Chapter 28: This Idiot!

"We've arrived. This is the place!"

Wang Tong lowered his voice, crouched down, and led everyone into a thicket of bushes.

"Bring it out." Wang Tong turned to glance at a slightly slender figure beside him, speaking in a deep voice.

"

Mhmm.

" The slender man rummaged in his pocket for a moment, producing a yellowish-black, slightly sticky lump. Yet, it carried a subtle sweet aroma.

The diminutive man slithered through the thicket, making his way around a large boulder. With a determined effort, he hurled the sticky lump into the distance from behind the rock.

Following that, there came a series of thunderous footsteps, almost resembling an earthquake. It was evident that the Cloud-Striped Tiger, which guarded the celestial fruit, was on the move.

"That's a bait made by mixing the blood of over a hundred different beasts with honey. Heh, no matter how formidable the Cloud-Striped Tiger is, it's ultimately just a beast. Once it senses the scent of blood, it immediately loses control of itself."

Wang Tong chuckled. "In the carefully prepared bait, we've also added a sufficient amount of anesthetic potent enough to bring down several hundred oxen. Even the Cloud-Striped Tiger will be paralyzed temporarily, and its reactions will become significantly sluggish. That's when we seize the opportunity to strike; both the demonic beast and the celestial fruit will be within our grasp."

It was only then that Ling Feng grasped the situation. With the potent effects of the anesthetic, the formidable strength of the Cloud-Striped Tiger would be significantly weakened, providing them with the courage to exploit its vulnerability and make their move.

As for why they didn't use poison, it's likely because most demonic beasts possessed a keen sense of smell. If they detected the scent of poison, they probably wouldn't fall for the trap.

Before long, a resounding

thud

echoed, signifying the fall of the demonic beast to the ground.

"

Haha

, we did it!" Wang Tong laughed heartily, being the first to leap out from the thicket.

"Everyone, let's act! While this beast is still paralyzed, we must finish it off!"

With the words hanging in the air, the disciples of the Tianyun Sword Sect sprung into action, each one jumping out. Even the slender man, who had been lethargically rolling behind the massive rock, joined the fray.

Having undergone countless cooperative endeavors, these individuals seamlessly united in a team of five, forming an intricate sword array that surrounded the Cloud-Striped Tiger. Without hesitation, they intended to exploit the remaining effects of the anesthetic and ruthlessly slay the demonic beast.

Ling Feng touched his nose and scanned the area. Sure enough, about several dozen meters behind the Cloud-Striped Tiger, he noticed an unusual plant. Standing at a little over three inches tall, the plant was entirely green, with three leaves that closed in like baby-sized palm leaves. Inside, a cluster of bright red fruits, resembling drops of blood, were condensed together, each about the size of a thumb.

The fruits were vivid and alluring. A mere glance was sufficient to arouse one's appetite.

Wang Tong and the others were full of killing intent, fiercely wielding their long swords, striking at the Cloud-Striped Tiger.

Despite the effects of the anesthetic, the Cloud-Striped Tiger, being the king of beasts, remained formidable. With a sweep of its colossal tail, it stood resolute and unbeaten.

Roar!

With a roar from the king of beasts, the Cloud-Striped Tiger climbed back to its feet. Its blood-red eyes locked onto the humans in the vicinity. Slamming its front paws onto the ground, the earth quivered like the surface of a drum.

The overwhelming force caused a visible shift in the expressions of the onlookers.

"Darn it, still so lively even after being dosed with anesthetic. Should've known to use ten times the dosage!" complained one of the martial artists.

"Fear nothing, kill!"

Wang Tong, shedding his previous affable demeanor, revealed a fierce determination in his eyes. With both hands raised high, he leaped into the air and delivered a merciless slash with his sword.

The other four immediately tightened their formation, surrounding the Cloud-Striped Tiger. Wang Tong took the lead in the attack, while the remaining four disrupted, seamlessly coordinating their efforts.

Roar!

Observing the audacity of these humans attempting to surround it, the Cloud-Striped Tiger forcibly gathered its strength. Lifting its tiger claw, it delivered a fierce slam. The might of the king of beasts was truly formidable. A single strike had the potential to split open a head.

Wang Tong displayed some skill, maneuvering his body in mid-air to evade the fierce swipe of the tiger's claw. He swiftly turned, delivering a powerful sword strike directly to the forehead of the Cloud-Striped Tiger.

Clang!

The sharp edge of the long sword left only a white mark on the head of the Cloud-Striped Tiger. This beast had indeed cultivated a body as tough as metal.

Ling Feng refrained from immediate action, opting to observe the every move of both the Cloud-Striped Tiger and Wang Tong's group. The divine pattern in his right eye condensed, and the Heavenly Dao Eye quietly opened.

"No, something's off. The approaches of these guys are fundamentally different, definitely not disciples from the same sect." Ling Feng had been suspicious of them from the start. Their techniques, be it in true qi, sword techniques, or footwork, were entirely dissimilar—far from resembling disciples of the same sect.

"Brother Ling Feng, are you not going to join the fight?" Wang Tong, observing Ling Feng's continued inactivity, shouted with a hint of frustration, his eyes flashing with anger.

Ling Feng curled his lips and slowly drew the Moon Slayer from behind.

Swish!

With a swift movement, Ling Feng glided through like a gentle breeze. A stream of bright silver sword light reminiscent of a cascading galaxy trailed behind him. The formidable sword qi concentrated at a single point, as if intent on piercing through the fabric of the cosmos. With a relentless thrust, he fiercely sent the Moon Slayer slashing through the air!

This sword strike was too swift and fierce!

Wang Tong and the rest watched in astonishment, their eyes widening with an excitement that sparkled within them.

Bang!

The sword qi crashed into the forehead of the Cloud-Striped Tiger, generating a resounding explosion. The fragmented starry sword energy pierced through the tiger's robust skull, causing a gush of blood to spurt from the back of its head, spraying into the sky and reaching a height of several yards!

The fierce tiger stood upright, its large pupils fixed on the human who had slain it. The pupils gradually dilated, and then, with a heavy tilt of its head, the mighty creature collapsed.

Boom!

A resounding roar echoed, shaking the ground as dust billowed into the air. The Cloud-Striped Tiger exhaled its final breath, convulsing on the ground for a brief moment before weakening, ultimately lying motionless.

The king of beasts was now completely dead!

"What... what an incredibly strong sword technique!" Wang Tong inhaled deeply, audibly swallowing. His gaze shifted to Ling Feng, and he licked his lips, his unabashed greed evident in his eyes.

The other companions were also dumbfounded by the formidable display of Ling Feng's sword.

As the saying went, "Head of copper, bones of steel, waist of tofu." The Cloud-Striped Tiger's toughest part was its skull, and Ling Feng's sword was able to pierce through it. This demonstrated the remarkable penetrating power of his swordsmanship.

"

Phew

..." Ling Feng breathed heavily, his complexion a bit pale. Leaning against a large tree behind him, he took a few deep breaths before smiling at Wang Tong and the others. "How's that? Can we distribute the spoils now?"

"No, no, no." Wang Tong extended his right index finger, gently waving it. "There's still one more prey. We need to take care of that too."

"Prey? Where could there be more prey?" Ling Feng pretended surprise, shaking his head while scanning the surroundings. "There's none. No other demonic beasts in sight!"

"

Hahaha

, this idiot!" One of the martial artists finally removed the mask from his face. "Even facing death, he's still completely oblivious!"

"Didn't we say these sect disciples are all fools? Just tell them a few words, and they believe everything." Zhu Xia swayed her willowy waist as she approached, giggling. "Young man, it's a pity. You're quite handsome, but why so naive?"

"Alright, enough teasing." Wang Tong, carrying the long sword, walked slowly towards Ling Feng. "Be sensible, hand over your sword and the manual of that sword technique you just displayed. Also, throw in the Qi Formation technique from the Wenxian Sect. We might spare your life."

"You... lied to me?"

Ling Feng lowered his head, and unseen by all, a glimmer of cold resolve flashed in his eyes.

It was a cold gleam filled with a murderous intent!