Chapter Fourteen: The Starfeather Sect Headquarters

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Bai Jingyan left the library and, taking advantage of the night, quietly made his way toward the Starfeather Sect’s outpost. Located on the sect’s outer perimeter, the outpost was heavily guarded under normal circumstances. But Bai Jingyan knew the sect’s terrain like the back of his hand, and he soon slipped past the guards and infiltrated the compound.

Carefully avoiding the patrolling disciples, he arrived before what appeared to be an ordinary room. Faint whispers drifted from within. Holding his breath, Bai Jingyan pressed himself against the door and listened intently.

“The plan has been arranged. Once the time is right, we can seize the Wuhou Kingdom in one decisive strike,” a deep voice said.

“Good. Remember, not a word of this may be leaked. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences,” another voice replied coldly.

Bai Jingyan’s heart tightened. These people were clearly high-ranking members of the Starfeather Sect, plotting a rebellion. He quietly took out a recording stone and captured the conversation inside the room.

Just then, a burst of footsteps sounded from within, as though someone were approaching the door. Bai Jingyan’s heart clenched, and he swiftly slipped into the shadows nearby.

The door opened, and an elder of the Starfeather Sect stepped out, warily scanning the surroundings. Bai Jingyan held his breath and remained perfectly still. Only after the elder had left did he finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“I can’t stay here any longer. I have to leave at once,” Bai Jingyan thought, quickly retreating in the direction from which he had come.

However, just as he was about to leave the Starfeather Sect’s outpost, a cold voice suddenly rang out behind him.

“Who are you? How dare you trespass on the grounds of the Starfeather Sect!”

Bai Jingyan spun around and saw a Starfeather disciple glaring at him, a long sword in hand. Clearly, his movements had been discovered.

“Damn it!”

Bai Jingyan’s heart sank. He knew he could hesitate no longer. He abruptly circulated the spiritual energy within him, his figure flashing like lightning as he sped toward the sect.

Seeing this, the disciple immediately shouted, “There’s a spy! Stop him!”

In an instant, alarm bells rang throughout the Starfeather outpost. Countless disciples poured out from every direction and gave chase.

“This is bad!”

Bai Jingyan sensed trouble, but for now, the most important thing was to escape this dangerous place as quickly as possible.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several feathered arrows skimmed past Bai Jingyan’s hair.

Glancing at the pursuers closing in behind him, Bai Jingyan leapt into a thicket.

“Where did he go?”

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“Could Senior Brother Ling’s arrow have hit him and sent him tumbling off the cliff?”

“Are you blind? Where would there be a cliff around here? Search properly!”

Bai Jingyan held his breath. Most of those chasing him were only seventh- or eighth-level martial adepts and possessed no perception abilities. Otherwise, even someone like Bai Jingyan would likely have been doomed.

A wolf’s howl drifted over from the distance. A burly Starfeather disciple revealed a cold smile.

“Looks like we don’t need to search anymore.”

“Up ahead is the territory of the Shadow Wolves. Even a cub possesses strength comparable to that of a seventh-level martial adept.”

The man continued, “Even if he’s lucky, he won’t escape the fate of being devoured by wolves.”

Shadow Wolves were twice the size of ordinary wolves. Their bodies were covered in deep violet fur, and their eyes glowed a ghostly green, like will-o’-the-wisps.

“Besides, their claws and teeth are sharp as blades and laced with deadly poison. A cluster of black flames even grows from their tails. I’ve heard those flames can burn the soul itself!”

“So there’s no need for us to search. We might lose our own lives in the process. Let him fend for himself.”

At those words, cold sweat began to bead on Bai Jingyan’s forehead.

The man was right. Shadow Wolves were ancient demon beasts, descendants of the Ancient Moon Wolves. Ten thousand years ago, Bai Jingyan’s father and grandfather had once faced a pack of Ancient Moon Wolves.

Though the pack had numbered only a thousand, it had still inflicted heavy losses on the Howling Forest Army.

Yet for Bai Jingyan now, even confronting a single Shadow Wolf cub could result in his downfall through one careless mistake.

A cub already possessed the strength of a seventh- or eighth-level martial adept, while Bai Jingyan himself was only a fifth-level martial adept.

But everything had two sides.

Although Shadow Wolves were powerful, they also possessed a fatal weakness.

They were nocturnal creatures, and their eyes were extremely sensitive to intense light. Under powerful illumination, they could even be blinded temporarily.

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Suddenly, a low growl came from ahead. Bai Jingyan’s heart jolted, and his sharp gaze swept toward the sound.

Two ghostly green eyes flickered in the darkness like twin balls of spectral flame, cold and savage.

“A Shadow Wolf…” Bai Jingyan murmured, his brows drawing together.

“So it has come after all…”

The Shadow Wolf slowly emerged from the darkness. It was as large as a calf, its entire body cloaked in black fur that seemed to merge with the night. Its fangs protruded from its jaws, and foul-smelling saliva dripped from its mouth. Clearly, it had already taken Bai Jingyan for prey.

Bai Jingyan tightened his grip on his long sword as spiritual energy began to circulate quietly within him. He knew the Shadow Wolf was astonishingly fast. The slightest lapse in concentration would allow it to launch a lethal ambush. He had to kill it with one strike, or he would invite endless trouble.

The Shadow Wolf let out a low growl and suddenly pounced. Its speed was so great that it blurred the eye.

Bai Jingyan’s figure flashed, and he barely avoided the attack, but the wolf’s claws still tore a gash through his sleeve.

“What speed!”

Bai Jingyan was secretly startled, but he did not panic. Drawing a deep breath, he swiftly fused the sword energy and spiritual energy within him. A faint azure radiance shimmered along his blade.

Having missed its strike, the Shadow Wolf spun around and pounced again. This time, it was even faster, almost transforming into a streak of black shadow as it lunged straight for Bai Jingyan’s throat.

Bai Jingyan’s gaze sharpened. He swung his long sword with sudden force, its light brilliant as a rainbow as it thrust toward the wolf’s throat.

Yet the Shadow Wolf twisted in midair and forcibly changed direction, evading the sword.

“What a troublesome beast!”

Bai Jingyan thought this grimly, but his movements did not stop. With a light tap of his foot, he swept around to the wolf’s side like the wind. Turning his blade, he struck directly at its abdomen.

The Shadow Wolf reacted with astonishing speed. It leapt abruptly and dodged the attack, but Bai Jingyan’s blade still carved a bloody gash across its hind leg.

The wolf cried out in pain, its eyes blazing with even greater savagery.

Bai Jingyan’s mind stirred.

“It’s fast, but its movements have slowed after being wounded. This is my chance!”

He no longer hesitated. He circulated all his spiritual energy, and the azure glow along his blade suddenly flared.

With a heavy stomp, he shot forward like lightning and charged straight at the Shadow Wolf.

The Shadow Wolf roared and pounced once more. This time, however, its movements were clearly slower.

A cold light flashed through Bai Jingyan’s eyes. He thrust out his long sword with all his strength. The sword’s radiance streaked across the night sky like a shooting star, piercing straight toward the wolf’s throat.

Thud!

The blade sank precisely into the Shadow Wolf’s throat, and blood gushed forth.

The wolf let out a shrill, agonized howl. Its body stiffened violently before it crashed heavily to the ground. After twitching a few times, it lay still.