Chapter 23: Battle of Beasts

As Thale watched, the serpent managed to kill a few of the wolves, its venomous fangs and powerful coils proving to be formidable weapons. However, the wolves were tenacious and managed to land a few blows of their own, causing the serpent to cry out in pain as it was injured.

Despite its injuries, the serpent continued to fight on, determined to defend its territory. The wolves, on the other hand, seemed to sense that they had the upper hand, and they began to press their attack even harder, snarling and snapping as they tried to take down the serpent.

Thale could see that the serpent was starting to weaken, its movements becoming sluggish as it struggled to keep up with the wolves. At the same time, the wolves seemed to be gaining in strength, their fur standing on end as they fought with all their might.

It was clear that this battle could go either way, and Thale held his breath as he watched, wondering which of these powerful creatures would emerge victorious.

In a final, desperate attack, the serpent seemed to draw upon the Qi from the surrounding area, its body glowing as it released a cloud of poisonous gas towards the wolves.

The wolves yelped in pain as the gas enveloped them, their fur singed and their bodies writhing as they tried to escape. Despite their efforts, however, it was clear that the gas was too powerful, and one by one, the wolves fell to the ground, their bodies twitching as the poison coursed through their veins.

The serpent, however, was not much better off. Its body was wracked with pain, and it let out one final, pitiful cry before collapsing to the ground, its strength spent.

Thale watched as the two creatures lay there, their bodies still as the life slowly drained out of them. It was a brutal and brutal reminder of the harsh realities of nature, and Thale couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness as he turned away, his thoughts turning to Elara and the events that had brought him to this place.

Thale carefully approached the battlefield, his senses heightened as he scanned the area for any signs of life. Despite the obvious danger, he knew that he couldn't afford to be careless, not when so much was at stake.

As he approached the fallen serpent, he could see that its body was still, its scales dull and lifeless. He reached out and touched it, feeling the coldness of death beneath his fingers. Satisfied that the serpent was truly dead, he turned his attention to the wolves.

Like the serpent, the wolves were also clearly dead, their bodies twisted and contorted in the final throes of their struggle. Thale let out a sigh of relief, grateful that he had not been forced to fight for his own survival.

With the danger now past, Thale turned his attention to the crystal that lay amongst the bodies of the wolves. It was a beautiful, shimmering thing, filled with a pulsing energy that seemed to call out to him. He reached out and picked it up, feeling a surge of excitement as he held it in his hand.

This was it, he realized. This was his chance to truly begin his cultivation journey, to tap into the vast potential that lay within him and rise to greatness. And with that thought in mind, Thale turned and walked back to his makeshift campsite, his mind already turning to the training and hard work that lay ahead.

Thale realized his mistake too late. He had been so focused on the crystal and his own cultivation journey that he hadn't even thought to check if the bodies of the serpent and wolves were valuable.

He cursed himself for his ignorance and inexperience, knowing that he had missed a valuable opportunity to gather valuable resources. But it was too late now, the bodies were already starting to decompose and there was nothing he could do to change that.

Sighing, Thale gathered his belongings and set off back towards his campsite, determined to make up for his mistake by training harder and becoming stronger. He knew that he had a long journey ahead of him, but he was ready for the challenge. With hard work and determination, he was confident that he could become the strongest cultivator the world had ever known.