C14 Sawtooth Tiger

"Father, don't be so angry. Since the Blood Guard won't take action, we can take matters into our own hands," Soong Jie said, smiling.

"I've tried that before. I sent your third uncle to take out Zhang Nan, but the Phantasm Trap was shattered by that kid. Your uncle's been bedridden ever since. We didn't manage to take the city, and now the Azure Academy is onto us. They know someone tried to assassinate Zhang Nan, and they're watching the Soong family closely," Soong Xingtian replied with a sense of resignation.

Soong Jie chuckled and said, "Father, I didn't mean we should do it ourselves. Have you heard about what's in the woods outside the city? What's most abundant there?"

After a moment's thought, Soong Xingtian answered, "Spirit animals, of course."

"Exactly. We could unleash a formidable spirit animal. That way, we wouldn't be directly involved..." Soong Jie didn't finish his sentence, but his laughter said it all.

Soong Xingtian caught on to his son's plan and laughed, "You're truly my son. Go ahead and handle it."

In the forest outskirts:

"Ah, Zhang Nan, I'm going to fight you with everything I've got!" Murong Wan was running wildly through the forest, pursued by a frenzied Thornhide Boar.

Zhang Nan, meanwhile, was laughing on the sidelines, so much so that his stomach began to ache.

Murong Wan, exhausted, decided she couldn't run anymore. She stood her ground and faced the charging Thornhide Boar head-on.

The boar, seeing its prey no longer fleeing, also came to a halt and locked eyes with Murong Wan.

After a tense standoff, Murong Wan suddenly lunged at Zhang Nan, who had been laughing moments before but now sensed trouble. The Thornhide Boar shifted its focus and targeted Zhang Nan.

Zhang Nan remained still, gently setting Murong Wan on the ground before swiftly moving away.

Realizing it couldn't catch Murong Wan, the Thornhide Boar decided to go after Zhang Nan instead.

A man and a pig were running when Zhang Nan suddenly crouched down. Spotting this, the Thornhide Boar leaped into the air, aiming to impale Zhang Nan with the spikes on its back. However, Zhang Nan swiftly activated Phasewalk, evading from his original spot.

The boar's spikes drove into the earth, and in its attempt to deliver a fatal blow, it had exerted so much force that it couldn't right itself, leaving its underbelly exposed.

Zhang Nan handed the Skycleaver to Murong Wan and instructed, "Use this sword to pierce the Thornhide Boar's belly and kill it. That's your task."

Murong Wan hesitated for a moment, looking from the Skycleaver to the Thornhide Boar, and she began to feel a sense of pity for the creature.

"Can't we spare its life?" she asked with a touch of sorrow.

Zhang Nan nodded and replied, "Sure, we can spare it. But once I let it go, it might attack you."

As he was about to free the boar, Murong Wan interjected, "Wait, don't let it go. It's too frightening. I don't want it chasing me again."

With that, she lifted the Skycleaver and plunged it into the Thornhide Boar's abdomen. The boar's blood splashed across Murong Wan's face.

Staring at the blood on her, she screamed in shock.

Zhang Nan quickly covered her mouth and cautioned, "Please, don't scream. We're in the woods, the domain of the Fellbeasts. Your cries could draw them all here."

Murong Wan promptly shut her mouth, glancing unhappily at her stained clothing. "This was my favorite outfit, and now look at it."

Zhang Nan observed her clothes and remarked, "Consider this a lesson. Who asked you to wear such a lovely dress out here? Anyway, it's just blood. A wash will take care of it."

Murong Wan's face fell as she lamented, "How was I supposed to know that's what you meant by 'class'? If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered washing our academy's uniform—I would've just thrown it out."

Zhang Nan shook his head in resignation and glanced down at his own attire, realizing he was in his school uniform. He gritted his teeth and glared at Murong Wan, realizing she was referring to him.

"We need to keep searching for the Fellbeast, right now," Zhang Nan said through clenched teeth.

"What? We're still searching? Can't we take a break?" Murong Wan, exhausted, collapsed onto the ground.

"There's no rest during training. If you want a break, you'll have to push through until the end. Then we can talk about resting," Zhang Nan replied, then without waiting for Murong Wan, he headed deeper into the forest.

"Hmph, fine, no rest then. I'm coming, okay?" Murong Wan huffed, stamping her foot before following Zhang Nan into the woods.

Unbeknownst to Zhang Nan, on the other side of the forest, Soong Jie had brought a Sawtooth Tiger into the woods. After a short wait, Soong Jie emerged and murmured to himself, "Sawtooth Tiger, it's all up to you now. Make sure you put on a good show." With that, Soong Jie departed.

The two continued their trek deeper into the forest, encountering an increasing number of spirit animals, including some at the Foundation Building level, which Zhang Nan swiftly dispatched. Murong Wan dealt with the Qi Refining spirit animals.

Glancing at the sky, Zhang Nan suggested, "We've been here all day. Let's head back and clean up before it gets too late and we run into more trouble."

Murong Wan nodded in agreement and they made their way toward the edge of the forest. But just as they turned to leave, a tiger with two sharp fangs burst forth, lunging at them. They quickly sidestepped the attack.

"Is that a Sawtooth Tiger? How could such a spirit animal be in this small forest?" Murong Wan exclaimed, taken aback by the sight of the large tiger.

Zhang Nan furrowed his brow and said, "It must have been released intentionally. I'll draw its attention. You get to safety first. Wait for me in the city. If I'm not back within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, go find the dean immediately."

Murong Wan nodded in agreement. She realized that in the face of such a spirit animal, she would be nothing more than a hindrance, so she didn't refuse Zhang Nan's proposal.

Zhang Nan drew his Skycleaver and tapped the flat of the blade against a tree, calling out, "Hey, over here, look at me!"

The Sawtooth Tiger turned its gaze toward Zhang Nan.

Seeing this, Zhang Nan brandished the Skycleaver and executed the Firmament Sword Technique, Voidripper.

A streak of golden sword energy surged toward the Sawtooth Tiger.

However, Zhang Nan's limited strength meant that the golden sword energy merely left a white mark on the Sawtooth Tiger's hide.

The Sawtooth Tiger's eyes flashed with rage at the sight and it charged fiercely at Zhang Nan.

Zhang Nan yelled, "Now's the time, run for it!"

Murong Wan immediately dashed toward the city, calling out as she ran, "Zhang Nan, you've got to hold on!"