Chapter 55, The Secret Beneath Wolf Ridge and the Fire Spirit Jackal

Translator: Raznick

 

Mist Province, Wolf Ridge.

 

On this evening, a massive blue python appeared in the sky outside Wolf Ridge. Ten Foundation Establishment cultivators stood on its back.

 

Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi’s spirit pet, Sky Cloud Python.

 

Behind him were nine Foundation Establishment cultivators, who had been dispatched by the five cultivating clans for this surprise attack.

 

“Fellow Daoists, that is Wolf Ridge up ahead. After United Cloud Alliance took over, they set up a Purification Array inside and laid out a defensive array of considerable strength. Who knows what secrets is hiding?”

 

On the python’s back, Mu Xuanfeng, the Clan Leader of Green Cloud Mountains’ Mu Clan, with a solemn expression pointed at the range of peaks some five miles ahead and explained in a grave tone.

 

At his words, an aged Foundation Establishment cultivator frowned, his voice filled with anger as he spoke: “Who the hell cares? Those dogs from United Cloud Alliance dare to defy us? Their insolence knows no bounds. Today, we will make them pay dearly for it!”

 

Upon hearing this, the other cultivators all exclaimed approvingly.

 

“Fellow Daoist He is right. Today, these rogue cultivators must learn that even when strays band together, they are still strays. If a stray dares to bare its teeth, it must be put down!”

 

“That’s right, today we must make sure these bastards die in pieces!”

 

“Blow their dog brains out and let them know the price of provoking the five clans!”

 

All the Foundation Establishment cultivators were filled with anger and murderous intent.

 

Some of them were elders and clan leaders from the other four cultivation clans, and some were rogue cultivators who entered the Green Lotus Monastery to cultivate, and were specially invited back this time to help in the battle.

 

No matter who it was, they were all full of disgust towards the rogue cultivators of the United Cloud Alliance.

 

Since when did a group of rogue cultivators dare to challenge their cultivation clans that had been passed down for hundreds or thousands of years?

 

If they couldn’t use the blood of those rogue cultivators from the United Cloud Alliance to warn the world this time, what reputation would their five cultivation clans have in Mist Province in the future?

 

How could they expect other rogue cultivators to work for them? Who would take them seriously?

 

Zhou Daoyi listened to the words of the cultivators behind him without interrupting, but his face was filled with murderous intent.

 

The Zhou clan was finally on the road of revival, but the United Cloud Alliance suddenly jumped out to block their way.

 

He was no less angry than the others behind him.

 

“According to intelligence, United Cloud Alliance has stationed about four or five Foundation Establishment cultivators and thirty or forty Qi Refining cultivators here in Wolf Ridge.

 

“This place is only one hundred and fifty miles away from the United Cloud Alliance headquarters. As a precaution, we must break through their defenses within one hour and kill them before the Violet Palace cultivators of United Cloud Alliance arrive.

 

“Fellow Daoist, if we are to act, we must do so with full force. We need to break their protective array as quickly as possible!”

 

As they approached Wolf Ridge, Zhou Daoyi, as the team leader, spoke out the plan for this surprise attack and instructed the Sky Cloud Python to begin its descent and dive.

 

Inder the last rays of the setting sun, the Sky Cloud Python emerged from the clouds, summoning fierce winds and condensing them into numerous wind blades, launching an assault on the protective array below.

 

At the same time, one by one, luminous artifacts and powerful mystical arts flew out from the hands of the ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, raining down together upon the unmoved defensive array below.

 

Boom!!!

 

Earth-shaking explosions erupted from the ground, with various mystical arts flashing brilliantly.

 

The first wave of attacks alone had the defensive array falterring and on the bring of collapse.

 

“Who dares to oppose the United Cloud Alliance?” A roar came from within the array.

 

Several Foundation Establishment cultivators from the United Cloud Alliance finally reacted, quickly summoning their artifacts to confront the enemy.

 

Noticing the Sky Cloud Python nearly eight to ten feet long in the air and the ten Floating Cultivators above, their faces turned ashen, and their anger instantly turned to fear.

 

“It’s the five clans!”

 

One Foundation Establishment cultivator swallowed hard, looking around with fear and whispered.

 

No sooner had he spoken than another Foundation Establishment cultivator shouted: “What of it? Remember that Senior Zhang is cultivating here. They’re the ones that should be scared!”

 

[Right, Senior Zhang!]

 

The United Cloud Alliance’s Foundation Establishments’ expressions steadied, their fear replaced by mockery as they prepared to watch the show.

 

Zhou Daoyi and the others launched their second wave of attacks.

 

The array, which was already on the brink of collapse, shattered completely under the onslaught, revealing the figures of all United Cloud Alliance cultivators.

 

As the leaders of the cultivating clans prepared to kill the United Cloud Alliance cultivators with murderous intent, a sudden surge of ferocious energy erupted from below, shocking everyone.

 

“Damn it! It’s a Violet Palace Stage cultivator!”

 

Zhou Daoyi’s face tightened, and he quickly reached for the spirit beast pouch at his waist.

 

The other Foundation Establishment cultivators paled, scattering in all directions as they summoned their artifacts to protect themselves.

 

Even so, they felt no sense of security. The disparity in power between each major stage of cultivation was immense, and the gap only widened the higher one reached. A Violet Palace Stage cultivator, even one at the early period, would easily overpower these ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, let alone with four or five United Cloud Alliance Foundation Establishment cultivators supporting from below.

 

Fortunately, Zhou Daoyi’s actions finally calmed the fears of the five cultivating clans’ Foundation Establishment cultivators.

 

Zhou Daoyi loosen the mouth of the spirit beast pouch in his hand, and a crimson figure flashed out from it, landing before him.

 

It was a cross between a wolf and a dog.

 

Its appearance was like that of a jackal, with its reddish fur crimson, seeming ready to burst into flames at any moment.

 

This very creature was the Grand Elder Zhou Mingde’s meticulously bred ace spirit pet—a third-grade demon beast known as the “Fire Spirit Jackal.”

 

Renowned for its ferocity and cunning, the Fire Spirit Jackal had earned itself the nickname Fire Spirit, making it an undeniably powerful greater demon beast. Its mastery of fire mystical arts was formidable, and it excelled in close combat.

 

Before the raid, Zhou Mingde had feared any unforeseen circumstances, so he had specially instructed Zhou Daoyi to bring along his prized spirit pet.

 

It turned out the Fire Spirit Jackal was indeed put to good use!

 

As soon as the jackal appeared, the owner of that violent momentum below was startled, causing the aura to subside immediately.

 

Soon enough, those in the sky caught a clear glimpse of the Violet Palace Stage cultivator’s true appearance.

 

He was a towering, stately middle-aged man dressed in blue robes with a solemn and rugged countenance.

 

“He is Zhang Zixuan, Deputy of the United Cloud Alliance. He’s an early Violet Palace cultivator  skilled in sword techniques!”

 

Mu Xuanfeng, the Mu Clan’s Clan Leader, looked at the middle-aged man in blue robes and whispered seriously.

 

Zhou Daoyi spoke gravely, “For a no-name place like Wolf Ridge be graced with the Deputy’s presence, something extraordinary must be hidden here!”

 

He then shouted loudly, ” Fellow Daoists, I’ll handle Zhang Zixuan. All I ask of you is to finish off the enemies below at once, uncovering the secrets beneath!”

 

No sooner had he finished speaking than the flames erupted from the Fire Spirit Jackal in front of him. Enveloped in fiery flames, it surged forth as a crimson streak toward Zhang Zixuan.

 

“Good plan.”

 

Zhang Zixuan’s face darkened with anger and he bellowed, “Die!”

 

A beam of pale-blue sword light shot out from his waist pouch and bore down upon the charging creature.

 

Man and beast were locked in fierce battle immediately.

 

Zhou Daoyi knew that without its master present, the jackal stood little chance against Zhang Zixuan.

 

He also flew onto the Sky Cloud Python’s back and prepped secret arts, channeling his spiritual power into the Sky Cloud Python’s body.

 

In an instant, the Sky Cloud Python’s aura surged upward, quickly advancing from a second-grade average demon beast to a second-grade superior demon beast.

 

The sudden surge of spiritual power caused the Sky Cloud Python to emit a sound of excitement.

 

As it opened its mouth, a gust of green wind swept toward Zhang Zixuan. The wind amplified the Fire Spirit Jackal’s fire mystical arts as they surged in potency.

 

The Sky Cloud Python unleashed another burst of energy from its mouth—a ball of green energy that gathered nearby wind Qi into a fifteen-foot-long green wind dragon charging at Zhang Zixuan.

 

With the combined pressure from the Fire Spirit Jackal and Zhou Daoyi, Zhang Zixuan, who was at Violet Palace Stage, was forced into defense.

 

With Zhang Zixuan no longer imposing his presence over the United Cloud Alliance cultivators, the remaining nine Foundation Establishment cultivators from the major cultivating clans regained their confidence and charged toward the United Cloud Alliance’s cultivators with murderous intent.

 

Screams echoed throughout Wolf Ridge. One by one, the United Cloud Alliance’s Qi Refining cultivators were easily picked off by the Foundation Establishment cultivators, with even some Foundation Establishment cultivators failing to protect themselves.

 

When a Foundation Establishment cultivator from one of the five cultivating clans ventured into the place from where Zhang Zixuan came from, what they saw filled them with excitement, causing their entire body to tremble with exhilaration.

 

Inside a cave, there was a spring no larger than a grinding stone, spewing blue-white whater that gushed with Qi. The rich and potent Qi was so intense that it nearly compelled the Foundation Establishment cultivators to act on instinct and begin cultivating by absorbing it.

 

“Qi Spring! It’s actually a Qi Spring!”

 

He exclaimed in shock, calling out the name of the spring, his eyes blazing with desire.