Journey to the Back Mountain

Years had passed, and Little Wolf Moon had shed its fluffy cub fur, now sporting a shimmering coat of long, silver hair.

Its form had grown into that of an adult wolf, but its voice betrayed it—still rough and childish, carrying a youthful edge.

Entering the back mountain, Su Qing couldn’t wander alone; she had to stay cautious. Generously, Moon invited her to ride on its back.

Over a decade ago, it was a scruffy cub, and Su Qing’s group rode adult wolves to escape. Now, Moon had grown large enough to carry her.

As Su Qing leaned onto its back, its glossy fur felt like silk, enveloping her like cool moonlight.

She noticed several long claw marks and deep bite wounds on its nape, fresh with thin scabs. Itching, Moon whined, “Quick, scratch it for me.”

It shook its neck, swaying Su Qing side to side.

“Scratch? What if it breaks open? I have ointment—let me apply it.”

Su Qing pulled a Five White Flower salve from her storage bag.

Her body cultivation often left her scarred from earth fire, the itching keeping her awake until Tian Ning recommended this salve.

She applied a thick layer to Moon’s wounds.

The cool relief soothed the maddening itch. Moon squinted contentedly. “Human stuff is great. We have Five White Flowers here, but I don’t have paws—er, hands—to apply it.”

Su Qing asked, “How’d you get hurt?”

“Fighting my mom,” Moon answered bluntly. “Hiss, she’s brutal. But fair—I want to be Wolf King. She’s been king for over three hundred years. It’s my turn.”

It wasn’t discouraged. “I’m still too weak. I’ll train, gain experience, and maybe I’ll make it.”

Moon let out a low howl. “Hold tight—we’re off.”

Moonlight spilled, illuminating the path. Each hair tip on the silver wolf glowed.

It crouched, limbs flexing, claws digging into the ground, then leaped into the air—

Su Qing felt intense weightlessness, instinctively clutching Moon’s neck, her arms buried in its soft fur. Wind roared in her ears. When she looked up, they were airborne.

Moon was treading the air with all four paws.

Su Qing recalled this was a Nether Wolf’s innate skill. Night and moonlight were their guardians, turning them into wind, guided by the moon.

One wolf carrying one human soared higher, level with the moon, clouds beneath their feet.
@Infinite Good Reads, Only at Jinjiang Literature City

Below, Su Qing saw rolling mountains like ocean waves. In the night, the silent ridges resembled a still sea, moonlight casting stark contrasts of shadow and light on jagged peaks.
@Infinite Good Reads, Only at Jinjiang Literature City

Su Qing exhaled a white breath. Even sword-flying hadn’t shown her such a vast view. For the first time, she clearly saw Sword Sect’s entirety.

She saw the main peak and the six surrounding school peaks. Even Pill School’s twelve pill towers looked like miniatures from this height. Body School’s peak was indeed barren, covered in stubbly grass.

Beyond the seven peaks were dozens of herb mountains where Sword Sect cultivated spiritual fields and raised beasts. Su Qing had visited for tasks. Past them was the forbidden back mountain.

A strict barrier separated Sword Sect from the back mountain. Students were forbidden to approach, as it held countless treasures, natural spirits, ferocious beasts, and traps.

Those who ventured there met grim fates.

Rumor said the famed steward-born noble, Guan Jiayu, died due to the back mountain.

Now, Su Qing was being led there by her friend. She couldn’t tell which was the back mountain—beyond the herb mountains were countless peaks, endless and layered.

She thought: *Those must all be the back mountain.*

No wonder it was called Heaven’s Sword Mountain—perhaps all the world’s mountains were here.

“Awoo~”

Caught in the thrill, Moon tilted its head and let out a long howl, stirring the quiet air.
@Infinite Good Reads, Only at Jinjiang Literature City

The mountains below echoed with answering howls.

“Awoo—”
“Awoo-awoo!”

Hundreds of black wolf shadows leaped from the peaks, trailing Moon from below, soaring in the night.

Su Qing glanced back. The pack followed at a distance, in twos and threes, forming a hundred-meter-long line.

Moon said, “They’re night-running with us.”

It asked, “Isn’t flying high awesome? Why aren’t you howling?”

“It’s thrilling,” Su Qing admitted, “but I don’t know how to wolf-howl.”

Moon offered, “I’ll teach you, then.”

It stretched its voice: “Awoo-awoo-woo-awoo~!”

Su Qing mimicked its tone.

Her attempt set the wolf pack ablaze, their “awoo-awoo-woo-awoo” growing fiercer, louder, more earnest.

Su Qing sensed flattery in their calls. “What’s that wolf-speak mean?”

Moon puffed up proudly. “It means this king is wise, mighty, unmatched in the world!”

Su Qing paused for half a second, saying before it bristled, “Yep, spot on.”

So, the wolves were competing to flatter. No wonder it felt off—wolves had their own social politics.

Moon laughed heartily, diving from the sky, landing gently on a peak.

Despite its care, Su Qing was jolted off.

Using the momentum, she adjusted midair, landing smoothly.

Looking up, she faced a wall of surging white chest fur.

The true Wolf King gazed at her with amber eyes, sitting regally, over four meters tall, like a solemn beast god statue. Its silver fur fluttered in the sharp mountain wind.

Su Qing had thought Moon was grown, but next to the Wolf King, it was still a pup.

She bowed. “Greetings, Wolf King.”

The Wolf King nodded reservedly, acknowledging her.

Seeing its mother, Moon eagerly nuzzled, whining, “Mom, my wounds itch—lick them.”

Its wounds, coated with Five White Flower salve, didn’t itch—it just wanted to act spoiled.

The Wolf King swatted it three meters away, mindful of Su Qing. Speaking human tongue, it said, “You’re leading the pack to disturb folks at night again. Tomorrow, the deer clan will complain to the Earth Mother.”

It glanced at the trailing Nether Wolves, who cowered flat, fearing its authority.

Tumbled to the ground, Moon rolled, stood, and shook its fur, grumbling, “Which deer’s such a snitch? I’ll eat it tomorrow!”

The Wolf King sneered, “Beat it first, then brag. All talk.”

“I may not beat it tomorrow, but next year?” Moon huffed. “Wolves eating deer is nature. I’ll win someday!”

The Wolf King didn’t comment, but Su Qing sensed its cold eyes soften, proud of its daughter.

It said coolly, “No group hunts these two days. Take your friend to your dog den to hang out. Have fun, but don’t go wild and skip your homework.”

“Dog den?” Moon muttered. “Mom, my friend’s here—give me some face…”

Perhaps fearing parents cramped kids’ fun, the Wolf King nodded to Su Qing, turned into wind, and vanished. Only then did the cowering wolves rise.

Moon, unbothered, chirped to Su Qing, “Come to my place! I’ve got cool stuff to show you!”

Moon explained wolves typically had no fixed dens, sleeping in thickets, caves, or fields. But since starting school, it had to adapt to human habits for future studies abroad.

The “homework” was shape-shifting.

At Foundation Establishment Mid Stage, Moon could try human form for cultivation.

Humans lacked beasts’ innate physique, their big heads and weak limbs unsuited for combat. But their affinity for spiritual energy far surpassed beasts’.

Oh, and they were craftier.

Su Qing, big-headed and weak-limbed, felt a bit hurt.

Moon was more wounded. “You’re the best-looking human to me. You were born this way—unfair heavens. But I have to choose this bald, ugly form.”

Su Qing stopped it. “Enough, I’m good.”

She was fake-hurt, but more consoling would truly hurt.

To learn human ways, Moon claimed a cave as its room.

Honestly, it was bare—nothing but shed fur floating like dandelions, making Su Qing sneeze. Scattered wild fruits, wilted flowers, rocks, and gnawed bones were its trophies.

The “cool stuff” was a thick stack of cultivation novels.

Su Qing scanned the titles, silent.

*One Sword Breaks the Sky, Defying Heaven to Godhood*, *From Trash to Invincible Immortal Emperor*, *Fate Defied, I Crown Myself Emperor*, *Supreme Phoenix Consort, Ascending to Godhood*, *One Thought to Ascension, Eternal Sovereign*.

Her grip on a book corner tightened. “What’s this?”

Guilt flickered—had she corrupted a kid?

“These are way more fun than studying!” Moon flipped open one, presenting it like treasure. “I love this one—it’s like your God Wolf Proud Sky story, same vibe.”

It had risked life and limb raiding Sword Sect dorms for these.

Lacking hands, Moon used spiritual energy to float and flip pages, pawing excitedly at thrilling parts.

Noticing Su Qing wasn’t reading, it asked, “Don’t you like them? They’re fun!”

“I don’t dislike them,” Su Qing explained. “I’m just past that age.”

In middle school, she’d read fiercer, flashlight under blankets, unstoppable.

Now, they felt faintly embarrassing.

“Alright.” Moon reluctantly looked away, prioritizing its guest. “If you don’t like these, let’s go play outside.”

Wolves were night owls, and cultivators like Su Qing needed little sleep. They began their night adventure.

Moon’s first stop was to find a bunny.

The bunny, curled into a snowy ball, slept soundly until Moon rudely woke it.

Su Qing’s head ached. “It’s sleeping.”

Moon swore, “It’s not.”

When the bunny groggily opened its eyes, Moon crowed, “Told you it’s not sleeping.”

This was the rabbit Moon brought to steal herbs at Sword Sect. Now it spoke human, named Hong Ying (Red Tassel).

Moon explained, “Hong Ying’s skills are super useful. With it, we’ll have more fun!”

Hong Ying had two skills: Berserk and Burrowing.

Su Qing wondered how skills made things fun.

Then she saw—

Baffled, she followed them, burrowing under a mature Golden Glaze Fruit tree.

Moon sneakily turned to wind, zipped to the treetop, snatched three fruits, and dove underground.

“Run!”

Su Qing didn’t know what was happening until a Golden Core beast’s aura erupted, its furious roar shaking the heavens.

Who cared what they did? A Golden Core beast was chasing—run first.

While fleeing, Su Qing asked Hong Ying what the roar meant. The bunny’s ears twitched. “It’s cursing filthy, saying whoever stole its fruits will die.”

“It’s not its bonded tree—just naturally grown. It guards it, so it’s theirs?” Moon scoffed. “One tree’s fruits, and I took a few—so what?”

It pried the fruits from its mouth, stuffing them into Su Qing and Hong Ying’s.

Before Su Qing could mind the drool, warm spiritual energy slid through her meridians, easing days of training fatigue, sharpening her divine sense.

It boosted divine sense—good stuff!

She didn’t mind the drool anymore, even wanting more.

The Golden Core beast soon tracked them, its claws pounding the ground above, shaking dirt loose in the tunnel.

“Bunny, switch paths!”

Hong Ying slapped the ground, spawning three tunnels—cunning rabbit’s three burrows.

Moon grabbed Su Qing and Hong Ying, turning to wind, flashing a hundred meters away. The beast’s steps didn’t stop, still chasing.

Hong Ying’s eyes flashed red, an invisible pressure enveloping them—Berserk activated.

Moon’s fur bristled, and it zipped a thousand miles away.

The beast’s steps halted, likely realizing chasing three fruits risked losing the tree. Fearing a diversion, it turned back.

Moon carried them farther, jolting Su Qing until she nearly puked. Confirming safety, it leaped out.

Su Qing and Hong Ying landed smoothly from midair. Moon rolled on the ground, laughing, “Haha, you didn’t see its furious face! Thought it could eat me? So satisfying!”

Su Qing’s eyes curved, laughing too.

The back mountain was the beasts’ domain, unbound by human morals—strength ruled, the weak were eaten.

Being proper all the time, doing childish mischief felt freeing.

But one thing nagged her. “So, why can only Foundation Establishment cultivators come to the back mountain?”

“Gotta be fast!” Moon preened. “Qi Refining folks can’t play—caught and eaten in a snap, dead.”

Su Qing choked. That was the reason?

“Bunny’s skills are great, right?” Moon said. “But I know a spiritual plant with better skills—super stealthy, goes anywhere it wants. I invited it, but it’s busy forging artifacts, no time…”

Spiritual plant, stealthy, forging?

Su Qing ventured, “You mean Xiaocao?”

“That’s it!” Moon’s eyes widened, realizing. “You know it? Right, you’re schoolmates!”

It chuckled mischievously. “Next time, bring it to steal Old Turtle’s shed shell. They say it lets you see the future—dunno if it’s true.”

Su Qing hadn’t known Jiang Xiaocao was a back mountain demon, but it made sense.

Did that mean Orange King and Teacher Qing Ge, Xiaocao’s friends, were also back mountain demons?

Sword Sect didn’t just trade with the back mountain—it sent beasts and plants to study, their ties closer than she thought.

The night was young. Later, Moon took her to a stream, fishing second-tier demon fish with its tail.

Su Qing set up a grill, roasting them crisp and savory, enchanting Moon and Hong Ying. Red-eyed, they dove into the stream, catching fish barehanded.

Full and satisfied, they rushed to a peak for grass-sledding.

Man Qing Sword was the base, Su Qing holding Hong Ying in front, Moon behind, paws on her shoulders.

Su Qing nudged the sword forward, breaking balance, and they zoomed down the ridge.

One human, one rabbit, one wolf howled, sliding from peak to mid-slope until a rock sent them airborne.

Su Qing switched to sword-flying, catching Hong Ying and Moon, soaring back up.

Moon stomped on the sword, marveling—another human perk: playing with swords!

After this, their scents faded, ready for more mischief. Moon had saved plenty for Su Qing’s visit.

They stole Iron-Eating Beast’s jade bamboo sap, plucked Great Winged Golden Peng’s feathers, chased red-furred bats with torches, raided monkey orchards, wrestled wild boars to touch their tusks, woke a flower demon from her beauty sleep for fortunes…

Su Qing never knew mountains could be so fun. Even as a kid, she hadn’t played this freely.

As dawn neared, her face ached from laughing, her stomach stuffed with random eats. Moon yawned, tail drooping. Nether Wolves were nocturnal—dawn meant sleep.

Daylight weakened its strength, so it napped in its cave when not in class.

Hong Ying, curled in Su Qing’s arm, slept, ears shielding its eyes from light.

Moon squinted groggily. “Let’s sleep first. After, I’ll take you hunting. Autumn deer are fattest—get a big one.”

It was relaxed until they passed a spot. Moon tensed, whispering, “That forest is Vine Demon’s turf. She hates humans. Let’s detour.”

Su Qing followed their lead. They crept around the forest, holding their breath, heading for the wolf den.

Halfway around, Su Qing relaxed—then three vines shot out, yanking them into the forest, binding them to a tree. Su Qing was cocooned human-style, Moon wolf-style, even tiny Hong Ying was a rabbit cocoon.

Moon broke. “We know you sleep poorly—we were careful!”

A female voice, tinged with anger, snapped, “If you hadn’t led your pack howling half the night, I wouldn’t be awake, insomniac till now!”

Smelling human, her anger flared. “Awoo-awoo-awoo, you’ve got guts, bringing a human to the back mountain!”
@Infinite Good Reads, Only at Jinjiang Literature City