Chapter 122: The Tigress Is Here
Chapter 122: The Tigress Is Here
ROOOOOAAARRRR!!!
A piercing roar erupted. Gales swept through, instantly blowing the leaves off the surrounding treetops and leaving them bare.
The faces of Tang San and his four companions changed dramatically.
It came, it really came. This was the truly lethal threat!
Shrouded in a blinding green light, a colossal figure smashed onto the ground not far in front of them. The massive shockwave it created as it landed instantly sent them flying backward.
It was about six meters long, with a wingspan of over eight meters. A huge concentration of the wind element swirled around its body, its furious roars even more intense than the Winged Tiger King's.
Damn, the tigress is here! Once we took down the youngling, the mother came right away!
Had the young Winged Tiger not sought to kill Tang San and his group for food, their family would still be intact. Had they known such a family was there, Tang San and his group would have simply walked around them.
However, due to its gluttony, the greedy young Winged Tiger had lost its life, and its parents went into a frenzy as a result.
The pull of bloodline power immediately alerted the Winged Tiger King, who rushed to the scene at once. Following closely was the tigress; she arrived slightly later, but still in time to effectively block Tang San and his companions' path.
Undoubtedly, this was an adult Winged Tiger. In the world of tigers, the females were generally less powerful than their male counterparts. However, being the wife of the Winged Tiger King, this particular tigress was undoubtedly a paragon among her kind.
Just a hair's breadth from the eighth order. That was Tang San's instant assessment. In other words, the tigress before them was at the peak of the seventh order, incredibly close to breaking through.
Though Zhang Haoxuan himself was at the ninth order, even just holding his ground against the Winged Tiger King was an achievement in and of itself. To Wu Bingji, the mayor's presence had been all but absolute assurance, yet now, this mighty guardian was fighting an even mightier foe.
As a result, with their protector unable to fulfill his mission, these children were faced with the formidable seventh-order Winged Tigress that was grieving the loss of her own child.
Wu Bingji and Gu Li were by far not in their peak state, while Tang San and Cheng Zicheng were in a somewhat better condition. However, even Wu Bingji, the one with the highest cultivation among them, was only at the sixth order.
The gap between the sixth and seventh orders was far greater than the one between the fifth and the sixth, not to mention the opponent's formidable physical strength.
Wu Bingji gently set down Du Bai, who was on his back, and whispered, "Run as far as you can. You must not die. No matter what, find a way to get back."
At that moment, his emotions calmed down. Despite being only sixteen years old, he was the eldest disciple of the Redemption Society. He was the oldest and most advanced in cultivation among them all.
He harbored no resentment; what point would there be? Who could have anticipated such a turn of events?
But at this moment, he had resolved to protect his junior brothers and sisters at all costs.
"Tang San, take them and leave immediately. If necessary, scatter and run. Save as many as you can. I'll hold it off. I don't know for how long, but I will. Just go."
They were still within the domain controlled by the Winged Tiger King, so even Cheng Zicheng couldn't fly. But once they left this area and flight became possible, Cheng Zicheng's chances of escape would be significantly higher.
"It's no use. You alone can't hold it off for long." Tang San's voice was equally calm. He stood beside Wu Bingji, shoulder to shoulder.
"Eldest senior brother, I was the one who suggested that we come here for training. We should face the enemy together."
Tang San was only nine years old, noticeably shorter than Wu Bingji. Yet, standing side by side with him, his stature did not seem a single inch smaller.
"Weren't we targeting a seventh-order Winged Tiger anyway? The target's right in front of us, so why run? Let's just do it." Gu Li stood on the other side of Tang San, the three forming a concave line.
Tang San turned to Cheng Zicheng and Du Bai, "It's no use for you two to stay. Go, now."
He had no confidence in defeating a peak seventh-order Winged Tiger, even without hiding his abilities and using all his powers. After all, even though he was at the peak of the fifth order, it was still just the fifth order.
"I won't leave! Du Bai, you go!" Cheng Zicheng stubbornly looked at the three, showing no intention of leaving.
"Stop wasting words, let's go. Can he get far on his own?" Wu Bingji suddenly turned around, scolding his junior in an angry tone.
At this moment, the massive Winged Tigress was surrounded by a dazzling green light, dispelling the darkness around it. The Wind Astral swirling around it was several times denser than the younger Winged Tiger's, and it emitted a tremendous oppressive force toward everyone.
"I..." Cheng Zicheng wanted to say something more, but after glancing at the pale-faced Du Bai beside her, she gritted her teeth, grabbed Du Bai, and turned to run.
Tang San's eyes showed no fear. If he had a choice, he would never reveal his true abilities, let alone use his divine consciousness. But now, it seemed that the chances of having an actual choice were slim.
He hadn't anticipated such a situation. Not even Zhang Haoxuan could protect them, ninth order and all. Plans can't keep up with changes; only by revealing his trump card could he ensure everyone's survival.
But in his heart, he felt reassured; he hadn't misjudged people, had he? Whether it was Wu Bingji's resolute decision to cover their retreat or Gu Li's seemingly reckless but strong determination in the face of death, it all made him feel like he was back in the past, fighting alongside his companions.
They are all trustworthy.
A faint white light flickered in and out of view in Tang San's eyes. He spoke softly, "Eldest senior brother, brother Gu Li, help me. Ice Spear!"
Responding to Tang San's words without hesitation, Wu Bingji grasped the void with his right hand, rapidly condensing the ice elemental energy in the air. His entire bloodline power surged, not holding anything back in the face of their enemy's immense oppressive force.
The ice spear appeared in the air and shot forward instantly, emitting a piercing howl as it headed straight for the tigress.
Tang San tapped the ground with his toes and leaped up simultaneously landing like a phantom on the spear. Riding the spear, he rushed straight toward the tigress.
Wu Bingji and Gu Li didn't pause. As the ice spear carried away Tang San, they followed closely, charging forward.
Although they didn't know what Tang San was planning, at such a time, they could only give it their all.
Tang San did not use the bloodline imprint of the Wind Wolf Transformation. At this moment, his eyes were filled with a bright white light. Under the gaze of the Discerning Eye of Heaven, the wind element in front of him was visible, surrounded by the intensely dense Wind Astral, entwined with dazzling green light.
In an instant, the tigress moved. Its vast wings flapped violently, and the next moment, its massive figure lunged straight at Tang San. Its right claw swung up, bringing an incomparably fierce aura with it, and five Wind Astral blades generated by its tiger claws descended upon him.
Tang San would be instantly cut into pieces if this claw hit him.
"Freeze!" Tang San shouted explosively.
"Freeze—" Gu Li was already prepared, and the Chrono Croc Transformation was activated at Tang San's signal.
The control of the Chrono Croc Transformation was powerful, even when facing opponents of higher orders.
However, the gap in strength between the two sides was simply too vast. The tigress's swiping claws and lunging torso paused in mid-air, but it was only for a moment, and the Wind Astral on its claw blades did not diminish.
Wu Bingji was charging forward, his heart in his throat. Were his eyes deceiving him? The tigress had paused for the briefest of moments, but to him, it had almost seemed as if...she paused twice in succession?