"ROAR!"

The Dark Demon Tiger staggered to its feet, its abdomen still throbbing with a dull pain. Its crimson eyes locked onto Shen Haoran and the other man, a brutal aura swirling around its body.

Seeing the enraged Dark Demon Tiger, Fatty gave a bitter laugh. "It’s over. There’s really no escaping this time!"

Shen Haoran took a deep breath, suppressing the roiling qi and blood in his body, and said coldly, "Then we have no choice but to fight. Today, either it dies, or we do!"

Seeing the fearless Shen Haoran, Fatty was visibly moved. He then said apologetically, "Sorry about this, brother. I dragged you into this for no reason. If we can make it out of this alive today, I, Zi Mo, will call you my brother!"

"Zi Mo?! You’re Zi Mo?" Shen Haoran exclaimed upon hearing the name.

"Uh... Brother, you know me?" Fatty asked, puzzled by Shen Haoran’s strong reaction.

At his words, the corner of Shen Haoran’s mouth twitched. Information about Zi Mo flooded his mind.

’Zi Mo, sixth on the Dragon and Tiger List, a Tier Eight Spirit General! A Level One disciple of Thick Earth Hall!’ Shen Haoran had always imagined this Zi Mo to be a refined, scholarly, and handsome man—after all, his name was so poetic. But seeing this fatty today, it was truly hard to believe he was Zi Mo! The gap between the person and the name was just too vast!

"ROAR!"

While the two were talking, the Dark Demon Tiger made its move. Its massive body transformed into a black shadow and lunged at them!

Seeing this, both Shen Haoran and Zi Mo’s expressions turned grave. The Dark Demon Tiger was nothing like the Iron-Armed Demon Ape. As a Tier Five Spirit Beast, its strength, speed, and intelligence were no weaker than a Spirit Marquis’s. Killing it would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens!

"Fatty, you run interference! I’ll be the main attacker!" Shen Haoran shouted in a low voice.

"Alright!" Zi Mo responded immediately. Although Shen Haoran was only a Tier One Spirit General, after witnessing that previous strike, Zi Mo chose to trust him unconditionally.

"Here I go!" With that, Shen Haoran’s figure flickered, his body turning into an afterimage as he met the Dark Demon Tiger head-on!

Seeing Shen Haoran charge forward, Zi Mo let out a low growl. Earth-yellow Spiritual Power surged forth, and his formerly flabby flesh solidified, transforming into a suit of Rock Armor!

For others, a body full of flab might be a burden, but for Zi Mo, it was natural defense!

"ROAR!"

Seeing Shen Haoran rushing toward it, the Dark Demon Tiger roared furiously and swiped its paw at him again. This time, its speed was more than twice as fast as before!

However, Shen Haoran paid it no mind and charged straight forward. Just as the paw was about to strike him, Zi Mo, now covered in his Rock Armor, suddenly appeared and met the paw head-on!

"BOOM!"

With a muffled thud, Zi Mo caught the paw. The powerful impact slammed him into the ground, and his Rock Armor trembled as it channeled most of the force into the earth.

To be ranked sixth on the Dragon and Tiger List, Zi Mo naturally had his own skills. Though that palm strike was terrifying, Shen Haoran believed Zi Mo could take it! Sure enough, the next moment, Zi Mo’s furious roar came from under the paw. He rose to his feet, hoisted the Dark Demon Tiger up, and hurled it into the distance!

At that moment, the Dark Demon Tiger’s guard was wide open. Shen Haoran’s figure flashed, and he once again smashed his fist toward its soft underbelly!

"AWOO!" The immense pain made the Dark Demon Tiger howl, but the beast lived up to its name as a Tier Five Spirit Beast. As it was sent flying, it whipped its tail around, lashing Shen Haoran and Zi Mo. However, the Attack Power was limited and didn’t cause them any significant damage.

Sent flying by the blow, Shen Haoran and Zi Mo stopped themselves and lunged at the Dark Demon Tiger again, giving it no chance to breathe. The Dark Demon Tiger roared back, and the three of them were instantly locked in a chaotic battle!

BOOM... BANG... Loud clashes echoed through the mountain forest. Although this was the first time Shen Haoran and Zi Mo had fought together, their synergy was unspoken. Working in tandem, they managed to fight the Dark Demon Tiger to a standstill for a time! 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The Dark Demon Tiger grew more and more agitated as the fight dragged on. In its eyes, these two were mere ants, yet their combination of offense and defense left it helpless! Moreover, the two of them were like slippery eels, advancing when they had the upper hand and retreating when they didn’t. The Dark Demon Tiger’s attacks felt like punching cotton!

BAM... With another muffled bang, the Dark Demon Tiger collided with Shen Haoran and Zi Mo, and all three were sent flying backward.

The Dark Demon Tiger crashed to the ground, looking utterly wretched. Shen Haoran had torn a gash in its abdomen from which blood was flowing freely. Its fur was a mess, and most notably, the thick tail on its backside had been severed!

But Shen Haoran and Zi Mo were in even worse shape. Zi Mo’s Rock Armor was completely shattered, and three claw marks, so deep the bone was visible, were etched into his chest. Shen Haoran was also pale, his right arm hanging limply at his side. He was covered in blood—some his own, some the Dark Demon Tiger’s.

"Huff... Huff... This beast is a real handful!" Zi Mo panted, having already reached his limit.

Hearing this, Shen Haoran’s brows furrowed tightly. ’He and Zi Mo are running on fumes, but the Dark Demon Tiger still seems to have some strength left! This situation is not looking good!’

HUFF... The Dark Demon Tiger struggled to get up. As it moved, more blood gushed from the wound on its belly. Its crimson eyes were filled with savagery. ’To think I’ve been worn down to this state by two mere ants!’ A violent rage surged through its heart.

"ROAR!"

With a world-shaking roar, the black energy around the Dark Demon Tiger began to condense. The grayish-white stripes covering its body started to fade, and a massive, black tiger head materialized above it. The aura it emanated made Shen Haoran and Zi Mo feel the threat of death!

"A Bloodline Martial Skill!" Shen Haoran and Zi Mo cried out in alarm. They never expected the Dark Demon Tiger to know a Bloodline Martial Skill! Their hearts sank as they stared at the deathly aura radiating from the tiger head, their fists clenched tightly.

As the tiger head solidified, the Dark Demon Tiger’s own aura weakened, and the life in its eyes faded considerably. However, upon seeing the despair in Shen Haoran and Zi Mo’s eyes, the Dark Demon Tiger roused its spirits once more!

"Brother, I started this. You have to go! I’ll buy you time!" Gazing at the black tiger head, Zi Mo took a deep breath and stood in front of Shen Haoran, looking as if he intended to block the attack for him.

Looking at the broad back in front of him, Shen Haoran’s heart warmed. He raised his left hand and placed it on Zi Mo’s shoulder. "Heh, I, Shen Haoran, am not the kind of person who abandons his brother to save his own skin!"

Zi Mo turned his head. Looking at the still somewhat youthful face and meeting Shen Haoran’s eyes, the two shared a smile.

Shen Haoran took a deep breath, looked at the black tiger head, and thought to himself, ’Looks like I have no choice but to use the Heaven-Dominating Tribulation!’

At this thought, the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian within his body began to run rampant. A terrifying aura was about to erupt from him. However, just as Shen Haoran was preparing to forcibly use the Secret Technique, a black shadow shot out from his body. Then, a massive, gaping maw suddenly appeared in front of the black tiger head conjured by the Dark Demon Tiger. A terrifying suction force burst forth, swallowing the black tiger head whole!

The sudden turn of events left both Zi Mo and Shen Haoran stunned. The Dark Demon Tiger was also dumbfounded, looking as if it had seen a ghost!

"Holy crap, what’s going on?"