Chapter 13: Storm Brewing

Zhai Guangyi’s Fruit-Producing Skill had already reached level 7, allowing him to produce seven different types of fruits, including healing, berserk, growth, magic power recovery, purification, life extension, and life preservation.

These seven fruits, each with different functions, were all essentially supportive in nature, but Zhai Guangyi himself was unable to use them.

While these fruits were highly practical, they could only be preserved for seven hours. After that, their effects would vanish, turning them into ordinary fruits.

Zhai Guangyi now ordered Xiong Batian to arrange daily patrols for the Storm Demon Wolves in groups. Apart from individual creatures or Magical Beasts in need of healing, they were to remain vigilant against any creatures that approached recklessly and avoid initiating conflicts rashly.

If any situation arose, they were to report it to Xiong Batian immediately. Xiong Batian would then decide how to handle it, and if she couldn’t resolve it, she would consult Zhai Guangyi.

As for the issue of finding visitors, there was no longer any need to worry. Word had spread throughout the area, and Magical Beasts now knew that there was a Divine Tree here that could provide them with healing.

Moreover, the Leader here was Xiong Batian, a powerful individual who had been granted a name by the Deity. Many weaker Magical Beasts hoped to join this place and seek protection.

Although joining was unrestricted—and for Zhai Guangyi, the more Magical Beasts that supported him, the better—he couldn’t provide large amounts of food. The creatures still had to solve their own needs for food, drink, and shelter. Naturally, very few Magical Beasts lived in the nearby area, at most coming for healing when injured.

As for the Storm Demon Wolves, they hunted in groups, had a wide range of activity, and were more than happy to live here under the protection of a powerful being.

There were also small animals, such as goats, that seemed not to have developed intelligence yet and couldn’t become Followers. These inevitably became food for Xiong Batian’s family and the Storm Demon Wolves.

Then there was Xiong Da. After transforming into a human, he became very particular about hygiene and cleanliness.

He also disliked sleeping outdoors as before and had started building a Small Wooden Hut beneath the tree.

Xiong Er helped him transport lumber everywhere. With Xiong Da’s strength, building a house barehanded didn’t seem like a difficult task.

Initially, he had wanted to build the house in the tree. He had asked Zhai Guangyi, who saw no issue with it and agreed. Unfortunately, Zhai Guangyi’s tree was too tall—two hundred meters high. How to climb up was a mystery, let alone how to build anything up there.

—

I am a nameless Storm Demon Wolf. A month ago, I received the aid of Lord Divine Tree, which successfully saved my child’s life. I thought that was the greatest blessing I could receive. Yet, the merciful Lord Divine Tree was willing to bestow grace, helping my kin again and again, and even accepting our clan’s allegiance.

Now, under the protection of Lord Divine Tree and Honored One Xiong Batian, my child is growing up healthy and strong.

Honored One Xiong Batian is peculiar. Despite her heavy killing intent, she urges us to avoid conflicts with others and to develop friendly relations with other Magical Beasts first. Perhaps it is because of her kindness that my child and I are still alive today.

Now, I too must perform acts of kindness like Honored One Xiong Batian, helping other Magical Beasts in need so they may also receive the grace of Lord Divine Tree and join in praising Him.

Tonight, it’s our Small Team’s turn to patrol. I lead four companions as we scout the nearby area, hunting prey along the way to secure our dinner for the day.

At that moment, a peculiar scent drifted into my nostrils, and my four companions halted simultaneously.

It was the scent of humans—many of them, and their auras were powerful.

I glanced back at the companion at the rear of the group, signaling it to return and report to Honored One Xiong Batian. The other three Storm Demon Wolves and I would keep watch over these intruders who dared violate the Forest.

—

“Ding. Detected a decrease in Follower count, now at 63. Due to the loss of 4 Followers, the next task requirement is to replenish 4 Followers before the mission can continue.”

Zhai Guangyi suddenly heard the System’s prompt, and his heart skipped a beat.

The Magical Beasts that came to pledge allegiance to him and worship him rarely changed their faith easily. Magical Beasts seemed to be creatures deeply loyal to their inner convictions, seldom betraying their companions.

Zhai Guangyi had encountered situations where Followers decreased before—it meant those Followers had died.

But losing four Storm Demon Wolves at once indicated they had encountered an opponent they couldn’t handle.

Zhai Guangyi had instructed Xiong Batian to convey that, in the face of danger, their first priority was to escape back here. Only by staying alive was there hope. Upon encountering a powerful enemy, the first thing to do was flee back and report to Xiong Batian.

Moreover, the Storm Demon Wolves were not weak. They generally had a Level around 13, and for every five patrolling Storm Demon Wolves, there was one Captain who had reached Level 20.

They also carried essential fruits, including the Life Sustainment Fruit.

This fruit could briefly sustain life—no matter how severe the injury, it could extend life by about ten minutes.

Under such circumstances, still losing four at once was enough to show how formidable the opponent was.

Losing four Storm Demon Wolves so suddenly felt regrettable to Zhai Guangyi; he had grown quite fond of these husky-like creatures.

Sitting beneath the tree, Xiong Batian seemed to sense Zhai Guangyi’s sorrow, realizing that enemies had struck again, killing Storm Demon Wolves.

She lifted the Spiked Club from the ground, standing beneath the tree in a Guardian Stance, her expression slightly grave, her body already prepared for battle.

Xiong Da, who had been asleep, emerged from the house. Xiong Er, also sleeping inside, followed him out.

Xiong Da, linked to Zhai Guangyi’s Soul, received the warning signal and began hurriedly preparing as well.

A Storm Demon Wolf raced wildly through the Forest. Whenever it passed a location where a patrol was stationed, it would bark rapidly three times before continuing its relentless sprint toward the Divine Tree.

Other Storm Demon Wolves that heard the signal would halt their patrols and follow, frantically running back.

This was the signal for a powerful enemy. Upon hearing it, the patrolling Storm Demon Wolves would orderly return to the Divine Tree. They would dispatch one Storm Demon Wolf to notify patrols in other directions, while the remaining four would return to guard their assigned posts.

Drawing from the previous experience of the Wind Demon Panther’s attack, Xiong Batian had long ago arranged tactics. When enemies assaulted the Divine Tree, every Storm Demon Wolf knew where to hide, how to ambush the enemy, and how to support one another.

Because Zhai Guangyi’s tree was exceptionally massive, with a radius of over twenty meters, it was impossible to defend from all directions. They could only rely on ambushes to reduce the enemy’s numbers, leaving the rest for Zhai Guangyi to handle himself.

Zhai Guangyi was not idle either, starting to produce various fruits. For Zhai Guangyi, fruits were tools that conserved Magic Power efficiently. For other Followers, these were life-saving items.

A large quantity of various types of fruits were sent to the ground by Zhai Guangyi. Soon, Storm Demon Wolves came to collect them, transporting them to different hidden locations to facilitate their use by other Storm Demon Wolves during battle.

If not for the time limit on the fruits, Zhai Guangyi would have preferred to arrange all this in advance. Now, he could only rely on the Storm Demon Wolves to make preparations as quickly as possible before the battle began.