Chapter 114: On the Eve of Departure

The two of them entered a temple. Yao Ye stared in astonishment at the statue atop the main hall and pointed at it, asking, “Elder, is this the statue of the Celestial Demon Wolf?”

The elderly man respectfully stepped forward, bowed deeply, then stood upright and looked at Yao Ye. “You may call me Elder Zang, or simply Clan Leader. He is the savior of our entire tribe!”

Elder Zang gazed reverently at the statue before him. Yao Ye stepped forward and kowtowed several times before rising.

“Child, our people have guarded this place for generations to fulfill a promise. When our tribe was attacked by the demon clan, it was this leader of the demon wolf tribe who saved us. He told us to wait here, saying that one day a descendant of his would come. I suppose that descendant is you?”

Hearing this, Yao Ye felt a profound respect not only for the elder but for the entire Zang tribe, who had lived in seclusion for generations to uphold a single vow.

Yao Ye nodded. “I was framed and cast adrift. I once thought I would seek revenge alone, trusting no one ever again. Clan Leader, I didn’t expect you to teach me another lesson today. Thank you!”

With that, Yao Ye bowed deeply to Elder Zang, who hurried to help him up.

“Child, that’s not right. Without your Celestial Demon Wolf, our tribe would not exist. Come, rise quickly!”

Yao Ye helped himself up and looked at the elder with curiosity. “Clan Leader, how did you know I was the one you were waiting for?”

Elder Zang stroked his beard and chuckled. “When our benefactor left us, he said that if one day someone descended from the sky bathed in seven-colored light, that person would be his descendant. We were to bring him before this statue and drip his blood onto this tablet.”

Yao Ye’s admiration for his ancestors deepened. “I never imagined that, separated by thousands of years, my forebear could foresee the future and leave such a safeguard.”

“Child, don’t overthink. Hurry and drip your blood on the tablet. Once this mission is complete, I will rest easy.”

Yao Ye nodded and approached the tablet. He pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto it. The moment the blood touched the tablet, the entire temple burst forth with golden light, and a majestic figure slowly materialized.

“Descendant, I have waited for you at last. Your arrival proves the prophecy true. Alas, the Celestial Demon Wolf clan was utterly wiped out, but in the future, we shall rise again in glory!”

Seeing this, Yao Ye immediately bowed deeply. “Unworthy descendant Yao Ye pays respects to the ancestor!”

“Yao Ye, I knew this trial awaited you. You are the hope of our Celestial Demon Wolf tribe. Here is a map for you. To restore your power, you must journey to the primordial forest where the northeast borders meet. There, our collateral branches dwell. They will support you fully!”

A beam of golden light shot into Yao Ye’s mind. He heard that the Celestial Demon Wolf bloodline still survived in the world. Excited, he hurried forward and asked, “Really? Are there still members of the Celestial Demon Wolf tribe alive?”

“Go, Yao Ye. The path is perilous. Long ago, I secretly arranged everything so you could survive. But the power of that celestial pearl cannot be unlocked by my remnant soul. It now encases your demon core. Until it is removed, you will have no strength. Let me do one last thing for you!”

With those words, the ancestor’s residual soul gradually formed into a golden orb that flew toward Yao Ye’s demon core.

The golden pearl attached itself to Yao Ye’s demon core, releasing a small stream of energy. Yao Ye felt his strength return, though only equivalent to a second-tier demon beast.

“This is all I can do for you. The rest depends on you. Go!”

The golden light vanished within Yao Ye’s body, and the oppressive aura in the temple dissipated. Without the weight of that power, Elder Zang rose from the ground and looked at Yao Ye with profound respect.

“Let us go! It is time to return.”

Yao Ye, filled with reluctance, walked toward the temple’s exit. Elder Zang followed closely behind.

“Clan Leader, thank you for your hospitality. I must depart now.”

Hearing Yao Ye’s intention, Elder Zang grew anxious. “It’s already late. Leave tomorrow. I’ve prepared some food for you.”

Yao Ye nodded silently. Elder Zang smiled warmly. “Rest first. I will call you for dinner.”

Yao Ye nodded again and headed to his quarters. After Elder Zang returned to the courtyard, he shouted loudly, “Xiao Lian, gather all the villagers! We’ll hold a meeting in the hall!”

Xiao Lian glanced at Yao Ye, nodded quickly, and rushed out. Elder Zang smiled at his granddaughter’s retreating figure, then nodded at Yao Ye and turned away from the courtyard.

Yao Ye returned inside, closed his eyes, and pondered the map etched in his mind. Frowning, he muttered, “This journey is a straight line spanning thousands of miles—it will take over a month.”

He sighed, marking the dangerous areas on the map. Just as he finished, Elder Zang’s voice drifted in.

“Child, come out for dinner!”

Yao Ye rose and stepped outside. The sky had already darkened, and a bright moon hung high above.

“So soon it’s night?”

He walked out of the courtyard toward the riverbank, where bonfires blazed. Laughter and joy filled the air. Children quietly waited by the roasting meats, their little fingers occasionally wiping their mouths as the sizzling fat crackled over the fire. They gazed longingly at the food.

Seeing this scene, a rare smile appeared on Yao Ye’s face. Xiao Lian ran over, tugging his arm gently.

“Big brother, come quickly! We’ve been waiting for you.”

Yao Ye smiled faintly and nodded, following her to the bonfire. Men were clinking cups and exchanging drinks, their faces bright with happiness.

A burly middle-aged man pulled Yao Ye down to sit. “Come, little brother, have a drink!”

Xiao Lian ran to join the women, who were dancing around the fire. The middle-aged man stood and began slicing the roasted meat with a knife.

“Little gluttons, come, come, eat some meat!”

“Oh, oh, oh, meat’s here!”

The children clutched their plates and happily scampered away with their portions. At that moment, Yao Ye felt a strong impulse to settle down here in seclusion. But remembering his mission, he clenched his fists once more.

As night deepened, the men drank their fill and joined the women’s dance. Yao Ye quietly watched, sipping his wine and tapping his fingers lightly.

Xiao Lian came up tugging at his arm. “Big brother, dance with me! Drinking alone is no fun.”

“Haha, okay!”

Yao Ye rose and, following Xiao Lian, joined the circle to dance. Laughter and joy soared to the heavens, and the celebration continued deep into the night, only dispersing gradually as the crowd began to leave.