Chapter Seventy-Three: The Great Wolf Plain

“Thank you, Senior Niu Dian.”
Shen Bingxue, standing atop the flying leaf, bent her back in a respectful bow.

“Hurry along, hurry along,” Niu Dian called back impatiently. “I didn’t mean to save you—it was just a chance encounter. You’d better leave now, or you’ll end up staying here.”

Shen Bingxue understood that he was not one for heroic deeds; he acted on a whim, and his aid was likely not out of consideration for them, but rather due to enmity with Mingyu Valley. She felt a twinge of worry that he might yet turn against them, so she said no more, directing her flying shuttle away. After reuniting with Li Mu, they quickly made for the border.

The further they went, the stronger the gales became. In the end, they had to abandon the flying shuttle and proceed on foot, for the wind threatened to sweep them away.

After about an hour, a boundless river appeared before them, invisible from end to end. The current surged, and waves tens of meters high crashed incessantly, the roar as thunderous as a storm.

Above, fierce winds raged; below, waves shattered stones. Such was the border everywhere—only cultivators who had reached the Vein Tempering stage could cross. It was said that some borders were even more treacherous, shrouded in mists that devoured spiritual power, so that even cultivators of Pill Formation needed high-grade treasures to pass.

But in most well-established realms, teleportation arrays spanned the borders. Only here, in the Cloud Mountain Realm, was there no sect to maintain such an array.

“It’s up to you now.”

Gazing at the raging river, Shen Bingxue’s face was tinged with worry as she looked to Li Mu.

A pale blue aura enveloped her, soft as spring rain, lightly obscuring her features.

“Oh, you have a Displacement Talisman,” Li Mu said, holding a slip of light yellow talisman paper, examining it as if watching a flame about to kindle.

“So this is a Displacement Talisman?” Shen Bingxue drew close, curiosity in her eyes. “How did you get your hands on a fifth-tier talisman like this? That’s truly unexpected.”

Li Mu smiled. “That’s thanks to Ying’er.” As he spoke, he drew Li Ying to his side, gently stroking her head.

The Displacement Talisman was a gift from the old man with the bushy brows. It could carry them a great distance, all the way to the border. In realms without teleportation arrays, such talismans were highly sought after, but extremely difficult to obtain.

“Gather close. The Displacement Talisman will take about ten seconds to activate—don’t move during that time.”

Everyone formed a tight circle around Li Mu. He steadied his mind and poured all his spiritual energy into the talisman. The restrictions within a fifth-tier talisman were intricate and demanded a vast amount of energy—just enough for him to manage.

A faint yellow light flared from the talisman, enveloping them all.

“To finally escape this place... yet I do not know what awaits me. Still, I will return to the Cloud Mountain Realm one day.” Exhausted from the effort, Li Mu’s thoughts were in turmoil as the light blazed around them.

In the span of a few seconds, the yellow glow vanished, and they were gone.

North of the Cloud Mountain Realm lay a small domain shared by humans and demons, known as the Wolf Domain.

Long ago, a wandering cultivator came here and was struck by the barrenness of the land—but the first thing he saw was a strange yellow wolf, and so he named it the Wolf Domain.

The spiritual energy here was even thinner than in the Cloud Mountain Realm, which itself was lacking compared to larger realms. This was why human cultivators had largely abandoned the place; though some came, none cared to develop it.

“Truly desolate—and so many wolves,” Sun Sanjiu muttered, clearly frustrated.

Li Mu and his companions had been traveling through the realm for several days, but all they saw were grasslands. There was not a single village or native inhabitant in sight—truly a wasteland. They avoided flying, for in an unfamiliar realm it was unwise: spiritual energy depleted quickly and was slow to replenish, and who knew what strange auras or flying beasts might lurk in the skies.

“Just as well—let the birds soar and the fish swim as they please.” Li Mu chuckled. He did not feel lost in these circumstances; rather, there was a sense of freedom, and he felt a surge of hope.

“Well said, that’s quite interesting,” Shen Bingxue praised lightly, taking a few steps forward. “Shopkeeper Li, where are we headed? We’ve been wandering for days.”

“Looking for a spiritual vein,” Li Mu replied simply.

It was their most pressing need—a cultivator who neglected cultivation for too long would find their strength ebbing. In this realm, with its meager spiritual energy, those in the Qi Condensation stage could still train, but those in the Foundation Establishment stage could only barely maintain or replenish their energy; true cultivation was nearly impossible. They had not cultivated for days—their first task was to find a spiritual vein.

A spiritual vein was a place rich in spiritual energy, often located within mountain ranges.

“Can you really find a spiritual vein? How?” Shen Bingxue blinked, intrigued.

Li Mu shook his head and smiled, “Alchemist Shen, you really don’t know much about this, do you?”

Shen Bingxue frowned in annoyance. “I truly don’t. It all seems so complicated.”

Li Mu could only sigh and explain as they walked, occasionally muttering to himself. Alchemist Shen really only knew how to refine pills; she understood nothing of fighting or the daily life of a cultivator. Yet, finding a spiritual vein was basic knowledge—without it, one could not establish a cultivation ground in the wilderness, nor could one meditate in peace.

Shen Bingxue nodded earnestly, as if absorbing every word. “According to you, which direction should we search?”

Li Mu shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s best to find someone to ask—then we’ll have a way forward and no need to fret.”

“Big brother, there’s a pack of wolves up ahead!” Li Ying came running, grabbing Li Mu’s hand excitedly. Since arriving in the Wolf Domain, Li Ying had been the happiest of them all, as if she had returned to her childhood village—innocent and free.

“Well then, it looks like roast wolf tonight,” Li Mu said with a warm smile, squeezing her hand.

“Wolves aren’t very tasty. Let’s not roast them,” Li Ying replied, shaking her head and skipping away.

The wolf packs were numerous; this must have been the hundredth they’d seen. These wolves were silver-gray all over, except for the pitch-black tip of their tails, and so were called Dusky Wolves. To a cultivator, they were neither useful as spirit beasts nor valuable for their materials—there was nothing to be gained from them.

“Then let’s just drive them off,” Li Mu said, casually taking out a magical tool and looking towards the distant wolves.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

On the back of the largest and strongest wolf stood a figure—a human, who was watching them warily.

Li Mu felt a flicker of luck. This was the first person they’d encountered in the Wolf Domain, and by the look of him, he was not a demon.

The rider was a young man, slight of build, his face darkened by the sun, but his eyes shone with intelligence. He wore a wolfskin cloak and sat so close to his mount that, from a distance, he was nearly invisible.

Seeing Li Mu approach, the youth tensed, straightening up and raising a hand in warning. He gave a sharp whistle, and the wolves gathered around him, forming a half-circle facing Li Mu and his group.

Li Mu’s expression was calm as he greeted him with a wave. “Hello there.”

The youth regarded them suspiciously. “Who are you?” he asked, then gestured to the grassland behind Li Mu, his tone wary. “What brings you to the Great Wolf Plain?”

Li Mu waved his hand with an easy smile. “My name is Li Mu. So this place is called the Great Wolf Plain? A fitting name. Are these wolves your companions?”