Chapter 10: The Demon-Hunting Wolf

Everyone gasped, Lu Lanshan looked shocked, and Shang Wan stopped her hands that were cleaning the wolf meat, all of them in disbelief

The shadow lowered its head, its delicate toes curled slightly, accompanied by a faint inhalation

Zuo Qingci remained silent for a long time before speaking, his cold whispers like the wind sweeping over the snow: "Do you think an avalanche only happens once? As long as that wolf is alive, we cannot escape the valley. The pack will employ the same old tricks, burying their prey under the snow only to dig it out and share it. How many lives do you have?"

Zuo Qingci was left with only a roll of silver needles in his arms, having simply dealt with the situation for Shang Wan. Under the natural catastrophe, surviving was already a cause for great relief, and the loss of accompanying belongings was hardly worth a second thought

Although Bai Mo does not complain in public, he ultimately cannot help but express in private: "Young Master should not come in person; it is truly too dangerous here"

A shadow darker than the night sky swept across the heavens, resembling a bird returning to its nest. Luo Qingci looked up and spoke, his words as thin as frost and snow: "If we do not see anyone by noon tomorrow, we must immediately rise and proceed. There is no food here, and no matter how we conserve the wolf meat, it will not be enough. We must hasten our exit from the valley"

The flame leaped, the light dimmed and then brightened again, two dry branches were propped up to form a vertical pole, upon which a piece of cloth was hung, creating a drooping curtain. The flame crackled as it burned, casting a deep shadow on the curtain.

In a hazy state of consciousness, Bai Mo always felt that something was amiss. When he finally became aware, he was startled and sprang up. He was annoyed with himself for having unknowingly fallen asleep, completely forgetting about the night watch.

Perhaps the footprints outside the cave were a hint. Upon seeing the two merchants, he did not show any surprise, silently unloading the burden from his shoulder. As soon as he laid eyes on it, Bai Mo could not help but let out a gasp.

Zuo Qingci cast a glance at him, and his indifferent handsome face surprisingly exuded a kind of imposing dignity. "If someone has saved you, you should understand the need for gratitude; if you cannot express gratitude, at the very least, you must learn to show respect. Otherwise, there is no need to follow me any longer; you may return to Jinling."

After a considerable amount of time, Fei Kouer finally squeezed out a sound through his teeth: "Three hours"

After a moment of silence, Zuo Qingci rose and squeezed through the crevice in the rock. The fog had dissipated, and under the vast sky, the starlight spread across the fields. The surroundings were desolate, silent to the point of having not a single sound.

All four of them looked at him, and no one knew what to say.

As the narrative draws to a close and dusk approaches, food has become the primary challenge

Fei Kouer did not respond, huddling closer to the fire, her frozen, bluish fingertips gripping her arms tightly, her head pressed firmly against her knees, the exquisite fur cloak wrapped around her body in a disheveled manner, appearing quite ridiculous.

In the moment when the snow weighed heavily upon him, Lu Lanshan exerted all his life’s strength to split apart several layers, his profound internal energy compressing the snow into an ice wall. Although buried under the heavy snow, it left behind a barely supportive space, preventing him from suffocating to death. Once the avalanche completely settled, he slowed his breathing and gradually dug through the snow layer to emerge above ground, only to encounter a thick fog that obscured all landmarks. He dared not call out loudly, and as he wandered around, he inadvertently moved further away, until he finally saw a column of smoke after the fog dispersed, prompting him to turn back.

The clothes on the ground were baked by the heat, rising wisps of damp mist. Slim arms wrapped around the body, the shadow slightly hunched, resembling branches bent by the weight of wind and snow. Suddenly, a low cough echoed in the empty stone crevice.

In contrast, Shang Wan was in a much more dire situation. He fell into a crevice filled with ice and snow, narrowly escaping a disaster. However, he dislocated his leg due to the fall and suffered internal injuries as well, expending considerable effort to climb back up. Fortunately, he encountered Lu Lanshan, who helped him circulate his energy to unblock his meridians. Only after feeling somewhat better did they set off together.

During an avalanche, the flying thief reacts extremely quickly, and Bai Mo questions his own abilities in comparison. However, his subsequent actions are contradictory, sacrificing his well-being for trivial gains, leaving others completely baffled as to what he is thinking.

A fluffy clump of snow powder was formed, only to be casually discarded by Zuo Qingci in an instant. He lightly remarked: "Without any planning, even the most skilled expert is merely a scattered mass. With Duan Yan having three demons by his side, how could one approach easily? If I had not come in person, there would have already been those who wished to retreat before entering the Snow Valley, and all would be in vain"

This time, the thief did not refuse; he took off his outer garment and wrapped his body in a fur cloak. After warming himself by the fire for a while, he began to shiver. He trembled so violently that even his teeth were chattering, and Bai Mo was almost worried that his bones would fall apart

Zuo Qingci lowered his head to look at him, his handsome face devoid of any expression. After a moment of silence, he turned to instruct Bai Mo. "Take off your outer garment and give it to him, and gather some fallen leaves and dry branches to make the fire burn brighter"

As the cloak slips away, the shadow begins to thin, one garment after another is shed, and the last piece of clothing is cast aside, revealing a bare silhouette projected onto the drapery, so delicate that it seems it could vanish with a gust of wind. Beneath the suspended drapery, a pair of feet, as if carved from jade, is exposed, with ten toes exquisitely graceful, the lines exceptionally beautiful, yet the color from the heel to the tip of the toes is quite unsettling, presenting a dim purplish-brown hue

All is silent, the wilderness is devoid of sound

The craftsmanship of the evening baking was lacking, but the wolf meat was hard-earned, and everyone reluctantly swallowed it to alleviate their hunger, with the remaining cooked meat serving as provisions. A group of people tacitly ceded the fire to Fei Kouer, who had not eaten or spoken at all; he only tended to the fire, adding a few pieces of dry wood while others chatted after their meal.

Lying on the ground is a pure white snow wolf, its massive body heavy with flesh and bone, the corners of its mouth unable to close, revealing its fearsome sharp teeth. Even in death, its appearance remains exceedingly ferocious

Bai Mo exclaimed, "Are you crazy, just for killing this wolf? Aren't you afraid of freezing to death!"

Zuo Qingci smiled faintly. "He is indeed a clever man, but unfortunately, he has fallen into a trap and must be at the mercy of others."

Bai Mo followed out and recalled that Yin Changge and Shen Manqing were still unaccounted for: "Young Master, what if there is still no news from Yin and Shen?"

After a long wait, the snowy region was completely silent. Bai Mo, feeling disheartened, crawled back into the cave. As the afternoon mist gradually thinned, the rising column of smoke became increasingly distinct. After a while, there was finally some movement outside the cave.

Zuo Qingci sat leaning against the stone wall, silently lost in thought with the book. Upon seeing him awake, he did not scold him but made a gesture to indicate silence. Bai Mo turned his head to look around; the fire was still burning fiercely, and everyone else was sound asleep, just as before. He quietly let out a sigh of relief

Lu Lanshan reflexively drew out a short knife to prepare the meat, while Shang Wan threw firewood into the bonfire. The two, with empty stomachs, worked in perfect harmony, but were intercepted by Fei Kou'er. He took the short knife and carefully peeled off the wolf skin before handing it over to the two to take over.

Lu Lanshan and Shang Wan sought each other out, and apart from Shang Wan's limp, both were otherwise in good condition. The two were both hungry and exhausted, having lost all their belongings except for their weapons. Surviving a disaster, their reunion was particularly joyful, and they eagerly shared the remaining wolf meat, gathering around the fire to chat leisurely.

Bai Mo stepped outside to take a look; the desolate snow valley felt devoid of any living beings. The only sound was the crackling of the dry branches burning in the fire outside the cave. However, a thick fog had rolled in during the night, obscuring the outline of the smoke column. In the windless snow valley, the fog dissipated very slowly. Bai Mo added two handfuls of wet leaves to the fire, but it still had little effect.

The flames danced upon the dry leaves, and a faint wisp of smoke dispersed. Perhaps due to excessive exhaustion and lack of spirit, within less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, everyone had fallen into a deep slumber

Lu Lanshan attempted to hunt, yet the snow-covered land was desolate and empty. The wolves, having suffered losses at their hands, were particularly vigilant and kept their distance. Shang Wan lay still, pretending to be dead for nearly half an hour, but could not attract a single one. Despite possessing exceptional skills, the two of them toiled for a long time and still returned empty-handed, feeling quite helpless under the gnawing hunger.

As night fell, Fei Kou Er returned

The cold and sarcastic words left Bai Mo in a daze

Fei Kouer was also asleep, wrapped in a fur cloak, lying on a stinking raw wolf skin mat, seemingly still feeling cold by the fire, curled up like a hedgehog in winter. It was evident that this priceless fur cloak had been ruined, destroyed by a rough and wasteful brute, and Bai Mo could not help but feel a moment of pity.

A vague shadow on the stone wall suddenly moved

Zuo Qingci calmly took off his cloak and handed it over, gently reminding, "Change your clothes; wearing wet clothes in this place can be deadly."

Indeed, Bai Mo was left speechless, and after a long pause, he murmured, "No wonder that flying thief is unwilling to come at all"

After a while, Lu Lanshan could not help but ask: "How long did you lie in the snow?"

Bai Mo glanced at the crevice and lowered his voice: "Young Master, is he insane? Even for wolf meat, lying in the snow for three hours is too foolish."

Bai Mo instantly knelt down, touching his head to the ground, cold sweat dripping. "Young Master, please forgive me, I will never dare to speak recklessly again"

The snow wolf bore no visible wounds, save for its soft neck, which seemed to have been broken by the unarmed assailant, Fei Kou'er. Bai Mo examined and turned it over, confirming that the blood on the wolf's forehead belonged to the cunning and demonic lead wolf.

Only then did everyone notice that Fei Kouer’s lips had taken on a frightening shade of blue. At first, her outer garment was frozen stiff, making it hard to discern, but after warming by the fire, the entire garment was marked with deep, dark stains. Remembering the bone-chilling ice and snow outside the cave, Bai Mo involuntarily shivered.