C18 Desperate!

The icy wind on the cliff made Su Qianxun shiver violently; it was unbearably cold, and she was injured. Staring into the abyss below, she felt a chill of fear. She wanted to move but didn't dare, fearing that the slightest motion might send her plummeting down. The thought of falling into that endless chasm made her wonder if she'd survive the drop.

A gust of wind swept over her, leaving her feeling as hopeless as a lamb lost in a storm. But staying on the cliff's edge wasn't an option. Su Qianxun began to think of a way out. Her eyes landed on a massive rock. It wasn't smooth and had many cracks, as if a strong breeze could turn it to dust. She studied the rock, forming a plan in her mind.

Slowly, she began to shift her body, inching her way up. A soft "snap" of a breaking twig made her freeze, but she gritted her teeth and continued to rise. The pain from her wounds was relentless, but she ignored it, pushing through the agony to stand.

Crack! Crack! The sound of snapping branches echoed, making Su Qianxun's heart skip a beat. Watching the fragile branch, he executed a nimble flip just as it was about to break, leaping onto a nearby rock with a quick maneuver. He landed steadily, though the rock wasn't entirely smooth. It was covered in moss, and he nearly slipped as he surveyed the slick green surface.

Carefully, Su Qianxun began feeling his way along the cliff face, which was riddled with treacherous pits and crevices. He considered stepping into these pits, but a quick test with his hand revealed they weren't even half a hand deep, let alone suitable for footing.

With injuries still plaguing him, a fall would be disastrous. Left with no other choice, he edged sideways along a narrow path that hugged the cliff face. It was perilously tight, but it seemed to be his only option. Gritting his teeth, Su Qianxun pressed himself against the cliff and moved forward.

The cliff face was dangerously cold, the chill seeping into his bones. The biting wind whipped against his face, forcing him to squint to keep dust and sand from his eyes. This slowed his progress considerably, but he had no choice but to proceed with caution.

"Rip!" Su Qianxun couldn't help but gasp as the cold air hit her wound, intensifying the pain. It seemed like the injury had worsened, but now was not the time to give up. The abyss-like cliff was shrouded in a black fog, with faint white rings resembling eyes, and the chilling air was piercing.

Looking down, Su Qianxun felt a sudden chill. A sense of danger crept over her as a massive snake appeared, its body long and imposing. The sight of its crimson tongue made her skin crawl. In her hand, a blue flame flickered to life, swiftly targeting the snake.

The snake's cold eyes fixed on Su Qianxun, as if it intended to devour her. It was a peculiar creature, with a fleshy crest on its thick tongue, a vivid red. That crest sparked a memory in Su Qianxun's mind. She had seen this snake before, and the crest was familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had encountered it.

Suddenly, the snake lunged at her, and Su Qianxun narrowly dodged its attack. Startled, but quick to react, she evaded the snake's strike. Enraged by its failed attempt, the snake spat venomously in her direction.

Su Qianxun managed to grab onto a rock protruding from the cliff just in time to avoid being struck by the giant snake. As the creature's saliva began to drip onto the cliff, it started to corrode the surface. Watching this, Su Qianxun suddenly remembered what it was.

This snake was known as the Spirit Root Snake, a rare creature. Its flesh had the miraculous ability to heal wounds and cure diseases. The snake had different levels of potency: if its flesh was a regular color, it could heal wounds and cure diseases; if it was a pale gold, it could be refined into a high-grade elixir; and if it was pure gold, it could directly enhance one's cultivation.

The snake in front of Su Qianxun had regular-colored flesh, which, while not the most potent, was exactly what he needed at the moment. Su Qianxun quickly moved forward, a blue light forming in his hand. Although the flesh atop the snake's head was valuable, fighting it on the cliff face was not in his favor.

The space was cramped, but if he didn’t kill the snake, it wouldn’t let him go either. So, he had to take a chance. Su Qianxun licked his dry lips, tense with anticipation. The light in his hand grew brighter and more intense until it stopped gathering and transformed into a blue sword. The sword shimmered with light, and the snake's eyes flickered with a hint of caution.

The massive creature was the first to attack, its enormous body scaling the cliff as it moved toward Su Qianxun. Su Qianxun's right hand began to gather a fireball, and just as the serpent was about to reach him, he hurled it forward. The serpent couldn't dodge in time and was knocked back slightly, but it wasn't harmed; its scales still gleamed with a faint light. Seeing this, Su Qianxun realized things weren't looking good.

The serpent seemed to understand that the fireball was ineffective and immediately lunged at Su Qianxun with its gaping maw. Su Qianxun planted his sword firmly in front of him, and it immediately glowed with a blue light. As he chanted an incantation, the sword began to transform, splitting into two, then three. Finally, the swords were ready. Su Qianxun shouted, "Go!" The swords flew toward the serpent, quickly forming a series of encircling rings. The serpent roared in anger as the swords began to strike it.

Due to its massive size, the serpent couldn't move easily, and it spat fireballs from its mouth. Su Qianxun knew he couldn't stay there much longer; killing the serpent wasn't going to be easy, and he needed to find a way out. He started feeling along the cliff wall and eventually found a thick vine. Overjoyed, he grabbed the vine and began to slide down. However, things rarely go as planned, and the serpent was close to breaking free.

Su Qianxun couldn't give up, even as the giant snake struggled to break free. She watched as her blue sword returned to her hand. The glow from the spirit sword had dimmed, and the blue aura was fading. The snake slithered down, and Su Qianxun bit her lip, finally sheathing her sword.

As the snake's massive head loomed closer, Su Qianxun decided to take a gamble. She calculated how high she needed to jump to grab the large crest on its head. The moment was now! As the crest came within reach, Su Qianxun leaped up, grabbed it, and mounted the snake's head.

"Roar!" The snake thrashed in anger, trying to throw Su Qianxun off. She drew her sword and plunged it into the gap between the scales on the snake's back.

"Roar!" The snake howled in pain, almost deafening Su Qianxun. It then dove downward at an incredible speed. Su Qianxun scanned the surroundings, searching for a place to hide or take cover.

Su Qianxun quickly reacted, thrilled by the speed of the situation. Breaking free from the snake's grip, she leaped into the cave. The snake's violent thrashing caused rocks to tumble down the mountain.

With a thunderous crash, a massive boulder sealed the cave entrance. Su Qianxun rolled into the cave, clutching something hot. She glanced down to find a piece of flesh in her hand, feeling a mix of relief and disgust.

Luckily, she hadn't let go, and the texture was surprisingly satisfying. The snake, now deprived of this vital part, would likely die. Outside, she heard a furious roar, but then silence fell.

Looking at the piece of flesh, Su Qianxun shuddered, realizing it might be some kind of parasite. Despite her injuries, she decided to focus on recovering her strength. Escaping seemed impossible with the entrance blocked.

Days passed, and Su Qianxun's condition worsened. Watching her body weaken, she forced a bitter smile. Was she really going to die here?

Finally, she tilted her head, eyeing the piece of meat. With a determined look, she bit down hard, chewing with resolve. The intense metallic taste nearly made Su Qianxun gag, but soon a surge of energy coursed through her body. She immediately sat cross-legged in the cave, focusing on her breathing.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, her injuries were completely healed, which surprised her a bit. She picked up her sword, mustered her strength, and with one powerful strike, shattered the large rock!

Su Qianxun examined the ground with her heightened senses and discovered something unusual at the bottom of the valley. There was a strong, collective energy present, but no sign of any living being. After a moment of contemplation, she grabbed a vine and descended.

Upon landing, she found herself in a vast field of spiritual herbs and rare medicinal plants. Recognizing their immense value, Su Qianxun decided to stay and make the most of these resources.