The Journey of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 212 - 137: The Chasing Wolf Pack_2

Chapter 212: Chapter 137: The Chasing Wolf Pack_2

This animal’s limbs are as slender as hemp sticks, but its claws have soft pads, making it run effortlessly like stepping on springs, and yet it is eerily silent, clearly adept at long-distance combat. Since they had set their sights on her, the wolf pack followed her at a leisurely pace, not too close but also not too far behind, seemingly planning a long-distance siege and psychological warfare. There were a few times it looked as if they had been shaken off, but whenever she stopped to let the horse drink and graze, those ghostly figures would appear in her vision, forcing her to mount the horse and continue on.

This was also a common fatigue tactic used by wolf packs, incessantly disturbing their prey so they could not rest or eat in peace, until they were ultimately drained to death. This tactic minimized casualties on their part, though it took longer, but that wasn’t an issue, they had all the patience. The old horse she was riding was fat and slow, enough to feed them for three or four days, worth the wait, and the girl and child on the horse might not have much meat, but they looked tasty enough to be considered a dessert. When it came to food, they were never picky.

Honestly, Ning Xiaoxian didn’t fear this type of slow-paced tracking tactic. With the God Demon Prison in hand, if she got annoyed or tired, she could just disappear on the spot, and the wolves would have to dolefully depart after waiting helplessly for half a day. But she was reluctant to abandon this old horse. It had followed her for two days, and although it was older and slower, and its reactions were not sharp, it was hardworking and complaint-free, always going where directed without a single misstep, a model of diligence among horses. How could she just discard it?

Especially when the old horse caught its first glimpse of the wolf pack, it gently neighed, and in its old eyes, there was panic, fear, but most of all, a resigned helplessness. It clearly knew that being followed by such creatures did not bode well for itself or its master.

That soft neigh and the look in its eyes profoundly affected Ning Xiaoxian. She had never been one to resign herself to fate, so if the old horse thought there was no hope for escape, she became all the more determined to find a way to ensure its survival. It was an irrational thought, but she was stubborn to a fault.

She tried several times, but couldn’t manage to fit the horse into the God Demon Prison. Presumably, with the old horse’s level of intelligence, it couldn’t articulate the words "I am willing." Of course, there was another way to put a creature into the God Demon Prison, which was to render it defenseless.

"Should I break its legs so it can’t resist and then put it inside?" Ning Xiaoxian mumbled to herself while looking at the old horse, something that wouldn’t be difficult for her to do in her current state.

The horse beneath her inexplicably felt a bone-chilling coldness and nearly shivered.

It seemed that there was no other choice. With summer fading, darkness fell early, and in less than two quarters of an hour, the light would fade. Wolves, being nocturnal creatures, become more relentless at night, and staying in this wilderness then would be unwise. She sighed, pondering the situation when Changtian spoke up: "There’s a light ahead, probably people, and what’s more, not just a few!"

Ning Xiaoxian looked off into the distance and indeed saw the faint flicker of what was likely a fire. Elated, she was about to spur her horse into a gallop when Changtian reminded her: "People you meet in these wilds may not necessarily be friendly. You really want to go there?" In his view, there was no need to take such risks when the safety of the God Demon Prison was readily available, so he added whimsically, "Your room there is ready."

But her mind wasn’t on that: "I’m not afraid, I’ve practiced martial arts, ordinary martial masters can’t do anything to me!" she said jubilantly, spurring the horse forward. The old horse, sensing a chance to escape from the jaws of wolves, suddenly became spirited and galloped faster than usual, even three times its normal pace. Changtian could only sigh at that moment, knowing this girl had spent two days alone in the wilderness and now felt a kinship upon encountering her own kind.

The small encampment ahead was already in sight, with a bonfire burning in the center that looked cozy and lovely in the darkness.

As they approached within a hundred yards, he suddenly called out urgently: "Something’s not right, the air ahead is thick with the smell of blood. There must have been some incident within the past two hours, it’s not wise to get any closer!"

Upon hearing this, she pulled the reins. But the damned old horse, seeing the crowd ahead and running feverishly, didn’t expect its master to suddenly change her mind and was yanked so hard that it reared up with a prolonged neigh.

This soulless beast! Which nerve of hers had snapped that she felt the need to save it?! Ning Xiaoxian was both angry and helpless.

Sure enough, upon hearing the horse’s neigh, the people sitting around the bonfire all turned their heads in unison and inevitably spotted them.

Now what to do, turn around and flee? She had noticed that there were many fine horses tied up at the edge of the camp, each strong and sleek, and was afraid they would catch up to her own old horse within less than two hundred yards.

One of the people from the camp stood up and came towards them. She gave a wry smile and decided to approach them on horseback.

Well, take it one step at a time. With the God Demon Prison in hand, mortal beings basically couldn’t harm her. She was getting close to the border of Feng Province, and after riding hard for another two days, she should be there. Once she crossed into Leizhou territory, her safety would greatly increase.

The approaching figure was a short and chubby man, his weight at least one hundred and ninety pounds, looking like a round spinning top when he stood on the ground.

"Young lady, what brings you...?" He reached out and took hold of the old horse’s reins, catching sight of the timid expression on Ning Xiaoxian’s face, he couldn’t help but smile, stretching his fat cheeked face, squeezing his eyes into mere slits.

Ning Xiaoxian, observant as she was, noticed how the old horse calmed down after the chubby man simply touched its face, without even snorting, and realized that he must be an adept horse trainer. Ah, truly, Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to cast your recommendation ticket, Monthly Ticket at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)