The ground squelched beneath their boots, half-rotted leaves and old beast remains crunching underfoot. A thick, eerie silence hung in the air, broken only by the occasional distant howl or guttural roar of something unseen.
Ye Qingxue's blade sliced through the air in a practiced arc, cleanly severing the neck of a mutated boar-like creature that had lunged at her. Its body hit the ground with a wet thump, twitching a few times before falling still. Her breath was ragged, eyes alert.
Blood speckled her cheeks, and her muscles ached from constant tension. Still, her gaze remained sharp.
Above her, Ling Yu crouched down on the high branch, the hem of her clothes fluttering in the wind, her eyes were calm and unreadable. Ling Yu didn't plan on interfering unless it was necessary. She would let Ye Qingxue take the lead till there's a dangerous beast comes their way that the girl can't handle. This wasn't a fight for her; it was Ye Qingxue's training ground.
