Mortal Bones

"Clang!"

At the critical moment, Lu Chen activated the flying sword in his hand, merging his body with the sword, transforming into a streak of light as he darted forward, barely avoiding the tiger demon's claw strike.

"Boom!"

The tiger demon's claw struck the ground, creating three deep gouges that spanned over a hundred meters, and once again, the surrounding maple trees were knocked down.

The technique of merging with the sword was the strongest and fastest move for a sword cultivator who had not yet mastered controlling a sword independently.

"Boom!"

Just as Lu Chen's feet landed, the tiger demon's long tail swung like a giant blade, sweeping toward him. However, this time, Lu Chen didn't dodge. Instead, he smirked and allowed the tail to sweep toward him.

"Clang!"

Just as the tiger's tail was about to slice Lu Chen in half, a flash of sword light shot from the west side of the maple forest, and a sword struck the thick tiger tail, pinning it to the ground.

"Roar!"

The furious tiger demon opened its massive mouth and let out a deafening roar. A swirling gust of wind shot out from its mouth like a cannonball.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, the gust of wind shot out from the tiger demon's mouth, creating a massive rift in the western part of the forest. Within the rift, a figure wrapped in rotating protective sword qi was seen flying toward the tiger demon.

"Of course, it's you, Mo Jun!!!"

The tiger demon, with its tail pinned to the ground, growled angrily as it looked toward the west, where the figure was heading toward it. It then spat out another cannonball-like gust of wind.

"Boom!"

The gust of wind, spinning like a sharp blade, struck Mo Jun, causing him to stagger and forcing him to stop in mid-air to resist the blow.

"You demon, take this from your grandfather's sword!"

At this moment, Lu Chen, who had been standing still until now, suddenly surged with a terrifying aura. His body and sword energy merged again, transforming into a flash of sword light. The sword energy, multiplied into hundreds of sword shadows, rained down like a torrential storm upon the tiger demon.

"Second Senior Brother has already mastered the 'Sudden Rain Style' of the Split Sky Sword Technique?" Liu Zijing exclaimed in astonishment.

"Roar!"

As Liu Zijing spoke, the tiger demon suddenly opened its mouth wide and let out a furious roar. Its demonic energy surged, transforming into violent winds that gathered in its mouth. It then exploded outward toward the sword rain.

"Boom!"

With a deafening sound, Liu Zijing watched in disbelief as Lu Chen's sword rain was completely swept away by the tiger demon's gust, and even Lu Chen himself was blown back.

"This tiger demon's strength is no less than Second Senior Brother's!" Liu Zijing said, her face filled with disbelief.

Beside her, Lin Buyu furrowed her brow, her expression now tinged with caution for the first time.

However, her brows soon relaxed, and her gaze shifted toward the eastern sky.

There, in a place where no one had been paying attention, a figure drifted down like a falling leaf—quiet and undetected.

The figure was none other than the hidden Zi Yanxian.

"Die!"

At this moment, the tiger demon remained unaware of the looming threat. It leaped toward Lu Chen, attempting to swallow him whole.

"Boom!"

Just as the tiger demon was only a yard away from Lu Chen, Zi Yanxian, who had remained hidden until now, suddenly erupted with a burst of flame-like energy from her body.

"Burning Gold Finger!"

With a sharp cry, Zi Yanxian's true energy coalesced into a fiery blaze and gathered around her finger, which was pointed toward the tiger demon. In an instant, her finger turned as red as a hot iron, with powerful spiritual ripples emanating from it.

"You despicable wretches!"

The tiger demon felt the threat above its head and, realizing the danger, roared in anger, but it was too late to react.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, Zi Yanxian's fiery finger struck the tiger demon's forehead.

"Boom!!"

At the moment of impact, waves of pure fire energy erupted, enveloping the tiger demon's body like flowing magma from a volcano, instantly bursting outward.

"Roar…"

As the tiger demon plummeted to the ground, its entire body was consumed by the rising flames, and it let out a heartbreaking howl.

"Mo Jun, decapitate it!"

Even now, Zi Yanxian didn't let her guard down. While she was recovering her energy, she shouted to Mo Jun, who was rushing toward her.

"Wufeng!"

Upon hearing her voice, Mo Jun suddenly called the sword stuck in the tiger demon's tail.

"Clang!"

With a metallic tremor, the sword named Wufeng flew into Mo Jun's hand.

"Mountain Split Style!"

With the Wufeng sword in hand, Mo Jun stomped on a maple leaf and, channeling thunderous energy, struck down with a mighty sword aimed at the tiger demon's head.

"Boom!"

In an instant, the sword qi surged, and Mo Jun, along with the Wufeng sword, merged into one, transforming into a sword shadow over ten feet long, striking down fiercely toward the tiger demon's head.

"Hahaha, you've fallen for my trap!"

But just as the sword was about to strike, the tiger demon, which had been howling in agony, suddenly lifted its head from the flames and burst into wild laughter.

As its laughter echoed, a crystal-like orb was spat from the tiger demon's mouth.

"Boom!"

Instantly, the flames surrounding the tiger demon were sucked into the orb, and fiery gusts swirled around it. These flames fiercely slammed toward Mo Jun and Zi Yanxian.

"Boom!"

With a loud explosion, Mo Jun's sword qi shattered, and even his body was cut by the intense fire winds from the demon orb, leaving dozens of wounds despite his protective robes.

"Boom!"

Zi Yanxian reacted immediately, turning her finger into a palm and slamming it into the orb, using her palm force to stop the orb from advancing.

"Shuo Feng Rise!"

Almost simultaneously, the tiger demon roared again, and the orb released an even more violent gust of wind.

"Boom!"

In an instant, Mo Jun and Zi Yanxian were caught in a massive tornado, and large trees and rocks in the maple forest were sucked into the vortex.

Had Liu Zijing and Lin Buyu not been far enough away, they too would have been dragged in.

"Buyu, you and Zijing return to the sect and find help. This demon orb can't harm me, but it can trap me!"

Just as the two were preparing to rescue Zi Yanxian and Mo Jun, Zi Yanxian's voice suddenly rang in their minds.

It was a soul transmission.

"Go."

Liu Zijing hesitated for a moment, but Lin Buyu had already made the decision. She grabbed Liu Zijing's hand and prepared to leap from the tree.

"Junior Sister, save me!"

Just then, a cry for help came from behind them.

Turning around, they saw Lu Chen, covered in injuries, being chased by the tiger demon, heading toward them.

"This guy… how did he lead the tiger demon here?"

Lin Buyu frowned.