Chapter 557: Return to Tiangu

"A sacred object?" Lu Ye frowned.

"That's roughly the meaning, or it can be understood as a totem," Yiyi continued to explain. "They've been with Ju Jia for a long time. Ju Jia helps their pack increase its strength, so they won't let him leave. The alpha wolf also said we can go; they won't stop us."

Lu Ye had come to bring Ju Jia to meet his Fourth Senior Brother and Feng Yuechan. If he couldn't take Ju Jia with him, what was the point of coming here?

They could certainly force their departure. With his and Ju Jia's current cultivation levels, they could fly even without spirit artifacts, and this pack of demonic wolves didn't seem capable of aerial pursuit, so they wouldn't be able to catch them. However, when demonic beasts reached this level of strength, even without the ability to fly, they possessed means to attack airborne enemies. If they were to act rashly and provoke the wolves, they might not escape safely. This was rather difficult.

As if sensing Lu Ye's thoughts, the alpha wolf suddenly howled at him. Amber, not to be outdone, roared in response. The next instant, demonic energy surged around the bodies of over a hundred giant wolves, and chilling killing intent permeated the surroundings. Lu Ye immediately felt a stinging sensation on his skin and instinctively gripped his Pan Shan Blade.

Just as the tension reached its peak, Ju Jia suddenly raised his palm, as broad as a cattail fan, and slapped the alpha wolf on the head, making it stumble. "Behave!" The alpha wolf shook its head, its fierce gaze quickly softening. The ferocity of the hundred-plus giant wolves also rapidly subsided, making them appear harmless. Lu Ye watched, utterly amazed.

From the current situation, it was clear that Ju Jia held an unparalleled status in the wolf pack's eyes. Even though it was the alpha wolf, it showed no anger after being hit, which was not a typical reaction for a demonic beast. Ju Jia indeed had no knowledge of beast taming and had never commanded these demonic wolves, but the benefits he had brought to the pack during his time here gave him the authority to command the entire pack.

The alpha wolf, still with its head lowered, glanced at Ju Jia, then at Lu Ye, letting out a few low growls. Yiyi immediately said, "It says we can leave, but we have to take them with us. They want to follow Ju Jia wherever he goes." Lu Ye was left speechless, somewhere between amusement and bewilderment. They were actually negotiating! He never imagined such a large person like Ju Jia would be 'claimed' by a pack of demonic beasts; such a situation had likely never occurred in the entire history of the Cloud River Battlefield. If cultivators from beast-taming sects saw this, they would surely revere Ju Jia as a divine being.

However, taking an entire wolf pack was clearly unrealistic. Demonic beasts were extremely valuable to cultivators, and bringing them out of here would only attract a great deal of trouble. But given how things had progressed, if the wolf pack wasn't taken along, they certainly wouldn't let Ju Jia leave. Following Ju Jia was already their biggest concession. If he tried to force their departure, the wolf pack wouldn't attack Ju Jia; they would only come after him. Even though the alpha wolf appeared docile and obedient in front of Ju Jia, that was only for Ju Jia. Lu Ye frowned; this situation was getting complicated.

Should he leave Ju Jia behind? With such a wolf pack guarding him, Ju Jia wouldn't be in much danger and would thrive in Mount Taimang. However, the phenomena caused by Ju Jia's cultivation were a problem. They had already attracted many cultivators and a large number of demonic beasts. Although he had been safe for days, there was no guarantee that an accident wouldn't happen at any time.

As thoughts raced through his mind, Lu Ye suddenly realized something. The reason he wanted to take Ju Jia was to meet his Fourth Senior Brother and Feng Yuechan, then find a suitable location to establish a Class A spirit land. His Fourth Senior Brother and the others were responsible for selecting the site, and after several days, they still had no news, indicating they were still searching. Finding a suitable location wasn't easy; it needed to be discreet and have significant geographical advantages. Mount Taimang seemed like a good option. It was a naturally perilous area, teeming with powerful demonic beasts. Although many cultivators came here to hunt beasts, they never ventured too deep. Therefore, if the spirit land was placed deep enough, the risk of it being discovered by cultivators would be reduced. And since this wolf pack wanted to follow Ju Jia, they would serve as natural guardians for the spirit land. Such a massive force, even deep within Mount Taimang, would have enough self-preservation capability to handle most crises. So... it wasn't necessary to take Ju Jia away. Placing the spirit land deep within Mount Taimang seemed like a better choice! Realizing this, Lu Ye's mind suddenly cleared, feeling as if a hidden path had opened up. Looking at them, the calf-sized giant wolves suddenly looked much more agreeable. Of course, all of this depended on the wolf pack's absolute loyalty to Ju Jia! Without sufficient loyalty, no one would feel safe surrounded by such a pack. However, based on the current situation, the wolf pack's loyalty to Ju Jia was not in question, as they relied on his cultivation to enhance their pack's strength.

"Amber, tell it to lead us to a quiet and safe place." Amber began growling softly at the alpha wolf, which responded occasionally, then looked up at Lu Ye, its wolf eyes filled with human-like expressions. A moment later, the alpha wolf turned, lowered its head, and nudged Ju Jia onto its back. It then set off with swift, agile strides, darting deeper into the forest. The hundred-plus giant wolves followed closely. Lu Ye also mounted Amber's back. In a few leaps, Amber caught up with the alpha wolf, running alongside it.

They sped deeper into Mount Taimang. Lu Ye took out his map to check their location. They were already quite deep within Mount Taimang, where the demonic beasts encountered were generally powerful. Normally, any cultivator passing through this area would not have a peaceful journey, as hidden beasts could launch attacks at any moment. However, as the wolf pack passed, no demonic beast dared to show itself or provoke them. Lu Ye even saw a beast with a powerful aura carefully avoid the wolf pack's path from a distance. Only after the pack had passed did it let out a few symbolic roars, seemingly expressing its displeasure at the intrusion into its territory.

After more than half a day, the wolf pack stopped in a valley. The valley was picturesque, with colorful flowers blooming in vibrant competition, and the constant sounds of birds and insects. The valley was vast, surrounded by mountains on three sides, and backed by a cliff on one side. From the top of this cliff, a waterfall cascaded down, its roaring sound ceaseless. Looking up, the splashing water, illuminated by the sunlight, refracted into a seven-colored glow like a rainbow. Below the waterfall was a river, and many wild animals were drinking from its banks. "It's so beautiful!" Yiyi exclaimed, gazing mesmerized at the waterfall and rainbow from Amber's head. Few knew that such a tranquil paradise existed within the perilous Mount Taimang. Lu Ye consulted his map; the area was marked as "Huitian Valley."

He ascended with his artifact and flew a circle around the valley, finding no traces of demonic beasts. It was a good place, not only beautiful and pleasant but also naturally shielded. In the future, if Ju Jia cultivated here, any phenomena he created would be easily obscured by the valley's natural barriers, preventing such a large disturbance. "Lu Ye, Lu Ye!" Yiyi cheered, "Let's choose this place for the spirit land, okay?" She clearly shared the same idea. Lu Ye nodded. "I'll send a message to Fourth Senior Brother."

He tapped his battlefield mark, sending a message: "Fourth Senior Brother, any progress with the spirit land?" Li Baxian quickly replied: "No hurry, Junior Brother. We're still looking." "I've found a suitable place here." "Oh? You found one, Junior Brother? Where is it?" "Mount Taimang, Huitian Valley." After a moment, Li Baxian didn't reply, presumably checking his own map to pinpoint Huitian Valley's exact location. After a while, Li Baxian finally messaged back: "Junior Brother, that location is too deep within Mount Taimang. It's not safe. While placing the spirit land there would reduce the risk of discovery, the demonic beasts in that area are not to be trifled with." "The situation is a bit complicated. Senior Brother and Senior Sister Feng, please come and meet me first. You'll understand when you get here." "Alright." Li Baxian didn't ask too many questions. When Lu Ye asked him to meet, he and Feng Yuechan immediately set off toward the valley. Ending the communication, Yiyi asked, "What did Fourth Senior Brother say?" "They're on their way and should arrive in a few days. During this time, we'll get familiar with the area, explore the surroundings, and see if it's truly suitable for establishing the spirit land." "Okay."

Having made his decision, Lu Ye immediately set to work. Although he had previously circled the valley and found nothing unusual, it was always best to be cautious, as some demonic beasts were naturally skilled at concealment, their innate abilities surpassing even the stealth techniques of ghost cultivators. Ju Jia also explored the surroundings with him. It was worth noting that wherever Ju Jia went, the wolf pack followed, especially the alpha wolf, whose eyes never left Ju Jia's side, as if afraid he would run off. After less than half a day, Lu Ye had thoroughly explored a hundred-mile radius, confirming that there were no significant dangers in the area. Apart from some wild animals, there were no traces of other powerful demonic beasts.

Night fell, and the full moon shone overhead. The wolf pack gathered around Ju Jia, their eyes eagerly fixed on him, clearly waiting to cultivate with him. However, Ju Jia had no intention of cultivating. He was with Lu Ye by the bonfire, staring at the sizzling, oily snake meat roasting over the flames, drooling. Since parting ways with Lu Ye, he had been living rough, and for the past two months, he had been in a state of dormancy, having not satisfied his appetite in a long time. Amber was also nearby, devouring raw meat. A large section of snake meat quickly disappeared into its belly. Still not satisfied, it nudged Lu Ye with its large head, and Lu Ye took out another piece of snake meat for it. Soon, the snake meat was ready. Lu Ye and Ju Jia shared it. Although their physiques were vastly different, they ate with similar gusto, even crunching down on the snake bones, swallowing them whole.