Chapter 180

Ling Yue heard this and instantly became fully awake; she looked at Little Yellow Immortal: "What happened?"

Little Yellow Immortal scratched at the window, chirping: "It's in the mountains, the mountains have——"

"Nonsense, Great Yellow Immortal!"

Before it could finish, a loud shout came from behind, startling it into jumping up; Ling Yue looked over—it wasn't the early-rising Qiao Baba, whose gaze met hers, causing him to shiver suddenly.

He seemed to have just returned from outside, his complexion not good; seeing Ling Yue, he silently stepped back: "I just remembered I have something to do; I'll go out for a walk, you all continue! Keep going!"

Ling Yue: "……"

Not knowing what Qiao Baba had thought, she simply got up and walked out; Little Yellow Immortal then slipped with a sound, jumping to her feet: "Milady."

Ling Yue: "Speak, what happened in the mountains?"

"Last night a pack of outside wolves suddenly came to the mountains, running madly all over, scaring the locals half to death! So we wanted to ask you for help to drive the wolf pack away!"

Little Yellow Immortal also wanted to drive them off on its own, but those gray wolves were all strong and healthy, likely beasts from deeper in the Changbai Mountain Range, and when they went mad they feared nothing; Little Yellow Immortal was too weak to match them, and even driving them away would only treat the symptom, not the cause—so it could only come to ask Ling Yue.

Mainly, the Ginseng Doll told it that the mountain lord of Changbai Mountain had awakened, and he is your companion, right by your side.

Now, the animals living under its jurisdiction are overjoyed—they too have a protector!

Ling Yue nodded upon hearing this, instantly recalling the wolf howls she heard last night at midnight; indeed, it wasn't just her dreaming or hallucinating.

After she agreed, Little Yellow Immortal stayed by her side, waiting until Ling Yue opened the door, her expression surprised.

As it turned out, Qiao Baba hadn't left; he had been squatting at the door, heavy-heartedly smoking, and the moment he saw her, he immediately stubbed out the ember on the ground.

"Xiao Ling."

He said, scratching his head, his face showing a hint of worry, and anxiously watching her hurried appearance: "You must absolutely not go up the mountain—wolves have come to the mountain!"

Ling Yue was stunned by his words, then immediately realized: "What do you mean?"

Qiao Baba: "This morning, the villagers called me over; someone's livestock had been dragged away by wolves in the night, and experienced elders all said the wolves came from the mountain. Though our place is remote, we haven't seen wolves in over a decade, and now such a large pack has appeared, already causing panic among the people."

"Miss, you must absolutely not go!"

He squatted here, guarding the door, just to tell Ling Yue this: "The wolves in these mountains are fierce; I know you have special abilities, but these are wild beasts—when they go mad, they fear nothing!"

Ling Yue nodded, understanding his good intentions, but—

"It's fine." She explained: "I can protect myself."

As for the villagers unsettled by the wolf pack's presence, Ling Yue frowned slightly, wondering if the mountains lacked supplies—impossible, as there have been no major disasters in recent years, and the mountains have always had protection policies; the villagers would hardly endanger each other's safety.

Ling Yue thought it over, but still couldn't find a clue; mainly, there were too few hints, so she could only wait until she went up the mountain to investigate.

"Creak—creak—"

Ling Yue's first reaction upon going up the mountain this time was that the animals had vanished—even the squirrels in the trees were hardly to be seen, let alone footprints in the snow; the old forest was already gloomy, and now it was completely silent.

Little Yellow Immortal explained: "That's because everyone is almost scared to death."

It recalled that before dawn, while resting in its little den, it suddenly heard a clicking sound; looking up, two greenish little lights hovered above its head, and upon closer inspection, they turned out to be wild wolves!

It hadn't eaten; now, turning its head, it saw that what the wolf was chewing in its mouth was none other than its big chicken leg!

Among the offerings it had dragged into its den but not finished eating, there was a whole roasted chicken it liked, deliberately set aside.

Little Yellow Immortal was furious at that moment, but the opponent was even more arrogant, chewing a chicken leg while sizing it up: "Skinny as a rail, I don't know if your meat is tasty or not."

Little Yellow Immortal: "!!!"

"You have a death wish, daring to set your sights on my Great Yellow Immortal self!"

The wolf gave a wicked grin, baring its stark white fangs; the next moment, outside light shone in—turns out the wolf had completely torn open the den, its claws lunging forward!

Little Yellow Immortal jumped in fright, lifted its rear, and let out a big fart!

Angered, it unleashed its signature move, twisting its waist; several hibernating snakes around it burst from their holes, flicking their tongues, their motions perfectly in sync with Little Yellow Immortal's.

The wolf gagged from the fart several times, then seeing the emerald snakes, it fled in terror, losing control of its bowels.

Thus, it can be said that Little Yellow Immortal encountered wild wolves earlier than other animals, knowing just how cunning they are!

After saying that, it patted its chest, still uneasy: "It's truly terrifying! I was just a step away from becoming the wolf's breakfast; luckily I thought quickly on my feet, clever and nimble!"

Ling Yue saw its antics and couldn't help laughing.

As for Jun Jun on her wrist, it couldn't help but snort coldly; Little Yellow Immortal let out a puzzled call, then suddenly heard a howl.

It shuddered in fright, almost wanting to flee, but then thinking of Ling Yue, it trembled on its little legs and said: "It's that pack of mad wolves! They're surely nearby!"

"Hmph."

Jun Jun said arrogantly: "No need for it to remind me—I've already sensed it; it's right ahead, getting closer and closer to us."

Hardly had the words fallen when Ling Yue saw wolf packs treading on snow appear from all directions around her; on a nearby large rock, fur disheveled, showing a grayish-black like weeds, but the tip of its tail had a faint reddish hue, like an impure flame color.

The largest wolf stood above, its greenish eyes fixed rigidly on Ling Yue; clearly, it was the wolf pack's king.

They stared at Ling Yue with tigerish greed, their covetous gazes—if it were an ordinary person, they'd likely have shuddered already.

At the same moment, Jun Jun broke free of the red cord.

The tiny, cute plush tiger, as soon as it hit the ground, instantly expanded like an inflated balloon; under everyone's gaze, not only Little Yellow Immortal but even the wolf pack were astonished, many wolves stepping back half a step.

At this moment, Jun Jun had fully resumed its true form; beside it, Little Yellow Immortal stared, its tiny paws covering its mouth as it opened into an O shape: "Good, good, good, good—so big! Is this the Mountain Lord?"

Da Lao Hu Junjun stood tall and proud, completely disregarding the wolf pack before it—it certainly had the stature for that.

Seeing this, the Wolf King's eyes flickered; even a fool could tell how dire the situation was.

It fixed its gaze on Ling Yue, shielded behind Jun Jun, a human.

Hatred welled up in its eyes, yet it clearly knew it couldn't lead its pack into a head‑on clash with them; in the end it let out a helpless howl.

After hearing that, Ling Yue couldn't help but freeze for a moment—really cunning! These wolves aren't just exchanging words; they're also using various body signals, preparing to retreat knowing it's tough.

Ling Yue curled her lips, but sorry, she came into the mountains just to find the wolf pack—how could she let them slip away right before her eyes?

Wait.

I have something I want to talk to you about.

As soon as her words fell, Jun Jun had already, tacitly, blocked the wolf king's path; in front of the huge, terrifying tiger, even the wolf king couldn't help but feel afraid.

What do you want to do? You hateful human!

Hearing this, Ling Yue couldn't help but frown slightly, for its meaning seemed to resist humans; they had already come down the mountain to rob livestock, and if left unchecked, they might hurt people, and when the situation blew up, she wouldn't be able to stop it.

The best solution is to strangle the matter.

In the cradle.

Ling Yue found it strange, glanced at the Wolf King and said, 'Why are you so prejudiced against humans? As far as I know, humans haven't provoked you.'

Hearing her words, the Wolf King instantly snorted: 'Nonsense!'

It's exactly because of you humans that I and my children have been separated mother and child!

Hearing this, Ling Yue momentarily froze: 'Mother and child separated?'

Ling Yue did not know that this wolf pack, led by the Wolf Queen, was the renowned Red Wolf King Family deep in the Changbai Mountain Range; the small animals in the outskirts had hardly heard of them, for they scarcely ever roamed the outskirts, and every war wolf in the family made beasts tremble at the wind.

This time they came to the outskirts precisely because the two wolf cubs born to the Wolf Queen had all been stolen by poachers, driving the Wolf Queen to fury!

Angry, it did not hesitate to lead the entire wolf pack in a pursuit of a thousand li.

They followed the scent here, yet could find no trace of the other party.

How could the Wolf Queen not pursue the matter to the end? Therefore, the subsequent events happened.

Hearing that they couldn't find a trace, Ling Yue couldn't help but furrow her brows: 'I can help you.'

The Wolf Queen stared at her in shock, then immediately replied, 'Why should I trust you? How can you help me find my cubs?'

When it mentioned its young, its tone softened considerably; moreover, any clever animal knows that going up against humans never ends well.

It had also been dazed by anger before, but now, having calmed down, it regarded Ling Yue; the fierce tiger by her side and her various extraordinary actions made the clever Wolf Queen realize that this human was anything but ordinary.

Ling Yue licked her lips: 'By it!'

She stroked Jun Jun's big head: 'Jun Jun is the Mountain Lord of Changbai Mountain; it can sense all animals within the range of Changbai Mountain's main peak, far faster than your aimless wandering all over the mountains.'

Upon hearing this, the Wolf Queen's heart stirred for a moment.

I need to think it over.

Hearing this, Ling Yue knew it had made up its mind, she nodded, letting Jun Jun search first; secretly, she couldn't help but sigh, again it was poaching.

However, to her surprise, Jun Jun shook its head: 'Strange, I sense no wolf cubs outside the pack; normally this means only two possibilities: either they have lost all signs of life, or they have left this place.'

Impossible!

The Wolf Queen snarled angrily, wagging its tail, switching to attack mode; the mighty male wolf beside her immediately rubbed against her, saying, 'Queen, Queen, don't be angry, our cubs will surely come to no harm!'

Stay calm, Queen.

The Wolf Queen lowered its head in grief; the lost ones were its own flesh and blood, hearing that the cubs might be dead, how could it still control its emotions!

Beside it, the wolf pup's father, namely the Wolf Queen's mate, lowered his head, gently and carefully licking her neck fur to comfort her.

A silent affection flowed quietly between the couple.

The wolf tribe has always been monogamous; a wolf has only one mate in its lifetime. As the father of the cubs, how could the male wolf not feel anger and sorrow? Yet, as the king's consort, he could only restrain his violent impulses.

Because its wife endures far more than it does.

The Red Wolf King Family's fame is great, yet that does not mean it will remain so; as the leader of the wolf tribe, every order the Wolf Queen issues leads the family down an unknown path.

All it can do is give its wife the steadfastest support.

At this moment, after hearing the explanation, Ling Yue's heart leapt; suddenly she realized: 'Could they have fallen into some isolated place?'

The two cubs might come to harm, but what about the poachers who took them? Surely they couldn't all have perished together? These people are greedily extravagant; how could they risk their lives for two cubs?

Moreover, no strangers have appeared in the village lately.

In an instant, Ling Yue concluded: they must still be on the mountain!

Hearing this, Jun Jun couldn't help but nod; it made perfect sense, but the reality was that it had truly found nothing.

Jun Jun couldn't help but feel deflated, lowering its head: 'I am the Mountain Lord; what place in the mountain could I possibly fail to discover?'

Ling Yue was also puzzled; suddenly she recalled something.

A waterfall!

Her sparkling eyes looked at Jun Jun: 'Perhaps at the waterfall.'

Ling Yue recalled that Jun Jun had once said it especially disliked waterfalls, even instinctively avoiding thinking about that place; moreover, the waterfall's location was extremely concealed, so to shake off the wolf pack's pursuit, the poachers would surely choose to hide their tracks.

Ling Yue told this to the Wolf Queen, who was startled; they had no idea there was a waterfall here.

They had already searched nearly the whole mountain; the Wolf Queen looked hopefully at Ling Yue, utterly without alternative.

Now, its only hope actually lay in entrusting it to a human.

What do you need me to do?

It lowered its head, asking Ling Yue in a low, hoarse voice. Recent garbled encoding is severe, giving us more motivation to update faster; please trouble yourself to lift a finger to exit the mode. Thanks:,,.