134: Chapter 134 Rescue

Finally, one was dealt with.

But the remaining three Black-Striped Leopards became even more ferocious; one of them suddenly turned toward Li Menger, its sharp claws lunging straight for her back.

Li Menger had no time to react at all. Just as she was about to be clawed, Zhang Wen suddenly charged in from the side, his spear sweeping across and knocking the Black-Striped Leopard flying.

However, this left him with an opening. The Azure-Striped Giant Leopard took the opportunity to pounce behind him, its claws slamming heavily onto his shoulder.

Fortunately, the sky-breaking thunder qilin armor helped Zhang Wen block most of the damage, and he was simply sent flying back.

"Zhang Wen!"

Ding Siyi cried out in alarm. Just as she was about to rush over to help, another Black-Striped Leopard pounced from behind, forcing her to turn back and defend.

Enduring the sharp pain in his shoulder, Zhang Wen shouted, "Eye of Thunder Punishment, open!"

He turned and thrust his spear toward the Azure-Striped Giant Leopard's abdomen—the Vicious Beast's weak point.

But the Azure-Striped Giant Leopard reacted extremely quickly. As it dodged to the side, its jaws snapped onto the spear shaft, its sharp fangs actually leaving several bite marks on the weapon.

With a powerful jerk of its head, it sent Zhang Wen stumbling. The Green-Striped Giant Wolf took the chance to swipe again, its claws lunging for his chest.

"I'll help you!"

After taking down the second Black-Striped Leopard, Han Xu immediately charged over with his blade, thrusting his short blade straight at the Green-Striped Giant Wolf's left eye.

The Azure-Striped Giant Leopard was forced to let go and dodge. Zhang Wen took the opportunity to retreat, his breathing clearly erratic.

"There are too many Vicious Beasts; we can't fight them head-on... Menger, can you still detect the surrounding terrain? Find us an escape route!"

Zhang Wen thought to himself that it was definitely not because he couldn't win; if they were so capable, they should turn off his spiritual power seal.

Li Menger shook her groggy head forcefully, and a white light glowed at her fingertips once more.

"To... to the northwest, there's a pile of jagged rocks! The space is narrow there, so the leopards won't be able to use their speed!"

Zhang Wen nodded immediately and shouted toward Ding Siyi.

"Siyi, use your Immortal Fire to hold off the Black-Striped Leopards! We're retreating to the northwest!"

Ding Siyi immediately condensed a fireball and hurled it at the pursuing Black-Striped Leopards, the flames forcing them back a couple of steps.

The four took the chance to retreat toward the jagged rocks, but the Azure-Striped Giant Leopard gave them no opening, pursuing them relentlessly.

Claws swiped at their backs again and again, forcing them to defend while retreating.

Just as they reached the edge of the rocks, the last Black-Striped Leopard suddenly pounced at Ding Siyi's legs, its claws slashing her calf.

Ding Siyi stumbled, and her Immortal Fire instantly dissipated. The Green-Striped Giant Wolf seized the opportunity, leaping high and pouncing toward her.

"Watch out!"

Han Xu and Zhang Wen rushed forward at the same time. Han Xu blocked in front of Ding Siyi with his short blade, while Zhang Wen thrust his spear toward the Green-Striped Giant Wolf's throat.

The Azure-Striped Giant Leopard roared, its claws swatting away Han Xu's short blade. It dodged the spear tip and snapped its jaws toward Zhang Wen's neck.

"If a tiger doesn't show its might, you'll think it's a sick cat!"

Zhang Wen reached his limit and didn't need to hold back anymore. "Thunder Wrath: Instant Prison Kill!"

The Green-Striped Giant Wolf let out a miserable cry, its movements instantly freezing.

Blood sprayed out, and the Azure-Striped Giant Leopard struggled a few times before finally collapsing to the ground, breathless.

Seeing their leader dead, the remaining two Black-Striped Leopards panicked and turned to flee.

Using Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks, Zhang Wen instantly closed the distance. "Myriad Thunders Coiling Dragon Break!"

One strike to the left, one to the right, and the last two Black-Striped Leopards also fell.

The four leaned against the jagged rocks, all of them panting heavily, more or less covered in wounds.

Zhang Wen looked at the Vicious Beast corpses on the ground, his expression solemn.

"Something's not right about this Mist Shadow Valley. Why would so many Subtlety Realm Vicious Beasts gather here... We need to finish gathering the mist condensing grass and leave as soon as possible. We can't afford to linger."

A faint white light flickered at Li Menger's fingertips as she scanned the surroundings.

"The mist condensing grass by the puddle is still there... but the commotion just now might attract other Vicious Beasts. We should go and come back quickly."

Han Xu helped Ding Siyi up, blood still dripping from his short blade.

"I'll go gather the mist condensing grass. You guys stay here and keep watch."

After speaking, he ran toward the puddle; though his movements were fast, a hint of strain was visible.

Zhang Wen leaned against a rock, gasping for air with his brow furrowed.

Perilous Battle in Mist Shadow Valley

Zhang Wen leaned against the cold rock, his heavy breathing sounding exceptionally clear in the silent pile of stones.

He reached up to press his shoulder, his brow furrowed into a knot—though the sky-breaking thunder qilin armor had blocked the fatal blow, the Azure-Striped Giant Leopard's immense force had left his very bones numb.

What frustrated him even more was the sluggish Spiritual Qi in his body. If it weren't for this damned Spiritual Energy Seal suppressing him to the Subtlety Realm Middle Stage, would he have had to fight so pathetically just now?

"This damn seal is a total trap."

He cursed under his breath, a faint Lightning Radiance flickering in his palm. "I can barely even manage a second 'Thunder Wrath: Instant Prison Kill.' This feeling of my Mana Bar being empty is killer."

Just then, a hurried cry for help suddenly came from the distance, mixed with the roars of Vicious Beasts, sounding particularly piercing through the miasma of Mist Shadow Valley.

"That's a human voice!"

Ding Siyi straightened up immediately. Though the wound on her calf still throbbed, she clenched her fists, which were flickering with scattered sparks of Immortal Fire. "Judging by the direction... it seems to be coming from the northeast!"

Han Xu had just run back from the puddle, carrying several stalks of dew-covered mist condensing grass in his arms. He paused upon hearing this.

"Most of those who can enter Mist Shadow Valley are probably assessment teams from our school."

He looked at Zhang Wen with an inquiring gaze. "Captain, should we go take a look?"

Zhang Wen wiped the blood from his face and stood up abruptly. He twirled the sky-splitting startling thunder spear in his palm, and the Lightning Radiance brightened once more.

"We're all from the same school; how can we just stand by and watch?"

He took a deep breath, suppressing the fatigue in his body. "Let's go! Move fast, or it might be too late!"

The four delayed no longer. Li Menger used her Mental Energy to scout the path ahead and avoid the thickest miasma, while Zhang Wen led the way with his spear, rushing toward the cries for help at a rapid pace.

As they ran forward, the roars grew louder, mixed with the crisp sound of breaking weapons and the pained cries of team members.

Rounding a dense thicket of poisonous vines, the scene before them caused their pupils to shrink—in a clearing, a team was being completely surrounded by Vicious Beasts.

The outermost layer consisted of over a dozen blue-faced, fanged Forming Realm Vicious Beasts, pouncing and biting, forcing the team members to retreat repeatedly.

The inner layer had five Subtlety Realm Vicious Beasts that were even more like tigers and wolves; among them, a beast covered entirely in crimson scales was particularly striking.

Its body was even larger than the previous Green-Striped Giant Wolf, with wisps of heat rising from the gaps between its scales and a pair of beastly eyes glowing with amber light.

Every swipe of its claws carried a sharp sound that tore through the air; it was a Peak of the Microscopic Realm Vicious Beast on the verge of entering the Penetration Realm!

"It's Zhao Ya and the others!"

Ding Siyi recognized the young girl enveloped in crimson flames—the Crimson Flame Dancer talent left a deep impression. "And Qin Huang, Wu Jiang, and Xun Fenghua!"

Zhang Wen scanned the battlefield, and his heart immediately sank—although Zhao Ya was using flames to force back two Subtlety Realm Early Stage Vicious Beasts, her forehead was drenched in sweat, and the color of the flames had faded significantly.

Qin Huang was blocking at the very front with his Thousand Jin Stalwart Body, but the hard armor on his body had already been gouged with deep marks by the beasts, and his arms were trembling slightly.

Wu Jiang and Xun Fenghua were huddled behind the two; one was trying to use a Consonance Link to transmit information but was interrupted by the beasts' roars.

The other was using Breathless Stealth to circle around the back but had been locked onto by the scent of a Forming Realm Vicious Beast, barely dodging a claw swipe.

"The situation is dire!"

Han Xu grunted, gripping his short blade tightly. "Sister Zhao Ya and Brother Qin Huang won't last much longer. Wu Jiang and the other one are only in the Forming Realm; they have no power to fight back!"

Zhang Wen's gaze turned sharp, and the Lightning Radiance at his spear tip surged.

"Siyi, use your Immortal Fire to blast open the outer Forming Realm Vicious Beasts and leave a gap for them!"

"Han Xu, go help Qin Huang hold off that Subtlety Realm Vicious Beast on the left. Remember, just interfere with it!"

"Menger, use your Mental Energy to disrupt that Red-Scaled Fierce Beast. Don't let it attack Zhao Ya with its full strength!"

"Alright!"

The three immediately complied. Ding Siyi raised her hand and threw a massive fireball that exploded in the air, forcing the surrounding Forming Realm Vicious Beasts back and revealing a gap.

Han Xu pushed off the ground, rushing over like a dark shadow, his short blade thrusting straight for the throat of the beast besieging Qin Huang.

White light condensed at Li Menger's fingertips as a bolt of Mental Energy silently shot toward the Red-Scaled Fierce Beast's head.

Meanwhile, Zhang Wen charged toward the most dangerous Red-Scaled Fierce Beast with his sky-splitting startling thunder spear, the tip crackling with Lightning Radiance as he thrust at its flank. "Zhao Ya! I'm here to help!"

Zhao Ya was being forced back step by step by the Red-Scaled Fierce Beast. Seeing reinforcements, a flash of joy crossed her eyes, and she immediately increased her flame output.

"Zhang Wen! This beast is about to break through to the Penetration Realm. Watch out for its scales!"

The Red-Scaled Fierce Beast, disrupted by the Mental Energy and sensing the incoming Lightning Radiance from behind, roared and turned to swat at the spear shaft with its claw.

With a loud "clang," Zhang Wen felt his arm go numb. The spear tip was actually deflected by the scales, sending a few sparks flying.

"Man, these scales are tough!"

Zhang Wen was startled, but he didn't retreat a single step. Using the counterforce to dodge to the side, he turned his spear tip to thrust at its eyes—the weak point where no scales covered.