Black Tiger Shows Mercy

At those words, the leading Horned Dragon's face turned livid, but he knew that Black Tiger was a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

The Dragon Clan and the Qilin Clan were locked in a stalemate, while battles continued below and conflicts arose from time to time.

Black Tiger had not killed him, which was already restraint exercised again and again. He did not want the Tiger Clan to become the fuse that ignited the Three Clans Decisive Battle.

But Black Tiger was not without a temper. If the Horned Dragons failed to appreciate his restraint, he was not incapable of killing them.

The leading Horned Dragon also knew that this was Tiger Clan territory. Once a fight broke out, the ones who would die would certainly be them.

"Fine. Very fine!"

The leading Horned Dragon gritted his teeth. "The Dragon Clan will remember what happened today. Let's go!"

The three Horned Dragons turned and left, swiftly vanishing beyond the horizon. Black Tiger watched the Dragon Clan depart without stopping them.

Only after the three Horned Dragons had moved far away from Tigerhead Mountain did Black Tiger turn to Red Cloud, amusement in his eyes.

Black Tiger's gaze swept over Red Cloud, and a strange glint flashed through his eyes. "You're the brat who took the Parasol Tree from the Phoenix Clan?"

Red Cloud cupped his fists in salute. "This junior is Blood Cloud. Greetings, Senior Black Tiger. This junior did not seize the Parasol Tree from the Phoenix Clan. I merely obtained it by chance."

Red Cloud did not use his true name. Or perhaps Blood Cloud was the name of this incarnation, meant to guard against covert schemes.

"Obtained it by chance?"

Black Tiger smiled, though his smile carried a hint of disbelief. "No matter how you obtained it, the fact remains that the Parasol Tree is in your hands."

"The Parasol Tree is a supreme treasure of the Phoenix Clan. The Phoenix Clan will not let you go, nor will the Dragon Clan. Now that you've entered Tigerhead Mountain, you've entered the tiger's jaws once more."

Red Cloud's heart sank. Black Tiger was speaking the truth. Like the Dragon Clan, the Qilin Clan did not wish for the Phoenix Clan to obtain the Parasol Tree. Thus, there was only one outcome: they would either take the Parasol Tree or destroy it.

"How does Senior intend to deal with this junior?"

Black Tiger pondered for a moment before slowly speaking. "How should I deal with you? I'll give you two choices."

"First, hand over the Parasol Tree. I can let you leave Tigerhead Mountain and allow you to fend for yourself."

"Second, remain at Tigerhead Mountain and serve me. I will ensure your safety."

Red Cloud fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"This junior appreciates Senior's goodwill."

Red Cloud said in a deep voice, "But the Parasol Tree has already been refined by this junior and cannot be handed over. As for remaining to serve Senior, this junior must respectfully decline."

A chill flashed through Black Tiger's eyes.

"So you refuse to give me face?"

Red Cloud met Black Tiger's gaze directly.

"It is not that this junior refuses to give Senior face. This junior has his own path to walk. If Senior insists on keeping me here, then this junior can only fight to the death."

"Heh heh, fight to the death?"

Black Tiger sneered. "With your Late-Stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal cultivation, you dare speak of fighting to the death before me? You truly do not know the height of heaven or the depth of earth."

Black Tiger's aura suddenly erupted, and a terrifying pressure descended upon Red Cloud like the sky itself collapsing.

Though both were at the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal level, the pressure emanating from Black Tiger was several degrees stronger than that of the Phoenix Clan's Immortal Crane.

Red Cloud felt as though a great mountain had been laid upon him. His bones creaked, nearly unable to bear the burden.

Yet Red Cloud gritted his teeth and stubbornly remained standing. Behind him, the phantom of the Illustrated Record of Literary Fortune appeared, blooming with dazzling light and helping him shoulder part of the pressure.

Surprise flashed through Black Tiger's eyes. He had not expected Red Cloud to withstand his pressure.

One had to know that the pressure of a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal held absolute suppressive power over a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal. An ordinary Primordial Unity Golden Immortal would have long since collapsed limply to the ground beneath his pressure.

"Heh heh, interesting."

Black Tiger withdrew his pressure and looked at Red Cloud with great interest, as if appraising some rare treasure.

"Since you are unwilling to hand over the Parasol Tree and unwilling to stay, I'll give you one more chance."

Black Tiger said, "Take three moves from me. If you can withstand them, I will let you leave. If you cannot, then do not blame me for showing no courtesy."

Red Cloud's spirits lifted, and he took a deep breath. This was Black Tiger's concession, and also his only chance. If he could take three moves, he could leave Tigerhead Mountain safely. If he could not, he would truly be meat on another's chopping block.

Red Cloud cupped his fists. "Senior, please instruct me."

Black Tiger nodded and made his move. He used no divine ability, merely sweeping out with a simple claw strike.

As the claw struck out, a massive golden claw phantom appeared in the void. Wherever it passed, space collapsed and mountains shook, forcing Red Cloud to face the threat of life and death.

Seeing this, Red Cloud's expression turned grave. He could not meet this move head-on; he could only outwit it. With that thought, his figure flashed, and he used Firecloud Escape. At the instant the claw phantom slammed down, he passed through a gap in its shadow.

Boom, boom—

Black Tiger's claw phantom struck the ground, reducing an entire mountain peak to dust. A colossal claw-shaped crater appeared in the earth, so deep that its bottom could not be seen.

Seeing Red Cloud evade his attack, a hint of approval flashed through Black Tiger's eyes. This brat's judgment was accurate. He knew that resisting head-on was not an option and chose to evade.

"Brat, now comes the second move!"

Black Tiger's second move was even fiercer.

He opened his mouth and spat out a stream of black flame. Wherever the flame passed, even space twisted and warped.

This was the Dark Nether True Flame cultivated by Black Tiger.

Red Cloud knew he could not dodge this time. The Dark Nether True Flame covered too wide an area; at his current speed, he simply could not escape it. He could only withstand it head-on.

Red Cloud took a deep breath and poured all his magical power into the Illustrated Record of Literary Fortune. The Illustrated Record of Literary Fortune radiated unprecedented brilliance as boundless Heaven and Earth Righteous Energy gathered from all directions.

The Illustrated Record of Literary Fortune turned a page, and countless golden characters flew from its pages, gathering around Red Cloud into a golden pagoda that protected him within.

The Dark Nether True Flame slammed into the golden pagoda, unleashing a deafening roar.

Astonishingly, the golden pagoda shook violently, and deep cracks appeared across its surface, yet it forcibly endured the impact of the Dark Nether True Flame.

This time, Black Tiger's expression finally changed.

That was because Red Cloud's defense had already touched the threshold of a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. This fellow's talent was simply too formidable.

As he was testing Red Cloud, Black Tiger had not used his full strength. The Dark Nether True Flame contained merely ten percent of his power, yet it was still not something an ordinary Primordial Unity Golden Immortal could withstand.

"Good brat, the third move is next!"

Black Tiger's third move still did not use his full strength, containing only fifteen percent of it. A massive phantom of a black tiger emerged behind him, ten thousand zhang tall and radiating an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth.

The black tiger phantom raised its forepaw and stomped toward Red Cloud. That stomp seemed poised to crush the entire world to pieces, carrying an unstoppable force that made heaven and earth change color.

At that moment, Red Cloud felt pressure unlike anything he had ever known, a trembling that rose from the depths of his soul. If he could not withstand this move, he would certainly die.

"Let's risk it!"

Red Cloud bit through his tongue and spat out a mouthful of essence blood.

The essence blood scattered across the phantom of the Illustrated Record of Literary Fortune, which instantly burst forth with piercing blood-gold radiance.

At the same time, Red Cloud poured every last drop of magical power within him into the Ice Soul Sword. The Ice Soul Sword let out a humming sword cry, and countless fine luminous patterns appeared across its blade—a sign that too much magical power was overflowing.