Yang Jiu turned his gaze toward the scarred black wolf.
"What is your name?"
Scar shuddered, hurriedly stepped forward a few paces, and bowed his head in a respectful and submissive posture.
"King, my name is Scar!"
Yang Jiu nodded slightly; the name was quite fitting. He looked up toward the north and asked again:
"Where is your den? Is there another wolf king?"
Scar raised his head, glanced in the direction Yang Jiu was looking, and then quickly lowered it again.
"Yes, King." His voice carried a hint of caution. "Our den is in that direction, just past two mountain hollows. There is a king... he took another squad out to hunt and likely hasn't returned yet."
Yang Jiu narrowed his eyes.
"How many wolves?"
"Including the king, about... fifteen." Scar paused, then added, "All are adult wolves. If you include the old and the weak, there are forty."
Fifteen adult wolves meant there were twenty-five old and weak ones.
Including the ten already subdued here, the total number of this black wolf pack was exactly fifty.
This was already quite a large pack.
The corners of Yang Jiu's mouth curled up slightly.
"How strong is your king?"
Scar fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his words.
"...Very strong," he whispered. "Stronger than all of us. Once, three wild wolves intruded into our territory; he tore two of them apart by himself, and the last one didn't even make it half a mile before being caught and bitten to death."
Yang Jiu raised an eyebrow.
Sounds like he's actually got some skill.
But—
He glanced at the fifteen wolves behind him that had already completed their transformation.
Wind Body, Bronze Skin and Iron Bones, Storm Blade.
Not to mention seventeen or eighteen ordinary black wolves, even if there were twice as many, they would just be fodder.
"Scar."
"I am here."
"Lead the way." Yang Jiu withdrew his gaze, his tone calm. "We'll wait at your den."
"Yes, King."
He turned and trotted off toward the north.
Yang Jiu stepped forward to follow.
Behind him, fifteen transformed figures followed like shadows.
Scar led the way in front.
The group of wolves traversed the dense jungle, crossed two mountain hollows, and headed all the way north.
The trees along the way gradually thinned out, replaced by large expanses of jagged rocks and low shrubs.
Soon, a familiar scent faintly drifted through the air—the smell of a wolf pack, strong and mixed.
"We're almost there." Scar slowed his pace and whispered back, "Just over that stone ridge ahead is our den."
Yang Jiu nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.
A moment later, the group of wolves silently climbed onto the stone ridge.
Yang Jiu lay behind a rock and peeked out—
Below was a natural rocky depression, surrounded by boulders on three sides with only one exit in front.
Deep within the depression were several natural caves, with many clean-gnawed bones scattered around the entrances.
More than twenty black wolves were either lying or sitting in the den.
Some were sunbathing, some were licking each other's fur, and a few pups were chasing and playing among the rocks.
At the mouth of one of the inner caves, an exceptionally sturdy black wolf was napping, its ears twitching occasionally, clearly not in a deep sleep.
"The ones staying behind," Scar lowered his voice. "The king is away; these are the ones guarding the home."
Yang Jiu's gaze swept across the area below.
Over twenty of them.
Behind him, Great Remnant leaned in and whispered, "Clan Leader, should we charge in directly?"
Yang Jiu raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the fifteen transformed wolves behind him.
Great Remnant was baring his teeth, his eyes gleaming with eagerness, and Scar had also tensed his body, seemingly waiting for the order to pounce.
He indeed intended to let them show off their skills.
To let these black wolves see what a real "Ninja Wolf" was.
But in the next second, he dismissed the idea.
—What if they couldn't control themselves?
Great Remnant and the others had just completed their transformation, so their control over their power was surely still very clumsy. If they really started fighting and someone didn't hold back, a few black wolves would lose their heads on the spot.
That wouldn't do.
Yang Jiu looked at the twenty-odd black wolves below, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
These are all resources.
Each new member is worth 50 Experience and 50 Points.
Over twenty of them means more than a thousand Experience and a thousand Points.
Not to mention, once they join the wolf clan and complete their transformation, each one will be a solid combat force.
Kill them?
That would be a complete waste.
Forget it, I'll do it myself.
Although it's a bit beneath me for the dignified wolf king to act personally.
But for the mission, for the Points, and for the future.
It's worth a little hard work.
He withdrew his gaze and stepped forward.
Behind him, Great Remnant was stunned: "Clan Leader, you're going to personally..."
Yang Jiu didn't speak and walked toward the black wolf den.
When Yang Jiu leaped down from the stone ridge with the fifteen transformed gray wolves and landed steadily at the mouth of the valley, the old and weak black wolves were the first to notice the anomaly.
"Awoo—!"
A sharp warning roar suddenly exploded.
Several old wolves stood up abruptly, baring their yellowed fangs, their cloudy eyes filled with vigilance and ferocity.
A few young pups were so frightened they retreated deep into the caves, only daring to peek out with half their heads.
Then, more black wolves stood up.
Over twenty of them crowded onto the open ground of the den, staring in unison at the uninvited guest at the valley entrance.
Low threats rumbled in their throats, and their front limbs bent slightly, ready to pounce at any moment.
Yang Jiu stood in place, motionless.
He glanced at these black wolves—the old were old, the weak were weak. The adult wolves with real combat power seemed to all be...
"Woo—!"
A more powerful and majestic wolf howl suddenly came from the dense forest behind Yang Jiu and the others.
Yang Jiu turned to look.
Fourteen figures emerged one after another from the dense forest.
They were all adult black wolves, with glossy fur, full muscles, and sharp claws and teeth; each one exuded the aura of a seasoned hunter.
They moved with orderly steps and fierce gazes, clearly the true combat force of this pack.
And walking at the very front—
—was a giant wolf nearly a meter tall at the shoulder, its body as black as ink.
Its size was a notch larger than any other wolf present. A tuft of silver-white fur on its brow was particularly striking, and its amber eyes held the majesty and indifference of a long-time leader.
It walked slowly, each step carrying a suffocating sense of pressure.
black wolf king.
The fourteen adult black wolves behind it quickly spread out, faintly surrounding the valley entrance.
"Awoo!!!"
Great Remnant reacted quickly, shielding Yang Jiu and letting out a sharp, fierce roar, his cold eyes staring intently at the black wolf king.
Previously, Great Remnant's size was slightly smaller than the black wolf king's.
But now, with the Bronze Skin and Iron Bones talent and having undergone transformation, Great Remnant's size was no longer inferior to the black wolf king's, and his aura was just as strong.
Scar and the others also dispersed with Yang Jiu as the center, baring their teeth at the other black wolves.
Now that they had submitted to Yang Jiu, they would not betray him even if the black wolf king returned, especially after their transformation.