C15 Fighting a Rank Five Demon Beast

"Woo Tieh, are you scared?" Woo Yang inquired of his comrade.

"Scared of what? The worst-case scenario is death. It's just a shame our time as brothers with Mr. Yang has been so brief."

There was no trace of fear on Woo Tieh's face, only a profound sense of regret.

"Hahaha!" Woo Yang burst into laughter, his tone turning fierce, "We're not going to die. Even if it means fighting to our last breath, we're going to take down this creature. Brothers don't just march to their deaths; we fight our way through adversity."

Filled with a warrior's spirit, Woo Yang was undeterred by the prospect of facing a Rank Five Demon Beast. If it thought it could make a meal of him, it would need to prove it had the chops to do so.

Stepping out of the cave, Woo Yang's gaze fell upon a dark leopard nearby. There was no mistaking it; this was the Rushing Cloud Leopard.

Woo Tieh emerged as well, and with his arrival, the Rushing Cloud Leopard sprang into action, closing the distance in a flash.

The two men quickly sidestepped, avoiding the leopard's charge. It landed with a thud inside the cave, its claws tearing into the earth and kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Roar~!" The Rushing Cloud Leopard roared in fury, as if incensed by its prey's evasion.

"You beast, let's see what you've got," Woo Yang taunted, unflinchingly facing the leopard.

The Rushing Cloud Leopard let out another thunderous roar and charged directly at Woo Yang. Ready to counter, Woo Yang channeled his Spirit Power, his gaze locked on the oncoming predator.

The leopard leapt, its hind legs propelling it through the air towards Woo Yang. He couldn't afford to hesitate. As the leopard's claws bore down on him, Woo Yang sidestepped with all his might and countered with a Tiger Roar strike to the leopard's flank.

But the punch, one he took pride in, barely fazed the Rushing Cloud Leopard. Instead, the force of the blow sent Woo Yang stumbling several meters back.

"It's futile. That creature is a Rank Five Demon Beast; a Rank Three martial skill won't inflict significant damage."

In the midst of the dilemma, the Golden Book offered a timely mental reminder.

The Rushing Cloud Leopard was seething with rage. Twice its prey had slipped through its grasp, and it had suffered attacks to boot. Its fury was palpable, and now it was intent on shredding Woo Yang to pieces to quell the burning resentment.

Woo Tieh couldn't stand idly by as the leopard focused on Woo Yang. He drew his Wind Wolf Sword, clenching it firmly in both hands, and unleashed a powerful sword qi at the Rushing Cloud Leopard.

The sword qi emitted by the superior Wind Wolf Sword was formidable. But the Rushing Cloud Leopard was no fool; sensing the imminent danger, it swiftly sidestepped, narrowly evading the attack.

"Damn it, this one's tough to handle," Woo Yang muttered under his breath, witnessing the close call.

He hadn't anticipated the Rushing Cloud Leopard's cunning, finding himself at a loss for how to combat such a clever adversary. The leopard, still fixated on Woo Yang, made its move, clearly holding a grudge.

Woo Yang felt a sense of despair. What could he do in such a situation? Stand still and become its meal?

As the Rushing Cloud Leopard charged, Woo Yang quickly ducked behind a tree. The leopard's claws raked through the air, severing the large tree with ease. Seizing the moment, Woo Yang executed the Tiger Roar technique, striking the leopard's left foreleg.

"Roar! Roar!"

The Rushing Cloud Leopard let out a thunderous roar after being hit by Woo Yang once more, signaling its intense anger.

With another attack imminent, Woo Yang wasted no time retreating. Yet, he couldn't possibly outrun the Rushing Cloud Leopard; destruction followed in its wake.

"How can I possibly kill this beast?"

"There is a way, but it's up to you, Master, to pull it off."

"Come on, spit it out already, or I'm going to end up as this creature's dinner, and you'll be right there with me in its belly."

"Target its eyes—that's the Rushing Cloud Leopard's weak spot."

With those words, the Golden Book fell silent, assuming the role of a hands-off manager.

Feeling a sudden stillness within, Woo Yang inwardly cursed. When it mattered most, it was utterly useless, despite its constant demands to consume his soul.

"Woo Tieh, find a way to draw its attention. I'll seize the chance to leap onto it," Woo Yang called out as he sprinted, his voice laced with concern for Woo Tieh in the distance.

Upon hearing this, Woo Tieh wasted no time. He brandished his Wind Wolf Sword once more, unleashing gusts of sword qi at the Rushing Cloud Leopard.

Only one strike of sword qi found its mark, but it was enough to wound the leopard. The beast, previously in hot pursuit of Woo Yang, halted abruptly, its icy gaze shifting to Woo Tieh and his sword.

With an enraged roar, the Rushing Cloud Leopard switched its focus, intent on eliminating the most significant threat first.

But in its rage, the leopard failed to notice Woo Yang scaling a tree. As it prepared to charge, Woo Yang landed squarely on its back.

Spirit Power surged through his legs, gripping the Rushing Cloud Leopard tightly. Feeling the weight on its back, the leopard instinctively began to run and leap wildly, trying to shake Woo Yang off.

Woo Yang knew this was his moment. A tiger's roar erupted as he pummeled the leopard's eyes with his fists, meteor-like in their ferocity. Even with its formidable defenses, the eyes remained its most vulnerable point.

Woo Yang was flung through the air, finally coming to a stop after crashing through tree roots and branches. The Rushing Cloud Leopard, now blinded, staggered around in a frenzy.

"Woo Tieh, quick, finish off that beast!" Woo Yang called out weakly from the ground.

Hearing this, Woo Tieh sprang into action, his resolve unwavering. He had witnessed all of Woo Yang's efforts and knew it was time to take his stand.

The Wind Wolf Sword, on par with a lower-tier spirit weapon, was wielded with the martial techniques Woo Tieh had mastered. Each strike was delivered with ruthless precision, targeting the Rushing Cloud Leopard that flailed like a headless fly. After enduring the onslaught for half an hour, the leopard finally succumbed.

It wasn't until Woo Yang witnessed the Rushing Cloud Leopard's defeat that he exhaled deeply, slumping against a shattered tree trunk with a smile that bore the relief of a narrow escape.

"Mr. Yang, are you okay?" Woo Tieh bypassed the fallen leopard and rushed to Woo Yang's side.

Shaking his head, Woo Yang replied, "I'm not going to die just yet. First, retrieve the Beast Core from that creature. We got lucky this time."

With Woo Tieh securing the Beast Core from the leopard, Woo Yang's inner tension eased. Given his vulnerable state, Woo Tieh could have easily killed him with a mere flick of his wrist.

It was this realization that solidified Woo Yang's view of Woo Tieh as more than just an ally, but as his most trusted brother.