Chapter 12: Bullied by Wolves

Feeling the strength of the wolf pack outside, Yao Yan remained unfazed. He wasn't easily intimidated by a group of low-level magical beasts, having encountered peak experts on the Dou Qi Continent. This small situation couldn't scare him.

At least in terms of mindset, he considered himself top-notch.

For anyone with his experiences, fear wouldn't be an issue anymore.

Let alone facing a group of second or third-tier magical beasts, even if the Soul Emperor appeared before him, Yao Yan reckoned he wouldn't panic.

"Can't beat them. Should I call for help?"

Yao Yan was well aware of his own strength. Dealing with one or two second-tier Frost Wolves was manageable, but facing a third-tier Frost Wolf King and its pack, he estimated he would be overwhelmed in an instant.

The gap in strength was too significant, akin to a Grandmaster bullying an ordinary fighter, a completely one-sided onslaught.

He believed Yao Nong must be lurking nearby, keeping an eye on the situation. If he called for help, Yao Nong would likely come to his aid and resolve the trouble for him.

But he wasn't sure if Soul Huzi was watching.

If he were to be found seeking help from Yao Nong on the first night, it would undoubtedly lower his standing in the other's eyes. It was one thing to be unable to fight back, but refusing even to try was a sign of weakness. Such a person wouldn't seem worth cultivating.

Yao Yan held back, refraining from loudly calling for help. Instead, he calmly unleashed the pinnacle of his Illusory Gold Fire in his palm, illuminating the entire cave with its scorching flames, exuding a raging aura.

He wanted to see if the third-tier Frost Wolf King would be intimidated.

Illusory Gold Fire was indeed a high-level beast fire. How could a third-tier magical beast not fear it?

*Roar...*

Just as Yao Yan speculated, the Frost Wolf King hesitated. Emitting a low growl, a hint of fear appeared in its icy eyes. Yet, it was unwilling to leave just like that. It sensed the condensed natural energy within the cave, akin to some sort of natural treasure that could potentially aid its breakthrough.

It was already at the peak of the third tier, just a step away from breaking through to the fourth!

Magical beasts might fear due to bloodline suppression, but the instinctual desire for strength growth was undeniable.

*Whimper...*

The second-tier Frost Wolves, evidently of lower intelligence, were startled by the wild aura of the Illusory Gold Fire. The innate fear from their bloodline made them retreat with tails tucked, unwilling to approach.

Seeing this, the Frost Wolf King let out a roar, attempting to call them back.

But it failed.

Not all magical beasts were willing to risk their lives for a breakthrough, especially when facing a significantly stronger opponent.

As the wolf pack scattered, the Frost Wolf King naturally dared not charge forward alone. With its intelligence as a peak third-tier creature, it knew how to handle danger. While it dared to confront a fourth-tier magical beast with its pack, it wouldn't risk its life for unknown dangers.

Glaring once more at the cave's location, it turned and slowly retreated.

When the underlings lost their fighting spirit, the leader naturally wouldn't rush forward anymore.

Inside the cave,

Yao Yan's expression was peculiar. He didn't expect these wolf-like magical beasts to be so easily frightened. Just a brief display of Illusory Gold Fire scared them off, without even trying to probe further. He couldn't help but chuckle, "They're not too bright, are they?"

If they were higher-tier magical beasts, they would likely see through his bluff, seeing him as pretending to be powerful.

Low-level magical beasts evidently lacked this level of intelligence, still relying on the most primitive methods, assessing their opponents' strength solely through aura.

Of course, this was also related to Yao Yan hiding in the cave. The creatures couldn't see him and couldn't judge his true aura. If he were outside, that third-tier Frost Wolf King probably wouldn't be so accommodating. It would likely want to test the waters.

In the sky above the valley, Yao Nong was hidden within this space, observing everything below. For a moment, he wasn't sure what to make of it.

He didn't know if Yao Yan was genuinely unafraid or pretending to be. Or perhaps he had guessed that he was watching from the sidelines.

After some thought,

Yao Nong closed his eyes. Since there was no trouble, he naturally wouldn't interfere.

...

The next day, Yao Yan found that his danger was not completely eliminated. There were many second-tier Frost Wolves around the cave, not daring to approach but also showing no signs of leaving, seemingly monitoring the cave.

Sensing this, Yao Yan fell silent. He felt he had underestimated the intelligence of these beasts.

"A one-star Fighter is still too weak."

Yao Yan sighed softly as he felt the cyclone of Dou Qi within his body. He never expected to be blocked by a group of magical beasts one day, especially when he couldn't do anything about them.

Weakness is the original sin. On the Dou Qi Continent, being too weak meant even magical beasts could bully you.

Yao Yan was well aware that he couldn't continue hiding in the cave indefinitely. Once enough time passed, that not-so-dimwitted third-tier Frost Wolf King would surely come to investigate. By then, it wouldn't be easy to scare it off with Illusory Gold Fire. Thinking this, he looked to the side of the rocky wall. He decided to dig through the mountain and escape from the other side.

He wasn't willing to stay here and engage in a battle of wits with a group of low-level magical beasts.

With this in mind,

He raised his palm, gathering a ball of Illusory Gold Fire to start refining the rocky wall. Alchemists could easily refine various heavenly and earthly treasures, so refining this type of rock wasn't difficult. However, it was a laborious task, consuming a considerable amount of Dou Qi and requiring continuous intake of Qi Return Pills to sustain.

And ultimately, what was refined was worthless—a type of granite with even stronger properties. This kind of granite could be further refined, but it was evidently meaningless.

This scene naturally caused Yao Nong's mouth to twitch. He didn't expect Yao Yan to resort to this. For a moment, his actions left him speechless.

Refining the mountain range was evidently a time-consuming and labor-intensive task.

Yao Yan spent three days and nights burning through the mountain, emerging with a soot-covered face. He wiped his face, looking back, and thinking about the experiences of the past few days, he couldn't help but clench his fist, feeling the strength of his two-star Fighter level. He grinned, "Frost Wolf King, you better wait for me to come back!"

His smile was bright because, apart from Soul Huzi, it was the first time he had been so badly treated in this world.

A pinnacle third-grade Alchemist, actually bullied by a third-tier magical beast. Can you believe it?! He planned to break through to Fighter level, then come back to trouble this Frost Wolf King. By then, he would turn the creature's teeth into a pendant as a memento!

Immediately, without further hesitation,

He turned and fled forward. He had to leave this area as soon as possible because the valley was already occupied by the Frost Wolf King's pack. He had no place to stay, and as a two-star Fighter, he didn't have the strength to confront them head-on.