A fierce howl echoed through the night, as the Poison Beard Wolf King raised its head beneath the vast, starlit sky. Its chilling cry lingered in the air, sending a signal to the nearby pack of several hundred wolves, whose ears twitched at the sound. In an instant, their bodies surged forward like arrows released from a bow.
The wolves split into two groups, moving with military precision, surrounding their prey.
Ge Yao, a young girl, fled desperately, but her horse had already fallen. Her small red shoes sank into the muddy earth, and each step felt as though her legs were weighed down by lead, slowing her down.
The poison beard wolves closed in, trapping her in a tightening circle. Though they feared her Gu worms, they didn't attack outright, instead circling cautiously.
Suddenly, one wolf lost its patience. With a flash, it leaped forward, its dark form a blur as it charged directly at Ge Yao.
Ge Yao screamed, calling upon her Gu worms. With a quick gesture, her finger pointed forward, and a pale blue water arrow shot through the air, spiraling toward its target.
The arrow struck with deadly precision, embedding itself deep in the skull of the poison beard wolf. The beast collapsed instantly, its lifeless body tumbling across the rotting grass, finally coming to rest as a lifeless heap.
Blood poured from the wolf's wounds, staining the earth beneath it in a crimson pool, while the surrounding grass absorbed the warmth of its death.
For a brief moment, the other wolves paused, sensing the sudden loss. But as the scent of blood flooded the air, their primal instincts kicked in, unleashing their savagery.
A chorus of howls erupted as the entire pack of poison beard wolves raised their voices in unison, the wildness in the air palpable.
Ge Yao's face, once full of youthful energy, was now overcome with regret and despair.
'What was I thinking, coming out here alone to this cursed poison grassland?' she thought.
'Now I'm as good as dead—surrounded, soon to be torn apart by these beasts.'
Her heart sank.
"Father, I've failed you. I can't protect you anymore."
"I know you arranged my marriage with good intentions, but I didn't want to marry…"
"I was so naive."
"If I live, Father, I'll change."
"I'll listen to you from now on."
"Ancestors of Longevity Heaven, if you can hear me, please—send a prince to save me."
The effort of using her last bit of white silver primeval essence left Ge Yao drained, her strength depleted. Now, all she could do was pray.
The wolves, no longer holding back, launched their final charge. The wolf king let out an earth-shattering howl, and the entire pack surged toward her, exuding a terrifying and relentless aura.
"I am going to die!" Ge Yao's face drained of color as she stared at the encircling wolf pack. She stood frozen, panic rising in her chest, helpless and alone.
Slash.
Crack.
The sounds of claws scraping against the earth, fangs snapping, and her own frantic attempts to defend herself echoed through the night. Ge Yao fought with every ounce of strength she had left, each movement fueled by fear and desperation. But with every strike, the wolves pushed harder, their relentless force overwhelming her.
Minutes passed, but it felt like an eternity. Her body grew heavy with exhaustion, drenched in blood, the taste of iron thick in the air. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and she staggered, unable to keep her footing any longer.
Within moments, her body crumpled to the ground, a bloody, broken mess. Her entire primeval essence had been spent. The wolves circled, waiting for their moment.
Howl.
The wolf king surged forward, its massive form looming above her.
Chomp.
"AAGGHH!" Ge Yao screamed, her hand ripped apart by the savage fangs. Blood poured from the wound, staining the earth beneath her. The world seemed to spin as she gasped for air, pain flooding her senses.
"Agh..." She let out a final, choking cry as the wolf king pressed down on her, stomping on her face before sinking its fangs deep into her neck.
In her last moments, Ge Yao's mind raced.
'Maybe someone will come…'
But deep down, she knew.
Don't be foolish. No one will save you.
This world is not a fantasy filled with princes and heroes.
It's a cruel world.
And this is simply the cruel, unchangeable truth of a world without mercy.
Her life ended in a burst of agony and bloodshed. In the end, she died in the silence of the night, her hope extinguished, her death forgotten.
Meanwhile, in a far-off place, another soul had just opened it's eyes.
...
Crack.
Boom.
The cauldron exploded with a deafening roar.
Treasure Spirit, caught off guard, struggled to contain the immense force of the blast. But despite its efforts, the explosion was so powerful that it tore through the very fabric of the grotto heaven, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
"Master, are you okay?" Treasure Spirit called, its voice filled with concern, but the explosion swallowed any reply.
A growing sense of dread gnawed at its core. The smoke was thick and blinding, but it hurriedly cleared the air, its ethereal form working to sift through the chaos. And there, where the cauldron once stood, something impossible had taken its place.
A massive egg—white, green, and gold—stood before it, about two meters tall, suspended in midair.
"This... what is this?" Treasure Spirit murmured, perplexed.
The egg radiated a faint pulse of life, but there was no trace of its master, Fang Yuan's presence. The aura was unfamiliar, alien even.
Crack.
Crack.
The egg began to split open, fractures creeping across its surface like lightning in the sky. Treasure Spirit moved closer, reaching out to touch the cracks, trying to sense what lay within.
But as soon as its hand neared, the cracks spread faster, a violent shockwave rippling outward. Treasure Spirit was forced backward, its form flickering as the force of the shockwave sent ripples through its essence.
It looked at its own form in panic—there, too, cracks had begun to appear.
Terrified, it scrambled to stay intact, unsure of what was emerging from the egg.
And then, with a final shudder, the cracks broke apart entirely.
From within the egg emerged a figure—a naked young man.
He stood tall, about six feet in height, with dark black hair that seemed to absorb the light around him. His eyes were deep, black as the abyss, an eerie, hypnotic void that seemed to draw in all who gazed into them. His skin was as pale as snow, glowing faintly in the dim light of the grotto heaven.
He looked around, his gaze settling on the stunned Treasure Spirit, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Long time, no see," he said, his voice smooth and calm, like the calm before a storm.
Treasure Spirit froze, its mind reeling.
It could feel the weight of this figure, a presence that was not its master's—but not entirely unfamiliar either.
"Who... who are you?" Treasure Spirit stammered, its voice trembling.
The young man simply smiled, his eyes gleaming with a knowing intensity.
"I am.... Great Love," he replied. "Or rather, I was."