A few days passed, and Yan Jin and Wei Xi settled into life with the caravan. Their days were spent meditating and playing with Sheng Yin, who was growing more attached to the duo. While their interactions with Sheng Lao remained cordial, they were cautious and observant. In the short time they had been with the caravan, they had faced three attacks from the lightning wolves.
Now, they found themselves at their last stop before leaving the Beast Forest. Wei Xi had embarked on a mission to discover what was attracting the wolves, while Yan Jin continued learning the intricacies of soul energy manipulation from Sheng Yin.
"So, if soul power is willpower, does that mean I can exert my will on things?" Yan Jin asked during one of their lessons.
"Yeah," Sheng Yin responded, her small voice resonating in his mind. "Grandma said people can heal, hypnotize, even fly with soul power. But Yin'er is very weak. I can only will speech into minds."
"It's because you're still a child," Yan Jin reassured her. "You'll be strong like me when you grow up."
Their conversation was interrupted when Wei Xi burst into the tent, dragging the body of a lightning wolf behind him. "We need to leave—now!" he exclaimed. "Those dumb escorts have been attracting the wolves at every stop, obsessed with extorting the caravan. There's a horde of no less than a thousand lightning wolves on our trail."
Yan Jin's expression darkened. "Are they organized?"
"Yes," Wei Xi replied, catching his breath. "There's definitely a perfected King or a perfected Celestial leading them."
"Come with me," Yan Jin instructed, and they quickly made their way toward the main caravan.
They didn't bother knocking. Yan Jin threw open the door to the caravan's central tent. "Mr. Sheng Lao, are you in? It's urgent."
Inside, Sheng Lao and the leader of the escort, along with several others, were gathered around a table, deep in discussion. The escort leader scowled at the interruption. "What is it? We're in the middle of a meeting."
"These bastards have been provoking the lightning wolves throughout the journey," Yan Jin said bluntly. "There's a horde of thousands of them chasing after the caravan. We need to leave now, or they'll catch up before we exit the forest."
The escort leader scoffed. "What nonsense are you talking about? They're just lightning wolves—we can handle them."
Yan Jin's eyes narrowed. "You can take down thousands of lightning wolves?"
His sneer was met with silence. "If you won't depart immediately, we'll separate from the convoy," Yan Jin added with cold determination.
Shang Lao could hardly believe what was unfolding before his eyes. As he and the other merchants scrambled to secure the most important cargo and discard the excess weight from the carriages, the urgency of their situation became painfully clear..
Yan Jin turned to Wei Xi. "Take off the braces and head to the back. Destroy anything that comes close to the caravan. We won't stand a chance if they encircle us here. We need the open air of the valley."
Without hesitation, Wei Xi removed the heavy braces from his legs, immediately feeling the weight lift from his body. With his spear in hand he moved to the back of the caravan ready to confront any threat that dared approach.
"Sheng Li, take the reins and follow my lead," Yan Jin commanded, his voice steady but intense. "We need to pick up speed."
Everyone quickly got into position, their faces set with determination. Before leaping onto the top of the carriage, Yan Jin turned to Sheng Yin, who was holding Scara close. "Look after Scara for me. I'll come back soon."
Sheng Yin nodded, her eyes wide with concern but trusting in Yan Jin's words.
Yan Jin then extended his hand toward the path ahead, allowing his potent soul energy to flow out like a torrent, enveloping the entire perimeter around the caravan. The very air seemed to hum with the power he unleashed. The carriages shook slightly under the force he exerted
"Go!" he ordered, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
Without a moment's hesitation, Sheng Li whipped the horses into a gallop. The animals, initially struggling against the heavy snow, suddenly found their burden lighter. The wheels, which had been sluggish and difficult to turn, now glided smoothly as if the carriages were floating.
Yan Jin's soul energy had solidified the snow beneath them, transforming it into a slick, icy path that allowed the carriages to move with incredible speed. This was a direct application of the willpower he had learned from Sheng Yin—a skill he had only just begun to master. The soul expenditure was immense, and Yan Jin knew he couldn't sustain it for long, but it was their only chance.
At the back of the caravan, Wei Xi knocked down trees, sending them crashing to the ground to create obstacles for the pursuing wolves.
The wolves were relentless and bloodthirsty as they were closing in. Their snarls and howls echoed through the forest. But each time they got close, they were met with falling trees or were forced to navigate the treacherous terrain Wei Xi had created. Still, it was only a matter of time before their numbers overwhelmed these defenses.
The caravan sped through the forest so fast that the landscape became a blur. "Just a little more," Yan Jin whispered to himself, his willpower the only thing keeping the icy path intact.
As the first rays of dawn began to pierce through the treetops, the edge of the forest came into view. The open air of the valley was just beyond, a beacon of hope in the icy wilderness.
"Almost there," Yan Jin thought, pushing himself to the limit.