Chapter 79: All Thanks to Courage

“Huff, huff.”
Heavy, labored breaths resounded in Baili Tianchang’s ears.

Her hands were tightly clutching steel needles, and with her frail spiritual sense combined with the experience accumulated from her previous life, she made one last confirmation of the spot she was about to strike.

The moment the demonic wild boar gaped its blood-red maw, baring its chilling fangs, the steel needles gripped between Baili Tianchang’s hands shot forth with lightning speed.

The boar’s bristling, jet-black hide was as hard as iron spikes, yet its weakest points—inside its mouth, its eyes, and the soft flesh beneath its belly—were all struck by Baili Tianchang’s flying needles!

A piercing, guttural roar rang out beside her ear; Baili Tianchang could tell that the demonic wild boar was writhing in agony and howling as it rolled on the ground.

Yet her feet were glued fast to the earth by a sticky white foam. She knew she should dodge, but her body would not obey.

The wild, murderous fury of the demonic boar had now been thoroughly provoked by Baili Tianchang.

In its final frantic struggle, it charged at her with no regard for its own safety.

There was nothing more she could do.

She had already done all she could. Now, immobilized, she could only hope the poison-laced needles embedded in the creature would take effect swiftly.

Though the needles were all laced with venom, whether the toxin would work, or whether it could overcome the poison that the demonic boar itself harbored, was something Baili Tianchang had no certainty about.

All that remained was to leave it to fate.

Silently, she began to count in her heart. One, two, three...

If the poison on the needles was effective, the boar should fall by the time she counted to ten.

If she counted past ten and the beast did not collapse, then it would be her own turn to fall.

Seven... Eight...

The demonic wild boar roared and shrieked in pain, now only a step away from Baili Tianchang!

Yet at that moment, her mind was curiously clear, emptied of all distracting thoughts.

Nine...

Whatever is meant to come—life or death—let it arrive as it will.

Ten!

As she silently counted the tenth number, the demonic wild boar, struggling, managed to raise a paw, reaching for Baili Tianchang.

But just as it lifted its paw, the last of its strength deserted it.

With a heavy thud, its bulky form crashed to the ground. The roaring in its throat faded to a feeble whimper, and moments later, even that sound vanished.

Baili Tianchang’s heart was still and calm.

The demonic wild boar was dead, but her entire body was coated in the sticky white foam, leaving her unable to move. If she didn’t resolve this quickly, she would not be so fortunate the next time.

She tried to remove her outer robe, hoping to rid herself of the foam clinging to it.

Yet the robe was smeared with foam everywhere—there was no clean spot to grip.

There was nothing for it but to discard her shoes and leap to a clean patch of ground. At least she could move again, though standing barefoot on the earth was still perilous.

She tore off her protective mask and tossed it aside, finally able to open her eyes.

From her storage ring, she drew a dagger and, with crisp efficiency, cut the outer robe from her body, not leaving a single scrap behind. Only her inner garments remained.