Two days later, Fang Ming received notice from Gu Yue Shi Nan's team.
Another mission had been accepted.
The mission was far from Gu Yue Village again. The task itself was not difficult; they only needed to collect some mountain materials and check several resource points along the route. It was the same kind of long, boring mission as before.
Fang Ming looked at the notice and understood.
It seemed the Shi faction was still following the same routine.
What truly made Fang Ming pay attention was not the mission itself, but the route.
Around this time, a small wolf tide should already be moving near Gu Yue Village. This mission path was not safe. If things followed the original direction, their team would likely collide with the wolf pack directly.
Fang Ming did not warn them.
He had no reason to.
If he said there would be wolves ahead, how would he explain it? they would not believe him. Moreover, to Fang Ming, this small wolf tide was not only danger.
It was also experience.
Next year, the real wolf tide would arrive. At that time, the wolves would be stronger, more numerous, and better coordinated. Compared to that, this small group of old and sick lightning wolves was much weaker.
Fang Ming needed to see for himself how wolves attacked, how they surrounded prey, how they chased through mountain terrain, and how they selected weak targets.
As for his teammates, Fang Ming did not care much since they accepted the mission, they had to bear the risk.
The next morning, the team left the village.
Winter wind blew across the mountain path. Frost had not completely melted from the grass, and the dry branches along the road shook lightly. The group moved quickly, leaving Gu Yue Village farther and farther behind.
The atmosphere inside the team was still tense.
After the previous conflict in the mission hall, Shi Rou and Shi Lan did not speak to Fang Ming casually. Shi Kang occasionally looked at him, but he also did not provoke him.
Gu Yue Shi Nan acted as if nothing had happened.
From time to time, he would explain the route or mention some experience about traveling outside the village. Sometimes he tried to include Fang Ming in ordinary conversation, but Fang Ming's responses were dull and brief. He only asked about the mission, the terrain, and the surrounding situation.
After several attempts, Shi Nan stopped forcing it.
Some tensions could only be diluted by time.
The team traveled for most of the day.
By evening, they had already gone deep into the mountain. The distance from the village was not small. If danger appeared here, returning quickly would not be easy.
When night fell, they found a place to camp.
The fire was kept small. After eating dry rations, Shi Nan arranged the night watch.
Shi Lan had investigative methods, so she took the midnight shift. This was the most important time, and no one objected.
Fang Ming asked for the dawn shift.
Shi Nan glanced at him, then agreed.
It was only a small request. The dawn shift was slightly more comfortable, but not important enough to argue over. Giving Fang Ming this small convenience could also help ease the previous tension.
Fang Ming thanked him calmly and went to rest.
Inside the tent, he slept in his clothes and kept his mind alert. His Gu were in his aperture, ready to be activated at any moment. He did not sleep deeply. He was only recovering his strength while waiting for the situation to change.
The mountain night gradually deepened.
Cold wind passed through the forest.
Somewhere far away, a faint howl sounded, then disappeared.
At midnight, a sharp scream suddenly tore through the camp.
"Wake up! Wolves! Wolves are here!"
Fang Ming opened his eyes immediately.
He rose from the tent and rushed outside.
Shi Lan stood near the edge of the camp, her expression tense. Pale light flickered in her eyes; her investigation Gu was clearly active.
Fang Ming reached her first.
"Which direction?" he asked.
Shi Lan pointed toward the forest ahead. "There, I saw—"
Before she could finish speaking, Fang Ming turned and ran in the opposite direction.
At this time, the rest of the team had just rushed out of their tents. What they saw was Fang Ming's back already leaving the camp.
For a moment, they were stunned.
Shi Rou's face changed. "What is going on?"
Shi Kang looked at Fang Ming's retreating figure, then anxiously turned toward Shi Lan. "Wolves? How many?"
Shi Nan also looked at Shi Lan. He did not call Fang Ming back. "Report."
Shi Lan opened her mouth, but before she could answer, pairs of blue eyes began appearing in the surrounding darkness.
One pair after another surfaced between the trees, cold and silent.
The wolves were not only in the direction she had first discovered. They had already circled around the camp and were tightening the encirclement.
Shi Lan's face turned pale.
"The wolves…"
Only then did she understand why Fang Ming had run so decisively.
Without finishing another explanation, she chased after Fang Ming's direction.
But by this time, Fang Ming had already pulled far away from the camp.
Shi Rou's expression changed. She also possessed an investigation Gu, though it was only Rank 1 and couldn't compare to Shi Lan's Rank 2 Gu, so she noticed the wolves even later.
"Damn it! Why is there a wolf pack ahead of us? When did they surround us? How did you not notice them passing by the camp?"
Shi Lan could not answer.
By the time she discovered the first group, the encirclement had already formed.
Shi Kang suddenly looked in the direction Fang Ming had fled.
"Where is Fang Ming now? Where did he run to? We have to catch up with him quickly!"
His voice carried obvious panic.
He was only Rank one, and his aptitude was D-grade. His primeval essence reserve was already low, and after a full day of travel, his condition was worse. He had also taken a watch shift earlier before switching with Shi Lan, so his stamina was far from ideal.
The others were different.
Shi Nan, Shi Rou, and Shi Lan were all Rank two Gu Masters. Even though their movement Gu were only Rank one, their cultivation, primeval essence, and endurance were much better than his.
If the team ran for a long distance, he would be the first to fall behind.
Previously, Shi Kang's only hope had been Fang Ming.
In his understanding, Fang Ming did not have a movement Gu. As long as he could outrun Fang Ming, he would still have a chance to survive.
But Fang Ming had run first.
Now, he was nowhere to be seen.
Shi Kang hoped the team would chase in the same direction. If they could catch up to Fang Ming, they might surpass him and leave him behind to attract the wolves.
Shi Nan understood his meaning, but he did not even consider it.
"Run faster! Forget Fang Ming. Focus on breaking through the encirclement!" Shi Nan shouted.
Shi Kang's face turned pale.
He looked toward Shi Rou and Shi Lan.
The two women did not speak. They only followed Shi Nan's direction and ran.
Their silence already showed their choice.
Fang Ming was an A-grade talent. If he ran off alone and died somewhere away from them, the responsibility could still be pushed aside. At most, they had failed to protect him properly in a chaotic wolf attack.
But if they chased after him, caught up to him, and then abandoned him, the meaning would be different.
Once the clan investigated, none of them would escape responsibility.
The death of an A-grade talent was not a small matter. Even the Shi faction would have to pay a price for arranging him into this team and sending him on this mission. To protect themselves, the faction might directly throw Shi Nan's group out as scapegoats.
Thus, the farther Fang Ming died from their path, the better.
Shi Lan adjusted their route, deliberately moving away from Fang Ming's escape direction.
Shi Nan did not object.
Shi Rou also remained silent.
In this moment, no one needed to discuss it openly.
As for Shi Kang, he was abandoned in the same silence.
Lightning wolves were good at endurance and pursuit. They were fast, patient, and difficult to shake off. Even if Fang Ming and Shi Kang both died and attracted some wolves to feed, it did not guarantee the others' escape.
But in danger, every little chance mattered.
Comradeship was something to speak about after surviving.
Before survival, it was only a burden.
"Group leader, wait for me!" Shi Kang shouted.
The distance between him and the others had already begun to widen.
Shi Nan did not turn back.
Shi Lan kept using her investigation Gu while running, searching for the weakest part of the encirclement.
Shi Rou gritted her teeth and followed closely.
Behind them, wolf howls rose one after another.
The hunt had begun.
On the other side, Fang Ming had already reached the edge of the encirclement.
Five lightning wolves blocked his path.
Their bodies were lean, their fur dark blue, and faint sparks flickered around their claws and fangs. They did not charge blindly. Instead, they spread out, trying to delay him.
Fang Ming raised his hand.
Moonglow Gu activated.
A pale blue crescent shot out and forced the wolves ahead to scatter. One wolf was too slow and was struck across the shoulder, blood splashing as it rolled to the ground.
Fang Ming rushed into the opening.
A second moonblade flew out immediately, cutting toward the flank and forcing two wolves to dodge. The gap widened for an instant.
He stepped forward.
A wolf pounced from the front.
At such close distance, Fang Ming did not retreat. Moonglow Gu activated again, and the moonblade cut directly into the wolf's neck. Blood sprayed across his sleeve.
Another wolf attacked from the side.
Jade Skin Gu activated, hardening his skin with a faint jade-like glow. The claws tore his clothes and scraped against his body, but they failed to leave a deep wound.
Fang Ming grabbed the wolf and lifted it with brute strength.
After using White Boar Strength Gu for so long, and after copying Chi Shan's monstrous natural strength, his physical strength was already far above ordinary Rank two Gu Masters. He threw the wolf into the two others lunging from the side, disrupting their attack.
The path opened.
Step on Wind Gu activated again.
Fang Ming did not continue fighting.
He ran.
Behind him, the wolves quickly recovered and gave chase. More howls sounded in the darkness. Fang Ming could not confirm the exact number, but he knew there were at least a dozen behind him, perhaps more.
He also knew that running straight back to Gu Yue Village was impossible.
The village was too far.
Even with Step on Wind Gu, he could not maintain full speed for an entire night. He had only obtained this Gu two days ago; his control was still rough, and the primeval essence consumption was not light. If he depended only on speed, the wolves would eventually catch him.
But Fang Ming did not need to outrun them all the way to the village.
He only needed to endure until dawn.
At night, the wolves had too much advantage. Once the sky brightened, Fang Ming could identify the terrain. He had studied the maps around Gu Yue Village seriously during his academy days. The terrain of Qing Mao Mountain, nearby beast territories, cliffs, narrow slopes, streams, and dangerous zones had all been memorized by him.
There were other beasts in these mountains besides wolves.
If he could enter the territory of a stronger beast, the wolves might be disrupted.
A bear king was dangerous, but it was still easier to shake off than lightning wolves. Bears were stronger, but wolves were better at pursuit.
Fang Ming ran through the night.
He did not use Step on Wind Gu continuously. Instead, he activated it at key moments to open distance, relied on his body when the path became uneven, and used Moonglow Gu only when the wolves drew too close or tried to cut him off. When branches, stones, or wolf claws could not be avoided, Jade Skin Gu helped him endure the impact and continue moving.
The wolves followed closely.
They were not strong individually, but their coordination was troublesome. Whenever Fang Ming slowed down, one or two wolves would approach from the side. When he changed direction, the wolves behind him howled and shifted with him.
They were driving him.
Testing him.
Waiting for his strength to fall.
Fang Ming's breathing became heavy. His legs ached, and his clothes were torn by branches and claws. The Heavenly Essence Treasure Seed Lotus helped him maintain primeval essence, but it could not erase the exhaustion of running for hours.
Still, he did not stop.
The night slowly passed.
When dawn finally arrived, pale light spread across the mountain forest.
Fang Ming climbed a slope and quickly observed the surroundings. After roughly ten minutes of judging the terrain, he understood his current position.
He had already deviated from the direction of Gu Yue Village.
He was closer to Bai Clan territory.
Fang Ming's expression remained steady.
This was troublesome, but not fatal.
He adjusted his route and continued moving.
Two more hours passed.
The wolves were still chasing him.
Their number had decreased, but around a dozen remained. These wolves were not the strongest; many were old, injured, or sick. But they were still lightning wolves, and their endurance was difficult to deal with.
Finally, Fang Ming saw familiar traces.
Deep claw marks on tree bark.
Broken branches.
Old bones near the slope.
The smell of a large beast lingered in the area.
This was a bear king's territory.
Fang Ming slowed slightly, allowing the wolves to close in.
When the distance shortened, he suddenly activated Step on Wind Gu and rushed across the edge of the territory, cutting through it at an angle.
The wolves followed.
A furious roar shook the forest.
A massive bear appeared between the trees, its thick body pushing aside branches. Its eyes were fierce, and its roar carried the anger of a beast whose territory had been invaded.
The leading lightning wolves stopped abruptly.
The bear king roared again and charged forward.
The wolf pack scattered.
Fang Ming did not look back. Taking advantage of the chaos, he rushed out of the area and continued until the sounds behind him gradually faded.
Only then did he slow down.
His body was nearly empty.
From midnight to dawn, then for another two hours after sunrise, he had been running, fighting, changing direction, and calculating without proper rest.
His throat was dry.
His stomach was hollow.
His limbs were heavy.
But he was alive.
Fang Ming rested briefly against a tree, then forced himself to move again.
He adjusted his route toward Gu Yue territory.
This time, he did not rush. He walked when he could, rested when necessary, and avoided places where wild beasts might gather.
Another half day passed before Fang Ming finally entered the outer area controlled by Gu Yue Village.
He did not go directly to the main village.
Instead, he headed toward the nearest mortal village under Gu Yue rule.
When he appeared at the village entrance, the villagers were terrified.
His clothes were torn and stained with blood. Sweat and dirt covered his body, and dried wolf blood clung to his sleeves and face. His hair was messy, and his expression was pale from exhaustion.
To mortals, he looked as if he had crawled out from a beast's stomach.
Fang Ming ignored their fear.
"Food and water," he ordered hoarsely.
The villagers hurried to obey.
Soon, Fang Ming sat down and began eating. He ate quickly, drinking water between mouthfuls, his body demanding strength after the long escape.
A Rank two Gu Master stationed in the mortal village soon arrived.
When he saw Fang Ming, he was stunned.
"Gu Yue Fang Ming?"
Fang Ming raised his eyes. "Yes."
The Gu Master approached quickly. "What happened? Are you injured?"
"Minor injuries. Exhaustion." Fang Ming drank another mouthful of water. "We encountered wolves outside. The team scattered."
The Gu Master's expression changed.
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know."
The Gu Master immediately understood the seriousness of the matter.
Fang Ming was an A-grade talent. His safe return had to be reported immediately.
"I will send word to the village."
Fang Ming nodded and continued eating.
After the Gu Master left, Fang Ming asked the villagers for water to wash himself. Then, using the excuse of needing privacy, he went behind a simple wooden house.
He looked around.
After confirming no one was nearby, he dug a small hole in the soil and hid his secret Gu.
Liquor Worm.
Heavenly Essence Treasure Seed Lotus.
Bookworm Gu.
White Boar Strength Gu.
Jade Skin Gu.
Step on Wind Gu.
Only Moonglow Gu remained with him.
Moonglow Gu could be explained.
The rest could not.
He had returned alive from a wolf pack. That was already enough to attract attention. If the clan inspected him and found Gu he should not have, the trouble would become much larger.
Fang Ming carefully covered the hole and disguised the surface with dirt and leaves. Only after confirming there was nothing obvious did he wash the blood and sweat from his body.
Less than half an hour later, a group of Shi faction Gu Masters arrived at the mortal village.
They moved quickly.
When they saw Fang Ming alive, their expressions loosened slightly.
"Fang Ming!"
Fang Ming turned around.
His face was still pale, but his eyes were calm.
The Gu Masters checked his injuries first. After confirming he had no fatal wounds, they exchanged glances.
An A-grade talent had survived.
That was good.
But the team he had been assigned to had encountered wolves far from the village, and the others had yet to return.
This matter would not end simply.
"Can you walk?" one Gu Master asked.
Fang Ming nodded.
"I can."
"Then we will escort you back to the village."
Fang Ming glanced toward the distant mountain forest.
The wind moved through the trees, carrying a faint smell of blood and winter.
He had survived the first wolf chase.
But this was only a small tide.
Next year would be far worse.
Fang Ming followed the Shi faction Gu Masters back toward Gu Yue Village.