Wind Cloud Tiger

Xu Chunniang frowned slightly. Traveling after dark was unsafe; those Rogue Cultivators who lived by robbery most liked to appear at such times.

People coming down the mountain often had some gains, and after a day of exhaustion, they would inevitably let their guard down. It was the best time to strike.

To be safe, she might as well wait until tomorrow morning before heading down the mountain.

In any case, the Fire Cloud Tiger would not spoil inside her Storage Bag. It would not be too late to return to Qingyun Town after she had hunted three Cloud Tiger Beasts.

After meditating and cultivating in the tree all night, Xu Chunniang did not feel the slightest bit sleepy. Instead, she was full of energy.

Xu Chunniang did not hurry into Tiger Gorge Mountain. Instead, she first caught a First Layer of Qi Condensation pheasant on the outskirts.

After entering the bounds of Tiger Gorge Mountain, she bled the pheasant dry and waited nearby as she had yesterday.

However, Xu Chunniang's good luck seemed to have run out.

This time, she lured over five Cloud Tiger Beasts. Three of them were Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation Cloud Tiger Beasts.

One of them even noticed her tracks, opened its mouth, and fired an ice blade toward her hiding place.

Xu Chunniang was startled. As she retreated with Spirit Void Steps, she flipped her right hand, and a Low-grade Swiftness Talisman appeared in her palm.

Without the slightest hesitation, she stuck the Swiftness Talisman onto her leg and sprinted frantically outward.

Roar!

The three Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation Cloud Tiger Beasts let out furious roars and gave chase after Xu Chunniang.

Their cultivation was formidable, but speed was not their strength. Gradually, Xu Chunniang widened the distance between them.

Xu Chunniang ran wildly all the way. Only after the Swiftness Talisman lost its effect did she barely manage to stop, wiping the sweat from her face.

Fortunately, she had run fast enough. If they had caught up with her and she had fallen into the encirclement of several Cloud Tiger Beasts, she did not even dare imagine the scene.

After this experience, Xu Chunniang finally understood why those Rogue Cultivators would rather try their luck at White Lion Ridge than come to Tiger Gorge Mountain.

Not only were the Cloud Tiger Beasts of Tiger Gorge Mountain powerful in cultivation, they often appeared in groups. If she had not been confident in her Spirit Void Steps, she would probably have begun to beat the retreat drum by now.

Having successfully hunted a Fire Cloud Tiger yesterday and tasted the sweetness of success, Xu Chunniang was unwilling to descend the mountain just like that.

After resting, Xu Chunniang entered Tiger Gorge Mountain again. This time, she only lured over one Cloud Tiger Beast, but it was a Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation Earth Cloud Tiger. Its defense was especially astonishing, leaving her no choice but to give up.

Xu Chunniang simply settled down in the Hundred Demonic Mountain Range.

During the day, she went up Tiger Gorge Mountain to search for lone tigers. At night, she meditated and cultivated. This life continued for ten days.

But Xu Chunniang's luck was truly ordinary. Over those ten days, she entered Tiger Gorge Mountain no fewer than twenty times, yet only encountered lone Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation Cloud Tiger Beasts three times.

Twice, just as she was about to kill a Cloud Tiger Beast, several higher-cultivation Cloud Tiger Beasts chased over, forcing her to abandon the prey already within her grasp and leave.

Thus, in ten days, Xu Chunniang only obtained one Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation Gold Cloud Tiger. Together with the Fire Cloud Tiger she had acquired at the start, she had only two in total.

By her calculations, she had already left the sect for more than ten days. There were fewer than ten days left until the new disciples' examination.

Xu Chunniang planned to enter Tiger Gorge Mountain one final time. After this attempt, whether she gained anything or not, she had to descend the mountain.

This time, Xu Chunniang became unlucky.

She had barely approached Tiger Gorge Mountain when a Wind Cloud Tiger that was searching for food discovered her.

It was actually a Wind Cloud Tiger known for its speed—and it was Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation!

Xu Chunniang groaned inwardly. If she had known, she should have gone straight down the mountain. Why had she stubbornly insisted on making this trip?

Her Low-grade Swiftness Talismans had long been used up. Her only Mid-grade Swiftness Talisman had also been used two days ago, when she had nearly been surrounded by a tiger pack.

Now, Xu Chunniang only had one final high-grade Swiftness Talisman left. She was unwilling to use it unless absolutely necessary.

However, the Wind Cloud Tiger was extremely fast. This Wind Cloud Tiger's cultivation was also above Xu Chunniang's, and the distance between woman and tiger kept shrinking.

Xu Chunniang was very clear on one thing: she absolutely could not let the Wind Cloud Tiger get close!

Wind Cloud Tigers possessed the wind attribute. Besides their speed, they could instantly unleash powerful wind blades.

If the Wind Cloud Tiger spat wind blades at her from close range, Xu Chunniang had no confidence that she could evade them.

She grabbed a handful of Low-grade Talismans and hurled them viciously behind her!

At once, Fireball Technique, Water Sword Technique, Lightning Ray Technique, and Ice Burst Technique exploded directly against the Wind Cloud Tiger.

But these Low-grade Talismans were ultimately too weak. They posed no threat at all to the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation Wind Cloud Tiger, only hindering its movement for an instant.

Seizing that instant, Xu Chunniang took a step forward and widened the gap between herself and the Wind Cloud Tiger once more. But that small distance was quickly closed again by the Wind Cloud Tiger.

Xu Chunniang took out two more talismans. This time, they were two Mid-grade Talismans.

A trace of human-like disdain appeared in the Wind Cloud Tiger's eyes. It neither dodged nor evaded the two talismans flying straight at it.

However, it had been careless this time. A Fireball Technique as large as its head suddenly erupted, and the soaring temperature set its fur ablaze.

At the same time, an ice ball of the same size exploded beside its head. Shattered ice spikes shot straight into its tiger eye.

Roar!!!

The Wind Cloud Tiger howled in pain, threw back its head, and charged after Xu Chunniang at even greater speed. At the same time, it opened its mouth and spat three wind blades toward her in rapid succession!

Xu Chunniang's expression turned solemn. Controlling her steps, she twisted her body from side to side, struggling to evade the three wind blades.

But in the next instant, the Wind Cloud Tiger opened its mouth again, and three more wind blades shot toward her. This time, there was no way to avoid them.

As the wind blades were about to pierce her body, Xu Chunniang's heart beat faster and faster, but her movements did not falter. She swiftly pulled out a Golden Light Talisman and activated it at the final moment.

The Golden Light Talisman produced a golden shield of light, blocking the three wind blades. Yet as it withstood the last wind blade, the shield shattered inch by inch, and the blade struck her right arm.

Using the Golden Light Talisman's protection, Xu Chunniang widened the distance between herself and the Wind Cloud Tiger again.

Woman and tiger faced each other from a short distance apart, falling into a brief stillness.

Compared to the beginning, the Wind Cloud Tiger was far more bedraggled. Not only had it lost one tiger eye, but the fur on its head had been burned away, leaving bloody flesh exposed.

Xu Chunniang was no better off. Her clothes had been sliced into strips by the fierce wind blades, and blood occasionally dripped from the exposed skin of her right arm.

Xu Chunniang suddenly moved. The moment she struck, she fired two talismans toward the Wind Cloud Tiger.

Having just suffered greatly, the Wind Cloud Tiger did not dare meet them head-on. It retreated, only to fall into the restraint of three enormous water balls, its body trapped within them.

Puff, puff.

The two talismans exploded, but they only released two weak water arrows. Xu Chunniang had merely used these two Low-grade Talismans to force it backward.

The Wind Cloud Tiger roared furiously and spat wind blades wildly. Before long, it pierced the water balls and successfully broke free from the three water spheres.