I couldn't lie there for long; in another five or six minutes, they would arrive at the place of my first encounter with the wolves, and I still needed to check if everything was okay further ahead or not. Using the wind step, I was at the location in two minutes, after which I quickly moved further along the route, also using wind magic. After a couple more minutes, deciding that I had gone far enough ahead, I sat down to rest.
After sitting there for about five minutes, I managed to get myself more or less in order, after which I continued along the route at a normal pace, hoping that there would be no more wolves for the next half hour. Fortunately, I did not encounter any on my way. After about ten minutes, I changed into clean clothes, and took the bloody ones far from the route and threw them away. I washed the blood from my face and hands with a special solution in the same place.
Returning, I walked forward again. My well-being returned to normal, and only aching muscles reminded me of my battle; I would need to seriously work on them. Remembering the battle, I wondered where the new spell came from; it's a second accompanying effect, like wind blades? Unlikely, my seeds haven't even reached the minor spiritual level yet, where would a second one come from? Then what is it? I decided to try to recreate the star path that the stars had formed then, but I couldn't. I managed to shift the stars from the usual positions of the wind step, although with great difficulty, but when it was finished, the wind energy simply exploded in front of me, throwing me back.
Fortunately, I didn't receive any serious injuries, as I used the first stage without seeds. But the fact that I was able to change the position of the stars indicates that I myself will be able to repeat this spell someday. That is, one can create spells different from the basic ones to a high level! This was a great surprise to me, as I and most mages in this world believed that if you try to rearrange the stars to a high level, nothing will come of it, and that each mage has their own unique, often quite small, set of spells. But thanks to this battle, I realized that one's own spells can be composed at a medium, or even at an initial level!
However, it's not that simple; one has to figure out how to set the stars and remember all their combinations, which is quite difficult. Here I remembered another of my tricks, which I accidentally used a couple of times, namely the fusion of magic. For testing, I chose the first stage, without using seed energy; in case of anything, I wouldn't receive any significant damage.
Remembering how it was in the past, I began to create a wind star path, and immediately after that, a lightning star path. I could create spells one after another, starting to form new ones before completing the previous ones. But completing both spells simultaneously turned out to be incredibly difficult, and I failed the first time, I got confused on the sixth star of wind and the third of lightning. However, I was not going to give up and lose such power in the future. Continuing along the route, making sure there were no monsters on our path, I continued to try to create two star paths simultaneously. To my great fortune, monsters did not appear again, but I could not compose the paths in any way.
The rest of the way, until about seven in the evening, passed without incident. Our route was planned so that after traveling about fifty kilometers in ten hours on the first day, we would set up camp three to five kilometers from our objective. During this time, I still couldn't create two star paths simultaneously, nor could I create a star path for a spell. However, I felt that I controlled the stars much better than before, and changing their positions became easier. Also, in the past three hours, I encountered wolves a couple more times. There were fewer of them than in the first group, from three to five individuals.
I dealt with the first group using only lightning, moving away from the road. Despite their strength and the certainty of their death, it was far from easy. Due to my inability to use wind step, I had to be very careful and dodge at the last moment. After this battle, I was more mentally than physically tired. I destroyed the second group using only wind blades, and it turned out the same as with the one I killed with lightning. I lured the third group away from the road, gathered them into a pile, and while they were running at me and trying to climb the tree where I was sitting, I created a star map of the wind, in about twenty-seven seconds, and a hurricane of wind blades swirling around me killed them. Between the first and second use of mid-level magic, the speed increased by about three seconds, and it was the same with initial magic. At first, it took half a minute, then quickly down to ten, and after a couple more weeks, the magic was released in five. And only after almost two months from the first release, I was able to compose initial magic in two seconds!
The remaining groups, which appeared more and more often, I killed without much effort, using all my abilities. Why did I still kill them, instead of just driving them away and setting limitations for myself? I am responsible for the group's passage, how could I... Well, firstly, there are many mages there, and some are even stronger than me, like Lo Dong, and Se Lei is capable of fighting me on equal terms or even defeating me. So I didn't have to worry about them, plus what difference do they make to me? If someone dies, will I get reprimanded? Possibly, but I can easily parry that by saying they arrived after I had already passed, so what's my fault?
Secondly, I need full-strength training, as otherwise I won't be able to develop all my skills. And because I hide most of my strength, I can't do it in front of everyone. The question may arise why I do this, if I could get many bonuses if everyone knew about my strength. But, firstly, the keepers, I'm sure, based on information from the league, assess my strength and, if necessary, will send someone to me whom they consider strong enough to kill me, and if my strength is underestimated, there's a high probability that I'll cope. Secondly, yes, I will attract a lot of attention and get many bonuses from families who will be eager to accept me. But I love freedom of action, and fulfilling duties within a family doesn't appeal to me at all, and if I don't join a family, they will simply kill me so that I don't interfere.
Thirdly, I needed souls, both as shards and whole. Unfortunately, today I didn't encounter any whole souls, only shards. However, they were no less necessary to me, as my tooth develops by absorbing them, and also, if my theory is correct, when it develops enough, it will be able to fuse shards into whole entities, and I will be able to strengthen my wind and lightning stars.
Soon I reached the point marked on the map for overnight stay, five kilometers from the wolf lair. This was an optimal distance; the wolves from the lair wouldn't pay much attention to us and wouldn't come to us at night, and the next day we would quickly reach their lair and destroy them. I reported by radio about reaching the objective and began to wait for the others, cultivating in the meantime, why waste time? After about fifteen minutes, the others arrived, and we set up camp, ate, and assigned watches. We took turns in pairs; my turn was before dawn, along with Xu Zhao Ting. Without thinking, I went to sleep, as I was quite exhausted from the day.
Around four in the morning, a fire mage from our group woke me up. Xu Zhao Ting had already woken up. Taking my post, I began cultivating; my energy hadn't fully recovered from yesterday's battles, so I needed to focus on this. Zhao Ting tried a couple of times to persuade me not to do this in a dangerous situation, but when he realized that I could perfectly sense everything happening around me, he stopped bothering me. Around six o'clock, the wake-up call was scheduled; the sun was just beginning to rise in the east.
As soon as Se Lei woke up, he went towards the lair. I didn't stop him; after all, he was a shadow mage. By the time he returned, most of us had already eaten. He took his portion and sat next to Lo Dong, starting to tell him something.
"Listen everyone carefully," Lo Dong said loudly enough for everyone to hear, about ten minutes later. "Se Lei scouted the wolf lair. Currently, there is only one three-eyed wolf and fifty-eight one-eyed wolves. They haven't woken up yet; our task is to destroy them all, so we're moving out right now. Wind mages, your task is to lure the wolves out of the cave; the exit is quite narrow, and it will be more convenient for us to meet them there than in the cave itself, which has many tunnels. Ice mages, stop the approaching monsters by creating a blockage so that fire mages can calmly kill the attacking wolves. Water mages are responsible for defense; earth mages will slow down the enemy even further, preventing them from approaching the formation. During the battle, the wind mages' help won't be needed; your task is to be ready to organize a retreat. Lieutenants stand and await the appearance of the leader, after which they proceed to eliminate him. Is everything clear?" Lo Dong laid out the plan. After a short answer, "Yes," we moved on together, without sending a scout ahead.
"Mr. Lieutenant Lo Dong, may I ask a question?" I said, approaching him as he walked ahead.
"Yes, is there something you don't like about the plan?" Lo Dong asked calmly and respectfully.
"A little. If I notice that the battle is not going as it should, will you allow me to intervene and participate?" I asked. In reality, I didn't care about anyone who would be fighting; I could save those I needed.
"If you, Mr. Hunter Jiaxing Yun, have the strength for it, then please do, just not at the expense of others," Lo Dong replied just as calmly. After thanking him, I returned to Xu Zhao Ting.
We arrived in about half an hour, walking at a fairly fast pace. The entrance to the cave was about the height of a three-story building! Well, no wonder the pack leader lives there. In front of the entrance, on both sides, were earthen mounds about one story high. An ordinary one-eyed wolf could climb them quite easily if given the chance. The mages were positioned on these very elevations, only three stood right in front of the cave entrance: one ice mage, and Siao Hou and I.
"So, let's start the operation to clear the lair!" Lo Dong commanded, after which we headed deeper.
Inside, the cave was indeed divided into many tunnels. It was dangerous for us to split up, as one tunnel would lead the wolves out, and the other would be blocked with no possibility of escape. Even I wouldn't risk it now. Choosing the tunnel from which the greatest concentration of wolves was felt, we charged in. We quietly, trying not to make noise, emerged into a wide cave where about twenty to twenty-five one-eyed wolves were lying! This was a jackpot! I wasn't sure if I could handle all of them, but considering they were sleeping, I could use mid-level magic.
"Siao Hou, get ready to run; I'll attract their attention," I whispered. After a quick nod, I shouted with all my might and threw a stone at the wolf closest to me. "Wake up, you pups! Who wants their ass kicked first?!" The echo of the cave amplified my voice many times. A roar was heard, and the wolves began to get up, especially the one I hit with the stone. "Run!" I shouted, activating wind step of the second stage and dashing away, with Siao Hou running behind me. Why not the third? Because now my partner would easily understand the difference between his third stage and mine.
The wolves chased us closely, but still couldn't catch us. Siao Hou warned on the go that we were coming, so when we burst out of the cave, we felt the cold right behind our backs. It was the ice mages activating the freeze, slowing down the crowd of wolves chasing us.
"Well done, good job," Lo Dong praised, folding his arms across his chest and watching as the three ice mages alternately renewed the freeze, while the fire mages attacked from behind the ice layer, burning the approaching wolves. Xu Zhao Ting also attacked the wolves with lightning's wrath, killing them with one accurate strike.
Everything was going well, as they say, without a hitch. Of course, there were wolves that tried to climb up and kill the mages, but they were thrown back by an earth wave. Those that did manage to climb up hit water shields, after which they were killed by lightning. Siao Hou and I climbed onto the opposite mounds; I bet he was monitoring the situation to create an air path with wind step in time and speed up the retreat of the entire squad. I, on the other hand, watched the rather boring battle, looking for dangerous situations. No, I wasn't doing it to save anyone, but to have a reason to join the battle. As I already said, I don't care about most of the people present.
After a couple of minutes, most of the wolves we had brought were killed, but new wolves came in their place. From all these wolves, only one whole soul flew out, which I took into my hands; only the last vessel remained to be filled. However, now, almost propping up the cave's vaults, the three-eyed wolf emerged. The fire and lightning magic, with which the wolves at the very entrance of the cave were doused without respite, only slightly scratched, and perhaps even tickled it, as there was no direct hit! Ice and earth magic couldn't even slow it down a bit. It surveyed us, the mages who had dared to trespass on its lands, and focused its gaze on the lieutenants standing a little further away.
During all this, everyone except me, and perhaps the lieutenants themselves, broke out in a cold sweat from quiet fear. "Well, little one, I've already killed one like you when I was weaker; let's see what you can do against four mid-level mages!" I thought with an internal smirk.
"Stay calm!" Lo Dong shouted, then addressing the lieutenants added, "Everyone prepare. Fire Fist: Tower!" He threw his fist forward, and flames erupted under the wolf, striking it directly in the belly; this was mid-level fire magic of the second stage! I wouldn't say he shouted this to show off, but rather as a signal to begin.
The three-eyed wolf instantly sprang into motion and, jumping over the ice mage, who was completely uninteresting to it, rushed towards Lo Dong. However, at the last moment, an earth wall and Zhou Suiyin's light barrier formed in front of it. Their speed in creating star maps was astonishing. The wolf crashed into it, hitting hard. Its belly and paws were already burned by the fire tower, causing it immense pain, and now its head hit such a wall. However, the defense couldn't withstand its charge; the barrier crumbled, but the wall held.
Next came a fire fist from the right and the strike of a lightning demon of the second stage, in the form of five lightning bolts that struck the wolf in its four limbs and head. After such a coordinated strike, the three-eyed wolf staggered but was still alive. The stone wall crumbled, and Lo Dong was about to deliver the final blow with a fire tower, but then a wolf howl was heard from the side. And a couple of seconds later, a second three-eyed wolf was approaching Zhou Suiyin! In surprise, the girl froze. Fortunately, Yan Dei managed to create a stone wall, but it was many times weaker than Lo Dong's. The wolf, crashing into it, broke it, but this was enough time for Zhou Suiyin to escape from its attack.
"Retreat, unforeseen circumstances!" Lo Dong shouted to the initial-level mages who were finishing off the remnants of the one-eyed wolves, as the howl of a third three-eyed wolf was heard from the cave. The mages quickly switched from offense to retreat.
"Faster, I'll hold this one off; it's my fault, I overlooked him," Se Lei said, absolutely serious, slightly apologetic, and without a trace of a smirk.