Chapter Seventeen: Tianshan

After several attempts at communicating with the Howling Soul Hound using the Spirit Communication Technique, Jiang Yan finally understood the origins of this creature.

Just as the translucent information interface had shown, the Howling Soul Hound belonged to the Tianshan Sect. Li Fei, a fourth-generation disciple of the Tianshan Sect, had been sent by his sect leader to Mount Hua on a mission—specifically, to destroy the sect there. To ensure everything went smoothly, he brought along a spirit beast from the sect, the Howling Soul Hound. However, Li Fei knew nothing of the Spirit Communication Technique, nor did he understand the art of beast control, and the Tianshan Sect lacked any Beast Control Talismans. Thus, Li Fei relied entirely on the hound’s own initiative to direct it in battle.

Now, the Howling Soul Hound was hungry and wanted a Spirit Beast Pellet, but Li Fei could not comprehend what it needed. More importantly, the Tianshan Sect simply did not possess any of those pellets.

With no other choice, the hound had to forage for food on its own. Once let loose, it would devour chickens, ducks, pigs, and even cattle. Naturally, the poultry and livestock of Qingyang Town began to suffer. Fortunately, as a first-rank, low-grade spirit beast, its appetite was not large, so the town only occasionally lost a pig here or a chicken there. Although the local official, Lord Ning, organized the townsfolk to capture the hound, what could a group of ordinary people do against a beast whose strength rivaled that of a fourth-level Qi Cultivator? The only result was a few townspeople bitten, and no success in catching the beast.

From behind, Sun Yang’s soft voice drifted over, “Ah Qian, look how adorable these two puppies are. Let’s catch the black one and take it home. The white one is too fierce—it bit two of my servants this afternoon.”

The Howling Soul Hound, hearing Sun Yang’s words, turned its head and bared its teeth at him, emitting a low, threatening growl that instantly filled Sun Yang’s ears and left him dizzy. His body swayed and he nearly collapsed, only managing to stay upright with Ning Qian’s timely support.

Ning Qian whispered, “Don’t speak. The sect leader has his own plans.”

Still shaken, Sun Yang rubbed his ear. He dared not utter another word—the explosive sound in his ear had truly frightened him. Just a small, fearsome puppy baring its teeth could unleash such a deafening roar. The pets raised by cultivators were nothing like those raised at home; these little dogs were so formidable…

“Woof, woof…” Suddenly, the Howling Heaven Hound barked at Jiang Yan, and the Howling Soul Hound fixed its gaze on him as well.

The Howling Heaven Hound was hungry, and so was the Howling Soul Hound. The Howling Heaven Hound had been sent out by the Sect Leader System five days ago. A single low-grade Spirit Beast Pellet could keep a first-rank spirit beast sated for five days. By this reckoning, it was time for the Howling Heaven Hound to feel hungry, too. Fortunately, Jiang Yan mused with relief.

He rubbed his fingers gratefully. Both dogs were hungry—if the Reward and Punishment Task hadn’t included any spirit beast pellets today, he would have been at a loss. Luckily, this time he had received a hundred low-grade Spirit Beast Pellets as a reward.

With a flip of his palm, a milky-white porcelain bottle the size of a wine jug appeared. Uncorking it, Jiang Yan poured out two fragrant pills.

Both hounds stared fixedly at the pills in his hand, circling him eagerly and occasionally letting out ingratiating barks. “Woof, woof…”

Jiang Yan casually tossed the two pills into the air. In a flash, black and white shadows shot skyward, snatching the pills right out of the air.

Landing with a satisfied “Awoo!” the two puppies—one black, one white—lifted their heads and gazed longingly at the porcelain bottle in Jiang Yan’s hands.

Laughing, Jiang Yan gave the Howling Heaven Hound a gentle kick and scolded, “Get lost. One pellet will keep you full for five days. Any more, and you won’t be able to digest the medicine’s power—it would be a waste. Off with you!”

The Howling Heaven Hound rolled joyfully on the ground, then dashed off to play with the Howling Soul Hound. The black and white puppies frolicked away together.

Sun Yang stared, dumbfounded, in the direction the two hounds had vanished. He muttered to himself, “These two little dogs sure can run fast!”

…

With a creak, the main door of the distant inn’s courtyard was suddenly pushed open. Out strode a stern-faced young man in white, muttering irritably as he made his way toward the outhouse in the corner of the yard. Jiang Yan’s gaze fixed on him, and the translucent information interface appeared before his eyes.

Name: Li Fei
Sect: Tianshan Sect
Position: Inner Sect Disciple
Cultivation: Fourth Level of Qi Cultivation
Weapon: Wu Hook
Technique: Ice Technique, first-rank mid-grade
Virtue Points: —

Jiang Yan frowned. Tianshan Sect—the name was all too familiar. He patted his forehead, puzzled as to how the Tianshan Sect had tracked down Mount Hua so quickly.

With a clatter, the main door of the inn’s courtyard was thrown open again. Out came a skinny, shifty-eyed youth, who shouted as he walked, “Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Li Fei, hurry up! Everyone’s waiting at the gambling table. No matter your status, you can’t keep us all waiting, Senior Brother Li!”

From the outhouse, Li Fei responded loudly, “Alright, alright! I’m just using the latrine. Is there any need to make such a fuss? Even a cultivator has bodily needs—you’ll have to let me finish.”

The shifty youth entered the outhouse, and soon the sounds of relief mixed with his unconcerned chatter drifted out. “Senior Brother Li, tomorrow, with Bai Lun’s jade talisman, we’ll find Mount Hua’s location and wipe them out. At the latest, we’ll return to Tianshan the day after. So hurry up—you won’t get to have so much fun back at Tianshan.”

Once he finished, the shifty youth exited and returned to the main house, leaving Li Fei alone in the outhouse.

“Wipe out Mount Hua!” The shifty youth’s words exploded in Jiang Yan’s mind like a thunderclap.

It was the Tianshan Sect that had killed his master, Ding Yuan, during their monster hunt. When Bai Lun, a disciple of the Golden Flame Sect, returned Ding Yuan’s ashes to Mount Hua, he’d mentioned that Master Ding Yuan had died under the Tianshan Sect Leader’s sword. But Jiang Yan had never imagined that, instead of seeking vengeance against Tianshan, they would come seeking his life.

His teeth clenched involuntarily, a grinding sound escaping as blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. The hatred for his master’s murderers—barely a few days had passed, and now his enemies had come to finish off Mount Hua.

“Bai Lun!” Jiang Yan spat out the name coldly. Not only had Bai Lun revealed the location of his sect to the Tianshan Sect, but he’d also crafted a jade talisman for them. Without Bai Lun’s help, the Tianshan Sect would have needed at least half a year to uncover Mount Hua’s whereabouts. Now, with the assistance of that Golden Flame Sect disciple, experts from Tianshan would arrive in a matter of days.

If the disciples coming to destroy Mount Hua included anyone above the fifth level of Qi Cultivation, then Mount Hua would be doomed. Jiang Yan himself, at fourth level, was the strongest in the sect; the other disciples were merely novices. Though there was a Mountain Protection Grand Array, at its current strength it could only ward off cultivators up to the fifth level.

A chill settled in Jiang Yan’s heart. If any of their enemies surpassed the fifth level, Mount Hua faced utter annihilation.

He glanced back at Ning Qian and Sun Yang. “You two should return. The chicken-thieving weasel has already been dealt with by my spirit beast. Soon, something serious may happen here. If you value your lives, go back now.”

A flash of excitement lit Sun Yang’s eyes, and he was about to speak when Ning Qian abruptly pulled him back, bowing respectfully to Jiang Yan. “As the sect leader commands, we brothers will take our leave.” With that, he dragged Sun Yang along.

After a few steps, Sun Yang shook him off in annoyance. “Ah Qian, why’d you pull me? There might be an immortal duel later—why are you holding me back?”

Ning Qian glanced back at Jiang Yan standing alone, a hint of melancholy in his voice. “An immortal duel—such a battle wields terrifying power. If we’re too close and caught in the aftermath, our lives would be forfeit.”

Sun Yang protested, “But we can’t just abandon the sect leader…” By now, he regarded himself as a disciple of Mount Hua, addressing Jiang Yan as sect leader at every turn.

Ning Qian kept his gaze fixed on Jiang Yan, murmuring, “It’s not just a matter of willingness—we need the strength to stand by him…”

Only once the two had departed did Jiang Yan turn his thoughts to the looming crisis that threatened the very existence of his sect. Just then, the Sect Leader System’s voice sounded beside his ear.

“Ding…”