Xie Zhaolin steadied her breathing, making sure the Breath Concealing Wood Transformation Art was still running smoothly before silently slipping into the valley.
The moment she stepped inside, the air changed. The spiritual energy became sharper, almost metallic.
At the valley's center lay an exposed ore vein, glinting with the cold, silvery sheen unique to metal. The pure Geng Metal energy she'd sensed earlier was clearly emanating from there.
But along with that energy came a heavy, violent pressure that made the heart tighten.
Near the deepest part of the vein, a massive beast crouched low against the rocks. It looked like a giant wolf, but its entire body was covered in dark-golden scales. Along its spine grew a row of bone spurs shaped like swords, each one shimmering with a deadly gleam.
It was exactly what You You had mentioned—the Goldback Wolf!
The power radiating from its body was terrifying. Its energy matched a sixth-layer Core Formation beast, just one step short of the late stage.
"Master... this creature's even stronger than what I sensed!" You You's voice carried an edge of tension. "It seems to be in a half-sleep cultivation state, absorbing the Geng Metal energy. But if it's disturbed, it'll definitely go berserk!"
Xie Zhaolin's eyes were razor-sharp, fixed on the wolf.
The gap between their strengths was huge. But that was exactly what she came here for—to face overwhelming pressure!
Instead of rushing to attack, she carefully studied the beast's posture and the terrain around it.
"It's absorbing Geng Metal energy... maybe I can use that," she thought quickly.
Quietly, she moved to the upwind side. From the You Ming Bracelet, she pulled out several things—materials harvested from previous battles and a few low-quality metal-type ores.
Forming hand seals, she wrapped the materials in cold baleful qi and started refining them with utmost caution.
"Master, what're you doing?" You You asked in confusion.
"Giving it a little something extra," she said with a cold smile curling on her lips.
She was crafting bait.
By fusing metal-type materials with baleful qi, she could create a strange variant of Geng Metal energy that would strongly attract a metal-type beast—but hide a deadly trap within.
Moments later, a small pill formed in her palm, swirling with dark-golden light and strange fluctuations. Holding her breath, she used a gentle push of spiritual energy to float the bait toward the ore vein, placing it just downwind of the wolf's snout.
Once done, she retreated swiftly, hiding behind a large boulder to wait.
Time crept by.
The Goldback Wolf's nose twitched slightly, catching the alluring scent of the fake Geng Metal energy.
Its blood-red eyes opened a slit, glinting with both suspicion and greed. It hesitated for a moment but eventually gave in to instinct, lifting its head and stretching its massive tongue toward the bait.
Just as its tongue was about to touch the pill—
Xie Zhaolin's eyes flashed cold light.
"Detonate!"
With a single thought—
Boom!!!
The pill exploded!
It didn't burst with raw energy, but with a surge of thick black-red baleful qi. Hidden within were countless fine, needle-like threads of condensed killing intent that shot straight toward the wolf's nose, eyes, and other weak spots!
"Awooo!!!"
The Goldback Wolf let out an earth-shaking roar of agony!
It never expected to be ambushed like this in its own territory.
The sharp pain in its eyes and snout sent it into a frenzy. Its terrifying energy flared, and the full force of its sixth-layer Golden Core aura exploded across the valley.
"Human! Ant! You dare seek death?!"
At the moment the beast actually spoke, Xie Zhaolin's pupils contracted sharply.
Only beasts who'd reached the Nascent Soul stage could normally speak human tongue. How could a Golden Core beast talk?
That meant it wasn't just powerful—its intelligence had already surpassed the limits of its rank!
But she had no time to think. The wolf's voice was dripping with murderous intent as its scarlet gaze locked directly onto the boulder hiding her.
"It's coming!"
Her heart tightened.
Knowing the trap had worked, she stopped hiding. Her figure shot out from behind the rock, meeting the charging wolf head-on!
A surge of black baleful qi erupted from her body, spreading in every direction. Within a hundred feet, the air turned cold enough to freeze breath, slowing the wolf's movements.
At the same time, her hands moved in a blur, forming countless claw shadows of pure darkness. Each one carried a soul-tearing chill as they rained down toward the wolf.
"Petty tricks!"
The Goldback Wolf roared furiously. The bone spurs on its back stood upright, releasing blinding golden light!
Dozens of razor-sharp Geng Metal Sword Qi shot out like a storm, slamming into the shadow claws.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The entire valley trembled as energy waves ripped through it, sending rocks flying.
Xie Zhaolin gritted her teeth and coughed up blood, her body reeling from the impact. The clash of raw power made her painfully aware of the gap in their cultivation.
But her gaze only grew colder, her fighting spirit sharper.
This was exactly the kind of life-and-death pressure she sought!
"Again!"
Wiping the blood from her lips, she pushed her movement technique to the limit. No longer clashing head-on, she weaved through the air with deadly grace, using the slowing power of her baleful qi to keep the wolf in check.
She moved like a drifting shadow in a storm, always a breath away from destruction but never caught.
The furious wolf lashed out with claws and fangs, bone spurs launching wave after wave of sword qi that tore the valley floor into jagged trenches.
But Xie Zhaolin unleashed the full might of her yinsha qi. Its chilling, corrosive nature gnawed at the wolf's armor and drained its strength bit by bit.
Each evasive step she took turned into a counterattack, precise and deadly. With You You's guidance, her strikes always landed on the beast's weaker scales, leaving deep, bleeding wounds.
She had stronger means at her disposal—
Inside the You Ming Bracelet, the dark-golden puppet warrior was ready to fight. Her storage ring held talismans, weapons, even self-destructing Shisha Spider Puppets. Any of them could shift the tide instantly.
But she refused to use them. She wanted to rely only on her own power, to break through her limits in real combat. Outside help might win the fight faster, but for her path, it would only poison her progress.
Roar!
"Cunning human! All you can do is run?!" the wolf roared in rage, its voice echoing through the shattered valley.
Xie Zhaolin didn't respond. Her focus was absolute, her mind, body, and spirit united as one.
She could feel it now—her baleful qi boiling inside her veins, hammering against the wall of her Core Formation stage.
It was shaking. Cracking.
Almost there.
Almost—
Then, just as the battle reached its peak and she was about to grasp that elusive breakthrough—
Boom—!!!
A deep, thunderous crash echoed from beyond the valley, shaking the earth beneath her feet.