The moment the felt flap of my yurt fell shut behind us, the noise of the camp washed over me.
I stood there for a heartbeat, adjusting the heavy Thousand Beast King wolf-fur cloak on my shoulders. It was heavy, smelling of ancient predator—a fitting skin for the monster I intended to become.
Yue Yin stood half a step behind me, her head bowed in the posture of a submissive servant. Her Rank 4 Breath Concealment Gu was working perfectly; to the naked eye, she was nothing more than a frightened girl in a silk dress. But through our connection last night, I knew her senses were expanding like an invisible net, dissecting the camp's security.
"Yue," I spoke without moving my lips, a skill cultivated during years of whispering diagnoses over open bodies in crowded operating theaters. "Listen closely. We need a lie."
"A lie?" Her voice came back soft, barely a whisper, blending with the wind.
"My sudden rise to Rank 2. If I say I cultivated it in one night, they will think I used Demonic methods. My father will be forced to kill me to save face if i cant create a strong aliby."
I began to walk toward the central yurt, setting a pace that was arrogant and unhurried.
"The script is this: You found a black iron box in my storage. It was a gift from my deceased grandfather, the Mad Refiner. Inside was a Rank 1 Ice Cube Gu. You used it not knowing what it was bringing me the drink you used the ice to make, and inside were two Rank 1 Green Copper Relic Gu. I didn't know what they were years ago, so I forgot them."
I glanced back at her.
"I ate both. They pushed me to Rank 1 upper stage .Then, my intuition told me to eat the Yang Stag Horn. The energy overflow shattered the wall. That is why I am Rank 2."
Yue Yin didn't stumble. She didn't look up. She simply adjusted her grip on my sword, wrapped in blue silk.
"Understood," she murmured. "Grandfather's legacy. Lucky maid."
"Good. Now, look terrified. You are walking into a den of wolves."
She shrank in on herself instantly, shoulders trembling, eyes darting nervously. It was a masterclass in deception.
The walk to the Clan Leader's yurt was a performance on a stage of frozen mud.
I passed Rank 1 warriors drilling in the snow. I passed Elders scolding their disciples. I ignored them all, keeping my chin high, my golden eyes fixed on the horizon. I was the genius. I was the protagonist. I didn't see the extras.thats what they should belive.
We reached the massive central yurt, draped in the pelts of Beasts. The Rank 2 guards snapped to attention, but I pushed past them before they could announce me.
Inside, the heat hit me like a physical wall. Rank 1 Warm Earth Gu kept the floor toasty, a sharp contrast to the biting wind outside. The air smelled of kumiss, sandalwood, and the heavy, oppressive pressure of high-level cultivation.
My father, Ju Xiong, sat on his wolf-skull throne. He was a bear of a man, currently shouting at Elder Mo and Elder Cang.
"The Hei Tribe is digging in at the Ice River!" Ju Xiong slammed a map. "We need to move before the blizzard hits!"
He looked up as I entered, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Ju Yang? I am busy. If you want more primeval stones—"
He stopped.
He squinted. The annoyance vanished, replaced by a jarring, biological confusion. He leaned forward, the wolf skulls of his throne creaking.
"Your aura..." Ju Xiong whispered.
He stood up so fast the heavy throne tipped over backward with a crash. He ignored it, striding toward me with heavy, ground-shaking steps.
"Rank 2?!"
The silence in the yurt was absolute. Elder Mo dropped his tea cup. Elder Cang's hand drifted to his belt, his eyes narrowing.
"Impossible!" Elder Mo gasped. "He awakened yesterday! A Rank 1 Initial Stage cannot jump to Rank 2 in one night! Not even a Ten Extreme Physique!"
"This feels... unstable," Elder Cang muttered, his gaze piercing. "Rapid advancement without foundation... Young Master, have you been practicing Forbidden Arts?"
The accusation hung in the air. Demonic Path.
My father stopped three paces from me. His face was unreadable, but his killing intent was leaking out. He loved me, but he was the Clan Leader. If his son was a demon consuming human life to cultivate, he would have to execute me himself to save the tribe from a Righteous Path crusade.
I analyzed him. His pupils were dilated, adrenaline spiking. He was looking for a reason to spare me, but duty was holding a knife to his throat. I needed to give him an excuse immediately.
I didn't flinch. I smiled—the innocent, beaming smile of a son who had just won a game of chance.
"Father! The Heavens truly favor the Ju Tribe!"
I turned and pulled Yue Yin forward. She stumbled, nearly dropping the sword, and shrank back from Ju Xiong's massive presence, trembling visibly.
"Last night," I said, my voice bubbling with excitement, "this maid—Yue—was cleaning out the old storage crates in my yurt. You remember the junk grandfather left me?"
Ju Xiong blinked. "Your grandfather? The old refiner?"
"Yes! She found a sealed black box I had tossed in the corner years ago. I thought it was trash. But she opened it..."
I paused for effect, widening my eyes.
"Inside was a Rank 1 Ice Cube Gu. It was preserving something."
"An Ice Cube Gu?" Elder Mo frowned. "That is a consumable used to preserve perishables. What was inside?"
"Two Rank 1 Green Copper Relic Gu!" I announced.
The room gasped.
"Two?!" Elder Cang exclaimed. "That eccentric old man... he must have bought them and hid them for you!"
"I didn't know what they were back then," I lied smoothly. "But seeing them last night... I used them both immediately. They pushed me straight to Rank 1 Peak Stage!"
I took a step closer to my father.
"But then... my body and intuition started screaming at me. It attracted me to eat the Rank 4 Yang Stag Horn you gave me. Right then. While the Relic energy was still boiling in my aperture."
"You ate a Rank 4 material while breaking through?" Ju Xiong looked horrified. "Are you mad? You could have died!"
"It felt like fire!" I said, acting out the memory of pain I supposedly felt. "I turned red! Steam came out of my ears! But my 99% A-grade aptitude held the pressure. The massive primeval sea acted as a coolant. The Yang energy smashed against the aperture walls..."
I looked at them, my golden eyes shining with 'truth'.
"When I woke up... the blockage was gone. My essence was rank2 initial stage red iron . I was Rank 2."
Ju Xiong stared at me.
I could see the gears turning in his head. The story was wild—a mix of inheritance, dumb luck, and reckless genius. But it fit the narrative of my grandfather, who was known for his erratic behavior. And it fit my aptitude.
He wanted to believe. He also very much needed a legend to lead the oncoming war.
"Hahaha!" Ju Xiong roared, slamming his fist into his palm. The sound cracked like a whip.
"Grandfather's blessing! Of course! The old ghost was looking out for you!"
He laughed, a booming sound of relief. The suspicion evaporated.
"Elder Mo! Did you hear that? My son creates miracles by accident! This is the sign of a future leader!"
"Congratulations, Clan Leader," Elder Mo bowed quickly, hiding his jealousy. "The Young Master is truly blessed."
Ju Xiong looked at Yue Yin. For a split second, the Rank 4 Grandmaster beneath the silk robes tensed, but Ju Xiong only saw a lucky charm.
"This maid brings fortune," Ju Xiong declared. "She finds the legacy, she triggered the breakthrough. Keep her close."
"I hold her very dear, Father," I said, squeezing Yue's hand. She blushed, dipping into a clumsy curtsy.
"Good. Now," Ju Xiong's face turned serious. The father was gone; the Warlord returned.
"You are Rank 2. You are no longer a child. The war with the Hei Tribe approaches. You need to lead men."
He walked back to his fallen throne, righted it, and sat down.
"You have the talent. You have the Aptitude. But you lack the Method. You need to cultivate the family path."
Enslavement Path.
"Since you have broken through," Ju Xiong announced, "I will open our families personal Treasury for you. As the future Clan Leader, you need a foundation."
He clapped his hands. "Guards! Bring the Iron Chest!"
Servants hauled a heavy, iron-bound chest into the center of the room. It clanged against the floorboards.
"Open it," Ju Xiong ordered.
I lifted the lid. The interior was lined with red velvet.
My Dog Shit Luck Gu buzzed in appreciation.
* 1x Rank 2 Soul Nourishing Gu (Rare consumable): A grey pearl swirling with mist.
* 3x Rank 2 Wolf Enslavement Gu: The core of command.
* 10x Rank 1 Wolf Enslavement Gu.
* 1x Rank 2 Wolf Heal Gu.
* 1x Rank 2 Bravery Smoke Gu: Boosts aggression.
* 1x Rank 2 Iron Fur Gu: Defensive buff for the pack.
* And the centerpiece... Rank 2 Sky Wolf Wings Gu.
"With the Soul Nourishing Gu, you can reach a 30-man Soul within a month," Ju Xiong explained proudly. "That is enough to control five hundred wolves with ease.5000 if you have the attainments."
"Thank you, Father," I bowed. "I will not let the tribe down."
I signaled Yue Yin. She stepped forward and lifted the heavy chest as if it were filled with feathers—a subtle hint of her strength that went unnoticed by the arrogance of the Elders.
"I will go to the outer wilds immediately," I announced. "I need to build my army before the war starts."
"Go," Ju Xiong nodded. "Show me a pack worthy of the Ju name."
We left the camp, heading for the snowy ridges where the semi-tamed wolf packs roamed.
Once we were out of sight, Yue Yin's posture shifted. The trembling maid vanished; the cool, lethal Grandmaster returned.
"That was a plausible lie," she noted, her voice flat. "Your grandfather's reputation did the heavy lifting."
"Reputation is a tool," I replied, sitting on a frozen rock. "Just like this."
I took out the Soul Nourishing Gu.
"Enslavement Path requires a strong soul. It acts as the nervous system for the beast pack. Most people spend years meditating to strengthen it."
I looked at the grey pearl.
"I'm going to do it in less than a day .( the longest part is from one man soul to 10 man soul)"
I refined and then used the Gu.
A cold, invasive energy rushed into my brain. It felt like a drill boring into my skull, rewiring the synapses. I gritted my teeth, analyzing the sensation to keep from passing out. The invisible pathways were expanding, density increasing.
Pain.
My soul—originally a standard 10-man soul because of reincarnation —began to vibrate and expand. It was a forced evolution.
15-man... 20-man soul ....30-man... .
My perception sharpened violently. I could hear the wind moving through the grass blades. I could feel the heartbeat of a snow hare fifty meters away.
"You adapt quickly," Yue Yin noted, handing me a cup of tea she had somehow prepared in the snow. "Your soul foundation is strangely stable."
"I've lived twice," I said, taking the tea. "My soul has calluses."
I stood up, the Sky Wolf Wings Gu vibrating in my hand.
"Now, let's go shopping.after I have five Rank 2 Enslavement Gu. I want five Kings."
We moved into the wilds. My Dog Shit Luck Gu buzzed, guiding me not just to wolves, but to the anomalies.
Over the next four hours, we curated the perfect team.
* 2x Lightning Frenzy Wolf Kings: Fast, high damage. The attackers.
* 2x Water Shell Wolf Kings: Defensive, tanky. The retractors.
* 1x Poison Scorpion Wolf King: A rare mutation found in a dark cave. The unpredictables.
I stood on the ridge, looking down at my new army of five hundred wolves. With my 30-man soul, I could feel them all—a thousand eyes, a thousand teeth, all extensions of my will.
"It is a good start," I said.
Yue Yin stood beside me, the wind catching her silk robes. "The war may start in the next two weeks. The Hei Tribe will be waiting."
"Let them wait," I grinned, activating the Sky Wolf Wings. Spectral blue energy unfurled from my back.
I grabbed Yue Yin by the waist. She melted into me, her Grandmaster instincts trusting me completely.
As the best surgeon anything needing control was easy for me whether it be flying or refinement .
We launched into the sky, the wolf pack howling below us, chasing their new King toward the horizon.