Chapter Seventy-Two: Joining Forces to Strike Down the Enemy!
“Roar!”
The savage roar of the beast echoed ceaselessly through the forest. Such a fierce commotion naturally drew the attention of a few nearby contestants.
Under Yang Yan’s sweeping soul force, he could sense no fewer than five presences within a hundred meters, each locking onto him.
“These guys are truly cunning, thinking to swoop in and take advantage after I finish fighting the Crimson-Scaled Tiger!”
Yang Yan snorted coldly to himself. Though the beast before him was troublesome, victory was only a matter of time. Even if his spiritual power was running low, he was confident that if those lurking fools couldn’t restrain themselves and made a move, he’d ensure they’d never return.
Whoosh!
Another piercing sound split the air—a tail nearly three meters long, covered in crimson scales, lashed fiercely at his chest.
Yang Yan dared not be careless. He ducked low, narrowly avoiding the steel-whip strike. Just as he straightened, a razor-sharp tiger’s claw came crashing down at his head.
“This beast is truly relentless!”
Yang Yan dodged again, cursing inwardly. The Crimson-Scaled Tiger was already wounded; to conserve his spiritual power, he had planned to keep evading, letting it bleed and exhaust itself before moving in for the kill.
But things were not unfolding as he had hoped. Driven mad by pain, the Crimson-Scaled Tiger attacked with a ferocity bordering on insanity—its speed and power now doubled.
Even with his Shadowstep technique, Yang Yan could no longer claim the advantage in speed. Under the tiger’s savage onslaught, each of his evasions grew perilously close.
“At this rate, I’ll end up as its meal long before it bleeds to death!”
With that grim realization, Yang Yan abandoned all thought of conserving power. Compared to the craven lurkers nearby, this reckless beast before him was the true threat.
He resolved to unleash his pale blue spiritual force against the tiger—but just then, a familiar surge of energy flared up behind him. He halted abruptly, springing back to land beside a slender, upright figure.
“Good, you finally made it!” Yang Yan cast a sidelong glance at the youth standing straight as a spear.
“Draw its attention—I’ll attack!” Liu Zhenqing said quickly, face grave as he eyed the Crimson-Scaled Tiger, which was already preparing to pounce once more.
“Alright!” Yang Yan replied, perfectly suited to act as bait after driving the beast into such a frenzy. Besides, he trusted Liu Zhenqing’s skill and character.
With an earth-shaking roar, the blood-soaked Crimson-Scaled Tiger—like a hellish fiend—leapt up, ignoring Liu Zhenqing entirely and charging straight for Yang Yan once more.
Clearly, its hatred for the human who had driven it to such a state was unbridled and wild.
As Yang Yan retreated, Liu Zhenqing reached into his spatial pouch and drew forth a golden spear. At the same time, a surge of powerful spiritual energy burst from him, billowing outward like a tide.
“Spirit-Sensing Realm, fourth level! This guy…” Yang Yan’s heart jolted. During the All-Tribes Martial Meet, Liu Zhenqing had been at the peak of the third level, just a step away from breaking through. Yang Yan knew all too well how hard that step could be.
He had struggled enough advancing from the third level himself—how much harder was it to reach the fourth!
While Yang Yan reeled in surprise, Liu Zhenqing, spear in hand, flashed toward the airborne tiger.
“Rampaging Dragon, Heart-Piercing Strike!”
A ringing shout split the air, as though gold and stone had shattered, waves crashing against the shore. Liu Zhenqing’s body twisted as if lying flat along the ground, golden light exploding from his spear. At its tip, a strange, chilling black gleam flashed, shooting toward the tiger’s exposed belly.
With a sickening thud, the golden spear—like a rampaging dragon—shot into the beast’s body.
A shrill roar echoed, and the Crimson-Scaled Tiger crashed to earth, the golden spear protruding from its massive form. Its howls faded to ragged whimpers, then died away entirely. At last, silence returned to the forest.
“Never mind its ferocity or the scales that make it impervious to blades—the belly is always its weakest point.” Liu Zhenqing stepped forward, squatted, and patted the tiger’s corpse, grinning at Yang Yan.
Yang Yan glanced at the belly. Though covered with scales, they were pale white—clearly different from the crimson armor that shielded the rest of its body.
“This guy really knows his stuff…”
As Yang Yan sighed inwardly, a crimson light rose from the corpse. Both he and Liu Zhenqing knew—within that glow were 400 Soul Hunt Points.
“Here, your Soul Hunt Points.” Liu Zhenqing nodded toward the floating light.
He knew well that, even without his help, Yang Yan would have slain the Crimson-Scaled Tiger eventually—it was just a matter of time.
“Let’s split them evenly.” The points were valuable, but it was only the first day of the Hundred Hunts. There would be plenty of opportunities ahead; a trustworthy companion was worth far more.
Whoosh!
After absorbing the crimson light, Yang Yan’s identity token gained 400 Soul Hunt Points. He immediately transferred 200 to Liu Zhenqing’s token.
“Thanks!” Liu Zhenqing accepted without protest, appreciating Yang Yan’s straightforwardness.
As for the would-be ambushers lurking in the shadows, they had long since fled without a trace after witnessing Liu Zhenqing slay the Crimson-Scaled Tiger.
“Let’s go. This commotion will surely draw the attention of the top contenders.” Once the points were divided, Yang Yan spoke.
Liu Zhenqing nodded. Neither of them was at peak strength, and those on the top hundred list were not to be compared with the cowards who had just run away.
Liu Zhenqing rose, gripped the spear’s shaft, and yanked it free, drawing a bright line of blood as it came away from the beast’s corpse. At that moment, a faint, brittle sound caught both their ears.
Yang Yan blinked in surprise, but Liu Zhenqing quickly stepped forward, reaching into the tiger’s wound. After a moment, he cried out excitedly,
“Found it!”