Chapter 338: The Divine Tomb of the Underground Palace (25)
With reverence, Yan Shixun bid farewell to the souls that had wandered the yizhuang for centuries.
He recalled how, back in the yizhuang, it had been those headless corpses who had guided the wolves to lead him. Without them, he wouldn’t have found the hidden underground tomb so smoothly. And without the restless spirits of the people from a thousand years ago still guarding the karst cave, he wouldn’t have been able to open the stone door to the burial ground so swiftly.
Once the final soul had been escorted away by the officials of the underworld, the abandoned yizhuang began to change.
A thunderous rumble echoed. The yizhuang, which had endured countless storms for over a hundred years, finally collapsed with a crash at dawn after the storm.
The headless corpses within the thin coffins turned to dust, scattering with the wind. The lingering spirits let go of their obsessions and hatred and departed with smiles on their faces. Their bodies no longer needed to remain in the world.
Along with them, all the beautiful memories from a hundred years ago in this village were taken away too.
No slaughter, no vicious outsiders—just a secluded yet contented village of people, rising at dawn, resting at dusk, smiling as they safeguarded secrets passed down through generations, gently coaxing their children to sleep.
When the sun rose again, it would be a new day.
And no matter how long or endless the night seemed, the sun would always come.
They had believed in that deeply.
When the great rumbling finally ceased, all that remained under the morning light was a field of ruins.
But amid the rubble and bricks, Yan Shixun spotted dry bones scattered within.
He frowned, took long strides forward, bent down, and brushed aside the debris. The remains half-buried beneath still wore burial clothes.
For a brief moment, Yan Shixun was stunned. But he quickly realized—these were likely the villagers who had died in the so-called “plague” more than a century ago. They had been placed in the yizhuang as perpetrators.
However, something about this location didn’t feel right…
Although he had only glanced at the yizhuang last night under the cover of darkness, his excellent memory helped him clearly recall where the bodies had been placed. The headless corpses and the perpetrators had occupied separate halves of the yizhuang, like two bodies of water never touching.
But now, the skeleton he saw had clearly been moved. It wasn’t in the direction he remembered.
Suddenly, Yan Shixun recalled something the King of Hell had once said—
A full moon is suited for raising the dead.
In an instant, he understood everything. Just by observing the remaining traces in the ruins, he pieced together what had likely happened in the yizhuang after he entered the karst cave: a corpse uprising. All the corpses left there had risen.
And their goal could have only been one thing—those still alive on the other side of the mountain: Nan Tian and the others.
After rising, the remains of the perpetrators likely intended to continue their malicious deeds from life. But they were intercepted by the headless corpses, who refused to let them leave the yizhuang and harm the living.
No, it wasn’t just the headless corpses who had stepped in.
Yan Shixun also saw the bodies of wild wolves crushed beneath the collapsed bricks. When he reached out to check, he found the corpses had long gone cold and stiff. Their once-beautiful fur had become matted with dried blood, and their bodies bore multiple scratches and bite wounds.
He paused, then instinctively looked up toward the forested mountain.
When exiting the karst cave, Yan Shixun had noticed that the lead wolf, the one that had guided him before, wasn’t there.
He had assumed the wolf had left after completing its task. But now, seeing these wild wolves who had died in the yizhuang with so many wounds, he suddenly realized—the lead wolf had kept its promise and stayed near the cave the whole time.
In fact, the whole pack had remained under the lead wolf’s command, guarding the area in his place.
Understanding this, Yan Shixun lowered his gaze. Looking down at the stiff wolf corpse beneath his hand, he pursed his lips, his heart heavy.
All throughout the rubble, the corpses of other wolves were faintly visible—coated in dust and blood, devoid of the luster they had during their first meeting. Now they were lifeless and gray.
These mountain creatures had died to protect innocent souls and the living.
Yan Shixun didn’t want their bodies to be left to rot in the wilderness.
He gently stroked the wild wolf, straightened its messy fur, and, completely ignoring the dirt and blood, cradled its corpse in his arms.
As he slowly stood up, a soldier of Fengdu was already quietly waiting at his side, reaching out his hand.
“Madam, let me take it,”
The soldier said solemnly, not looking at the wolf as if it were a mere animal, but as though it were a hero: “Fengdu will give them proper burials. Their souls will be escorted to the underworld for reincarnation.”
Yan Shixun parted his lips to respond, but before he could speak, something brushed gently against his calf.
Startled, he looked down—and the first thing he saw were two upright furry ears.
Then a smooth, lustrous coat… and a strong, lean body.
It was the soul of the wild wolf!
It hadn’t left. It had stayed, obeying the lead wolf’s command to guard the entrance to the karst cave, refusing to let any corpse trespass.
Even in death, its soul remained loyal to its duty.
The lead wolf hadn’t returned, but this wolf had waited—waited for the person who had made a pact with the lead wolf, who had led the souls it protected to eternal peace.
The wild wolf hid quietly in the shadows, watching Yan Shixun cautiously.
It didn’t lower its guard until Yan Shixun lifted its body from the ruins. Then, it slowly padded over.
Noticing Yan Shixun’s gaze, the wild wolf looked up and met his eyes.
Gone were the fierce glints from the night before when it had faced down corpse demons. All that remained in its eyes now was pure, deep clarity—its soul had returned to its original form.
But before Yan Shixun could be moved by its gaze, a fluffy, bushy tail entered his vision. It swayed slowly, then curled gently around his calf, as if asking him not to leave.
“Mm…”
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow. Despite his surprise, he felt a jolt straight to the heart.
He had never been particularly fond of furry creatures, but the powerful, agile figure of the lead wolf from the night before lingered vividly in his mind. Coupled with the fact that the whole pack had fought and died to protect innocent souls and humans, his feelings toward the wolves had softened greatly.
And now, looking at this wolf again, all he could think was—it was adorable.
Who wouldn’t like a creature that was both strong and cute?
Even if he wasn’t into fluffy things, this was a wild wolf actively trying to be affectionate.
If not for the fact that he was still holding the wolf’s corpse, Yan Shixun would’ve knelt down and rubbed those twitching ears that seemed to be tempting him.
Ye Li: “…………”
His big feline at home actually thought other fuzzy creatures were cute? Clearly, Shixun had no idea how adorable he was. No—damn it! Was a wolf trying to steal Shixun from him now?
Ye Li ground his teeth, strode over in a few large steps, and snatched the wolf’s corpse from Yan Shixun’s arms. Then he shoved it into the soldier’s hands. “Be quick with your work. Can’t you see the sun’s already up? What are you waiting for—want the spirits to get hurt again?”
Soldier: …………
General, be reasonable. The Madam wouldn’t let go. Was that my fault?
Caught in a power struggle and now being blamed—unlucky me.
The soldier answered with a blank expression, but his movements were far quicker and more cheerful than before. He swiftly gave a bow to the Lord of Fengdu, then turned and left without hesitation.
The other soldiers nearby saw this and immediately acted as if someone had pressed a fast-forward button. They rushed through the ruins and forests to gather the corpses of the wolves, scooping them up in their arms before swiftly retreating—each one making sure to stay far away from Ye Li and Yan Shixun.
In the blink of an eye, the space around the two was cleared out, leaving a wide empty zone.
Not a single wolf corpse was left behind.
It was as if the entire scene had been deliberately cleared—no one dared come near the jealous Lord of Fengdu.
Yan Shixun blinked, looked down at his arms still frozen in a holding posture but now empty, then slowly lifted his gaze toward Ye Li. His eyes held a puzzled look, as if silently asking, What was that all about?
The wild wolf, who had just been rubbing affectionately against Yan Shixun’s leg like a spoiled child, also lifted its head in confusion to look at Ye Li, sensing that this man was not friendly.
Yet Ye Li appeared completely calm, without the slightest awareness of having done anything inappropriate. He even smiled as he reached out, grasping Yan Shixun’s hand—the one that had been holding the wolf’s corpse—and gently took out a handkerchief to carefully wipe the blood and dirt from his palm.
“With the reboot of the new world, once the sun rises, the rising yang energy will rapidly intensify, which could harm the spirits lingering here.”
Ye Li looked at Yan Shixun with a gentle gaze and smiled as he continued, “Wolves value loyalty. Their souls will be escorted by the soldiers of Fengdu all the way to the underworld. Once there, they’ll be free to choose.”
He then glanced at the wolf, pausing briefly before finishing, “Whether or not they wish to reincarnate as humans.”
Furry things better stay away from his Shixun!
The wild wolf: …Who told you I wanted to become human? I may not be human, but you’re clearly even less human than I am.
The wolf flicked its large tail, a hint of disdain flashing in its eyes.
Ye Li, meeting the wolf’s gaze: “…”
Yan Shixun noticed the silent exchange between the man and the wolf, and instantly understood everything.
With a faint smile, he glanced at Ye Li, then crouched down and gently rubbed the wolf’s furry ears, asking softly, “Do you know where the lead wolf is? The one who guided me last night.”
The wolf’s wagging tail suddenly froze. Its eyes turned sorrowful as it turned its head to gaze toward the forested mountains.
When Yan Shixun followed its gaze, he happened to see the soldiers emerging from the woods, carrying the bodies of the wolves in their arms.
He was momentarily stunned, but everything became clear.
The lead wolf would never abandon its pack.
Now that the battle had ended, the alpha had still not returned, and the rest of the wolves had died in combat… Perhaps, the alpha had perished as well.
Yan Shixun recalled the proud, indifferent glance the alpha gave him the night before while leading the way. The thought of such a strong and loyal creature dying for him made his heart ache with quiet sorrow.
He let out a long sigh and patted the furry head of the wolf. “Take me to the alpha,”
He had asked the alpha to help safeguard the entrance of the cave—so it should be he, too, who saw the alpha off on its final journey.
The wolf, highly intelligent and understanding, clearly comprehended Yan Shixun’s words—and also understood who truly held authority between Yan Shixun and Ye Li.
Its spirit gave a little shake, its fur regaining a glossy, fluffy sheen. With an agile body, it turned and began heading toward the mountains, signaling Yan Shixun to follow. It would lead the way.
—But just before turning, the wolf made sure to shoot Ye Li a disdainful side-eye.
Pah! Who’d want to be human? You don’t eat well, you don’t sleep well, and you’re not free. In the next life, it still wanted to be a wolf—return to the ancient lands of Ye and continue guarding these mountains and this land.
Ye Li, who understood the wolf’s expression, was both furious and amused.
What was with this wolf? Did it not know who the true master of Ye was?
But no matter what else Ye Li wanted to say, he had to forcibly swallow it.
Because Yan Shixun, frowning slightly, cast him a look and said, “Why are you arguing with a wolf? It doesn’t understand.”
The wild wolf, hearing that, looked smugly at Ye Li, flicking its large tail as it walked, clearly in a very good mood.
Ye Li’s face instantly darkened: “……”
He understood now. The “Ye” the wolf spoke of probably wasn’t referring to the military governor’s territory—but the ancestral land guarded by these warrior beasts. He had just managed to get rid of one clingy green tea rival for Shixun’s affection, and now another one showed up—
And this one was a green tea wolf!
Even worse, the wolf bounded through the forest, frequently circling back to Yan Shixun’s side, insisting on rubbing its furry head against him before moving forward again.
This made Yan Shixun chuckle softly from time to time. The look in his eyes as he watched the wolf became noticeably gentler.
…It seemed this green tea wolf had really won Shixun’s favor.
Ye Li’s gaze turned full of resentment. He had never felt such a desperate urge to send a spirit off to reincarnate—human or wolf, didn’t matter—as long as it got away from Shixun!
As soon as Yan Shixun stepped into the mountain forest, he caught the strong scent of blood drifting in from all around, and his expression immediately turned serious.
As they walked, he quickly noticed splatters of blood sprayed across the trees, skeletal remains tangled in the bushes, and torn fragments of burial garments.
The ground still bore large patches of bloodstains, trailing all the way to the far side of the mountain.
Though the soldiers had already removed the wolves’ corpses, tufts of gray fur remained among the blood pools. With a single glance, Yan Shixun understood what had happened.
As the wild wolf approached the place where its packmates had fallen, all its earlier smugness from facing Ye Li vanished completely.
It stood silently at the edge of the bloodstains, its features filled with sorrow.
Lowering its head, it sniffed at the bloodstains on the ground, trying to distinguish the scents of its fallen companions. A soft, whimpering cry escaped its throat.
The same beast that had fought its enemies with such ferocity now mourned its comrades with the fragile sobs of a grieving pup.
The sound made Yan Shixun feel deeply unsettled. Yet within the laws of heaven and earth, there were many things he could do—except change the past.
Life and death were already determined. Even the Great Dao could not break the balance between yin and yang.
Yan Shixun let out a sigh, stepped forward, patted the wild wolf, and gently comforted it, saying, “Don’t worry. Their bodies will be properly buried by Fengdu, and their souls will be guided to reincarnation. The wolf pack did no wrong during their lives. On the contrary, they accumulated merit. They’ll have a good next life.”
The wild wolf whimpered softly, but still nuzzled Yan Shixun’s palm before starting to walk again. It took a few steps, looking back every few paces, reluctant to leave the place still lingering with the scent of its fallen companions.
Before he even reached the temporary lodging of the guests, a heavy weight had already settled in Yan Shixun’s heart.
Along the path, fragments of burial clothes and scattered skeletal remains were everywhere, bearing silent witness to the events that had unfolded the night before.
Although Yan Shixun had already confirmed the guests’ safety through the natural forces right after leaving the cave, the sight of such a tragic battlefield made the bitter struggle of the previous night vividly clear. The wolves had given their lives to protect both the living and the souls of the dead from harm.
And the lead wolf…
Yan Shixun stopped outside a house on the village’s edge. His hand hovered in the air, unable to grasp the doorknob for a long time.
But the crying from behind the door had already given him the answer.
“Wangwang, just hold on a little longer. Brother Yan will be back soon. He’ll definitely find a way to save you—please don’t die, wuwuwu…”
“No, the blood’s flowing too fast. The cloth isn’t stopping it at all!”
“What do we do? What can we do?”
The guests’ panicked voices mixed with sobbing, and the thick scent of blood permeated the area around the house.
Yan Shixun saw the smeared brain matter and blood on the ground at his feet, and the silver-gray fur scattered in the wind.
He steadied himself and pushed the door open.
Creak—!
The old door hinges groaned, drawing wary attention from everyone inside.
But as soon as they saw it was Yan Shixun, they let out a collective sigh of relief. Their eyes lit up with hope and someone cried out with joy, “It’s Brother Yan! He’s back!”
“We’re saved—wuwuwu…”
Nan Tian, who had been squatting on the floor, looked like he had just found his anchor. He stumbled toward Yan Shixun, grabbed his arm tightly, and pointed behind him in desperation, saying, “Brother Yan, save the wolf. It’s dying. I’ve tried everything—I can’t save it…”
His voice choked up as he spoke, and his gaze dimmed. “When Xingxing got hurt, all I could do was watch. And now it’s the same again. I don’t want to see anyone else die, Brother Yan.”
The guests looked at Yan Shixun with pleading eyes, full of hope.
Lying in the center of their circle, in a pool of blood, was the lead wolf.
Its beautiful fur had long been soaked in blood, with torn wounds covering its body. Flesh was rolled back, blood continued to gush, and broken bones were visible. Bites and blunt force injuries made its condition look terrifying.
The lead wolf had already stopped breathing. Its chest no longer rose and fell.
But its eyes… those eyes were still bright, fixed firmly in the direction of the courtyard gate. As if even in death, it had continued to guard the people, wary of attacks from the corpses.
The guests refused to give up, still praying for a miracle.
Yan Shixun saw that Bai Shuang had already cried into a mess. Her hands were covered in blood and wounds, but she still leaned over the wolf, trying to stop its bleeding with torn strips of cloth.
Blood had splattered on her face, and she had smeared it into a blur with her hands, mixing with her tears, looking completely disheveled. The lead wolf’s blood stained her clothes, but she seemed unaware, clinging stubbornly to the hope of saving the creature that had protected them all.
Whether it was An Nanyuan or Zhao Zhen, everyone was doing their best to help, refusing to give up.
Yan Shixun’s steps came to a halt.
He lowered his head and met the gaze of the fallen lead wolf—right into that deep green pool of a stare.
Even in death, the wolf remained proud and fearless, showing no submission to enemies or death, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.
Yan Shixun couldn’t help but recall his conversation with the wolf the night before.
Everything he had entrusted to the lead wolf had been fulfilled. It had not broken its promise.
Since that was the case, he shouldn’t break his promise either.
Yan Shixun silently sighed and slowly walked forward.
The guests instinctively moved aside, revealing the lead wolf they had surrounded in the center.
Everyone fell silent. No one said a word.
They watched Yan Shixun with anxious eyes, unwilling to admit the wolf was dead, still hoping a miracle would occur.
Yan Shixun knelt down slowly beside the lead wolf. He raised his hand and gently wiped away the blood at the corner of its eye.
In the next moment, another figure appeared in front of Yan Shixun.
The lead wolf’s soul stood before him. When it saw him clearly, it lifted its head proudly, tilting its chin toward him as if to say: “Look, I did everything you asked. I’m a wolf who keeps his word.”
“You truly are the best wolf I’ve ever met,”
Yan Shixun said, smiling in spite of himself. He gently stroked the still-warm body beneath his palm and asked softly, “But what now? You’re dead. That part wasn’t in our agreement.”
Hearing that, the lead wolf instinctively looked down at its own body.
The long silver-gray lashes cast a shadow over the green glow in its eyes. No one knew what it was thinking as it looked at its own corpse.
After a long pause, it gave its big fluffy tail a shake, as if death didn’t bother it.
It understood life and death, the natural cycle of existence. Even if it hadn’t died here, it would eventually fall in a hunt or simply grow old.
It had only walked that path a little sooner than expected.
Besides…
The lead wolf lifted its head and looked past the courtyard walls toward the distant mountains.
Its entire pack had perished on this night of the dead rising. Even if it survived, it would be nothing more than a lone wolf, forever without companions. In that case, dying with them wasn’t such a bad thing.
Yan Shixun understood the meaning in the wolf’s gaze, and Nan Tian, who carried the bloodline of a shaman, saw the wolf’s soul as well.
He stood there in shock, choking back sobs, unable to speak, his face wet with tears.
The other guests followed Nan Tian’s gaze to the space in front of Yan Shixun. Though to them it looked like nothing but empty air, Yan Shixun’s actions and Nan Tian’s tears told them the truth.
In that moment, sorrow washed over everyone. Quiet sobbing filled the courtyard.
Bai Shuang was crying so hard she could hardly breathe.
To her, the lead wolf’s death was her fault. She hadn’t noticed the corpse lunging from behind, and the wolf had leapt to save her, taking the blow meant for her. Its internal organs were torn, and it had crashed heavily to the ground.
The lead wolf endured its wounds with gritted teeth and pushed on, killing all the corpses. But its injuries only worsened, and eventually, its body gave out. It collapsed from excessive blood loss.
Bai Shuang sobbed uncontrollably, her tears falling onto her hand, where the wound was so deep that the bone was visible. The sting only intensified, but she couldn’t care less about herself. The only thought in her mind was that she had caused her benefactor’s death.
The lead wolf heard Bai Shuang’s crying, too. It swished its big tail with a hint of irritation.
At that moment, Yan Shixun made a completely unexpected offer.
“If you’re still attached to the mortal world, I can let you stay.”
Yan Shixun looked at the lead wolf’s body beneath his palm. The warm, soft sensation still came through his hand.
The wolf’s final breath hadn’t yet left its body.
Yan Shixun had already checked—its soul was intact and unharmed. In this state, Ye Li, who now presided over both life and death, could bring the lead wolf back by returning its soul to its body.
Although the Great Dao did not interfere with the cycle of life and death, it did allow souls who died with merit to continue living in another form.
It all depended on the wolf’s own will.
When Yan Shixun clearly explained this method of continuing to live, the lead wolf was stunned.
Clearly, it had never even imagined such a possibility.
The lead wolf turned to look at its own corpse on the ground, visibly hesitating.
To it, life and death were two completely separate states. But now this young man was telling it that it could remain within its own body, where the last breath still lingered, and continue living in a state that was neither alive nor dead—until its destined time was up and its soul finally left its body.
The lead wolf frowned, as if it despised itself.
It looked at Yan Shixun with a gaze that clearly said: Don’t you think this is like chewing on meat someone else already spit out? Disgusting, isn’t it?
Yan Shixun couldn’t help but laugh. “This is your own body, your own soul. Are you seriously disgusted by yourself?”
He glanced at the wolf’s bloodstained and disheveled body and coaxed, “Don’t worry. Once we get you cleaned up, you’ll be just as pristine as before.”
If Yan Shixun had been just an ordinary exorcist, he indeed wouldn’t have been able to pull this off—not even with the Evil Spirit Bone Transformation.
But now, with the Great Dao shared between him and Ye Li, the power of life itself rested in his hands.
Under the rules, there were still many ways to interpret and use them.
The lead wolf had only just died. Its body was still warm, its final breath still intact, and a part of its soul remained within. Technically, it wasn’t entirely dead yet. As long as both the Underworld and Fengdu refused to acknowledge the wolf’s death and the energy of life was guided back into its body, it could live on exactly as it had before.
As long as the lead wolf agreed, Yan Shixun could begin the process at any time.
To anyone else—human or divine—this would have been an impossible task. Even the Great Dao had only developed the theory, with no way to truly apply it.
After all, getting both the Underworld and Fengdu to cooperate was no easy feat.
The Great Dao had knocked on Fengdu’s central gate many times over the past hundred years, but Ye Li had always kept the door shut. How could he possibly agree to other requests from the Dao?
So the concept of returning a soul to its body had always been just that—a concept.
But for Yan Shixun, things were different.
—The Underworld and Fengdu were right by his side.
Fengdu wouldn’t agree? Impossible. Unless Ye Li wanted to sleep on the cold bed back in Fengdu.
The Underworld wouldn’t agree?
Even easier—just drag Jing Xiaobao over and beat him up.
As Yan Shixun idly entertained these thoughts, he gently stroked the lead wolf, waiting for it to make a decision.
The lead wolf still looked conflicted. This whole idea went against its usual decisive, no-nonsense style. They had already agreed it would die—so turning back now felt like cowardice, like running from death…
But just as the lead wolf was hesitating, the wild wolf that had been following behind Yan Shixun looked up at the lead wolf with sparkling eyes. Its tail wagged so hard it looked like a helicopter blade.
The wild wolf was more thrilled than any of the guests. It had already resigned itself to the fact that all its comrades had died, and that it, too, would soon reincarnate, returning one day to the land of Ancient Ye as a new wolf. But just when it had accepted reality, a new hope emerged!
To be “resurrected” again—how amazing!
It meant that their kind still had a wolf standing strong, that they hadn’t been completely wiped out.
Even though it was already dead, it wholeheartedly hoped its comrades could live on.
Or die, and be “resurrected.”
The wild wolf took a few steps forward, tail wagging wildly, and pressed its head against the lead wolf like it was nuzzling affectionately—not like a wolf at all, more like a domesticated pup.
The lead wolf was both surprised and disgusted. It smacked the wild wolf away with its paw.
Wild wolf: QAQ
Alpha wolf: =皿=
Yan Shixun noticed the interaction between the two wolf souls and struck while the iron was hot. “What, are you scared? Afraid of a future you don’t know?”
He smiled slyly. “Acting like such a coward in front of your subordinate—tsk.”
The guests: “…………”
Uh… was that persuasion? That sounded more like pouring oil on the fire.
But the lead wolf instantly exploded in rage. In front of its own kind, its dignity was untouchable.
Before it could bare its fangs and approach Yan Shixun, he reacted faster and grabbed its wolf head: “Figured it out? Then let’s do this.”
With that, Yan Shixun pulled the lead wolf toward him.
Lead wolf: “???”
Its expression went completely blank, still in a daze—like a random passerby dragged into a store by a pushy salesperson.
The wild wolf, tail wagging excitedly, hadn’t even had time to laugh when it too was yanked over by Yan Shixun.
Wild wolf: “Awooo???”
What?! Why am I involved in this? I was supposed to go reincarnate—my body’s already buried, my comrades have all left, and I was the last one!
Yan Shixun curved his lips in a smile and said to the two wolves in his arms, “No big deal. As long as we have a vessel, we can get you both back to the mortal world. One wolf would be lonely—might as well have a companion.”
The wild wolf was still stunned, but the lead wolf had already realized something.
It understood that if it agreed to Yan Shixun’s offer, then not just it—but also its kin—could live on using its body.
Though it didn’t know exactly what Yan Shixun was going to do, after a brief moment of awkwardness, the lead wolf chose to trust him.
It stopped struggling, lay quietly in Yan Shixun’s arms, and looked up at him with a serious gaze.
Yan Shixun chuckled softly and turned to Ye Li. Ye Li immediately caught on and gave a small nod.
The Lord of Fengdu raised his hand, his slender fingers slicing through the air, instantly sending out waves of rippling light.
Under Fengdu’s command, the fates of the two wolves began to change.
At the same time, Yan Shixun solemnly called out to Jing Xiaobao.
The next second, the silhouette of a child appeared on the wall.
The child wore a little suit with suspenders, puffing out his round cheeks with both hands. His originally delicate features were all squished together, making him look adorably chubby.
“Yah? Yan Yan, did you call me?”
Jing Xiaobao stretched his neck curiously to peek into the small courtyard. When he saw the two wolves in Yan Shixun’s arms, his round eyes lit up, and he pointed at them excitedly with his stubby little finger, shouting, “Is this the big dog you’re giving me, Yan Yan?! Is it a birthday present? Thank you, Yan Yan!”
When one of the guests looked up, they let out an astonished gasp, feeling as though their heart had melted from the cuteness—like ice cream on a summer day.
Only Yan Shixun’s expression remained deadpan: “…………”
What the hell was this? Calling a wolf a dog? This kid hadn’t been smacked in a few days and now he was acting up again.
The lead wolf had originally been curious about who this “King of Hell” was. But just as it turned its head, it suddenly heard Jing Xiaobao’s voice calling out to it—and instantly returned to its cold, expressionless face.
I’m a wolf, a wolf! The kind that could eat you alive!
But Jing Xiaobao had already happily jumped down from the wall and ran over with light footsteps to Yan Shixun. He opened his arms and threw himself into Yan Shixun’s squatting embrace.
—Along with the two wolves nestled in Yan Shixun’s arms.
As he felt the soft, fluffy fur against him, Jing Xiaobao let out a long, blissful sigh. He shoved himself even deeper between the two wolves, nuzzling left and right, messing up his hair so thoroughly he looked like a kid who had just crawled out of a blanket.
Yet the way he stood in a pool of blood, stepping over the pulped remains of a corpse without batting an eye, completely gave away who he really was.
Yan Shixun had initially wanted to scold him, but now he could only stare into the void as the child squirmed around in his arms, showering him with endless praise like a rainbow-colored waterfall.
“Yan Yan is the best!”
“Thank you, Yan Yan, for the gift!”
Yan Shixun muttered, “It’s a wolf. That’s a wolf…”
Jing Xiaobao squealed, “Ooooh! Such a big doggie, so cute, wahhh! Yan Yan, I love it so much! Can I give them names? I wanna call one Doggie and the other Woofie, is that okay~?”
Yan Shixun corrected him firmly, “Wolf. It’s a wolf!”
“Big doggie is so soft and cute, waaaah~!”
Yan Shixun: …Forget it. I’m tired.
Watching Jing Xiaobao nuzzling furiously in Yan Shixun’s arms, Ye Li almost lost control of his expression.
But even so, he accidentally crushed the wall next to him—bricks and dust crumbling to the ground in a soft cascade.
The loud noise startled the other guests. When they looked over, they saw Ye Li striding over in long steps. His slender hand reached out and grabbed the strap on Jing Xiaobao’s back, effortlessly lifting him into the air with one hand as if about to smack him.
Normally, this was the moment when Jing Xiaobao would burst into tears in fear, quickly admit fault, and beg for forgiveness to avoid a spanking.
But this time, even as he dangled in midair, he still clung tightly to “Doggie’s” paw, and in his soft, childish voice, he tearfully called out to the “adorable big doggie,” “Woofie, wait for me! Wait for me to finish getting smacked, then I’ll take you home!”
Ye Li: …Just how much do you like “dogs”?
The two wolves were completely speechless now. They had given up trying to explain and just lay limp in Yan Shixun’s arms.
Especially the lead wolf. Feeling its fur completely messed up by Jing Xiaobao’s petting, it suddenly realized that Yan Shixun wasn’t so bad after all. Compared to this rough little brat, it definitely preferred Yan Shixun!
—Especially since this kid turned out to be the King of Hell, in charge of death itself. Even if it wanted to fight back, it couldn’t win.
The other wolf curled up tighter in Yan Shixun’s arms, burrowing in like it had been traumatized and was seeking comfort.
Yan Shixun looked down at them with a complicated expression. “I just helped explain to him that you’re wolves, not dogs. But now, with how you’re acting… you’re making it really hard for me to keep that story straight.”
The lead wolf sighed with a very human-like exhaustion. Whatever, I’m tired. Young ones really are incomprehensible. Who in their right mind made a cub the King of Hell?!
Yan Shixun blinked and pointed at himself. “I’m the one who made Xiao Bao the King of Hell. He’s very suitable.”
The lead wolf: …Of course. Like parent, like child.
It turned to look at Jing Xiaobao, who was still gazing at it with sparkling eyes. Even knowing this brat was the King of Hell, it couldn’t help softening.
Forget it. Let him revive us then.
If you love what Ciacia is doing, then consider showing your support by supporting a cup of tea for her at Kofi. If you can’t wait for the next release chapter, subscribe to advanced chapters membership on her Kofi to get access to up to 10 chapters!
