ROAR!
The three-tailed tiger let out a furious roar, shaking sand and stones loose from the cliffside as fallen leaves whirled through the air. It suddenly pounced, its claws slamming directly against Chen Fan's sword. Man and tiger were both blasted back by the tremendous force, stumbling several steps apart as the battle briefly broke off.
Chen Fan was greatly alarmed. This Qi Refining Ninth Layer Monster Beast was far stronger than those he had encountered in Demon King Valley or during the Heavenly Court trials. It seemed to possess immense brute strength by nature. If it continued growing until the Foundation Establishment Early Stage and awakened its intelligence, it would likely become one of the overlords of this secret realm sooner or later.
Chen Fan's expression turned stern as he pushed the True Qi within him to its peak. Then, boundless Blazing Heaven Sword Qi erupted forth. He swung his longsword, conjuring several golden sword phantoms, before lightly tapping the ground with his toes and taking a Nine Palaces Footwork step. His body moved like a ghost as he charged straight at the three-tailed tiger with lightning speed.
The three-tailed tiger was only one step away from awakening its intelligence. It seemed to recognize Chen Fan's extraordinary strength, and its gaze abruptly turned serious. A faint halo appeared over the three red tiger tails behind it. The fur on those tails suddenly stood up strand by strand, transforming into countless sharp needles. Then it roared and lunged head-on at Chen Fan.
CLANG!
Claw and sword collided once more with a crisp ring. The three-tailed tiger's claws were far too sharp, meeting Chen Fan's sword head-on without yielding. But just then, Chen Fan twisted his blade, and the golden sword phantoms suddenly solidified, sweeping directly toward the tiger's head.
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