Xiao Ming studied the silver wolf for a while, then thought and said, "Calling it a wolf is definitely not an option. Keeping wild animals is too much trouble."
Long Xiao nodded and said, "Right, we have to give it a dog's name, then it will be a dog."
"Let's call it Erha," Xiao Ming said.
Long Xiao shook his head and said, "Erha is too silly. This silver wolf is very smart, it can't be called Erha."
"Let's call it Wangcai," Old Hu said.
Wangcai was a classic name. Hearing this name, one would recall a certain comedian. Long Xiao had loved watching that comedian's movies since childhood, so he felt a sense of familiarity with the name Wangcai.
"Alright, let's call it Wangcai," Long Xiao said.
The silver wolf seemed to understand what Long Xiao and the others were saying. Seeing that they had agreed to call it Wangcai, it crouched in front of Long Xiao and nodded, indicating its agreement.
Xiao Ming took a chicken out of his bag and threw it to Wangcai. Wangcai caught it in its mouth and devoured it in a few crunching bites.
Licking its lips, Wangcai looked at Xiao Ming expectantly, still waiting for more food.
After eating five chickens from Xiao Ming, Wangcai still looked at him eagerly. Xiao Ming grew a little anxious. "You glutton, why are you still looking at me? It's gone, there's no more food. You eat more than I do."
Wangcai shook its tail displeasantly and bared its teeth at Xiao Ming. Xiao Ming glared. "What, you've gotten bold, dare to bare your teeth at me?"
Wangcai quickly closed its mouth, covering its exposed teeth.
Looking at the silver wolf Wangcai's expression, Old Hu burst into laughter.
After eating their fill, the three of them, Long Xiao, Xiao Ming, and Old Hu, returned to their tents to sleep, with Wangcai guarding the outside. Before sleeping, Long Xiao applied some wound medicine to Wangcai.
When dawn broke, Long Xiao emerged from his tent and saw Wangcai dozing on the ground. Hearing the movement, Wangcai stood up with extreme speed and looked at Long Xiao.
Long Xiao smiled and said, "It's alright. I'll deal with the Ice Dragon later. You just need to guard from above."
Wangcai nodded, seeming to understand Long Xiao's words.
Preparations began as soon as it was light. Steel stakes were driven into the ground, and ropes were tied to them. Baskets of iron hooks and knives were lowered down the cliff face.
Old Hu helped with the work, his eyes constantly scanning the items with curiosity. He couldn't figure out how Long Xiao intended to use so many iron hooks and knives.
Once everything was ready, Long Xiao began to slide down along a rope.
Old Hu looked at Xiao Ming and asked, "Aren't you going down to help?"
Xiao Ming shook his head. "Brother Long is in charge below, and I'm in charge above."
Long Xiao descended over thirty meters along the cliff face and spotted the dark cave entrance.
The cave entrance was large, and white frost covered its edges. A piercing cold emanated from within the cave.
As Long Xiao approached the entrance, he unleashed his five-element Qi, controlling the baskets containing the iron hooks and knives to float towards him.
As the baskets neared the entrance, heaps of iron hooks and knives flew out, precisely entering the cave and landing on the ground.
Long Xiao pushed off the rock face with his feet, descending rapidly. When he returned, he was precisely at the cave entrance. Releasing his grip, Long Xiao floated into the cave.
The ground was covered in ice, and the cave walls were coated in frost. As soon as Long Xiao landed, all the iron hooks and knives floated up again.
His footing was slippery, and Long Xiao stumbled forward, the knives and hooks floating around him.
After walking about a hundred meters, the cold intensified, and Long Xiao began to feel chilly, though not uncomfortable.
The air around them grew drier, and the white frost on the cave walls diminished. The ground was no longer slippery, revealing hard, black rock.
Continuing forward, Long Xiao became increasingly vigilant, worried that the Ice Dragon might suddenly appear and catch him off guard.
Another hundred meters passed without any sign of the Ice Dragon. The cave began to slope downwards, becoming steeper and steeper.
After walking for five to six hundred meters along the incline, Long Xiao entered a vast cavern. It was pitch black all around, and even with his Qi dispersed, Long Xiao couldn't sense the location of the cave walls.
"Little guy, come out and provide some light," Long Xiao called out loudly, patting his shoulder.
The 'Crimson Flame Insect' poked its head out, looking somewhat impatient, as if there was something in the surroundings that it feared.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine with me here," Long Xiao reassured the 'Crimson Flame Insect.'
The 'Crimson Flame Insect' flapped its wings and flew out about ten meters. Suddenly, a burst of intense flame erupted from its body, illuminating the surroundings brightly.
This enormous space was larger than three football fields. In the center of the space stood a raised platform, upon which rested a piece of ice the size of a football.
Beneath the platform, ten giant pythons were coiled. The horned python that Long Xiao had seen before was among them.
These pythons appeared to be in hibernation. Long Xiao's footsteps made considerable noise as he approached the platform, yet none of the pythons stirred. They lay there like sculptures.
Long Xiao, carrying the iron hooks and knives, walked towards the group of pythons, intending to test his strength against them. He believed that only by subduing these pythons would it be easier to retrieve the 'Ice Marrow' on future visits.
Long Xiao walked right up to the pythons, yet not a single one moved.
Since the pythons remained motionless, Long Xiao took the opportunity to bypass them and ascend the platform, preparing to reach for the 'Ice Marrow' and discover what made this piece of ice so special.
Just as Long Xiao's hand was about to touch the 'Ice Marrow,' all the pythons simultaneously opened their eyes, twenty scarlet eyes fixated on Long Xiao.
The horned python roared, its mouth opening wide, emitting a blast of white, chilling breath.
Long Xiao knew the power of this white cold air. He leaped into the air in fright, twisting his body to dodge the incoming blast.
As soon as Long Xiao landed, the remaining nine pythons also opened their mouths, preparing to spew out cold air.
He had prepared to face one python, but now there were ten. His current strength and these knives and hooks were far from sufficient.
Long Xiao employed the 'Chimei Xiaoyao Step' to maneuver rapidly. After dodging the cold air from several pythons, Long Xiao approached the 'Ice Marrow' again.
Although he hadn't intended to take the 'Ice Marrow,' Long Xiao wanted to personally touch it and feel the moisture within.
Dodging waves of cold air, Long Xiao successfully approached the 'Ice Marrow.' As he extended his hand again, the horned python roared, and the cold air from all the pythons erupted.
Being hit by ten streams of cold air would surely freeze him to death on the spot. Once again denied the opportunity to touch the 'Ice Marrow,' Long Xiao had no choice but to quickly evade.
The 'Crimson Flame Insect,' which had been providing light from a distance, saw Long Xiao's predicament and rushed towards the ten pythons. Flapping its wings, it unleashed waves of flames that blocked the cold air spewed by the pythons.
The ten pythons showed fear towards the flames. They quickly retreated near the platform, warily watching the 'Crimson Flame Insect' and no longer daring to attack Long Xiao.
Seeing that the pythons had not pursued him, Long Xiao felt a sense of relief. Since entering the cave, he had been expending a considerable amount of his five-element Qi. Long Xiao sat down cross-legged, preparing to recover.