A flicker of battle intent flashed through Xu Chunniang's eyes.
Besides the demonic white lions, White Lion Ridge was also home to other demonic beasts that might appear.
The demonic beasts there were generally around the third level of Qi Condensation, making them perfect opponents for her.
At the same cultivation level, demonic beasts and cultivators varied in strength, and each type of demonic beast possessed different abilities.
But one thing was beyond doubt: demonic beasts had stronger bodies than cultivators. That was their natural advantage.
Unless they possessed spiritual artifacts, talismans, or the like, low-level cultivators generally could not defeat demonic beasts of the same level.
That was because low-level cultivators had not mastered many spells. Once their spiritual power ran dry, they could only be carved up like fish on a chopping block by demonic beasts.
That was also why Xu Chunniang had chosen demonic beasts at the third level of Qi Condensation as her targets.
Although she was at the fourth level of Qi Condensation, she lacked actual combat experience. Against a demonic beast at the same fourth level, she did not have much chance of winning.
And even if she luckily killed a demonic beast of the same level, in a place as perilous as the Hundred Demonic Mountain Range, whether she could return safely remained unknown.
Venturing into the mountains alone, Xu Chunniang had to be even more cautious.
When she entered the mountains again, she changed out of the Carefree Sect disciple robes and immediately vanished into the crowd, looking little different from an ordinary Rogue Cultivator.
Yet among the large groups heading up the mountain together, her solitary journey was particularly conspicuous, drawing many looks of scrutiny and wariness.
After all, anyone who dared to come and go alone in the Hundred Demonic Mountain Range was no simple person.
Xu Chunniang paid no heed to the gazes of others. Once inside the mountains, she headed straight for White Lion Ridge.
White Lion Ridge was considered a rather famous location in the outer reaches of the Hundred Demonic Mountain Range. Xu Chunniang discovered that quite a few groups were actually heading in the same direction as she was.
However, these groups clearly had lived here for years and understood one another well.
After entering White Lion Ridge, they each chose a direction, giving the impression that they would not interfere with one another.
Xu Chunniang relaxed slightly and chose a direction to continue onward.
After walking for more than half an hour, she had not encountered a single demonic beast.
Xu Chunniang was not surprised. There were many people in White Lion Ridge, so she would likely have to go deeper to find anything. Without pausing, she continued inward.
After walking for another hour, the vegetation around her gradually changed, becoming taller and denser. She had reached the depths of White Lion Ridge.
Xu Chunniang slowed her pace and quietly raised her guard.
After crossing a small hillock, she spotted a pool of water in the distance.
With her sharp eyes, Xu Chunniang saw a spiritual herb growing beside the pool. It was Three Yuan Grass, the primary ingredient for refining Vitality Pills.
Her spirits lifted. Three Yuan Grass was extremely precious and was the main ingredient in Vitality Pills.
With just one stalk of Three Yuan Grass, together with several other medicinal herbs, one could refine a furnace of Vitality Pills.
This single stalk of Three Yuan Grass was worth at least fifteen spirit stones!
Though Xu Chunniang was tempted, she did not immediately step forward to pick it. A spiritual herb like Three Yuan Grass could not possibly lack a demonic beast guarding it.
Her gaze fell upon the pool, and a thoughtful glint flashed through her eyes. The demonic beast was very likely hiding within it.
She would know after testing it!
Xu Chunniang activated her Spirit Void Steps and made as though to pluck the Three Yuan Grass.
The instant she approached the Three Yuan Grass, a huge black shadow burst from the water, opening its jaws to reveal rows of gleaming white teeth as it savagely bit toward her!
It was a Blackwater Crocodile at the third level of Qi Condensation!
Xu Chunniang's heart sank slightly. This Blackwater Crocodile had a powerful aura. It had undoubtedly remained at the third level of Qi Condensation for a long time and was only a hair's breadth from the fourth level.
It had likely been guarding this Three Yuan Grass, waiting to eat it once it broke through.
The Blackwater Crocodile was a water-element demonic beast. Not only was it fast and powerful-jawed, but it could also cast water-element spells.
Its entire body was covered in hard black scales, and even its defensive ability was exceptionally formidable.
Its only weakness was its fear of fire. It was practically one of the fiercest and hardest-to-provoke demonic beasts in White Lion Ridge.
Xu Chunniang had not expected to run into such a tough opponent the moment she arrived at White Lion Ridge!
Even as thoughts raced through her mind, her feet were not slow. She shot backward like an arrow.
The Blackwater Crocodile pursued her relentlessly, keeping close behind her and occasionally spitting one or two water arrows to obstruct her.
While using Spirit Void Steps to dodge, Xu Chunniang considered how to deal with it.
The Blackwater Crocodile was water-aspected, so the Water Bind Technique likely would not restrain it for long. But she could use its fear of fire against it!
Having made up her mind, Xu Chunniang stopped merely evading and took out a Fireball Talisman she had seized yesterday from her Storage Bag.
Seizing the right moment, she pinched the Fireball Talisman and threw it into the Blackwater Crocodile's wide-open mouth!
"Fireball Talisman, explode!"
The talisman exploded directly inside the Blackwater Crocodile's mouth, and a brilliant blaze flared up.
The Blackwater Crocodile cried out in pain, frightened by the flames as well. It immediately roared in fury, looking at Xu Chunniang with both hatred and fear.
Xu Chunniang's face was cold as frost. After detonating the Fireball Talisman, she immediately cast the Water Bind Technique. Gritting her teeth, she cast three Water Bind Techniques at once.
Three water spheres surged toward the Blackwater Crocodile from three directions, instantly wrapping the roaring beast tightly within them!
Even after doing all that, Xu Chunniang did not stop. She cast the Spirit Blast Technique at the fastest speed possible, swiftly splitting out four bursts of Explosive Spiritual Qi.
Just as she was about to split them again, three muffled "pop, pop, pop" sounds rang out. The three water spheres had all been broken apart by the Blackwater Crocodile!
Xu Chunniang's heart tightened, and her hands moved even faster. As the Blackwater Crocodile charged toward her, she finally split the Explosive Spiritual Qi once more.
She fiercely thrust all the Explosive Spiritual Qi toward the Blackwater Crocodile while frantically activating Spirit Void Steps to retreat.
"Bang!"
Eight tiny bursts of Explosive Spiritual Qi, each carrying destructive force no weaker than the Fireball Technique, exploded simultaneously on the Blackwater Crocodile's head!
The Blackwater Crocodile immediately collapsed to the ground. A bloody, mangled hole had been blasted through its head, blood gushing from it in torrents.
The Blackwater Crocodile was not dead yet. It was merely taking in less air than it let out, clearly on the verge of death.
Xu Chunniang's face was pale from using too much spiritual power in too short a time.
She did not rashly approach the Blackwater Crocodile. Only after watching it breathe its last did she walk forward.
Though today's battle had seemed dangerous, the rhythm of the fight had in fact remained in Xu Chunniang's grasp throughout.
However, the battle had ended so quickly largely because that Fireball Talisman had rendered great service.
After Xu Chunniang's counter-robbery, she had obtained three Low-grade Talismans in total: two Fireball Talismans and one Swiftness Talisman.
Now that the Fireball Talisman had been used up, only the final Swiftness Talisman remained.
Xu Chunniang thought to herself that she could prepare more talismans to carry with her in the future.
Although these talismans possessed only sixty to seventy percent of the original spell's power, they could be activated instantly and required none of her own spiritual power. They were extremely convenient and useful.
After placing the Blackwater Crocodile's corpse into her Storage Bag, Xu Chunniang looked at the blood on the ground. Blackwater Crocodile blood could be used to make talisman ink, so it could not be wasted.
Aside from the blood that had seeped into the soil and truly could not be collected, Xu Chunniang left none of the rest behind, gathering a full seven bottles.
After collecting the blood, Xu Chunniang cast the Spiritual Rain Technique where she stood and washed the area clean.
Once she confirmed that the scent of blood had become extremely faint, she returned to the poolside, took out a medicinal hoe, and carefully dug up the Three Yuan Grass.
After placing the Three Yuan Grass into a Jade Box and putting it away, Xu Chunniang smiled faintly.
Encountering this Blackwater Crocodile today had been somewhat dangerous, but danger and reward went hand in hand.
This Three Yuan Grass alone was worth at least fifteen spirit stones, while the Blackwater Crocodile in her Storage Bag was worth no less.
Though she was somewhat tired, Xu Chunniang was even more excited. She had always longed to earn more spirit stones and buy a suitable spiritual artifact for protection.
In a situation like today's, if she had possessed a spiritual artifact, the Blackwater Crocodile would have been even less of a match for her.
She had earned so much from just one trip into White Lion Ridge. Before long, she would surely save enough spirit stones to own a spiritual artifact of her own.
A blazing fighting spirit rose in Xu Chunniang's heart. Earn spirit stones, buy a spiritual artifact!
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