Just as the Wind Cloud Tiger broke free from the water ball's restraints, another talisman came flying straight at it.
The Wind Cloud Tiger's body stiffened slightly, as though it did not know whether it should dodge.
Yet in the instant it hesitated, a bolt of lightning exploded upon its wound. Under the Lightning Ray Technique's attack, the Wind Cloud Tiger's body was briefly paralyzed.
Meanwhile, seizing the opening created by the Lightning Ray Technique, Xu Chunniang unleashed the Spirit Blast Technique at incredible speed.
The moment sixteen tiny clusters of Explosive Spiritual Qi appeared, they seemed about to slip out of her control.
Without hesitation, she controlled every cluster of Explosive Spiritual Qi and sent them surging toward the Wind Cloud Tiger. At the same time, the Spirit Void Steps moved beneath her feet as she retreated.
"Boom!"
The sixteen clusters of Explosive Spiritual Qi erupted at once, blasting a huge hole through the Wind Cloud Tiger's head. It did not even have time to let out a mournful cry before its body fell straight to the ground.
Xu Chunniang's face was so pale that not a trace of blood remained, and her head swam slightly. After such an intense battle, both her spiritual qi and mental strength had been greatly depleted.
Yet she did not dare relax. The explosion of the Explosive Spiritual Qi had caused far too much commotion. It had likely already drawn the attention of others.
Xu Chunniang hurried forward and put away the Wind Cloud Tiger.
After a moment's thought, she moved a little farther back, changed into an intact set of clothes, hid herself in a tree, drank spiritual dew, and began meditating.
After barely managing to kill the Wind Cloud Tiger, Xu Chunniang's spiritual qi was nearly exhausted. Even if she ran, she would not get very far.
She might as well meditate where she was and seize the time to recover as quickly as possible. Only with spiritual qi could she handle all manner of sudden situations.
After half an incense stick's time, the nearest team was the first to arrive.
Afraid of exposing her trail, Xu Chunniang paused her meditation.
She slowed her breathing and used the Hidden Spirit Art, suppressing her spiritual qi pressure to the lowest possible level.
When the team saw the scene in utter disarray, gravity flashed through their eyes.
The leader was a male cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation. He stepped forward to inspect the bloodstains, pinching up a tuft of fur from within them. "Wind Cloud Tiger fur."
"Wind Cloud Tigers from Tiger Gorge Mountain generally do not leave the mountain. Why did this one appear here?"
"Earlier, we heard rumbling. Perhaps someone lured the Wind Cloud Tiger out and fought it here.
"A Wind Cloud Tiger is worth fifty or sixty spirit stones. Tsk, tsk, that is no small sum."
The leading male cultivator nodded. "Anyone capable of fighting a Wind Cloud Tiger must be at least at the fourth level of Qi Condensation, perhaps even higher.
"Yet we should have been the first to arrive, and we saw no trace of them. They have likely already left."
He felt somewhat regretful. He had originally come to see whether he could get a share of the spoils, but it seemed this trip had been in vain.
Just then, the second team arrived as well, led by a female cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation.
After arriving, she did not rashly step forward. Instead, she watched from afar, seemingly only wishing to determine what had happened here.
Soon after, several more teams arrived. Some watched from a distance, while others stepped forward to inspect the scene closely.
Any team capable of reaching this place was quite formidable, with their leaders possessing at least the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation.
Unfortunately, they appeared to have arrived one step too late. The battle had already ended.
The teams were wary of one another. Seeing that they could not make heads or tails of the situation, they soon departed as well, until only the first team remained.
"Boss, shall we leave too?"
The leading male cultivator nodded and led his people away. Their figures soon vanished into the forest.
After watching them leave, Xu Chunniang did not take the opportunity to slip away. Instead, she prepared to continue meditating and recovering.
Her spiritual qi had only just recovered by fifteen percent. She needed to recover at least half of it.
Yet before she could begin meditating, she saw that the leading male cultivator had actually returned!
Had he discovered her trail?
Xu Chunniang's heart sank slightly. Aside from the leading male cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation, this team had two cultivators at the fourth level and four at the third level of Qi Condensation.
If they truly discovered her, she would likely come to no good end.
Just dealing with a Wind Cloud Tiger at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation had taken all her strength, let alone a team with a cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation—especially when she had so little spiritual qi left.
Xu Chunniang's greatest worry came true. The leading male cultivator walked toward where she was hiding.
She took a deep breath and prepared herself to activate the Swift Travel Technique and use the Spirit Void Steps to flee at any moment.
However, while he was still some distance from her hiding place, the leading male cultivator stopped approaching and spoke in a low voice.
"Little fellow Daoist at the first level of Qi Condensation, come out. I wish to ask you a few things. As long as you answer truthfully, I will not make things difficult for you."
Xu Chunniang was stunned. Only after a moment did she realize he was speaking to her.
To avoid exposing herself, she had used the Hidden Spirit Art to suppress her spiritual qi to the extreme. The cultivation she displayed outwardly was only the first level of Qi Condensation.
This man might possess some method of detection and had discovered her trail.
Xu Chunniang's thoughts raced. He had likely noticed her from the very beginning. The reason he had not said anything was that he did not want the others to know she was there.
And what he wished to ask might very well be related to the Wind Cloud Tiger.
After waiting for some time without receiving a response, impatience appeared on the leading male cultivator's face.
A tall cultivator beside him sneered and shouted threateningly, "Listen here, little brat at the first level of Qi Condensation. My boss calls you fellow Daoist to give you face. If you still refuse to come down, I cannot guarantee what I might do."
Xu Chunniang took a deep breath and swiftly hid her Storage Bag and her high-grade Swiftness Talisman in her shoes.
Since they had been able to discover her hiding place, finding her was only a matter of time.
Fine. She would reveal herself first and see what they wanted to ask. If anything went wrong, she could activate the Swiftness Talisman and leave at once.
"Don't attack. Ask whatever you want."
Xu Chunniang put on a trembling appearance and cautiously revealed herself from the tree. "I just do not want to come down. There are so many of you. I am afraid."
Since they believed she was merely at the first level of Qi Condensation, she would act the part. That would also make them lower their guard.
Dissatisfaction appeared on the tall male cultivator's face, and he was about to say something more when the leading male cultivator stopped him.
He stared at Xu Chunniang. "Tell me, have you been hiding in the tree this entire time? Did you see any people or demon beasts?"
"A tiger. Such a huge tiger." Xu Chunniang swallowed, terror showing in her eyes.
"Only a tiger? Did you see any people?"
The leading male cultivator noticed that his tone was too eager, so he softened his voice. "Tell me. I will not harm you."
Xu Chunniang frowned, putting on an expression as though she were recalling something, though she was actually making it up on the spot.
"There was someone. That person fought the tiger. I only saw the tiger get beaten to death, and then the person left."
The leading male cultivator keenly caught the crucial information. "Only one person? What cultivation did that person have? What sort of clothes did they wear? Which direction did they go?"
"That person wore green clothes. Their cultivation was terrifying, as terrifying as that tiger. After killing the tiger, they went down the mountain. Then you all came."
Xu Chunniang sneered inwardly. This group wanted the Wind Cloud Tiger, yet did not dare go up Tiger Gorge Mountain. Instead, they had set their sights on robbery.
If they truly intended to commit such a heartless deed, then they could not blame her for being ruthless.
Thank you, Fellow Daoist Huang Yueping, for the reward, and Fellow Daoist Yuyu for the monthly vote. A bonus chapter for everyone!
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