Chapter 353 - 350: Slaying the Shadow Leopard
Chapter 353: Chapter 350: Slaying the Shadow Leopard
"ROAR—"
The Shadow Leopard was completely enraged.
It was done testing the waters. The demonic qi around its body erupted.
A dark, heavy wave of qi swept out from it, sending gravel skittering across the ground and dead leaves dancing wildly.
Its four claws dug violently into the earth, carving deep gouges, and its massive body lunged forward once more.
This time, its attack was even more ferocious.
It used its sharp claws, fangs, and steel-like tail in concert, an offensive barrage like a raging tempest, ferocious enough to tear everything apart.
"SHRAK—!"
A gust from its claws swept past where Fang Han had just been standing, slicing a man-sized boulder in half as if it were tofu. The cut surface was as smooth as a mirror.
"BOOM!"
Its steel-like tail swept out, snapping an ancient tree thick enough to wrap one’s arms around. Wood splinters rained down.
The Shadow Leopard’s pounces, tears, and tail swipes—each blow contained the power to shatter monuments and split stone. It moved so fast that it left only trails of black afterimages, completely enveloping the several-zhang radius around Fang Han.
A foul wind washed over him, thick with sinister demonic qi. An ordinary Fourth-Grade Martial Artist would likely perish in less than ten breaths under such an onslaught.
"SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!"
However, Fang Han was no ordinary Fourth-Grade Martial Artist.
He pushed his Mastery Realm of the Wind and Cloud Escape to its absolute limit. His footwork seemed chaotic, but it secretly conformed to some profound rhythm.
His figure flickered unpredictably within the storm of death.
At times, he was like an uncatchable gale, slipping through the gaps in the sky-filling claw shadows by a hair’s breadth.
At others, he was like a scudding cloud, instantly disengaging from the battle only to press forward again in the instant the Shadow Leopard’s old force was spent and new force had yet to be mustered.
Infused with Inner Qi, the Cloud Splitting Sword glowed cyan and exuded a terrifying aura. It moved like a viper striking, aiming for the Shadow Leopard’s vitals—its eyes, nose, throat, and abdomen.
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! SHHIIINNNG—!"
The clang of metal on metal and the sound of a sharp blade tearing through hide filled the air.
The Cloud Splitting Sword was a Low Grade Magical Soldier, incomparably sharp. Supplemented by the keen Sword Momentum condensed from his Great Success in the Nine Swords of Sky Splitting, its power was astounding.
Fang Han’s Sword Techniques were not complex, yet he always managed to seize the nigh-imperceptible openings as the Shadow Leopard transitioned between attacks.
The flashes of his sword were like lightning—precise and vicious.
"ROAR, ROAR, ROAR—"
The Shadow Leopard roared again and again as new wounds constantly appeared on its body.
A half-foot-long gash was torn open on the side of its neck, blood gushing out.
Several sword punctures of varying depths dotted its abdomen.
One of its forelegs had even been grazed by Sword Qi, severing a tendon and causing a slight sluggishness in its movements.
’Such formidable physical defense!’
Despite this, there was little joy on Fang Han’s face.
With his current Power of Attack, any one of his strikes was enough to severely injure or even kill an ordinary Middle Third-Grade Martial Artist.
However, when they landed on the Shadow Leopard, the effect was far from what he expected.
The beast’s hide, muscles, and bones were unbelievably tough. When the Cloud Splitting Sword pierced its body, the resistance was immense.
It was less like piercing flesh and more like cutting through metal as hard as a Top-grade Weapon.
The wounds looked gruesome, but they were shallow and had not struck anything vital.
Its fur, shimmering with a mercury-like luster, was especially astonishing in its defensive power. A casual sweep of his sword wind often left nothing more than a faint white mark.
’It’s like it’s wearing a living suit of Spirit Iron Armor.’
A chill went through Fang Han’s heart.
His Swordsmanship had reached Great Success, his Sword Momentum was condensed and incomparably sharp, and he had the advantage of a Magical Soldier, yet he was only able to inflict this degree of injury.
No wonder the five members of the Demon Hunting Team—all at least Middle Third-Grade Martial Artists, with some skilled Fourth-Grade Martial Artists among them—had still ended up defeated.
This made him look forward to the Xuanwu True Skill, which could temper the physical body, even more.
He wondered if he could possess such a powerful physique once he reached the Entry Level of the Xuanwu True Skill.
If he could gain such a strong body to complement his sharp Swordsmanship and ghostly Body Technique, his combat power would surely experience a qualitative leap.
Then, with integrated offense and defense and no more weaknesses, he would have greater confidence and a wider margin for error when facing powerful enemies.
"ROAR!"
Unable to land a decisive blow after so long and instead accumulating new injuries, the Shadow Leopard’s ferocity finally erupted completely.
It abruptly reared up on its hind legs, its two foreclaws swiping madly, creating a sky full of claw shadows.
At the same time, it opened its blood-maw of a mouth.
A jet-black beam of light, so condensed it seemed solid, shot out from its throat, aimed straight at Fang Han’s face.
The black beam was only as thick as an arm, but it radiated a heart-palpitating, destructive aura. Everywhere it passed, the air hissed as if being corroded.
’I can’t take this head-on!’
Fang Han’s expression tightened; he didn’t dare to receive it directly.
He pushed the Wind and Cloud Escape under his feet to its limit, his body instantly blurring into a faint cyan afterimage as he retreated diagonally backward.
But it was clearly too late.
He had no choice but to brandish the Cloud Splitting Sword before him, weaving a net of condensed, cyan Sword Qi.
"HISS—BOOM!"
The jet-black beam collided with the net of Sword Qi, emitting a grating, corrosive sound before exploding violently.
The violent blast wave scraped away a layer of earth within a radius of several zhang, turning plants to dust and sending gravel flying.
Although Fang Han had dodged the direct impact in time, the shockwave still roiled his blood and qi, and his Protective Inner Qi fluctuated violently.
Though shocked by the terrifying power of the attack, he did not let the opportunity pass.
His eyes sharpened. Seizing the momentary pause after the Shadow Leopard’s attack, he closed in again like a phantom.
The Cloud Splitting Sword let out a piercing shriek as he brought it down in a "Sky Splitting" slash, aimed at the Shadow Leopard’s head, which was slightly lowered after exhaling the beam.
He held nothing back with this sword strike.
While pushing seventy percent of his Wind Momentum to its peak, he also stimulated his Qichong Acupoint, opening the Divine Treasure "Tide Surge."
At the cost of rapidly consuming his Inner Qi, he caused it to surge like a tide for a short period, producing astonishing explosive power.
The sword light condensed into a single line, as if it would tear space itself apart.
The Shadow Leopard sensed the mortal threat, and a look of terror appeared in its scarlet eyes.
It desperately tried to dodge, but the weakness after its breath attack hampered its agility.
"SPURT!"
A spray of blood erupted!
The Cloud Splitting Sword slashed into the Shadow Leopard’s shoulder blade, leaving a deep wound.
The intense pain made the Shadow Leopard let out a dreadful howl as its massive body staggered backward.
Dark red blood poured out like a spring, instantly staining a large patch of ground.
Pressing his advantage, Fang Han renewed his Sword Momentum, sticking to the beast like a shadow and thrusting straight for its heart.
The Shadow Leopard forcefully twisted its body, smacking its other, uninjured foreclaw viciously at the Cloud Splitting Sword.
"CLANG!"
With another loud bang, Fang Han’s sword was knocked aside, scraping past the Shadow Leopard’s ribs.
It kicked up a shower of sparks and left another long, deep wound, but it failed to strike the heart.
Using the force of the blow, the Shadow Leopard’s massive body tumbled backward, creating distance from Fang Han.
Blood gushed from the terrifying wound on its shoulder, and its other wounds also seeped blood. Its aura weakened at a visible rate.
Its scarlet eyes stared fixedly at Fang Han, and now, mixed with the violence and pain, was a deep-seated fear.
This human before it surpassed it in both speed and Power of Attack.
If the fight continued, even with its iron hide and steel bones, it would be ground down to death!
"ROAR—!"
The Shadow Leopard threw its head back and let out a roar filled with unwillingness and venomous hatred.
The next moment, it suddenly spun around, paws digging into the ground, and transformed into a blurry black streak of light as it fled for its life.
The black streak of light shot through the mountain forest, appearing over a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.
’Trying to run?’
Fang Han sneered.
"SWOOSH!"
He tapped his toes on the ground, activating the Wind and Cloud Escape at full power.
After reaching the Mastery Realm, his understanding and application of Wind Momentum had reached a new level.
Now, at full power, his figure seemed to merge completely with the wind. It was no longer simple speed, but a kind of ethereal yet incredibly swift "drift."
A single step covered several zhang. He pushed off rocks, treetops, and even turbulent air currents with the tips of his toes.
His speed climbed steadily, and he quickly closed the distance to the Shadow Leopard.
"SWOOSH!"
The Shadow Leopard sensed the terrifying aura rapidly approaching from behind, and fear rose in its heart.
Ignoring its injuries, it pushed its speed to the limit, frantically weaving through the rugged mountain forest.
Sometimes it leaped onto towering ancient trees, flying between the branches.
Other times it dove into dense thickets, trying to use the terrain to shake its pursuer.
However, Fang Han’s Wind and Cloud Escape was not a straightforward Body Technique. Even in complex terrain, he moved like a fish in water.
His body seemed weightless, and his speed was far greater than the Shadow Leopard’s.
He soon caught up to the Shadow Leopard.
"Die!"
Fang Han let out a low shout. The Inner Qi from the Profound Wind Technique in his body surged and roared at an unprecedented speed, all of it pouring into the Cloud Splitting Sword.
The cyan glow on the sword’s blade flared, and it let out a clear, piercing hum.
He became one with his sword, man and blade transforming into a brilliant, dazzling cyan rainbow, carrying a resolute Sword Momentum that could tear through anything.
In an instant, he crossed over a dozen zhang and thrust toward the Shadow Leopard!
This strike was the peak condensation of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, the ultimate blossoming of his Great Success Sword Intent from the Nine Swords of Sky Splitting!
The Shadow Leopard sensed the terrifying sharpness behind it, so potent it made its very soul tremble. It let out a terrified shriek.
It twisted its body and swiped a claw, trying to parry.
At the same time, its long, thick, steel-like tail lashed out viciously at Fang Han’s waist like a dying snake’s final struggle.
"CLANG! SQUELCH!"
The Cloud Splitting Sword, without any flourish, pierced through the Shadow Leopard’s hastily swiped claw. The Sword Momentum slowed slightly but still carried an unparalleled sharpness as it plunged viciously into the beast’s heart.
At the same time, the Shadow Leopard’s dying counterattack—its steel tail—struck heavily against the spine of Fang Han’s sword, which he had raised just in time to block.
"CRACK!"
The grating sound of cracking bone echoed as a large section of the Shadow Leopard’s sternum was shattered by Sword Qi, its heart suffering a devastating blow.
Its massive body stiffened abruptly, and the light in its scarlet eyes faded rapidly.
It let out a low whimper and collapsed with a thunderous crash, like a toppled mountain of gold or a fallen pillar of jade, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The immense force from the tail strike also sent Fang Han’s blood and qi into turmoil, forcing him back several steps before he could steady himself.
He stood with his sword in hand, panting slightly, his gaze locked on the fallen Shadow Leopard.
The Shadow Leopard’s massive body lay among the shattered rocks. Dark red blood gushed from beneath it like a stream, quickly soaking the surrounding snow and soil.
Its limbs twitched weakly, and a gurgling, "heh-heh" sound, like air escaping a punctured lung, came from its throat.
Its scarlet pupils gradually lost focus. The heart-palpitating, violent aura receded like a tide, finally vanishing into silence.
’Playing dead, or really dead?’
Fang Han slowly exhaled a turbid breath, his tense mind relaxing slightly.
He walked forward and cautiously prodded the Shadow Leopard’s corpse with his sword tip. Only after confirming it was truly dead did he let out a genuine sigh of relief.
The scene within a hundred-zhang radius of the battle was nothing short of brutal.
Countless ancient trees were snapped and toppled, their branches strewn everywhere.
Jagged mountain rocks were either shattered by claws or plowed apart by Sword Qi into deep furrows.
The thick layer of snow and humus was overturned, revealing the dark soil beneath.
In the places struck by the Shadow Leopard’s breath attack or the aftershocks of Fang Han’s Sword Qi, charred pits and a crisscrossing network of sword marks appeared.
The entire area looked as if it had been ravaged repeatedly by a violent hurricane and countless sharp blades, a scene of utter devastation.
It stood in stark contrast to the still-intact mountain forest surrounding it. It truly looked as if the area had undergone a small-scale "cleansing."