C15 Sawtooth Tiger Lost

After Murong Wan departed, Zhang Nan let out a sigh of relief. He then turned to the Sawtooth Tiger with a cold smirk, "Now it's just you and me. Let's see what you're made of."

Despite its limited intelligence, the Sawtooth Tiger could discern something from Zhang Nan's facial expression.

It was clear that Zhang Nan was gearing up for a fight to the death.

The Sawtooth Tiger was poised, ready to spring at Zhang Nan at any moment.

Zhang Nan kept his gaze fixed on the Sawtooth Tiger, his grip on the Skycleaver sword tightening.

Suddenly, Zhang Nan made his move, but instead of charging at the Sawtooth Tiger, he bolted in the opposite direction.

Zhang Nan's escape left the Sawtooth Tiger dumbfounded for a moment.

Once it saw Zhang Nan disappearing into the distance, it snapped out of its confusion.

With a frustrated howl, "Awoo!" the Sawtooth Tiger felt duped and let out a thunderous roar before charging after Zhang Nan.

Zhang Nan led the chase, with the Sawtooth Tiger hot on his heels. He wasn't running aimlessly; he recalled a terrifying spot from his past training in the area—a place devoid of spirit animal droppings or sightings, suggesting the presence of something far more formidable.

Zhang Nan's plan was to lure the Sawtooth Tiger to that very spot, though he couldn't be certain that the Fellbeast lurking there would be stronger than the tiger itself. It was a gamble he was willing to take.

He soon reached the location and quickly concealed himself in the nearby brush.

The Sawtooth Tiger arrived shortly after, scanning the surroundings without finding Zhang Nan. It let out an enraged roar, "Aooo!"

But instead of leaving, the Sawtooth Tiger settled in to wait, convinced that Zhang Nan was hiding somewhere close by. It stood guard at the entrance, patient and vigilant.

The tiger's bellow echoed through the woods, and from a pond not far from the Sawtooth Tiger, a Crocdemon emerged.

Hidden in the underbrush, Zhang Nan remained perfectly still, though his mind raced with worry. He had no way of knowing the true strength of the Fellbeast in this area. If it proved weaker than the Sawtooth Tiger, he would have outsmarted both the beast and himself.

As Zhang Nan stood there, bewildered, the earth began to tremble. A Crocdemon burst forth in a rush.

The Sawtooth Tiger, upon spotting the Crocdemon, engaged in a clash of titans.

The Crocdemon reigned supreme in the waters, while the Sawtooth Tiger ruled the forest.

An epic battle was on the horizon.

But Zhang Nan's jaw dropped in shock when he saw the Crocdemon, seemingly triumphant, get swiftly killed by a single bite from the Sawtooth Tiger.

After slaying the Crocdemon, the Sawtooth Tiger licked its lips and surveyed its surroundings.

With a shake of his head, Zhang Nan resigned himself to the situation. As he was about to make his escape, another massive Crocdemon charged in and sent the Sawtooth Tiger flying through the air.

The Crocdemon, after flinging the Sawtooth Tiger aside, didn't pursue the attack. Instead, it approached the lifeless body of the smaller Crocdemon, tenderly licking it with its tongue. Realizing its kin was dead, it let out a heart-wrenching cry, tears welling in its eyes.

Witnessing this scene, Zhang Nan was filled with remorse. The creature had been alive and well until his decision led to the death of its offspring.

The Sawtooth Tiger, having been knocked aside, picked itself up and shook its head, growling defiantly at the Crocdemon.

The Crocdemon returned the gaze, its eyes brimming with a murderous intent.

The Sawtooth Tiger charged at the Crocdemon, which, instead of evading, met its charge head-on.

But just as they were about to collide, the Crocdemon halted abruptly, then extended its tail to ensnare the charging Sawtooth Tiger, flinging it into the air.

Zhang Nan, observing from a distance, closed his eyes in resignation and whispered to himself, "That Sawtooth Tiger is truly foolish."

The Sawtooth Tiger was tossed around in the air by the Crocdemon for an agonizingly long time before being slammed against the mountain wall.

Dazed and struggling to stand, the Sawtooth Tiger knew it was in no shape to fight. As it attempted to flee, the Crocdemon noticed the Sawtooth Tiger's intent to escape.

The Crocdemon swiftly pursued and clamped its jaws around the neck of the Sawtooth Tiger. With minimal effort, the tiger was rendered breathless.

After discarding the Sawtooth Tiger, the Crocdemon hoisted up its young and peered at Zhang Nan's hiding spot with a puzzled look. Shaking its head, it then strode into the pond.

Zhang Nan didn't emerge immediately but waited a moment before stepping out of the bushes to approach the Sawtooth Tiger. He sighed and mused, "Why did you feel compelled to attack me? Couldn't you have just let me be? If you had spared me, you wouldn't have had to die."

Having spoken, Zhang Nan crouched down and drew the Skycleaver, plunging it into the Sawtooth Tiger's brain. After an extensive search within its skull, he finally extracted a crystal.

"I had a hunch," he chuckled. "How could a Sawtooth Tiger lack an inner core? This is a real gem, although its level of cultivation is rather low, only at the Return to Origin Stage. Had it been at the Golden Core Stage or beyond, it would have been a true windfall."

With the inner core in hand, Zhang Nan set off towards Azure Academy. En route, he encountered the headmaster, Murong Le, and Murong Wan.

Murong Le, seeing Zhang Nan unharmed, expressed his confusion, "Weren't you confronted by the Sawtooth Tiger? How did you make it out alive?"

Zhang Nan's expression soured at the question. "Principal, am I fated to die? After Murong Wan left, I just ran until I found an exceptionally serene spot to hide. When the Sawtooth Tiger came by, a Crocdemon appeared and vanquished it. That's when I made my escape."

Murong Le scrutinized Zhang Nan, prompting him to ask, "What's the matter, Principal?"

Zhang Nan felt a twinge of fear under Murong Le's intense gaze.

"Oh, nothing at all," Murong Le reassured. "I'm just wondering if Lady Luck has taken a particular shine to you. It's quite extraordinary: someone always seems to be there to save you from assassination attempts, and even when a Fellbeast chases you, another comes to your rescue. It's almost too good to be true."

Murong Le spoke with a sense of resignation.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Nan no longer wished to speak and instead walked quietly towards Azure Academy.

Before long, everyone had safely made their way back to the academy.

Yet, unbeknownst to them, their arrival had been observed by those keeping watch at the academy's entrance.

At the Soong family residence.

"What? Are you telling me Zhang Nan is back? How can that be? We're talking about a Sawtooth Tiger here. And in terms of cultivation, not even a human at the Return to Origin stage could kill it. How on earth did Zhang Nan manage to survive an encounter with a Sawtooth Tiger? Is it possible that the Sawtooth Tiger didn't notice him? No, that can't be. What exactly happened?" Soong Xingtian pondered aloud, his voice tinged with confusion.

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