《Werewolf Companion》


 Angry Little Wolf

    "I have never harmed anyone in my life. Why are you, an old Taoist, relentlessly forcing me?" A woman kneeled on the ground, her white clothes stained with blood. Her pointed ears and twisted face looked ominous.


    "I am a Heavenly Master, and you are a demon," the old Taoist said as he waved his grayish-white sleeve. Numerous streaks of white light pierced through the woman''s body. With a scream, the woman transformed into a dead white-haired rat, which then ascended into a wisp of white smoke and vanished.


    "Master... are all demons bad?" A boy around seventeen or eighteen years old tightly gripped the hem of his clothes, his gaze cast downward as he asked.


    The old Taoist, Yan Mingxin, was momentarily stunned. "Ning''er, I know you''re a kind-hearted boy, but as a Heavenly Master, it is my duty to exterminate demons..."


    Before he could finish, he noticed his disciple looking downcast. He reached out and rubbed his disciple''s head. "Ning''er, you''ve grown quite a bit lately. No wonder you''re eating more."


    Yan Yuning looked up sharply at his master, Yan Mingxin, as he ran and said, "Master, you eat a lot too. You''ve gained weight!"


    Yan Mingxin raised his hands, glancing left and right. "Where have I gained weight?" he replied, before seeing his disciple running happily in the distance and laughing. "Haha... slow down!"


    That night.


    Yan Yuning stealthily climbed out of bed, carefully retrieved a steamed bun and a large chicken leg hidden from dinner earlier, and quietly slipped out the door, heading towards the back mountain.


    Meanwhile, Yan Mingxin rolled over in bed, continuing to sleep.


    At the entrance of a cave, Yan Yuning called out, "Little Wolf, Little Wolf, time to eat."


    "Call me Langtu, not Little Wolf. I¡¯m older than you," Langtu, the wolf, sat up, pulling the dogtail grass from his mouth.


    "Why is that old Taoist still sleeping so late?" Langtu asked, biting into the chicken leg.


    Yan Yuning lowered his gaze. "Don¡¯t speak like that about Master. He raised me since I was young..."


    "Fed you, clothed you, taught you skills, helped you find your parents..." Langtu interrupted before Yan Yuning could finish.


    "Go back and stay with your Master. You don¡¯t have to repay me for this life-saving favor!" Langtu said, turning his back to the boy. He slightly tilted his head back, his arms crossed, seemingly trying to hide his true emotions.


    Yan Yuning stared at Langtu in silence, his eyes unconsciously drawn to Langtu''s pair of furry ears.


    These ears should have been agile and sensitive, but they had been injured while saving him and hadn''t fully transformed yet.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He gently reached out, as if wanting to touch the soft fur but hesitated, retracting his hand slowly.


    Yan Yuning narrowed his eyes and smiled unconsciously, murmuring, "So cute..."


    "I''ll head back now. I¡¯ll visit you tomorrow." Unable to resist, Yan Yuning reached out and patted Langtu¡¯s wolf ears.


    At that instant, Langtu froze, as if frozen in place by a spell. He stood still, a tingling sensation spread from his ears to his heart.


    He opened his mouth as if wanting to speak, but before he could respond, Yan Yuning swiftly leapt up and hurried out of the cave.


    "Really ¡®obedient,¡¯ huh?" Langtu mumbled, staring at the chicken leg in his hand. Suddenly, the chicken leg lost all its appeal, as though cursed by some magic.


    Langtu shook his head helplessly, tossing the chicken leg aside. Then, he flopped back on the bed, kicking his legs in frustration.


    The next day,


    After breakfast, Yan Yuning went to call his master. At that moment, Master Yan Mingxin was sitting cross-legged on his couch, resting his eyes.


    When Yan Mingxin heard his disciple call him, he straightened his robes and said, "Ning¡¯er, I had a dream last night."


    "What dream?" Yan Yuning asked absentmindedly.


    "I dreamt that you went out in the middle of the night," Yan Mingxin said as he walked.


    Yan Yuning froze for a moment. "Ah? Master... you... you... I..." His mind raced with thoughts of the little wolf demon who had saved him and his master, who hunted demons.


    Yan Mingxin didn¡¯t seem to need a response, and continued walking, as if the matter was already settled.


    Feeling guilty, Yan Yuning thought to himself, "Master is a Heavenly Master, and catching demons that harm people is his duty. The little wolf saved me, and bringing it food isn''t wrong, is it?"


    During breakfast, Yan Yuning absentmindedly poked at his bowl of food with his chopsticks, looking down at his meal with a dispirited expression.


    Master Yan Mingxin, sitting upright, gently placed his bowl down and said, "Ning¡¯er, how about accompanying your master to the market today?"


    Yan Yuning immediately perked up and nodded enthusiastically. "Sure, sure!" He quickly began eating his food, eager to head down the mountain.


    Going to the market meant fun, the lively atmosphere of the town below, with all sorts of delicious food and exciting things to do. What child wouldn''t love that?


    Yan Mingxin shook his head. "Eat slower."


    After a pause, he added, "It¡¯s time to buy some painting supplies for you, isn¡¯t it?"


    "Mm-hmm, they¡¯re almost all used up. And Master¡¯s favorite inkstone is nearly gone too," Yan Yuning said, chewing quickly.


    Yan Mingxin smiled and nodded. Ning¡¯er is such a thoughtful child!


    "Baozi, freshly made baozi, young master, buy some baozi?" A vendor called.


    "Kites, beautiful kites, miss, take a look at these kites..." another shouted.


    "Sugar figurines, delicious sugar figurines, madam, buy one for your child..." another stall vendor pitched.


    The sounds filled the air as Yan Yuning eagerly looked around.


    "Ssshh¡ª" A sharp whistle caught his attention.


    The vendor cheerfully called out, "Little master, come see these pigeon whistles, you can play with them yourself, or give them to your favorite girl, buy two and I''ll make it cheaper for you."


    Yan Yuning glanced at Master ahead, quickly paid the vendor, and rushed to catch up.


    Leaving the noisy market, Yan Yuning asked, "Master, where are we going?"


    "Just up ahead," Yan Mingxin replied.


    Before long, the master and disciple arrived at the entrance of a large compound, where black mourning flags hung high above the door and two large white lanterns flanked each side. The overwhelming display of white signified that someone had recently passed away.


    "Master, do you know the people here?" Yan Yuning asked, puzzled.


    A young man at the door saw the distinguished figure of the Taoist and respectfully approached. "Master, are you here to offer condolences? Please, come inside."


    Yan Mingxin shook his head. "May I ask, young man, how did the master of this house pass away?"


    The young man looked Yan Mingxin up and down, clearly impressed by the elder''s otherworldly aura. He lowered his voice and said, "I heard it was due to a demon. After the old lady passed, strange things began happening in the back garden..

 Chapter 2: Calling Brother

    Chapter 2: Calling Brother


    Xiao Si lowered his voice even further: "And there¡¯s a nest of dead mice, white ones..."


    Master Yan Mingxin glanced at Yan Yuning, pulled out a talisman from his robe, and handed it to Xiao Si: "This is an exorcism talisman. Burn it and bury the ashes under the jujube tree in the courtyard. It will protect you from any evil spirits."


    Xiao Si was both shocked and overjoyed: "Master, you''re really amazing, you even know there''s a jujube tree in the master''s yard!"


    Master waved his hand and walked off. Yan Yuning followed him closely, deep in thought.


    "Master, was it that white mouse demon who killed this family?" Yan Yuning hesitated before asking.


    Master Yan Mingxin squinted slightly, his gaze deep and distant. He spoke slowly, his voice low and steady: "Yuning, you must understand that the truths of this world are often not as simple and direct as they appear. What you see on the surface is often what others want you to see. So, when you walk the Jianghu in the future, make sure to keep your eyes wide open and look at things with your heart. Never be fooled by appearances, or you may fall into danger."


    Yan Yuning nodded seriously.


    His thoughts drifted back to the day he met Lang Tu.


    That day, Yan Yuning had been carrying a basket of herbs up the mountain. The sky, which had been clear just moments ago, began to darken, and soon a torrential downpour started. Yan Yuning had no choice but to take shelter in a nearby cave. After starting a fire, Lang Tu appeared, bouncing in with a dogtail grass in his mouth.


    Yan Yuning looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw a young man wearing black boots and a blue robe, with sharp brows and bright eyes. The dogtail grass in his mouth swayed as he hopped toward him.


    He gave Lang Tu a slight nod, as a form of greeting.


    Lang Tu plopped down onto a large stone directly across from Yan Yuning, staring at him intently.


    The young man had fair skin, and his features were delicate and elegant. His eyes were clear, as if they could speak.


    Lang Tu just kept staring at Yan Yuning.


    Yan Yuning felt extremely uncomfortable under the gaze, so he looked away. He tried to steady himself, but couldn¡¯t help sneaking a glance back, only to find the other person still staring at him¡­


    Embarrassed, Yan Yuning stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave, looking up at the sky. He stretched out his hand to test the rain, which had seemed to lessen. He then put his basket back on his back and decided to brave the rain and head home.


    After all, being stared at like that was making his face burn!


    He thought to himself, Why am I acting like this? I¡¯m not usually like this!


    Just as Yan Yuning took a cautious step forward, he suddenly felt the heavy basket stop dead in its tracks, pulling him back.


    Someone¡¯s holding onto my basket!


    He quickly turned around and saw the tall, imposing figure of Lang Tu standing behind him, one hand gripping the edge of the basket.


    Lang Tu¡¯s eyes were deep, and his lips curled into a faint smile. He slowly spoke, "Don¡¯t be afraid, little gentleman. I won¡¯t eat you."


    Yan Yuning blinked in shock, finding himself face to face with the man, so close that they were barely half a foot apart. He froze for a moment, not knowing what to do. His face flushed even deeper.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.He stammered, trying to explain, but only kept waving his hands: "N-no... no, that¡¯s not..."


    Before he could finish, Lang Tu suddenly stepped forward, closing the distance between them once again.


    He smiled teasingly and said, "Oh? Not? Could it be that you want me to eat you?" His words lingered as he leaned in closer.


    At this moment, Yan Yuning¡¯s heart began to race, and his breath became shallow. His face burned, and a wave of heat spread across his body.


    "You... Let go!" Yan Yuning mustered up all his courage to shout, but his voice trembled.


    Hearing this, Lang Tu smiled faintly, and his strong grip on the basket suddenly loosened.


    Caught off guard, Yan Yuning felt his body lurch forward, almost losing his balance and falling. He barely managed to stabilize himself, standing up with difficulty.


    He took a deep breath, slowly letting it out, trying to calm the rapid beat of his heart.


    Now he wanted to turn and look at the man, but he held back. After all, the other man had almost caused him to fall just moments ago.


    His footsteps were flustered and awkward as he hurriedly left, as though something terrible was chasing him.


    Watching Yan Yuning¡¯s retreating figure, Lang Tu¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. Silly little thing.


    At that moment, a sudden scream pierced the air. Lang Tu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly looked in the direction of the sound.


    To his surprise, Yan Yuning had slipped and fallen face-first into the muddy ground.


    His basket had tipped over, spilling the herbs everywhere. Whether it was rainwater or tears, Yan Yuning¡¯s face was smeared with wetness, making him look rather ridiculous.


    "Little gentleman, did you slip?" Lang Tu asked with feigned innocence, unable to hide his amusement.


    Yan Yuning heard the voice, and looked up, glaring at Lang Tu.


    He was both embarrassed and angry, but the pain in his body kept him from getting up immediately. He gritted his teeth and tried to push himself up, only to slip again, this time falling harder.


    Out of instinct, he reached out for a nearby branch to steady himself. However, when he looked down, he froze in horror¡ªbeneath the branch was a steep cliff!


    No, I can¡¯t believe I forgot about this!


    The branch was slippery from the rain. Yan Yuning gripped it desperately, trying to use all his strength to climb up, but the wetness made it impossible to gain traction, and he began to slide downward.


    He felt his heart leap into his throat as he realized he was about to fall.


    At that critical moment, a powerful hand suddenly reached out and firmly grabbed his wrist.


    Yan Yuning¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he looked up, startled.


    The rain had stopped, and the dark clouds had begun to disperse. A golden sun slowly emerged from behind the clouds.


    Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting soft beams of light, one of which landed on the young man who had reached out to help him¡ªLang Tu.


    The sunlight bathed him in a warm glow, and he looked almost angelic, with a faint smile on his face.


    "Silly little thing," Lang Tu said, grinning. "Call me ¡®brother,¡¯ and I¡¯ll pull you up."

 Chapter 3: A Life-Saving Favor

    ere¡¯s the English translation of Chapter 3:


    "I... I''m eighteen, how old are you?" Yan Yuning asked with difficulty.


    "Mm... I¡¯m about twenty," Lang Tu furrowed his brows, seemingly uncertain about his exact age.


    "You don¡¯t even know how old you are..." Yan Yuning started to speak, but before he could finish, he suddenly screamed, "Be careful!"


    Lang Tu, startled by the sudden cry, instinctively looked in the direction where Yan Yuning¡¯s widened eyes were staring. He saw a snake as thick as an arm, flicking its crimson tongue, lunging toward him with lightning speed. Its body was adorned with colorful patterns that shimmered eerily in the sunlight, sending a chill down his spine.


    In the face of such danger, Lang Tu had no time to think. He quickly drew a black whip from his waist and swung it forcefully at the vicious snake. Though the whip sliced through the air with a sharp arc, striking the snake accurately, it showed no sign of retreating. Instead, it became even more frantic in its attack.


    "This snake is highly poisonous! Let go of me, or... you won¡¯t survive either!" Yan Yuning said anxiously, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, his voice trembling.


    "I haven¡¯t married yet, so I¡¯m not ready to die," Lang Tu smiled slightly, showing a confident grin.


    With swift movement, Lang Tu reached down and pulled out a slender silver needle from the side of his boot. The needle gleamed coldly in the sunlight, seeming capable of piercing through any obstacle.


    Lang Tu took a deep breath, and with a powerful swing of his arm, he hurled the silver needle like lightning at the snake.


    With a sharp "whoosh", the silver needle hit its mark, deeply embedding into the snake¡¯s body.


    The snake let out a painful hiss, its body, once agile, became stiff, writhing and twisting on the ground in a futile attempt to break free from the binding, but it was all in vain.


    "Thank you... I¡¯m Yan Yuning," Yan Yuning gasped, his eyes full of gratitude.


    "I¡¯m Lang Tu," he said while looking at Yan Yuning.


    "You won¡¯t lose anything by calling me ''big brother''," Lang Tu grinned wickedly, slowly lying back on the ground, one hand clutching his other arm.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "You¡¯re so skinny, yet pretty heavy," Lang Tu joked.


    "Sorry... I... You should stay away from me, I¡¯ve always attracted poisonous creatures," Yan Yuning lowered his eyes, nervously rubbing the corner of his clothes.


    Lang Tu was about to ask something when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his arm. "Oh?... Ugh..." He couldn¡¯t help but groan as he sprang up from the ground.


    Looking down, he saw a gigantic centipede that had appeared on the spot where he had just been lying! The centipede was as large as a basin, its body shimmering with an eerie black sheen, its countless long legs scuttling rapidly across the ground, making one¡¯s scalp tingle with unease.


    Without a word, Lang Tu swiftly drew a gleaming dagger from his waist and, with a quick motion, stabbed it at the terrifying centipede.


    The moment he struck, a strong wave of dizziness surged through him, and he felt as if the world was spinning, his head swimming with confusion.


    At the same time, his legs seemed to lose all strength, becoming soft and incapable of supporting his body, and he was on the verge of collapsing.


    In that critical moment, Yan Yuning, quick on his feet, reached out and caught him.


    He quickly reached into his robe and pulled out a small, delicate porcelain bottle. He hurriedly opened it and carefully poured a pitch-black pill into Lang Tu¡¯s slightly open mouth.


    Lang Tu instinctively opened his mouth and swallowed the pill in one gulp.


    Yan Yuning¡¯s fingers accidentally brushed against Lang Tu¡¯s soft, warm lips.


    He quickly pulled his hand back as if it had been burned, his face turning slightly red. "Th-this... this is an antidote pill that my master carefully concocted. You... don¡¯t worry."


    Lang Tu, enduring the discomfort, blinked hard, trying to clear his vision.


    Suddenly, he noticed something moving not far away.


    Wait, what¡¯s that?


    He focused and saw a scorpion, the size of a plate, rapidly crawling toward them with its massive pincers raised high, ready to strike.


    Following Lang Tu¡¯s alarmed gaze, Yan Yuning quickly saw the scorpion charging in their direction.


    Not daring to waste any time, he swiftly drew a yellow talisman from his robe and, while chanting something under his breath, threw the talisman accurately at the scorpion.


    In an instant, the talisman ignited like flames and began to burn fiercely, crackling with a sizzling sound.


    "We should head back to the cave we were at earlier. I¡¯ve scattered some medicinal powder there, it should be a bit safer..." Yan Yuning, pale-faced and shaking slightly with fear, suggested.


    "Your leg..." Lang Tu¡¯s eyes had cleared up now, and he furrowed his brow in concern as he looked at the wound on Yan Yuning¡¯s leg.


    "It¡¯s nothing, just a small fall..." Yan Yuning tried to act nonchalant, but before he could finish, a loud "bang" sounded.


    Both of them jumped in alarm and quickly turned around.


    They saw a patch of ground not far away seemingly exploding in fireworks, crackling and burning. Among the flashing light, they could vaguely see a large, colorful spider writhing in agony.


    "A poisonous spider," a steady, slightly authoritative voice sounded.


    It was Master Yan Mingxin, who had appeared at some point. His eyes were sharp as he stared at the struggling spider, then turned to Lang Tu with a solemn expression.


    "Master, you¡¯re here just in time! Quick, help Lang Tu, he was just bitten by the centipede..."


    Before Yan Yuning could finish, Master Yan Mingxin raised his hand to interrupt, his gaze fixed on Lang Tu, and said, "Wolf demon, what brings you to Hengyang Mountain?"