---

[Extraction successful!]

[Congratulations! You have gained a deep memory of Peak Qi Condensation Wolf Monster: Wolf Shadow Step]

---

[Extraction successful!]

[Congratulations! You have gained a deep memory of Late Qi Condensation Wolf Monster: Wolf Howl]

---

[Extraction successful!]

[Congratulations! You have gained a deep memory of Late Qi Condensation Wolf Monster: Fang-Strike]

---

[Extraction successful!]

[Congratulations! You have gained a deep memory of Peak Qi Condensation Wolf Monster: Beast Sense]

---

As Zhiran killed one Qi Condensation wolf after another effortlessly, the system continued to give him prompts regarding the extraction.

This time, the rewards weren't that good. Except for the Wolf Shadow Step and Beast Sense, Zhiran didn't find anything attractive. Yet he kept killing the wolves, using his sword qi to cleave one head after another.

After killing one, he would grab the head briefly to extract its brain, then toss it aside. Then he would take the monster core before moving on to the next wolf.

While doing that, he didn't forget to collect their scattered souls with the dark bottle hanging around his waist. He was truly reaping everything in this battle without a care.

Fortunately, he was far from the main team, and nobody noticed his behaviour.

---

[Extraction successful!]

[Congratulations! You have gained a deep memory of Late Qi Condensation Wolf Monster: Claw-Strike]

---

The system prompts were relentless, buzzing in his head one after another, but the rewards weren't that good.

Yet Zhiran's face wore a smile like never before. After all, he could feel that for each wolf he killed, one head after another was already appearing inside his Consciousness Platform.

Although the pillars they raised were short and some didn't even rise at all, just hung on the massive chains, he could sense that they were somehow active, just like the Wine Monkey's head.

He could easily use any of the heads to practice the Wolf Shadow Step or other skills he had just learned.

'I still feel nothing, and the heads are appearing even now as I extract the brains. Is there really… no limit?'

Zhiran wondered if that was the case, as even now, he didn't feel a trace of headache or fatigue.

'This much scattered soul should be enough for now. Let's not use any more, lest others notice me employing a demonic technique.'

Zhiran thought and closed the mouth of the pitch-black gourd on his waist, which had been sucking up the scattered souls of the wolves from the beginning.

This gourd was called a Soul-Devouring Gourd. Well, although it was a fancy name, it was just a demonic item used to collect the fresh, scattered souls of the dead.

To make a Yin Soul Bead, Zhiran only needed a resentful soul. However, there was no way to obtain those here except by using nefarious methods, which he didn't want to employ.

So, Zhiran modified the gourd in such a way that he could produce resentful souls using these monsters.

Although the Yin Soul Beads made this way would be unstable and weaker, for Zhiran, right now, they were enough.

---

[Extraction successful!]

[Congratulations! You have gained a deep memory of Late Qi Condensation Wolf Monster: Wolf Howl]

[Your knowledge of this technique had grown a little deeper.]

---

'It seems there is nothing to gain by killing them now.'

Zhiran thought, realizing he was starting to get the same reward from extracting the brains of these wolf monsters.

So, he decisively decided to halt his attacks for the moment.

It was also because he could see that the core members of the four clans were already heading toward the cave at the top of the mountain, directly toward the lair of the Wolf King.

Although the high number of wolves and their relentless attacks were annoying and dangerous, the situation wasn't chaotic.

In fact, Zhiran could see that the four clans had clearly made ample preparations; not a single member had been killed yet.

Still, the sheer numbers were overwhelming. If the clan leaders didn't finish the battle quickly, he felt the losses would pile up over time.

'Let's head toward the cave then.'

Zhiran thought as he cleanly severed the head of yet another monster sneaking up on him.

After that, without even collecting brains, he swiftly ran forward, climbing the rugged mountains higher and higher.

To shake off the wolves' pursuit, he even used the newly learned Wolf Shadow Step, disappearing and reappearing unpredictably.

However, the closer he got to the cave, the more he saw the flashing shadows of growling wolves.

More importantly, their auras grew stronger as the number of Peak Qi Condensation monsters increased.

Even Zhiran felt that he could be trapped and killed if he wasn't careful.

'Shrinking Step!'

Fortunately, his newly learned technique proved invaluable in navigating such treacherous terrain.

Having practiced it extensively using the Wine Monkey's head, even on this steep, densely forested mountain, he could evade danger with ease.

In fact, he was so fast and agile that, before Tianyu and the other clan members arrived, he was already at the top.

Tch… tch… this technique Lian Yue gave me is really amazing. I might have to blackmail her a little if I get the chance.

Zhiran thought, smiling as he looked at the cave ahead.

From a glance, he could already tell that the cave was a tunnel plunging deep underground.

And with the dense spiritual energy and rich vegetation surrounding it, there was no doubt it was a mid-grade spirit stone mine.

"Now… now… let's spice things up a little, shall we? I should hurry before those clan leaders or the Wolf King return."

Zhiran muttered, pulling a black bead from his space ring and smiling crookedly.

Unlike the others, who were focused on clearing the monsters and mining the place, his thoughts were entirely different.

Zhiran wanted maximum benefit, by any means necessary.

'First, let's go to the core. There must be something valuable there.'

With that decision, Zhiran swiftly disappeared from sight. His black robe and grotesque mask perfectly concealed his identity as he vanished into the shadows.

**

"Who are you?"

In a corner on the outskirts of the Spiritfang Mountains, a short girl asked while puffing her lips, clearly annoyed.

She was Lian Yue, the sect leader's daughter, who had been following Mo Zhiran from the beginning of the journey.

All these days, she had also been inside Mistvale City, keeping a close eye on Zhiran.

And today, too, she was following him to see if she could uncover any of his secrets.

Of course, she also knew about the mid-grade spirit stone mine discovered by the four clans.

Just as Lian Yue thought she might gain something this time, she felt someone's presence behind her.

Someone who was also in the Foundation Building realm, just like her.

"Hehe... Miss Lian Yue is also here? What a surprise! Are you here for that mid-grade spirit stone mine, too?"

Surprisingly, the black-robed person immediately recognised her identity. He even saw through her disguise and located her without effort.

Just from these signs alone, Lian Yue knew that the person before her wasn't some shabby Foundation Building cultivator like those clan leaders.

"Who are you?"

Feeling the danger, Lian Yue's face grew solemn as she immediately took out her weapon, her aura condensing rapidly.

Her breathing steadied, her eyes sharpened, and a thin layer of killing intent rippled off her body. Every muscle in her frame tightened.

She was ready to fight with her full strength the moment he recognised her identity.

She thought some assassin was after her. It wasn't the first time she had felt this kind of situation.

Just that this time, she couldn't sense even an ounce of demonic energy from the assassin ahead.

'Are even the righteous factions attacking the Divine Cauldron Sect now?'

Just as Lian Yue was thinking that, she heard the man before her laugh lightly.

"Haha... Miss Lian Yue, no need to get so worked up. I have no ill intention. I don't want to be an enemy of the Divine Cauldron Sect."

The figure seemed amused by her stance and didn't take her seriously at all.

Rather, he smiled and said,

"Don't worry, miss, I have no intention of fighting you. I just came here for someone and have no interest in this mine. So don't mind me."

The black-robed figure spoke while taking out an emblem from his robe, showing it to Lian Yue casually.

He clearly didn't seem to be following Lian Yue, nor did he have any motives against her. In fact, to make her believe him, he even showed his family crest, which immediately surprised her greatly.

"Hmm? Han family?"

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