William Clark had been thinking about how to resolve the crisis ever since he was discovered. Simply running away was definitely not an option. The canyon was several miles from the sect, and before he could make it back, he would be caught and killed by Emily Carter. He only knew the Light Body Technique, while she, as a master at the peak of the Spirit Movement stage, could use the more advanced Wind Riding Art. Their speeds were simply not comparable.

He couldn’t escape her grasp, and begging for mercy was useless. His only way out was to fight for his life—only by killing her could he survive. At first glance, this seemed like an impossible task. Their powers were worlds apart; honestly, even a hundred William Clarks wouldn’t be a match for Emily Carter.

But now he had no other choice. Besides, if he couldn’t win by force, he could still win by wit!

Of course, it was easier said than done. If it weren’t for William Clark’s calm mind and meticulous thinking, anyone else in this situation would have been completely flustered, with no room left for strategy.

To win by wit, he first had to analyze the advantages he had. Though his power was far inferior, William Clark’s only edge was his familiarity with the terrain. He had discovered this canyon two years ago. While he couldn’t claim to know every blade of grass, it was almost like his own backyard.

From what he had just observed, Emily Carter had clearly landed here by chance. The canyon’s terrain was unfamiliar to her.

So from the very beginning, William Clark made use of this, winding and twisting through the canyon instead of running in a straight line, trying to buy as much time as possible.

Next came the crucial second step. In the canyon, aside from the occasional rare flowers and herbs, there were also plenty of animals, from wild rabbits to bears and tigers. William Clark treated this place as his private hunting ground and would sometimes hunt for wild game.

To make hunting easier, he had set up some traps in the canyon. Earlier, he had been feeling around on the ground to check if the traps had been damaged. This time, luck was on his side—both traps were untouched and in perfect condition.

There were two traps in total. One was for William Clark’s own use—a simple pitfall trap for catching animals that weren’t too large. The ground was covered with wild grass, and stepping on it would cause William Clark to fall into the pit.

William Clark had already calculated that, given Emily Carter’s vicious nature, she would definitely attack him as soon as they met. She was fast, and he wouldn’t be able to dodge. But if he stood in front of the trap and took just one step back, he could fall in and thus avoid her attack.

In such a situation, Emily Carter would surely be shocked and come forward to investigate. At that moment, the other trap could come into play. Unlike the pit he would fall into, this trap was designed for catching large animals like lions and tigers. It not only had a fishing net but also sharpened bamboo stakes...

In other words, this trap was deadly!

As long as he could lure Emily Carter onto it, the trap would be triggered. If she was on guard, a beast trap like this would be useless against a cultivator. But if she was caught completely off guard, it could have a surprising effect.

Every step had been calculated by William Clark, each linked to the next—how to lure the enemy, how Emily Carter would react. Even though the situation was extremely dangerous, William Clark calmly considered his options.

In the end, his plan succeeded—not through strength, but by using his mind and composure to defeat his opponent.

This battle didn’t consume much magical power or take much time, but it was mentally exhausting. William Clark felt a bit tired and sat down to rest.

Casting a cold glance at Emily Carter’s corpse, William Clark walked over and took a crystal-clear, emerald-green bracelet from her wrist. This was no ornament, but a storage item used by cultivators. Inside was a separate space. William Clark sent his spiritual sense inside and took out the items one by one.

Clothes, food, women’s cosmetics—William Clark didn’t even glance at these and tossed them aside.

“Got it.” William Clark let out a low exclamation, his face full of joy. In his hand were two sparkling stones.

Spirit stones—during his three years in Floating Cloud Valley, William Clark had heard the elders mention them countless times. They were treasures on par with pills and magical artifacts, but this was his first time seeing them up close.

So-called spirit stones were stones filled with abundant spiritual energy from heaven and earth. Cultivators could directly absorb this energy. Depending on the amount and purity of the energy, they were divided into four grades: low, medium, high, and supreme.

Whether for cultivation, crafting, or magical combat, spirit stones were irreplaceable. They were also used as currency among cultivators.

Chapter 9: Gathering Treasures

William Clark happily sorted through his spoils. This senior sister was vicious, but she was indeed wealthy. From the storage bracelet, William Clark found six low-grade spirit stones, two magical artifacts, and a jade bottle. When he opened the stopper, a fragrant aroma wafted out—inside were two snow-white Marrow Cleansing Pills. In addition, there were some talismans.

So-called talismans were spells sealed by cultivators into special talisman paper. When used against an enemy, they didn’t consume spiritual power and could be activated instantly. The benefits were obvious. Of course, making talismans was extremely complicated—not only did it require special talisman paper, but also consumed a large amount of spiritual power, and the success rate was low. The higher the level of the spell, the harder it was to make. Thus, talismans were considered rare and precious items in the cultivation world.