Chapter 22: Thunder Saliva Grass

The next day, as dawn began to break, Sunset Town remained veiled in a quiet morning mist. Most soul masters were still lost in their dreams, lingering in the remnants of the previous night’s intoxication and clamor.

Two figures—one tall, one small—had already silently departed from the inn, merging into the thin fog that led toward the Sunset Forest.

The Thunder Swamp, located in the northwest corner of the Sunset Forest, was a notorious and perilous place. By the time Bai He and Bai Chenxiang reached the edge of the marsh, the sun was already high in the sky. The sight before them was enough to make even the experienced Bai He frown slightly.

There were no towering trees here, only patches of twisted, grotesque, charred shrubs that looked as if they had been struck by lightning. Most bizarre of all was the air itself. It was filled with a pale purple mist that reduced visibility to a minimum. This was no ordinary vapor; it was miasma imbued with violent lightning elements. Occasionally, tiny electrical arcs would flicker through the fog, emitting soft, crackling sounds. For an ordinary person, inhaling such miasma would lead to paralysis at best, or severe internal organ damage at worst.

"Stay close to me," Bai He cautioned. A faint layer of cyan soul power emerged from his skin, enveloping both of them and shielding them from the external miasma. He was preparing to forge a path using his usual experience and speed, but Bai Chenxiang held him back.

"Wait, Grandfather."

"What is it?"

"We cannot walk that way." Bai Chenxiang shook her head and pointed toward a seemingly flat patch of mud. "Look at the mist there."

Bai He focused his gaze. The purple mist in that area was indeed denser than elsewhere, and it flowed with extreme sluggishness—it was almost static.

"The Wind Whisper tells me that the air there is dead," Bai Chenxiang explained softly. "The wind cannot blow into it, which means that beneath it is likely a bottomless quagmire, so deep that even air cannot circulate. Once we fall in, we will never come back out."

A chill ran through Bai He. He realized that in this bizarre swamp, the speed and experience he prided himself on could easily become fatal traps. Instead, it was his granddaughter’s unique ability to communicate with the wind that served as the most reliable guiding light.

"Very well, child. You decide the path today," Bai He said, decisively setting aside his dignity as a clan leader and handing the lead to his granddaughter. "I will be your guard."

Bai Chenxiang nodded, showing no trace of stage fright. She closed her eyes. Before her, the entire world transformed. It no longer had colors or shapes; there were only the trajectories of countless air currents. Some currents were light and unobstructed, signifying solid ground beneath their feet. Others were sluggish and swirling, indicating obstacles or slippery moss ahead. And in some places, there was a deathly vacuum where the path of the wind simply ceased—those were the traps of death.

"Thirty-seven steps to the front left, there is a black stone two people wide. We can step there."

"From the black stone, jump forward and to the right over that three-foot-wide trench of murky water. Careful—there is something moving at the bottom."

"Then go straight, following the shadow of that crooked-necked tree. The ground along that line is the firmest."

Bai Chenxiang opened her eyes, her crisp voice ringing out continuously. She acted like a precision navigator, clearly mapping out a safe and efficient route. Bai He was thoroughly convinced. He stopped asking questions and followed her lead with complete trust, stepping exactly where she directed.

He, a Soul Douluo who had lived for nearly a hundred years, was currently following a six-year-old girl step-by-step, like a fledgling apprentice. If the old men of the clan could see this, their jaws would likely drop. Yet, he felt no embarrassment; instead, his heart was filled with incomparable pride. This was his granddaughter!

They did not move fast—in fact, they were quite slow. The ninety-catty weight Bai Chenxiang carried actually became an advantage in this muddy environment. Every step she took was firm and deep, anchoring her to the ground like a nail, leaving no possibility of slipping. Her command of the "Wind Whisper" grew more refined as they went. From only being able to sense a dozen meters at the start, she could now extend her perception along the wind to a hundred meters away.

"Grandfather, stop." After about an hour of travel, Bai Chenxiang suddenly halted, her small face turning grave.

"What is it?" Bai He immediately grew alert, his soul power surging to its peak.

"There is the scent of blood in the wind." Bai Chenxiang’s little nose wrinkled. "A very strong scent of blood, mixed with the smell of scorched ozone. It’s to our southeast, about five hundred meters away."

The grandfather and granddaughter exchanged a look, both understanding the implications. They cautiously crept toward the direction. Pushing aside a patch of scorched brush, the sight before them caused Bai Chenxiang’s pupils to constrict.

In a desolate clearing lay three mangled corpses. Judging by their tattered clothing, they were likely soul masters who had come seeking treasure. Their deaths were gruesome; some had their chests ripped open by sharp claws, while others looked as if they had been struck head-on by violent lightning, their bodies charred and still emitting wisps of smoke. Beside the corpses lay the body of a massive soul beast: a thousand-year-level Purple Electric Porcupine, known for its formidable defense. Yet, its tough hide had been shredded by deep gashes, and the fatal wound was at its neck, which had been nearly severed.

"It was that wolf king," Bai He whispered, his expression grim. "Such tyrannical power. These people likely tried to hunt the porcupine, only to disturb the wolf king and be wiped out as intruders."

Bai Chenxiang remained silent, observing the battlefield. Her gaze rested on the smooth marks left by wind blades and the massive, lightning-scorched claw prints on the ground. She was analyzing the unseen enemy in her own way. Fast, ruthless, and possessing both the cutting edge of wind and the violence of lightning.

"It should have left not long ago," Bai Chenxiang said, rising and pointing to the elemental fluctuations in the air that had yet to fully dissipate. "The wind tells me it went in that direction." She pointed deeper into the swamp.

There, the purple mist was so thick it seemed solidified, and the dull rumbling of thunder could be heard echoing within.

"Let’s go—follow it!" Bai He decided instantly. This was both a crisis and an opportunity! The wolf king had just finished a battle; it must be exhausted, and its vigilance might have dropped. This was their best chance!

The two set off again, this time with significantly increased speed. The deeper they went, the more violent the lightning elements in the air became, eventually beginning to interfere with Bai Chenxiang’s "Wind Whisper." She had to devote more energy to filtering out the chaotic elemental noise, and fine beads of sweat gradually formed on her forehead.

Finally, before a valley surrounded by three low hills, Bai Chenxiang stopped.

"This is it." She caught her breath, her face pale but her eyes shining brilliantly. "All the wind in the swamp is converging here. The concentration of lightning elements here is ten times that of the outside."

"If the wolf king has a lair, it must be in this valley."

Bai He looked up and saw that the valley entrance was obscured by a murky waterfall. The water crashed into a deep pool below, creating a thunderous roar that naturally muffled all other sounds. What a hidden lair!

They did not rashly approach, but instead quietly climbed the adjacent cliff, hiding behind a giant boulder to peer into the valley. One look was enough to make Bai He’s breath hitch.

Inside the valley, there was a world of its own. In the center of the valley floor was a relatively dry patch of black earth. At its very heart grew a plant, half a person’s height, crystal-clear and as if carved from purple jade. At the tip of its leaves, a single drop of purple liquid was condensing, radiating an alluring luster, surrounded by visible arcs of electricity.

"Thunder-Saliva Grass!" Bai He murmured, his eyes filled with shock. Judging by its appearance, it must be three thousand years old!

Not far from the Thunder-Saliva Grass, a massive cave entrance, like the gaping maw of a giant beast, stared pitch-black toward the valley. At that moment, a low, majestic roar emanated from deep within the cave.

Following this, a massive figure slowly stepped out from the darkness. It was a giant wolf, far exceeding the size of any ordinary wolf. Its body was lithe and streamlined, every muscle containing explosive power. Its fur was ink-blue, adorned with silver-white patterns that seemed alive, with fine sparks of electricity flickering across them.

Most striking of all were its eyes. They were not the cloudy, crazed eyes of a beast, but a cold, pale blue filled with intelligence and arrogance. It stood at the cave entrance, sniffing the air cautiously as if it had sensed something. Those icy blue eyes slowly swept across the entire valley. When its gaze passed over the boulder where Bai He and Bai Chenxiang were hiding, it paused slightly.

Bai He’s heart leaped into his throat.

*A thousand-year Wind-Thunder Demon Wolf! It has discovered us!*