Legend of the Divine Archer

As the caravan emerged into the valley, Wei Xi's fleeting hope quickly dissipated. The aura of the perfected celestial beast was overwhelming, causing the carriages to halt,.

Over a hundred Thunder Wolves encircled the valley, their eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger. At the center of the pack stood the Thunder Wolf King towering over three meters tall, its fur crackling with latent electricity as it gazed upon the newcomers with cold and calculating eyes.

Yan Jin surveyed the scene; the situation was dire. "I don't know what you took from it," he said to Sheng Lao, his voice grim, "but unless you have a trump card, we're all dead here."

Sheng Lao resolutely pointed at Sheng Yin, who clutched Scara tightly, her small body trembling. "They're here for her," he confessed. "She has a Spiritual Lotus Body frame. If the Thunder Wolf King consumes her, it could evolve into a higher-rank beast."

Yan Jin's eyes widened as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. This explained the perilous journey and the desperate risks Sheng Lao had taken. As a father, he was willing to gamble everything to protect his daughter, even if it meant embarking on this dangerous expedition. And now, their only hope lay in stalling the horde until the reinforcements—assuming they arrived in time.

"We just have to delay them, right?" Yan Jin asked.

"Yes," Sheng Lao replied, his voice barely audible over the howls of the wolves. "I sent a letter before our departure. Our rendezvous point was this valley. They were supposed to arrive yesterday. If they're not late, they should be nearby."

Yan Jin considered his options. He could abandon the girl and flee with Wei Xi, but that would mean betraying the favor he owed to Sheng Yin. He wasn't the type to leave a debt unpaid.

With a resigned look, Yan Jin turned to Wei Xi. "We have to buy time. Protect the carriage."

Without waiting for a response, Yan Jin leaped onto his flying knife, the blade humming with energy as it lifted him into the air. He floated above the valley, staring down the Thunder Wolf King, who seemed to regard him with contempt.

Meanwhile, Wei xi unleashed the full force of his imperial bloodline. His aura expanded into a tangible force that radiated outwards, causing the very ground beneath him to tremble. Yan Jin channeled his will toward Wei Xi, and the image of a mighty wyvern took shape above him. It roared, a sound that split the heavens and sent a storm of wind and snow cascading across the valley.

The lesser wolves hesitated, their primal instincts warning them against approaching.

But the Thunder Wolf King was not so easily intimidated. With a growl, it signaled its pack to advance, and the battle began.

Yan Jin and Wei Xi fought like demons. Yan Jin controlled his knives with precision, slicing through the wolves with deadly accuracy. He was a whirlwind of steel, every movement was calculated to maximize damage while conserving his strength.

Wei Xi's spear blurred as he tore through the wolves. His wyvern, now a almost a corporeal entity, lashed out with claws and fangs, decimating the ranks of their enemies. But the horde was relentless, and despite their best efforts, the wolves continued to press forward.

Suddenly, the Thunder Wolf King made its move. Lightning crackled in the sky, and a bolt of pure energy struck the ground between Yan Jin and Wei Xi, forcing them apart.

The King was faster than either of them had anticipated. It lunged at Wei Xi, its massive claws swiping through the air. Wei Xi tried to parry, but the force of the blow sent him crashing to the ground, blood pouring from a deep gash in his side.

Yan Jin acted on instinct, throwing one of his knives taking advantage of his blind spot. The blade found its mark, piercing the Thunder Wolf King's eye and drawing a howl of pain. But the beast was determined to get his reward. It vanished and reappeared in a flash of lightning above Yan Jin with its jaws wide open as it descended upon him.

Yan Jin raised his hands, forming a barrier of soul energy just in time to block the attack. But the Thunder Wolf King was too powerful. With a swipe of its claws, it shattered the barrier, and another lightning strike followed immediately after, sending Yan Jin crashing.

The world seemed to slow as the Thunder Wolf King loomed over him, its maw open wide for the final strike. Yan Jin braced himself, but his body was too drained to mount any further defense.

But just as the beast was about to deliver the killing blow, a palm strike descended from the sky, glowing with a bright light. It struck the Thunder Wolf King with such force that the air itself seemed to ripple. The King didn't even have time to react before its body was obliterated, reduced to nothingness in an instant.

Yan Jin collapsed to the ground, barely able to process what had just happened. He searched up, his mind blurry, and heard a figure descending from the sky—The reinforcements had arrived.

--

Yan Jin, forced himself to his feet and immediately rushed to Wei Xi, who was crumpled on the snow. Yan Jin knelt beside his brother, gently lifting him to a sitting position. Wei Xi's face was twisted in agony, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The normally stoic boy couldn't hold back his cries of pain, and they echoed through the now silent valley.

"Hang in there," Yan Jin murmured, his voice strained with worry. He quickly began tending to Wei Xi's injuries, tearing strips from his own clothes to bind the wounds.

As he worked, the presence of the reinforcement a young woman, no older than eighteen, approached with an air of authority. She was dressed in elegant robe and was radiating a powerful aura at the resonance level distinguishing her as abloodline warrior of exceptional skill.

"I am Luo Li, from the Lotus Palace," she introduced herself, her voice calm yet commanding. "My mission was to secure the Spiritual Lotus Frame and bring it back to the Palace. You have aided in my mission, so I will offer these healing potions in exchange for your assistance. But for your own good, you should forget what you just saw."

She held out the potions, but Yan Jin didn't even glance at them. "Sheng Yin," he corrected her with a firm voice. "Her name is Sheng Yin. Not Spiritual Lotus Frame. She is a child with a mind and feelings, not just some object for your mission."

Luo Li was taken aback by the vehemence in his tone. Few dared to speak to her, a high-ranking disciple of the Lotus Palace, in such a manner. "I don't need your recognition," Yan Jin continued, turning his attention back to Wei Xi as he helped his brother to his feet. "I did what I had to, to survive. And that's all there is to it."

With Wei Xi leaning heavily on him, Yan Jin began to lead them away from the valley.

As they walked away, Yan Jin called out, "Scara, let's go." The little bird, which had been hiding amidst the chaos, fluttered down from a nearby tree and landed on Yan Jin's shoulder.

The first light of dawn was breaking over the horizon, casting a soft glow over the valley