The Gathering Mission

Before long, the slight awkwardness between the two of them dissipated, with most of the credit going to Qin Fuyue.

She had a lively personality, dragging Ye Ling to stroll through the courtyards and pavilions of the City Lord's estate, talking non-stop as they walked.

“Ye Ling, there's only a little over a year left until the next sect selection, and I've already reached the Houtian Eighth Layer!”

“When the time comes, I'm going to participate in the selection and join the Qinglan Sword Sect to find you!”

Qin Fuyue turned to face her, her gaze fixed intently on Ye Ling, her tone earnest.

Ye Ling nodded. “Alright, I will wait for you at the Qinglan Sword Sect.”

“I just heard the City Lord say that you've been training tirelessly. In just over a year, you went from the Houtian Fifth Layer to the Houtian Eighth Layer. You have indeed worked very hard.”

Qin Fuyue giggled, her eyes sparkling with vibrant light.

“Of course! I have to catch up to your footsteps, step by step.”

The two of them walked to a small pavilion by the water and sat side by side, chatting about various things for a long time.

They talked about everything from the trivial details of Qin Fuyue's daily sword practice and the miscellaneous affairs of the estate, to Ye Ling's cultivation in the sect, the friends she had made, and her experiences of training and fighting.

In the warmth of their conversation, time flew by. Twilight gradually settled over the horizon, painting the sky with a warm, glowing sunset.

As their conversation wound down, Ye Ling took out a packet of pills and Houtian cultivation resources that she had set aside specifically for her, handing them to Qin Fuyue.

“Take these. I have already broken through to the Xiantian Realm, so these Houtian resources are of no use to me.”

“I distributed most of the resources to my clan, but I specifically kept this portion for you.”

“Work hard. I look forward to seeing you at the Sword Sect during the selection in a year.”

Looking at the heavy medicine bottles and cloth bag, Qin Fuyue's nose suddenly tingled, and a wave of warmth surged in her heart.

Despite the vast distance and the huge gap in their cultivation, Ye Ling had kept her in her heart all along.

Unable to hold back any longer, she took a step forward and hugged Ye Ling tightly.

Ye Ling's body stiffened slightly. Although she had a few close friends and mentors in the sect, such an intimate hug was a first for her.

After a moment, she relaxed and reached up to pat Qin Fuyue's shoulder.

“Alright, you must seize the time to cultivate.”

“It is getting late. I should head out.”

After holding each other for a brief moment, Qin Fuyue reluctantly let go, gripping her sleeves tightly as she nodded vigorously.

“I will definitely train with all my might, and I will definitely come find you!”

Ye Ling nodded in farewell, then leaped into the air.

Her green robes swept across the sky, turning into a clear sword light that quickly dissolved into the twilight horizon.

Qin Fuyue stood by the pavilion, looking up, unwilling to take a step away for a long time.

At some point, the Baiyun City Lord walked slowly to her side, gazing at the distant sky with a soft sigh.

“Mid-stage Xiantian Realm... Ye Ling's cultivation talent is truly unsurpassed in all of Qingyun.”

He turned to look at his daughter, his tone turning serious.

“Fuyue, if you truly want to be a close friend who can stand by Ye Ling's side in the long run, you cannot just stop at admiration and dependence.”

“You must quiet your heart and cultivate diligently, passing the sect selection with your own abilities.”

“Only by catching up to her footsteps will you be qualified to walk alongside her.”

“Instead of just watching from afar and becoming a burden to her.”

“Do not let her care for you go to waste, and do not let down the resilience you have built up over these past two years.”

Qin Fuyue did not answer, only gripping the medicine bottles in her arms even tighter.

Staring at the last sliver of twilight on the horizon, she nodded heavily.

After leaving Baiyun City, Ye Ling flew west on her sword, arriving at the outskirts of Heifeng Valley in just half an hour.

During this trip down the mountain, she had taken on a total of five missions.

Among them, the mission to hunt down the wanted criminal Lin Jie was already successfully completed, leaving four remaining missions: one spiritual herb gathering mission and three regional exploration missions.

Weighing the distance and difficulty, Ye Ling decided to prioritize the gathering mission in Heifeng Valley, which was the closest.

Standing high in the air, Ye Ling looked down for a moment. After confirming there were no hidden high-level dangers around, she slowly recalled her sword and descended.

Black mist billowed at the entrance of the valley, and a chilling wind carrying a metallic stench rushed at her.

She took out a translucent, white Miasma-Dispersing Pill and put it into her mouth. The pill dissolved instantly.

A stream of cool medicinal power instantly circulated through her limbs and bones, forming a thin protective barrier of light on the surface of her body, sufficient to isolate the erosion of the valley's toxic miasma.

Even though she was already a mid-stage Xiantian Realm cultivator with a powerful physical body, Ye Ling did not show the slightest carelessness.

Heifeng Valley had a notorious reputation in the Heishui region. Cultivators had to act with caution and maintain a steady heart to survive for long.

Having prepared her defenses, Ye Ling took light steps and walked straight into the billowing black mist of the valley entrance.

The chilling wind inside the valley was even stronger, and the black miasma was as thick as ink, blotting out the sky and sun. Her vision was restricted to a very short distance, and the air was filled with a cold, solemn, earthy stench.

The cold miasma and poison in this place were extremely heavy, making it impossible for ordinary vegetation to survive. Yet, it was the perfect breeding ground for ferocious demon beasts and unique poisonous herbs.

The demon beasts inhabiting the valley were of very high ranks, with the lowest being at the late-stage Houtian Realm, and there were also many Xiantian Realm demon beasts.

It was precisely because of this harsh environment that the Quiet Heart Grass, a spiritual herb required for her sect mission, could grow here.

This herb preferred shade and fed on poison, growing only in places with dense miasma and heavy malevolent aura. Furthermore, it naturally attracted beasts.

Almost every mature Quiet Heart Grass was guarded by a Xiantian Realm demon beast.

Ye Ling followed the faint spiritual energy unique to the spiritual herb, walking steadily through the black mist.

Before long, in a rocky gully where the miasma was slightly thinner, a glimmer of faint green light caught her eye.

There was a patch of over a dozen Quiet Heart Grass plants, growing exceptionally well.

Their stalks were slender and flexible, a dark, deep green all over, with tiny silver-white flowers blooming at the tips of the leaves.

The entire spiritual herb emitted a faint, cool medicinal fragrance that was extremely difficult to distinguish when mixed with the miasma, which was why it was rarely found by others.

And right in front of this patch of Quiet Heart Grass, a well-built demon beast was coiled.

A Demon Claw Wolf, a demon beast unique to Heifeng Valley.

At this moment, it was lying lazily on the pile of rocks. Its grayish-black fur was as hard as iron, and the claws on its limbs gleamed with a cold light.

Its body lines were sleek and full of explosive power, and its aura was firmly at the mid-stage Xiantian Realm. It seemed this was indeed the demon beast guarding the Quiet Heart Grass.

Under normal circumstances, it would rest peacefully here, and no one would dare to provoke it.

But the moment Ye Ling's figure stepped into its territory, the Demon Claw Wolf suddenly raised its head. A fierce light flashed in its pair of green wolf eyes, and it leaped forward.

The majestic pressure of a Xiantian Realm demon beast bore down with a crash. The chilling wind, wrapped in malevolent energy, pressed directly against Ye Ling's body, bringing a ferocious and violent force right to her face.

Feeling this powerful beastly pressure, a glint of interest actually flashed in Ye Ling's eyes.

Since she began her cultivation, she had mostly used her sword to fight enemies, rarely relying purely on her physical body.

Today was the perfect opportunity to test just how strong her physical body had become.

With her mind made up, Ye Ling simply abandoned her sword and chose not to circulate her protective true essence.

Relying solely on pure physical strength, she condensed power into her fists. Without moving or dodging, she threw a direct punch forward.

The wind exploded with a roar as her punch carried a steady and domineering force. Though devoid of any fancy moves, it possessed an ultimate explosive power.

Seeing that this human cultivator actually dared to meet its attack with bare hands, a hint of contempt flashed in the wolf's eyes, deeming her utterly arrogant.

Instantly, its sharp claws sliced through the air with a sharp screech, clawing fiercely toward Ye Ling's fist.