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They sprinkled some sulfur powder around the campsite—the pungent smell helped Lin Jin and Shen Xin ward off insects.
Afterward, the two added firewood to the bonfire and lay down to sleep beside it.
Though it was a starry night, no sky could be seen through the thick forest canopy.
Only swirling leaves, dimly illuminated by the flickering firelight, danced in the air.
The dark green foliage reflected the reddish glow, casting shifting shadows on the forest floor.
The fire crackled steadily, sharp pops breaking the silence now and then. In the distance, eerie animal cries echoed from deep within the Star Forest.
"Dean, that sounds like a spirit beast," Shen Xin murmured into the quiet night.
"There are so many spirit beasts—how would I know which one that is?" Lin Jin replied without opening his eyes, his voice tinged with helplessness.
"I'm not some all-knowing sage."
"Are you cold? I still have an extra quilt in my spirit guide."
Shen Xin nodded.
"A little."
Lin Jin retrieved a quilt from his spirit guide and gently draped it over Shen Xin's shoulders.
"Aren't you cold, Dean?"
"I'm fine," he replied.
Unable to sleep, Lin Jin rolled over and picked up a stick.
He poked at the fire, shifting the embers. Sparks leapt into the air as a log cracked open, letting oxygen rush in.
The flame flared back to life, brighter and wilder than before.
Just then, he heard movement beside him. Turning his head, he saw Shen Xin had sat up, her eyes fixed on him.
The firelight reflected in her gaze, dancing like emerald flames.
"Why are you up? Go back to sleep. We still have to look for a suitable spirit ring tomorrow."
"I can't sleep," Shen Xin replied honestly.
"I'm not used to new places."
Lin Jin was about to respond when something in the distance caught his attention.
"Awooo! Woo-hooo!"
Long, piercing howls rang out from deep within the forest.
Something was moving—something big. But the dense trees and darkness made it impossible to see what was happening.
Lin Jin's expression turned grim. He quickly smothered the bonfire with dirt, then grabbed the quilt and pulled Shen Xin behind a large tree.
"Dean, what kind of beast is that?" Shen Xin whispered, her voice tinged with excitement.
Lin Jin frowned and shook his head.
The cry had sounded like wolves.
Suddenly, red dots representing signs of life appeared on the system's radar—dozens of them—rushing toward their location.
"Don't make a sound," Lin Jin said, his voice sharp but low. His heart pounded.
Don't tell me it's a pack of spirit wolves hunting…
More than fifty red dots filled the map—and still growing.
"Huh?" he whispered to himself, eyes narrowing.
He noticed something odd: at the front of the horde, a cluster of dots moved differently—close together, erratic.
Not like spirit beasts at all.
Are those… people being chased?
A chill ran down Lin Jin's spine. If it was true, they were in deep trouble.
Anyone being pursued by that many spirit beasts was likely already doomed.
He stared silently at the radar, watching the dots draw closer.
He couldn't help but murmur a quiet prayer for those people.
As someone raised under the slipper, Lin Jin did believe in helping others—but he wasn't stupid.
With that many spirit beasts involved, this wasn't some fairy tale where the hero saves the day without consequence.
This wasn't a gourd saving his grandfather.
This… might not have a way back.
Therefore, he had to give up the idea.
Not far from Lin Jin and Shen Xin—less than 200 meters away—five figures were fleeing through the underbrush at full speed.
Two of them were middle-aged men, the other three children around Shen Xin's age.
Had Lin Jin been able to see them clearly, he would've immediately recognized one of the adults—Ding Sanshi, the Director of Teaching at Blackstone Junior Spirit Master Academy.
The same Ding Sanshi who had once tried to disrupt the opening of Tianxing Academy.
"Old Gao! I'll stay behind and hold them off—you take the kids and run! Don't look back!"
Ding Sanshi glanced behind him at the wolves closing in, then shot a firm look at the man beside him.
The middle-aged man—Lao Gao—was taken aback.
His face twisted in panic as he cried out, "Director Ding!"
"If we all run together, none of us will escape those Nether Wolves," Ding Sanshi said calmly, as though stating a simple fact.
His iron sword was streaked with fresh blood, proof that they'd already fought their way through at least one ambush.
Lao Gao's expression grew heavier.
He held one student under each arm, while the third—blessed with a flying martial spirit—hovered nearby, barely keeping up.
But all three children wore the same expression: wide-eyed terror.
Without warning, Ding Sanshi veered off from the group, sprinting to the right and drawing a pack of wolves with him.
"Director Ding!" Lao Gao shouted.
"Go!" Ding Sanshi's voice rang out through the trees.
Grinding his teeth, Lao Gao obeyed, fleeing with the three students without looking back.
Watching them disappear into the woods, Ding Sanshi let out a quiet sigh of relief—then turned to face the spirit wolves, his gaze cold and resolute.
"Awoooo!"
A piercing howl echoed behind the pack.
To Ding Sanshi's horror, the wolves abruptly changed direction—abandoning him to chase after Lao Gao and the students once more.
His heart sank. No… these beasts can still track them by scent!
He cursed under his breath, turned, and charged after them.
Even in the dim light, Lin Jin could clearly see what was happening.
He sensed the surge of spirit power from a familiar presence.
"Ding Sanshi?" he muttered, surprised.
Though they'd once been rivals, Lin Jin didn't harbor much ill will toward the man.
On the contrary, Ding Sanshi's unintentional "field-crashing" had helped stabilize Tianxing Academy's reputation.
Ironically, Lin Jin even felt a faint sense of gratitude.
He turned to reassure Shen Xin, to tell her not to be afraid—but when he looked down, she was already staring at him, eyes sparkling with curiosity rather than fear.
Back in the forest clearing, Ding Sanshi had just rejoined Lao Gao and the others.
The wolves had forced them back against a tree, surrounding them.
"I don't want to die!" one of the students wailed.
"It's your fault! If it wasn't for your spirit ring, we wouldn't be in this mess!"
The children had broken down, arguing and crying as the beasts closed in.
Lin Jin and Shen Xin were only thirty meters away now—close enough to hear everything, their nerves tense but their curiosity piqued.
"Quiet!" Lao Gao snapped at the kids, then turned to Ding Sanshi.
"Director Ding—what do we do now?"
Ding Sanshi's gaze locked onto the largest wolf in the rear of the pack. His voice dropped to a grave tone.
"See the one in the back? The biggest one? That's the leader. Kill him, and the rest will break."
Lao Gao's face turned pale.
"That one's clever. He's been hiding in the back the whole time. How are we supposed to reach him?"
Lin Jin's ears twitched. His gaze shifted toward the position of the alpha wolf, eyes narrowing.