"It seems they intend to use the teleportation array to reach Blue Star. However, the instability of the array has caused them to lose many of their kin," Ye Bufan concluded in his heart. "I cannot let them continue to teleport, as it will cause trouble later on."
Thus, Ye Bufan prepared to take action and eliminate these hidden dangers.
After observing in secret for another moment, Ye Bufan noticed that these Silver Hook Snow Wolves were behaving strangely. Instead of venturing out to search for the missing Silver Hook Snow Wolf, they remained calmly inside the cave.
"When things are unusual, there must be a reason," Ye Bufan observed for a while longer, from daytime into the night.
"Awoooo—"
As the moon rose above the mountains, Ye Bufan heard a powerful aura emanating from the mountain where the cave was located.
"Foundation Establishment peak!" Ye Bufan felt this aura and instantly concealed his own, disguising himself.
Before long, a figure swiftly traversed the mountainside. Ye Bufan was greatly alarmed upon seeing it. This Silver Hook Snow Wolf was as large as an elephant, and judging by its aura, it was likely the Wolf King among the Silver Hook Snow Wolves.
Wolves were pack animals. Ye Bufan had assumed they had a clear division of labor, but he hadn't expected that when facing an unfamiliar world, the Wolf King would send lower-cultivation wolves to scout rather than leading the exploration and foraging himself.
A Wolf King at the peak of Foundation Establishment. After much thought, Ye Bufan surmised that the Wolf King had likely passed through the teleportation array first, but due to its instability, only some Silver Hook Snow Wolves had managed to arrive.
The Wolf King was also carrying something in its mouth. Ye Bufan watched from afar; it resembled a human figure.
Inside the cave, the Silver Hook Snow Wolves looked at the snow-white wolf corpses littering the ground and let out long howls, their voices filled with unwillingness and regret.
"Ah—"
Immediately after, a human voice rang out. Ye Bufan found the voice vaguely familiar.
"It's—" a startled cry sounded, this time from a woman. Ye Bufan immediately guessed the identities of these two people: Wang Yao and Feng Quan!
Ye Bufan hadn't expected that the brother and sister, who had survived the attacks of the ordinary Silver Hook Snow Wolves, would ultimately fail to evade the Wolf King.
It was likely that the Wolf King had smelled the aura of the missing Silver Hook Snow Wolf on them, which was why it had captured them.
"Don't kill me, don't kill me!" Feng Quan yelled frantically at the Wolf King. "I didn't kill your subjects, it was her, it was her!"
To save himself, Feng Quan pointed at Wang Yao and kept retreating, moving towards the edge.
"Foolish human, do you really think I am an idiot?" The Wolf King spoke, its voice startling Feng Quan into unconsciousness.
Seeing this, Wang Yao was also filled with extreme panic, but unlike Feng Quan, she appeared remarkably calm.
"Kill me. An eye for an eye," Wang Yao said to the Wolf King. "I've already profited by surviving a near-death experience, so it's not a loss."
The Wolf King sneered upon seeing Wang Yao. "Do you really think I would believe that you killed my subjects? Your strength is not enough for that!"
Wang Yao looked at the Wolf King, who was several times larger than her, and was momentarily stunned. Fear filled her eyes, but her resolve was firm.
"Speak! Tell me who killed my subjects, and I can let you go," the Wolf King said to Wang Yao.
"I! I know! I've seen that person. If you let me go, I'll take you to find him."
Feng Quan, having awoken from his daze and overheard the conversation between the Wolf King and Wang Yao, clung to this hope like a lifeline, frantically shouting at the Wolf King.
"Noisy!" The Wolf King sent a palm strike at Feng Quan from afar, then turned its gaze back to Wang Yao.
"Human, I advise you to be sensible. Otherwise, I will make you wish you were dead and yet unable to die. My subjects have been hungry for days. I cannot guarantee they won't devour you alive," the Wolf King threatened Wang Yao. "That feeling is unpleasant; you will clearly feel the pain as you watch your body being eaten."
"Awoooo—"
Under the Wolf King's threat, Wang Yao's eyes reddened, filled with terror.
"He saved me. I will not betray him," Wang Yao declared. "All humans die eventually. Death can be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather. Death is not a big deal."
"Good! Very good! I hope you will still say that later." The Wolf King howled, and five Silver Hook Snow Wolves immediately surrounded them.
Ye Bufan frowned deeply. The five Silver Hook Snow Wolves were manageable, but a Wolf King at the peak of Foundation Establishment was indeed a bit tricky. However, it should be within his ability to eliminate those five Silver Hook Snow Wolves under his nose and then lure the Wolf King away. This way, Wang Yao would have a chance of survival, and he could engage in a struggle with the Wolf King.
No sooner said than done, Ye Bufan summoned his remnant sword and flew towards the five Silver Hook Snow Wolves.
The Wolf King reacted quickly, instantly lunging towards the five Silver Hook Snow Wolves to save them.
However, Ye Bufan's remnant sword was no ordinary blade. In the urgent situation, the Wolf King did not unleash its full strength. The remnant sword flashed in Ye Bufan's hand, and two young Silver Hook Snow Wolves were dispatched. The three adult Silver Hook Snow Wolves also sustained considerable injuries.
"Awoooo—"
The Silver Hook Wolf King sensed Ye Bufan's location and chased after him.
Seeing this, Ye Bufan employed the Chaotic Step technique. The Wolf King lunged, completely missing its target. Ye Bufan then multitasked. His remnant sword flew, its light flashing. The Silver Hook Wolf King realized it had been careless and flew towards the remaining three adult Silver Hook Snow Wolves.
"Awoooo—"
The Silver Hook Wolf King extended its claws, which were sharp and imbued with chilling energy, and fiercely swiped at the remnant sword.
The next moment, the Wolf King's claws were sliced in half by the remnant sword. The three adult Silver Hook Snow Wolves also met their end under Ye Bufan's remnant sword.
"Awoooo—"
The Wolf King, filled with rage, roared at Ye Bufan: "Human! Human!"
With a roar, the Wolf King pounced at Ye Bufan, while Ye Bufan fled outwards.
Ye Bufan used the Chaotic Step technique, with the Wolf King in hot pursuit. However, the Chaotic Step was a high-level technique, and it consumed a great deal of true qi.
In desperation, Ye Bufan had no choice but to flee into the forest, seeking a way to shake off the Wolf King and conceal his aura.
"You killed my wolf kin, and you think you can escape from me? You think too little of me, the Wolf King." The Wolf King roared and sent a palm strike at Ye Bufan from afar.
Ye Bufan spun around and used the Illusionary Sound Demonic Eyes on the Wolf King. The Wolf King hesitated for a few seconds.
"Lightning!"
A bolt of heavenly lightning, along with the remnant sword, descended from the sky. Just as it was about to strike the Wolf King, the Wolf King shifted its feet and dodged the attack. In the next moment, it appeared beside Ye Bufan and clawed at his neck.