As she went deeper in, the surroundings began to change drastically.
The ancient trees grew taller and denser, their branches stretching high enough to blot out the sky. The light dimmed to a gloomy twilight beneath the canopy.
The spiritual energy in the air was no longer the gentle kind from the outskirts. It had turned thick and restless, even laced with a faint, eerie aura that made the skin prickle.
The ground was covered in strange flowers and grasses. Many of the plants radiated faint energy fluctuations, clearly not ordinary—but possibly dangerous.
From time to time, deep roars echoed in the distance, the power behind them far surpassing the beasts that roamed outside the inner perimeter.
Xie Zhaolin suppressed her aura to the utmost, cautiously scanning the surroundings and avoiding areas where strong energy pulsed.
"Master, be careful! Three miles ahead, to the right, there's a Ghostface Vine lurking underground! It's not high-ranked, but it's extremely sensitive to life energy and loves to tangle its prey. Let's go around it!"
You You's urgent voice echoed in her sea of consciousness.
Xie Zhaolin immediately changed direction, steering far clear of that area.
Sure enough, at the very edge of her divine sense, she barely caught a faint, cold wave of plant demon energy buried in the soil.
"Five miles to the front-left, there's a flock of Ironclaw Hawks circling. The leader's in the late Foundation stage, and they're highly aggressive as a group. I suggest we take the canyon below instead."
You You kept feeding her constant updates, warning of dangers before they appeared.
Her sensing range seemed broader and sharper than Xie Zhaolin's own divine sense, especially when it came to detecting plant demons or special beasts.
That realization brought a rare flicker of excitement to her eyes.
With You You acting as both map and warning bell, her safety deep within this deadly land had increased tremendously. Many potential threats could now be avoided ahead of time, sparing her countless fights and headaches.
"You You, well done," she said quietly, a note of genuine approval in her tone.
"Hehe, you flatter me, Master!" You You's voice carried a hint of pride. "After all, I've been lingering around this Endless Beast Plain for countless years. I know these creatures' habits and energy like the back of my hand!"
With such precise navigation, Xie Zhaolin's pace wasn't particularly fast, but every step was solid and calculated.
She no longer wandered aimlessly, instead weaving through routes that were relatively safer.
Of course, "safe" was a very relative term here.
In the depths of this perilous wilderness, true safety didn't exist.
So-called safety only meant avoiding the stronger, stranger, or more troublesome threats when forced to choose between dangers. And her purpose this time wasn't just to pass through unharmed. She came here to seek the chance to break through under pressure.
So, relying on You You's warnings, Xie Zhaolin began looking for worthy opponents.
"You You, look for a lone beast nearby with about mid-stage Golden Core strength," she transmitted calmly.
That level of monster would push her to the edge of life and death, but not so far that she couldn't handle it. Perfect for honing herself.
"Got it, Master!" You You quickly expanded her sensing range.
Before long, she reported back, "Master, about eight miles northeast, there's a Shadow Leopard near its nest. It's incredibly fast, skilled at stealth and ambush, and it's a mid-Core beast. Looks like it lives alone."
"Good, that's the one."
A sharp glint of fighting intent flashed in Xie Zhaolin's eyes.
She moved in quietly.
To avoid alerting such a perceptive and agile beast, she ran the Breath Concealing Wood Transformation Art to its limit, keeping her presence perfectly hidden while sidestepping other lurking dangers.
That razor's-edge tension thrilled her.
Balancing concealment and timing an ambush demanded absolute focus.
Finally, when she got close enough, Xie Zhaolin struck without hesitation.
The battle erupted instantly!
The Shadow Leopard reacted with terrifying speed, narrowly dodging her lethal first strike before turning into a blur of black, slashing back with vicious claws.
It was faster than any beast she'd fought before!
Xie Zhaolin didn't dare hold back. Baleful qi surged through her body as she darted and twisted, crossing blows with the predator.
Sword light and claw shadows clashed, explosions ringing through the forest.
This fight was fiercer and deadlier than any before.
She poured every ounce of skill, instinct, and energy into each move just to keep up. At the same time, she had to maintain her concealment technique so her aura wouldn't leak and attract more monsters.
Splitting her focus like this drained her fast.
More than once, those razor-sharp claws grazed her skin, the gust from them stinging like whips.
"Its weak point's the waist!" You You shouted nervously but didn't dare disrupt her rhythm too much.
Xie Zhaolin's eyes turned icy cold. Spotting a brief opening, she drove a strand of baleful qi like a venomous serpent into the leopard's side!
Slash!
Blood sprayed across the ground.
The Shadow Leopard let out a pained roar, its movements faltering for a split second.
"Now!"
Xie Zhaolin surged forward, slamming her palm—charged with all her remaining strength—onto the beast's skull.
Boom!
The Shadow Leopard's massive body crashed to the ground, twitching twice before going still.
Xie Zhaolin exhaled sharply, sweat glistening on her temple.
That fight had drained her. But her eyes gleamed brighter than ever. The intense pressure had clearly sparked something within her.
She could feel her control over her current power becoming sharper, smoother. Her cultivation path this life—focused on baleful qi—was completely different from before, and she could only master it through real battle.
Over the next few days, guided by You You, she hunted down and defeated two more mid-Core beasts.
Each battle pushed her closer to the edge, and thanks to both her combat instincts and past-life experience, the barrier before her realm grew thinner and thinner.
She could feel it now, the moment of breakthrough just within reach.
Then one day, You You's tone changed.
"Master, that valley ahead… the Geng Metal energy there's incredibly pure! But there's something dangerous inside. The aura's close to late Core stage and filled with heavy baleful qi. It's very risky!"
Xie Zhaolin looked toward the valley, her eyes steady and resolute.
Extreme pressure brings extreme breakthrough.
"Then that's where we'll go," she said firmly.