Chapter 190

The rain poured down, and the mountains and forests, washed by the rain, appeared especially ferocious.

The gullies left by the mudslide were like scars on the earth, fallen trees lay scattered in disarray, and every step required careful caution.

Visibility was under fifty meters, with only deafening rain in the ears and the occasional sound of rolling stones.

Moonshadow Elder was like a ghost in the dark night, her figure appearing and disappearing in the rain curtain, relying on her keen perception of natural aura to lead the party through the complex and perilous terrain.

She would often stop, crouch, and lightly touch the rain-soaked mud or lingering paw prints with her fingers, judging the beasts' movements ahead and any possible danger.

Ten Elf Hunters were scattered on both sides and behind the party; they moved lightly, able to keep balance even in the mire, their longbows always half-drawn, vigilantly watching the surroundings.

Rain slid down their dark-green hair and leather armor, yet it did not affect their focused expressions in the slightest.

Li Qingxuan walked at the center of the party, his Spiritual Power extending like invisible tendrils, sensing the life aura within a radius of several hundred meters.

He could 'see' small animals trembling with fear in caves, and also sense several chaotic, hungry, and aggressive energy clusters in the distance—those must be the beast horde besieging Stone Hammer Fortress.

The Icefield Demon Wolf King quietly followed at his side, seemingly enjoying the cold rain, occasionally shaking its fur and splashing water, its emerald eyes flashing with wild light in the dim light.

"My lord," Moonshadow Elder silently returned to Li Qingxuan's side, lowering her voice, "Two li ahead there is a pack of Icefield Demon Wolves, about thirty in number, appearing to be sentinels patrolling the outskirts. Going around would take considerable time."

Li Qingxuan's eyes flashed: "Detouring would waste too much time. We'll go straight through—perfect to replenish the wolf pack's losses."

He patted the Icefield Demon Wolf King's head: "It's up to you—make them submit, or… die."

The Icefield Demon Wolf King let out a low growl, a flash of bloodlust and excitement crossing its eyes.

It quickened its pace, surged ahead of the crowd, and ran forward.

Li Qingxuan and the Elf Squad then slowed their pace, silently following behind.

Soon, through the dense rain curtain, the party saw the group of Icefield Demon Wolves wandering in the mire, appearing agitated and uneasy.

They were one size smaller than the wolf king beside Li Qingxuan, their fur mottled, many bearing wounds—clearly their recent survival had been extremely harsh.

The appearance of the Icefield Demon Wolf King immediately caused a commotion among the wolves.

They halted, bared their fangs, and emitted threatening low growls, yet their eyes held a hint of instinctive fear.

In both size and aura, the Icefield Demon Wolf King far surpassed them.

The Icefield Demon Wolf King did not attack right away; it stopped twenty meters before the wolf pack, raised its head and emitted a long, majestic wolf howl full of authority.

This howl pierced the rain curtain, containing powerful spiritual pressure and bloodline suppression!

The wolf pack instantly fell into chaos; some weaker Icefield Demon Wolves even went limp in their limbs, collapsing to the ground and emitting whimpering sounds.

Several sturdy wolves that appeared to be alphas in the pack, though barely standing, also trembled under the Icefield Demon Wolf King's pressure, the ferocity in their eyes replaced by fear.

The Icefield Demon Wolf King stepped forward steadily, its gaze locked on those few alpha wolves, the immense pressure feeling almost tangible.

One of the strongest alpha wolves seemed unwilling, letting out a roar and attempting to resist.

However, the moment it moved, the Icefield Demon Wolf King lunged at it like a white bolt of lightning!

"Crack!" A bone‑grinding sound rang out; the Icefield Demon Wolf King snapped the neck of the resisting alpha wolf in one bite, killing it instantly.

The whole process was as swift as lightning, demonstrating the wolf king's absolute strength.

The smell of blood spread through the rain, and the remaining wolves completely lost their will to resist, lowering their heads and lying prone in submission.

The Demon Wolf King surveyed the subdued wolves, then let out another howl, as if proclaiming its dominion.

Afterward, it turned its head toward Li Qingxuan, its eyes carrying a request for instruction.

Li Qingxuan stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the subdued Icefield Demon Wolves.

He extended his hand, gently placing it on the Icefield Demon Wolf King's head; a gentle yet irresistible spiritual force emanated, soothing these newly submitted wolves.

Those wolves that had still been somewhat fearful and uneasy gradually calmed under this force, their gazes toward Li Qingxuan gaining more reverence and obedience.

"From now on, you will follow me, guarding Guangtan Fortress and protecting our homeland." Li Qingxuan's voice was low and powerful, echoing clearly through the rain.

The Icefield Demon Wolves seemed to understand his words, each letting out a low whimper, as if responding to him.

Moonshadow Elder and the ten Elf Hunters stood to the side, watching this scene, their eyes flashing with surprise and admiration.

They had not expected Li Qingxuan to be able to subdue this ferocious pack of Icefield Demon Wolves so easily.

"Continue forward." Li Qingxuan withdrew his hand, his gaze firm as he looked toward the direction of Stone Hammer Clan Fortress.

The Icefield Demon Wolf King let out a low growl, leading the subdued wolf pack behind him, while the Elf Hunters quickly adjusted their formation and continued to sneak through the rain‑soaked forest.

With the addition of this Icefield Demon Wolf pack, the party's strength was greatly increased, and the upcoming rescue operation gained a bit more assurance.

However, the road ahead remained full of the unknown; whether the Stone Hammer Clan's crisis could be smoothly resolved was unknown to all, but they could only move forward resolutely toward their goal.

The party continued onward, the newly subdued wolf pack dispersing around, becoming extra eyes and ears and a barrier for the squad.

Their presence caused scattered Snow Mice and Spotted Demon Hyenas to avoid them upon sensing their aura, saving much trouble.

As they pressed deeper, the air began to carry a faint scent of blood and the characteristic musk of wild beasts.

In the distance, faint roars and howls of beasts could be heard, along with a dull thudding sound—the noise of the beast horde assaulting Stone Hammer Fortress.

Moonshadow Elder's expression grew more solemn: "My lord, we are very close to Stone Hammer Fortress. The number of beasts… is huge, and they are extremely ferocious."

Li Qingxuan nodded; he could sense that in the mountain hollow ahead, hundreds of chaotic, hungry auras converged, among them not a few powerful individuals.

"Find a high point and first observe the situation." Li Qingxuan ordered.

Under Moonshadow Elder's guidance, the party silently slipped to a ridge on the side that had not been completely covered by the landslide.

Through the misty rain curtain, the party finally saw the current state of Stone Hammer Fortress.

It was a sturdy fortress built into the mountain, typical dwarven style, with stone‑masoned walls that should have been impregnable.

But now, the side of the fortress facing the valley was buried under large amounts of earth and boulders; the only exit seemed to be a relatively narrow gap, temporarily reinforced by the dwarves with debris and stones.

Outside that gap, a black‑pressing mass of beasts surged like a tide, wave after wave launching assaults!

Bulky Icefield Demon Wolves with soaked fur continually hurled themselves at the obstacles.

Hordes of Snow Mice with blood‑red eyes surged like a white tide, trying to squeeze through the gaps.

And the most troublesome were the Spotted Demon Hyenas bearing strange markings and the size of calves; they were cunning and ruthless, specifically attacking the weak points of the dwarves' defenses, emitting hair‑raising, laughter‑like howls.

These weird creatures occasionally clashed, tearing at each other, yet in the next moment they would temporarily join forces to storm the fortress.

The dwarves relied on the temporarily reinforced barriers, wielding heavy war axes and homemade catapults in fierce resistance, occasionally someone was scratched or bitten by the beast pack, letting out painful howls.

But even in dire straits, they showed no hesitation, stubbornly defending their homeland.

The dwarves' resistance was extraordinarily tenacious; at the breach, cold‑light flashing war axes would swing down, felling nearby beasts, while sporadic arrows shot from the ramparts' firing holes, but it was clear their counter‑attacks were growing weaker, arrows sparse, and their shouts tinged with fatigue and despair.

The situation was critical!

Li Qingxuan's eyes were icy as he observed the beast pack's distribution and the fortress's terrain.

Launching a frontal assault on the beast pack would, even with his strength, draw him into a bitter fight and might endanger the dwarves inside the fortress.

"Moonshadow Elder, you and the hunters are to take long‑range shots at the beast pack's leaders to sow chaos. The wolf pack will harass from the flanks to draw attention." Li Qingxuan quickly devised the tactic, "I will personally open the breach and rendezvous with the dwarves!"

"Yes!" The Moonshadow Elder and the elf hunters immediately sought the best firing positions, nocking their arrows.

The newly subdued icefield demon wolves, hearing the wolf king's low growl, spread out, baring their teeth as they fixed their gaze on the outskirts of the beast pack.

Li Qingxuan drew a deep breath; the effect of his stealth cloak silently activated, making his figure even more indistinct in the rain.

It's time to let these despairing dwarves see a glimmer of hope!

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