The following morning, Wei Yun yawned repeatedly. Despite using Mira’s body as a makeshift “cushion,” he had barely managed a shallow sleep throughout the night. His vigilance had kept him resting no better than meditating with his eyes closed.

“Mole, dig me a few big pits!” After feeding his spirit beasts, Wei Yun didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he commanded the Cave Mole to dig some traps, adding an extra layer of safety in case of emergencies.

The Cave Mole, easily satisfied with a full belly, sprang into action with renewed energy. Its powerful limbs tore through the hardened soil with ease, scattering dirt everywhere as it burrowed into the earth in seconds.

For the Cave Mole, digging was as instinctive as breathing.

Had Wei Yun attempted to dig the traps himself, the process would have consumed an enormous amount of time. With the Cave Mole’s efficiency, all that was left for him to do was disguise the pits.

To avoid injuring potential allies, Wei Yun kept the traps simple. Each pit was about ten feet deep, with no sharp objects at the bottom. Even if someone accidentally fell in, the most they’d suffer was a few bruises.

After half an hour of work, Wei Yun clapped his dirt-covered hands, marked the traps to remember their locations, and set off toward the deeper regions of Azure Cloud Mountain.

The paths winding through Azure Cloud Mountain were rugged and treacherous, flanked by dense vegetation and teeming with wild spirit beasts. The added threat of the roaming Wind Wolf pack made Wei Yun cautious, slowing his pace as he advanced.

Over the next two days, Wei Yun continued his exploration. Strangely, despite venturing far into the mountain range, he had yet to see any sign of the Wind Wolves. Whether this was a stroke of luck or something more concerning, he couldn’t say.

Meanwhile, his spirit beasts grew noticeably stronger through rigorous combat training. Mira had advanced to stage 8 and unlocked the Wind Blade skill. Sylvia had reached stage 5, adding Burrowing Vines and Cotton Spores to her arsenal.

· Wind Blade: A ranged skill that launches razor-sharp gusts of wind capable of slicing through flesh.

· Burrowing Vines: A binding ability that summons vines to entangle and trip opponents, dealing greater damage to heavier foes.

· Cotton Spores: A defensive skill that produces soft, cotton-like spores that cling to targets, significantly enhancing physical defense.

These new abilities bolstered the team’s combat potential. Mira’s Wind Blade provided much-needed range, while Sylvia’s support skills increased both their utility and survivability in battle.

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The Cave Mole, however, had reached the bottleneck of First Tier, stage 9. Without sufficient resources, advancing to the Second-Tier was nearly impossible. Yet, its Medium Quality and Eldertail Rat bloodline offered hope, it might eventually break through naturally after enough accumulation, perhaps even reaching the Third-Tier someday.

In two days of exploration, Wei Yun’s progress had been underwhelming. The only high-quality creature he encountered was a swift stag, but the terrain gave it an advantage. Despite Mira’s speed, her unfamiliarity with the area allowed the stag to escape.

Reluctantly, Wei Yun let the stag go. The risk to Mira wasn’t worth pushing her beyond her limits.

Adding to his frustration, the density of spirit beasts in Azure Cloud Mountain seemed unusually low. Wei Yun suspected the Wind Wolves were to blame. The predators likely disrupted the ecosystem, preying on some creatures and driving others to migrate.

By late morning on the third day, Wei Yun reached the heart of Azure Cloud Mountain. Here, the spirit beasts were stronger, and the looming threat of the Wind Wolf pack cast a shadow over his every step.

From a hilltop, Wei Yun scanned the horizon. “According to the map, the Spirit Crystal Mine is about ten miles from here. If I keep moving, I should reach it by nightfall.”

In the distance, a barren expanse stood out starkly against the vibrant greenery. That was where the mine lay.

Just as he prepared to press forward, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. The voice was familiar, filled with agony, it had to be one of the Wei clan members in dire trouble.

Without hesitation, Wei Yun mounted Mira. “Let’s go!”

Mira sprang into action, her powerful legs propelling her forward at incredible speed. The wind howled past them as they raced toward the source of the scream, covering the distance in less than two minutes.

When they arrived, Wei Yun was met with a gruesome scene. Five pale green Wind Wolves stood in a circle, their heads lowered as they tore into a mangled corpse.

The Wind Wolves lifted their blood-soaked muzzles, crimson dripping from their fangs. Their glowing eyes locked onto Wei Yun and Mira, filled with malice and hunger.

Wind Wolf: A wind-element spirit beast of the Mid Servant Class, known for its speed. Its fur provides average resistance to physical attacks.

Lying in the center of the carnage was the body of a young man. His torso had been hollowed out, and his shredded limbs lay scattered. Only his head remained intact, his eyes wide open, frozen in a silent scream of despair.

Wei Yun clenched his fists, struggling to maintain his composure. The wolves spread out, circling him and Mira with predatory precision.

“Cave Mole, Quicksand Hell!” Wei Yun ordered sharply.

The trembling Cave Mole fought through its fear. Its yellow claws began to glow as it pressed them into the earth. In seconds, the ground before them turned into a swirling pit of quicksand.

The Wind Wolves sensed the trap and tried to leap to safety, but four were caught, their movements restricted as they struggled against the sinking earth.

The fifth wolf evaded the quicksand and lunged directly at Wei Yun.

“Mira, stop it!” Wei Yun commanded.

Mira leapt to intercept the charging wolf, meeting it midair. Her paw glowed with radiant energy as she swiped down with a Crushing Claw.

Crack!

The wolf’s skull shattered under the force of Mira’s attack. Its lifeless body crumpled to the ground, twitching briefly before going still.

With one wolf down, Wei Yun turned his attention to the remaining four, still trapped in the quicksand.

Before he could act, a massive shadow burst from the underbrush with terrifying speed, hurtling toward him.