Chapter 53
After two days of relentless training, Song Ling finally stopped. She had mastered her new abilities, able to control her power at will. She was now as powerful as Mark, the seasoned jiangshi king, who finally acknowledged his own inferiority.
“Song Ling, you’ve reached a point where further training is unnecessary. You’ve mastered your abilities. You can go find her now.”
“Yes, I feel confident in my abilities. I’ll leave after I freshen up. Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”
“No, I have some things to attend to. And besides, you’re as powerful as I am now. I wouldn’t be of much help. Let’s part ways here.”
“Alright. Thank you for everything, Mark.”
“Don’t mention it. I didn’t do anything. It was all your own effort. Enough with the pleasantries. I’ve prepared a supply of blood for you to take with you. It will save you some trouble. Take it with you. I’m leaving now. I won’t wait for you.”
“Okay, thank you again. You can leave if you have things to do.”
Mark left without another word. Song Ling went inside, washed up, packed a few necessities, and then set off. She had no idea where Li Xinjun had gone, but she knew that if Li Xinjun was deliberately avoiding her, she wouldn’t go anywhere Song Ling might think to look. So, Song Ling chose a random direction and started walking.
She figured that if she were trying to avoid Li Xinjun, she would seek out a remote and isolated place. She decided to focus her search on such areas.
She had heard of a place called the Black Forest, far to the west. It was a place shrouded in legends and rumors, some claiming it to be a cursed forest, inhabited by demons and monsters, a place where those who entered never returned.
Such a terrifying reputation kept people away. It would be the perfect place for Li Xinjun to hide, a sanctuary from the world.
Song Ling traveled for days, finally reaching the entrance to the legendary Black Forest. She entered without hesitation. A thick fog blanketed the forest, obscuring her vision. She hadn’t gone far when she sensed a strong demonic aura, confirming the rumors of its supernatural inhabitants.
She was a powerful jiangshi now, one of the strongest beings in the demon world. She wasn’t afraid. She continued deeper into the forest, her senses heightened, searching for any trace of Li Xinjun’s scent.
The trees grew thick and close together, the fog adding to the sense of claustrophobia. It was the perfect place for an ambush. Even her enhanced vision was of little use here. She hadn’t been in the forest long when she felt a predator’s gaze upon her.
The creature had been watching her since she entered the forest. It had been a long time since any human had dared to venture into this domain, so it was intrigued by Song Ling’s presence.
Its black fur made it almost invisible in the shadowy forest. The trees were mostly a dark black, hence the name Black Forest.
It resembled a leopard, but it was larger than a lion and had two heads. Its claws were more powerful than a bear’s, capable of disemboweling its prey with a single swipe.
The two-headed leopard stalked Song Ling, observing her every move. When the opportunity arose, it leaped from behind a tree, pouncing on her. Song Ling, sensing the attack, swiftly dodged and then, with surprising strength, pinned the creature to the ground, her hands firmly gripping its two heads.
The two-headed leopard, stunned by her agility and strength, struggled to escape, its claws raking across Song Ling’s face, leaving three bloody gashes. Song Ling, her hands occupied, couldn’t block the attack.
The pain and the sight of her own blood enraged her. With a surge of power, she twisted the creature’s two heads, snapping its necks.
Blood gushed from the severed necks. The headless body twitched and convulsed. The scent of fresh blood filled the air, and Song Ling, unable to resist, bent down and drank deeply from one of the wounds, satisfying her thirst. She then collected the remaining blood in a bottle from her bag and continued deeper into the forest.
She heard the sound of a waterfall in the distance and, looking down at her blood-soaked clothes, decided to wash up. She followed the sound and soon came to a beautiful waterfall. She smiled and, without hesitation, removed her clothes and stepped into the pool of water beneath the cascading falls.
The cool water was refreshing. She had been traveling for days and had just fought a fierce battle. She could smell the blood on her clothes and was eager to wash it away.
She submerged herself in the water, emerging a few minutes later. Water droplets clung to her long hair, creating a shimmering halo around her, like a goddess emerging from a spring.
She touched her face, where the leopard had scratched her, and was surprised to find that the wounds had vanished, leaving no trace. She realized that being a jiangshi wasn’t all bad.
If she were still human, those scratches would be swollen and infected, leaving ugly scars. But now, they had healed perfectly.
She sighed contentedly and stepped out of the water, drying herself and putting on her clothes. She sat down beneath a large tree to rest, closing her eyes and extending her senses, searching for Li Xinjun’s scent, but there was nothing.
This had become her daily ritual. She searched for Li Xinjun tirelessly, her senses constantly scanning the surroundings, even while she rested. She didn’t want to waste a single moment.
However, her efforts had been futile. She had found no trace of Li Xinjun, not even a hint of her scent. With her enhanced senses, she could easily detect anything within a radius of fifty miles. If Li Xinjun were nearby, she would have sensed her by now.
She began to wonder if she was searching in the wrong direction, but she couldn’t bear to leave the forest unexplored, fearing she might miss Li Xinjun. She had no choice but to continue her blind search.
As a result, she had spent almost half a year exploring the Black Forest, a place teeming with demons and monsters. However, the creatures of the forest, upon seeing her, fled in terror, like demons fleeing from an avenging angel.
During those six months, she had slain almost every beast in the forest. Initially, some of the more powerful creatures had challenged her, underestimating her strength, but after witnessing her devour their comrades, they learned to fear her.
Her martial arts skills had reached new heights, surpassing even Mark’s abilities. And thanks to her exploration of the Black Forest, the world would be free from those terrifying creatures for many years to come. But that was a story for another time.
Song Ling had just finished slaying a giant, ferocious bear-man. The creature, unfortunate enough to encounter her while she was hungry, had been decapitated. She was now collecting its blood in a bottle, preparing to leave the Black Forest, which she had thoroughly explored.
“Thank you, Mr. Bear. Your contribution will allow me to continue my journey.”
She packed the bottle of blood away and, with a final glance at the dead bear-man, turned to leave. She hadn’t found any trace of Li Xinjun in the Black Forest. She decided to return to their cottage, checking in with Henry and Mark along the way, and then decide where to go next.
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