Huff. Huff. Van's lungs worked desperately. His back was drenched with sweat, and his hair matted to his forehead. His dark eyes scanned the mountainside in front of him. Where to run?

[That d.a.m.n piece of sc.r.a.p metal!]

This moment of indecision cost him, and behind, the wolves drew unbearably close.

"Ao!" A large, grey wolf barked, and the rest growl-barked in response. They continued forth, aiming straight for Van's thin back, their loping strides covering distance faster than wind blowing through a forest.

A twig snapped under the heavy weight of a paw right behind the fleeing boy, and his heart thundered in his ears. He was done for!

Grim, Van steeled himself, pulling his courage from the pit of his gut, and turned, his bamboo spear in his right hand and his stone dagger in the left. He pointed them threateningly at the advancing jaws of the wolf-pack. He would go down with a fight!

But what he saw in the next moment was beyond expectation. His eyes popped out of their sockets in shock.

The wolves, like silver arrows, swerved and pa.s.sed him by! With nary a second's pause, they continued on their way as if drawn magnetically to something in the distance.

Would it be weird, if Van said that he almost felt jilted, at that moment, as the wolves drew further away from him, streaking through the mountain terrain? You were meant to be chasing me!

Fine. Apparently, his little portion of meat and flesh was not enticing enough to warrant a dozen wolves chasing after him.

Van thumped himself on the chest, [I might be thin, but this is pure muscle, pure nutrition, I tell you!]

The ring in his mind gave a little shake. It sounded amused.

[Even if you were the tastiest morsel of meat they'd ever set their sights on, they still wouldn't be fussing with you at this moment.]

[Not under the influence of the Soft Fragrance powder.]

Jet made another 'het-het' laugh that was fast becoming a trademark.

[Did I give you the impression they were chasing after you?]

Van groaned and pressed his palm to his sweating forehead. He wondered if this was what the rest of his existence would be like, being misled and messed around by a stupid imaginary ring in his head.

"So, what's happening, why are they in such a hurry?"

[The scent we were emitting earlier is something that would only affect male demonic beasts…]

Van blanched. He had an inkling of what Jet was suggesting.

"You mean," he spluttered, "You set a bunch of desperate, h.o.r.n.y wolves on me?!"

His eyes grew wide, imagining a terrible scene where he was x.x.xed by a bunch of wolves. There would be nothing left of him afterwards!

Jet was unimpressed.

[What, do you think you're a jade beauty or something? The wolves want a beauty with thick luxuriant fur, big paws, with a vicious temperament. Not a skinny, hairless monkey like you!]

Van sighed in relief.

[Don't lose them boy, quick, run!]

Against all logic, Van moved forwards. Running after the wolves, he could now see how abnormally excited they were. While wolves normally ran silently through the forest in an attempt to spring a nasty surprise on their prey, these were occasionally growly, and barking loudly in a dog-like manner.

"Why?" Van started to suspect Jet of being a pervert of the worst kinds.

The ring said, patiently.

[Think, Van. Why would we want to know where a bunch of wolves are? You've had experience hunting on this mountain, think!]

Lungs starting to squeeze again, Van tried to think. In all honesty, the areas of the mountain he'd prowled around before, they were all near the base. The most fearsome beast he'd ever actually hunted was a small deer, for heaven's sake.

The wolves were running straight to their women… and their dens! Undoubtedly, there would be resources nearby. But, so what?

"Are we looking for something that the wolves have?" Van tried but was unable to think of what wild wolves might have, that they would want.

[Yes.]

[If you look at their leader, at the head of the formation, and a few of the bigger wolves around him…they've been in contact with spiritual energy. I cannot sense any internal cultivation from them, but the fur all over their bodies is harder, tougher and their vitality much greater than the rest. From this, I suspect they've been in contact with something good for body cultivating.]

"And you want me to take this treasure? Won't they kill me?"

[Hmph. Don't look down on my ability. With that dose of powder, they'll be preoccupied for at least three days and nights nonstop! They won't even have the mind to look for food or water!]

[In the meantime, we will reap the benefits.]

After half an hour, they neared the wolves' dens. Van heard them, quite far ahead, yipping and howling excitedly.

A while later, Van cautiously arrived at the spot where the wolves had run to. Leaving the cover of the forest of trees, he saw a large circular clearing, several hundred metres in diameter. On the other side of the clearing was the mountain's exposed slope, a crumbly looking grey rock. On the rock wall were dozens of large holes, dug out by the wolves to be their homes.

Wary of any wolves that might still be outside, Van stilled his breath and dialled his senses as high as possible. Which was a terrible mistake, he soon realised, as he caught the whimpers and vigorous scrabbling noises emitted from the dens. He coloured red from head to toe, and looked down at his feet, not knowing what to do with himself.

[Keep you eyes on the prize, boy], Jet reminded.

Van lifted his head, colour still unnaturally red, and carefully walked around the edges of the clearing. He was looking for spiritual treasure but had not a clue what such a thing would look like, or where in this area he should look! On his left was the clearing, a gra.s.sy expanse dotted with the occasional fallen log and several large rocks that looked like they'd fractured off the side of the mountain and fallen here. On his right was the forest. In this fas.h.i.+on, he walked for the time it takes for an incense to burn.

[This is it.]

Van stopped walking, confusion etched on his young features.

[Below], Jet instructed.

Looking down at his feet, Van saw that he had been an inch away from walking into a small pond. He took a smart step back, wary of what hidden danger might lurk within. He'd quite learned his lesson from the strange hole he'd fallen into with the bull, thank you very much.

The pond was quite nondescript. If Van was on his own, he would not have given it a second glance. Round, and about wide enough to fit ten villagers, standing, it looked like any random watering hole on the mountain. The water was dark, murky.

[Remember, the expert who invented Thousand Saint Sacrifice, started off by using the force water to temper himself. Element of death, and yet protection and healing, it is most suitable for a mortal body.]

[If I'm not mistaken, this pool contains the spiritual energy of a descendant of the Xuanwu, a legendary beast from the primordial times, born of snake and turtle. It's descendant, of very diluted Xuanwu blood, lived in this pond for a very long time and died within.]

[It is perfect for our purpose here.]