"Roar!"
In this instant, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger commenced its chase from behind, its jaws teeming with a formidable energy onslaught poised for release.
'Spirit Stirring Sting!'
Jiang Chen glanced back at the pursuing Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, his eyes gleaming with a transient streak of obsidian light.
"Ao, ao, ao!"
As though electrified, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger contorted in convulsion, the energy shockwave within its maw detonating without warning.
Boom!
The once formidable giant tiger was instantaneously transformed into a large, fluffy feline by the recoil of its own blast.
It thrashed its head vehemently, its eyes hinting at lingering torment.
Nonetheless, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger was deficient in intellect, propelled primarily by its carnivorous instinct.
In spite of the injuries sustained by both body and spirit, it bore down on Jiang Chen with an insanity that was difficult to fathom.
Yet, Jiang Chen enacted the Jade Void Flash, evaporating from his initial position only to materialize in the distant skies above.
In this moment, Jiang Chen's divine sense detected Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, wielding the jade flute artifact, making a U-turn and rushing towards him.
Yet, Jiang Chen had previously propelled them a significant distance away, and the battlefield's location had shifted multiple times since then.
Consequently, they were a considerable distance from Jiang Chen, about fifty to sixty kilometers afar.
"These two silly girls."
With a blend of relief and mild exasperation, Jiang Chen shook his head, then cast his gaze upon the demonic beasts beneath him.
Now that Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing were unable to witness him, he decided to flaunt a fraction of his true power.
With a swift motion of his hand, Jiang Chen invoked, "Burning World Red Lotus Raging Flames!"
Whoosh!
A torrential deluge of fire cascaded from the heavens!
Each individual flame landed with precision on a demonic beast, piercing through its cranial defense and extinguishing its life instantaneously.
Subsequently, Jiang Chen waved his hand once more, causing the flames to dissipate.
In their stead, a series of vacuum forces emerged, sweeping up the carcasses of the slain demonic beasts from the terrain into the Heavenly Demon Hidden Heart Ring.
However, following these two grand massacres, several demonic beasts continued to charge from the horizon.
A moment's consideration was enough to surmise that these beasts must have been the subsequent escapees from the underground lair.
'I wonder if there might be more Inquiring Journey realm demonic beasts akin to the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.'
Jiang Chen mused, his gaze straying back to the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
This demonic beast, distinguished by the wing-like membranous structures between its limbs, was impressively swift, having fully ascended to the Middle-stage Inquiring Journey realm.
'Let's go for another spin.'
A smug grin crept up internally as Jiang Chen sprung into motion, veering away into the expanse.
Roar!
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger unleashed an enraged roar and pursued him without hesitation.
Throughout this chase, Jiang Chen intermittently halted, employing the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield and the Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe for protection.
Soon enough, visible signs of wear began to surface on these two defensive artifacts.
Especially the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield, which verged on the brink of cracking.
In that instance, Jiang Chen observed Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, entwined in combat with three demonic beasts of the Heavenly Origin realm.
Among the trio, two beasts were Late-stage Heavenly Origin realm adversaries, while one was at the Middle-stage Heavenly Origin realm.
Both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing struggled against the onslaught, their hearts teetering on the edge of despair.
'It's time to deal with this Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.'
Jiang Chen's brow creased subtly as he initiated flight towards Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, with the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger relentlessly pursuing him.
Within moments, he would breach the divine sense coverage radius of Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
Gripping the Shadowblade Sword, Jiang Chen pivoted to confront the onrushing Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
"Roar!"
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger bellowed with staggering ferocity, its abyss-like cavernous maw lunging at Jiang Chen in an attempt to engulf him entirely.
"The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger! It's in proximity!"
"Jiang Chen is combating it! After such a long time, Jiang Chen might be at his limits!"
Even amidst her own dire circumstances, Xie Xiaojing spared a thought for Jiang Chen's plight.
"Xiaojing!"
"We need to unify our forces and get rid of these three Heavenly Origin realm demonic beasts first!"
"Once we're within range of that Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, I stand a chance of slaying it."
Ji Ruxue declared with resolve.
"Understood!"
Xie Xiaojing assented with a nod.
Having practically grown up together, the two shared an intimate understanding of one another and consequently, they simultaneously triggered their power-enhancing secret arts.
Suddenly, their velocity surged, enabling them to break free from the encirclement of the three Heavenly Origin realm demonic beasts.
But just at that moment.
"Silent Annihilation!!"
Jiang Chen's furious bellow reverberated from afar.
Immediately thereafter, Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing witnessed a radiant white flash engulfing their vision, akin to a lightning streak illuminating the night, bathing the world in a pallid glow!
Reflected in their eyes, a gleaming silver sword light cascaded, plummeting from the heavens like a reversed Milky Way, colliding with the earth!
"Roar!"
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger managed a plaintive cry before succumbing to silence.
"Jiang Chen!"
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen!"
"What transpired!?"
The expressions of Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing morphed, their concern growing palpable.
The subsequent moment, their divine sense registered the figures of Jiang Chen and the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
They perceived Jiang Chen in a disheveled state, his aura faint, the long sword in his grasp shattered, with fresh blood trickling down from the sword-bearing right hand.
In stark contrast, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger lay motionless on the ground, its skull split by a sword strike, its cerebrum wholly fragmented, unmistakably lifeless.
"Jiang Chen!"
"Jiang Chen, are you unharmed?"
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen... you're phenomenal!!"
"..."
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing swiftly maneuvered to Jiang Chen's side.
On their visages, expressions of astonishment, elation, and reverence mingled.
[Ding! You have successfully bolstered the favorable impression of the unsolicited Heroine, Ji Ruxue, towards you. The Protagonist Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value diminishes by 300 points!]
[Ding! You've accumulated 600 points of Villain Value!]
"I'm fine..."
Jiang Chen mustered an unwavering smile, yet internally, he was positively exultant.
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen."
Xie Xiaojing chimed in, her voice echoing with excitement, "We can't desert you!"
"Indeed!"
"Actually, I possessed a trump card capable of exterminating this Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger."
Ji Ruxue concurred, nodding, "I didn't anticipate you propelling us so far away. I wonder where you sourced such formidable strength."
"Ah ha."
"Actually, I too had an ace up my sleeve, which facilitated a temporary surge of power equivalent to the Inquiring Journey realm."
"Thankfully, this Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's cognitive abilities were rather poor, and it seemed to only know how to launch reckless assaults. So, I managed to defeat it, otherwise, evasion would have been my sole strategy."
Jiang Chen chuckled lightly.
At that moment.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
A series of roars resonated from the direction of Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
As it turned out, the three demonic beasts that had previously cornered them were giving chase.
"Leave this to me."
Jiang Chen hauled himself up, feigning fragility, prepared to confront the three demonic beasts single-handedly.
"We stand together!"
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing positioned themselves alongside Jiang Chen.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen was filled with delight.
What could better strengthen bonds than weathering hardships together, battling shoulder to shoulder, and triumphing in unison?
Initially, under the influence of Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate, as a disciple of the Holy Lord, he could only survive if Ji Ruxue deployed her trump card; how could he possibly deepen his rapport with Ji Ruxue?
But now, the scenario had shifted!
"Excellent! Let's face this together!"
Jiang Chen curved his lips, gripping the fragmented Shadowblade Sword, and charged ahead to fight alongside Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
Following what seemed to be a perilous but in truth, was a relatively steady battle.
The three demonic beasts fell to Jiang Chen's sword.
"We've prevailed!"
"We finally vanquished these three cursed demonic beasts! Haha!"
"..."
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, having emerged victorious, were exuberant.
[Ding! You successfully enhanced the unpursued Heroine, Ji Ruxue's impression of you, reducing the Protagonist Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value by 200 points!]
[Ding! You accrued 400 points of Villain Value!]
Another system notification chimed in.
Jiang Chen was likewise immensely pleased.
But just at this moment!
Both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing abruptly experienced a series of piercing pains coursing through their bodies, and a severe bout of dizziness assaulted them, nearly causing them to collapse on the spot!
Immediately after, a surge of violent emotions welled up within their hearts, inducing an almost irresistible urge to indulge in a murderous rampage!
From Jiang Chen's perspective, both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing's faces were pallid, tinged with an aberrant flush of red.
In their eyes, there was a progressively intensifying murderous intent.
"Roar!"
In this instant, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger commenced its chase from behind, its jaws teeming with a formidable energy onslaught poised for release.
'Spirit Stirring Sting!'
Jiang Chen glanced back at the pursuing Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, his eyes gleaming with a transient streak of obsidian light.
"Ao, ao, ao!"
As though electrified, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger contorted in convulsion, the energy shockwave within its maw detonating without warning.
Boom!
The once formidable giant tiger was instantaneously transformed into a large, fluffy feline by the recoil of its own blast.
It thrashed its head vehemently, its eyes hinting at lingering torment.
Nonetheless, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger was deficient in intellect, propelled primarily by its carnivorous instinct.
In spite of the injuries sustained by both body and spirit, it bore down on Jiang Chen with an insanity that was difficult to fathom.
Yet, Jiang Chen enacted the Jade Void Flash, evaporating from his initial position only to materialize in the distant skies above.
In this moment, Jiang Chen's divine sense detected Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, wielding the jade flute artifact, making a U-turn and rushing towards him.
Yet, Jiang Chen had previously propelled them a significant distance away, and the battlefield's location had shifted multiple times since then.
Consequently, they were a considerable distance from Jiang Chen, about fifty to sixty kilometers afar.
"These two silly girls."
With a blend of relief and mild exasperation, Jiang Chen shook his head, then cast his gaze upon the demonic beasts beneath him.
Now that Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing were unable to witness him, he decided to flaunt a fraction of his true power.
With a swift motion of his hand, Jiang Chen invoked, "Burning World Red Lotus Raging Flames!"
Whoosh!
A torrential deluge of fire cascaded from the heavens!
Each individual flame landed with precision on a demonic beast, piercing through its cranial defense and extinguishing its life instantaneously.
Subsequently, Jiang Chen waved his hand once more, causing the flames to dissipate.
In their stead, a series of vacuum forces emerged, sweeping up the carcasses of the slain demonic beasts from the terrain into the Heavenly Demon Hidden Heart Ring.
However, following these two grand massacres, several demonic beasts continued to charge from the horizon.
A moment's consideration was enough to surmise that these beasts must have been the subsequent escapees from the underground lair.
'I wonder if there might be more Inquiring Journey realm demonic beasts akin to the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.'
Jiang Chen mused, his gaze straying back to the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
This demonic beast, distinguished by the wing-like membranous structures between its limbs, was impressively swift, having fully ascended to the Middle-stage Inquiring Journey realm.
'Let's go for another spin.'
A smug grin crept up internally as Jiang Chen sprung into motion, veering away into the expanse.
Roar!
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger unleashed an enraged roar and pursued him without hesitation.
Throughout this chase, Jiang Chen intermittently halted, employing the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield and the Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe for protection.
Soon enough, visible signs of wear began to surface on these two defensive artifacts.
Especially the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield, which verged on the brink of cracking.
In that instance, Jiang Chen observed Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, entwined in combat with three demonic beasts of the Heavenly Origin realm.
Among the trio, two beasts were Late-stage Heavenly Origin realm adversaries, while one was at the Middle-stage Heavenly Origin realm.
Both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing struggled against the onslaught, their hearts teetering on the edge of despair.
'It's time to deal with this Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.'
Jiang Chen's brow creased subtly as he initiated flight towards Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, with the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger relentlessly pursuing him.
Within moments, he would breach the divine sense coverage radius of Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
Gripping the Shadowblade Sword, Jiang Chen pivoted to confront the onrushing Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
"Roar!"
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger bellowed with staggering ferocity, its abyss-like cavernous maw lunging at Jiang Chen in an attempt to engulf him entirely.
"The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger! It's in proximity!"
"Jiang Chen is combating it! After such a long time, Jiang Chen might be at his limits!"
Even amidst her own dire circumstances, Xie Xiaojing spared a thought for Jiang Chen's plight.
"Xiaojing!"
"We need to unify our forces and get rid of these three Heavenly Origin realm demonic beasts first!"
"Once we're within range of that Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, I stand a chance of slaying it."
Ji Ruxue declared with resolve.
"Understood!"
Xie Xiaojing assented with a nod.
Having practically grown up together, the two shared an intimate understanding of one another and consequently, they simultaneously triggered their power-enhancing secret arts.
Suddenly, their velocity surged, enabling them to break free from the encirclement of the three Heavenly Origin realm demonic beasts.
But just at that moment.
"Silent Annihilation!!"
Jiang Chen's furious bellow reverberated from afar.
Immediately thereafter, Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing witnessed a radiant white flash engulfing their vision, akin to a lightning streak illuminating the night, bathing the world in a pallid glow!
Reflected in their eyes, a gleaming silver sword light cascaded, plummeting from the heavens like a reversed Milky Way, colliding with the earth!
"Roar!"
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger managed a plaintive cry before succumbing to silence.
"Jiang Chen!"
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen!"
"What transpired!?"
The expressions of Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing morphed, their concern growing palpable.
The subsequent moment, their divine sense registered the figures of Jiang Chen and the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
They perceived Jiang Chen in a disheveled state, his aura faint, the long sword in his grasp shattered, with fresh blood trickling down from the sword-bearing right hand.
In stark contrast, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger lay motionless on the ground, its skull split by a sword strike, its cerebrum wholly fragmented, unmistakably lifeless.
"Jiang Chen!"
"Jiang Chen, are you unharmed?"
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen... you're phenomenal!!"
"..."
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing swiftly maneuvered to Jiang Chen's side.
On their visages, expressions of astonishment, elation, and reverence mingled.
[Ding! You have successfully bolstered the favorable impression of the unsolicited Heroine, Ji Ruxue, towards you. The Protagonist Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value diminishes by 300 points!]
[Ding! You've accumulated 600 points of Villain Value!]
"I'm fine..."
Jiang Chen mustered an unwavering smile, yet internally, he was positively exultant.
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen."
Xie Xiaojing chimed in, her voice echoing with excitement, "We can't desert you!"
"Indeed!"
"Actually, I possessed a trump card capable of exterminating this Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger."
Ji Ruxue concurred, nodding, "I didn't anticipate you propelling us so far away. I wonder where you sourced such formidable strength."
"Ah ha."
"Actually, I too had an ace up my sleeve, which facilitated a temporary surge of power equivalent to the Inquiring Journey realm."
"Thankfully, this Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's cognitive abilities were rather poor, and it seemed to only know how to launch reckless assaults. So, I managed to defeat it, otherwise, evasion would have been my sole strategy."
Jiang Chen chuckled lightly.
At that moment.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
A series of roars resonated from the direction of Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
As it turned out, the three demonic beasts that had previously cornered them were giving chase.
"Leave this to me."
Jiang Chen hauled himself up, feigning fragility, prepared to confront the three demonic beasts single-handedly.
"We stand together!"
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing positioned themselves alongside Jiang Chen.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen was filled with delight.
What could better strengthen bonds than weathering hardships together, battling shoulder to shoulder, and triumphing in unison?
Initially, under the influence of Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate, as a disciple of the Holy Lord, he could only survive if Ji Ruxue deployed her trump card; how could he possibly deepen his rapport with Ji Ruxue?
But now, the scenario had shifted!
"Excellent! Let's face this together!"
Jiang Chen curved his lips, gripping the fragmented Shadowblade Sword, and charged ahead to fight alongside Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
Following what seemed to be a perilous but in truth, was a relatively steady battle.
The three demonic beasts fell to Jiang Chen's sword.
"We've prevailed!"
"We finally vanquished these three cursed demonic beasts! Haha!"
"..."
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, having emerged victorious, were exuberant.
[Ding! You successfully enhanced the unpursued Heroine, Ji Ruxue's impression of you, reducing the Protagonist Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value by 200 points!]
[Ding! You accrued 400 points of Villain Value!]
Another system notification chimed in.
Jiang Chen was likewise immensely pleased.
But just at this moment!
Both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing abruptly experienced a series of piercing pains coursing through their bodies, and a severe bout of dizziness assaulted them, nearly causing them to collapse on the spot!
Immediately after, a surge of violent emotions welled up within their hearts, inducing an almost irresistible urge to indulge in a murderous rampage!
From Jiang Chen's perspective, both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing's faces were pallid, tinged with an aberrant flush of red.
In their eyes, there was a progressively intensifying murderous intent.
