Under the command of the Wolf King, the position of general was one of great power and authority, not only commanding troops but also governing vast territories. This was akin to a vassal lord of the empire, essentially in a semi-independent state. The most powerful among them even held multiple general positions, with territories several times larger than others.
A position of general meant real power and land. Therefore, when this reward was announced, all the generals under the Wolf King’s command turned red-eyed with desire.
After the generals had departed, the elder who suggested the reward remained. The Wolf King asked, “Is it worth such a great price for two insignificant little creatures and an unconfirmed conspiracy?”
The elder appeared confident, replying, “It is absolutely worth it. Great Chieftain, a human once said that to keep the war wolves fierce, one must occasionally throw them a piece of fresh meat to fight over.”
The Wolf King immediately showed anger; this statement was insulting to the werewolves, who saw all types of wolves as part of their kindred.
However, the elder remained calm, “Great Chieftain, from the perspective of other races, this statement is very reasonable. You have more and more generals under your command, and your territories are becoming increasingly stable. But in the past year, haven’t you found the situation too peaceful? Expansion has slowed, and the internal enemies have been largely cleared. To be frank, these generals are well-fed. And a well-fed wolf lacks combativeness.”
The Wolf King slowly nodded, “True, as long as we create a gap among them, even the ones who are well-fed will feel hunger again if they fall behind.”
“Great Chieftain, you are wise.”
After a moment of contemplation, the Wolf King said, “Contact some mercenaries and have them retrieve a demon shard from the Old Spider’s territory. I have a use for it.”
“Great Chieftain, are you planning to go to war with the Spider Emperor?”
The Wolf King chuckled coldly, “With more and more new generals emerging, should I not go to war with the Old Spider and instead divide my own territory among them?”
“But…”
“Even if there are issues, isn’t there still Zhang Bu Zhou?” the Wolf King said indifferently.
The werewolf elder shuddered, sensing a possible implication, and dared not say more.
The Wolf King added, “By the way, there is another matter. See to it.”
The werewolf elder approached the Wolf King and listened carefully to the instructions, his face showing a hint of shock. After receiving the order, he hurried away, leaving the Wolf King alone in the Totem Hall.
In the desolate southern lands, after firing the Original Gun, Qian Ye’s aura weakened, and he seemed somewhat depleted. Night Pupil supported him, looking up at the sky, and asked, “What was that just now?”
Qian Ye shook his head, “I’m not sure, but it seems like some kind of long-distance divination technique, possibly combined with fate divination. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been able to locate us so accurately.”
“Is it related to the one in the sea?”
Qian Ye thought carefully and replied, “No. The eye emitted dark force, and there was a strong, evil, corrupt, and damp aura, completely different from the deep sea. I think it’s more likely someone from the Wolf King’s side. Perhaps someone skilled in fate divination, and of a very high level.”
Night Pupil showed some concern, “Did you just use your trump card? Are you alright?”
Qian Ye smiled, “It’s fine. I have plenty of essence blood, and I’ll be able to condense another Original Gun in less than two days. The one spying on us is quite formidable. Without using the Original Gun, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to kill him.”
“What do we do now?”
“Since we’ve been discovered, we should pack up and prepare to leave.”
The deeper one went into the Eastern Sea, the more prosperous it became. In the vast human-occupied territories of the Eastern Sea, the central northern part was the most flourishing, with three sizable cities, two by the sea and one in the central inland, connecting the coast and the interior.
In terms of prosperity, the further south one went, the more desolate it became. In the desolate areas, towns were often hundreds of miles apart. Interestingly, the further northwest one went from the central area, the fewer people there were. At the northwest edge, there stood the ancient totem fortress of the Wolf King and the werewolf tribe.
That area was once quite prosperous, but it gradually declined after the Wolf King took control of the Eastern Sea.
The two coastal cities, Listening Tide and Watching Waves, were major human settlements. Each city had several influential families, both openly and secretly influencing the city’s operations.
Among the five major families in Watching Waves, the Xue family had a significant presence.
The Xue ancestral residence was located in the northwest corner of Watching Waves, occupying four entire blocks, making it a city within a city. At the center of the residence stood a grand hall, the Xue family’s ancestral shrine. At this moment, smoke filled the shrine as Xue Wu and Xue Ding knelt in the main hall, too afraid to look up. Before them were hundreds of ancestral tablets, stacked on the altar. Kneeling here, anyone would feel as if they were being watched by countless ancestors of the Xue family.
In this abode of ancestral spirits, the protection and blessings for the descendants were omnipresent.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the side, causing the elderly man guarding the main hall to frown. In no time, more than ten people rushed through the side door and headed for the gate. Among them, two young men carried an elderly man, their faces anxious, shouting, “Quickly, quickly! Find the Holy Hand Healer!”
The elderly man looked drained, his chest covered in blood, and he was constantly spitting up more. However, the blood he spat out was a dark purple, with a putrid stench that made one want to vomit.
The group rushed out of the shrine and disappeared like the wind. Just then, a middle-aged man entered from the side. The elderly man in the main hall grabbed him and asked, “What happened to the Great Elder?”
The middle-aged man bowed to the elderly man, saying, “Greetings, Fifth Elder,” and then glared at Xue Ding and Xue Wu, gritting his teeth, “All because of these two fools who don’t know their place! Who knows what they did, but the Wolf King actually summoned the Heavenly Eye to search for the perpetrator. If it weren’t for the Great Elder’s mastery of fate divination and his personal defense of the ancestral shrine, blocking the Heavenly Eye’s detection, who knows how much trouble it would have caused for the Xue family! But the Heavenly Eye is a fearsome old monster, and the Great Elder is now seriously injured. It might even leave a lingering problem. Sigh!”
Fifth Elder sighed, at a loss for what else to do. The middle-aged man glared at Xue Wu, “I thought you had some talent and would become a pillar of the family, but who knew you’d be so reckless, hmpf!”
Xue Wu lowered his head, not defending himself. Xue Ding’s head was so low it nearly touched the ground, not daring to utter a word.
The middle-aged man huffed and left. Fifth Elder sighed, “Xiao Wu, your ninth uncle is looking out for you. His temper is always like this, so don’t take it to heart. But this time, you indeed acted improperly. If the Heavenly Eye, that old monster, searches again, the Great Elder may be in grave danger. Fortunately, the heavens are protecting our Xue family, and for some reason, the Heavenly Eye only used its magic once.”
Xue Wu nodded, remaining silent.
Xue Ding stole a glance at Xue Wu and finally gritted his teeth, saying, “This has nothing to do with my brother. I caused the trouble first, and he helped me, so…”
When Xue Ding finished, Fifth Elder said coolly, “The matter is clear, but the Elders’ decision will not change. Xue Wu must stay in seclusion in the ancestral shrine for three years, not leaving it for a single step.”
“Why! This is all my fault!” Xue Ding shouted.
A stern voice came from behind, “To protect the Xue family, to protect Xiao Wu!”
Xue Ding turned around, startled, and hurriedly bowed, saying, “Great Grandfather… no, Patriarch.”
The elder entering the shrine had a dignified appearance, a rosy complexion, and sharp eyes despite his white hair. He glared at Xue Ding, “Who’s at fault doesn’t matter. What matters is, if the Wolf King learns that Jia Li’s death is connected to our Xue family, he’ll have an excuse. Even if he destroys our Xue family, Zhang Bu Zhou won’t say a word.”
Xue Ding was indignant, “But we are human, and the Wolf King is, after all, an alien race! Why does the Heavenly King let an alien race bully us! For the sake of restraint, this is too much!”
“The Heavenly King… hey! Even if Zhang Bu Zhou becomes a Heavenly King, do you think anything will change? In his heart, there’s only himself, and he sees no difference between humans and wolves, only whether they can serve him loyally!”
“Patriarch, what about my brother? When can I return to the ancient totem fortress?”
The elder huffed, “Return? Who said you’re going back?”
“But if I don’t return, it will raise suspicion.”
Fifth Elder interjected, “Do you think there’s no suspicion now? You think you covered everything, but the Wolf King already knows that Jia Li was tracking you. Logically, the investigation will lead to you. With the Wolf King’s methods, can you really survive it?”
Xue Ding’s face finally changed. As the Wolf King’s adopted son, he knew the Wolf King’s methods well. Even if they survived, they would be ruined.
Fifth Elder continued, “Since Jia Li was actually killed by those young people, why don’t we strike first and capture them, take the reward from the Wolf King, and clear our name in this matter?”
Hearing this, Xue Wu, who had been silent, suddenly looked up and said, “Absolutely not!”
Fifth Elder, annoyed by the defiance, retorted, “Why not? Since he used such methods against you, our Xue family can certainly do the same. Or are you grateful for their mercy?”
Xue Wu replied, “No, I fear it will bring trouble to the Xue family.”
Fifth Elder was taken aback and then laughed, “Our Xue family, with its long history, would be destroyed by two little creatures? You said those two are only at levels twelve or thirteen, right?”
Xue Ding had to admit, “Fifth Elder, those two are extremely powerful, far beyond their cultivation levels.”
Fifth Elder huffed, “No matter how powerful, they can’t surpass your great-grandfather, can they?”
At this, Xue Wu and Xue Ding fell silent. The Xue family patriarch was almost a divine general, and in any case, he could overpower Qian Ye and Night Pupil. Yet, this fact brought no joy.
The old patriarch coughed and said, “There’s no point in arguing. From today, Xue Ding will also stay in the ancestral shrine for three years. Tell outsiders you haven’t seen them.”
Just then, a servant rushed in, saying, “A message from the branch family in Harbor City. Someone is asking for assistance in the name of the two young masters.”
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