danger, a truly annoying opponent.”

Nightgaze thought for a moment and said, “Such talent is rare in Evernight. Why are we seeing two in this remote area? Is this really a coincidence?”

“Perhaps it’s not a coincidence. Maybe there are more people with this talent in the neutral territory.”

“That makes sense. Without this talent, they would probably die quickly.”

Qian Ye watched the floating warship gradually disappear on the horizon. “Let’s go to the town and see what can be salvaged. We need to prepare well. The next ones might not be so easy to deal with.”

“Not necessarily. Didn’t you notice that the Wolf King’s men and the Empire’s expeditionary force are quite similar? They are basically independent, not under each other’s command. As long as they are not damaged, they would prefer others to die. In many ways, Evernight is the same. So, the next time they come, their strength might be the same or only slightly stronger.”

Qian Ye nodded. “That makes sense, but we still need to prepare.”

“By the way, let’s take Zhuji with us next time.”

“Zhuji? No, she’s too young.”

“Spider demons can hunt right after they are born. Now is the best time for her to learn combat skills. Don’t worry, I’ll watch over her.”

Qian Ye thought about it and agreed. He definitely didn’t know as much about spider demons as Nightgaze, who was also from Evernight. Little Zhuji indeed needed to be tested. Spider demons are born to fight, forged by a cruel environment over millennia. Those who couldn’t fight were wiped out.

Several days later, in the ancient totem castle, the atmosphere was tense. Everyone walked softly, even the wolves kept their tails down and crouched in the shadows, not daring to move around casually.

The roar that had resounded for miles had already shown the Wolf King’s anger. In his rage, if anyone provoked him, they would only have themselves to blame.

In the highest part of the castle, in the totem hall, the Wolf King sat high on his throne, his hands gripping the cold iron armrests, twisting them.

“Demon offspring, you dare to tell me it’s a demon offspring! Are these the kind of useless beings I raise? Where in my Eastern Sea could there be demon offspring?!”

Bloodmane cowered on the ground, not daring to look up. In the center of the hall, several wolf warrior bodies were mangled, their bones shattered, hardly recognizable as wolves. These survivors from the town had just been crushed to death by the Wolf King’s oppressive aura when his rage erupted.

After the roar, the Wolf King calmed down a bit. The elder werewolf sitting beside him said, “Chief, the message Gilie sent before his death is likely correct.”

The Wolf King respected this elder, suppressing his anger. “Elder, where in my Eastern Sea could there be demon offspring? What demon offspring would come to this forsaken place?”

The Elder said, “It’s not certain. There are demon activities near the Spider Emperor’s territory.”

Hearing the name of the Spider Emperor, the Wolf King immediately showed displeasure.

A wolf general below said, “Hmph, that old spider was originally called the Spider King. When our Chief became the Wolf King, he changed his title to Spider Emperor. What a shameless act.”

The Wolf King gripped the armrests. “That old spider is still a bit stronger than me. What title he wants is his business. There’s no need to bother with it.”

The general remained unconvinced. “He doesn’t even dare to challenge Zhang Buzhou. How dare he call himself the Spider Emperor? If they fought, I bet he wouldn’t be a match for our Chief.”

The Elder scolded, “Enough! Do you want the Chief to fight the Spider Emperor?”

The general hurriedly replied, “That’s not what I meant.”

The Wolf King said calmly, “Fighting the old spider is fine, but it’s not beneficial now. However, if he sent demon offspring to do something in my territory, that’s another story.”

The Elder said, “There’s no rush to conclude. After all, there’s no evidence. Such a major issue shouldn’t be handled hastily. Chief, I think you can use the favor Master Tianyan owes you.”

The Wolf King frowned. “Gari is dead. Is it necessary?”

“There’s also the Staff of Rebirth.”

The Wolf King pondered for a long time, finally nodding. He took out a broken jade piece from his pocket and handed it to the Elder. “I don’t want to see that old man. You go instead.”

The Elder took the jade piece, stood up, and said, “I will set off immediately. We should have news by tomorrow evening.”

“Take my floating warship. It will be faster.”

A day later, the Wolf King’s floating warship had flown a thousand miles and landed on a solitary island in the middle of a vast swamp.

This was the largest island in the swamp, with a few simple wooden huts built in the center. Skulls hung from the eaves, clattering in the wind, making eerie sounds.

The Elder stepped off the warship and approached the huts, knocking on a skull embedded in the door.

“Who is it?” A sharp, unpleasant voice came from inside.

“I am the messenger of the Wolf King.”

The door opened, revealing an old hag with a hunched back. Her eyes, like those of a lizard, looked over the Elder. “Where is the little wolf? Why didn’t he come himself?”

The Elder said, “After challenging Zhang Buzhou, the Wolf King’s status has changed. You should change your address.”

A flash of light appeared in the old hag’s eyes. “Fine, fine. For the sake of Zhang Buzhou, I’ll call him the Wolf King. What do you need?”

“The Wolf King’s heir is dead. We want to find out who did it.”

The old hag glanced at the wolf warriors behind the Elder, her face showing displeasure. “Where are the offerings? Are these the only ones? The little wolf, no, the Wolf King, knows I prefer children under three years old.”

The Elder remained composed. “The Wolf King says you owe him a favor.”

The old hag glared at the Elder, her eyes full of malice, but the Elder’s expression never changed. She reluctantly opened the door, muttering, “How long ago was that? He still remembers.”

The Elder instructed the wolf warriors to stay outside, then entered the hut. The door closed automatically behind him.

He took out a crystal bottle filled with blood. “Master Tianyan, this is the Wolf King’s blood.”

The old hag snatched it, her eyes gleaming with greed. “Just barely enough, just barely enough!”

The Elder didn’t argue. “Since it’s enough, please begin. I must return to report.”

Tianyan went to a side room, throwing a pile of odd materials—spiders, unknown leaves, rotting flesh—into a stone basin. She brought a large bucket of beast blood and poured it into the basin. Once everything was ready, she opened the crystal bottle and carefully dripped three drops into the basin, then quickly put the bottle away, looking pained.

The Elder couldn’t help but speak. “Master Tianyan, isn’t this a bit insufficient? Shouldn’t we add a few more drops?”

“How is it insufficient? The Wolf King’s bloodline is so powerful. Three drops are enough. As long as the target is in the neutral territory, they won’t escape my secret method. The only obstacle is the strength of their blood. As long as they’re not a Duke’s offspring, there will be no problem.”

The Elder was skeptical. “Then… please cast the spell!”

Tianyan began to dance around the basin, chanting inaudibly.

Seeing that she kept dancing, the Elder coughed. “Master, I’ve been a shaman in the tribe for over a hundred years. Let’s skip the preliminary rituals.”

Tianyan glared at the Elder. “Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

She knelt before the basin, closing her eyes and mumbling again. This time, the blood in the basin began to surge, boiling in moments. The materials, however, remained stuck to the bottom, unmoving.

In the Elder’s perception, it was as if a sea of dark energy was pouring from Tianyan’s small body into the basin, seemingly endless.