Even if this person had vast supernatural powers that could calculate Mo Tizhun’s plan to draw arrays months in advance to seize the Aoyu Dragon Pearl, and therefore send the Heart-Linking Bug to the Aoyu, after Mo Tizhun teleported to Rising Dragon Pool, he would inevitably fight Yun Xi to the death. Whether they would both be injured, one would die while one survived, or both would manage to leave alive—these outcomes were absolutely beyond human calculation.

Reasoning backward from this, what the Aoyu used wasn’t the Heart-Linking Bug.

Even having figured this out, Feng Miaojun didn’t lose heart. At least this matter now had some clues and progress.

The great paths of the world ultimately converge despite their different routes. Perhaps when her cultivation was deeper, her realm higher, and her vision broader, she would naturally find the solution. Just as she suspected that both State Preceptors Mo Tizhun and Yun Xi could break the curse, they likely had never encountered a life-and-death curse before.

At their level of attainment, they could use their abilities to deduce principles and solve unprecedented problems.

After all, this was the task they were meant to accomplish in assisting their rulers.

Thinking of this, Feng Miaojun’s thoughts became active again. Was there a shortcut she could take?

She couldn’t seek help from Yun Xi, nor Mo Tizhun, but there were other State Preceptors in the world, so perhaps—?

Just as over a dozen thoughts flashed through her mind, several bangs suddenly came from outside, followed by what seemed to be a heavy object falling and what might have been screams. The horse pulling her carriage let out a long, frightened neigh.

Again? Feng Miaojun’s spirit stirred, and the Star Heaven Awl materialized in her palm.

Was it the Wei Kingdom or people sent by Yun Xi to take revenge on her?

She had helped Miao Fengxian kill Huang Qiuwei, a high-ranking expert under Yun Xi. This news would quickly reach the ears of those concerned in various countries. Would Yun Xi be angered that she had ruined his grand plan and diminished his face, thus sending people to ambush and kill her to vent his anger?

However, she never sat waiting for death, and now with divine weapons in hand, these people would pay a heavy price if they dared to offend her!

Feng Miaojun twisted her delicate body and climbed out through the small window, her movements as nimble as a fish in water.

With another flash, she was lying on top of the carriage. Looking around, her vision was no longer obstructed.

And then, she saw a pack of vicious wolves chasing her carriage!

The wolf pack numbered as many as a hundred, with varying colors, sizes, and builds, but all stared at her with gleaming green eyes, as if she were a delicious dessert.

The fine horse Feng Miaojun had purchased at great expense ran faster than the wolves, but these creatures emerged from all directions to join the pursuit. Now the carriage was traveling on a rugged mountain path below Small Lonely Mountain, and two large wolves emerged from the forest on the upper left, pouncing directly down at the carriage shaft.

Chen Dachang, sitting in the passenger seat, drew his sword and beheaded one of them directly. Just as the other’s paws touched the wood, the carriage emitted a faint cyan glow, suddenly repelling it.

The defensive array had activated automatically.

After the previous incidents with Miao Fengxian climbing aboard and the Xiongxiong beast attacking, how could Feng Miaojun possibly ride in a carriage without any defenses again?

Now several more wolves pounced, trying to bite the horse’s legs and belly. The steed neighed in alarm, causing the carriage to swerve, and the wolves behind leaped onto the carriage recklessly, not releasing their claws even when repelled or when their lower bodies were caught in the wheels and mangled.

Though the carriage was protected by an array, the pulling horse was not. If the carriage was dragged off course, it could easily topple into the valley below. Feng Miaojun frowned, flicked her wrist to throw out the Star Heaven Awl, piercing straight through the eyes of a gray wolf that had stretched its mouth toward the horse’s belly, then said, “These wolves have been gathered deliberately.”

Wolf packs are small groups, usually around six or seven, with more than ten being considered prosperous. Yet this short, narrow mountain path had gathered over a hundred, which meant the congregation of at least a dozen wolf packs. She had traveled back and forth on this road for more than three years and never knew the city outskirts harbored so many wolves!

“Not necessarily by a person,” the coachman suddenly spoke, using his whip to make a whistling sound that caught an approaching wolf and flung it into the mountain valley.

The movement was as casual as picking up food from a plate.

Chen Dachang turned his sword tip to the man’s neck and demanded sharply, “Who are you!”

The coachman flicked his finger with a “ding” sound, and Chen Dachang felt a tremendous force that deflected his sword tip. Only then did the man raise his head, revealing an ordinary face weathered by the elements, and smiled gently: “Feng Miaojun, you should call me First Senior Brother.”

The previous time she had faced danger, one coachman had died, and she had paid considerable compensation. This one had recently been transferred from the State Preceptor’s mansion, and she hadn’t asked many questions. Feng Miaojun made a surprised sound and, recalling Mo Tizhun’s recent words, probed, “First Senior Brother?”

Including herself, Mo Tizhun nominally had only three disciples. She had already met the second disciple, Xu Fengnian, so this “Senior Brother” could only be Tie Xinning.

“It’s me.”

She let out a long breath. Mo Tizhun had assigned his first disciple, Tie Xinning, to escort her to and from the Yao Kingdom, but she hadn’t expected this senior brother to be so low-key as to become her coachman.

This was too approachable.

“We’ll catch up later, Senior Brother—” Feng Miaojun blinked her eyes. “I don’t want to feed wolves!”

Beyond the carriage’s movement and the wolves’ howls, there was another particularly grating sound in the distance, like a shrill laugh.

Being so beautiful, no one could resist her blinking attack, not even Tie Xinning. He grinned: “Alright, wait.” He patted Chen Dachang’s shoulder and handed him the reins. “You drive.”

He leaped onto the carriage roof and stood tall, revealing his slender but powerful form. Just then, a half-yellow broad leaf fell onto the carriage roof, which he caught and waved in his hand.

In a faint cyan glow, the leaf had surprisingly transformed into a longbow!

“To shoot wolves, first shoot the king.” Feng Miaojun widened her eyes to look for it. “Which ones are the wolf kings?” Tonight there were stars but no moon, and fifty paces away was pure darkness. She wasn’t a nocturnal animal; it was good enough that she could barely make out the wolves’ outlines, how could she see which was the leader?

Chen Dachang punched away a giant wolf that pounced from the right rear. It was half a circle larger than an ordinary gray wolf, with white saliva dripping from its mouth. “This one?” he asked.

Tie Xinning said in a deep voice, “Shooting it would be useless; these wolves have all gone mad.”

Gone mad? She looked down and indeed saw that the wolves approaching the carriage had greatly dilated pupils, with white foam flowing from the corners of their mouths. Considering their disregard for injuries as they leaped… Biological instinct is to seek advantage and avoid harm; they would never act so recklessly.

Would being bitten cause rabies?

Tie Xinning suddenly raised his hand and pointed: “It’s over there.”

Looking in the direction he was pointing, there was indeed a strange figure trailing far behind the wolf pack. Feng Miaojun strained her eyes to barely make out what it was—a large wolf carrying an odd creature on its back.

This creature resembled a wolf but had a pointed mouth, sunken cheeks, cunning eyes, and very short forelegs. The piercing laughter was coming from its mouth, and with each sound, the wolf pack ran more desperately.

Chen Dachang suddenly said, “That’s a Bei! I’ve heard the laughter of a Bei before.”