C13 Killing the Scale Armor Tiger

"Run, now!"

Jiang Hao's frame jolted as he fiercely swung his blade, pushing back the Scale Armor Tiger before him. He yelled to Lu Chen and Murong Yun, then turned and bolted.

They were already struggling with one Scale Armor Tiger; the addition of another would surely spell their doom. If they didn't flee now, death was the only certainty.

Upon hearing the warning, the gravely wounded Lee Tao's face turned ghostly pale. While the others could run, his battered body stood no chance of escape.

Murong Yun heeded the call and swiftly retreated, but Lu Chen seemed oblivious, remaining motionless.

"Lu Chen, move it!"

Murong Yun, seeing him frozen in place as if petrified, called out again. Lu Chen had once saved her life, and she couldn't bear the thought of him perishing here.

"Two Scale Armor Tigers... Time to give it my all," Lu Chen whispered to himself, taking a small step forward.

That single step sent Murong Yun's heart racing. What was Lu Chen up to? Had fear truly taken hold of him? These were two Rank One Demon Beasts at the pinnacle of their stage; even a Layer Nine Body Tempering cultivator would have no choice but to flee.

Boom!

There was no time for further thought as the ground erupted. Lu Chen burst forth, closing the gap to one of the Scale Armor Tigers in a blink.

His speed was astonishing, dismissing the distance as nothing. He appeared before the Scale Armor Tiger, his right palm raised high as Origin Power surged into it. His aura soared, and he thrust his palm forward like a lance.

With a resounding crash, the palm strike released a dazzling light screen upon impact with the Scale Armor Tiger. The beast was hurled away before it could react, its massive form crashing into the mountainside and creating a web of cracks that spread outward.

With one palm strike, Lu Chen had slain the Scale Armor Tiger.

"How could this be possible?"

Murong Yun and Jiaang Hao stood with their mouths agape, staring in horror at the unfolding scene.

Meanwhile, Lee Tao, gravely injured and teetering on the brink of death, lay on the ground. His face initially lit up with joy, but soon a venomous resentment swept through his eyes. Bitter thoughts filled his mind: If only Lu Chen had shown this formidable strength from the start, how could I have been so grievously wounded? This is all Lu Chen's doing!

The more he thought about it, the deeper the resentment in his eyes grew.

Lu Chen seemed to sense the animosity and cast a cold glance at Lee Tao before shifting his attention to another Scale Armor Tiger.

"Roar!"

The Scale Armor Tiger's roar, heavy with murderous intent, echoed powerfully. Its limbs coiled, body hunched, and with a thunderous leap, it lunged at Lu Chen.

As the Scale Armor Tiger bore down on him, Lu Chen felt a pungent wind assault him, threatening to overwhelm his frame.

In the face of such ferocity, Lu Chen chose not to confront it head-on. As the beast closed in, he deftly stepped to the side.

"Swish!"

The tiger's razor-sharp claws cut through the air, emitting a piercing sound as its strike missed its mark.

In that moment of opportunity, Lu Chen's right foot surged with energy. Pivoting on his left foot, he delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the tiger's abdomen.

"Thud!"

The Scale Armor Tiger let out a pained howl as its massive body skidded across the ground for meters, tearing up the grass in its wake.

Despite landing a solid blow, Lu Chen's brow furrowed. He had felt resistance; the kick hadn't inflicted as much damage on the Scale Armor Tiger as he'd hoped.

"Roar!"

Sure enough, the Scale Armor Tiger sprang up as if unscathed, its eyes burning with a savage light, fixated on Lu Chen.

Man and beast stood ten meters apart, locked in a tense standoff, neither making the first move.

Jiaang Hao and the others, already stunned by Lu Chen's display of power, watched the confrontation with bated breath, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Bang!

Suddenly, stone chips scattered in every direction as Lu Chen sprang into action.

With that single movement, it was as if the earth itself had split open!

Lu Chen's clothing billowed as a crisp sound emanated from his body. A radiant glow enveloped his skin, accompanied by a fierce aura, and in an instant, he was standing before the Scale Armor Tiger.

The tiger's unease grew into a roar as it sensed an unprecedented threat emanating from the seemingly frail human before it.

As if facing a formidable foe, the tiger's fur bristled, and it roared in an attempt to intimidate Lu Chen.

Unfazed, Lu Chen clenched his right hand into a fist and, with a thunderous whoosh, launched it forward. The Scale Armor Tiger swiped with its razor-sharp claws, slicing through the air in a chaotic flurry, yet it still struggled to fend off Lu Chen's assault.

"Bam!"

A surge of force erupted, and the Scale Armor Tiger let out a pained howl as it stumbled backward.

With one punch, Lu Chen sent the Scale Armor Tiger reeling. He stepped forward, flicked his wrist, and a dagger materialized in his grasp.

A flash of cold light, a muffled stab, and blood sprayed in all directions as the dagger blade plunged deep into the tiger's skull.

Thud!

The body of the Scale Armor Tiger crashed to the ground, blood and brain matter oozing from the fatal wound.

"Phew!"

As the Scale Armor Tiger hit the ground, everyone except Lu Chen let out a collective sigh of relief, their tension melting away.

Lu Chen glanced at Murong Yun and the others, still reeling from shock, then swiftly made his way into the cave.

The cave was modest in size. Guided by the faint light, Lu Chen's gaze landed on a lush green tree at the far end, about a meter tall. Hidden among the leaves were five walnut-sized, crimson fruits.

These were none other than the high-grade Essence Spirit Fruits.

Lu Chen's eyes shone with fervor; the value of these superior human-grade spirit fruits far exceeded that of a Rank One Demon Core.

Lu Chen didn't hesitate. With two swift steps, he reached the Essence Spirit Fruit tree, bent down, and plucked five fruits.

"Hmm? What's this..."

As Lu Chen harvested the Essence Spirit Fruits, something bizarre happened. The tree seemed to have its vitality drained in an instant; its lush leaves turned yellow, fell off, and in the blink of an eye, the tree withered away.

Lu Chen sighed with regret upon witnessing this. He had initially intended to transplant the tree, but that plan now seemed unrealistic.

After pocketing the fruits, Lu Chen made his way out of the cave.

Upon exiting, he was greeted by Murong Yun and Jiaang Hao, who approached him with hopeful expressions.

With a faint smile, Lu Chen waved his hand, and two Essence Spirit Fruits soared into their waiting palms.

"Thank you, Brother Lu Chen."

Jiaang Hao and Murong Yun were elated, expressing their gratitude to Lu Chen.

Receiving just one Essence Spirit Fruit each was more than enough for them. Without Lu Chen's help, they might have lost not only the chance at the fruits but also their lives.

Besides, acquiring a single Essence Spirit Fruit made their journey worthwhile.

Lu Chen spoke up, "You two handle these Scale Armor Tigers. I have no need for them."

Jiaang Hao smiled broadly, accepting without hesitation, and drew his dagger to begin processing the Demon Beast materials.

The materials from a Demon Beast at the peak of Rank One might not be as valuable as a Demon Core, but they were still incredibly precious. This was Lu Chen's way of compensating them.

Suddenly, a feeble voice interjected, "You seem to have forgotten about me!" It was none other than Lee Tao.

He had been severely wounded by a Scale Armor Tiger, with a gash across his chest so deep that the bone was visible. Without prompt medical attention, he wouldn't last until tomorrow.

Jiaang Hao paused and looked to Lu Chen, clearly indicating that the decision was Lu Chen's to make.

Lee Tao's icy voice cut through the air, "Kid, my father is the City Lord of Ling Tian City, a master of the Essence Gathering Stage. You'd best hand over the Essence Spirit Fruit and ensure my safe passage out of the Cang Yuan Mountain Range. Otherwise, you'll..."

Upon hearing the words, Lu Chen gave the dying Lee Tao a quizzical look, wondering if the man before him was truly foolish or merely feigning ignorance. To utter such defiant words at death's door was astonishing.

"Heh... If you hadn't spoken up, I might have completely forgotten about you." Lu Chen approached Lee Tao with a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

Lee Tao, mistaking Lu Chen's advance for fear due to his own status, wore a smug expression and commanded, "Hurry up and help me to my feet..."

"I truly admire your intelligence."

As soon as the words fell, Lu Chen's eyes flashed with a chilling frost, and with a burst of his fist's power, he crushed Lee Tao's skull.

The moment Lee Tao had overreached in his attempt to seize the Demon Core, Lu Chen had already deemed him a dead man.

Jiaang Hao and Murong Yun were both startled to see Lu Chen execute Lee Tao without a second thought.

Jiaang Hao let out a wry chuckle, "Brother Lu Chen, you've killed him..."

"Brother Jiang, are you worried about retaliation from his father?" Lu Chen inquired, his tone detached.

Jiaang Hao's cheeks flushed slightly as he gave a small nod.

Lu Chen dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand, "Brother Jiang, there's no need to worry. When you both return, feel free to speak the truth openly."

Though Lu Chen was not yet a match for a cultivator at the Essence Gathering Stage, he was far from fearful. He was confident that with a little more time, he could easily defeat or even slay such an adversary.

Furthermore, if he achieved his objective in the Deep Blue Mountain Range and found even a single Divine Weapon Fragment, he would face an Essence Gathering Cultivator without the slightest trepidation.

"This is unacceptable!" Murong Yun protested, shaking her head emphatically.

Lu Chen simply smiled and refrained from further comment.

Shortly thereafter, Jiaang Hao and his companion finished harvesting the materials from the Scale Armor Tiger. Lu Chen bid them farewell with a "Until next time," and set off on his own.

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