The patrol crested the final rise and the eastern mine spread out below them. The hillside showed the work of decades—a wide excavation pit with timber support beams and carefully managed slopes leading down to the tunnel entrances.
Recent activity from demonic beasts had damaged some of the outer structures, but the core mining works remained intact. Along the exposed rock face, a vein of mid-grade spirit stones pulsed with steady ochre light, each pulse releasing a faint ripple of Qi into the surrounding air.
Seven Iron-Fanged Wolves had claimed the perimeter. They moved with purpose, their gray fur bristling as they patrolled the area around the spirit stone deposits. These weren't mindless beasts—their eyes reflected tactical awareness, the kind of intelligence that came from successful pack hunting.
At the center of their formation, the Alpha stood on a fallen boulder, its shadow-dark fur distinguishing it from the others. It tilted its head toward the wind, nostrils working to analyze the approaching human scent. Elder Rong's command talisman shifted to amber.
The column stopped at the treeline's edge, maintaining cover while they assessed the situation. "Defensive formation," Huo Rong ordered, his voice carrying clearly without rising in volume. "Flame techniques ready. We clear the perimeter orderly. Maintain your positions and follow the plan." The disciples spread into a practiced arc, each person taking their assigned position.
Huo Chen moved toward the right flank where a cluster of moss-covered boulders provided good cover. The position offered a blind spot from most of the patrol's line of sight while still allowing him to contribute to the overall formation.
He crouched low, apparently adjusting his equipment, While deep in his dantian, the earthen core began to rotate, responding to his intent. He focused his will and the manifestation triggered. Behind the largest boulder, the air thickened briefly.
His Earth element Clone emerged—silent, solid and dentical to himself in every physical detail. The connection between them hummed with shared consciousness, two bodies operating from a single source of awareness.
The clone immediately dropped into a low prowl, using the dense foliage and ridge shadows to move parallel to the patrol's position. Its movements synchronized with the natural rhythms of the mountain, Qi blending seamlessly with the ambient earth energy.
Huo Chen's perception expanded. Through his primary body's eyes, he watched Elder Rong signal the advance and saw his fellow disciples preparing their techniques. He registered the wolves' positions at the pit's edge and the way the Alpha tracked their movements. Through his clone's eyes simultaneously, he gained a lateral perspective—seeing the battlefield from an angle that revealed tactical details invisible from the treeline.
The wolves had organized themselves strategically. Three circled toward the collapsed tunnel entrance on the pit's far side, positioning themselves to cut off retreat routes. Four others spread across the perimeter, maintaining spacing that would let them support each other while covering the maximum area.
They were coordinated, experienced pack hunters. His clone moved deeper into a narrow ravine about fifty meters from the main patrol's position. From this vantage point, Huo Chen observed something the initial assessment had missed—two wolves were actively moving spirit stones toward the deeper tunnel sections, gathering resources.
The ravine itself formed a natural chokepoint that could be used tactically. Huo Chen tested the limits of his dual consciousness, letting his physical body settle into a meditative combat stance while shifting his primary awareness into the clone.
The transition felt like stepping from one room into another—a brief moment of disorientation, then clarity. He felt the rough texture of bark under the clone's hands, smelled the sharp musk that marked wolf territory and experienced the subtle lightness of the clone's movement. His original body remained in position by the boulders, appearing to gather Qi in preparation for the coming engagement.
To anyone watching, he looked like any other fourth-layer auxiliary readying himself for combat. In the clone's form, Chen advanced another twenty meters through the ravine, moving with careful precision.
The Alpha's head snapped briefly in his direction, ears rotating to catch sound. Huo Chen froze, letting his earthen Qi blend completely with the stone around him. He matched his breathing to the mountain's rhythm, becoming indistinguishable from the natural environment.
The Alpha's attention held for several heartbeats, then shifted back to the main threat—the armed cultivators advancing from the treeline. He withdrew smoothly, pulling his consciousness back into his primary body.
The return felt instantaneous, all the information from both perspectives integrating seamlessly. He now had a complete picture—exact wolf positions, their movement patterns, the Alpha's focus points, and the optimal approach vectors. The clone remained active in the ravine, a tactical asset waiting for deployment.
Elder Rong raised his short sword, the blade catching sunlight. "Advance formation. Flame Palm techniques on my mark." The patrol moved forward as a coordinated unit, gray robes and ready weapons creating a disciplined wave of force descending toward the pit. Chen matched their pace, his hand steady on his sword hilt.
His awareness split between what his eyes showed him and what the clone revealed—a complete tactical picture that gave him options the others didn't have. A sharp howl pierced the air—the Alpha's command to engage. The gray-furred wolves surged forward from their positions, moving with the coordinated precision of a trained unit.
The earth thrummed with their approach, claws finding purchase on stone as they closed the distance. Chen tightened his grip on his sword, calculating exactly when and where to activate the clone's contribution to the battle.
The engagement was beginning, and for the first time in his cultivation journey, he had resources that could make a genuine difference. He drew a steady breath, centering his dual awareness. The hunt had begun.