A series of clinking sounds rang out as the flying knives, unsurprisingly, were blocked by the Silver Wolf King's fur. Lin Xiao hadn't expected them to do much damage anyway.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment. The grass beneath his feet instantly turned withered and yellow, and the dried blades scattered in the gust he stirred.
The mental power in his mental sea and the soul power in his body trembled slightly, merging completely within his right arm.
The Silver Wolf King, relying on its tough fur, intended to block Lin Xiao's attack. But as his right palm struck, it found itself unable to escape.
His battle with Ji Juechen had taught him that merging mental power and soul power wasn't just about combining two forces—it was about infusing his intent into the attack.
A seemingly simple palm strike concentrated multiple forces into a single point, much like the legend of the Higanbana: the moment you see it bloom, you've already stepped onto the path to death.
The first soul ring around Lin Xiao glowed brightly. Several souls within the Higanbana dissipated, and the Seed of Soul effortlessly pierced the Silver Wolf King's defenses, landing in its mental sea.
His second soul ring lit up next. The Silver Wolf King's face showed a human-like expression of pain. As Lin Xiao's second soul skill activated, its mental power and memories were devoured, and scenes flashed before Lin Xiao's eyes.
Despite its ten-thousand-year cultivation, the Silver Wolf King's life mostly revolved around cultivation and hunting, with little of note. However, one place stood out—a cave it frequently visited, causing Lin Xiao's eyes to light up slightly.
From the Silver Wolf King's memories, Lin Xiao saw a massive rock shaped like a wolf's head, seemingly the home of this wolf pack. Beneath that rock was a natural cave, not dark but filled with plants that shimmered like stars in the night.
The cave's scenes flashed by quickly, and Lin Xiao couldn't make out specific details. Still, he was certain that the Silver Wolf King's extraordinary defense was tied to those faintly glowing plants in the cave.
Images raced through Lin Xiao's mind as he sent the Silver Wolf King flying with a single palm strike, crashing to the ground.
That strike, combined with the Seed of Soul's attack, nearly shattered the Silver Wolf King's mind. It struggled instinctively, trying to stand, but its limbs wouldn't obey, flailing weakly before collapsing.
The wind blowing through the forest brought a chill. The surrounding Silver Wolves, as if suddenly understanding fear, let out a whimper from somewhere and scattered.
When Lin Xiao, carrying the barely alive Silver Wolf King, reached the base of the mountain, he saw Mi Jia sitting in meditation, with Lin Jiayi, who had been hidden in the shadows, standing guard nearby.
"What happened? Were you attacked again?"
Ma Rulong turned at the sound, his eyes lighting up slightly when he saw the Silver Wolf King in Lin Xiao's hands.
Lin Jiayi also looked at Lin Xiao. "No, but Mi Jia got lucky. Right after coming down the mountain, he encountered a soul beast suitable for him, probably driven here by the wolf pack up there."
"That's good. A blessing in disguise, then."
Lin Xiao glanced around, nodding to Ju Zi, who was watching him, then turning to Ma Rulong, who seemed hesitant to speak. "What's up? Something else?"
Ma Rulong nodded eagerly. "Senior, is this the Wolf King from that pack?"
"Correct. It seems to have just broken through to ten thousand years. I spared its life to see if you guys need it for anything."
When the soul's sneak attack disrupted the Wolf King's ability to command the pack, with Lin Xiao's strength, facing a ten-thousand-year soul beast was predictably no challenge.
"Senior, could you sell this Silver Wolf King to me?" Ma Rulong stepped closer.
Lin Xiao looked at him, surprised. "You're confident you can absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring?"
"No, it's not that. I want its materials. Silver Wolves can absorb mithril ore, and their fur, bones, and flesh are excellent for making soul tools. With this Silver Wolf King, I might be able to break through to a level-four soul mentor."
"Sure. I was planning to sell it anyway." Having figured out the source of the Silver Wolf King's anomaly, Lin Xiao had no further use for it. Selling it to Ma Rulong would save him some trouble.
Ma Rulong excitedly took the Silver Wolf King from Lin Xiao's hands. Upon receiving it, he noticed its fur was completely intact, without a single wound.
"This…" Ma Rulong hesitated. With such pristine quality, using it for a mere level-four soul tool felt wasteful.
Still, he paid for it. It might be a waste for him, but his father, a teacher at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Academy, would surely find better uses for it.
"After I defeated the Wolf King, the pack up the mountain scattered. We took down quite a few when we broke through earlier. If you need more, I can go back and get some thousand-year ones."
"No need, I think."
"It's fine. It won't take much effort, and Mi Jia's still absorbing his soul ring." Lin Xiao shook his head, looking at Lin Jiayi. "Teacher, here…"
"Got it. I'll keep watch here," Lin Jiayi said, understanding Lin Xiao's intent. "The wolf pack probably scared off the other soul beasts nearby, but still be careful when you go."
"I understand, Teacher."
Lin Xiao responded and turned, disappearing into the night once more.
Only when he was out of sight did Lin Xiao channel soul power into his legs, his speed surging.
He wasn't returning to the mountain to collect thousand-year soul beasts for Ma Rulong. He was thinking of that peculiarly shaped rock.
Whether the rock was shaped by the wolf pack or the Silver Wolves had carved it that way, such a distinctive stone was hard to miss.
Just moments ago, the soul he had sent out had located the cave beneath the rock. Though he didn't know exactly what was inside, something capable of granting the Silver Wolf King defense far beyond its level was something Lin Xiao wouldn't pass up.
Even if he couldn't use it directly, it would likely be valuable material for crafting soul tools.
The cave the Silver Wolf King frequented wasn't far from the hill where Lin Xiao and the others had rested. At full speed, it took him about a quarter of an hour to reach the cave's entrance.
No wonder they had been surrounded by the wolf pack. With the Silver Wolves' keen sense of smell, they must have caught their scent long ago.
Moreover, the Wolf King was cunning, choosing to attack in the latter half of the night when they were most likely to be fatigued. If Lin Xiao hadn't sent that soul to keep watch after entering the Jingyang Mountain Range, they might not have noticed anything until the wolves had fully surrounded them.