Realizing this, Ye Ling had no intention of prolonging the fight.
She knew very well that continuing the struggle would only cause her injuries to pile up, which would be of no benefit to her.
With her mind made up, she stopped entangling herself with the wolf. Her figure flickered as she leaped into midair, deliberately posing as if she were about to engage in a life-or-death struggle.
The Demon Claw Wolf had just drawn blood with its claws, but seeing her standing tall with a freezing battle intent and her spiritual energy remaining steady and abundant without any signs of defeat, it actually grew somewhat uncertain.
It could not fathom at all whether this young human girl before it still had some trump card hidden up her sleeve.
Seeing Ye Ling leap into the air, the Demon Claw Wolf also sprang up to pursue her, intending to repeat its old trick and launch a sneak attack with its tail to heavily injure her and end the battle in one fell swoop.
Yet it had no idea that this was precisely the opportunity Ye Ling had been waiting for.
The moment the thick wolf tail swept toward her, carrying a monstrous, brute force, Ye Ling precisely anticipated its trajectory and strength, utilizing the momentum of that massive sweeping force to propel herself.
With a whoosh, she shot backward like an arrow released from a bowstring, instantly putting thousands of meters of distance between them and cleanly escaping the battlefield.
Only a cold and firm voice was left echoing over Heifeng Valley.
“Demon Claw Wolf, I will remember what happened today.”
“Once my cultivation improves, I will return here to determine the victor.”
In the valley, the Demon Claw Wolf stood frozen, its demonic aura trembling violently as its massive body shook with rage.
It frantically clawed the ground with its sharp front claws, gouging deep, crisscrossing furrows into the hard earth and stone, with no way to vent its boiling fury.
But in the end, it did not dare to rashly pursue. For one, it could not tell if Ye Ling still had a hidden lethal trump card, and a reckless chase might invite a backlash. Secondly, it had also suffered significant injuries in this fierce battle, losing more than half of its combat power.
What made it even more deeply apprehensive was Ye Ling's parting words.
Human cultivators progressed at an astonishing pace, capable of breaking through to new realms and surging in strength in just a few short years.
On the other hand, demon beasts cultivated slowly and advanced with great difficulty. Within a few years, it would surely no longer be a match for that human girl.
Thinking of this, the Demon Claw Wolf, which had dominated the center of Heifeng Valley for hundreds of years, could not help but feel a desire to retreat.
With no lingering attachment, it immediately returned to its lair to take stock of its lifelong savings, resolving to move out of Heifeng Valley to stay far away from this terrifying star.
If it couldn't afford to provoke her, it could at least hide.
On the other side, Ye Ling escaped by leveraging the force, her figure darting through the thick miasma to land at the outer perimeter of Heifeng Valley.
The Miasma Demon Frog was already waiting there. Seeing her return safely, its racing heart finally settled.
It quickly scribbled words on the ground: “It's a relief you're alright. Where is that Demon Claw Wolf?”
Ye Ling stabilized herself, took a breath, and said, “Its combat power is extremely strong. With my current cultivation, I can't do anything to it for now, so I had to retreat first.”
She then looked at the demon frog and asked softly, “How was the harvest? How many Quiet Heart Grass did you collect in total?”
The Miasma Demon Frog quickly wrote down: “A total of four hundred and fifty stalks. According to our agreed rule, I will take thirty percent, and the remaining seventy percent is yours.”
After writing, it opened its mouth and spat, causing a large patch of lush, green Quiet Heart Grass to pour onto the ground, its thick, pure medicinal fragrance instantly wafting in all directions.
Without counting them carefully, Ye Ling waved her hand. Her storage bag flashed with spiritual light, storing all three hundred stalks of Quiet Heart Grass that belonged to her.
Then, Ye Ling instructed the demon frog, “Next, I will go out to travel and will probably only return to the sect in a few months.”
“I will have to trouble you to stay in the beast-taming bag during this time. If you want to come out for some fresh air or activity, just send me a message.”
The Miasma Demon Frog obediently wrote back: “It's no trouble. I can use this batch of Quiet Heart Grass to focus on my cultivation.”
“You can travel with peace of mind. Just call me out when we return to the sect.”
Ye Ling nodded slightly, raising her hand to summon her beast-taming bag. A swirl of spiritual light safely swept the demon frog into the bag, which she carefully tied to her waist.
She paused and turned back, looking toward the depths of Heifeng Valley from afar, a trace of solemnity and reluctance flashing in her eyes.
Since she had embarked on the martial path, this was the first time she had fought such a frustrating battle.
On the surface, she had fought the Demon Claw Wolf to a draw, but in the end, she was the one who had to back down and escape.
This battle was the first setback on her cultivation path, as well as a deeply memorable warning.
Suppressing her thoughts, Ye Ling turned and left, putting distance between herself and Heifeng Valley.
Searching along the way, she quickly found a quiet, natural cave hidden by vines.
After entering the cave, she immediately inspected her injuries.
Her left shoulder had been struck by the full force of the Demon Claw Wolf's tail. Pulling aside her clothes, she saw a large patch of bruised, dark purple flesh, the congested blood difficult to disperse.
Even though she had cultivated the first layer of the True Dragon Treasure Body, with the continuous flow of True Dragon aura nourishing her physical body, the full-force strike of a peak Xiantian Realm demon beast was simply too overbearing to heal in a short amount of time.
Aside from the severe shoulder injury, her entire body was also covered in dozens of crisscrossing claw marks of varying depths, all torn by the Demon Claw Wolf's sharp claws, leaving her looking quite disheveled.
Fortunately, she carried high-grade healing pills gifted by the Peak Master of Spirit Medicine Peak. Ye Ling took out one and swallowed it. It melted the moment it entered her mouth, and the majestic, gentle medicinal power instantly circulated through her limbs and bones.
Sitting cross-legged, she closed her eyes and focused her mind, entering a state of deep breath regulation and healing.
During her recovery, she did not slack off in the slightest, repeatedly reviewing every single detail of the fierce battle.
Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye. Under the dual restoration of the healing pills and the True Dragon Treasure Body, Ye Ling's injuries were completely cured.
Her overall state had become even more condensed and stable than before the battle, and her state of mind had cleared up significantly.
Ye Ling slowly opened her eyes, her gaze clear and sharp as the depressing gloom that had weighed on her earlier completely vanished.
She stood up and walked out of the cave. A gentle breeze brushed against her face, and the vast mountains and rivers stretched out before her eyes.
Her injuries were fully healed, and her sect mission had been successfully completed.
She could finally let go of all her worries and officially begin her long-awaited journey.
Heishui Commandery was located in the eastern part of Qingyun Kingdom, bordering the three regions of Bailing Commandery, Yun'an Commandery, and Jiangbei Commandery.
After some planning, Ye Ling decided on a southward route, resolving to head to Yun'an Commandery, where martial arts flourished and geniuses gathered.
She had long heard that within Yun'an Commandery lay a scenic spot renowned throughout the entire Qingyun Kingdom, named Tianyuan Peak, which was also recognized by countless martial artists as a sacred ground for sparring.
The summit of Tianyuan Peak naturally formed a flat stone platform several miles wide. Broad, smooth, and unobstructed, it was an excellent battlefield created by nature.
Over the years, sect disciples, young geniuses, and top rogue cultivators from all over had flocked here to step onto the stage, spar, and temper their own martial arts.
Ye Ling's journey south this time was precisely to observe the combat styles and adaptability of various geniuses, hoping to broaden her horizons and accumulate experience to make up for her lack of high-level combat experience.
With her mind made up, Ye Ling set off immediately toward Yun'an Commandery.
She did not choose to fly on her sword to rush her journey. The essence of traveling lay in personally experiencing the mountains and rivers and observing the local customs, rather than blindly chasing speed.
After entering a city, she purchased a tall and handsome Green Scale Horse.
This beast was a low-stage Houtian Realm demon beast; although it lacked formidable combat power, it possessed excellent natural endurance and a steady gait, easily covering a thousand miles a day. Furthermore, its gentle and intelligent nature made it the perfect fit for long-distance travel.
From then on, Ye Ling rode her Green Scale Horse at a leisurely pace, slowly passing through the mountain ranges and official highways as she admired the changing scenery and took in the grand sights, embarking on her journey south.
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